Village Doctor's Women-Chapter 170 - 165 Visiting Teacher (Happy Little New Year)
Wang Jian worked for a full ten minutes. During that time, he had to not only pinpoint the fetus’s exact location but also use precise techniques to correct its orientation for birth. To support Hu Tiantian’s upcoming delivery, he even used his qi to nourish both her and the fetus. Consequently, while those ten minutes were short, they were incredibly draining on his mind and spirit.
Running up and down the mountain isn’t this exhausting...
He actually managed to correct the fetal position... Someone who can resolve an abnormal fetal position just by massaging the abdomen is truly one in ten thousand. In all of China, the number of people who possess this skill can be counted on one hand, and they are all leading experts in the field, well advanced in age. But who is this young man? I’ve never heard of him before. Zhou Cui’s shock was no less than if a revered National Doctor she had admired for years had suddenly appeared before her.
"Doctor Zhou!" Wang Jian said, catching his breath as he addressed the dazed woman. "The fetal position is corrected. Delivering babies isn’t my specialty, so I’ll leave the rest to you."
Wang Jian had heard about Zhou Cui’s good reputation among her colleagues and patients while he worked at the hospital. Now, as Zhou Cui looked at Wang Jian’s face, a flicker of recognition sparked in her memory. After all, they were doctors at the same hospital, albeit in different departments. They had seen each other around and were nodding acquaintances, but they had never really interacted. It took her a moment of thought, but upon hearing his voice, she finally placed him.
"You’re... Xiao Wang from the Chinese Hospital?" Zhou Cui asked in astonishment, her eyes widening as she sized him up, her disbelief impossible to hide. "It is you, isn’t it? I had no idea you possessed such skills. Why didn’t you choose to go into obstetrics?"
"Well..." Wang Jian gave a bitter smile. I learned to be an all-rounder under my master, but my university degree was in Chinese medicine, making that my only official certification. Back when my control over qi wasn’t as strong as it is now, handling a situation like this would not have been so simple. So, even if I had wanted to join the obstetrics and gynecology department, it wasn’t something I could do just by asking. Besides, whether the department heads and other doctors would have even acknowledged my skills and allowed me in the delivery room was another matter entirely.
Not wanting to elaborate, Wang Jian simply said, "Doctor Zhou, you should focus on the delivery first. We can chat when we have the chance."
With that, he took the opportunity to slip out of the room.
Not long after he left, the cry of a baby echoed from inside. The weight on everyone’s hearts was finally lifted.
Hearing the sound, Zhang Jifeng, who was waiting outside, instinctively turned to Wang Jian. "You really fixed it?"
"Would I lie to you?" Wang Jian rolled his eyes at him, annoyed. "You really don’t have any faith in my skills."
With a look of pure awe on his face, Zhang Jifeng asked, "Where did you learn to do that?"
"From my master."
"Master?" Zhang Jifeng paused. Could he mean Professor Song Yijin? Having a great master’s guidance is such a blessing. It was impossible for him not to feel a pang of envy.
He sighed, however, and didn’t press the matter. Although Wang Jian had a renowned teacher, his initial good luck had taken a turn for the worse. He was stubborn, offended someone important, and then, unwilling to ask his teacher for help, had simply gone back to his hometown. In my mind, even though I couldn’t secure a permanent position, working at a private hospital is still far better than being a village doctor like Wang Jian.
A village doctor... What’s so great about that? Zhang Jifeng shook his head, feeling it was a waste for Wang Jian, but it wouldn’t be right to bring up sore subjects during a reunion. Just then, his phone rang. Someone from his department needed him, so he quickly said his goodbyes to Wang Jian and hurried off.
Wang Jian waited by the door for Xu Liang to come out. They chatted for a few moments before Wang Jian left alone. Since he was visiting his teacher, Ren Yu didn’t need to accompany him.
Xu Liang didn’t walk him far. Their friendship was close enough that they didn’t need to stand on ceremony.
When he returned to the hospital room, however, he got an earful from Hu Tiantian.
Strangely, Hu Tiantian’s energy wasn’t depleted at all after giving birth. Even Zhou Cui was amazed, remarking that she had never seen anyone go through labor and seem completely fine afterward.
Although Zhou Cui couldn’t understand it, the couple knew the reason. If it hadn’t been for the warm current of qi Wang Jian had sent her, the delivery would not have gone so smoothly. Not to mention, he had also saved their child’s life.
Because of this, Hu Tiantian was grateful to Wang Jian from the bottom of her heart. She had always known that he had saved her husband’s life and had sympathized, but that was nothing compared to experiencing his help firsthand. Seeing that Xu Liang had let Wang Jian leave just like that, without doing anything, Hu Tiantian was understandably angry and chided him for it.
"We’ll let it slide this time," she said, "but we absolutely must thank Doctor Wang properly later."
"Of course," Xu Liang replied. "You don’t have to tell me. I already know."
Wang Jian’s primary purpose in visiting the Capital City this time was to escort Ren Yu, but he also wanted to take the opportunity to see some old friends. The chance to visit his teacher was a pleasant surprise. However, the thought that his teacher might have health problems made him quicken his pace.
Teacher Song lived near the Third Ring Road in a traditional courtyard house.
Wang Jian had never really paid attention to his teacher’s family background. Back in his school days, he had little understanding of social circles or important figures. This visit, however, he discovered something peculiar. The residents of his teacher’s alley were anything but ordinary. While walking, Wang Jian even spotted a prominent figure he had only ever seen on television during major state conferences.
This just went to show how stubborn Wang Jian used to be. Believing he could rely solely on his own abilities, he had immersed himself in his studies and Cultivation. But after going through the wringer at the hospital for so long, he was no longer that same naive and bullheaded youth. He had changed considerably—it was a form of growth.
If he hadn’t been to this alley before, he would have surely gotten lost. It hadn’t changed much in the years since he’d last visited. Following the path from memory, Wang Jian arrived at his teacher’s door and reached out to rap the door knocker.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Who is it?" a voice called from inside.
"Coming! Coming!"
It was the voice of Teacher Song’s younger daughter. The one person he both wanted to hear from and dreaded seeing. Her presence here could only mean one thing: his teacher’s health had definitely taken a turn for the worse.
Although she was Teacher Song’s daughter, their relationship was strained. As the younger child, she had a rebellious streak and rarely came home. Every visit inevitably ended in an argument, to the point that she had all but severed ties with him.
Song Tianran—that was his junior sister’s name. It was a very tranquil name, a stark contrast to her actual personality.
In reality, she was only a year younger than Wang Jian, though you would never guess it from her appearance. Her personality made her seem like a very cool adult woman who loved motorcycles and all sorts of thrilling activities. She used to favor heavy makeup and short hair, but with her stunning features, she could still pass for a college student, unable to contain her vibrant, youthful energy. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
Despite being a top student, she was completely disobedient. She refused to become a doctor and instead spent all her time out having fun. Wang Jian had met her back when he was wandering around with his master. Their one-night encounter had been quite the romantic fling. He never expected to run into her again at his teacher’s house, only to realize she was his junior sister. Back when he was dating his ex-girlfriend, this junior sister had constantly interfered and even confessed her own feelings for him. Consequently, his feelings for her were a mix of love and resentment. Hearing her voice now sent him into a bit of a daze.
"Who is it?"
The door swung open. The moment they saw each other through the gap, both of them froze.
Song Tianran was a far cry from the woman with heavy makeup he remembered. She wore a white polka-dot dress, her long hair drifting gently in the breeze. Her face was completely bare, and her fair complexion was marked by a rare weariness. Wang Jian saw no trace of her former youthful exuberance, only sorrow and grief.
"Are you here to see my dad?" Song Tianran asked, her tone devoid of pleasantries. Though she paused for a second upon seeing Wang Jian, she immediately followed up, "You knew?"
Noticing his expression, she quickly added, "Looks like you didn’t. Come in."
"I just dropped my sister off at her school and thought I’d stop by to see the teacher," Wang Jian said as he entered. "Did something happen to him?"
Song Tianran stepped aside to let him pass. Wang Jian seized the opportunity to ask his question, but seeing her acting so unlike her usual self, he couldn’t help but add, "Are you okay?"
Song Tianran nodded, leading him further into the courtyard. "My dad had a stroke."
"What?" Wang Jian froze. He had suspected his teacher was ill, but he never would have imagined this. "When did it happen?"
As they spoke, Wang Jian scanned the courtyard for his teacher. He soon spotted a man in the distance, sitting in a wheelchair in a small pavilion, his hand trembling uncontrollably.
Back in school, even though the teacher was getting on in years, he was always so charismatic when he lectured. But even someone like him couldn’t escape an illness like this.
"About two months ago," Song Tianran said in a low voice. "He collapsed while we were arguing at home, and... well, this is the result. He actually retired from the university last year after his health started declining, but it didn’t change anything..."
"Did someone tell you?" she asked. "We haven’t been telling everyone about Dad’s condition."
"Chairman Kang just mentioned that he had retired," Wang Jian explained. "I know the teacher’s personality. He would never have retired so easily unless there was a serious health problem. That’s why I was worried and came to see him. I just didn’t expect this."
Song Tianran glanced at Wang Jian, her eyes holding a complex, unreadable emotion. After he finished, she said, "It’s normal you didn’t know. His health problems started after he argued with you, but he forbade anyone from telling you. Even I only learned the full extent of it two months ago..."
Wang Jian remained silent.
"He can’t speak or move right now," she continued, "but he can hear us."
Wang Jian watched her expression carefully. To witness your own father having a stroke in a fit of rage during an argument with you... there was no way she could feel good about that. Right now, Song Tianran’s expression was calm, as if nothing was wrong, but this only made Wang Jian more worried. Her face lacked its usual vibrant light. The more composed she appeared on the surface, the greater the turmoil brewing within her must be.
