Volume One, Chapter 17: He Had Never Seen Her Smile Like That Before
“Mingting, what brings you here?”
Qin Minshu quickly adjusted her expression and walked toward Huo Mingting and Huo Cong. Her voice was cheerful and resonant, drawing the attention of everyone present. They all knew that the handsome man was Qin Minshu’s wealthy boyfriend, the president of the Huo Group.
Huo Mingting shifted his gaze from Ye Sheng to Qin Minshu, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. “We came to see you—you’ve been working so hard.”
Nurse Xiao Liu pursed her lips, thinking to herself that “working hard” was hardly the case.
Qin Minshu was always dressed up like a peacock, putting on one show after another; anyone who didn’t know better would think they were filming a TV drama here. With such acting skills, she’d be better off in the entertainment industry, where there’s a real stage, instead of coming here to dazzle and annoy them. How aggravating!
Xiao Liu’s inner complaints could fill an entire roast session, but she’d just been scolded by Director Ye. Now that she was under the director’s command, she couldn’t afford to cause trouble.
Gossip spread quickly. The night Huo Mingting brought his son for treatment, many people overheard his conversation with Director Ye. Now, the entire medical team knew that Director Ye’s ex-husband was the president of the Huo Group, and that the child was theirs.
Qin Minshu was now President Huo’s girlfriend, which, in everyone’s eyes, created a subtle love triangle among the three. Yet no one could quite understand why President Huo had divorced Director Ye to be with Qin Minshu.
Qin Minshu was certainly beautiful, but compared to Director Ye, the difference in temperament was obvious. One was a common ornamental vase, the other a cypress tree admired by all.
Perhaps men prefer tending flowers to planting trees? Or maybe family background made the difference. Qin Minshu came from a privileged family—everyone at Haici Hospital knew she was a wealthy heiress. These days, whether in love or marriage, social parity still mattered, or things rarely lasted.
Even someone as outstanding as Director Ye suffered in her marriage simply because her family background was unremarkable.
What a pity, truly worthy of a sigh.
—
Ye Sheng was in her consulting room, filling out a medical record for a patient.
“Director Ye, what exactly is wrong with me?” the man asked. “I don’t really feel anything else, but I sweat profusely in my sleep—so much that the sheets are soaked. Once I wake up, it stops. Oh, and sometimes I run a fever.”
His wife added, “He’s lost a lot of weight these past six months. He used to have a bit of a belly, but now it’s completely flat. He’s still working hard and eating well, and I make chicken soup to nourish him, but nothing helps.”
Ye Sheng nodded and asked, “Do you itch?”
“Itch? My whole body itches!” The man scratched himself, grimacing. “Sometimes it’s so bad, I feel like I’m being driven mad.”
Ye Sheng made notes in the chart. Like most doctors, her handwriting was nearly indecipherable, but in her case it was a flowing, elegant script.
She wrote by hand while her assistant, Mia, entered the information into the computer.
Ye Sheng’s initial diagnosis was Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“What kind of disease is this? Can it be cured?”
Ye Sheng replied, “The prognosis for Hodgkin’s lymphoma is good; it’s one of the curable types of tumors.”
Hearing that, relief swept across the family’s faces.
“You’ll need a further lymph node biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and determine the subtype. The equipment here isn’t adequate, so you’ll have to go to the provincial hospital as soon as possible.”
The man and his wife looked troubled. A trip to the county hospital was hard enough; the thought of going all the way to the provincial hospital overwhelmed them.
“Don’t worry—it’ll be fine. I’ve taken a classmate to the provincial hospital before; it’s not far from our school, just an hour’s bus ride. I’ll take leave and go with you.”
Their eldest daughter tried to reassure her parents, then carefully asked Ye Sheng, “Director Ye, about how much will the surgery cost? We’d like to have an idea.”
Ye Sheng didn’t mention a specific amount, only said that most of the expenses would be covered, and it wouldn’t be too much.
“When we get there, which doctor should we see? Can we register with you again?”
Mia smiled. “Our Director Ye has only just come back from abroad, but her appointments are booked solid for six months—people come from all over just for her. Haici Hospital doesn’t accept charity patients, and even at the provincial hospital you’ll need to register in advance.”
Suddenly, the atmosphere grew heavy. They’d thought paying for the surgery would be the hardest part, but now, even with the money ready, it seemed impossible to get the help of a miracle worker.
“Wait a moment.” Ye Sheng picked up the landline and dialed a number. “Senior Ma, this is Ye Sheng. I have a patient here…”
After hanging up, Ye Sheng wrote a note. “Haici Hospital and the provincial hospital have joint consultations. When you arrive, give this note to the nurse at the reception desk—someone will take care of you. Make sure you complete all the necessary tests, and once the pathology results are out, we’ll determine the treatment plan. Don’t delay, start treatment while the illness is still manageable.”
Ye Sheng’s tone was calm and rational, like most doctors: cool-headed, logical, and objective. Yet she wasn’t cold, and never made people uncomfortable.
Every word she spoke inspired confidence.
When the family left the consulting room, their faces were lit with hope. Huo Mingting watched as Ye Sheng placed a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder and spoke to her.
The eldest daughter was studying at Z University, excelling academically and winning scholarships every year.
“That’s wonderful. Study hard—you’ll accomplish great things.” Ye Sheng’s smile was warm and gentle.
Huo Mingting was momentarily taken aback.
In three years of marriage, living together day and night, he realized he had never seen such a smile on Ye Sheng’s face.