Little Meteor Chapter 12
byChapter 12: “Good luck with the surgery.”
Jiang Chengxuan’s morning clinic was underway. The calling system announced the next patient, and a woman who looked to be in her early thirties walked in. She kept her head down, her steps slow, accompanied by a man who appeared slightly impatient—likely her husband.
“Where does it hurt?”
The woman’s voice was small and somewhat muffled: “Doctor, I… I feel dizzy, and sometimes I feel nauseous lately.”
Liang Siyuan, the intern writing the medical record beside him, paused. Jiang Chengxuan observed her: “Did you hit your head anywhere?”
The husband quickly interjected: “No, no, she just wasn’t careful, she fell at home and bumped the back of her head. Doctor, just prescribe some medicine.”
Jiang Chengxuan ignored the husband and spoke gently to the female patient: “Lift your head so I can see. Do you remember the exact spot you hit?”
The woman seemed afraid to look directly at Jiang Chengxuan and didn’t speak. Jiang Chengxuan noticed a fading bruise near her hairline on her temple. He stood up and carefully examined her head. There was a slight swelling at the back of her head. When Jiang Chengxuan pressed lightly, the woman subtly gasped and flinched.
“I recommend a head CT scan,” Jiang Chengxuan said, his expression serious. “The dizziness and nausea you mentioned, combined with the head trauma, require us to rule out any minor intracranial bleeding or injury. This is not a small matter.”
“No need, no need!” the husband immediately shouted. “Doctor, just prescribe some anti-dizziness medicine! Why do a CT? It’s expensive and has radiation! She’s just being delicate, it’s not that serious!”
The woman echoed him: “Yes, Doctor, no need for the scan, just prescribe some medicine.”
Jiang Chengxuan looked at the woman and patiently said: “Head injuries can be minor or serious, especially when symptoms appear. Getting a scan is being responsible for your own health.”
“I said no!” The husband cut him off, even stepping forward and pointing at Jiang Chengxuan. “What kind of doctor are you? Insisting we get a scan? We won’t do it!”
Liang Siyuan, standing nearby, couldn’t listen anymore and blurted out: “Our doctor is providing professional advice based on the patient’s injury! Symptoms after a head impact should not be ignored, and your wife’s injury…”
Before he could finish, Jiang Chengxuan quickly glanced at him sideways, and Liang Siyuan’s words caught in his throat.
Jiang Chengxuan withdrew his gaze, his voice devoid of obvious emotion: “I respect your choice. I will write you a prescription, mainly for relieving dizziness and nourishing the nerves. But you must observe carefully. If the headache worsens, if vomiting becomes frequent, if vision blurs, or if one side of the body feels weak, you must come to the emergency room immediately, without a moment’s delay.”
The husband scoffed, snatched the medical record and prescription, grabbed the woman’s arm, and turned to leave, muttering, “So much nonsense, just give us the medicine.”
The woman stumbled as she was pulled along, never daring to look at the doctor again.
The clinic door slammed shut with a bang. Liang Siyuan said angrily: “Professor Jiang! She clearly was… why didn’t you let me speak? Are we just going to let them leave like that?”
Jiang Chengxuan turned to face Liang Siyuan: “You spoke, and then what? Once they leave the hospital, go home, and close the door, who do you think will ultimately bear the consequences of what just happened?”
Liang Siyuan was stunned. He opened his mouth but couldn’t answer immediately.
“But… are we just going to do nothing?”
Jiang Chengxuan smiled and patted his shoulder: “Write the medical record carefully, make it as detailed as possible. That is what we can do for her.”
Liang Siyuan remained dispirited until lunchtime. The Head Nurse, sitting across from him, smiled and teased: “Oh dear, what’s wrong with our little sun today? Run out of energy? Tired from the morning clinic?”
Liang Siyuan sighed: “I just feel like there are many things doctors are powerless to change.”
He didn’t specify what, but this feeling of helplessness is something almost every clinical doctor experiences. The Head Nurse didn’t need to ask. She said, “This is just the beginning. Doctors are human, not gods. We can treat the illness, but often, the root cause isn’t physical.”
Liang Siyuan glanced back at Jiang Chengxuan, who was eating alone in the back, and lowered his voice: “I really admire Professor Jiang for being so calm. If it were me, I would have argued with the patient right there.”
Everyone laughed: “Give it a few more years, and you’ll be as calm as him.”
Although Jiang Chengxuan was known for his gentle nature and good temper, people didn’t particularly enjoy eating with him.
“Don’t look,” the Head Nurse followed his gaze and lowered her voice. “Doctor Jiang likes to be alone. Eating with him is too stressful. It’s so quiet, not a single word. It gives me indigestion.”
Jiang Chengxuan was gentle to people, but that gentleness always carried a certain distance. He wouldn’t ignore anyone; he would respond when necessary and his smile was pleasant, yet people felt they couldn’t get close. His courtesy and politeness seemed more like a habit than a genuine desire for deep connection. Simply put, he maintained basic social interaction, but nothing closer.
Liang Siyuan didn’t mention that he wasn’t like that in front of Screenwriter Shen. The Head Nurse leaned in conspiratorially toward Liang Siyuan’s ear: “Hey, do you know if Doctor Jiang has a girlfriend now? My niece saw him once and hasn’t stopped thinking about him, but I don’t dare ask.”
Someone nearby said, “Doctor Jiang doesn’t like girls, don’t bother.”
“Go on, go on. What if that’s just a rumor? Maybe he just says that because he’s annoyed by people trying to set him up.”
Liang Siyuan chuckled: “Head Nurse, you really shouldn’t pursue this. Professor Jiang has someone he likes.”
The Head Nurse’s eyes immediately lit up. She leaned in, even more curious: “Really? How do you know? Who is it? Is she from our hospital? Tell me!”
Liang Siyuan didn’t dare say too much, only vaguely replied: “He definitely does, but I don’t know who exactly. But your niece definitely doesn’t stand a chance, so don’t worry about it.”
The Head Nurse sighed regretfully: “Ah, what a shame.”
When Jiang Chengxuan finished eating and walked past them with his tray, he noticed they were all looking at him. He paused and smiled: “What are you talking about? You sound so happy.”
The Head Nurse teased: “We’re discussing who might be able to melt the iceberg that is Doctor Jiang.”
Jiang Chengxuan simply smiled at her comment: “What iceberg? I have surgery this afternoon, I should go back and prepare.”
He put away his tray, intending to nap briefly at his desk before the afternoon surgery. But as soon as he closed his eyes, he saw the patient from the morning. When he examined her, he had also seen a purplish finger mark on the side of her neck—likely caused by someone hitting her head after grabbing her neck.
He wasn’t actually that calm.
He sat up straight, rubbed his temples, and tried to dispel the images, but it was futile.
Jiang Chengxuan took out his phone and called Shen Mu.
The phone rang a few times before being answered. The background noise on the other end was a bit chaotic, suggesting he was resting on set.
“Hello?” Shen Mu’s voice came through. “Why are you calling at this hour? Have you eaten? Don’t you have surgery this afternoon?”
Jiang Chengxuan’s frown eased slightly: “I’ve eaten. The surgery starts at two.”
“Oh.” Shen Mu must have found a quieter spot. “Then why aren’t you taking advantage of the time to get some sleep?”
“Can’t sleep.”
“Why can’t you sleep?” Shen Mu paused for two seconds, then asked, “Are you unhappy? Or did something happen?”
“Something did happen,” Jiang Chengxuan chuckled. “I was a little unhappy just now, but hearing your voice makes it much better.”
Shen Mu still couldn’t quite handle Jiang Chengxuan’s directness and remained silent for a while. Fortunately, his takeout arrived just then: “Hold on a second.”
Faint shouts could be heard in the background. Shen Mu’s voice moved away: “Just leave it on that table, thank you.”
After a slight rustling sound, Shen Mu’s voice became clear again: “Just picked up my takeout. I’m starving. Filming is running late today, so lunch was delayed until now.”
Jiang Chengxuan leaned back: “What are you eating?”
“I just ordered pizza, the kind with extra cheese,” Shen Mu took a bite, his voice slightly muffled. “When you’re hungry, you need high-calorie food like this to feel satisfied. What about you? Did you eat at the cafeteria?”
“Mm-hmm,” Jiang Chengxuan replied, listening to the subtle chewing sounds on the other end. “Hearing you talk about it, I suddenly feel like having some too.”
Shen Mu deliberately exaggerated his tone: “Doesn’t Doctor Jiang always advocate for low-salt, low-fat, healthy eating, and look down on junk food like this? In college, I dragged you out for barbecue, and you responded by sending me an abstract of a paper on carcinogens and cardiovascular strain from grilled food.”
“Times change. Indulging occasionally doesn’t seem so bad, especially watching you enjoy it so much.”
“You say that as if you can actually see me.” Shen Mu took another bite of pizza. “It really is delicious. The hot cheese pulls into long strings. I really wish I could share a bite with you.”
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Jiang Chengxuan’s voice held a smile. “Knowing I can’t have any.”
Shen Mu laughed softly, the sound carrying a slight static through the receiver, tickling the ear: “Feeling better now?”
Jiang Chengxuan smiled: “Much better. Didn’t I tell you? Hearing your voice makes it much better.”
“Alright, alright,” Shen Mu said. “You have surgery this afternoon, go rest for a bit. Don’t overwork yourself.”
“I know,” Jiang Chengxuan replied, but didn’t hang up immediately. Shen Mu didn’t either. Silence fell on both ends of the line, broken only by their soft breathing.
“Well… should I hang up?” Shen Mu’s voice softened slightly.
“Yes. You eat well.”
Shen Mu smiled, drawing out the last word in a childish way: “Good luck with the surgery, Doctor Jiang.”