After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

The room was quiet, with only the rustling of papers as Ye Zhen turned the pages of documents. No one disturbed her; Zhao Gang and Liu Xiumei sat properly at the other end of the bench, their eyes scanning the room.

Gu Zheng didn't let everyone just sit there. He deftly rolled up his sleeves, picked up the two heavy net bags on the table, and gestured with his chin towards Zhao Gang: "Uncle, you must be tired from your bumpy journey. Don't eat at the canteen today. I'll make some home-style dishes, and we can eat at home."

After saying that, Gu Zheng turned around and went into the small kitchen next door. Soon after, the sound of chopping vegetables on the cutting board came from the kitchen, mixed with the crisp sound of the gas stove being turned on.

How could Liu Xiumei sit still? Seeing the famous "Living Yama" commander of the military region's general hospital personally cooking in the kitchen, she was so frightened that she quickly stood up to help, but Gu Yue grabbed her arm.

"Aunt Liu, please let him cook. My brother says he's a great cook. My sister-in-law usually gets off work late, and the lively atmosphere in this courtyard is all thanks to my brother." Gu Yue lowered her voice and winked at Liu Xiumei.

Zhao Lanlan smiled too. She wandered around the room for a bit, then finally sat down on the stool opposite Ye Zhen. She didn't say a word, just rested her chin on her hand and quietly watched Ye Zhen flip through the patient files page by page.

The spring sunshine outside was just right, shining obliquely through the wooden lattice window and landing on Ye Zhen's cool profile, which showed little emotional fluctuation.

The rich aroma of stir-fried pork with scallions quickly filled the kitchen. Gu Zheng was incredibly quick; the speed he honed on the battlefield was just as effective at the stove. In less than an hour, four dishes and a soup were served steaming hot on the eight-immortal table.

A large bowl of braised sea cucumber with scallions, a plate of thickly sliced ​​braised beef, a plate of stir-fried cabbage, a plate of dry-fried green beans, and in the center of the table, a pot of golden-yellow stewed chicken with mushrooms, glistening with oil and exuding a fragrant aroma.

Ye Zhen had just closed the last page of the document and neatly stacked the pile of brown paper bags on the bookshelf in the corner. She washed her hands in front of the washbasin, dried them with a towel, and then walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down next to Gu Zheng.

Gu Zheng took out an unopened bottle of Moutai, unscrewed the cap, and the rich aroma of the liquor immediately filled the room. He took two rough porcelain wine cups from the table and filled them for Zhao Gang and himself.

Zhao Gang stood up, respectfully leveled the wine cup in his hand, and faced Ye Zhen.

"Dr. Ye, I'm offering this as a token of my gratitude. This great kindness has been on my mind for almost a month. Today, I'll drink this cup of wine in respect!" Zhao Gang's hand holding the wine cup trembled slightly.

Recalling how he had almost turned Ye Zhen away from his own living room because of his blind faith in that British expert, Williams, nearly jeopardizing his own daughter's life, this incident had long been a thorn in his side.

Ye Zhen didn't say anything, but simply picked up the peony-patterned thermos next to her, poured herself a glass of water, and drank it, which was her way of accepting the wine.

Liu Xiumei watched from the side, her eyes red-rimmed. She pulled a checkered handkerchief from her pocket and clutched it tightly in her hand.

"Dr. Ye, my husband and I are clumsy with words, we can't say anything fancy. We were so blind before, we were so foolish!" Liu Xiumei's voice choked with sobs as she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "If it weren't for you, Lanlan's life would be completely ruined. You are our family's savior, we can never repay this kindness even if we were to be your slaves in our next life!"

As she spoke, Liu Xiumei lowered her body, about to stand up and bow to Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen quickly stopped her, saying, "Uncle Zhao, Aunt, there's no need to be so polite."

Sitting next to her, Gu Zheng picked up a piece of braised beef and naturally put it into Ye Zhen's bowl. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he pointed the tip of his chopsticks at Zhao Lanlan sitting opposite him.

"Auntie, no need for us to be treated like cattle or horses. My wife is here to save people, not to take in cattle and horses." Gu Zheng's carefree, soldierly air resurfaced. He looked at Zhao Gang and his wife with a half-smile. "Besides, isn't this person sitting here eating meat, all right here? Why bring up those unlucky things?"

The atmosphere was lightened considerably by Gu Zheng's nonchalant remark.

Everyone finally started eating.

Zhao Lanlan had an unusually good appetite today. Unlike before, when she would feel suffocated after eating only half a bite of rice, she chewed a mouthful of stir-fried green beans with remarkable calmness.

"Eat slowly." Gu Yue ladled a bowl of chicken soup for her with a soup spoon, carefully skimming off the surface oil. "Your digestive system isn't fully developed yet, so you should avoid anything too oily."

Zhao Lanlan held the bowl of chicken soup, taking small sips, but her eyes remained fixed on Ye Zhen.

"Sister-in-law Ye, I've been able to eat a whole patient meal by myself in the hospital these past few days. I didn't need the nurses to feed me, and my mom didn't need to help me. I used the spoon myself, and I didn't stop for a second." Zhao Lanlan's tone was very calm.

Ye Zhen swallowed the meat in her mouth, put down her chopsticks, and took out a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe the corner of her mouth.

She raised her eyes and quietly scrutinized Zhao Lanlan across from her. The girl's eyes now shone with a light, not the kind of superficial gratitude that floats on the lips, but a strong desire for life and a tenacity that refused to lie dormant.

"You're recovering well," Ye Zhen gave an extremely objective assessment. "However, it will take time for your left ventricular function to fully recover. You cannot run, jump, or lift anything heavier than five pounds for a year."

The meal was almost finished when the sun outside began to set, casting a warm, golden glow on the blue brick walls of the courtyard.

Zhao Lanlan put down the empty bowl in her hand, and laid her hands, which were thinner and deformed than those of ordinary people, flat on the Eight Immortals table without any hesitation.

"Sister-in-law Ye." Zhao Lanlan stood up straight, her gaze passing over the leftover food on the table and meeting Ye Zhen's clear, cold eyes. "Yueyue and I came here this time not just to bring that box of documents."

Gu Yue, who was next to her, also put down her chopsticks, and her expression became unusually serious.

Zhao Gang and Liu Xiumei exchanged a bewildered glance, clearly their daughter hadn't given them any advance notice of what she was about to say.

"We read the newspapers for several days in the hospital and learned that the 'Heart of China' rescue center was established at the main hospital. We also know that you are now treating children with congenital heart disease sent from all over China every day." Zhao Lanlan's voice was steady and her pronunciation was extremely clear.

She flipped her hands, which were lying flat on the table, over to reveal her unusual finger joints.

"These hands are deformed, and I will never be able to lift heavy objects or do delicate work in my life. In the eyes of ordinary people, and even in the eyes of my parents, the best way out for me in the future is to find a job in a government agency with a nominal position and live a life of leisure without having to be served by others."

Zhao Lanlan launched into her statement in one breath, her young and vibrant face revealing an unyielding stubbornness that nothing could sway her.

"But I don't want to be a useless person." Zhao Lanlan bit her lower lip tightly. "This life was snatched back from the jaws of death by you. It's alive! It has to be used for something!"

She looked at Ye Zhen, her slender body leaning slightly forward.

"Sister-in-law Ye, Yueyue and I want to stay in Beicheng. We want to go to 'Heart of China' to help you! We can do everything from copying prescriptions and running errands to organizing medical records!"

Gu Yue, standing beside her, puffed out her chest and nodded vigorously, "Brother, sister-in-law, don't always treat us like children. I've been with Lanlan in the hospital for so long, what haven't I seen of life and death? I'm not going back to the Southern Compound, I'm staying here and working with you, sister-in-law!"

Zhao Gang opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to speak up and stop her. His daughter had just escaped death; her body wasn't fully recovered yet. How could she stay in Beicheng and suffer such hardship?

Liu Xiumei was so anxious that she grabbed her daughter's hand.

Before the elderly couple could even utter a word of protest, Ye Zhen's slender fingers had already tapped the table twice, neither too hard nor too soft.

The crisp knocking sound instantly silenced all the noise in the room.

Ye Zhen didn't immediately refuse, nor did she offer any cheap encouragement because of their enthusiasm. She leaned back in her chair, her cool gaze carefully scanning the two stubborn girls in front of her from head to toe.