Chapter Seven: Watch Me Take You Down

  On the way back home from Pizza Hut, Zhang Yiqing fully demonstrated her lively talent as a 90s girl, holding an Apple 5 with extremely powerful camera function, taking selfies from time to time and posting them on Weibo, showing off various strange postures and body language, fully displaying the vitality of youth. From time to time, someone would reply or praise her, and she would show off in front of Zhang Shidong, flashing her phone screen at him.

  The numerous shops and stalls on the outskirts of the neighborhood ensured the liveliness of the street. When Zhang Shidong habitually bought an ice cream for his sister Zhang Yiqing, she took it from him, and they looked at each other, stunned for several seconds, saying nothing. Zhang Yiqing also stopped fiddling with her phone and silently ate the ice cream.

  Time seems to have reversed at this moment, and the siblings are getting smaller. The scenery around is no longer as prosperous as before. On the street, when going to pick up his little sister from elementary school, the brother would always save one yuan from his pocket money to buy a creamy ice cream cone for his sister. Every day, before entering the house, the brother would wipe away the cream from the corner of his sister's mouth; otherwise, their mother would scold them.

  The sound of the car horn awakened the brother and sister who were lost in their memories. Zhang Yiying habitually raised her face, and Zhang Shidong also naturally used his hand to wipe away the whipped cream from the corner of her mouth. The misunderstandings that arose six years ago due to ignorance, the estrangement that had developed over the past six years, all dissipated at this moment. Brother, still the one who holds up the sky in his sister's heart; Sister, still the treasure that her brother cherishes in the palm of his hand.

  Zhang Jun poked his head out of a police off-road vehicle, and before he could open the door, the driver quickly got out and opened the rear door where Zhang was sitting, tapping on the inner roof of the vehicle.

  "What are you two doing here?"

  Zhang Shidong looked at the driver who was standing aside with a respectful and humble expression, and smiled: "Dad, congratulations."

  Zhang Jun smiled slightly awkwardly: "You little stinker, you're so cunning. Little Su, follow me and get familiar with the place."

  The driver was very young and looked like he had just started working, about the same age as Zhang Shidong.

  As expected, Zhang Jun introduced them: "Xiao Su, Su Fang, Xiao Qing you should call him Brother Su. This is my son, Zhang Shidong, and my daughter, Zhang Yiqing."

  Driver Su Fang: "East brother, Xiao Qing, hello." The tone was warm and the person was spirited. Zhang Jun only said that Zhang Yiqing called him Brother Su, which proved that Zhang Shidong was older than him: "Hello, I am Driver Zhang's driver, this is my phone number, if you need to call me."

  "Director Zhang? Dad..." Zhang Yiqing was stunned for a moment. When Zhang Shidong shook hands with Su Fang, he said: "The Provincial Hall is indeed efficient in handling affairs. Li Jianguo has been taken down so quickly?"

  "Dad, then you..." Zhang Yiqing wasn't a city girl, but when it was her old man's turn to get promoted, she got excited too.

  Zhang Jun smiled and Su Fang timely stood out to explain: "Director Zhang has taken over the work that Li Jianguo was in charge of."

  Director Zhang gestured for everyone to go upstairs, saying as they walked: "I didn't expect him to be so deeply involved. It's one thing to provide protection, but it was discovered that his family had hundreds of millions in assets of unknown origin. And his son... he actually forced underage girls to have sex with him at home. The provincial hall staff happened to arrive just in time. Houses purchased under the names of his wife and children - five in Pingjiang, two in Linhu - it's outrageous! Xiaodong, since Director Lin is in a good mood today and work has temporarily come to an end, he's accepting our invitation for dinner. The wine you brought back yesterday will be used to 'borrow flowers to offer to the Buddha' soon."

  As soon as he entered the house, Zhang Shidong took out a cigarette from his drawer and threw it over: "Dad, you're getting spoiled."

  Six words, made Zhang Jun's face turn bright red, his son saw through his thoughts, and amidst the embarrassment, he felt an overwhelming sense of pride. Looking back, my decision at that time was truly wise, my son has really grown up, understanding human relationships, officialdom, and social etiquette clearly. Is it easy for ordinary people to reach the level of smoking and drinking? In the past, wasn't I stuck in one place because I didn't have any backing? Now, Lin Ting's display of pulling strings and promotion is undoubtedly an opportunity, also letting the heads of the municipal and branch bureaus see that I too have a powerful backer.

  Su Fang pretended not to hear, lowering her head and dragging her slippers, while Zhang Yiqing put on a very serious expression, grasping Zhang Jun's hand: "Comrade Father, you have not disappointed the Party's expectations, are a good comrade, and must continue to work hard in the future."

  Zhang Jun took advantage of the situation and tapped his daughter on the head to change the subject: "Stinky girl, your dad's joke is also open, did your mom go to the hospital? Just received a notification that a major car accident occurred on the highway."

  Zhang Yiqing nodded, Zhang Jun handed cigarettes and wine to Su Fang: "Then you at home, Xiao Dong, these two days..."

  Zhang Shidong waved his hand: "You're busy, I'm not a kid, my mom left me some money, and I still have some money on me. I'll just take a stroll around the city for the next two days, it's changed so much."

  Zhang Jun nodded: "Yeah, play a bit more, open your mom's treasure car, having a car is always more convenient. After I'm done with things here, I'll take you to see the maple leaves."

  "Come on, Dad, hurry up! I'm going back to school soon."

  ……………

  This night was a huge turning point in Zhang Jun's life. He gained Lin Ziqiang's appreciation, received recognition from his superiors, and especially had a drink with the vice mayor who accompanied him that evening. In official circles, nothing is ever explicitly stated; a glance, a gesture, or an seemingly unrelated sentence can have a deeper meaning. As the deputy director of the Central District Branch, in charge of public security and criminal police, he was considered to be third in power within the branch. With his seniority not being a problem, it was only natural that many people were eager to curry favor with Lin Ziqiang. His one sentence of advice allowed Zhang Jun's stagnant official career path to turn over a new leaf, rekindling its vitality.

  Zhang Yiqing, as usual, was watching Korean dramas on her computer and playing with her phone. However, before entering the house, she unexpectedly ran to the kitchen to wash a plate of fruit and handed it over to Zhang Shidong, who was sitting upright watching the news broadcast.

  Zhang Shidong, after inquiring about his sister's encounter with Kong Mei's overtime work, slept soundly. A young man in the prime of his youth, studying hard day and night to protect high-ranking political figures, had a keen sense of smell for politics that was beyond ordinary people. Although Zhang Jun had some doubts, he still didn't connect his own promotion with his son's return.

  In the early morning, Zhang Shidong got up as usual to 'get some exercise', bought breakfast, and after washing up left home walking slowly towards the Central Hospital. According to Zhang Yiqing's words, with such a big traffic accident and so many injured people, Mom won't be back for at least one or two days. From young to old, she had already gotten used to it, Dad was busy, Mom was busy.

  Having a car is always better than taking the bus. Just as I arrived at the entrance of the Central Hospital, which was bustling with cars coming and going, I saw reporters rushing into the outpatient building with cameras and microphones.

  When Zhang Shidong arrived at the floor where the orthopedic department was located, he saw a pile of TV, radio and newspaper media outlets gathered at the elevator entrance, swarming towards Dr. Kong Mei, the director of the orthopedic department, who had just walked out of the ward, and began to exercise their journalistic rights in a cacophony of voices.

  "Dr. Kong, can you talk about Liu Haibin's case?"

  "Director Kong, is it your insistence on conservative treatment for Liu Haibin's leg fracture after the car accident?"

  Kong Mei's eyebrows were tightly locked, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes, and she stopped in her tracks: "All the injured in the car accident are currently undergoing active treatment. The hospital will make a collective announcement to the outside world about specific information, and it is not convenient to accept interviews at present."

  She wanted to leave, but the reporters wouldn't let her go. From initially not-so-sharp questions to sharp ones with inside information, Kong Mei only took a dozen steps forward.

  "Dr. Kong, is Liu Haibin already in the operating room? Is his life in danger? I heard that when he was sent here last night, the steel pipe had penetrated to the bone and the best solution was amputation. Some doctors were ready to perform the surgery but you stopped them?"

  "Dr. Kong, Liu Haibin is now in critical condition, can you talk about what caused it? Is it because of the delayed amputation surgery?"

  "Director Kong, is it because of your arbitrary actions that we have the current situation? Can you brief us on Liu Haibin's specific circumstances?"

  “……”

  The words are increasingly sharp and piercing. While it is necessary to report on major traffic accidents, the highly topical doctor-patient relationship is undoubtedly a more valuable news story. For people who have two sides to their nature when it comes to doctors, they can't wait to see all doctors being restrained and punished, talking loudly and scolding; but when they themselves fall ill, they can't wait for all doctors to be good people, and are eager to kneel down in front of them.

  News, undoubtedly, is the driving force behind this. With such a topic and the medical contradictions and conflicts between doctors within the hospital, reporters have gone crazy, eager to expose shocking news as soon as possible.

  There is no doubt that being able to understand the patient's condition so thoroughly in such a tense state, it is absolutely impossible for the patient's family members to leak the news. A car with dozens of lightly and severely injured people, and their families may not have seen the patients yet, let alone talk about the specific situation of the patients. From the reporter's question, Zhang Shidong smelled the smell of struggle, someone wants to use an accidental incident to tarnish his mother.

  "Sorry, the doctor needs to perform surgery on the patient now, please don't disturb."

  Zhang Shidong directly squeezed into the crowd, using his arms to open up a space for his mother and several assistants and students behind her to quickly pass through.

  Reporters, who claimed to be the first to squeeze in, were firmly blocked at this moment. When they thought they could move, Kong Mei and others had already entered the operating room.

  "Xiao Dong, how did you get here?" Kong Mei's eyes were sunken, her face full of fatigue.

  "Mom, which grandson is framing you." Everyone else was seeing but not saying, while Zhang Shidong had no such concerns and went straight to the point.

  Kong Mei waved her hand: "Don't talk nonsense, I still have to go perform surgery on patients. Zhao Ya, this is my son, you first... uh... Xiao Dong, what brings you here?"

  Zhang Shidong: "I came to get the car key and see how you're doing along the way?"

  Kong Mei: "Little Zhao, take him to my office for a while, the car key is in my bag." After finishing speaking, she didn't even wait for Zhang Shidong to speak and hurriedly left with someone, while the one she called Zhao Ya was a girl full of youthful vitality, at this time her face was full of worry but couldn't block the youthful aura emanating from her whole person.

  "Hello, I'm Teacher Kong, this year's new medical intern. Right now, there are reporters outside, and the special elevator can only be used by hospital leaders and surgeons, otherwise, let's wait a bit, until there are fewer people outside before we go out." Zhao Ya was very familiar: "Ah, I've been to your house several times, Teacher Kong, and Xiao Qing is also my friend, but neither of them has ever mentioned you..."

  "Dr. Zhao, can I ask what's going on?" Zhang Shidong didn't have the mood to appreciate a beauty who would turn heads on the street with her makeup and clothes, and interrupted her inquiry.

  Soon, Zhang Shidong learned about the events of last night from Zhao Ya's slightly gossiping mouth. He tilted his head, and his nostrils expanded irregularly a few times. The golden needle had already appeared in his hand, quietly placed on his abdomen, ready to suppress any evil energy that might fill his brain at any moment.

  "Hey, Zhang Shidong, what's wrong with you? Are you okay?" Zhao Ya pushed Zhang Shidong.

  Wow!

  Zhang Shidong let out a long sigh, the golden needle clutched in his hand disappeared, it seemed that everything was fine now. If this had happened before he returned home, he would have probably had the heart to kill someone by now.

  However, dog trash Wang Ba Dan Wei Haiyang, dare to bully my family, see how I deal with you!