Chapter 131: Chapter 124: Sell Me! (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)
A seemingly high-intensity surgery, Xiao Lin took less than five minutes to complete, extracting everything. Looking at the two pieces of shattered bone placed on the tray, each about one or two millimeters wide, Xiao Lin gently breathed a sigh of relief; it was finally done.
At this moment, in the eyes of Xia Xue, Li Jingyi, Xiao Mei, Xiao Li, and Xiao Ning, Xiao Lin’s image became incredibly impressive. Performing such a precise surgery seemed not to consume much of Xiao Lin’s energy; not even a drop of sweat appeared on his forehead. Xia Xue had even prepared a towel for Xiao Lin, intending to help him wipe sweat, assuming it would take at least half an hour. Unexpectedly, everything was done in less than five minutes. The speed was fast, the surgery was precise—unlike anything seen before.
At this point, Xun Xiangxiang also gradually regained strength. Her physical condition was still quite good, estimated to be related to frequently going out of her home, resulting in good physical training. At this moment, her pale face had a layer of blush, presumably with just ten more minutes of rest, she could get out of bed and walk.
"I told you Military Doctor is amazing; Xiang Fei and Moon said he is the greatest military doctor of Huaxia!" Xun Xiangxiang said proudly, as if Xiao Lin’s achievements were her own pride. Among those present, only Xun Xiangxiang had such an overwhelming admiration for Xiao Lin.
Listening to Xun Xiangxiang praising him, Xiao Lin rarely showed a slight smile at her. However, Xun Xiangxiang’s next words made Xiao Lin have an urge to strangle her.
"But this blood transfusion technique is really not that great. I’ve given blood before, and never felt so uncomfortable!" Xun Xiangxiang said with a smile.
Xiao Lin had an urge to vomit blood; you little brat, do you know what blood connection is? Yan University Hospital does not have blood connection equipment, only regular blood transfusion equipment. Do you realize how much True Qi it cost me to ensure you could donate blood to Niu Niu without harm?
Yet considering Xun Xiangxiang’s self-sacrificing spirit in donating blood, Xiao Lin generously decided not to argue with her.
"Xia Xue, please sew up the wound. I have something to do, I need to go out for a while!" Xiao Lin said casually, though for some reason, it left a sense of grimness for others. Xiao Lin trusted Xia Xue’s expertise; this kind of wound should not be difficult for her, and even Li Jingyi should be able to handle it.
Xia Xue glanced at Xiao Lin, a trace of worry appeared in her eyes. After spending a long time with Xiao Lin, she usually felt Xiao Lin’s infinite love; but just when Xiao Lin brought in Niu Niu, from that moment, she felt an indescribable fury buried in Xiao Lin’s heart.
"Where are you going?" For the first time, Xia Xue did not nod directly, feeling what Xiao Lin intended to do wasn’t that simple.
"Nothing, just a small thing!" Xiao Lin smiled, but despite his smile seeming no different from usual, Xia Xue still perceived the coldness within. Xiao Lin then said to Li Jingyi, "Director, it seems I’ll have to request leave from you again!"
Could Li Jingyi refuse Xiao Lin’s request for leave? Especially now, Xiao Lin’s tone seemed casual, but Li Jingyi knew that the anger reflected in Xiao Lin’s eyes, even if she refused, what could she do? She only worried about what Xiao Lin was going to do and said, "Xiao Lin, if there’s anything you can say, we’ll help if we can!"
Hearing Xiao Lin say this, Xun Xiangxiang knew what Xiao Lin was going to do. She was incredibly heartbroken for Niu Niu, and conversely, incredibly hated the owner of the silver sports car that hit Niu Niu, and added, "Military Doctor, I will go with you, I recognize the silver sports car that hit Niu Niu; I seem to have seen it somewhere!" Xun Xiangxiang recalled, that silver sports car was quite eye-catching, she seemed to have seen it.
"Go where? You’ve just donated blood, you need more rest, and besides, don’t you have classes?" Xiao Lin glared at Xun Xiangxiang, and Xun Xiangxiang obediently complied, though she still pouted and turned her head away, seemingly quite dissatisfied with Xiao Lin reprimanding her.
"Alright, then just call back if something happens!" Li Jingyi nodded, knowing Xiao Lin was about to trouble the car that caused the accident. Although she did not know how Xiao Lin would go about finding it, she did not stop Xiao Lin.
"Then I’ll leave Niu Niu in your care for now. As for medical expenses, deduct them from my paycheck; if not enough, I’ll chip in when I return!" Xiao Lin knew, though Yan University Hospital is an internal hospital, students rarely pay for medical treatment, it’s only limited to Yan University’s students and staff. Since Niu Niu was not affiliated with the school, paying expenses was normal. Then he said to Xia Xue, "Dr. Xia, if possible, after Niu Niu wakes up, go to her house and bring her mother here. Her mother is quite ill; Niu Niu was trying to save money to treat her mom, that’s why she was collecting bottles in the city to sell."
When saying this, Xiao Lin’s eyes were slightly red but he held back.
Xia Xue and Li Jingyi then realized Niu Niu was hit by a reckless driver, and Niu Niu was picking bottles in the city to earn money for her mother’s treatment. These few words instantly brought tears to Xia Xue and Li Jingyi.
"Niu Niu is really so pitiful!" Xiao Mei looked at the already asleep Niu Niu, with tears glistening in her eyes.
"Dr. Xiao, what are you talking about? How could you deduct from your salary for this? I will apply to the dean for free treatment for Niu Niu’s medical expenses. Not only for Niu Niu, but after bringing Niu Niu’s mother over, if our university hospital can treat her, we will do the same with free treatment. If the university hospital can’t treat her and she needs to be sent to the First Affiliated Hospital, we will initiate a fundraising campaign for Niu Niu’s mother at the hospital!" Li Jingyi, who also has a child about the same age as Niu Niu, naturally softens her heart. As she looked at the sleeping Niu Niu, tears almost fell from her eyes.
It was the first time Xia Xue saw the usually laid-back Xiao Lin with red-rimmed eyes. It was clear how much anger this tough man held inside and how inexplicably he felt sorry for Niu Niu’s plight. She nodded and said, "When Niu Niu wakes up, I’ll confirm her address and then go bring her mother over!"
After receiving the approval from Xia Xue and Li Jingyi, Xiao Lin walked out of the operating room with somewhat angry steps. As he left the hospital, many doctors and nurses greeted him. Xiao Lin simply nodded lightly in response, his mind constantly occupied with plans on what to do after catching the car owner.
Once Xiao Lin left the operating room, Xia Xue meticulously stitched up the wound on Niu Niu’s head. After handling it, Li Jingyi and the other three nurses arranged for Niu Niu to stay in the only high-class ward of the university hospital. Despite being called a high-class ward, compared to the ordinary wards of the First Affiliated Hospital, it was no better. It just had a television, some basic medical examination equipment at the bedside for the most straightforward checks. Compared to other major hospitals, it wasn’t even on par with ordinary wards.
Everyone learned about Niu Niu’s situation from a sentence Xun Xiangxiang had just told Xiao Lin, but they didn’t know the details. After settling Niu Niu, Li Jingyi went to the third floor to apply for free treatment for Niu Niu and her mother with Elder Dean Yu, while Xiao Mei and Xiao Li went to take care of other tasks, leaving Xiao Ning to look after Niu Niu.
"Xiangxiang, aren’t you going to class?" Xia Xue asked when she saw Xun Xiangxiang heading straight to Niu Niu’s ward after having a rest, assuming she had gone to school to attend classes.
"Sister Xue, I have no mind to go to class. Little Niu Niu is too tragic, you know..." Then, Xun Xiangxiang seemed to have found an outlet for venting, recounting how she saw little Niu Niu walking to pick up bottles and then being hit by that silver sports car, lying in a pool of blood, while passersby turned a blind eye, becoming more and more agitated as she spoke.
"If we hadn’t been there at the time, I’m afraid Niu Niu might have already..." Xun Xiangxiang spoke with tears in her eyes, which brought Xia Xue to tears as well.
"Sister Xue, why can those passersby be so indifferent? Why didn’t anyone step forward to look? Or call for emergency services?" Xun Xiangxiang couldn’t help but have red-rimmed eyes at the thought of Niu Niu’s ordeal.
However, Xia Xue’s thoughts were more helpless. She said to Xiangxiang, "Alas, isn’t this the work of that wicked old woman and that brainless judge from back then? It has continuously eroded the moral bottom line. I can only say that Niu Niu is very pitiful!" Xia Xue’s viewpoint, compared to Xun Xiangxiang’s, was more realistic, but reality was just that.
"Fortunately, she met you and Xiao Lin, these two fools. I believe when you went to help little Niu Niu, those passersby must have looked at you with strange eyes, right?"
"Sister Xue, if it were you, would you have gone forward?" Xun Xiangxiang suddenly asked.
"Of course, I would have gone forward to help, because I can afford it!" Xia Xue said. Her tone was light, yet her mood wasn’t necessarily so.
"Can afford it?" Xun Xiangxiang was taken aback for a moment, then realized. Yes, to afford it, you need to have the means to save someone. Otherwise, for an ordinary family, tens of thousands could be enough to crush a family, and an incident like that with the old woman could perpetually lower the entire society’s moral bottom line.
"Dr. Xia, little Niu Niu is awake!" Xiao Ning happily called out from the side.
Xia Xue and Xun Xiangxiang turned back and quickly moved next to little Niu Niu. At this moment, little Niu Niu was fully awake. Seeing Xia Xue and Xun Xiangxiang, she blinked her eyes at them, but when she didn’t see Xiao Lin, she asked in a weak voice, "Big sister, where is that big brother from before? I heard the people in my village say that a little girl like me can be sold for a good price, so ask big brother to sell me, so there will be money for my mom’s treatment!"
In an instant, Niu Niu’s words made Xia Xue, Xun Xiangxiang, and Xiao Ning burst into tears unabated.