novelraw Chapter 219: The Dust Settles
Chapter 219: The Dust Settles
As evening fell, the last rays of the setting sun filtered through a crack in the curtains, spilling into the hospital room.
Dean Yuan’s hospital room was finally quiet.
The constant stream of people during the day—doctors on their rounds, nurses administering IVs, and family visiting—had given him a headache.
Now, at last, it was silent, save for the steady BEEP BEEP of the medical instruments.
After a whole day of turmoil—endless tests, dressing changes, and IV drips—the old man was utterly exhausted.
He lay on the hospital bed with his eyes closed.
His breathing was slow, but steady.
The ECG monitor beside the bed displayed normal readings, proof that his condition had stabilized.
Song Qingya kept watch by the bedside, her hands folded in her lap.
She stared intently at the changing numbers on the monitor.
Only after confirming that all his vitals were within a safe range did she finally let out a sigh of relief.
But for some reason, her chest felt tight, and a sense of inexplicable agitation washed over her.
Her slippers made almost no sound on the floor.
She padded over to the door and reached for the cold doorknob.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled it open a crack, planning to step out for some fresh air.
The moment the door opened, she habitually glanced toward the hospital’s main entrance.
It was a professional vigilance she had developed over many years.
She was always worried about some emergency cropping up there.
Suddenly, a blurry figure caught her eye.
The person was wearing a large, old coat, the brim of their hat pulled down low, furtively peeking around from outside the main gate.
They only lingered for two or three seconds before quickly darting into the nearby shrubbery.
Song Qingya’s pupils contracted, and her heart instantly began to race.
’That silhouette...’
’Why does it look so much like Song Chenglu?’
Her gaze turned icy, and she instinctively moved to push the door open and chase after them for a closer look.
Just then, the sound of rapid footsteps came from behind her.
It was immediately followed by a familiar voice.
"Dean Song!"
The sudden shout made her jump. She quickly pulled her hand back and turned to see who it was.
It was Cheng Peng, a clerk from the hospital’s administrative department.
He was running over, out of breath, clutching a yellowed, old manila envelope in his hand.
Normally, he was always straight-laced and serious, speaking in a stiff, formal manner.
But today, he couldn’t hide the excitement on his face.
He rushed up to her and, without even catching his breath, eagerly pulled a document from the envelope.
It was an official approval notice covered in red government seals.
"Dean Song, this is incredible news!"
"The official approval came through! Our hospital can establish an acupuncture department!"
Song Qingya took the document, her eyes quickly scanning the title.
[On the Establishment of an Acupuncture Department]
The application to establish an acupuncture department had finally been approved.
But she knew in her heart that this good news didn’t mean she could completely rest easy.
Some hidden dangers wouldn’t just disappear on their own because of a bit of good news.
Cheng Peng’s eyes were sparkling, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he waited quietly for her to speak.
The entire process, from proposal to approval, had taken a full eight months.
She couldn’t count how many reports had been filed or how many coordination meetings had been held in that time.
Now that the dust had settled, he was genuinely happy for Song Qingya.
This was a huge deal!
Once it was up and running, it would not only fill a gap in the hospital’s traditional Chinese medicine offerings but also attract more patients.
More importantly, for patients suffering from chronic pain,
this was undoubtedly a glimmer of hope—a true blessing.
It was a boon for the patients and would enhance the hospital’s overall reputation and standard of medical care.
Song Qingya slowly and gently handed the approval document back to Cheng Peng.
"Keep this safe. The original must be stored properly. Before you file it, make three copies: one for the archives, one to be filed with the municipal bureau, and the last one stays with the medical affairs department for reference."
But even as she spoke, the image of the person who had flashed by just a few minutes ago uncontrollably reappeared in her mind.
At the time, it had only been a glimpse; she hadn’t gotten a good look.
But thinking back on it now, the silhouette looked more and more like Song Chenglu.
’Song Chenglu is supposed to be serving her sentence at the detention center. How could she possibly be at the hospital entrance?’
’Did she escape?’
’If that’s true, it means even bigger trouble is coming.’
Song Qingya subconsciously took a step closer to Cheng Peng, her voice immediately dropping to a lower volume.
She was afraid of being overheard by anyone passing by in the hallway.
"Cheng Peng, there’s something I need your help with."
Cheng Peng, who had still been smiling, immediately sensed that something was wrong.
He keenly noticed the change in Song Qingya’s eyes, and the smile vanished from his face.
"Of course, I’m listening."
Song Qingya turned her head slightly, her gaze discreetly sweeping over the empty hallway outside the door.
The lights were dim, and the corner at the end of the hall was perfectly still.
But she was still uneasy. After confirming that no one was around, she continued in a low voice, "I think I just saw Song Chenglu at the main entrance."
She paused, watching Cheng Peng’s reaction.
Seeing his brow furrow slightly, she added, "She escaped from the detention center, so she shouldn’t be here. Right now, I’m not worried about her so much as the possibility that she’ll go to my home and cause trouble."
"Could you please arrange for a few trustworthy colleagues to keep an eye on the area around my house?"
"They don’t need to show themselves, just observe covertly. If they see anything unusual, they should report it immediately."
Cheng Peng understood at once.
Although there had been no official public announcement about Song Chenglu’s escape, rumors had already been circulating internally.
She had supposedly scaled a wall and escaped during a thunderstorm. The surveillance footage had conveniently cut out for twenty minutes, and there had been no solid leads on her whereabouts since.
Now that Dean Song herself was expressing concern, there was no room for hesitation.
How could he possibly refuse to help with something like this?
Besides, Dean Song was always fair and treated her subordinates with kindness.
Now that her family was in potential danger, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
"Don’t you worry, Dean Song. I’ll arrange it right away!"
"I’ll send the sharpest, most reliable people we have!"
With that, he turned and walked away quickly.
Song Qingya stood where she was, watching his back disappear around the corner of the hallway.
Only when the dark blue figure was completely out of sight did she slowly exhale.
’Having someone watching is better than nothing.’
’At least things at home won’t be completely unmonitored.’
She turned back, gently pushing the hospital room door open, her fingers carefully gripping the handle.
The hinges let out a faint CREAK as the door swung open.
She leaned halfway in and, after confirming everything inside was quiet, slowly entered.
In the bed, Dean Yuan was sleeping soundly enough.
His breathing was even, his brow was relaxed, and his color was much better than it had been during the day.
The green line on the bedside monitor pulsed steadily; his blood pressure and heart rate were both within the normal range.
A gentle night breeze blew outside, causing a corner of the curtain to flutter slightly.
As the night deepened, the entire inpatient building fell into silence.
Only the emergency exit sign at the end of the hall cast a faint green glow.
In this moment of profound stillness,
Fei Jin pushed the door open without a sound, carrying a food container he had brought from home.
The container was wrapped in a thick layer of cotton cloth for excellent insulation.
Steam would still be rising from the food when it was opened.
He wore a faded gray jacket, its shoulders damp with a touch of night dew.
The light in the room was dim, with the curtains drawn tightly shut.