Chapter 97: Keeping Oneself Pure

Previously, Zhong Xiaoxiao had already donated a large amount of medicine to the hospital. At first, Zuo Lan wanted to ask her for help again, but later felt it wasn’t appropriate. After all, Zhong Xiaoxiao was a young woman, out in the world alone, and these medicines were valuable commodities; they couldn’t keep asking her for them time and again. So Zuo Lan thought of calling some familiar doctors at the city hospital, hoping for luck.

But now the situation was urgent.

Seeing this, Zuo Lan said, “Xiaoxiao, the surgery Manling needs is a valve operation, and it requires a lot of medicine. These aren’t common medicines, and I doubt you have them here.”

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xiaoxiao immediately began to list the drugs needed in her mind. For a valve surgery, anesthesia was most important. Ether was dangerous and had gradually been replaced; although halothane could be used, it depressed myocardial function and wasn’t suitable for heart operations. That left only thiopental sodium for general anesthesia.

She had thiopental sodium—several cases of it.

She also possessed muscle relaxants, anticoagulants, cardiac stimulants, vasodilators needed during surgery, as well as antibiotics and painkillers required post-operation.

After finishing her mental inventory, Zhong Xiaoxiao turned to Song Tingshen and said, “Commander Song, wait a moment—I’ll go to my room and find something.”

Without another word, she climbed the stairs and returned to her bedroom. She rummaged through her space and gathered the needed drugs, then carefully sorted and counted them in her room. When she was satisfied that she had everything, she carried the pile downstairs.

Zuo Lan happened to be coming down the stairs at that moment, her face filled with anxiety. “All the hospitals in the city are short on medicine. I contacted several doctors, and they all said they’d try to help, but time is running out. I hope Manling will be blessed with good fortune.”

“Shen’er, stay home and take care of Xiaoxiao. I’ll go to the hospital storeroom again.”

She had barely taken a few steps when Zhong Xiaoxiao called her back.

“Aunt Zuo, can you check if these medicines are enough?”

Zuo Lan froze, turned around, and saw—

Zhong Xiaoxiao laid out all the medicines she held onto the table. Zuo Lan’s eyes widened as she scanned them one by one: thiopental sodium for general anesthesia, muscle relaxants, heparin, procaine amide, isoproterenol, gentamicin, morphine.

Zuo Lan was astonished.

She even saw a calcium channel blocker.

This drug—unless one was a professional physician—would never know it could also be used for heart surgery.

Zuo Lan looked at Zhong Xiaoxiao in shock, and even Song Tingshen furrowed his brow thoughtfully.

Zuo Lan wasn’t just astonished that Zhong Xiaoxiao could produce these medicines. She was even more amazed that every drug she brought out was precisely what was needed—not just a random assortment hoping something might be useful.

Instead, everything was specific: anesthesia, drugs for use during and after surgery. Each was classified neatly, exactly the medicines Zuo Lan had just phoned the city hospital to borrow.

Frankly, only someone with professional medical training could assemble this selection so accurately.

An amateur could never be so precise.

Zuo Lan was dumbfounded. She asked, “Xiaoxiao, do you know medicine?”

Zhong Xiaoxiao instinctively avoided Zuo Lan’s gaze.

The incident had happened suddenly, and she’d only been thinking of saving a life, almost exposing herself.

In their eyes, she should be nothing more than a sheltered heiress, ignorant of the world outside her window. She’d almost been suspected before, when she “accidentally” guessed the situation at Moon Lake Island, barely muddling through with a story about her teacher.

How was she to explain this now?

Her medical skills came from her space, although she’d only unlocked the first level so far, but basic prescription was no challenge.

In desperation, Zhong Xiaoxiao improvised. “I grew up with my second grandfather. I used to visit his house every day and read medical books. So I know a little.”

Zuo Lan suddenly understood.

No wonder.

She grasped Zhong Xiaoxiao’s hand.

“Xiaoxiao, on behalf of Manling, thank you—thank you so much.”

Zhong Xiaoxiao waved her hand grandly. “It’s nothing, Aunt Zuo. Take the medicines quickly to the hospital. Saving a life is more important than anything else.”

Zuo Lan nodded, finally taking the medicines and hurriedly rushing to the hospital.

—

After Zuo Lan left, Zhong Xiaoxiao looked at Song Tingshen, who was still standing there. She asked, “Why are you still standing here? Aren’t you going to the hospital?”

Just then, she suddenly remembered: if Song Tingshen had already regained his memory, he should also recall his feelings for Hou Manling. Why was he so calm? Shouldn’t he have rushed to the hospital at once?

Unexpectedly, Song Tingshen countered, “Why should I go to the hospital? I’m not a doctor—what would I do there?”

Zhong Xiaoxiao asked, “Wasn’t Hou Manling your old flame?”

She put it bluntly.

She’d found it strange before—he and Hou Manling had been together, yet he seemed rather interested in her, always calling her Xiaoxiao in his inner voice.

Could this scoundrel be trying to have his cake and eat it too?

A second Zhou Yongxin?

At this thought, Zhong Xiaoxiao frowned, her gaze growing a bit more scrutinizing.

But Song Tingshen’s expression suddenly became intriguing.

He realized only now.

So Zhong Xiaoxiao had always misunderstood his relationship with Hou Manling.

But why would she think so?

There could only be one reason.

Song Tingshen asked, “Did you overhear Hou Manling talking to me?”

He narrowed his eyes.

After all, the whole matter was fabricated—he’d only seen Hou Manling once, when she visited his hospital room and spoke those inexplicable words on his second day back.

And at that point, he had already regained his memory.

So he knew Hou Manling was lying.

Since Zhong Xiaoxiao knew about this, it could only mean she’d overheard Hou Manling at that moment.

Sure enough, Zhong Xiaoxiao’s expression became a bit guilty for an instant.

But she quickly composed herself and said, “What… what do you mean overheard? I just happened to pass by, happened to hear your conversation by accident, that’s all. I didn’t eavesdrop.”

She turned her face away.

Even so, she had to admit—

She was genuinely curious now.

Curious to see what Song Tingshen would say to her.

She had already decided: if Song Tingshen told her, “I did like Hou Manling before, but not anymore,” or “those are all things of the past, people must look forward,” she’d kick him straight in the head.

Consider it eliminating a scoundrel for all womankind.

But unexpectedly, Song Tingshen’s inner voice was the first to answer her.

[Xiaoxiao really is a fool, believing such nonsense. Didn’t she say she’d read military strategy? How can she not see through such tricks?]

[Hou Manling’s actions are classic opportunism, making something out of nothing, substituting one thing for another, sowing discord.]

Zhong Xiaoxiao frowned.

He was muttering something incomprehensible—she couldn’t understand a word.

Until Song Tingshen’s inner voice came again.

[For twenty-eight years, I have always conducted myself with integrity, never entangled with any female comrade, never been involved in any ambiguous relationship. From the moment I first saw Xiaoxiao’s photograph as a child, I could no longer see anyone else in my eyes or heart.]

[Xiaoxiao… she has no idea how much I like her.]

Zhong Xiaoxiao trembled all over, slowly turning to gaze at Song Tingshen’s calm, indifferent face.

If she didn’t have the ability to hear his inner voice, she would never have believed that beneath such a cold exterior lay a heart burning with passion.

Meeting Zhong Xiaoxiao’s resentful glare, Song Tingshen spoke coolly:

“There’s nothing between me and Hou Manling. Believe it or not—it’s up to you.”

Zhong Xiaoxiao: “…”

Comrade Song Tingshen, what do you mean, ‘believe it or not’? At this rate, you’ll never find a wife in this lifetime!