Evening. 8 pm.
A night shift doctor and a few nurses rushed to Dong Xuebing’s ward. Dong Xuebing was still unconscious on the floor, and his face is very pale. Xie Huilan was looking terrible beside him, and her fist was clenched tightly. Qu Yunxuan was holding on to Dong Xuebing’s hand anxiously, speaking to him.
“Move aside!”
The doctor went over and shouted. “Heart rate, blood pressure!”
The nurse replied. “Blood pressure, 40 – 70.”
Another doctor said. “Heart rate 45. Breathing is weak.”
The doctor immediately shouted. “Put on the ventilator and send him to the ER now. Call Director Yang!”
Qu Yunxuan asked. “Doctor, is Xiao Bing going to be alright?”
The doctor had no time to explain to Qu Yunxuan. He ordered the nurses to carry Chief Dong to the bed and started emergency treatment. “The blood pressure and heart rate are too low. This is not looking good. Contact the family members now. We will try our best to save him.” After that, he ignored Qu Yunxuan and pushed Dong Xuebing out of the ward into the ER. Qu Yunxuan and Xie Huilan quickly followed behind.
Five minutes...
Ten minutes...
Fifteen minutes...
Outside of the ER.
Qu Yunxuan sat on the plastic chairs outside and mumbled to herself. “Xiao Bing will be alright... He will be fine...”
“That guy is more resilient than everybody!” Xie Huilan closed her eyes. “He will be fine!”
Qu Yunxuan agreed. “Yes... Yes... he will be fine.”
Everyone could tell these two women were comforting themselves. As time passes, Qu Yunxuan and Xie Huilan grew more anxious. Xie Huilan stood up from the chair and started pacing up and down the corridor. Qu Yunxuan was sobbing and looking towards the door of the ER.
The ER’s door opened, and a doctor came out!
Xie Huilan and Qu Yunxuan immediately went up to him. “Doctor, how is Xiao Bing?”
Xie Huilan asked overbearingly. “Is Chief Dong awake now?”
The doctor recognized Mayor Xie, and took a deep breath. “Not yet.”
“Not yet?! Look at the time! How long has it been?!” Xie Huilan was furious.
The doctor replied. “Mayor Xie, Chief Dong does not have any physical injuries, and his blood test showed no abnormalities, but it is not looking good. A few minutes ago, the patient’s heart stopped beating once. Director Yang is still trying his best to save him. We will do our best to save Chief Dong!”
Qu Yunxuan and Xie Huilan were shocked!
His heart stopped beating? Why is this happening?
The doctor sighed and took out a form. “Who is the patient’s family member?”
Qu Yunxuan replied. “Xiao Bing’s mother does not have good health, and we did not inform her. You can speak to us instead.”
The doctor gave Qu Yunxuan a notice of the critical condition. “You should inform Chief Dong’s family. We need them to sign this.”
Qu Yunxuan was stunned when she saw the notice of the critical condition and almost fainted. Luckily, Xie Huilan was beside her and caught her from falling.
Qu Yunxuan was shivering. “Xiao Bing... he is not going to make it?”
“Calm down.” Xie Huilan took a deep breath. “Issuing a notice of critical condition does not mean he is going to die!”
At this time, the County People Hospital’s Director, a Deputy Director and a Department Head ran over. They were informed that Chief Dong collapsed suddenly, and Mayor Xie is in the hospital. All the hospital’s leaders knew this is an emergency. The Old Director was sleeping when he was informed, and he rushed over with the other leaders. Chief Dong had just completed an outstanding achievement in the morning. If anything happens to him in their hospital, they will be held responsible.
“Mayor Xie!”
“Mayor!”
The few hospital leaders stood beside Xie Huilan and greeted her.
The Old Director immediately asked the Duty Doctor about Chief Dong’s condition. After the Duty Doctor finished, the Old Director’s face changed.
Qu Yunxuan was going crazy. She pushed that doctor aside and tried to enter the Emergency Room. But she was stopped by the nurses outside. Xie Huilan was calmer than her and threw the notice of critical condition at the Old Director. “Don’t let me see this thing again! I don’t care what you all do! You all must save Chief Dong at all costs! Do you hear me?! Go in and save him! Now!”
“Yes!” The Old Director and a Head of department entered the ER.
It was tense outside the Emergency Room. No one dares to make any noise, and you could hear a pin drop in the corridor.
One minute...
Five minutes...
Ten minutes...
Suddenly, the door open, and the Old Director and Director Yang walked out.
Xie Huilan stared at them, and Qu Yunxuan’s heart started beating fast. She is afraid that the Doctors will tell her, “Sorry, we had tried our best.”
Director Yang, in his forties, took a deep breath and said. “Chief Dong is awake and is temporarily out of danger.”
Everyone was relieved to hear that. Thank god. When Chief Dong was pushed out of the ER, he was asleep and looked much better. Qu Yunxuan was still sobbing and trembling. Xie Huilan also exhaled loudly, and not so tense.
The Doctor advice to let Chief Dong rest, and not to disturb him.
Xie Huilan ordered the doctors to leave, a few visitors, who got wind of Dong Xuebing collapsing, were told to leave by her.
After a while, Director Yang walked out of his office with blackface. “Who is the patient’s family member? Come in!” He returned to his office. Qu Yunxuan wanted to know about Xiao Bing’s condition and quickly followed him. Xie Huilan said something to the Old Director and quickly followed into the office. After closing the door, only the three of them are in the office.
Director Yang looked at Qu Yunxuan. “You are his family member?”
“Yes.” Qu Yunxuan asked worryingly. “What is wrong with Xiao Bing? Why did he collapse suddenly?”
Director Yang looked at her sternly. “I should be the one asking you! Chief Dong is still fine when he was sent to the hospital! Why did he faint suddenly?”
Qu Yunxuan’s expression froze. “Before he fainted, he... is quite angry.”
Director Yang stared at Qu Yunxuan. “Angry?! You made him angry?!”
Qu Yunxuan kept quiet.
Xie Huilan frowned. “He is only angry. Can being angry let him have breathing difficulties and his heart to stop beating?”
Director Yang replied confidently. “Of course, and this might be the main reason for his sudden collapse. You all should know Chief Dong better than me. He is warmhearted, kind, and upright. Whenever people are in danger, he is the first to help. People like him take things seriously. If he met any problems, he would force himself to solve it. Even when he does not have a solution, he will continue to force himself. In such a situation, much acute illness, like a heart attack or stroke, will happen. Many patients of these conditions were because of their anger!”
Xie Huilan’s face changed. “Is it so serious?”
Qu Yunxuan asked. “Will he be affected by this condition in the future? Xiao Bing does not have this issue in the past!”
Director Yang replied angrily. “He might not have this condition in the past, but that does not mean he does not have this condition. I don’t understand what are you trying to do? Ah?! He is already hospitalized, and why must you make him so angry?!” One of the trapped passengers rescued from Dong Xuebing during the landslide is the grandniece of Director Yang. That’s why he is very grateful to Chief Dong, and is so angry with Qu Yunxuan!
Qu Yunxuan bit her lips and kept quiet.
Xie Huilan was also partly responsible for Dong Xuebing’s sudden collapse, as she had also forced him to make a decision.
Director Yang continued. “Chief Dong had done many things for the people in these few months. He had offered himself to be the hostage to enter the school to save the students and teachers, saved someone who jumped of a building with his bare hands, volunteered himself to save the trapped passengers during a massive landslide, and almost killed himself. This morning, he even defused a bomb and was almost killed in the explosion. After that, he immediately drives a police car to chase after the suspect and got into a head-on collision with him. Even a normal person will not even take it if they encounter one of those events. These are not normal mental stress. How many times did Chief Dong barely escape death? These mental stresses had accumulated and could break him anytime.”
Xie Huilan paused for a while and asked. “Is this a psychological illness?”
“Yes and no.” Director Yang sighed. “Chief Dong is overworked and had not recovered from his injuries. He had injured his arms first, followed by breaking both his legs and now, he is hospitalized again. In the last three months, Chief Dong is either recuperating or hospitalized most of the time. He might not feel anything, and outsiders might not see it, but his injuries are still there. He might not even recover from his injuries and mental illness for the next six months. How can you, as his family member, still go and anger him?”
Qu Yunxuan asked. “Will Xiao Bing have relapses in the future?”
Director Yang shook his head. “We won’t know and need to monitor him closely. Luckily, his heart is still fine now.”
Xie Huilan asked. “What is the follow-up treatment?”
“Rest. What Chief Dong needs is a good rest and not get angry for the next one year. This will calm his nerves slowly, but I am not a psychologist. Director Liu will do up a follow-up treatment plan for Chief Dong.”
It is already midnight.
Xie Huilan asked everyone to leave, and the corridors become quiet again.
Dong Xuebing was hooked up to several machines in his ward, and Xie Huilan and Qu Yunxuan stood by him quietly.
Suddenly, Dong Xuebing’s eyelids moved and slowly opened.
Xie Huilan stepped forward. “Are you awake?”
Qu Yunxuan quickly moves closer. “How are you feeling? Let me know if you are not feeling well.”
Dong Xuebing looked at them and asked weakly. “What... what happened to me?” He felt tired and weak. Dong Xuebing felt like he is dying and does not like this feeling.
Qu Yunxuan patted Dong Xuebing’s hand gently. “Good to know that you are fine.”
Dong Xuebing raised his brows and asked. “I... did I contracted a terminal disease?”
“No.” Xie Huilan bent down and patted his arms lightly. “Don’t think too much and rest well. The doctor says you are too tired and should rest more.”
Dong Xuebing does not believe it. “Is it cancer or anything?”
Qu Yunxuan was about to burst into tears. “I swear you are fine.” She told Dong Xuebing what the doctor said to her earlier.
Dong Xuebing was relieved. Maybe what Director Yang said was right, but the mental blows he experienced is not only those few times. When he was saving the students and teachers, he was killed by those fugitives several times. He saw bullets entering his body ‘killing’ him. Although he knows he will not die, he had to endure the pain and fear. Not many people can withstand such stimulations. Dong Xuebing had also experienced breaking his arms several times when he saved that man jumping off the building. The landslide and the timebomb incident had let Dong Xuebing experienced death countless times. If it was someone else, they might have gone crazy. But Dong Xuebing endured everything through grit and mental strength.
But for Dong Xuebing, the major blow he had faced was tonight.
Sister Xie and Aunt Xuan forcing him to make a decision were too much for Dong Xuebing. Coupled with his accumulated mental stresses, Dong Xuebing exploded.
Dong Xuebing sighed.
Qu Yunxuan comforted him. “Stop thinking about all those unhappy things. The doctor said this might also be good for you, as this is a timebomb in your mind. We had discovered this issue early, and you will be fine after treatment.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “Don’t tell my mum. I don’t want to worry her.”
“I know.” Qu Yunxuan stroked Dong Xuebing’s face gently. “Just have a good rest, and you don’t need to think of anything else.”
Xie Huilan asked. “How are you feeling now?”
Dong Xuebing replied. “Weak and slightly giddy.”
Dong Xuebing remembered the moments before he fainted and became emotional. His breathing became faster and felt his mind exploding. He turns to Xie Huilan and Qu Yunxuan. “I am fine by myself. You two can go back.”
Qu Yunxuan replied. “You need someone to care for you.”
Dong Xuebing replied weakly. “I am fine. You should return to Beijing.”
“I am not leaving and will stay here to accompany you.” Qu Yunxuan held Dong Xuebing’s hand tightly. “What I said earlier are in the heat of the moment. How can I bear to leave you? The doctor said you must not be agitated and stop thinking about those unhappy things. I will not leave you and will remain by your side forever. Even if you are unfaithful to me, I will also not blame you.”
Dong Xuebing replied helplessly. “Are you trying to coax me?”
Qu Yunxuan replied gently. “I am not trying to coax you. These are from my heart, and I am not angry with you.” She turns to Xie Huilan. “Ms. Xie, I can take care of him here, and you still have to work. You can leave now.”
Xie Huilan stared at Qu Yunxuan. “Why am I the one leaving?”
Qu Yunxuan replied. “I can take care of Xiao Bing, and you have nothing to do here anywhere.”
Xie Huilan narrowed her eyes. “Ms. Qu, I think you should be the one leaving. Xiao Bing got hurt several times because of me, and I should be the one taking care of him.”
The two women were starting to fight again.
Dong Xuebing saw them about to quarrel again and started having difficulties in breathing.
Qu Yunxuan got a fright and quickly patted Dong Xuebing’s chest to soothe his pain. “I will not say anything, ok? Don’t think too much. It’s fine...”
Xie Huilan moved closer and gently said. “We are just chatting and not quarreling.”
Dong Xuebing pant and said weakly. “I am serious. Just leave and don’t care about me. I am sorry and ashamed to face you two.”
Xie Huilan stroked Dong Xuebing’s hair. “What are you talking about? Let’s not talk about our relationship problems, ok? Your Aunt Xuan and I will not force you to make any decision, and you should concentrate on getting better. You... just treat it as you have two girlfriends now.”
Dong Xuebing shook his head. “No... I am not good enough for either one of you, let alone two of you.”
Xie Huilan kicked Qu Yunxuan lightly with her foot.
Qu Yunxuan paused for a second and said. “Stop saying that you are not good enough. I... agree with what Ms. Xie said. You have two girlfriends now, and we can talk about other things in the future.” Qu Yunxuan was still terrified by the Notice of Critical Condition and is worried Dong Xuebing would get a relapsed.
Dong Xuebing: “How can I do this...”
Xie Huilan interrupted Dong Xuebing. “Stop talking about this, alright? Just leave everything like this for now.”
Qu Yunxuan nodded. “Why are you worrying about all these when we don’t mind? Just take a rest and sleep for a while. We will stay here by your side. Let us know if you feel uncomfortable. You understand?”
Dong Xuebing knew they were saying this to cheer him up and not make him worry. Their characters are not the type to share a boyfriend. Dong Xuebing was moved by their gestures.