Chapter 9: Observation Room
“Are you okay? I called you so many times, and you didn’t answer. How could I not be worried?” Zhou Jing’s voice trembled with fear and reproach.
Jiang Zhaoyang was momentarily stunned.
Then it dawned on him—he was holding a colleague’s phone, not his own.
No wonder his mother’s calls kept coming through but were never answered.
How could his mother have gotten through to this number?
Realizing this, he couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
He quickly explained seriously, “Mom, listen, I was actually saving someone today!”
“I’m at the hospital now.”
“My phone is charging; I’m using someone else’s phone.”
“Oh, that makes sense!” Zhou Jing’s tone on the other end of the line visibly relaxed, the heavy weight in her heart lifted.
“Son, it’s good that you’re alright.”
“Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda; you did the right thing!”
“Keep busy, but come back as soon as you’re done.” Feeling reassured, Zhou Jing hung up.
Jiang Zhaoyang completed the payment at the hospital’s billing window.
He felt there was nothing more for him to do here.
He began to think it was time to go home.
This was the county hospital.
Home—the warm, peaceful harbor—was only a few kilometers away.
But what pained him was that his motorcycle was still left at the accident scene.
That bike had cost several thousand yuan.
Helpless, he planned to take a taxi to retrieve it.
Today had been incredibly unlucky.
He was almost exiled, and now this.
Yet, just as he was about to step out of the hospital doors,
a surge of unwillingness quietly rose within him.
He had saved this reckless pair—should he be the one to pay for them?
No, 2,000 yuan was not a trivial sum; it was equivalent to a month’s salary.
They had to pay him back.
Money doesn’t grow on trees.
With that thought, Jiang Zhaoyang sat down on a bench outside the emergency room to wait.
Half an hour later, the emergency room door slowly opened.
A woman doctor in a white coat stepped out deliberately.
Her gaze was sharp as a cold star, ultimately fixed on Jiang Zhaoyang’s face.
“Hello, Doctor!” Seeing her appear, Jiang Zhaoyang immediately sprang up from his seat and hurried forward.
His face was full of polite yet slightly nervous smiles.
However, the female doctor only gave him a cold glare.
She spoke with obvious impatience, “Didn’t you say they were complete strangers to you?”
“How come?” Her words carried a hint of sarcasm. “You care so much about two total strangers?”
“And even waited here at the emergency room entrance?”
“Afraid of missing any news about them?”
Jiang Zhaoyang was caught off guard by the rapid-fire questions.
He paused for a moment.
Then gave a helpless, wry smile.
Scratching his head, he explained, “Why would I care about them?”
“I’m more concerned about my money.”
“You wanted me to cover the cost, right?”
“So, without hesitation, I fronted the 2,000 yuan.”
The doctor’s lips curled slightly as she smirked coldly.
Her tone remained indifferent: “The elderly man brought in still hasn’t regained consciousness.”
“Is he in danger?” Jiang Zhaoyang furrowed his brow, anxiety creeping into his voice.
The doctor’s expression turned grave as she nodded.
She spoke slowly, “He was the driver. In the accident, his head and face directly hit the windshield and its sturdy frame.”
“As a result, he suffered severe injuries—multiple cuts and lacerations caused by shattered glass, wounds so deep you could see bone, with continuous bleeding.”
“Worse still, a skull fracture led to intracranial bleeding.”
“The situation was extremely critical for a while.”
She paused before continuing, “But fortunately, he’s now out of the danger zone.”
“Thanks to timely rescue.”
“We quickly transfused blood and implemented a series of emergency treatments.”
“That’s how we snatched him back from the brink of death.”
“Truly a narrow escape…”
The doctor sighed lightly, her tone tinged with awe. “Such miracles don’t happen every day.”
She gave a bitter smile. “Want to ask him for money? Just wait.”
Jiang Zhaoyang’s heart tightened.
He then urgently asked, “Has the young woman not woken up either?”
The doctor hesitated briefly, as if weighing her words. “Her?”
Jiang Zhaoyang pressed on anxiously, “She was already awake when I was in that tin shed.”
“I thought she’d quickly recover once at the hospital.”
“So why is she still unconscious now?”
Seeing his concern, the doctor hesitated a moment before explaining, “She’s just severely frightened, nothing major.”
“All her vital signs are normal after the examinations.”
“Where is she? Can I see her?” Jiang Zhaoyang asked.
The doctor pointed toward the observation room at the corridor’s end. “She’s in the observation room now.”
“You can visit her, but please keep quiet and don’t disturb her rest.”
“Got it!” Jiang Zhaoyang replied and quickly turned.
He almost ran down the corridor.
The white walls on either side flashed past his eyes.
His mind had only one thought: Faster, even faster!
Finally, Jiang Zhaoyang nearly sprinted to the observation room door.
He exhaled deeply and gently pushed the door open.
A faint scent of disinfectant filled the air.
Inside, soft lighting bathed a beautiful woman lying quietly on the bed.
Her eyes were closed gently.
The IV tube swayed slightly, like the pulse of life.
This beauty was lying in bed receiving an infusion.
When her gaze met Jiang Zhaoyang’s, she was clearly taken aback.
Then a delighted smile curved her lips. “Benefactor, you’re still here?”
“I thought you had already left.”
Jiang Zhaoyang suppressed his inner aversion.
His voice carried a faint, barely perceptible detachment as he said lightly, “Don’t call me that.”
“I’m just a passerby. How could I leave someone to die?”
“But…” He hesitated, as if some words were hard to say.
“But what?” the woman asked eagerly.
Her eyes shone with expectation and curiosity.
“But I fronted 2,000 yuan for the emergency expenses,” Jiang Zhaoyang said, a hint of awkwardness in his tone, but mostly relief.
The woman smiled slightly. “That? Of course, I’ll pay you back.”
She took out her phone; the screen’s light illuminated her exquisite face, adding softness.
“Let’s add each other on WeChat, and you can transfer the money there,” she suggested, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
But Jiang Zhaoyang’s reaction surprised her.
He shook his head. “No, I’ll give you a QR code.”
“You just scan to pay.”
His words were brief and decisive.
He didn’t want any unnecessary connection with someone he disliked.
With that, Jiang Zhaoyang swiftly pulled out his phone from his pocket.
His fingers danced across the screen.
He skillfully logged into his WeChat account.
Then he opened the collection QR code.