Since he had already overslept, Du Heng didn’t rush. He leisurely got out of bed, took his time washing up, and then went to eat.
During the meal, he asked Du Xuejing, "Tingting, how many days are left until the college entrance examination?"
"Still four days, Uncle."
"Oh, where are you taking the exam?"
"At No. 12 Middle School."
Du Heng finished the last mouthful of soup in his bowl and handed it to Du Xuejing. "Get me another bowl, will you? This sour soup is delicious."
Du Xuejing put down her chopsticks, chuckled, and went to get Du Heng more food. However, his older brother, Du Ping, scolded him, "What’s gotten into you? Enjoying a few good days and already getting sentimental about the hard times? I’ve never seen you so fond of this pot of noodles before. Your sister-in-law used to practically chase you, and you still wouldn’t eat an extra bowl."
Du Heng took a couple of bites of the cold dishes. After swallowing, he said with a smile, "Brother, you don’t understand. There are more inpatients at the Health Clinic now. I promised Old Fan in the canteen a commission for every extra person’s meal he prepares. And let me tell you, he loads my lunchbox with meat every single meal—the greasier, the better. If I don’t go get my own food, I won’t see a single green vegetable."
Du Ping placed his empty bowl in Du Heng’s hand. "Look at you, Mr. Capable. Go get me a bowl too."
Du Heng chuckled. Du Xuejing, who was bringing him his refilled bowl, then took her father’s bowl from Du Heng. "Go get your dad some food," Du Heng told her.
"You’re impossibly lazy," Du Ping grumbled at Du Heng, who remained seated.
Du Heng lowered his head and focused on eating, ignoring his brother’s remark.
When Du Xuejing returned with the food, Du Heng asked again, "So how will you get to the exam center?"
"The school said the exam centers for our school are quite concentrated. We’ll go back to school the night before the exam, and they’ll take us all to the exam center together the next day."
"Will it be like that for both days?"
In the time it took to exchange these few words, Du Heng’s bowl was already half empty. "So, how do you manage meals then?"
"We eat in the school canteen. We’re used to it."
"How about this? Your Aunt Shuqiu rented a place right next to No. 12 Middle School; it’s only a three-minute walk away. Why don’t you stay there for these few days? You could rest there during your lunch break and have your meals there. It’d be clean and hygienic. What do you think?"
Du Xuejing looked a little tempted, but her mother, Zhang Sumei, hesitated. "Wouldn’t that be too much of an imposition on Xiao Wang?"
"It’s no problem," Du Heng said. "She gets off work early and usually just watches TV dramas at home. Besides, she has to cook for herself anyway, and I won’t be going back for the next few days, so it’s perfect for them to keep each other company."
Zhang Sumei was still hesitant. After all, Du Heng and Wang Shuqiu weren’t married yet, and she felt awkward about troubling Shuqiu so much.
Du Heng put down his chopsticks, took out his phone, and called Wang Shuqiu directly. After he explained the situation, Wang Shuqiu sounded delighted. She and Du Xuejing got along like best friends now, and she was thrilled at the thought of Du Xuejing staying with her.
After hanging up, Du Heng continued eating. "So, it’s settled then. I’ll take you over there tomorrow. You can get used to the place first. Don’t want you losing sleep and affecting your exams."
Before starting his afternoon shift at the Health Clinic, Du Heng went to the Pharmacy. He handed over a prescription and said, "Fill this for me, two doses worth."
"Dean, who is this for? Should I enter it into the system?"
"It’s for that family we’re assisting with poverty alleviation. I’ll enter it when I get back."
"How should we handle the payment?"
"Just put it on account for now; I’ll sort it out when I return. There are still those other two families, and they might need financial help too. I’ll try to get reimbursement from the township later. If that doesn’t work out, we’ll cover it with the Health Clinic’s funds. Consider it our contribution to poverty alleviation."
While waiting for the medicine, Du Heng went upstairs to the hospital rooms and chatted with a few patients. He spent a particularly long time talking with the pair of siblings who had been fighting.
More than an hour had passed by the time Du Heng left the Health Clinic.
Sitting in his car, he shook his head with a chuckle.
Usually, when I’m at the Health Clinic, time seems to drag on, he thought. But whenever I’m out and about, there never seems to be enough. And today, I told Wang Shiyuan to wait for me at home. Looks like he’ll be waiting all day.
That’s rather impolite of me.
When he arrived at Wangjiazui, he saw many large white plastic barrels unloaded along the roadside.
Du Heng recognized them at a glance. Aren’t these the things used for the toilet reconstruction project?
Wang Juguo was busy at the Village Committee office when Du Heng got there, so Du Heng went to the clinic to find Wang Shizhen. "When were these big white barrels delivered?"
Wang Shizhen glanced at the barrels by the road. "This morning, just as it was getting light. I heard there’s a meeting at the Village Committee now. They’re saying Uncle Juguo needs to mobilize everyone to get the reconstruction underway quickly."
That was fast, Du Heng thought, but the timing is a bit late. If only they had this kind of efficiency earlier, why the mad rush now?
He tossed the two bags of medicine onto the counter and found a place to sit. "Is Wang Shiyuan home today?"
Wang Shizhen’s eyelids twitched as he looked at the medicine on the counter. "He should be. He came by at noon asking if you’d arrived yet. What’s up? Want me to go get him?"
"No need. We’ll decoct the medicine later and take it over directly."
Wang Shizhen stared at the medicine on the counter again, asking in utter astonishment, "You prescribed this for Wang Shiyuan’s wife?"
"Yeah. I was up all last night figuring out the right prescription. But hard work pays off, and I finally got it."
"I’m ninety-nine percent sure." Du Heng’s confidence was palpable.
Wang Shizhen’s expression shifted. He let out a long breath, hardly aware he was doing it.
It’s not surprising that Du Heng is the Dean of the Health Clinic now, Wang Shizhen thought. There are plenty of people younger than him in higher positions. But Du Heng is already making a name for himself treating stroke paralysis and hemiplegia. Becoming an expert in that field doesn’t seem too far off for him. But now... can he really treat mental illness too? He’s a general practitioner, but to be skilled in so many areas, and so proficiently... isn’t that a bit much?
"Should I decoct the medicine now?" Wang Shizhen asked.
"No need to rush. I plan to decoct it this evening and take it over around bedtime."
"I’ve added herbs to calm the mind and promote peaceful sleep. After drinking it, the patient should sleep deeply for a while. When she wakes up, her condition should have improved."
Wang Shizhen was taken aback again. "You mean one dose will be enough?"
"One dose won’t cut it. At least two."
"Old Du, aren’t you bragging a little?"
Du Heng chuckled. "We’ll see if it’s bragging or not after she takes the medicine."
"Alright, I’m waiting for a miracle. If it truly works, I’ll set off fireworks to celebrate for you."