57: Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Benefactor!

In just a few short minutes, a middle-aged man wearing a white coat, claiming to be the Director of Orthopedics at the Second Hospital, hurried over with several medical staff members.

As soon as he saw Lin Ran, he greeted her very politely.

Lin Ran lifted her chin slightly, gesturing toward Guo Kui on the stretcher: "Director Zhang, please take a look at this patient's injuries and arrange for surgery as soon as possible."

Director Zhang did not dare to delay. He immediately leaned down to check Guo Kui's condition, then picked up the CT scans placed on Guo Kui's abdomen and examined them carefully for a moment. He nodded immediately and agreed: "I understand the patient's condition. First, arrange for emergency treatment to reduce the swelling, then prepare for surgery immediately. We will use the green channel to prioritize the procedure."

After Director Zhang finished speaking, Zheng Jing and Guo Jianjun both stood frozen in place, their faces full of disbelief.

The problem they had struggled with for the better part of a day, begging everyone they knew to no avail, had been resolved so easily with just a single phone call from her?

Zheng Jing hurriedly stepped forward to thank her, his tone awkward and apologetic: "Thank you so much. I didn't know the facts earlier and misunderstood you. I am truly sorry!"

At this moment, Guo Jianjun was focused on following Director Zhang to keep an eye on Guo Kui's injuries, busy assisting the medical staff with securing the stretcher and checking documents. He was a bit further away, and the noisy hospital environment, filled with the sounds of people and footsteps, meant he couldn't hear the low conversation between Zheng Jing and Lin Ran at all.

Lin Ran didn't take Zheng Jing's earlier misunderstanding to heart. Her face was deathly pale, and her figure swayed slightly. She just waved her hand gently, her voice dry and weak: "It's a small matter. You guys take good care of the patient; we're leaving now."

Li Keke immediately supported her, giving Zheng Jing a playful look.

Seeing that she was unsteady and didn't look right, and feeling grateful for her help, Zheng Jing felt that both reason and etiquette dictated he should check on her. He quickly caught up and asked with a worried expression: "Are you feeling unwell? Where does it hurt?"

Lin Ran muttered helplessly in her heart: "Aren't you stating the obvious? Who comes to a hospital for fun? I'm already dizzy from a high fever and every bone in my body aches. I just want to go get an IV drip in peace. But this guy, on the other hand, keeps chasing me and asking questions. And since I just accepted his apology, I can't exactly blow up at him right now."

She shook her head slightly. She had already pushed herself to call and arrange for the doctor, and her stamina was completely exhausted; she really didn't have the energy to say anything more to Zheng Jing.

Zheng Jing stared at her bloodless face and suddenly realized what was happening, his tone filled with a hint of self-reproach: "I know, it's because you fell into the water in the mountains the other day and caught a cold from traveling in wet clothes, right? For heaven's sake, I told you to listen to me! I told you to take off your wet clothes so I could build a fire to dry them before we left, but you insisted on leaving. Now you've burned up like this, suffering for nothing!"

As soon as Zheng Jing finished speaking, Li Keke, who was already full of curiosity, instantly lit up, her eyes widening.

She looked back and forth between Zheng Jing and Lin Ran, her face full of shock as a huge wave of realization crashed in her heart.

Drying wet clothes? Falling into water in the mountains? Her best friend, who usually tells her everything—even the flow of her period—was actually keeping secrets from her?

Li Keke's intuition told her that there was something fishy going on here!

Looking at Li Keke's gossipy expression, Lin Ran, who was already exhausted and embarrassed, mustered up the energy to scold her: "Stop rolling your eyes around and don't let your imagination run wild. It's not at all what you're thinking."

Then she looked at Zheng Jing helplessly, her exhaustion mixed with a plea: "For heaven's sake, please, stop talking, okay?"

After saying this, she ignored Zheng Jing. She felt so terrible she was about to collapse; she just wanted to get an IV drip to bring her fever down!

Just then, Sister Wang, who had finished taking care of the trivial procedures for Lin Ran, returned. When she saw Zheng Jing, her eyes held a hint of wariness.

Without wasting any words, she and Li Keke supported Lin Ran on either side and walked quickly toward the infusion area.

Zheng Jing wanted to chase after them, but suddenly, Director Zhang's voice called out from behind: "Young man, come over and give us a hand!"

Helpless, he could only stop and turn back to help push Guo Kui toward the operating room.

Once the operating room doors closed and it was confirmed that Guo Kui's surgery had begun, the tension that had gripped the two of them for so long finally eased.

Zheng Jing turned to Guo Jianjun and said: "Brother Jun, thank you for keeping an eye on things here. That young woman who helped Kuizi find a doctor earlier seems to be sick herself. I need to go over and check on her and thank her."

Guo Jianjun nodded: "She did us a huge favor; we really should thank her properly. Should I go with you?"

Zheng Jing hesitated for a moment. "No need, Brother Jun. I'll go alone."

Thinking back to the misunderstanding he had with her earlier, Zheng Jing really wasn't sure if this next encounter would be awkward.