Chapter 85: Stalemate (Advance Update for 3,000 Monthly Votes)

On Monday morning, Xu Chunliang arrived at the medical office, and Cheng Xiaohong was already there, having even prepared tea for him.

Xu Chunliang teased her, asking if her sudden kindness meant something more.

Cheng Xiaohong replied that when you eat someone's food, you become soft, and when you take someone's hand, you become short. Since he refused to accept the duck money, she could only repay him this way. She planned to help him with tea and water whenever she arrived early.

Xu Chunliang told her there was actually a faster and more direct way to repay him.

Cheng Xiaohong, who was also good at joking, laughed and warned him not to push his luck, saying she was already taken, and it was his own fault for not making a move earlier.

No one in the office took the banter between men and women seriously, though it wasn't impossible for jokes to turn into reality.

Huang Lide and Yang Zhen also arrived, and upon seeing Xu Chunliang back, they both nodded at him. Xu Chunliang brought some duck delicacies to share with them. They were all colleagues in the same office, so there was no need to be at odds all the time.

Huang Lide said thank you and reminded Cheng Xiaohong not to forget the morning visit to Zhao Xiaohui.

Cheng Xiaohong didn't want to take on this task. Huang Lide had used the Deputy Director Yan's name, saying that since they were around the same age as Zhao Xiaohui, it would be easier for them to communicate. In reality, he just wanted to shirk responsibility.

On their way to visit Zhao Xiaohui, Cheng Xiaohong told Xu Chunliang that the situation with Zhao Xiaohui had reached a stalemate. She refused to budge, emphasizing that the ectopic pregnancy had led to the removal of one of her ovaries, significantly reducing her chances of future pregnancy and causing irreparable damage to her life.

Everyone understood that Zhao Xiaohui was just using this as an excuse. The cause of her ectopic pregnancy was not Yu Mo but her fiancé.

While driving, Cheng Xiaohong complained, "You don't know how stupid Huang Lide is. He's offended everyone, and now that things are getting out of hand, he's pushing it onto us."

Xu Chunliang said, "This isn't the time to complain. What does the hospital think?"

"The hospital? What else could they think? Our leaders are most afraid of things getting out of hand. If it turns into something like what happened with Tong Meili, the reputation of Changxing Hospital will be ruined, and no one will dare to come here for treatment anymore."

Xu Chunliang said, "If that's the case, why not just meet Zhao Xiaohui's demands?"

Cheng Xiaohong said, "Three million? She's asking for too much. I think if she asked for one million, the hospital might agree, but three million is too much. Changxing has never paid that much in compensation before."

Xu Chunliang nodded. Zhao Xiaohui's demands were indeed unrealistic. Even if Yu Mo had misdiagnosed her, the ectopic pregnancy was not directly caused by Yu Mo, and her diagnosis did not result in severe consequences.

Changxing had already made significant concessions, covering Zhao Xiaohui's examination costs at Changxing and agreeing to cover all her expenses for the ectopic pregnancy surgery at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital. They also agreed to cover her lost wages and nutritional expenses and were willing to provide some compensation for emotional distress.

The main point of contention was the amount of compensation. Zhao Xiaohui demanded three million, which Changxing Hospital could not possibly meet. The hospital leadership had tacitly agreed to a maximum compensation of thirty million, but Huang Lide had revealed this in the first negotiation.

Xu Chunliang thought that visiting Zhao Xiaohui now wouldn't be very effective. Although he had only met her once, he could tell that she wouldn't easily back down.

Cheng Xiaohong sighed, "She's a well-known host in Dongzhou. If she gets really angry and exposes us on TV, the hospital's losses will be more than just three million."

As they approached Zhao Xiaohui's residential complex, Xu Chunliang saw a familiar figure and asked Cheng Xiaohong to park the car by the roadside.

Cheng Xiaohong followed his gaze but only saw a back view and couldn't recognize who it was.

Chen Jianxin was walking and talking on the phone, his emotions clearly agitated, waving his right hand as if arguing with the other party.

Xu Chunliang got out of the car and followed him. Cheng Xiaohong was speechless; they were supposed to visit Zhao Xiaohui, and it wasn't good to be late after finally convincing her to see them.

Xu Chunliang didn't follow too closely. When someone is emotionally agitated, their voice tends to be louder, and they are less aware of their surroundings.

Chen Jianxin's voice could be heard intermittently.

"I'm sick of you. Don't lie to me anymore. Don't treat me like an idiot. You know what you've done..."

Although Xu Chunliang didn't know who he was talking to, he deduced that it was most likely Zhao Xiaohui. During their visit to the Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Xu Chunliang had noticed something strange between them, especially Chen Jianxin, who had been very calm. If he truly loved Zhao Xiaohui, it would have been hard for him to remain calm after seeing her suffer so much, especially when facing the culprits at Changxing Hospital. Moreover, he had never appeared during the维权 process.

Chen Jianxin's calmness had made Xu Chunliang suspicious.

Xu Chunliang continued to follow, hoping to gather more information, but Chen Jianxin abruptly hung up the phone.

Xu Chunliang considered talking to Chen Jianxin but decided against it and returned to the car before he noticed.

Cheng Xiaohong looked at him in confusion, "What were you doing?"

Xu Chunliang smiled, "Nothing, I mistook someone else for him."

Longxi Garden, where Zhao Xiaohui lived, was one of the high-end residential areas in Dongzhou.

Cheng Xiaohong looked at the French-style duplex villa and said enviously, "This villa must cost over five million. Hosts are really rich."

"Does she live alone?"

Cheng Xiaohong shook her head, indicating she didn't know.

After being discharged, Zhao Xiaohui had been recuperating at home and hadn't gone out. Her mother was currently staying with her.

The elderly woman, naturally standing by her daughter, greeted them with a frown, complaining nonstop. Xu Chunliang could tell she wasn't from the area. He had checked Zhao Xiaohui's background; she was born in Wanghai City, Qilu Province, graduated from the Communication University of China, and was twenty-six years old.

Zhao Xiaohui's fame was limited to Dongzhou. As an out-of-province woman who had only been working for a few years, it would have been difficult for her to afford such a property with her income.

Cheng Xiaohong and Xu Chunliang had different thoughts. Seeing Zhao Xiaohui's living conditions, Cheng Xiaohong felt it would be almost impossible to get her to back down.

Zhao Xiaohui looked well and had recovered well from the surgery. She pointed to the sofa and said, "Sit down. I'm still in the recovery period, so I won't get up."

Cheng Xiaohong still brought a bouquet of flowers for Zhao Xiaohui, who didn't make things difficult for her and asked her mother to arrange the flowers, effectively sending the elderly woman away to avoid her knowing too much.

Zhao Xiaohui said, "Haven't we already said everything that needed to be said? Why are you here to talk again?"

Cheng Xiaohong said, "We came today mainly to visit Miss Zhao and check on your recovery."

"Don't bother yourselves." Zhao Xiaohui's eyes looked at them like two weasels visiting chickens for the New Year.

Cheng Xiaohong glanced at Xu Chunliang, hoping he would help, but he was focused on drinking tea and not paying attention.

Cheng Xiaohong said, "The people who negotiated at the hospital were your brother and lawyer. We didn't see you, so the hospital sent us to talk to you in person to understand your true thoughts."

Zhao Xiaohui laughed, "You are really amusing. My brother and lawyer were acting on my behalf. The conditions they proposed were all pre-determined by me. Is this answer satisfactory?"

"Regarding the compensation amount..."

"No negotiation! Three million is not enough to compensate for the harm to my body, let alone the regrets in my future life."

Xu Chunliang interjected, "What if we can't meet your expectations?"

Zhao Xiaohui said, "Then we'll see you in court. I will make this public."

"Miss Zhao, please don't get upset." Cheng Xiaohong was afraid of angering Zhao Xiaohui.

Xu Chunliang didn't care about Zhao Xiaohui's reaction: "If it goes to court, even if you win, the compensation will likely be far less than what you're asking for."

"I don't care about money; I care about justice!"

Xu Chunliang inwardly laughed. She claimed not to care about money, yet she insisted on three million, not a cent less. Changxing was willing to give her justice, but she refused to accept it.

Cheng Xiaohong didn't give up: "Miss Zhao, Changxing is sincere. Can you consider understanding our position and make some concessions if possible?"

"Understand you? You misdiagnosed my condition, causing me to lose an organ. Do you expect me to be grateful to your hospital? I don't have that kind of high moral ground; I can't do it!"

"According to the materials you provided, you had your right ovary removed." Xu Chunliang took out the documents and flipped to the surgery record page. Normally, removing one ovary would reduce the chances of pregnancy by half.

Zhao Xiaohui said, "If you're just going to repeat these facts, you can leave now. Don't waste each other's time."

Xu Chunliang said, "Miss Zhao, I think you have a misunderstanding. Who caused your ectopic pregnancy?"

Zhao Xiaohui was taken aback and then angrily looked at Xu Chunliang, "If Yu Mo hadn't misdiagnosed me, I wouldn't be in this state now."

"My point is, the person who caused your ectopic pregnancy should be Chen Jianxin. Yu Mo's misdiagnosis is a fact, but your ectopic pregnancy was not caused by her misdiagnosis."

Cheng Xiaohong felt a chill. Xu Chunliang, you know this will upset Zhao Xiaohui, why say it? The truth is often unpleasant, especially in this situation, and Zhao Xiaohui wouldn't accept it.

Sure enough, Zhao Xiaohui was enraged and pointed to the door, "Out! I don't want to talk to you anymore."

Xu Chunliang smiled, "Miss Zhao, don't get upset. Cheng Xiaohong, you step aside. I have a few words to say to Miss Zhao alone."

Cheng Xiaohong was completely stunned. He wanted to talk to Zhao Xiaohui alone? Was he trying to upset her more? If he angered Zhao Xiaohui, she might expose the matter today, and the blame might fall on them. Xu Chunliang, if you're going to get yourself into trouble, don't drag me down with you.

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When I first started writing web novels twenty years ago, everyone wrote eight thousand words per chapter. Then it became four thousand, then three thousand, and now it's two thousand.

I tried it out, and my pace is still best suited to three thousand words per chapter. My regular updates and additional updates are all based on three thousand words per chapter.

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