Chapter 61: Speaking Up for Her

Song Tingshen emerged from the shadowy corridor, his expression clouded, and walked toward Zuo Lan.

“Zhao Ning has caught a rat,” he said. “Its eyes are bloodshot, and it’s extremely aggressive. Our preliminary suspicion is that it’s a poisonous rat infected with a virus.”

A flicker of alarm crossed Zuo Lan’s face, but without hesitation, she pushed open the door and began administering medicine to Song Qingfeng.

Outside, Hou Manling still refused to believe what she was hearing.

She mumbled, “Taizhou Island hasn’t seen an epidemic in decades. How could there be an outbreak now? Even if the rat seemed off, you can’t just conclude it’s the plague, can you?”

She turned to Song Tingshen with further questions. “Tingshen, have you done any virology tests? Are you certain it’s the plague?”

“It’s been confirmed,” replied not Song Tingshen, but Qin Dezheng, who had just stepped out from another ward.

He held a notebook in one hand, wore a gauze mask and sterile safety glasses. As he exited, Qin Dezheng removed his mask, his brows drawn together, and took a deep breath.

“We’ve already lost a comrade to the plague,” he announced.

Everyone was stunned.

Zhong Xiao looked disbelievingly at the ward Qin Dezheng had just left.

After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “Was it the soldier who suddenly collapsed earlier?”

Qin Dezheng nodded, a touch of sorrow in his expression.

In just a few short hours, a vibrant life had vanished—not on the battlefield, not before the enemy, but here in the military district, with comrades and medical staff all around.

Zuo Lan emerged from Song Qingfeng’s room, her face grave.

“I need to report this to the political commissar at once. We must establish a quarantine area today without delay. Teacher, you were just in contact with a severe patient. This is doxycycline—Xiaoxiao brought it over. Take one capsule now.”

Hearing the medicine was from Zhong Xiao, Song Tingshen glanced at her. “How much more do you have?” he asked.

Zhong Xiao wanted to say she had plenty. In fact, there was an entire crate, two meters wide and one meter tall—one full of capsules, another of injectables, each box containing hundreds if not thousands of packages. Each box of doxycycline held twelve capsules. As for the injectables, she hadn’t checked, but judging by the size, there should be ten per box.

But Zhong Xiao, of course, would never say so much. For one, the source was unclear; for another, she couldn’t explain how she had managed to bring such large crates onto Taizhou Island. After all, Qin Dezheng knew exactly how much luggage she carried.

So she replied, “I didn’t count, but I have about a dozen boxes of doxycycline, and about the same amount of gentamicin.”

A dozen boxes—over a hundred capsules—was already sufficient. Especially since the outbreak was caught early, and some patients with mild symptoms could simply be quarantined and observed, without needing antibiotics immediately.

At that moment, Hou Manling interjected, “Where did you get these Western medicines? Are they from a legitimate source?”

Her question was clearly meant to make things difficult for Zhong Xiao.

Zhong Xiao was not about to indulge her. She retorted, “So, in an emergency, should a doctor stop to check the source of the medicine before treating patients? Human life comes above all else. Asking these questions now—what exactly are you trying to imply?”

Hou Manling pursed her lips. She knew it—the young lady from a capitalist family background was not someone easy to deal with. For every word you said, she’d have ten to answer back, and not a trace of humility.

Giving Zhong Xiao a sharp look, Hou Manling added, “Then hand over all the medicine you have. Let me distribute it.”

Zhong Xiao frowned. “And why should I let you distribute my medicine? Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were the one who procured it.”

Hou Manling reproached her, “Comrade Zhong Xiao, in our military district, there’s never been any division between yours and mine. Right now, the priority is to distribute the medicine quickly—is it important whose it is?”

But Zhong Xiao was unmoved.

“Just a moment ago, you were questioning the source of the medicine. Now suddenly ownership doesn’t matter? Comrade Hou Manling, that’s quite the double standard.”

Hou Manling snapped, “You—!”

Zuo Lan was about to speak when Song Tingshen interjected, his tone contemplative. “Enough.”

Zhong Xiao saw that Song Tingshen had spoken and couldn’t help rolling her eyes inwardly. Of course, he was going to take his sweetheart’s side.

But in the next moment, she heard Song Tingshen say:

“The medicine belongs to Zhong Xiao. She has every right to decide whether or not to share it; no one else, regardless of who they are, can demand it from her.”

Zhong Xiao paused, looking up at Song Tingshen.

His gaze was deep and steady, and at that moment, he met her eyes. Their gazes met in the air, Zhong Xiao’s gaze colliding with the darkness of Song Tingshen’s.

He continued, “Comrade Zhong Xiao, on behalf of all the officers and soldiers of Taizhou Island’s military district, I formally request your assistance. Would you be willing to provide us with some of your medicine? If you agree, we will issue you a certificate of gratitude and present you with a commemorative banner.”

“If necessary, we are also prepared to purchase the medicine from you. I hope you will lend us your support.”

All eyes turned to Zhong Xiao.

With Song Tingshen making such a formal request—and siding with her in front of Hou Manling—Zhong Xiao felt a twinge of embarrassment.

She waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t want money. But, as you said, I want the certificate and the banner.”

She had hundreds of kilos of gold, two large boxes of US dollars, and even more cash—she had no need for money. What she needed now was merit.

A certificate and commemorative banner from the military district should be worth a significant amount of merit, shouldn’t they?

Song Tingshen nodded. “Very well. I’ll report it now and have them prepared for you.”

Zhong Xiao also nodded. “I’ll go get the medicine now.”

She was about to turn and leave when Song Tingshen called her back once more.

“Wait,” he said, turning his gaze to the window at the end of the corridor. “It’s raining outside. Let me escort you back.”