Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

The next day, Shen Zhong arrived at the military hospital, stood in front of the film viewing light in the surgical director's office, his left hand in the pocket of his combat uniform, his back straight.

The lightbox lit up with a snap, and two MRI images of the left arm were clipped on, clearly distinguishing the shadows of bones and soft tissue.

The head of surgery adjusted his glasses and pointed to a spot on the film with a pen.

"Secretary Shen, look here, the tear in the ulnar collateral ligament has increased by nearly 40% compared to three weeks ago."

The pen tip was moved to the joint gap.

"There is fluid buildup in the joint capsule, and the inflammation is still progressing. If we delay for another two weeks, the nerve compression will be more difficult to treat."

Shen Zhong did not respond.

The doctor put down the film and pulled out another examination report.

"Surgery is necessary. The procedure involves debridement, ligament reconstruction, and joint capsule removal, which takes at least four hours. The recovery period is at least six weeks, so don't push yourself."

"Let's do it today then." Shen Zhong turned off the film-viewing light, making the office a little darker. He turned and walked towards the door, placing his hand on the doorknob. "The surgical team will be here at three o'clock this afternoon. Pre-operative examinations can begin now."

"clear."

……

When Qi Tongwei arrived at the hospital from the provincial department, his uniform was buttoned all the way up, and the bandage on his left arm was tucked under his sleeve. He stopped Shen Zhong at the door of the doctor's office.

"Secretary Shen, the provincial committee meeting is the day after tomorrow." Qi Tongwei stood very straight and lowered his voice. "The preliminary review report from the provincial department hasn't passed the final review yet, I have to go back and keep an eye on it."

Shen Zhong stopped.

"The provincial committee doesn't need you to be there. You can sign even while lying in a hospital bed."

Qi Tongwei pursed his lips.

Shen Zhong took a step forward and spoke decisively.

"The surgery is today, that's an order. Six weeks to fully recover my arm. There's other work to do; if you ruin yourself now, who will operate on me?"

A cart passed by at the other end of the corridor, its wheels making a rumbling sound as they rolled over the floor tiles.

Qi Tongwei stood there for a few seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"……yes."

He turned and walked towards the ward, his back still straight, but his pace slowed down.

……

In the private hospital room, the window was slightly ajar, but the smell of disinfectant couldn't escape.

Qi Tongwei took off his uniform jacket and hung it on the hanger. The cuffs of his white shirt were still stained with ink left over from the photocopying materials last night, and couldn't be washed clean.

The footsteps outside the door stopped.

Lu Yike came in carrying a thermos and a stack of documents clipped together. She wasn't wearing her uniform today; she was wearing a dark gray cardigan and her hair was tied in a ponytail.

"Director Qi."

She placed the thermos on the bedside table and the documents next to her pillow.

"Post-operative liquid diet: rice porridge with a little salt."

She tapped the stack of documents again.

"I had Lin Huahua go through the case files you have. Qin Erhao's interrogation records are in there too; she's on duty today."

Qi Tongwei leaned against the headboard, not touching the documents.

"Aren't you afraid that if I come out, I'll be destined to be a chamber pot again?"

Lu Yike was tidying up the water glasses on the bedside table when she paused. She straightened up, moved the dressing tray to the other side of the cabinet, and the metal tray made a clinking sound.

"I can't control what happens to you."

She turned around.

"But if you lose this arm, who will take a knife for me in the future?"

The ward was silent for a few seconds.

The curtains were lifted slightly by the wind, then fell back down. There was conversation at the nurses' station, but it was unclear through the door.

Qi Tongwei did not speak.

Lu Yike didn't explain, she just straightened the dressing tray.

"The surgery form is at the nurses' station. You'll be in the operating room at 3:00 PM, and the anesthesiologist will come for a pre-operative visit at 2:50 PM. Get ready."

After she finished speaking, she walked towards the door.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob, Qi Tongwei spoke from behind, his voice a little hoarse.

"I've accepted the documents."

Lu Yike tapped the doorknob with her finger.

"Yes. Take good care of it."

The door closed.

Qi Tongwei sat on the bed without moving, and reached out to pick up the stack of documents next to his pillow.

At the top was a summary of the preliminary trial of Qin No. 2 case, with the word "Confidential" written in red in the header. He turned to the first page, where the interrogation time, place, interrogator, and recorder were listed one by one.

Question asked by Lin Huahua.

Recorder: Lu Yike.

His fingertip lingered on the words "recorder" for two seconds.

……

The surgery began at 3 p.m.

The surgeon was the chief physician of orthopedics at the military hospital, assisted by two assistants. The anesthesia machine was running nearby, and the instrument readings were stable.

Lu Yike didn't leave; she sat in the family waiting area outside the operating room.

A document lay open in front of her, a suggestion for the follow-up investigation of the Qin No. 2 case. Ten minutes passed, and the pages remained unturned.

She held the pen in her hand, the cap gleaming from being rubbed by her thumb.

One hour and forty minutes into the surgery, the operating room door opened a crack, and the anesthesiologist came out to change the oxygen cylinder.

Lu Yike immediately stood up.

"How is it?"

The anesthesiologist took the bottle from the nurse.

"Going well. The ligament tear is more serious than it appears on the X-ray; the doctor is working on reconstruction. Tongwei, that kid, he's really tough and can really drag things out."

The door closed.

Lu Yike sat back down, placed the pen next to the document, and pointed the pen tip toward herself.

Forty minutes later, the operating room door opened. The chief surgeon came out, removing his mask, followed by a nurse pushing a hospital bed. Qi Tongwei lay on the bed, his face pale and his eyes closed.

Lu Yike walked to the bedside.

The director patted her on the shoulder.

"The surgery was successful. The ligaments are back in place, and the fluid has been cleared. He'll wake up once the anesthesia wears off. Six weeks post-surgery, he shouldn't put weight on his left arm; don't let him secretly work."

"Thank you, Director."

The director nodded and turned to go back to his office.

Lu Yike followed the hospital bed back to the ward. The nurse moved Qi Tongwei onto the bed, adjusted the IV stand, and gave him a few more instructions.

There were only two people left in the ward.

Qi Tongwei's eyelids twitched; he wasn't fully awake yet, and he mumbled something under his breath.

Lu Yike bent down.

"...Don't touch...the file..."

The sound was very soft.

Lu Yike's fingers tightened and then loosened. She lifted the bed railing, checked the IV drip rate, then sat back in the care chair and picked up the document she hadn't finished reading.

I gripped the pen again.

……

At six o'clock in the evening, there was a knock on the ward door.

Chen Hai came in using crutches; the cast on his right leg had been removed and replaced with a movable brace. He walked slowly, taking one step at a time, without needing anyone's assistance.

Qi Tongwei was already awake, leaning against the headboard. He raised an eyebrow when Chen Hai entered.

"Why are you here?"

Chen Hai sat down on the chair by the bed and leaned his cane against the wall.

"I heard you had surgery, so I came to visit."

He glanced at Qi Tongwei's immobilized left arm.

"You saved your arm?"

"It's saved." Qi Tongwei nodded. "He can't move for six weeks."

Chen Hai hummed in response and didn't ask about the injury. He sat there, his right hand resting on his knee, tapping his fingers twice along the seam of his trousers before stopping.

The ward was quiet for a while.

"Tongwei".

Chen Hai spoke.

"I took that bullet for you in Los Angeles. You don't owe me anything."

Qi Tongwei didn't reply immediately. He propped up his pillow.

"I see."

He paused.

"But I paid off Liang Lu's debts from those six years."

Chen Hai's fingers stopped.

Two men sat, one leaning against the headboard and the other on the edge of a chair. Outside, darkness fell, and the streetlights below began to illuminate the scene.

Chen Hai remained silent for a long time. The nurse passed by the door twice, peeking in twice.

"Then we're even."

He uttered those last words, his voice hoarse.

Qi Tongwei nodded.

Chen Hai picked up his crutch and stood up.

"Take good care of him/her."

As he reached the door, he replied again.

"Next time you drink, it's your treat."

The door closed.

The sound of the cane tapping on the ground gradually faded into the distance in the corridor.

Qi Tongwei leaned against the headboard and closed his eyes. The soreness from the anesthesia seeped up from his bones, and his left arm throbbed with pain.