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

Huaxia Heart Office.

Gu Yue held the letter down with one hand and gripped the pen tightly with the other, her eyes already dark and swollen from lack of sleep.

There were three bulging burlap sacks piled up at the door, filled with SOS letters pouring in from all over the country.

Some were wrapped in kraft paper, some were simply envelopes made of newspaper, and a few had dried mud stains on them that crumbled at the slightest touch.

This is just today's volume.

The batch that was dismantled yesterday, when stacked up, was almost half a person tall.

Gu Yue threw the pen she was holding onto the table, slumped back in her chair, and let her arms hang limply, looking like a dried-out bean.

"I can't take it anymore, I'm going crazy."

Zhao Lanlan didn't respond and continued flipping through the next letter.

The letter contained no punctuation marks whatsoever; it was a long string of crooked pencil writing interspersed with dialect words she couldn't understand at all. She could only decipher about 60-70% of what it said, such as "fouled by foreigners" or "lying down and getting ready."

"Gu Yue, look at this—'The child has had epilepsy, his whole body is convulsing, and he is foaming at the mouth. The village barefoot doctor says he is possessed by an evil spirit.'"

Zhao Lanlan's voice grew softer and softer as she read, until the last few words, when her fingertips stopped on the paper.

"It was followed by a sentence: 'Please, please save my child, I'll kowtow to you.'"

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Gu Yue sat up straight, sniffed, reached out and took the letter, and marked a red circle in the upper right corner with a pen.

"Put it in the stack in the emergency room first."

Zhao Lanlan nodded and carefully placed the letter into the red folder.

That folder was so bulging it could barely close.

Gu Yue stood up, walked to the window, leaned on the windowsill with both hands, and looked outside for a while.

The view from the window is the main hospital's plaza.

The early spring sun was dazzling, illuminating the ground.

Across the square, towards Heping Lane, more than seventy figures in white coats were marching out of the lane in orderly formation, full of energy. Leading them, Li Hong, with her ponytail and a notebook tucked between her fingers, was talking to Lin Yi behind her as she walked.

Gu Yue's eyes lit up.

She leaned against the windowsill and stared at the group of people for a long time, her mind racing with thoughts.

"Lanlan, do you think any of those interns can help us sort the mail?"

Zhao Lanlan looked up at her, thought for a moment, and spoke cautiously.

"You mean you're going to ask your sister-in-law for him?"

Gu Yue shrank her neck back as if she had been burned.

"I'd like to, but I don't dare ask my sister-in-law."

Zhao Lanlan couldn't help but laugh.

"So what do you plan to do?"

Gu Yue's eyes darted around twice, then she suddenly slapped her thigh.

"Looking for my brother!"

She rushed out the door like the wind, took a couple of steps and then turned back, pulled a small round mirror the size of her palm from the drawer, and rubbed her eyes vigorously in the mirror.

Her already red eyes became even redder from rubbing them.

Zhao Lanlan watched from behind, dumbfounded.

What are you doing?

"Playing the victim."

Gu Yue ran away without looking back.

---

Gu Zheng came out of the outpatient building, carrying an enamel lunchbox, and was about to get into the car.

"elder brother!"

Gu Zheng turned his head.

Gu Yue rushed to him in three steps, tilting her head up and looking up with her red eyes.

"Yueyue? What's wrong? Why are your eyes so red?"

"Brother, I need your help!"

Gu Yue's voice rose half an octave, her grievance tinged with urgency.

"There are just too many letters! Lanlan and I simply can't handle them all! Letters from all over the country are flying in like snowflakes, and many parents write entirely in dialects and local expressions. I can't even recognize all the characters, let alone judge the urgency of the messages!"

She paused for a moment, then lowered her voice.

"Brother, some of the situations mentioned in the letter cannot be delayed."

Gu Zheng stopped holding the lunchbox.

"What do you mean?"

"It was sent from Gansu. The parents said their child had started squatting and panting, and his face was turning blue or black. The letter was dated ten days ago."

Gu Yue's voice no longer carried any trace of crying, and her brows were furrowed together.

"Ten days. If Lanlan and I can't handle this by then, these letters will have to stay in the sacks for a few more days. What if there's a red-card level one buried inside..."

She didn't finish her sentence.

But everyone understands what it means.

By the time it's found, the person may already be gone.

Gu Zheng tapped his fingers twice slowly on the car door frame.

"You want to borrow someone from the interns?"

Gu Yue nodded vigorously.

"Just a few! Those who can read quickly and are clever enough to help us prioritize the letters!"

Gu Zheng squinted and thought for a while.

"Should we just ask your sister-in-law for it?"

"I dare not."

Gu Yue spoke crisply and decisively, showing no regard for saving face.

Gu Zheng chuckled.

"Does that state-run cooked food stall near the entrance still have roast chicken?"

Gu Yue was stunned.

"Yes, I think so. I saw it fresh out of the pot when I passed by this morning."

"Go buy two."

Gu Zheng patted his pocket, took out a few bills and two meat coupons, and slapped them into her hand.

Gu Yue held the money and tickets, looking completely bewildered.

Why buy roast chicken?

"Winning people's hearts and minds."

---

Half an hour later.

Peace Lane, in the courtyard of a dormitory converted from an abandoned warehouse.

More than seventy interns were squatting in twos and threes in the yard, eating steamed buns.

Lin Yi took a bite out of half of it and mumbled something to Zhou Ming next to him.

"How's your preparation for tomorrow's sewing assessment going?"

Zhou Ming pushed up his glasses and took out a small piece of pigskin from his pocket, which was covered with neat and dense stitches.

"I practiced until 2 a.m. last night and ruined three pieces of pigskin."

"I ruined four pieces."

Lin Yi replied expressionlessly and stuffed the remaining half of the steamed bun into his mouth.

The sound of an engine could be heard coming from the gate of the courtyard.

A dark green jeep was parked steadily outside the door. The driver's side door was pushed open, and a pair of black military boots fell to the ground.

Gu Zheng got out of the car, carrying two roast chickens wrapped in oil paper in his right hand and with his left hand in the pocket of his military overcoat, and strode into the yard.

Behind him followed Gu Yue, panting heavily, carrying a net bag of apples in her arms.

The interns in the courtyard reacted after two seconds and stood up in unison.

"Greetings, Commander Gu!"

The voices of more than seventy people mingled together, creating a muffled thud in the courtyard.

Gu Zheng raised his chin and placed the roast chicken on the stone table. The oil paper fluttered open, and the rich aroma of soy sauce instantly filled the entire courtyard.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to the two golden-brown, glistening roast chickens.

Several people's Adam's apples involuntarily bobbed up and down.

"Please sit down."

Gu Zheng slammed down on the stone bench with an air of authority before casually speaking.

"How's training going lately? Has Coach Ye been yelling at anyone?"

Li Hong was the first to speak, standing ramrod straight.

"Teacher Ye didn't scold anyone, but Zhang Wei failed the simulation test yesterday and was punished by having to redo it three times."

"Three times?"

Gu Zheng clicked his tongue, his expression showing a hint of sympathy.

"That's alright, not much."

The interns collectively shuddered. They knew all too well—three repetitions were Professor Ye showing leniency.