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

The Boeing 747 landed heavily on the runway of Beijing Capital International Airport, braving the sweltering heat of late summer afternoon.

"The British medical charter plane has landed and is taxiing at a normal speed."

"The ambulance convoy on the north side is preparing to enter."

"Fire trucks on standby, medical oxygen units on standby."

"Runway cleared, all unrelated vehicles to retreat!"

Vice Minister Li stood at the edge of the tarmac, reaching to unbutton the top button of his Zhongshan suit, but the breath he was catching in his throat was still lingering. This was the first time since the founding of the People's Republic of China that the British government had chartered a plane to plead for a Chinese doctor's life-saving treatment!

The director of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wiped his sweat and whispered a reminder: "Vice Minister Li, after Minister Clark disembarks, please go forward to shake hands first according to diplomatic procedures. The photographers will be taking pictures from the right side."

Vice Minister Li stared at the large silver vehicle gliding along, clutching the reception list in his hand.

"I know the program."

Director Wang of the Ministry of Health wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, his voice tense: "The BBC documentary crew is also on board. When the cameras start rolling, the whole world will be watching. We can't afford to make a single mistake."

Gu Zheng stood beside a military jeep, his brows and eyes, hidden beneath his hat brim, appearing heavy in the sunlight. He chuckled dismissively.

"If you're afraid of making a mistake, speak less."

Director Wang glanced at him, his anger rising, but he was quickly silenced by the cold, hard demeanor of the soldier.

"Xiao Gu, this isn't just your camp welcoming new recruits; the British Minister of Health has come in person. This is quite an honor..."

Gu Zheng tapped the cigarette pack in his palm but didn't light it.

"He's here to beg for help to save his child. He should first drop his official airs."

Vice Minister Li was about to reprimand him, but he swallowed the words back.

Because the hatch was open.

The gangway slowly approached the aircraft, and the British ground crew and accompanying medical personnel were the first to appear. Following them were Minister Clark, Sir Williams, young doctor Brown, head nurse Fiona, and the BBC film crew carrying cameras and microphones.

The head of the Protocol Department immediately straightened his back: "Vice Minister Li, you may come forward."

Just as Vice Minister Li was about to take a step, a slender white figure swept past him like a gust of wind.

Ye Zhen was wearing a crisp white lab coat, her hair neatly pinned up at the back of her head. Carrying a stethoscope in her left hand, she walked straight to the first stretcher that had been pushed to the bottom of the gangway.

Minister Clark was about to extend his hand with a diplomatic smile, his fingertips already halfway up the air, when he froze in place.

The photographer behind George reacted quickly, immediately zooming in and clearly capturing the look of astonishment on Clark's face that he hadn't had time to hide.

"She didn't shake hands?" George asked in a low voice in English, his face full of disbelief.

Clark's secretary also frowned: "This is extremely impolite, downright rude."

Sir Williams suddenly raised his hand and placed it in front of the secretary.

"Shut up, be quiet."

The secretary was taken aback: "Sir?"

Williams stared intently at Ye Zhen. At that moment, she was already kneeling on one knee beside the scorching hot stretcher on the tarmac, placing her stethoscope against the chest of the first child.

"She's doing what a proper doctor should do!" Williams said in a deep voice.

Ye Zhen lowered her head to listen to a set of heart sounds, then her slender fingers quickly probed the child's carotid artery, followed by an examination of the eyelids and cyanotic lips. Her movements were so fast they were dazzling, yet incredibly precise.

The British head nurse, Fiona, rushed up carrying a thick stack of medical records, jumping up and down in a panic, shouting in English, "Dr. Ye! Please wait! We have standard handover procedures and signature confirmations!"

Ye Zhen didn't stop at all; she had already moved to the second stretcher. She warmed the metal head of the old-fashioned stethoscope in her palm for two seconds before placing it on the child's thin chest.

"Your process will take at least twenty minutes to complete," Ye Zhen said without looking up.

Fiona paused for a moment, then said, "But..."

Ye Zhen dropped a sentence in impeccable English:

"My patient can't wait twenty minutes!"

Fiona's medical record, which she had been holding high, froze in front of her chest. The pages rustled in the hot wind of the tarmac, but she forgot to turn them back.

Williams strode down the gangway.

"Fiona, forget about the procedures! Just follow her pace!"

Fiona bit her lower lip, still struggling: "Sir, without proper procedures in place, what if something goes wrong..."

Williams turned his head and said:

"Processes are meant to serve life; they must never supersede life!"

George, the BBC director who had been observing from the sidelines, keenly sensed the tense atmosphere of the impending conflict. He immediately gave the cameraman a look, and the camera shot out, almost touching the face of the child on the stretcher who was trembling with fear.

boom!

A rough, large hand suddenly slashed across, like an iron clamp, and firmly pressed down on the light shield in front of the camera.

Gu Zheng stood in front of the camera like a wall.

George frowned, revealing his trump card: "Major, the BBC has the highest level of foreign affairs authorization. What are you trying to do?"

Gu Zheng didn't use brute force; he simply flicked his wrist and gently pushed the expensive lens aside.

"Take pictures of your process, your convoy, and how we Chinese staff pick you up—do whatever you want."

George narrowed his blue eyes, his tone aggressive: "This is a blatant interference with Western press freedom!"

Gu Zheng looked down at him, his gaze sweeping over the child on the stretcher, whose eyes were tightly shut in fear. A cold smile, carrying the air of a Beijing soldier, curled at the corner of his lips. His voice was not loud, but it made the translator beside him tense up.

"This is Chinese territory, and I make the rules. Don't point the camera at the children's faces."

George was unconvinced and tried to use diplomatic language to exert pressure.

Gu Zheng lowered his head, glanced contemptuously at the work badge on his chest, and said in a cold tone, "Don't use the tears of sick children to exchange for your foreigner's documentary trophy, understand?"

This decisive and ruthless military might startled the tall, burly photographer, who instinctively took two steps back while clutching his equipment.

Minister Clark then stepped forward, his face displaying the restraint and tact characteristic of an official.

"Major, the BBC is the authorized filming team accompanying the mission; they have a duty to record the truth."

Gu Zheng turned to look at him, but didn't extend his hand or say a single polite word.

"Minister Clark, recording the truth is fine, but scaring the children is not."

Clark's secretary was about to refute this "arrogance" when Clark raised his hand to stop his subordinate.

His gaze lingered on the white-clad figure in the distance, who hadn't stopped moving for a moment.

Ye Zhen had completed the initial screening for her fifth child in a whirlwind. She spoke rapidly, giving short, concise instructions, delivering them flawlessly to the stunned British nurse in English.

"The third person will go to ambulance number two first. Their heart rate is fluctuating; they must not have their oxygen removed en route!"

"The fourth person's vital signs are stable; they will be arranged to travel with their family!"

"The fifth patient has moist rales in the lower right lung; elevate their upper body on the way!"