Chapter 99: A Grandmaster of Communication
Zheng Ren ignored the women bombarding the WeChat group with questions about dinner and focused on the open book before him.
Another 100 skill points and he would be a Master. It would be a much better reward than dinner.
Soon, the WeChat group fell silent.
A few minutes later, Chu Yanran, Chu Yanzhi and Xie Yiren walked into the room in their day clothes, searching for Zheng Ren and Chang Yue.
“Chief Zheng, we have decided it’s your treat tonight. We’ll get some takeaway for you when we return,” Chu Yanzhi informed Zheng Ren.
Zheng Ren was speechless. “Why is it my turn again?”
“O great doctor, don’t be cheap.” Chu Yanzhi smiled brightly. “Look at his face! I told you he would have a heart attack if we asked him to pay for it.”
“…”
“She’s pulling your leg. We’ll have dinner together and bring back some for you,” Chu Yanran told Zheng Ren as she tugged her sister’s arm.
Zheng Ren relaxed after hearing Chu Yanran’s explanation.
“What great doctor? I’m just a measly hospital worker,” he clarified.
“We gotta get Su Yun. He’s in the ICU. He says the patient is more or less stable. Can you go check on him and pick him up for dinner? Get changed and we can leave soon,” Chu Yanzhi said.
When did Chu Yanzhi develop respect for her seniors?
Zheng Ren pondered it for a while. He had wanted to check on the patient in an hour but now was fine as well.
He put on his white coat and went to the ICU with the four women in tow.
It was an odd combination. All four women with different personalities chatted away behind him, turning heads as they passed.
There was an indoor corridor connecting the emergency department and the inpatient wards, used to avoid having to wheel the patient through cold weather. That would be inconceivable.
The ICU was on the sixteenth floor of the First Inpatient Block. There were four elevators, one specifically for the transport of patients and three others that all went to specific floors.
A few minutes later, the elevator to the fifteenth floor opened. A few others got into the elevator without hesitation and they followed suit.
Although the elevator did not reach the sixteenth floor, Zheng Ren did not mind taking the stairs up another flight. Who knew how long they had to wait for the next one.
Ding dong~ The elevator reached the fifteenth floor. The elevator voice sounded very much like the System and Zheng Ren was momentarily startled.
They got off the elevator and went up the fire escape.
Suddenly, Chang Yue slowed down in front of him. She turned to one side and her ponytail swept across the air.
Oh? Zheng Ren had a bad feeling about this.
He was not wrong. Chang Yue’s gaze was fixed on a silhouette on the fifteenth floor window ledge. The cold wind gently caressed black locks of hair as snow danced in the air. It was truly forlorn.
Chang Yue said nothing to the others and stalked forward like a cat., approaching the person by the window.
Xie Yiren was oblivious to the situation. As she opened her mouth to speak, Zheng Ren tugged her back and placed a hand over her mouth. Xie Yiren was about to struggle when he said, “Quiet.”
She hesitated, then froze.
“Look there,” Zheng Ren whispered in a low voice as he released her. He pointed at the silhouette and backtracked a few steps to press himself flat against the fire exit.
Xie Yiren, Chu Yanran and Chu Yanzhi followed him. They moved quietly, afraid to startle the figure.
The person was suicidal… Zheng Ren felt panic rise in him.
Every year, the hospital had several suicides. Once, a patient diagnosed with cancer came in for a checkup, then leapt from the top floor of the building. The family was on the first floor and taped the whole incident. In the end, they tried to extort the hospital for a few hundred thousand yuan.
The hospital administration then was hard-headed and fought the family for three years in court. Eventually, the family lost interest in pursuing the lawsuit.
That was the exception. Many patients lost their will to live after learning they had cancer and took their lives.
However… Cancer was not a death sentence. As medical practitioners, they had to present the brightest prospects possible to patients.
There was no one else there. The illumination of the corridor lights was in stark contrast to the lonely darkness outside.
They huddled in the unlit corner as Chang Yue approached the figure. When she was a few feet away, she coughed softly.
This was the critical point. The consequences were dire if the person reacted badly and jumped.
The figure was not startled. Things had not escalated yet.
When it was clear that her approach was not interpreted as being hostile, Chang Yue slowly inched forward.
Throughout the process, Chang Yue was incredibly calm and collected. She reached the window ledge and sat down with her knees curled up. Her movements were relaxed as if she was simply enjoying a warm afternoon sun on a winter day from the inside of the building.
Zheng Ren was thoroughly impressed by this junior doctor.
How was she going to start the conversation?
They were meters away from the two and could only see Chang Yue’s lips moving silently.
“What is Sister Yue doing?” Xie Yiren asked under her breath.
“Persuading the patient to not jump,” Zheng Ren replied in an equally hushed voice. He was worried that any sudden movement might undo Chang Yue’s efforts. “Watch but don’t speak.”
A few minutes later, Chang Yue cocked her head to show them a gesture, fingers to her lips as if smoking a cigarette.
Zheng Ren picked up her cue and got out his packet of Ziyuns. He pushed a lighter into the half-empty pack and slid it across the floor to her.
With a surgeon’s accuracy, the cigarette pack skidded silently across the floor and stopped right before Chang Yue.
She picked up the packet and lit a cigarette, then passed it to the sitting figure.
When they accepted the cigarette, Zheng Ren exhaled in relief.
Chang Yue was visibly making some headway with the woman. Zheng Ren saluted her. She was truly a capable person, one who had once managed to lower the defenses of a murderous cheater and convince him to go to jail for his actions.
Amazing!
In terms of patient communication, Zheng Ren felt that his abilities were merely acceptable.
Compared to other surgeons, he would consider himself above average, though not by much.
However, Chang Yue was in a totally different league altogether. His communication skills were puny compared to hers.
Zheng Ren was not a good liar and definitely would not be able to hold a casual conversation with murderers, let alone convince them to turn themselves in.
This current situation was another display of Chang Yue’s capabilities.
On this dark, wintry night, snow piled up outside as lights flickered to life in buildings. A life was on the line.
Their bleak outlook was slowly altered with Chang Yue’s ministrations. She had an easygoing and friendly smile on her face as she talked to the woman. The night seemed a little less dark.
Chang Yue was normally average-looking but now beamed with genuine compassion that made her face glow. It was a likable disposition.
Soon, a peal of laughter echoed from outside and everyone in the corner was relieved. Things appeared to be handled.
Occasionally, a patient or visitor would walk by and give Chang Yue and the woman outside an odd glance.
A few minutes later, Chang Yue helped the woman into the building. Their chatter resumed as if they were long-lost childhood friends.
Zheng Ren felt nothing but admiration for her.