CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 29: THE VIRUS APPEARS

New book on the charts, seeking votes and collections!

Li Jingyi was beaming with joy. It had only been a few days since she took office and good things kept happening. She looked at Xiao Lin with admiration, thinking this young man was truly excellent. He gave up the director position for her, and this morning at the emergency rescue scene, he performed calmly and successfully saved the patient, earning the school hospital much praise from the students. Most importantly, this incident gained the school hospital recognition from the school’s higher-ups, unlike before when it was criticized. They even promised to allocate some funds to the hospital on the spot.

"Dr. Xiao, you’re really a lucky charm for our school hospital!" Li Jingyi said to Xiao Lin with a smile, feeling quite pleased.

At that moment, Xiao Ning just happened to come in from outside and disapprovingly said after hearing Li Jingyi’s compliment to Xiao Lin, "Director, I can’t agree with that. What lucky charm? He’s just giving us more work to do. I didn’t even have time to drink water all morning, and Xiao Mei and the others are still busy with IV drips!"

Hearing Xiao Ning’s complaint, Xia Xue felt a similar sentiment. Although every year during school opening, some new students would come to see her, even when she first came here, the scene wasn’t this overwhelming. She had over thirty patients in just one morning, and Xiao Lin’s speed was more than twice hers. He must have seen at least over seventy patients.

"Director, Xiao Ning is right. There are too many patients, and many of them have trivial issues. Even those with dark circles from lack of sleep come, turning the emergency room into a marketplace!" Xia Xue also complained.

Li Jingyi, hearing Xia Xue complain as well, chuckled, "Dr. Xia, I’m afraid you don’t have the right to complain. Many patients are here just for you!"

"Director, maybe I should come to work after a while? If it’s like this every day, not only Xiao Ning and the others can’t handle it, even we can’t!" Although Xiao Lin and the other two weren’t as overworked as Xiao Ning and the others, who had to fetch medicine and give injections, Xiao Lin would rather not work here if this continued. He came here because the school hospital was supposed to be laid-back, allowing more personal time.

Li Jingyi also thought Xiao Lin made a point, pondering a bit before saying, "This afternoon I’ll talk to the dean, maybe we can have some colleagues from other departments to come and support us. Actually, this phenomenon occurs every school opening, and it’s because you guys are either handsome or pretty, mesmerising all those young boys and girls!"

This was the only solution for now. Xiao Lin, Xia Xue, and Xiao Ning nodded helplessly. Colleagues in other departments were idle enough to read newspapers, while the emergency department was too busy to grab a sip of water. They earned the same salary, unlike those hospitals in society where doctors could earn something extra for each diagnosis.

At noon, Li Jingyi treated all the employees of the emergency department to a meal. However, due to the high number of patients in the morning, many patients’ IVs hadn’t finished, so someone had to stay in the infusion room. Xiao Ning and Xiao Mei chose to stay, and the lunch would be brought back by Li Jingyi and the others.

In the afternoon, Li Jingyi went to the third floor to report the situation to the dean. Shortly after, she returned with two doctors and four nurses to the emergency room, greatly relieving the pressure there.

The two reassigned doctors didn’t object. Although there were no registration fees, if the hospital’s efficiency improved, their bonuses and benefits wouldn’t decrease. Besides, they were treating minor ailments and weren’t worried about problems. It also left a good impression with the leaders. Moreover, having the chance to work with Xia Xue, the most beautiful doctor at the school hospital, why not?

In the afternoon, the school hospital’s emergency department was still busy. Xiao Lin’s reputation gradually spread, attracting more patients, even some school teachers.

The usually quiet school hospital, long criticized by students and teachers for receiving fewer patients than its employees and doctors, had greatly improved with Xiao Lin’s arrival.

"Next!" called out Xiao Lin without looking up. Most come to the emergency room for him and Xia Xue, and while they all had minor issues, many didn’t even need medicine.

"Doctor, it’s me!" a very weak female voice called out, a bit timid yet frail.

Xiao Lin looked up and smiled slightly, "So it’s you. How have you been feeling these last couple of days?" This young woman was Xiao Lin’s first patient at the school hospital.

Xiao Lin carefully observed the patient, noting her pale complexion. It seemed her anemia wasn’t improving, her lips dry and eyes slightly sunken, lacking spirit, with a bit of cold sweat on her forehead.

Xiao Lin was a bit startled, remembering he had promised to prescribe her medicine the next day, but he had forgotten because he was busy with his matters. He felt quite guilty.

"Doctor, I started having a fever since yesterday, but when I came yesterday, you weren’t here. Dr. Li saw me and prescribed some cold medicine and administered an IV. I felt better then, but soon after returning to the dormitory, I started feeling chills all over, followed by dry heaving and insomnia!" The student spoke as she handed over her medical certificate.

Xiao Lin glanced at the medical certificate. The girl’s name was Tong Tong, from Weizhou, Jingliang Province, a sophomore at Yan University.

Seeing this, Xiao Lin’s heart skipped a beat as he remembered reading about the mutating HTC4 virus last night. He asked Tong Tong, "Tong Tong, did you go home for National Day?" Xiao Lin grew more serious. Tong Tong’s symptoms were similar to the initial outbreak symptoms of the HTC4 virus. He silently prayed that she wasn’t infected with the HTC4 virus.

Recalling such a virus, Xiao Lin felt his head swell. This virus wasn’t inherently dangerous, being not very toxic, but its threat lay in endlessly weakening the body’s immunity, thereby triggering all sorts of hidden conditions. For those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes or the common flu, contracting it could at best aggravate the illness, at worst, cause sudden on-site death.

"Yes, I went back," Tong Tong replied weakly, nodding, her once vibrant eyes now appeared dry.

Xiao Lin pondered and asked Dr. Li beside him, "Director, this patient’s condition is quite special. I want to take her to the affiliated hospital for a check-up!"

"Doctor, what’s wrong with me?" Tong Tong asked anxiously upon hearing Xiao Lin’s words.

Xiao Lin smiled kindly, "It’s nothing serious, just that the school hospital lacks the necessary equipment for such tests. I’ll take you to the affiliated hospital for a routine check-up. No need to worry!" In his heart, Xiao Lin was hoping fervently that it wasn’t the THC4 virus.