Chapter 14 of 100

Chapter 14

14 min read3,439 words

Zhou Ming hurriedly ran to the inpatient department of the 760 Factory Workers' Hospital upon receiving the news. His father, Zhou Guoping, was receiving an IV drip in the ward, while his mother, Wang Fengqin, and Zhang Lei were accompanying him.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Zhou Ming asked anxiously.

Zhou Guoping shook his head and said, "I'm fine. It's just an old ailment acting up again. There's no need to be so worried. I'll be fine after a bit of rest. It's just your mother who's making a big fuss and insisted on coming to the hospital."

Wang Fengqin was not pleased: "Why shouldn't we come to the hospital? Have you forgotten how much pain you were in at the workshop? If Zhang Lei hadn't been there to notice it early, what would have happened if something serious had occurred?"

Zhou Ming felt a bit relieved. In fact, his parents didn't know that Zhang Lei's presence in the workshop was arranged by him. Since Zhou Ming was not familiar with medical conditions and didn't know when the chronic appendicitis would flare up, he couldn't rashly perform surgery if it didn't act up. He had to try to earn as much money as possible before his father's condition worsened, and he couldn't always be by his father's side. Therefore, he asked Zhang Lei, who worked at the factory TV station, to check on his father's condition from time to time. Now, it seemed that his arrangement had worked, and his father had been sent to the hospital promptly.

While Zhou Ming's parents were talking, a doctor walked in. He was the only undergraduate in the factory hospital, surnamed Zhao. It seemed that the incident where Deputy Factory Manager Ma Jianjun and Ma Lin came to apologize at their home had spread to the hospital, so the hospital had assigned the best doctor to Zhou Guoping.

Seeing the doctor come in, Zhou Ming hurriedly asked about the situation. Doctor Zhao reassured Zhou Ming, "There's nothing serious with Mr. Zhou. It's probably just gastroenteritis. We've already taken timely measures and given him some antibiotics. There's no need to worry."

"Thank you, Doctor Zhao. However, I want to transfer my father to the city center hospital for a more comprehensive examination. I know you are also a hospital leader. Could you help with the transfer procedures?" Zhou Ming said.

"Transfer? Why should Mr. Zhou be transferred? Don't you trust my diagnosis?" Doctor Zhao questioned.

Zhou Ming frowned. He hadn't expected Doctor Zhao to be so unreasonable. The misdiagnosis of his father's appendicitis as gastroenteritis had already made Zhou Ming angry. Considering the poor conditions of the factory hospital and that Doctor Zhao was not a prophet, Zhou Ming had not argued with him. But now, when he wanted to transfer his father, the doctor was acting strangely, even suspecting that Zhou Ming didn't trust his diagnosis.

"Doctor Zhao, that's not what I mean. I just think the city hospital has better facilities and is more suitable for my father's treatment. I also believe that my father might not have gastroenteritis, so a comprehensive examination would be safer," Zhou Ming said.

Doctor Zhao looked Zhou Ming up and down and said, "Who's the doctor here, you or me? I come from a medical family and graduated from Jinghu Medical University. Do you think I would misdiagnose a simple case of gastroenteritis? I disagree with the transfer."

Now, Zhou Ming understood why Doctor Zhao was acting this way. His pride was too strong, feeling that being a college graduate and working in a factory hospital was a waste of talent. In those days, college graduates were the pride of the nation, and Zhou Ming's suggestion to transfer his father was like slapping him in the face. So, he disagreed.

Zhou Ming didn't want to conflict with Doctor Zhao, as he was a doctor at the factory hospital, and maintaining a good relationship was necessary. But seeing how unreasonable he was, Zhou Ming had to think about his father's condition and couldn't care less about the doctor's feelings.

"Doctor Zhao, I respect you and call you Doctor Zhao. I don't care if you are a bachelor's or a master's degree holder. Whether my father should be transferred is not your decision, and you have no authority to prevent his transfer," Zhou Ming said.

"You are insulting my profession!" Doctor Zhao said angrily. But then he saw the clothes Zhou Ming and his parents were wearing and turned from anger to a mocking smile. "But little boy, I understand your concern for your father, but aren't you being a bit unrealistic? Do you think the city center hospital is your family's? You can just transfer him whenever you want? Do you know how much the transfer fee is? Do you know how expensive the medical fees at the center hospital are? As far as I know, you don't even have a job yet. You really don't know the value of money. I'll tell you, your parents' salaries aren't enough to cover the hospitalization fees at the center hospital!"

Zhou Ming didn't want to argue with this extreme doctor: "Thank you, but that's not your concern. I'll find a way."

"You'll find a way?" Doctor Zhao said. "Don't get kicked out of the center hospital and come crawling back to me like a dog."

"Clean your mouth, a medical university graduate? You look like a dog biting people!" Su Han said. Originally, Su Han shouldn't have interrupted, but Doctor Zhao's cold sarcasm towards Zhou Ming was unbearable, especially when he insulted Zhou Ming. Su Han couldn't help but defend Zhou Ming. After scolding him, she secretly glanced at Zhou Ming, afraid he would be angry.

Doctor Zhao only then noticed Su Han. His eyes widened because he had never seen such a stunning beauty, even in the provincial capital. He was about to compose himself when Su Han disdainfully said, "Disgusting."

"Fine, it seems today is a strange day. I'll wait to see how you come back to beg me when you can't get into the center hospital!" Doctor Zhao said through gritted teeth.

Just as Doctor Zhao finished speaking, the sound of an ambulance siren rang out at the inpatient department entrance. A doctor and several nurses rushed in and asked, "Who is Comrade Zhou Ming?"

Zhou Ming walked over and shook hands with the doctor, saying, "Hello, I'm Zhou Ming."

The doctor nodded and said, "Hello, I'm Dr. Chen Zhi, the chief physician from the city center hospital. I'm here to transfer Comrade Zhou Guoping."

Dr. Chen's words stunned everyone in the ward. No one expected such a turn of events. Zhou Ming's parents initially tried to persuade him not to transfer, as they didn't know anyone at the center hospital and thought Zhou Ming was just being filial. They didn't expect the center hospital's ambulance to arrive so quickly. For Doctor Zhao, it felt like a slap in the face. He had just mocked Zhou Ming for not knowing the value of money, but now the center hospital's ambulance had arrived, proving him wrong. Moreover, he knew that the center hospital's ambulance wasn't just anyone's to call. The last time a factory leader needed to be transferred, the center hospital didn't even send a car, and the leader had to go by himself. How could a regular worker's transfer result in the center hospital sending a car?

"How is this possible? It's unfair!" Doctor Zhao muttered.

Zhou Ming ignored him, but Su Han proudly said, "Nothing is impossible because this uncle is Zhou Ming's father."

"Zhou Ming? What's the difference?" Doctor Zhao was confused. "You can't afford the medical fees at the center hospital!"

"Of course there's a difference. Zhou Ming is the most capable person in our 760 Factory! He can earn 100,000 yuan a day. Do you think he can't afford the medical fees at the center hospital?" Su Han said admiringly.

Doctor Zhao's worldview collapsed: 100,000 yuan a day? The entire 760 Factory's daily output might not even reach that much!

Dr. Chen then said to Zhou Ming, "The hospital has already processed the transfer. Comrade Zhou Guoping can go directly for a comprehensive diagnosis and will be treated by experts to determine the best treatment plan."

Dr. Chen's words reassured Zhou Ming. He believed that with the best hospital, the best medical equipment, and timely care, a simple appendectomy would not go wrong.

In fact, the arrival of the city center hospital's ambulance was not a coincidence. As soon as Zhou Ming returned to Linyang City, he contacted Dai Zhenjiang, who helped him arrange the transfer to the center hospital, with Zhou Ming covering the costs for the best possible treatment.

Zhou Ming, Su Han, and his mother, Wang Fengqin, got into the center hospital's ambulance. On the way, Zhou Guoping said to Zhou Ming, "Zhou Ming, you're wasting money. I could just get an IV and some medicine at the factory hospital. Why go to the city hospital? The medicine there is so expensive and can't be reimbursed. It's a waste of money!"

Zhou Ming replied, "Dad, don't worry. I'm not short of money. Whether it's the city or the provincial hospital, I can afford it. Your health is the most important. The factory hospital's equipment is not good, and I don't trust Doctor Zhao to treat you."

Thinking of Doctor Zhao's attitude, Wang Fengqin was also dissatisfied: "Doctor Zhao is really something. He's a graduate of the provincial medical university, but his quality is so poor. I don't trust him to treat you either. But going to the center hospital is too expensive and can't be reimbursed. Why don't we just get checked and treated at the factory hospital?"

At this point, Su Han spoke up for Zhou Ming: "Auntie, please let Uncle be treated at the center hospital. He can also recuperate there. Zhou Ming can earn a lot of money and can afford it without needing reimbursement."

"That's your hard-earned money! I see you running back and forth between here and Jiangxia every day, and it must be tiring," Zhou Guoping sighed.

Even at this moment, his parents were still worried about his hard work.

Zhou Ming said to Zhou Guoping, "Dad, I'm not tired. As long as you and Mom are healthy and happy, that's what makes me happiest."

Wang Fengqin then turned to Su Han and said, "You're the daughter of the Su family, right? You were Zhou Ming's classmate before. Thank you for coming to help this time."

Wang Fengqin's tone was cold, making Su Han's face fall. She knew her reputation in the factory was not good, and Wang Fengqin probably didn't accept her. If she knew that Su Han had offered to share a room with Zhou Ming, she would dislike her even more, thinking Su Han was trying to seduce Zhou Ming.

Seeing Su Han's expression, Zhou Ming felt a bit uncomfortable. He tried to reassure Wang Fengqin, "Mom, Su Han is a good girl. Those things were all fabricated by Huang Zheng."

"Don't worry, I know the difference," Wang Fengqin said.

With her mother's words, Zhou Ming didn't want to say more.

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