After her dramatic cousin stopped acting up, the aloof doctor got anxious.

Shen Ruo walked to the bedside, picked up the oral medication booklet on the bedside table, looked at it, and then checked the infusion card to confirm that the information was correct.

She looked down at Chen Lele, her voice soft and gentle, "Lele, it's time to take your medicine. Have you had breakfast?"

Chen Lele nodded vigorously, "I ate it. Mom bought millet porridge, and I drank a big bowl of it."

Shen Ruo smiled. "Great! Remember, wait half an hour after eating before taking your medicine, okay?"

Chen Lele patted her little chest. "Don't worry, nurse, I have a great memory. My teacher always praises me. I finished my millet porridge at 7:30 and took my medicine at 8:00, right?"

Shen Ruo glanced at her with some surprise.

For a five-year-old to remember these things is quite clever.

She smiled and pinched Chen Lele's little nose, "Our Lele is so smart, she remembered them all correctly."

Chen Lele didn't flinch when her nose was pinched; instead, she cheerfully grabbed Shen Ruo's hand.

She looked up at Shen Ruo, her star-like eyes suddenly dimmed, and her voice lowered.

"Nurse, could you please tell my mom that I'm almost better and can be discharged?"

Shen Ruo was taken aback. "Why? You still need to take medicine and be hospitalized for observation for a few days."

Chen Lele lowered her head and said in a voice so soft it was barely audible, "Mom doesn't have enough money."

Shen Ruo felt a dull ache in her heart, as if something had struck her.

She crouched down to be at Chen Lele's eye level, and asked softly, "Did your mother tell you this?"

Chen Lele shook her head, looked up at Shen Ruo, and then lowered her head again.

"When I was sleeping, my mother thought I was asleep. She called my father and asked him to transfer money. My father scolded my mother and said that since we were divorced, he would no longer care about our lives. My mother cried for a long time."

The little girl's eyes were red, but she didn't cry.

Those eyes lacked the carefree innocence of a five-year-old, instead displaying a prematurely mature caution.

Shen Ruo didn't know how to comfort her for a moment.

She reached out and touched Chen Lele's hair without saying a word.

The door was pushed open, and a woman hurried in.

Shen Ruo turned her head to look.

That's the woman who was squatting on the ground covering her face while making a phone call around the corner just now.

She had deep dark circles under her eyes, her lips were chapped, and she looked very haggard.

Her clothes were a bit old, but very clean.

The cuffs of the jacket were frayed and the trousers had pilling at the knees.

She was carrying a plastic bag containing several steamed buns, which she had probably just bought.

"Lele, Mommy's home."

Lele's mother smiled gently at her daughter.

Seeing Shen Ruo standing by the bed, she quickly bowed slightly. "Hello, nurse, is it time to take your medication?"

Shen Ruo nodded and briefly explained Chen Lele's medication situation.

"Take the medicine half an hour after meals. It's almost time now. Watch her drink it. Antibiotics may cause some gastrointestinal reactions. If she feels nauseous or has diarrhea, call us immediately."

Lele's mother listened and nodded.

As Shen Ruo left, she glanced down at Chen Lele.

The little girl was looking up at her, her eyes full of pleading.

Shen Ruo smiled at her, said nothing, and turned to leave the ward.

A five-year-old child with pneumonia can have serious consequences.

The doctor's decision to admit the patient is definitely based on the condition.

You can't discharge your child prematurely just because you don't have enough money. If the condition recurs, you'll end up spending even more money and your child will suffer even more.

But how can I help her?

Pay for it yourself?

She could afford two thousand yuan, but this wasn't a one-time issue.

I paid for her treatment today, but what about the subsequent medical expenses?

Lele's mother had to beg and plead to borrow even two thousand yuan, and what was her status in giving the money?

Nurse?

The department has a rule that we cannot have any financial dealings with patients.

Shen Ruo returned to the nurses' station, sat there, and frowned.

Zhou Lan returned with a water glass and, seeing her like that, kicked the leg of her chair. "What are you doing? You look like you've lost money this morning."

Shen Ruo sighed. "Zhou Lan, I have a question for you."

"explain."

"Does the hospital have any kind of...poverty relief or something? Like, the kind for people who can't afford medical treatment."

Zhou Lan put down her water glass, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Yes, what's wrong?"

Shen Ruo explained Chen Lele's situation.

After listening, Zhou Lan didn't act as playful as usual, but nodded and said, "I know, Lele's mom."

Shen Ruo was taken aback. "You knew?"

"Last night, Lele had a high fever and was hospitalized. She needed to pay a deposit, but she couldn't. What could possibly gossip out of me, the Gossip King?"

"Her husband divorced her, didn't pay a penny in child support, and blocked all her contact methods. She does odd jobs, working as a promoter in a supermarket, and doesn't earn much money a day."

After listening, Shen Ruo asked, "How do I apply for that poverty relief?"

"Filling out forms at the medical affairs department takes at least half a month to complete the whole process."

"Half a month?"

Shen Ruo frowned. "Lele is currently hospitalized. If her condition improves, she can be discharged in a few days. Half a month is too slow."

Zhou Lan's eyes darted around, and she stealthily approached Shen Ruo.

Shen Ruo stepped back slightly and asked her, "What are you thinking about?"

"There's a shortcut, do you want to take it?"

"What shortcut?"

"Wei Jing, the vice dean, likes you."

Shen Ruo frowned slightly: "So?"

"You should invite him out for a meal. He'll be obligated to pay for your meal. If you mention Lele to him and he agrees, the rest of the paperwork will be done quickly, right? It'll be all taken care of within three days."

Shen Ruo was stunned for a moment, looking at Zhou Lan's smiling face, and couldn't say a word for a long time.

Zhou Lan felt a little uneasy under her gaze, and touched her face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Shen Ruo's expression was indescribable, her lips twitching. "You want me to sell my body? Aren't you going to pursue Wei Jing? If I ask him out, won't you be jealous?"

Zhou Lan smiled and said, "Why are you jealous? I don't really like him. I just like his face and his excellent genes. If you can win him over, it will save me a lot of trouble. I can just borrow the kids to play with in the future. But seriously, Lele's matter is indeed urgent. You should think about it."

Shen Ruo sighed, realizing she could never keep up with her sisters' thought processes.

But she had to admit that Zhou Lan was right.

Wei Jing is the vice president, in charge of the medical affairs department, and the poverty relief work falls under his jurisdiction.

If he agrees, the process will indeed be much faster.

Shen Ruo bit her lip, picked up her phone, and opened Wei Jing's chat window.

[Vice Dean Wei, are you free tonight? I'd like to invite you to dinner; thank you for the Japanese food last time.]

Wei Jing was signing documents in his office when his phone vibrated.

He picked it up and looked at it, and his mouth slowly opened into a grin.

He grabbed his phone and strode towards the orthopedics department.