CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58: FERMENTATION

The next day.

Eight-thirty in the morning.

Zhao Heng had just entered the lounge when he noticed all eyes were on him.

Before he could change his clothes, he felt someone patting his shoulder. Turning around, he saw it was Wang Qiang.

Wang Qiang looked at Zhao Heng with a somewhat gloating smile and said, "Old classmate, Director Xu asked me to tell you that the Medical Department is looking for you. You better go quickly."

"The Medical Department is looking for me?"

Zhao Heng was a bit puzzled. The Medical Department usually didn’t bother with those like them in the operating room. What could possibly have happened for them to suddenly seek him out?

"You don’t know? You’ve been causing trouble under the Eastern Hospital’s name outside, and now it’s caught up with you. They’re here to settle the score."

Wang Qiang said with great satisfaction.

Seeing Zhao Heng in trouble made him happier than getting a promotion and a raise himself.

"Who said that?"

Zhao Heng asked, frowning.

"Do I even need to say it? The video of you messing around outside has already gone viral online."

Wang Qiang said with barely concealed delight.

In his view, Zhao Heng was just putting up a strong front. Such a big incident with such a significant impact was enough to get him fired.

"Are you okay?"

Zhao Heng asked Wang Qiang with a frown.

Upon hearing Zhao Heng’s words, Wang Qiang was taken aback. How could Zhao Heng still be so defiant?!

"Humph~!"

Wang Qiang snorted coldly, seemingly waiting to see Zhao Heng make a fool of himself.

"If there’s nothing, get lost."

Zhao Heng said coldly, then pushed Wang Qiang aside and walked out of the lounge without looking back.

Damn!

Wang Qiang burst out with a curse.

Don’t be cocky, your gloating won’t last long!

Wang Qiang cursed Zhao Heng vehemently in his heart.

Coming out of the lounge, Zhao Heng was in a bit of a bad mood. What he was worried about had indeed happened.

As expected, given the situation yesterday, even if someone had recorded a real video from start to finish, there were still those who took the authentic video and edited it, distorting the truth to grab attention and traffic!

Zhao Heng made his way to the Medical Department, where Gao Jun was already seated and saw him as soon as he arrived at the door.

"Teacher."

Zhao Heng walked into the Medical Department office, and seeing Gao Jun there immediately made him feel a lot more at ease.

"You’re Xiao Zhao, right?"

The director of the Medical Department, Liu Xuedong, upon seeing Zhao Heng, couldn’t help but scrutinize the talk of the town, Zhao Heng, who had recently been making such a commotion at Eastern Hospital.

"Hello, Director Liu."

Zhao Heng nodded politely.

In the hospital, the Medical Department is a very special division. It oversees the annual assessments, rewards and punishments of everyone in the entire hospital.

Whether doctors and nurses or staff from functional departments, the last thing anyone wants is to be called to the Medical Department.

If you’re called there, it’s never for anything good; it’s either a complaint or a fine!

"Is the person in this video you?"

Liu Xuedong nodded and handed the phone with a video open to Zhao Heng.

Zhao Heng took the phone, watched for a moment, and deeply furrowed his brow.

Because this was an edited video, the part where Zhao Heng successfully revived the young patient was cut out, leaving only the segment where Zhao Heng was seen forcefully stabbing a fruit knife into the patient’s neck.

Moreover, the title was sensationalized.

"Saving or Killing? Eastern Hospital Doctor Plays Fast and Loose with Life!"

Browsing through the comments below the video, it was filled with abuse and obscenities.

"Director Liu, this video is edited. The part where the patient regained breathing and heartbeat was maliciously deleted."

Zhao Heng returned the phone to Liu Xuedong and explained.

Facing the director of the Medical Department, let alone directors from other departments, was intimidating.

"I know, that’s why Old Gao is here with me."

To Zhao Heng’s surprise, Liu Xuedong nodded.

This indicated that Liu Xuedong understood the truth.

The thought crossed Zhao Heng’s mind.

But before Zhao Heng could relax, Liu Xuedong’s expression turned grave again as he said, "Someone has bought traffic to massively spread this edited video. Although the original video is also online, its views are far less than the maliciously edited one."

"Who is it? Who’s willing to go to such lengths to mess with me?"

Zhao Heng felt a burning anger inside him. This was no simple case of malicious editing to gain traffic; it was a complete distortion of facts and malicious defamation.

Public opinion is complicated, and often, even when the truth is evident, if rumors spread widely enough, many people will form a stereotype.

Like Zhao Heng’s case of saving someone, many people, if they first see the maliciously edited video, will form an initial impression that won’t necessarily change even if they later see the real or clarifying video.

In reality, this helpless situation for the parties involved happens frequently.

Just like some widely spread but unsubstantiated rumors, for example, someone having smelly feet, someone having an abortion, or someone having feces in their pants.

So, sometimes, the public prefers to believe these absurdities.

"This is still under investigation. The reputation of Eastern Hospital has also been affected. The hospital committee has already launched an investigation process, and there will be a conclusion. But Xiao Zhao, what’s most critical now is for you to release a clarifying video."

Liu Xuedong said sternly.

"Why? Director Liu, although my actions at the time did not conform to norms, they were a stopgap measure to save a life. Moreover, I succeeded in saving the person."

Zhao Heng asked in great confusion.

"Xiao Zhao, public opinion is formidable, and people’s words are fearsome."

Liu Xuedong understood Zhao Heng’s frustration and shook his head slightly.

"Don’t worry, Xiao Zhao. We know you did nothing wrong. You only need to release a video explaining the situation clearly, accompanied by the original video someone took at the time. This incident shouldn’t escalate further."

Gao Jun stood up and patted Zhao Heng on the shoulder.

He understood Zhao Heng’s feelings; it was disheartening for a promising young person to be smeared and slandered when he had clearly done nothing wrong and had even saved a life.

That’s why he had come to the Medical Department first thing in the morning to discuss with Liu Xuedong.

"I understand, Teacher."

Zhao Heng nodded, recalling that what Shu Xin had said yesterday was coming true.

Just yesterday, when Shu Xin suggested making a clarifying video, he had thought it unnecessary.

But now, thinking back, Shu Xin’s understanding of the media and short videos far exceeded Zhao Heng’s.

"Xiao Zhao, Old Gao and I have already communicated with the hospital leadership. You can create a video account to release the clarifying video yourself, and the hospital will also upload it concurrently to the official website."

Liu Xuedong added.

Technically, the hospital would not involve itself in such matters, but since Zhao Heng had initially claimed to be a doctor from Eastern Hospital for the sake of rescue, the hospital was compelled to exert its influence to resolve this incident.

This also illustrated how harsh the current medical environment is. What should have been a rare piece of positive energy, a good deed of saving a life, was ignored by the public in favor of believing that a young doctor was recklessly endangering lives, spurred by a maliciously edited video.

It’s truly lamentable!