Chapter 20

Xiao Yuanhang didn't expect that Dagu, a big and rough guy, would be so meticulous in his work. He smiled and said, "Dagu, you don't need to be so detailed. Do you think I don't trust you?" As he spoke, he took the money without counting it and put it in his pocket.

Xiao Qiang had just finished his meal when Xiao Liang and a few others arrived one after another. At this moment, a nurse pushed a cart over to give the patients injections. Seeing so many people gathered around Xiao Qiang's bed, the head nurse was very unhappy and said, "It's not visiting time now. What are you all doing here? Get out, don't interfere with our work!"

"Why don't you just give him the injection? What's it to you? We won't leave, what can you do about it?" Dagu got angry and started shouting at the head nurse, who was in her thirties and quite pretty.

The head nurse had a fiery temper and didn't take Dagu, a little punk, seriously. She pointed at Dagu and said, "Are you going to leave? If not, I'll call the police and have them deal with you!"

"Don't try to scare me with your big talk. Go ahead and call the police. I'll see what they can do to me!" Dagu's stubbornness came out, and he sat down next to Xiao Qiang's bed, determined not to leave until the police came.

Dagu's words instantly enraged the head nurse, who pointed at him and shouted, "You thug!" She turned and walked out, preparing to call the police. Xiao Yuanhang quickly stepped forward to stop her, "Sister, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't be angry, and don't take it personally. We'll leave right away!"

The head nurse knew that these young hooligans were difficult to deal with. Even if the police came, they couldn't do much. Besides, by the time the police arrived, these guys would have long disappeared. If they came back to cause trouble again, the police wouldn't be able to stay at the hospital all the time. Xiao Yuanhang apologized and spoke nicely to her, giving her enough face, so she had to let it go. But she still said with a stern face, "If everyone were like you, it would be better. This time I won't call the police, but if it happens again, I won't be lenient!"

"Thank you, Sister!" Xiao Yuanhang didn't even look at Dagu, who was sitting on the bed, and directly said to Wang Dahai, "Dahai, let's all go. Leave Xiao Liang here to keep Xiao Qiang company."

Wang Dahai, of course, followed Xiao Yuanhang's orders and said to Xiao Liang, "Xiao Liang, stay here with Xiao Qiang. There are meal tickets in the drawer. Buy whatever Xiao Qiang wants for lunch. We'll come back in the afternoon!" Then he waved to his brothers, "Let's go!" He didn't specifically call out to Dagu and turned to lead the way out of the ward.

A group of young brothers followed Wang Dahai out. Dagu, who was sitting on the bed, hesitated for a moment and then reluctantly stood up and followed. Xiao Yuanhang, standing at the ward door, had been secretly watching Dagu. Seeing him follow, he turned and walked down the corridor. As he passed the nurses' station, he couldn't help but look inside. He knew that Jiang Shan had finished her night shift and wouldn't be there today, but he still couldn't resist searching.

Xiao Yuanhang was supposed to come to the hospital in the afternoon, but after lunch, his father asked him to buy 10 pounds of flour and send it to his aunt in the countryside. His aunt liked to eat noodles, but wheat wasn't grown in Northeast China, and rural areas relied on their own grain reserves, so white flour wasn't supplied. He had to send flour to his aunt a few times every year.

His aunt lived in Huqiang Village, 15 kilometers away from Guhe. Xiao Yuanhang bought the flour and rode his bicycle to Huqiang. After having dinner at his aunt's house, he loaded 20 pounds of rice that his aunt gave him and returned home. By the time he got back, it was already dark. Feeling tired from the 30-kilometer round trip, he didn't go to the hospital. After washing up, he read a book for a while and then went to bed.

The next day, Xiao Yuanhang didn't go to the hospital immediately after breakfast. It was the time when doctors made their rounds and patients received injections, and he knew the doctors and nurses wouldn't be happy if he came. He stayed at home reading until 9:30, then went to the hospital. As he walked past the nurses' station, he glanced inside. Jiang Shan should have been on duty today, but she wasn't there.

When he entered Xiao Qiang's ward, only Wang Dahai was there with Xiao Qiang, who was receiving an injection. The IV bag was already half empty, so Wang Dahai must have come in the morning to replace Xiao Liang. The others were probably coming in the afternoon. Xiao Qiang was in good spirits; he only had external injuries and was recovering quickly after receiving anti-inflammatory and nutritional injections.

Xiao Yuanhang greeted Wang Dahai and asked about Xiao Qiang's condition. Xiao Qiang was very optimistic and said he would be discharged after the stitches were removed in seven days. Wang Dahai, who had been there all morning, might have felt a bit bored and stood up, saying, "Brother, let's go out for a smoke and come back later."

Xiao Yuanhang and Wang Dahai went out for a smoke and then returned. As they walked past the nurses' station, they saw their junior high school classmate Zhang Mingwei talking to Jiang Shan. Xiao Yuanhang thought it was quite a coincidence. He had used Zhang Mingwei as a shield the other night, and now he had run into him. Wasn't Zhang Mingwei supposed to be in college? Why was he here?

Zhang Mingwei was facing away from the corridor and didn't see Xiao Yuanhang. Jiang Shan waved to him and said, "Hey, aren't you Zhang Mingwei's classmate? He's here." Jiang Shan didn't know Xiao Yuanhang's name; she only knew that the gang called him "Brother," which she couldn't bring herself to call, so she just said "Hey."

Xiao Yuanhang had no choice but to walk over and pat Zhang Mingwei on the shoulder, saying, "Mingwei, it's been a long time since I've seen you. How's college life in the provincial capital?"

Zhang Mingwei, who was only 1.67 meters tall, was a head shorter than the 1.80-meter-tall Xiao Yuanhang. He looked up and said with a half-smile, "Oh, it's Xiao Yuanhang. Why are you here?"

Xiao Yuanhang said, "One of my little brothers is in the hospital, so I came to visit him."

"Zhang Mingwei, I heard you got into college. That's a great honor for us brothers!" Wang Dahai, who was in the same class as Xiao Yuanhang and Zhang Mingwei in junior high school, came over to greet him.

In junior high school, Wang Dahai was the bully of the grade, and Zhang Mingwei was a bit afraid of him. He quickly smiled and said, "It's Brother Dahai. You and Xiao Yuanhang came together?"

Wang Dahai said, "Yes, Xiao Qiang was slashed by Hongmao and his gang two days ago. These past two days, Brother and I have been at the hospital."

Zhang Mingwei was not only short but also very unattractive, with small eyes, a face full of pimples, and a mouth full of tetracycline-stained teeth. He was very insecure in school and secretly liked the pretty girl next door, Jiang Shan, but never had the courage to confess. Last year, he got into Songjiang Agricultural University and became a top student. After a year of college, he was full of confidence and came to pursue Jiang Shan.

To his surprise, despite being a hotshot college student and having grown up with Jiang Shan, he received a cold reception from her. He wanted to invite her to dinner and a movie, but she refused. Not knowing how to proceed, he ran into his junior high school classmates Xiao Yuanhang and Wang Dahai, and it seemed that Jiang Shan knew Xiao Yuanhang, which could help ease the tension between him and Jiang Shan.

During the first semester of his college winter break, Zhang Mingwei asked his family to arrange a match between him and Jiang Shan. His parents knew he wasn't a match for Jiang Shan in terms of looks, but since he was now a college student, they thought he was more than a match for her. The matchmaker's proposal was met with some interest from Jiang Shan's parents, but when they asked their daughter, she refused. They had to decline, citing that she was still young and in school.

This summer, seeing that Jiang Shan had graduated and started working, Zhang Mingwei thought she couldn't be considered too young anymore. He repeatedly approached her, insisting on dating her. Which pretty girl wouldn't want a prince charming? Jiang Shan, a respected intellectual in this era, found Zhang Mingwei's appearance unbearable and avoided him. Today, he even followed her to the hospital, which was driving her crazy!

******************************************************************

PS: A new chapter is here, please collect and recommend!