CH 16

Several firefighters went to the hospital’s Infectious Diseases Department to register and file for emergency medication. The specific circumstances would not be determined until the six-week incubation period had passed.

Several had no skin trauma on their bodies, ruling out the suspicion of infection; several others had abrasions or cuts of varying degrees on their hands. Especially Jiang Yi, who had a big gash on the back of his hand, had went to help lift the perpetrator out regardless of the pain.

No one thought that the wounded had an infectious disease, let alone AIDS.

Now that this situation had happened, everyone in the team was a little frustrated. A depressed and discouraged atmosphere enveloped everyone.

A group of young boys sat slumped on chairs in the hospital corridor, their legs slack, their heads leaned against the wall and looked at the sky.

Song Yan walked by, rubbed each person’s head in turn, and said, “Cheer up.”

Jiang Yi sat at the end, Song Yan walked up to him, leaned against the wall, and patted his shoulder: “It’s not yet conclusive, it may not be contagious.”

Li Meng also consoled: “Don’t be too stressed, maybe after six weeks, everyone will be checked and everything will be fine.”

This kind of comfort is somewhat weak.

Yang Chi muttered angrily: “I’m fine, but Jiang Yi— what if he gets infected? This disease can’t be cured.”

“Damn it, why did this happen?” Xiao Ge also scolded.

Jiang Yi reassured everyone: “Hasn’t it all been dealt with urgently? Besides, infectious diseases are down to probability, and there is a 50% chance of surviving every 50-50 split.”

After speaking, he laughed dryly twice, and it was obvious that his heart was not at ease.

Everyone was talking all over the place. Song Yan leaned against the wall, remained silent for a while, and said: “If you really are infected, go abroad for treatment. With advanced treatment plans, you can live for more than ten years. After more than ten years of medical progress, perhaps the disease may be cured by then.”

Yang Chi: “That will cost a lot of money, how can I afford it?”

Song Yan tilted his head, glancing at the group of young men in front of him, and said: “Any one of you, if anyone is really infected, I will take you to discuss the cause with the perpetrator. No matter how bad it is, even if it is a work-related injury, you have to go to the country, to ask the government for compensation. If something happens to you, I will definitely take care of it.”

There was complete silence in the corridor for a while, and several young faces stared at Song Yan in unison.

Jiang Yi whispered: “It can be like this?”

“Frankly speaking, this job can take one’s life, and everyone has no complaints or regrets. Even if it ends in sacrifice, I believe you won’t even frown once, but no one’s life here is cheap, understand?”

The drop of a needle could be heard again.

A group of grown men stared at Song Yan.

Song Yan: “What are you looking at?”

Yang Chi gave two thumbs up in admiration: “Ge, your aura is 2.8 meters1.”

Xiao Ge raised his hand: “3.8 meters.”

Song Yan was puzzled: “What the hell?”

Jiang Yi laughed: “Internet language, captain you don’t use the internet, of course you can’t understand it.”

Song Yan: “Looks like it’s time to confiscate phones.”

A chorus of wailing: “Nooo!”

Song Yan: “Alright, let’s go back to the station.”

“Yes.”

Everyone got up and headed out.

Li Meng fell behind and said to Song Yan: “This matter needs to be reported to the higher-ups, and the team members who are at risk of infection will not be able to be on duty during this period.”

Song Yan: “I know.”

The team members drove away first.

After leaving the hospital building, Li Meng rummaged through her bag for the car keys and said: “I’ll take you home.”

Song Yan said: “No need, I’ll go by myself.” As he spoke, he took the plastic bag containing the medicine from her hand.

Li Meng stood in place and observed his expression, then suddenly asked: “Is it her?”

Song Yan didn’t understand in the moment: “Huh?”

“Your ex-girlfriend.” Li Meng asked, “That Doctor Xu, is it her?”

Song Yan narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at her, but didn’t answer immediately, as if he was determining where she got this information from.

Li Meng forced a slight smile: “Just now in the observation room, when I was helping you with your clothes, you didn’t react to stop me in time, so I knew your mind wasn’t here. ––Just from hearing the sound of the footsteps, you knew it was her coming?”

Women’s perceptions were often terrifyingly sensitive, and such sensitivity was undoubtedly self-inflicted.

Song Yan looked at her and lifted his chin a little, as if he had finally figured it out: “No wonder you took the initiative to move the cigarette in my mouth, heh,” he chuckled without a smile, “to annoy her?”

He really found it so ridiculous, so he smiled again: “Li Meng, are you so childish?”

Seeing that he was protecting Xu Qin, Li Meng was instantly angry, but also felt sorry for him: “Do you still like her? I really— I’ll say, she even looks down on you, why bother doing this? Are you looking to be abused or something?”

Song Yan’s complexion changed slightly: “Did Miao tell you?”

“Does it matter who told me?” Li Meng looked at him, her eyes full of grievances and sadness, “You are such a good man, why should you be devalued to nothing by her, and disdained beneath contempt? I was angry when I saw you like that, yes, I am a bad person. I deliberately helped you with your clothes, deliberately moved your cigarette, to provoke her. To let her know that there are many good women who like you—”

“Li Meng,” Song Yan interrupted her, “If you continue talking about this, you will have crossed the line.”

Li Meng pursed her lips tightly, held her breath in and blushed, staring at Song Yan, wondering if he was angry. She was afraid that he would be angry, but also felt that it was unbearable. After a while, she choked out a sentence:

“I’m really going to be pissed off by you, can you be a little more angry? Look at yourself, you have a good appearance and good character, why hang yourself on a tree to be abused. Song Yan, can you fight back a little bit?”

Song Yan was a little dumbfounded, and felt that the more she said, the less reasonable she was: “Li Meng—”

“You don’t want to make up with her, do you?” Li Meng asked, “Isn’t it uncomfortable to be with someone who looks down on you?”

Song Yan: “That’s enough.”

Li Meng was keenly aware of a trace of coolness, and shut her mouth in time.

“You care about me, thank you. However—” Song Yan’s smile gradually faded, “My relationship with my ex-girlfriend, whether it’s good or bad, it’s not up to others to intervene in the middle, understand?”

After all, Li Meng was a girl, and thin-skinned. Although his tone was not serious, the meaning of protecting Xu Qin in these words was too obvious, it still made Li Meng blush so thoroughly that her eyes almost turned red.

“I’m sorry, let’s go. I know it’s wrong, but I just can’t hold back.”

Song Yan looked at her for a while, sighed, turned around and took out a cigarette. He lit it, took a puff, and looked back, Li Meng was still standing there with her head drooped.

Song Yan asked: “Haven’t I told you before that it’s impossible for the two of us?”

Li Meng nodded.

“You say why do I bother, then why do you bother?” Song Yan squinted at her, “So much to say when lecturing others.”

Li Meng raised her head: “You don’t like me but like someone else, there’s nothing I can do. But can’t you find someone who treats you a little better, so I can be more convinced?”

Song Yan replied: “I damn well want to convince myself too.” He threw the cigarette onto the ground and crushed it vigorously.

“Let’s go.” Song Yan called out, flagged down two taxis, and left.

Sitting in the car, he called Di Miao’s number.

“Ge, what are you up to? How come you have time to call me at this hour?”

Song Yan was in a bad mood, so he got to the point quickly: “Next time you talk nonsense about my past, I’ll break your leg.”

“What nonsense?” Di Miao didn’t remember at all, “Why am I about to break my leg?”

Song Yan asked: “What did you tell Li Meng? What are you talking about to outsiders?”

Di Miao said with conviction: “Meng Meng jie is not an outsider, I want her to be my sister-in-law.”

Song Yan: “Stop talking rubbish.”

Dii Miao yelled: “Scolding me again. Go talk to my mother, my mother really likes her, and said that she’s set on her as her future niece-in-law. You’re the one who pretended to be deaf.”

Song Yan’s voice changed: “Di Miao, you’re still creating trouble for me, aren’t you?”

When Di Miao heard that his tone was off, she immediately corrected herself: “Oh, my mother is the one who said it, it has nothing to do with me.”

“Aunt likes to make a fuss, why are you going along with her? Do you still want a tablet or not?”

Di Miao immediately switched sides: “Ge, I will support whoever you like. No one can compare to our closeness.”

Song Yan was in a bad mood: “Hanging up.”

“Hey, don’t. It’s rare for you to call.” Di Miao said, “What happened today, for you to contact me at this time?”

Song Yan didn’t mention the injury: “I was on duty, and I went to help someone take off a ring.”

Di Miao breathed out and said with a smile: “That’s good. I really hope that you can help people with such things as retrieving their keys and removing their rings everyday. Please don’t let there be a fire, really, please don’t let there be a fire.”

Song Yan was taken aback for a moment, and after a while, smiled and said: “I’m really hanging up now.”

“Ge, be safe and sound everyday.” Di Miao yelled loudly from the other end.

Song Yan put down the phone, leaned against the seat, looked at the city scenery passing by the car window, and suddenly thought of that year.

He was still young back then, and had once wanted to fulfill all of her wishes.

……

Xu Qin returned to her office and learned from Xiao Xi that Xiao Dong was going to submit her resignation letter, saying that no matter what the results were after six weeks, she didn’t want to be a nurse anymore.

Xiao Nan and Xiao Bei just sighed after hearing those words, and did not comment on her choice.

Xiao Xi said: “I hope she will not be infected and switch to a new career in peace.”

Xu Qin said, “It should be fine.”

“Why?”

Xu Qin: “I checked the data just now. Last year, there were 10 cases of occupational exposure to HIV in our city, and three of the cases were doctors and nurses, a probability of 30%. The conditions for HIV infection are relatively strict, so don’t give up hope. What’s more, if you’ve really been infected, then there’s even less of a reason to resign. This is a work-related injury, and the hospital must take care of it.”

The three of them remained silent for a while, looking at Xu Qin.

Xu Qin was puzzled: “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Nan: “Doctor Xu, I’ve been with you for so long, and I’ve never seen you talk so much at once. I’m really not used to it.”

“……”

Xu Qin said, “I’m getting off work first.”

“Wait a minute,” Xiao Xi skipped over and grabbed Xu Qin’s hand, “Doctor Xu, do you know the firefighter who came to get his wounds treated today?”

Xu Qin: “What?”

Xiaoxi tilted her head and smiled, infatuated: “I think he’s very handsome. If you know him, please introduce me. It’s winter, so it’s time to find a boyfriend.” Stars appeared in Xiao Xi’s eyes, and she pointed her fingers together excitedly, “A firefighter and a little nurse, how fitting.”

Xu Qin said: “I don’t know him.”

Xiao Xi looked regretful: “What a pity.”

When Xu Qin headed out, she heard Xiao Bei behind her giving advice to Xiao Xi: “Xiao Nan has contact with a firefighter in their team, you can ask her.”

When Xu Qin walked into the underground parking lot, the cold wind gushed in, and she shivered. Only then did she realize that, as Xiao Xi had said, it was going to be winter.

Winter in the north came too early, when she saw Song Yan that time, it had still been summer.

After a few days of vacation, Xu Qin returned to the Meng family house.

Meng Huaijin and Meng Yanchen were attending a party, only Xu Qin and Fu Wenying were present at dinnertime.

Fu Wenying naturally asked about her and Jiang Yu’s development, Xu Qin used the excuse that she was busy with work to dodge the question.

Fu Wenying sighed lightly: “So busy, but still don’t want to change jobs? Let your father arrange for you to go to a university or research institute, the workload is lighter.”

Xu Qin: “My current job is fine.”

“I can only see that your face is getting slimmer.” Fu Wenying put a large piece of mutton into her bowl, and ladled her a bowl of corn rib soup, “Drink it all.”

Xu Qin: “Okay.”

“Get married and settle down earlier.” Fu Wenying said, “I don’t know what each of you are thinking, Yanchen as well. He’s been set up on so many blind dates, but none of them are worthy of his attention.”

Xu Qin drank the soup and raised her head: “Mom, I have someone I like.”

Fu Wenying was picking up some vegetables, paused, and scanned her up and down: “It’s not Jiang Yu?”

“No.”

Fu Wenying felt a little regretful, but eased back and asked, “Which family?”

Xu Qin: “Ordinary people.”

“That’s not allowed.” Fu Wenying said, “Qin Qin, don’t force mom to be a villain again, okay?”

12.8 meters here is just a virtual quantifier, it’s referring to Song Yan’s aura as overall very domineering and powerful