Reluctantly Willing

"Yan Zi, there is a cesarean operation at 3 p.m. and the director said that we should learn alongside him."

The one who spoke was Liu Cheng, one of An Xiaoyan's university classmates. They were both fifth-year students now, less than a month before graduation.

"Sure, let's get ready."

"Yan Zi, your grades are so good, and I benefit by being around you. The director takes you to the clinic and I get to tag along," Liu Cheng said happily with his arm around An Xiaoyan.

"Liu Cheng, don't say that, you are very capable, too."

"You are too modest. You are the only one in the whole school who is accepted into A University to pursue a Master's Degree. Don't be modest. We'll celebrate over drinks after you graduate, my treat!"

At 3 p.m., a woman in her early twenties was rolled into the operating theatre. An Xiaoyan and Liu Cheng followed the director and observed on the side.

"Not good. The mother has signs of massive hemorrhage. You must seal the wound in time to prevent metrorrhagia when the baby comes out."

"All right, director!"

The atmosphere in the operating room suddenly became tense. At this time, a nurse came in and pulled the director aside hurriedly. She told the director that there was a woman in difficult labor that required immediate surgery.

"Xiaoyan, Liu Cheng, you two have been shadowing me for long enough. The two of you will take over and complete the rest of the operation. Just use what I've taught you. Don't be nervous."

After the director left, An Xiaoyan continued to observe the situation and asked, "Liu Cheng, do you think she's having twins?"

"Not likely. The patient didn't tell us that she's having twins. We should seal it up quickly or she might experience massive hemorrhage."

An Xiaoyan thought it sounded reasonable as the case notes did not mention the woman having twins and they were in an emergency situation. He grasped the sewing forceps and sealed up the wound.

The operation took the whole afternoon, both An Xiaoyan and Liucheng were tired out after the operation. They felt like a deflated balloon and slumped in their chairs.

"Yan Zi, you are so smart. You are only 21 years old and you are going to get your Master's Degree. Now you are also the director's assistant."

An Xiaoyan washed his hands with disinfectant and said, "Liu Cheng, you know my family situation. My parents are not in good health. They both look forward to seeing me tend to their health in the future. I have to work hard for their sake."

"Alright, alright. We are going to graduate soon. The school has already sent out a notice that our graduation portrait photo shoot is scheduled next week. I'm starting to imagine how handsome you will look in your baccalaureate gown."

"Not as handsome as you."

"Yan Zi, just for these words, dinner's on me."

"If you say so. I won't stand on ceremony."

"Yan Zi, are you kidding? Do you think we still need to be so polite with each other?"

They were having dinner when a phone call came in. An Xiaoyan gestured to Liu Cheng upon seeing the caller display, then turned his back to answer the phone call.

Before Liu Cheng could chew the piece of meat that he placed in his mouth, he was dragged away by An Xiaoyan.

"Yan Zi, what's wrong?"

An Xiaoyan said nothing and dragged Liu Cheng along to the hospital.

The hospital was in chaos. Seeing the frown on the director's face, An Xiaoyan knew that the situation was more serious than he imagined.

"Xiaoyan, did you check for any fetus in the womb before you sealed up the wound for the mother this afternoon?"

"Director, didn't the case notes indicate that there is only one baby? After you took the baby out, I sealed the wound up immediately."

The director's face turned pale, "You know… There was another baby in her belly. Their lives are in danger and they are in the intensive care unit now!"

An Xiaoyan never thought that he would have made such a terrible mistake. If he had been more careful at that time, he would have checked again and not made such a mistake. Now he could only pray for the safety of both the mother and child.

As the light above the door of the operating room changed from red to green, the doctor came out and shook his head. An Xiaoyan slumped to the ground. He looked down at his hands, as if they were stained with blood. He was a doctor. How could he become a murderer?

Slap! A red handprint appeared on An Xiaoyan's face. A tall man stood beside him.

"You were the doctor who operated in the afternoon, I heard?"

"I am."

"You're An Xiaoyan, aren't you? Wait for the court's verdict. You will pay for hurting my child!"

The staff in the hospital watched An Xiaoyan being slapped in public, but no one came forward to help him. It was indeed An Xiaoyan's fault, and his malpractice might bring unimaginable damage upon the hospital.

"The director is asking for you," the nurse next to him reminded An Xiaoyan.

An Xiaoyan's heart was in a state of confusion. I took someone's life… I'm a murderer... Looking at the back view of An Xiaoyan, Liu Cheng felt a sense of sadness. This should not have been borne by An Xiaoyan.

"Xiaoyan, though I know you didn't mean to do this… After all, you are so capable and still so young…"

"Director, just say what you have in mind, I can take it."

Hearing that, the director did not beat around the bush, "Mr. Gu, the family member of the victim, insists on making this case a criminal case to solve the problem. You must have heard about the social status of the Gu family in our city. The hospital does not want this matter to affect its reputation, so they have decided that you should take full responsibility for the matter. The hospital will have nothing to do with it."

"Director, it's not fair to me! The hospital can't do this."

"Xiaoyan, there is no other choice. You should know that someone has to take the responsibility. You are indeed very capable. But… This is totally unexpected. Had this never happened, you would have definitely become the best doctor."

When An Xiaoyan heard that, he felt as if he had fallen into an icy hole. How could his life be ruined just like this? But he indirectly killed two people. It was indeed his fault…