On Standby - Chapter 3

The sweltering afternoon heat, reaching 38°C, relentlessly scorched the earth. Looking up, one couldn’t discern the sun’s outline, only feel its incandescent glare blanketing the land. In stark contrast to the oppressive heat outside, the hospital interior maintained a consistently comfortable temperature. At 2:15 PM, Tang Feihuan, finally free from her “battle,” sat down to eat. She removed her white coat, revealing light blue scrubs, and used her left hand to navigate the mouse while her right hand scooped half a spoonful of fried rice into her mouth.

“Xiao Tang, what are you looking at? Be careful not to shove the rice up your nose,” Liu Zhinan teased. Just past his 36th birthday, Liu Zhinan hadn’t yet been promoted to Associate Chief Physician due to his non-985/211 undergraduate degree and the lack of a single SCI-indexed publication. However, his extensive clinical experience and affable nature had earned him the affectionate nickname “Lao Liu” among his colleagues in Group Two.

Tang Feihuan scrolled with the mouse. “I’m reviewing the medical history of a new patient admitted half an hour ago and checking related information.”

“A few minutes won’t make a difference. You can eat in the break room later,” Liu Zhinan said casually as he filled his teapot at the water dispenser beside her. “As the saying goes, you need to eat well to work well. Lin Ye was just like you when she first joined our department, but look at her now—sitting comfortably in the break room, enjoying her meal.”

“Alright, I’ll go another day,” Tang Feihuan replied.

Just as she finished speaking, Lin Ye walked into the office carrying her washed lunchbox.

“See? Speak of the devil, and he appears!” Liu Zhinan’s usual grin spread across his face.

Lin Ye instinctively asked, “What’s up?”

“Nothing, just teasing Xiao Tang,” Liu Zhinan quickly changed the subject to business. “Oh, about the patient in bed two who hit the sink—the exploratory laparotomy confirmed a ruptured spleen. Luckily, we caught it in time, preventing shock from excessive bl00d loss.”

Lin Ye replied in her usual calm tone, “Good. The surgery went smoothly, right?”

Liu Zhinan’s smile widened. “Perfectly! The family even said they’d give Xiao Tang a banner on discharge day!”

“A banner?” Lin Ye had just entered the office, and Tang Feihuan, who had been engrossed in her meal, hadn’t participated in their conversation. Now, she set down her spoon and vehemently refused. “Don’t give it to me! If you’re going to give one, give it to the department!”

“Absolutely not. The patient’s family specifically requested you,” Liu Zhinan said, taking a sip of water. “If you submit the banner, you’ll get the hospital’s Moral Exemplar Award at the end of the year.”

As they chatted, Sun Qinhuai, the head nurse, suddenly burst into the office. “Lao Liu, if you want to criticize their increasing stinginess, just say it outright!” she snapped. She was right. Previously, collecting three banners within a year earned a 200 yuan bonus. This year, the policy had suddenly changed, replacing the cash reward with a Moral Exemplar Award certificate.

Liu Zhinan rubbed the teapot lid with his right hand. “I’m just educating the new colleagues.”

“Where’s Zhou Qian from Group Three?” Sun Qinhuai asked, looking around. “He’s not answering his phone or replying to WeChat messages. Isn’t he always hanging around your Group Two?”

“He’s probably in the break room,” Lin Ye said, returning to his desk.

Liu Zhinan asked curiously, “What’s he done now?”

Sun Qinhuai replied irritably, “He prescribed 10 milliliters of oral medication as an intravenous push. Does he want to end up in jail, or does he want us all to attend his funeral?”

Liu Zhinan quickly buttered her up. “Everyone knows he can be a bit careless sometimes, but thankfully we have responsible and professional partners like you to keep him in check.” Doctors and nurses are collaborative partners; there’s no hierarchy of management between them.

Next came the routine introductions of new colleagues, followed by a few polite exchanges. Sun Qinhuai left, and Lin Ye was summoned by the Deputy Director of Group Three next door. Tang Feihuan finished organizing her patient records, donned her white coat, and went to make rounds alone.

Aside from lunch, the team had been working continuously for eight hours. As their shift neared its end, everyone anticipated leaving on time. But Sun Qinhuai burst through the door, her voice urgent, “Director Lin, a patient has been transferred from People’s Hospital. You need to see him immediately.”

Liu Zhinan hadn’t yet returned from his rounds. Lin Ye gestured for Tang Feihuan to follow, and the two hurried to the patient’s room.

They learned that the patient was 79-year-old Professor Zhong, a retired professor from Shu River University’s Department of Physics. His children were working abroad, leaving only his wife of several decades to care for him.

Sun Qinhuai handed the medical records to Lin Ye. “Director Lin, here’s Professor Zhong’s file.”

The records revealed lower limb arterial occlusion, muscle necrosis, and a recent vascular recanalization surgery at People’s Hospital.

Sun Qinhuai summarized, “The surgery didn’t help much. The muscle necrosis is still severe. Now he’s in kidney failure, coagulopathy, and respiratory failure, in a state of shock.”

“Doctor, is there still hope?” Zheng, the female relative, asked. She had known Professor Zhong for 54 years and been married to him for 52. Like him, she was a retired professor from Shu River University. “Director Bai from People’s Hospital recommended transferring Old Zhong here, saying it’s his last chance.”

Lin Ye frowned in thought, while Tang Feihuan’s expression turned grave. She stepped forward and carefully lifted the blanket covering Professor Zhong to conduct a physical examination.

“Let’s try CRRT first,” Lin Ye decided quickly. Tang Feihuan had been thinking the same thing, but hadn’t voiced it yet.

By using CRRT plasma exchange to remove necrotic substances and inflammatory factors from Professor Zhong’s bl00d, Lin Ye hoped to seize a sliver of hope.

After initiating continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for Professor Zhong and handing over the shift, it was already past 8 PM. Tang Feihuan pressed the power button on the computer and looked up, her eyes meeting Lin Ye’s warm, spring-like smile.

This was the first time Tang Feihuan had seen Lin Ye smile so genuinely in over a dozen hours. It reminded her of years ago, when his smiles had made her feel like a tiny, flat-bottomed boat, gently pushed through crystal-clear, emerald-green lake waters by ever-widening ripples.

As Tang Feihuan reminisced about the past, a smile involuntarily crept across her face. But the moment she heard Lin Ye’s next words, her smile froze.

“Mommy will be back soon. Be a good girl and wash up first.”

Mommy? Was she talking to her child? She’s married? When? Who’s her husband? Why hasn’t anyone mentioned this? Disbelief, confusion, and bewilderment flooded her mind, leaving her utterly unprepared. She didn’t even respond when Lin Ye said goodbye before leaving.

Tang Feihuan sat frozen in place, her mind buzzing and her heart in turmoil. After a long silence, she let out a silent, self-mocking laugh. She ridiculed herself for overestimating their relationship, for believing Lin Ye would never marry or start a new family, and for not fighting to win her back when she had the chance. Now, she was just pretending to be heartbroken, feigning deep affection.

But the pain was real. Tang Feihuan clutched her chest, struggling to control her emotions.

“Doctor Tang, still here?” Dr. Lu, the on-call physician, passed by the office and noticed her slumped over the desk. “Everything alright?”

Tang Feihuan took a deep breath and replied, “Just about to head home.”

Out of professional habit, Dr. Lu added, “No discomfort or anything?”

“No, thank you,” Tang Feihuan said, straightening up. She waited until the on-duty doctor had walked away before bending down to open the lower right cabinet, retrieving her helmet and backpack.

Time to go home.

No obstacle is insurmountable.

As night deepened, Lin Ye sat in his car on the second underground level of the hospital parking garage. He had just started the engine when the passenger door was yanked open, and a tall, slender figure slipped in beside him.

“Give me a ride,” the person said. “I didn’t drive today.”

“Dr. Lu, how was your date yesterday?” Lin Ye asked, shifting into gear and releasing the handbrake. He gently pressed the accelerator to start moving. Doctors on day shifts were always busy, and only now did he remember to ask about his best friend.

Lu Yuqing and Lin Ye were the same age, 34, both born in August 1984—she a Leo, he a Virgo. They had been classmates and roommates during their undergraduate studies in clinical medicine at Shu River University. Even during their postgraduate studies, when she specialized in anesthesiology and he in emergency medicine, they remained roommates. As a result, they shared everything and knew each other better than anyone else.

Lu Yuqing waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t even mention it. It was a disaster.” Her shoulder-length hair curled outward at the ends, framing her face. She wore a red-and-white striped shirt, light-colored trousers, and a pair of retro sunglasses—a classic Hong Kong-style vintage look.

Lin Ye listened intently. “Enemies?”

“Yesterday, I went to the convenience store to buy water during lunchtime. The line was long, and I ended up getting a parking ticket for being a few minutes over the limit.”

Lin Ye nodded. “You complained to me about it. What does this have to do with your date last night?”

Lu Yuqing’s face flushed crimson. “My date was the female traffic officer who gave me the ticket!”

“Quite a coincidence?” Lin Ye exclaimed in surprise. She knew Lu Yuqing, having seen too many toxic men and even women, was reluctant to commit to a relationship and constantly declared she only wanted s3x, not love. After two years of this, she finally registered on a lesbian dating site last month and connected with someone. Fortunately, they clicked, shared similar values, exchanged photos the day before yesterday, and found each other attractive, leading to their date last night.

Lu Yuqing sighed. “Coincidence? More like a karmic disaster. I only realized after sleeping with her that she was the one who cost me 200 yuan!”

“You slept with her already?” Lin Ye had assumed they’d at least go on a few more dates to get to know each other better.

So she really meant just s3x, no love.

Lu Yuqing blurted out, “Yeah, and she’s surprisingly good at it.”

“So?” Lin Ye suddenly realized the other woman wasn’t complaining, but showing off.

“It could be long-term,” Lu Yuqing said, turning to face Lin Ye. She asked the question that had been weighing on her mind for hours: “Enough about me. What’s going on with you?”

Lin Ye slowed the car, responding, “What do you mean?”

“Tang Feihuan. Around 3 PM this afternoon, after I finished an emergency surgery and sent the patient back to their room, I saw her doing rounds. When I asked around, I found out she’s in your group.”

At the mention of Tang Feihuan’s name, Lin Ye’s lips, which had been curved in a slight smile, instantly straightened into a tight line. “Yes, that’s right.”

Lu Yuqing pressed further, “Aren’t you going to explain?”

Lin Ye’s expression remained unchanged. “Explain what?”

“Did you specifically request her?” Lu Yuqing shook her head. “That’s impossible. So she’s trying to win you back!”

Ahead, the green light had only five seconds left before turning red. Lin Ye, still several dozen meters from the crosswalk, hesitated for two seconds before slamming on the brakes. The car screeched to a halt. After calming herself slightly, she said softly, “We’re just ordinary colleagues.”