CHAPTER 119: 119 DOES NOT INDULGE IN BAD HABITS

(Thank you to my friends who have encouraged me with their monthly tickets: Eat Pineapple Peel, Morning Thoughts, xiao3299, Brigade Leader Ou, GeeGee’s World, Pharaoh’s Dancing Girl)

"What are you guys up to?" Liu Banxia and the others were walking down the corridor when Qin Hai approached them, asking with a radiant smile.

He wore a beaming smile, but Liu Banxia had a hunch it wasn’t for anything good. After all, considering their relationship, why would Qin Hai smile at him like that?

"Deputy Chief Qin, we’ve just admitted a patient with suspected gastric perforation and acute peritonitis. We’re heading off to prepare," Liu Banxia replied, pointedly using Qin Hai’s current title.

It was an unspoken rule that even for subordinate positions like Deputy Director or Deputy Chief, the "Deputy" prefix would be omitted when the Director or head leader wasn’t present. It made conversations flow more smoothly and was more satisfying for both parties.

A flicker of stiffness crossed Qin Hai’s face, but he maintained his smile. "I just received a report from a concerned patient, stating there was some misunderstanding between you and a female patient here in the emergency department?"

"I know your character, but since we’ve received a report, we have to come and take a look. Besides, I consider this department my home too, so it’s a good opportunity to take a stroll," Qin Hai continued.

"Tsk tsk, there are so many concerned citizens these days. Do you need me to stay and cooperate with the investigation? If not, I need to get back to work. You can take your time finding that kind-hearted patient to get the details," Liu Banxia said.

"Liu Banxia, what kind of attitude is that? Is that how you treat your former superior?" Qin Hai’s face darkened.

After receiving Qi Wentai’s report, he had hesitated for several minutes before deciding to come over. He was afraid of making a fool of himself again; wouldn’t his face be smacked once more?

So, even after arriving, he hadn’t confronted Liu Banxia directly, thinking a more roundabout approach would be better. Who would have thought Liu Banxia was such a crude fellow, speaking so offensively?

"Someone’s sick, and they need treatment! Acute peritonitis, can that afford to be delayed? If it can, I’ll buy a couple of pounds of melon seeds and have a good long chat with you, Sir," Liu Banxia retorted cheerfully.

This riled Qin Hai up again. Was Liu Banxia implying *he* was sick?

"Go on, hurry and get ready. Call me as soon as the X-ray is done," Liu Banxia said, then led Liang Xiaolin and Sun Fengjiao away.

It was fair to say that today, he hadn’t given Qin Hai even a shred of respect.

He was just that petty-minded. He didn’t even need to think to know this "kind-hearted patient" was Qi Wentai. Otherwise, why would Qin Hai have bothered to rush over? Reactionaries are just paper tigers. You can’t indulge them; you just have to hit back hard.

Qin Hai was furious, but he had no authority to stop Liu Banxia. He was no longer the director of the emergency department. Even if he had received a so-called complaint, he needed concrete evidence to act.

"Hey? Where did Liu Banxia run off to?"

Just as Qin Hai was wondering who to ask about what had actually happened and whether he could seize the opportunity to make trouble for Liu Banxia, a shout came from the entrance of the emergency department.

Looking at the three people who walked in, they matched Qi Wentai’s description closely. Combined with their tone and expressions, Qin Hai was overjoyed.

"Do you have an issue to report? You can tell me," Qin Hai said, his face once again wreathed in a warm smile as he trotted over.

"Who are you? Where’s Liu Banxia?" Qiaoqiao asked, frowning.

"I am a leader from the medical administrative department of the Second Affiliated Hospital. If you have any problems, you can discuss them with me," Qin Hai said confidently.

"Huh? I remember you. Weren’t you the director of the emergency department? How did you end up in the medical administrative department?" Qiaoqiao asked curiously.

Qin Hai flushed slightly. He now remembered that he had indeed met these two girls before. However, the circumstances of that meeting had been rather unfavorable for him.

And then, a very bad premonition crept into his heart.

"Qiaoqiao, please stop interrupting," Wang Xiaoyan said helplessly.

"It’s not like I started it," Qiaoqiao retorted, then turned to Zhou Li. "Nurse Li, where did Liu Banxia go?"

"If you’d come back through the corridor, you would have seen him. There might be a surgery, so he went to prepare," Zhou Li explained, walking over.

"Ah... I still wanted to thank him! But your hospital has so many corridors; we got lost and couldn’t find our way back, so we had to come around through the main entrance," Qiaoqiao grumbled. "I didn’t expect Liu Banxia’s name to be so effective. We went over and got checked immediately. The doctor there said it was a good thing her back was injured today; otherwise, treatment might really have been delayed."

"They removed it right away. They said the results would be back in a few days. But it shouldn’t be too dangerous. If detected early, this kind of thing isn’t a big deal."

"Congratulations, then. By the way, you should also pay the consultation fee; otherwise, it will be deducted from his salary again," Zhou Li said with a smile.

"Oh! I really forgot to pay!" Wang Xiaoyan exclaimed.

Now she felt even worse about how they’d treated Liu Banxia. First, they had misunderstood him. If they hadn’t come back to thank him, Liu Banxia would have had to cover the consultation fee today.

If Qin Hai still couldn’t understand what was going on after hearing all this, then he had truly lived in vain. Regardless of what had happened earlier, the outcome was favorable to Liu Banxia. He had played another losing hand and lost face again. Was there any face left to lose?

Actually, at this moment, no one was paying him any attention; they were all happy for their friend. Even though most had just met and some didn’t even know each other’s names, the joy was genuine.

As the saying goes, being sick isn’t scary as long as it’s found early. If detected early, it’s just a minor ailment. It could be a simple intestinal polyp or just a mole. But if it’s found late? It could turn into cancer.

They were also happy for Liu Banxia. In a small way, this incident once again demonstrated his meticulousness; in a larger sense, he had probably saved another life.

"Don’t you have Liu Banxia’s phone number or WeChat?" Zhou Li asked after the commotion died down a bit.

"Oh my, I actually do! I completely forgot in all the rush!" Qiaoqiao slapped her forehead, took out her phone, and made a video call.

"What’s up? I’m about to scrub in. Have you finished your check-up?" Liu Banxia asked.

"Yeah, we wanted to thank you, but we couldn’t find you. Seriously though, we absolutely have to treat you to a meal. You pick the time and place. It would be too disrespectful if you didn’t come," Qiaoqiao said.

Ding! Special Mole Task Completed.

Gained 100 experience points and 50 diagnostic skill proficiency points.

"Alright, but it’ll have to be at least a week later. I just finished my time off. I’m scrubbing in now, can’t talk," Liu Banxia said and hung up.

He felt a bit regretful. Such a measly reward; the system was really stingy.

On the other end, Qiaoqiao was quite upset. Holding her phone, she looked at Wang Xiaoyan. "Yanzi, he actually hung up on my video call!"

Wang Xiaoyan looked at her helplessly. "Then just make him drink a few more glasses when you treat him to that meal."

"Hmm, that works. The nerve of him, hanging up on my video call!" Qiaoqiao grumbled.

Zhou Li, standing nearby, felt a little helpless. In Banxia’s heart, surgery would probably always come first.