Chapter 497: Unprecedented Event in History
There was a concern on Li Hongji’s face as he said, “Tang Xiu, according to my observations, the number of patients already exceeded 200. Are you sure you can finish treating them today?”
“I’m not sure, but the least I can do is try,” said Tang Xiu.
“It will be quite laborious for you, Tang Xiu,” Li Hongji nodded. “For your medical examinations today the hospital will provide anything you need, no matter what it is.”
Tang Xiu only let out a calm smile. What the hospital could provide wouldn’t be of a great help to him. Nonetheless, Li Hongji’s attitude made him satisfied. After arriving at the largest consultation room on the east side of the consultation building, Tang Xiu took a look at the hundred square meters’ long consultation room. There was only simple office equipment and treatment equipment aside from the consultation tables and chairs here. In the innermost corner, however, was a place covered with a draper. Without anyone telling him what it was, Tang Xiu could tell that behind it was a sick bed.
“President Li, you can go take care of your matters! I’ll handle things here,” After observation, Tang Xiu turned to Li Hongji.
As he sent Li Hongji away, a slight smile appeared on his face. He then said to Xinyue, “Let us do it like previously, Xinyue. Prepare everything in advance, and start the consultation later. Also, there are a lot of patients today. I estimated that we’ll probably be busy until evening, so you had better be prepared mentally.”
“Master, let alone being busy till night, even if I get busy for three days and three nights, I can bear it as long as I can study by your side. Also, I’ve prepared everything appropriately, so we can start at any time,” said Dai Xinyue with a smile.
“Okay, let’s start then!” Tang Xiu smiled.
Yet Dai Xinyue hastily said, “But Master, there’s still half an hour left to the start of the work hours. Didn’t we also wait previously?”
Tang Xiu wore a serious look and said, “You’re my disciple, Xinyue. I don’t want you to be shackled by rules and regulations when you give medical services. Working hours are set by people and can be broken by people as well. As a doctor, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying is a matter of unquestionable moral truth and principle. Saving people is akin to fighting fire, so it’s best to start early and never delay for even half a second.”
Upon hearing the speech, Xinyue quickly said, “I understand, Master.”
Tang Xiu nodded, “Go have a look at the last queue number! After you’re done with it, come back here and report to me how many patients there are. Also, tell the four patients in the front row to come inside when you go out.”
Ten minutes later, after Tang Xiu had diagnosed the first four patients, the total number of patients had also been counted. What made him feel quite relieved was that the number of patients was less than what he imagined, being only 162.
Consultation and treatment! Without stopping.
However, unknown to Tang Xiu, who was currently busy inside the spacious and bright consultation room, a commotion was raised outside. More and more patients and their families rushed to Star City Chinese Medical Hospital along the passing of the day. A lot of people rushed there after hearing that Tang Xiu was performing examinations.
At present, Li Hongji was standing before the window of the President’s Office watching the sea of people in the large courtyard downstairs. His face turned faintly pale. Although he had expected that many people would come to Chinese Medical Hospital due to Tang Xiu, the young divine doctor that was going to give medical services in October, never once had he imagined that so many people would come. His eyes lingered at the front entrance of the hospital for a while, feeling a bad premonition.
Knock, knock…
The door to his office was knocked hard. As the door was pushed open, the Vice-president of the hospital rushed inside and hurriedly spoke, “President, there are too many patients coming to our hospital. Added with their family members, the number of people now exceeds the normal number of visits to our hospital by 10 times. Something major is bound to happen if the situation continues like this.”
Turning his head with difficulty, Li Hongji looked at the Vice President, whose face was full of anxiousness. His lips twitched a few times, as he forced a wry smile and said, “This is a hospital, and those patients are coming here to see a doctor. Can we keep them out? I already know there are too many people. But what can we do since the hospital is already crowded? We have done what we could and even already informed the patients who came later to come back tomorrow, but they keep coming and we can’t stop them!! Do you want me to send security guards to drive them out?”
The Vice President argued in a heavy voice, “President, if it’s not enough and we can’t do anything else, let’s call the police! We have too few security guards to maintain order in the current situation. Please ask the local police station to send a few police officers in order to avoid people being stampeded and any other possible emergencies. They should be able to maintain order.”
Li Hongji was stunned. It was beyond his imagination that his Vice President could present such a proposal. After giving it thought, however, he too felt that it was indeed a good idea. It must be noted that with so many people coming to the hospital, a great calamity would happen should such an incident happen.
“I’m afraid the nearby local police station has their hands full already and won’t be enough to maintain order. Alright, I’ll personally contact the City Council’s leader and ask him to send a large number of policemen to help maintain order. Also, reassign some doctors who have light workloads and call the doctors who are on leave or on vacation. Tell them to help maintain order as well. The public has already recognized our hospital as well as the doctors working here. This is a good thing indeed, but it would be very troublesome if a big incident were to happen in our hospital.”
“Affirmative, Sir. I will do it immediately.” The Vice President turned around and quickly ran outside.
****
At Star City’s Public Security Bureau…
Deng Jianmin was walking toward his office in high spirits. He had been having a relaxed time due to the low incidence of criminal cases recently. Though there had been many cases before that were eventually unsolved, that was in the past. Now he was not under tight scrutiny and tremendous pressure because of those cases anymore.
Perhaps this time next year I will be working in the provincial level bureau, no?
As Deng Jianmin strode into his office, he took out a cigarette and lit it up out of habit. This joyous idea came to him after taking a deep puff. After all, the provincial bureau’s chief accepted his visit, even encouraging him to work more diligently, and saying that he was bound to serve the people later if he went a step further.
It’s a pity, though! I would have enough merit if the previous cases were solved smoothly.
Ring, ring, ring…
The stationery phone rang.
Deng Jianmin came to his desk, grabbed the microphone and said, “Deng Jianmin speaking. May I know who am I speaking with?”
“Chief, the President of Star City Chinese Medical Hospital, Li Hongji, is looking for you. He said that this is an urgent matter. He has already called you, but your phone was off,” a respectful voice was heard from the microphone.
Deng Jianmin took out his mobile phone and found that it was out of battery. He then immediately said, “I see. I’ll call him back later.”
After hanging up, Deng Jianmin recharged his mobile phone. After turning it on, he dialed Li Hongji’s number.
“Hello, President Li, are you looking for me?”
“Yeah! I have something that needs your assistance, Chief Deng. You must help me.”
Deng Jiangmin was a bit surprised. It was really a rare and precious occasion for Li Hongji to actually have something that needed his assistance. After all, the man’s status was quite prominent. A fact that must be noted was that he had been acquainted with Li Hongji for many years, yet he had never been asked for assistance, not even once. After a short time pondering, he smilingly said, “President Li, please tell me what you require my assistance on.”
With a bitter voice, Li Hongji said, “Bureau Chief Deng, the young divine doctor of our Star City Chinese Medical Hospital, Tang Xiu, has come back to the give medical services at our hospital before the 11th holiday. As a result, the patients and their family members came rushing to our hospital, and the number is simply a blast. I’m afraid there would be stampede accidents, as well as troubles created by the patients’ family members. So, can you send a group of policemen to help maintain order?”
Dumbfounded, it was out of Deng Jianmin’s imagination that Li Hongji’s request would unexpectedly be this ridiculous. Was it necessary for the police to maintain order in the hospital just because the place was crowded with people? Wasn’t this too exaggerated?
“About that… are you not joking with me, President Li? You need the policemen from our Public Security Bureau to help maintain order for this kind of situation? Even if there are a bit more patients there, it won’t be to that extent, right?”
“Chief Deng, the number of patients visiting our Star City Chinese Medical Hospital has increased a lot in the past one to two months. However, the number of patients and their families today went beyond ten times that in the past! As of now, not only is the hospital consultation building already crowded with people, even more of them are occupying the courtyard outside. You can send someone to our hospital immediately if you don’t believe me. You will understand when you see it.”
Hesitating due doubtfulness for a short while, Deng Jiangmin then finally nodded, “Such being the case, then so be it! I’ll be coming over there with some of my men, and we’ll talk again after I’ve seen the situation.”
“All right!”
As the call ended, Deng Jiangmin shook his head and was at a loss whether he had to be amused or vexed. Although he was convinced by Li Hongji due to his conduct and personality, he still couldn’t believe that such an exaggerated thing would happen in Star City Chinese Medical Hospital. It was common knowledge that incidents where people got trampled might arise in some major events or activities held in the city. But the patients were going to the hospital to see a doctor, how could it be possible to seal up the entire hospital, anyway?
Immediately after, he brought seven policemen and rushed to Star City Chinese Medical Hospital. When he saw the situation at the Chinese Medical Hospital’s entrance, he stared blankly with disbelief filling his eyes. A huge number of people were crowding the entrance, even spilling out to the roads outside and causing a severe traffic congestion. If not for a dozen or more traffic policemen who had already arrived to clear the road, it would have been extremely difficult for the two police cars to get there.
“This scene is similar to those major events in the city! Li Hongji truly said the truth. It seems that the number of policemen I brought won’t have any effect at all.”
Deng Jiangmin made a phone call, and took along with him several policemen. He quickly got off and ran toward the hospital’s entrance. Even after he arrived near the entrance, it took him and his men ten minutes before being able to squeeze through the entrance. Yet the situation in the courtyard inside made him even more dumbfounded and shocked.
There were too many… there really were too many people here!
Merely inside the range of his vision, there were at least seven thousand people in the entire courtyard outside the hospital. What was more bizarre and ridiculous was that the gaps between vehicles in the parking lot were also full of people.