novelraw Chapter 241: Scapegoat
Chapter 241: Scapegoat
She paused, her sharp gaze fixed on Yang Meiling.
"If, before I return, Dean Yuan... has another relapse..."
She didn’t finish the sentence, merely pressing her lips together.
Yang Meiling’s head shot up. Her lips quivered, and even her fingertips were trembling.
"Doc... Doctor Song! What are you trying to say? Are... are you accusing us of being negligent? Or that I... that I would deliberately..."
Song Qingya didn’t let her finish. She didn’t even frown, just gave her a single glance.
"I’ll be back soon."
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned and pushed the door open without a moment’s hesitation.
Fei Jin followed close behind her out of the room.
Just before he walked out, he suddenly stopped. Turning his body slightly, he shot a cold glance at Yang Meiling.
"You’d better remember every single word Qingya just said."
"From this moment on, if anything happens to Dean Yuan—even something as small as an abnormal vital sign that isn’t dealt with promptly—you and Qi Yuanyuan will be the first ones held responsible. So don’t get any funny ideas, and don’t even think about shifting the blame or finding a scapegoat."
He then turned to the on-duty nurse standing nearby, who had kept her head down the entire time. His tone softened slightly but was still filled with pressure.
"The same goes for you. Understand? You need to have a clear sense of what you should and shouldn’t do. Don’t let anyone lead you by the nose."
Yang Meiling stood frozen to the spot, an uncontrollable chill creeping through her body.
’This Song Qingya... it seems... she’s not as easy to manipulate as I thought.’
A biting night wind hit them as they walked out of the main entrance.
Only then did Song Qingya feel the damp, clammy chill on her skin.
She realized sweat had long since soaked through her underclothes, and now, as the wind hit her, a shiver ran through her entire body.
As the chill set in, the mental tension she’d been holding finally began to ease.
It was as if all her strength had been drained away. Her steps faltered, and her shoulders slumped slightly.
Seeing this, Fei Jin instinctively took off his black woolen coat, strode over, and gently draped it over her shoulders.
"Put this on. The wind’s strong tonight. Don’t catch a cold."
Song Qingya didn’t refuse. "Thank you," she said softly, clutching the lapels and pulling the coat tighter around herself.
The fabric still held the warmth from his body.
Fei Jin’s heart clenched as he looked at her pale face.
Just moments ago in the hospital room, she had stood with her back ramrod straight, her expression completely composed.
Her entire presence had been powerful, her speech measured and unhurried.
But now, her face was alarmingly pale.
The strong facade she had put on had long since faded, leaving only deep exhaustion in its place.
In front of everyone, she had taken all the responsibility upon herself without a single word of protest.
’What on earth is she trying to achieve?’
No one could guess what she was truly thinking.
It was late by the time they got home.
Fei Jin went into the kitchen ahead of her and poured a cup of warm water from a thermos. The temperature was just right, not too hot to hold.
He walked over and gently pressed the cup into her icy hands. "Drink some water," he said softly.
Song Qingya didn’t protest. She took the cup and drank it in small sips.
"Go get cleaned up and get some sleep," Fei Jin said, his voice full of concern as he watched her teeter on her feet. "Look at you. You can barely stand."
He paused, then added, "The nurses are watching Dean Yuan, and Yang Meiling’s group is taking turns. There won’t be any major issues."
Song Qingya murmured in agreement, her voice very soft.
’She really couldn’t hold on any longer. Her body and mind had both reached their limit.’
She slowly turned and walked toward the bedroom on unsteady feet, ready to change out of her wrinkled blouse and trousers and get some rest.
Fei Jin didn’t leave right away. Instead, he followed her in.
He leaned against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets, his eyes never leaving her.
The room was utterly silent, save for the sound of the wind occasionally gusting outside the window.
He was silent for a few seconds. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he finally spoke. "Qingya... are you really just going to accept the blame like this?"
"What if Dean Yuan suddenly wakes up, or what if someone starts investigating what really happened? You’ve claimed you did it all. How are you going to get out of it then?"
He didn’t finish his sentence, but she knew what he meant.
Once Dean Yuan regained consciousness or the investigation deepened...
...she, the "scapegoat," would be thrown to the wolves.
Not only would it be impossible to extricate herself, but her life could be ruined beyond repair.
Song Qingya was looking down, unfastening the top button of her blouse. Her hands paused at his words.
She lifted her head and turned to face him, her expression still serene.
"What else could I do? Right now, the most important thing is to keep Mrs. Yuan calm."
She paused before continuing, "If something happened to Dean Yuan, Mrs. Yuan would immediately look for someone to blame. Now that I’ve taken the fall, she’ll at least quiet down and won’t cause a huge scene at the hospital."
She paused again, then added, "And besides, it makes certain people feel safe."
"Oh, right, Ajin," she said, suddenly remembering something as she turned to him. "That news about the miscarriage I asked you to spread... hold off on that for now."
Fei Jin froze, his brows furrowing instantly.
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
he asked instinctively, his tone full of confusion.
Song Qingya didn’t explain. She just looked at him quietly for a moment before walking closer.
"Don’t ask why. You’ll understand when the time is right."
She met his gaze, her voice dropping to a near whisper.
"For now, just listen to me. Keep that news under wraps. Don’t let a single word get out."
"Alright. I’ll do as you say."
He walked over and sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight.
"Don’t overthink it. Get some sleep. Even if the sky falls, it can wait until morning. I’m here."
Song Qingya looked up, her heart suddenly softening.
She didn’t say anything, just nodded slightly, managing a faint smile.
Then she looked down and continued unfastening the rest of her buttons.
’This man. Sometimes his bluntness was infuriating.’
’But when it came to her, his care was genuine.’
’He wasn’t one for sweet nothings, but every single thing he did truly warmed her heart.’
She said no more, simply lying down, pulling the covers over herself, and closing her eyes.
The room was quiet, with only the soft rustle of the curtains in the breeze from the open window.
Fei Jin tucked the corners of the blanket around her and sat there for a while. Only after hearing her breathing even out did he get up and head out to the living room.
「The next day, just before noon.」
Dressed in a set of neat, casual clothes, Song Qingya once again walked into the inpatient ward.
She had tied her long hair back neatly, revealing a clear forehead.
Sunlight streamed in through the window at the end of the hall.
She didn’t pause as she stepped through the main doors, nor did she greet anyone. She simply raised her eyes slightly, scanning her surroundings.
The moment she walked in, she sensed that the atmosphere was off.
The normally bustling, orderly hallway now seemed unusually deserted.
She didn’t break her stride, but her peripheral vision keenly caught an unusual stir in a corner.
A few young nurses were gathered in a corner of the hallway, whispering amongst themselves.
The moment they saw her, they exchanged a look and quickly scattered.
A few doctors in white coats saw her from a distance, immediately ducked their heads, and changed course, avoiding her as if she were the plague.
’Song Qingya knew exactly what this meant.’
Their reactions confirmed that the events of last night had been brewing and spreading while she was gone.