Chapter 93: Get Out Immediately

“I’m writing you a letter of introduction,” said Little Tiger Liu, pulling one out and handing it to the bald man before setting the food on the filthy table.

Only then did he add, “We don’t have anything good here. Just make do.”

The bald man said nothing. He looked over the blank letter of introduction and nodded in satisfaction. Little Tiger was proving very useful indeed.

Once he got through this ordeal, he would surely repay him and raise his standing a little.

He put the letter away, picked up the steamed cornbread, and started eating. Only then did his horse-faced underling dare reach for the food.

While he ate, the bald man quietly sounded out the situation outside. When he heard that soldiers had passed along the road, his expression changed in an instant.

Had the soldiers searched all the way out here already?

If so, the Liu Family Brigade was no longer safe either. No, he had to leave at once.

The bald man noticed a pen tucked in Little Tiger Liu’s pocket. Without another word, he snatched it away and began scribbling on the letter of introduction.

Before long, one letter was finished, and then he wrote a second one.

Little Tiger Liu tried to lean over and take a look, but one glare from the bald man drove him back. The horse-faced underling leaned in instead, only to be met with a blank stare; he did not recognize a single character.

“This is your letter of introduction. From now on your name is Liu Ergou, and you’re my cousin. Remember: my name is Liu Dahu.”

The moment the bald man claimed the name Liu Dahu, Little Tiger Liu’s eyelid twitched. Was it really what he was thinking?

“Little Tiger, you’d better go now. I’ll call you often,” the bald man said with a wave.

“Oh.” Little Tiger Liu hurried off.

Watching him disappear, the bald man gritted his teeth. “It’s not safe here anymore. We have to leave at once.”

“Where to? Straight to Island Nation?” the horse-faced underling asked.

“No. The route to Island Nation definitely isn’t safe right now. We’re going to Green Mountain County to find A Song. We’ll hide there for a while before leaving.”

With that, the bald man went on eating. He had to be full before he had the strength to run for his life. Sigh. What a miserable fate.

That afternoon, Xu Lin received a distress call from Old Master Ge. Several critically wounded patients had arrived at the main hospital.

One of them was in especially grave condition, and they did not have the confidence to continue the operation. Old Master Ge asked whether Xu Lin had any way to help.

If she did, he would arrange for a car to pick her up. If not, then she should pretend he had never called.

After hearing the details, Xu Lin understood the situation. Old Master Ge had waited until now to ask for her because they truly had no other choice.

Thinking of those lovable people, Xu Lin agreed without hesitation.

The guesthouse where they were staying was not far from the main hospital, and before long a car arrived to pick her up. Xu Lin said goodbye to Grandmother Zheng and Yu Tong, then got in and left.

Knowing she was going to save someone’s life, Grandmother Zheng and Yu Tong could only remind Xu Lin to be careful. There was nothing else they could do.

The car quickly entered the hospital, and a young soldier led Xu Lin at a run all the way to the operating room.

Old Master Ge stood at the door, straining to see her. The moment he spotted Xu Lin, he immediately urged her to change clothes.

Several men in uniform were also standing outside the operating room, their faces tight with anxiety.

Yet none of them blocked her to ask whether the patient could be saved, nor did they hound her to hurry up and operate.

Instead, they quickly stepped aside, afraid of wasting even a moment of Xu Lin’s time.

“Lin Lin, I truly am sorry. I never wanted to ask you to step in under these circumstances. It’s just that… sigh.”

Old Master Ge could not help but let out a heavy sigh. The blame was entirely on their hospital.

What was more, the injured patient’s identity was no simple matter. If this medical incident was not handled properly, it would drag down everyone in the hospital.

“Old Master Ge, let’s skip the polite words. Tell me what’s happening in the operating room.”

“The patient was shot twice. One of the bullets was fatal, and the worst part is that there was also an error during surgery.”

At that, Old Master Ge ground his teeth. “I can only use acupuncture needles to temporarily prevent the patient’s condition from worsening, but I can’t continue the operation.

“But if we don’t continue, the patient can only wait to die. Right now everything is at a standstill.”

He lowered his head. He knew very well how bad the situation was. Operate, and the patient dies. Don’t operate, and the patient dies waiting.

The only difference was dying sooner or later, and the gap was no more than eight hours.

Now the main hospital had pinned all its hopes on Xu Lin, hoping that her Miracle Revival Needles could truly bring someone back from the brink.

“Who performed the operation?” Xu Lin asked casually.

“Tao Chunxiu.”

After saying the name, Old Master Ge closed his eyes tightly.

He could not understand it. With Tao Chunxiu’s skill, such a huge mistake should never have happened. And yet it had.

“Mm.”

Xu Lin put on her gown and followed Old Master Ge into the operating room.

At a glance she saw Tao Chunxiu crouched in a corner, looking utterly dejected, his hands constantly raking through his hair.

“Doctor Tao, scratching your head during surgery isn’t appropriate, is it? If you don’t want to harm the patient, please leave the operating room immediately.”

Xu Lin’s words were blunt, and the look she gave Tao Chunxiu was openly hostile.

Medical conditions were poor in those days, and sterilization was limited. The risk of postoperative infection was high.

As a doctor, under limited conditions, the best one could do was reduce that risk as much as possible.

But look at what Tao Chunxiu had done. He had scratched out visible dandruff. Was that the conduct of a doctor?

It was almost as if he were afraid the patient might survive the operating table.

Especially when Tao Chunxiu raised his head and met her gaze, Xu Lin’s expression darkened even further.

His nostrils were flared, and there was a yellowish brightness to the color around them. This was the sign of a sudden windfall.

What put Xu Lin on guard was that this windfall would come within eight hours.

Within eight hours, Tao Chunxiu, as one of the best doctors in the main hospital, would certainly still be on standby there.

So where would the money come from?

Combined with Old Master Ge’s earlier remark that Tao Chunxiu should never have made such a serious mistake, the answer was almost self-evident.

Xu Lin gave a cold laugh. Her piercing stare made Tao Chunxiu’s scalp tingle and his mouth dry. His eyes flickered uneasily, and he did not dare meet hers.

But leaving like that, he was unwilling. Swallowing several times, he forced down his panic and explained:

“I-I was just too anxious. I know it was wrong to act like that in the operating room. I’ll disinfect myself.”

The more he spoke, the smoother his words became, and the more obvious his aim grew. “But I’m the patient’s attending physician. I can’t leave the operating room.”

“Ha. So you do know you’re the attending physician?” Xu Lin rolled her eyes. “From this moment on, I am the patient’s attending physician.”

She pointed to the operating room door. “Get out immediately.”

“Impossible.”

Tao Chunxiu kept shaking his head. He knew Xu Lin had some real ability, and under normal circumstances he would have agreed.

But not now. This concerned his future prospects. He absolutely could not leave.

Still, if Tao Chunxiu wanted to stay, Xu Lin would have to allow it. She swept her eyes around the room, then rested her gaze on Old Master Ge and said coolly:

“This operating room will have either me or him. Old Master Ge, you choose.”

Her forceful attitude stunned Old Master Ge for a moment. He looked at the patient on the operating table, then at Tao Chunxiu, and anxiety surged into his eyes.