Chapter 110: Don’t Be Nervous

“Doctor Gu, this elderly man is suffering from acute heart disease and needs immediate surgery.”

The male doctor pushed the stretcher to the emergency room entrance, his expression grave as he spoke to the beautiful female doctor. It was then that Zhang Xiaofan realized her surname was Gu.

Looking at the elderly man on the bed, Doctor Gu furrowed her brows. Although she had graduated in internal medicine with a focus on cardiology, she had never actually performed surgery herself.

Uncertain, she said, “I’m not confident… Maybe we should call in a specialist from the hospital.”

“There’s no time. We have at most ten minutes; without treatment, the patient will die,” the male doctor insisted.

“But…” Doctor Gu hesitated.

At that moment, a middle-aged woman following behind spoke up, “It’s alright. This is the nearest hospital, and you’re the only cardiologist here tonight. If you can’t save my father, it means it’s his time. I’ll sign off and won’t hold you responsible.”

“Alright, then. I’ll try my best,” Doctor Gu decided. If she didn’t act, the old man would surely die; if she tried, there was still hope.

She reminded herself: she was a doctor—how could she shrink back now?

“Good, then let’s get into the operating room quickly,” the male doctor urged, pushing the elderly man toward the adjacent OR. Doctor Gu followed, her eyes still betraying her anxiety.

Could she really be the lead surgeon for such a critical heart operation in this state?

Zhang Xiaofan, who had been about to leave, stopped in his tracks. The old man’s fate seemed intertwined with his, as the old master Qingyun had once told him: if you possess the skill to save a life, you should do so when fate brings you together.

“Wait.”

Zhang Xiaofan’s voice made the male doctor halt at the operating room door. Doctor Gu and the others looked at him in confusion, wondering what he intended.

“What are you doing? I don’t have time to entertain you now,” Doctor Gu said sharply.

“I’m not doing anything but refusing to watch a life slip away in your hands,” Zhang Xiaofan said earnestly. “I’ll be the lead surgeon, and you can assist me.”

Doctor Gu was stunned for a moment before replying, “Please leave quickly. I don’t have time for your nonsense.”

The male doctor scoffed, “Kid, aren’t you still a patient yourself? You think you can perform surgery? Don’t joke around and just go.”

He looked at Zhang Xiaofan, whose body was mostly bloodied except for the bandaged parts, and sneered, though not too harshly.

The middle-aged woman also frowned, “Young man, thank you for your kindness, but this isn’t a matter of bravado.”

Zhang Xiaofan paused. Why was no one believing him? Fine—he had already said it, and if they didn’t appreciate it, so be it.

He turned to Chen Yuanyuan and said, “Dear, let’s go back.”

“You… You’re injured like this and still want to treat others, but no one appreciates it. Why bother? Let’s just go back,” Chen Yuanyuan said, supporting him.

Her voice was low but clear to those present, who still paid no heed as they opened the OR door and wheeled the patient inside.

“Wait, young man.”

Just as Zhang Xiaofan was about to leave, the middle-aged woman called out.

He turned to face her. She was regal in demeanor, dressed simply yet in fine fabric, wearing a jade ring that clearly marked her status.

“Yes?” Zhang Xiaofan asked.

“I want to ask you to wait. If she can’t manage, I’d like you to try,” the woman said, eyeing Zhang Xiaofan’s heavily bandaged, bloodstained clothes with disbelief. Yet, hearing Chen Yuanyuan’s words gave her a glimmer of hope.

After all, she wasn’t willing to give up any chance.

Zhang Xiaofan smiled faintly. “Sorry, I’m not that desperate. I’m injured like this because I wanted to save a life. You don’t appreciate it and mock me in your hearts—why would I stay?”

“How about this? I’ll pay you a million if you stay, whether you succeed or not,” the woman offered.

Zhang Xiaofan smiled again. “A million is a lot, but what if I told you I have a billion? I don’t operate for money. To be frank, some people beg me to act, and I still might refuse.”

His tone was serious, expressing his displeasure.

Then he took Chen Yuanyuan’s hand and moved toward the exit. He wanted to save lives but had pride; no one would mock him and expect him to keep trying.

Obviously, Zhang Xiaofan was not that kind of person.

The middle-aged woman was speechless, watching his retreating figure with a strange feeling that he might truly save her father.

But Zhang Xiaofan’s silhouette gradually vanished down the hospital corridor.

“What’s wrong…” Chen Yuanyuan asked as they stepped outside. She noticed Zhang Xiaofan patting himself, searching for something.

“My silver needles are missing. They must have fallen in the emergency room. I’ll go look for them,” he said, cursing his carelessness. Such an important item gone missing at this critical moment.

“I’ll come with you,” Chen Yuanyuan offered, supporting him as they returned.

Zhang Xiaofan was anxious, fearing something might go wrong. He moved quickly, causing the bandage to bleed slightly, but he paid it no mind.

At the emergency room door, Zhang Xiaofan reached to open it but was stopped by the security guard on duty.

“You can’t go in,” the guard said sternly.

“I’m going in anyway,” Zhang Xiaofan said coldly.

“Then you’ll have to deal with my fists. You’re injured—best not cause trouble,” the guard warned.

“Heh, let’s see if your fists are tough enough,” Zhang Xiaofan smiled, pushing the door open.

“How dare you!” the guard shouted, grabbing at him.

As Zhang Xiaofan prepared to respond, Chen Yuanyuan moved first. With a swift martial arts maneuver, she subdued the guard. She was no ordinary girl.

“Xiaofan, go inside,” she said.

“Let go of me! You’re hurting me!” the guard cried, his arm twisted painfully behind his back.

Chen Yuanyuan paid no attention. She would hold him until Zhang Xiaofan retrieved his needles. She understood their importance deeply.

The middle-aged woman also noticed, surprised to see the guard so easily overpowered.

Inside the emergency room, Zhang Xiaofan immediately spotted the fallen clamp on the patient’s bed and smiled with relief.

After securing it, he stepped out and glanced at the guard’s anguished face, smiling to himself—why invite such trouble? The emergency room wasn’t a forbidden place.

“Yuanyuan, let him go,” Zhang Xiaofan said. After all, the guard was just doing his job, and it would be improper to escalate matters.

“I’ll call the police and have you arrested!” the guard protested, pulling out his phone.

“Let me see that,” Chen Yuanyuan said, presenting her ID. The guard’s expression instantly changed.

“Relax, I just went in to retrieve what I dropped,” Zhang Xiaofan said with a smile, motioning for Chen Yuanyuan to put the ID away.

The guard realized these two were not to be trifled with and quieted down, though still visibly annoyed.

“All right, let’s go, Yuanyuan,” Zhang Xiaofan said.

“Found it?” Chen Yuanyuan asked.

He nodded.

At that moment, the operating room door opened. The anxious male doctor emerged, found his phone, and quickly dialed a number.