Gaoliyue stared blankly at the young woman in front of her, who looked like she was barely in her early twenties.
Her face, no larger than a palm, had skin as white and flawless as jade, with a faint, rosy glow. Her large, round eyes slanted slightly at the corners, giving her an unintentionally seductive air. Despite the simplicity of her plain clothing, the tall, shapely figure beneath could not be concealed; her proportions were just right, so stunning that one could not look away.
From the very first moment she saw Mu Qingxuan, Gaoliyue mentally labeled her a "vixen."
And Doctor Xu claimed that this was the woman who had saved Huo Changfeng’s life?
Gaoliyue shook her head. She didn't believe it!
Doctor Xu nodded, seeing nothing unusual in the situation. "That’s right. If Comrade Mu hadn't turned the tide, Director Huo’s condition would likely be extremely critical right now."
Out of consideration for Cui Lirong’s presence, Doctor Xu didn't state it more bluntly. But the implication was crystal clear to everyone in the room: had it not been for Mu Qingxuan’s intervention, the Huo family would likely be preparing Huo Changfeng’s funeral right now.
"Xiao Gao, you started your position today, so you didn't see Comrade Mu treating Comrade Huo yesterday. That is why you have this misunderstanding," Doctor Xu explained. "Truth be told, it wasn't us who pulled Comrade Huo back from the jaws of death through such grueling effort. We cannot claim credit where it isn't due."
These blunt words left Gaoliyue’s face alternating between shades of pale and flushed. Her mouth twitched; it felt as if she had been slapped by an invisible hand, her skin burning with humiliation. She was thankful she was still wearing a face mask, concealing her pained expression.
Doctor Xu looked at Mu Qingxuan, then glanced at the IV drip on the bedside table and asked cautiously, "Comrade Mu, why did you pull the needle from Director Huo?" He carefully chose his words. "Director Huo’s blast injuries are severe; it’s agonizing for him without pain relief."
Mu Qingxuan lowered her gaze slightly. "It’s not that he cannot have painkillers, but that he cannot have Conaflurazepam."
She pointed to the vial on the bedside table. "The main ingredient in the painkiller you are giving Changfeng is Conaflurazepam. But there is a problem with the components of this drug; it is extremely harmful to the human body."
Mu Qingxuan added, "Not just for Changfeng—I suggest that your hospital stop using this painkiller on any patient from now on, or it will eventually lead to grave consequences." Her expression was solemn.
Mu Qingxuan remembered clearly that in her previous life, a national scandal had erupted when it was discovered that Conaflurazepam, the most widely used analgesic in the medical industry, was actually toxic. Many patients had suffered severe neurological damage from the drug, eventually ending up with permanent cognitive impairment or dementia.
The time for that news to break was still far off, and currently, Conaflurazepam was a top-selling, highly regarded painkiller in major hospitals. Mu Qingxuan didn't know if anyone would believe her, but she had made up her mind: even if the staff at the Military Region Hospital wouldn't listen, she would never allow such a drug to be used on Huo Changfeng.
Doctor Xu was stunned, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. "Harmful to the human body? How is that possible?!"
Gaoliyue scoffed, muttering in a low volume that everyone could still hear, "She’ll come up with any lie just to find an excuse for her own actions. Conaflurazepam is a new drug developed abroad; how could there possibly be anything wrong with it?"
Mu Qingxuan looked up in surprise. "Comrade Doctor, your way of thinking is quite problematic."
"Just because Conaflurazepam is produced by foreigners, does that guarantee it’s one hundred percent safe? That’s far too much blind worship of things foreign... Why does this Military Region Hospital have a doctor with such poor ideological tendencies?"
Mu Qingxuan frowned and looked suspiciously at Doctor Xu, her eyes conveying a clear message: *Is this the ideological standard of your Military Region Hospital?*
Doctor Xu’s expression turned serious, and he cast a look of disapproval at Gaoliyue. Regardless of whether Mu Qingxuan’s words were true, Gaoliyue had no business refuting her with that particular argument. If those words got out, it wouldn't just be Gaoliyue’s problem—it could implicate the entire hospital.
He reprimanded her, "Xiao Gao, I really need to educate you properly. When you go back, copy the Great Leader's thoughts and quotations ten times to correct this unhealthy trend!"
Gaoliyue’s pupils contracted. She wanted to argue back, but under Doctor Xu’s sharp glare, she reluctantly nodded and replied, "...Understood."
Doctor Xu turned back to Mu Qingxuan. "Comrade Mu, I believe you are not lying. But for the sake of caution, I need to report this to the Dean so that we can conduct a thorough investigation."
Mu Qingxuan nodded in understanding. "That is only right. But as a family member of the patient, I require the hospital to switch Changfeng to a different painkiller."
"Very well," Doctor Xu noted, adding, "Comrade Mu, you are Director Huo’s primary physician. Please let us know if you have any requirements, and the hospital will cooperate fully with your treatment."
The Military Region Hospital specialized in Western medicine and knew nothing of traditional Chinese medicine. However, given Huo Changfeng’s importance and the pressure from both the Huo family and the Military Research Institute, the hospital doctors were naturally hesitant, fearing their own treatments might conflict with Mu Qingxuan’s methods. After much deliberation, they had resorted to Conaflurazepam, never expecting it to cause such a disaster.
Doctor Xu sighed. He glanced quietly at the expressions of Cui Lirong and Mu Qingxuan. Fortunately, both were dignified women and did not vent their anger on the hospital.
Mu Qingxuan looked toward the hospital bed. Huo Changfeng had been wearing protective gear when he entered the lab, so while the blast wave had burned him, the injuries were not fatal. What actually threatened his life were the toxic gases produced by the explosion of various experimental materials, which Huo Changfeng had inhaled. These gases were damaging his body.
Mu Qingxuan knew she could treat him, but Huo Changfeng would need to remain in the hospital for a short time to recover until he was fully healed.
Cui Lirong understood this as well, so she didn't confront Gaoliyue directly. After Doctor Xu and Gaoliyue left, she suppressed her anger and said gently, "Xuanxuan, you just woke up and haven't eaten yet. Go get something to fill your stomach; I’ll keep an eye on Changfeng here."
Mu Qingxuan touched her empty stomach and nodded like a bird pecking at grain. "Then I’ll leave him to you."
Only after Mu Qingxuan had left the ward did Cui Lirong let out a sigh of relief, rubbing her temples with a headache. She patted the bed and said sharply, "Alright, stop pretending. I know you’ve been awake for a while."
As she finished speaking, the man on the bed, whose eyes had been tightly shut, slowly opened them.