Chapter 274: Those About Hate ⑤
When the classmates from Class 10 arrived at the hospital, Nie Aifang and the others had just finished eating. Since it wasn’t yet visiting hours for the ICU, none of the classmates saw Nie Qiu. Nie Aifang persuaded the children who were concerned and worried about her daughter to return to school.
As Zhang Haiyang walked with Huang Yan, she kept looking back. However, seeing her father, she knew Nie Qiu was fine now. Although she was worried about Nie Qiu, she had to return to school. Li Kai asked Li Mingxue to request leave for him. Li Mingxue was around the same age as Li Kai, so she understood many things and didn’t insist on him going to school like parents would. She nodded, comforted Nie Aifang for a while, and then left the hospital. Peng Yu Yang also asked Peng Mama to request leave for him. Peng Mama knew her son was very worried about Nie Qiu. Although she wanted her son to go to school, she also knew that a son in such a state of mind wouldn’t be able to study effectively. It was better to let him relax during this stressful period of study. She had matters to attend to at the restaurant. After talking with Nie Aifang for a while, she left the hospital.
Nie Aifang didn’t rush Li Kai and Peng Yu Yang. She simply sat with them outside the ICU hospital room, eagerly awaiting the arrival of visiting hours. Nie Aifang looked at her watch countless times, her heart filled with worry and anxiety.
At ten-thirty, the door to the ICU intensive care unit opened. Two nurses in sterile gowns walked out and announced loudly, “Visiting hours have begun. Only one family member is allowed to visit each patient.”
Nie Aifang had already washed her hands and feet. Upon hearing the nurse’s words, she stood up and walked towards the nurse. Li Kai followed behind Nie Aifang, and other family members of patients also approached, gathering at the doorway.
The nurse stopped Nie Aifang and asked, “Whose family member are you?”
“I am Nie Qiu’s family member,” Nie Aifang replied.
The nurse nodded and said to another nurse, “Take her to the sterile room to put on a sterile gown, shoe covers, and a hat.”
Another nurse nodded and pulled Nie Aifang aside. She then asked the nurse about Nie Aifang and confirmed with others. After confirming, she let the nurse lead Nie Aifang into the sterile room. Just as she was about to turn to enter the ICU, Li Kai grabbed her sterile gown.
“Who are you?” she asked. She remembered that only six people were staying in the ICU, and six people had already entered.
Li Kai swallowed, blocked the camera in the ICU, and quietly slipped a few hundred yuan, which he had clutched until his hands were sweaty, into the nurse’s light blue sterile gown’s purse. “I… I want to go in and see Nie Qiu.” When his elder sister left, she had given him a few hundred yuan and told him that if he wanted to see Nie Qiu, he just needed to slip some money.
Money makes the world go ’round. The government stipulated that officials could not accept red envelopes, but who listened? The hospital stipulated that doctors could not accept red envelopes, but who complied? Even for a minor appendectomy, family members would slip a red envelope to the chief surgeon. The family members felt at ease, wanting the doctor to do their best. In reality, for most minor surgeries without danger, red envelopes were unnecessary. Therefore, giving red envelopes is an age-old, unchanging principle in China.
The nurse put her hand into her purse, felt around, and then smiled, saying, “Come in with me! Have you washed your hands and feet properly?”
“Yes, yes, I have,” Li Kai said, relieved. He quickly nodded and followed the nurse into the sterile room.
Nie Aifang had put on her sterile gown, shoe covers, and hat. She saw Li Kai walk in and stared at him with surprised eyes.
The nurse handed Li Kai a sterile gown, two shoe covers, and a hat cover, smiling as she said, “Once you’re dressed, follow me. I’ll take you to see her.”
Li Kai nodded and quickly put on the items the nurse had given him, then looked at the nurse. The nurse scanned everyone in the sterile room, ensuring they were all properly dressed and that nothing was amiss before saying, “Everyone, follow me! When we get to the hospital room, speak carefully and quietly. Do not remove your masks.”
After everyone in the sterile room nodded, the two nurses nodded and led several people into the ICU intensive care unit. Several other nurses were working inside. The entire intensive care unit was clean, with a strong smell of disinfectant. Various large machines were operating, and there were many instruments beside each patient’s hospital bed.
Li Kai and Nie Aifang arrived at Nie Qiu’s hospital bed and simply looked at Nie Qiu, who had her eyes closed.
