Iceberg's Deep Love - Chapter 15

Gu Jihuan, wearing a white coat, walked through the patient ward and turned into the innermost room.

As always, Yanyan was on the bed by the window, playing on her phone with one hand while using a toothpick to eat bite-sized pieces of apple with the other.

Yanyan’s mother watched her, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. “Professor Fang told you to rest properly and not spend so much time on your phone.”

“I’m reading news about Professor Gu,” Yanyan replied without looking up. “I knew there would be a reversal, and now there is…”

“Professor Gu… Professor Gu, you’re here?” Yanyan’s mother quickly stood up and gently patted Yanyan’s shoulder.

“I came to check if Yanyan is being a good girl,” Gu Jihuan said, noticing the phone screen in Yanyan’s hand. “Why aren’t you resting properly? Reading gossip news instead?”

“Professor Gu…” Yanyan’s cheeks flushed slightly as she flipped her phone face down and whispered, “Don’t listen to my mom. She wants me to sleep all day. I haven’t been on my phone much, just for a little while now.”

Finally, Yanyan looked at Gu Jihuan with bright eyes and said, “Professor Gu, everyone online is saying you’re a great doctor now. They were just blind before.”

“Whether I’m a good doctor or not isn’t for others to decide,” Gu Jihuan replied, amused by Yanyan’s straightforwardness, and couldn’t help but smile slightly.

A strand of brown hair fell beside her temple. Beneath her thick lashes, her smiling eyes rippled like the surface of a deep pool.

Yanyan couldn’t help but freeze for a moment, even forgetting to breathe. Doctor Gu, with her kind nature, always had a stunning presence.

Noticing Yanyan seemed to be daydreaming, Gu Jihuan affectionately patted her head and said, “I promised your mother I’d visit you before you were discharged. Now that I’ve kept my word, you need to promise me you’ll cooperate fully with your rehabilitation.”

“Mm-hmm!” Yanyan’s eyes sparkled as she nodded vigorously. “Doctor Gu, I’m definitely coming back to Jiang City for university. I’m going to study medicine and become a cardiothoracic surgeon, so I can help people too.”

“Cardiothoracic surgery is very demanding,” Gu Jihuan teased gently. “Have you really thought this through?”

“I’ve made up my mind,” Yanyan said, nodding. “Many of my friends back home have heart conditions. I want to go back and make sure everyone can get medical care.”

“Mm, I believe in you,” Gu Jihuan replied, her voice softening slightly, a gentle warmth rippling through her eyes.

Yanyan came from a remote mountain village in another province, situated at a high altitude. Congenital heart disease is more prevalent in such regions, and poverty often prevents pregnant women from receiving proper prenatal care, leading to many undiagnosed cases in newborns. Some children even die without ever being diagnosed.

Yanyan herself had never undergone a comprehensive medical examination in her first nineteen years and was unaware of her heart condition.

Gu Jihuan couldn’t help but smile as she looked at Yanyan. This is how the seeds of medicine sometimes take root, sprout, and slowly grow.

Despite the many challenges in the medical field—external public pressure, internal restlessness…—there are still those who pursue medicine with genuine sincerity, driven by a desire to heal and save lives.

“Then… Doctor Gu, could I get your contact information?” Yanyan held up her phone, displaying a QR code, her face brimming with anticipation as she looked at Gu Jihuan.

“Alright, I’ll make an exception for you this time and give you my personal contact information,” Gu Jihuan said in a low voice, subtly winking at Yanyan.

Yanyan’s face lit up with understanding, and she secretly gave an “OK” sign, grinning like a child who had just received candy.

Gu Jihuan had two WeChat accounts: a formal work account named “Cardiothoracic Surgeon Gu,” with her professional headshot as the profile picture, and a private account reserved for close friends. Yanyan… perhaps she could now be considered a good friend.

“Wow, Doctor Gu’s profile picture is such an adorable cat!” Yanyan exclaimed, unable to resist commenting on Gu Jihuan’s cat avatar.

Now that they were closer, Gu Jihuan shed some of her professional demeanor, revealing a more natural side. “Of course! Cats are my favorite animals. And let me tell you a secret: I also love Hello Kitty.”

Yanyan’s attention shifted to Gu Jihuan’s nickname: “Why ‘Doesn’t Like Mangoes’?”

“Ah, that’s…” Gu Jihuan pursed her lips. “It might be related to a curse. Every time I eat mangoes, things get hectic, and emergency cases start flooding in.”

“Hahahaha! So that’s why!” Yanyan couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

From the day she arrived at Jianghuan Hospital, Yanyan had known Gu Jihuan as an omnipotent and reliable doctor—composed, generous, and godlike in her ability to snatch patients from the clutches of death.

But this was the first time she had glimpsed Gu Jihuan’s endearing, private side.

Leaving Yanyan’s room, Gu Jihuan removed her hospital badge, completing her final task at Jianghuan. It was time to report to Qingnan Hospital.

Vice President Yu Hong greeted Gu Jihuan at Qingnan Hospital.

Qingnan Hospital, with its shorter history compared to Jianghuan, still exuded a fresh, modern feel throughout the entire facility.

Vice President Yu’s office featured floor-to-ceiling windows, a full set of genuine leather sofas in the reception area, and lush, vibrant greenery on the desk.

A purple clay teapot hissed gently, steam rising as boiling water was poured over the tea leaves, coaxing out their delicate aroma.

The tea was refreshing and smooth on the palate. Even though Gu Jihuan wasn’t a tea connoisseur, she could tell the leaves were of excellent quality.

As expected of a hospital under the Ludi Group, everything from the building itself to the tea leaves exuded an air of wealth.

Yu Hong refilled Gu Jihuan’s teacup, smiling. “Professor Li mentioned you to me. I never imagined you’d leave Jianghuan.”

“I never imagined he’d come to Qingnan either,” Gu Jihuan replied with a soft smile. “If he mentioned me, he was probably gossiping behind my back.”

Yu Hong’s smile widened, but she didn’t deny Gu Jihuan’s claim. Instead, she said, “That’s just because you two have such a good teacher-student relationship. It’s natural to tease each other.”

Gu Jihuan and Li Jiang had only known each other for half a year, but their compatible personalities had allowed them to develop a natural rapport, and teasing each other had become commonplace.

Gu Jihuan could already guess what Professor Li had said behind her back—probably stories about her headstrong, rebellious days. Back at the heart center in M Country, she had never been one to keep quiet, often speaking her mind directly and arguing fiercely with her superiors over treatment plans until they were red in the face.

Yet Professor Li admired Gu Jihuan’s stubbornness.

He believed that surgeons needed unwavering conviction and independent judgment to make decisive decisions on the operating table. Gu Jihuan was a natural-born surgical talent.

“Professor Li agreed to come to Qingnan because of the magnetic levitation artificial heart project,” Yu Hong explained. “Since Doctor Gu is here today, there’s no need to keep it a secret any longer. This is Qingnan Hospital’s most critical and confidential project, and Doctor Gu will undoubtedly be involved in it. In the future, Qingnan Hospital will focus on developing Cardiothoracic Surgery into our flagship department, and Doctor Gu will become our star surgeon.”

“No wonder,” Gu Jihuan chuckled softly. “You really know how to win over my mentor.”

Years ago, when Li Jiang went to the M Country Heart Center for exchange studies, his research focused entirely on the magnetic levitation artificial heart project.

Even after Li Jiang retired, the magnetic levitation artificial heart had yet to be widely adopted in China. Technical challenges remained, a lingering regret for the elder statesman of surgery.

Qingnan Hospital had dangled such a tempting bait, clearly following Jiang Taigong’s strategy: “Let those who are willing bite the hook.” Li Jiang couldn’t resist taking a nibble.

“Your office will be right next to Professor Li’s. I’ll show you around later,” Yu Hong said, placing the contract in front of Gu Jihuan. “We’ve already discussed the terms over the phone. If you have no objections, you can sign here, and you’ll start next week.”

Yu Hong added, “Feel free to come to me anytime if you need anything. At Qingnan, doctors are our most valuable resource. We’re all here to support them, so don’t think of me as your superior. Consider me the head of the logistics team.”

Vice President Yu Hong wasn’t a frontline physician; she served as the hospital’s administrative president, overseeing management operations. Yet she lacked the condescending air often associated with leadership, instead adopting a remarkably humble demeanor. Her approachable style had left a warm impression on everyone she’d interacted with in recent days.

Before arriving, Gu Jihuan had naturally done her research. Rumor had it that Vice President Yu Hong was Lu Shinian’s most trusted lieutenant, having only recently joined Qingnan Hospital.

Yu Hong’s exceptional charisma had already secured her position in management. She maintained harmonious relationships with the previous doctors and administrators at Qingnan Hospital, and had subtly consolidated control over personnel appointments, dismissals, and the hospital’s development planning.

Yu Hong’s management skills were evident in her handling of the hospital, making her a rare talent who was undoubtedly underutilized in this small institution.

Currently, Qingnan Hospital’s sincerity in recruiting top-tier professionals and its generous compensation packages suggested the hospital was operating at a loss.

President Lu Shinian had invested so heavily in this venture, leaving one to wonder what grand strategy lay behind it all.

None of this particularly concerned Gu Jihuan. It wasn’t her money at stake; she simply needed to focus on performing her duties well.

At least Lu Di, having made such a grand spectacle of this venture, couldn’t simply abandon the mess and run. Such a move would severely damage the Ludi Group’s reputation.

The contract signing proceeded smoothly, with all terms having been agreed upon in advance.

Yu Hong glanced at her wristwatch and murmured, “I arranged for Professor Li to come. Why hasn’t he arrived yet?”

Just then, the phone on Yu Hong’s desk rang.

“Vice President Yu, there’s been an accident. Doctor Shi Nanfeng was in a car crash.”

“What happened? Is he alright?” Yu Hong’s expression immediately turned grave. “Is the ambulance bringing him to our hospital?”

“Yes, it happened near our hospital. They’re bringing him over now. It doesn’t seem too serious—just a broken arm.”

“That’s a relief,” Yu Hong sighed. “I’ll handle the scheduling adjustments.”

“It’s not just the schedule. Doctor Shi Nanfeng has a heart transplant surgery scheduled in two hours, and the donor heart is already en route.”

Yu Hong’s eyes darkened slightly as she turned to her computer and clicked a few times. “There are no other surgeons available,” she said grimly.

Heart transplants are among the most complex cardiac surgeries. Even at Qingnan Hospital, only two surgeons are qualified to perform them.

Li Jiang has the necessary skills, but his age and stamina limit him to supervisory roles these days.

The other surgeon is currently in the operating room performing another critical surgery that will take at least two hours to complete.

Knock, knock— Two sharp knocks sounded at the door before it was hastily pushed open.

It was an elderly man with graying hair, wearing a white coat. His expression was grave. “Xiao Yu, why can’t I reach your office by phone?”

“Professor Li, about that…” Yu Hong looked up and saw Gu Jihuan sitting on the sofa.

Li Jiang’s gaze also fell on Gu Jihuan. “Enough said. Doctor Shi Nanfeng is in no condition to perform the surgery. Let Xiao Gu handle it.”

Yu Hong’s face lit up. Of course! Gu Jihuan was renowned in Jiang City’s Cardiothoracic Surgery department, hailed as “Jiang City’s Scalpel.” She was more than capable of performing a heart transplant.

Gu Jihuan blinked in surprise. As Yu Hong and Li Jiang explained the situation in rapid-fire exchanges, she gradually understood what was happening.

She nodded firmly. “Alright, I’m ready. I can lead the surgery.”

Just as Yu Hong was about to have Li Jiang escort Gu Jihuan out, the phone rang again.

“President Lu has arrived. Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll go down to greet him immediately.”

This was Lu Shinian’s first personal visit to Qingnan Hospital since taking over the Ludi Group. Yu Hong was determined to make a good impression.

Technically, Qingnan Hospital was merely a subsidiary of a subsidiary within the Ludi Group. If it weren’t for Lu Shinian’s impulsive gamble, she might never have set foot in the place.