The Doctor's Daughter

My father traveled thousands of miles to perform eye surgery on my classmate, only to have her tear into me in our class group chat the next day: "@You Ruo, your dad is a corrupt doctor! Just for a simple flying knife surgery, he charged our family 20,000 yuan. What a bloodsucker!"

Me: What's going on?

"Besides, I checked, and flying knife surgeries are actually banned in our country now. You'd better return the money to our family immediately!"

To calm the situation, the hospital had no choice but to demote my father.

But six months later, my classmate's right eye developed complications, and my father was the only one in the country who could treat her.

---

Chapter 1

My father is an ophthalmologist at a top-tier hospital.

For as long as I can remember, out of 365 days a year, he works 360 of them. Ordinary people can rest on holidays, especially during Spring Festival, but he's often so busy he can't even make it home.

Standing for five to six hours at a time for surgery, averaging 2-3 operations daily.

By the time I was 20, the number of times my father had been home for the New Year could be counted on one hand.

During my junior high to high school years, except for my senior year, my father led medical aid teams to Tibet every year, gone for half a year at a time.

I remember on my 18th birthday.

My father, who had好不容易 arranged a day off, hadn't even had time to take a bite of lunch when a phone call summoned him back to the hospital.

And because of this lack of time spent together and communication since childhood, my father and I always lacked some of the normal closeness and warmth that should exist between father and daughter. To put it mildly, our relationship was probably only slightly better than that with the neighborhood security guard.

Chapter 2

"You Ruo, You Ruo?"

The voice by my ear pulled my thoughts back from wherever they had flown. I paused the short video explaining medical knowledge.

I turned to look—it was my classmate Du Zhiyao.

I don't know when she had approached, sitting in the seat to my right, her face full of smiles. Was it my imagination, or did her smile seem to hold a bit of humility and eagerness to please?

"Something's up?"

I unconsciously moved some distance away from her.

Du Zhiyao's eyes dimmed for a moment, but she quickly perked up and tentatively asked.

"You Ruo, I heard your father is an ophthalmologist? And a chief physician at a top-tier hospital?"

Hearing this, I glanced at my roommate who was standing not far away, looking guiltily at me and Du Zhiyao.

Since starting college until now, I had only mentioned my father's work once, casually at the beginning of the semester.

I withdrew my gaze from my roommate.

I quickly responded with "Mm," as my answer to Du Zhiyao.

The next second, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she immediately grabbed my hand tightly. When she spoke again, her words became somewhat incoherent.

"That's great, You Ruo, I... can you ask your father for me? My eyes have some problems. My parents took me to many hospitals, and they all said they couldn't treat it. These are my medical records and CT scans. Can you ask your father for me, to see if my eyes can still be saved!"

She was too excited, and her voice grew louder and louder, eventually attracting the attention of everyone in the classroom.

I felt uncomfortable and tried to pull my hand away, but she gripped it tighter and tighter:

"I'm begging you, You Ruo. My grandfather went blind from this condition. I don't want to become blind. Please help me. As long as you're willing to help me, I'll repay you by working like a horse for you!"

Thanks to my lifelong difficulty empathizing with people.

Du Zhiyao's heart-wrenching confession didn't move me at all.

But the other classmates were moved.

"You Ruo, we're all classmates. Your father is a doctor anyway, just help Zhiyao ask."

"Yes, yes, as the old saying goes, saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda!"

"Your father is a doctor, so he must hope there are fewer sick people in the world!"

Everyone spoke up one after another, helping Du Zhiyao.

My roommate, who had looked guilty earlier, also spoke up: "Yes, You Ruo, look how pitiful Zhiyao is. Can you really bear to watch her go blind at such a young age? Your father sees so many patients every day anyway. Looking at one scan is looking, looking at two is looking—it's just a small favor."

I looked at my roommate expressionlessly.

They were experts at being generous with other people's resources.

Chapter 3

Unable to withstand Du Zhiyao's desperate pleas and the moral blackmail from our classmates.

I finally forwarded all the materials she sent me to my father in one go.

With a note: "This is a classmate's scans. If you have time after you're busy, please take a look."

"You're not being serious enough with that message. What if your father doesn't see it or forgets? Send a few more messages."

My roommate, who had peeked at my message, suddenly spoke, her tone carrying some dissatisfaction.

I remained expressionless: "She begged me to ask, I asked. What else do you want from me?"

My roommate choked, her face immediately drooping.

"We're classmates, and she's a patient. What you said is too cold-blooded."

"Besides, you're just asking your father to look at some scans. How much time would that take? The sooner he looks and gives a response, the sooner Zhiyao can feel at ease."

I looked at her, puzzled.

"By your logic, should my father, whether he's doing surgery, rounds, or outpatient consultations, must ignore all other patients and only care about Du Zhiyao?"

My roommate's face turned iron as she glared at me: "We've been classmates for two years. What's wrong with pulling some strings?"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes:

"Fine, then I hope that whenever you're doing anything and someone cuts in line, you not only don't get angry yourself but also persuade the people behind you to be more magnanimous."

My roommate's face darkened, and she slapped the table: "Is something wrong with you! Is this the same thing?"

Du Zhiyao said with a crying tone: "Don't argue, don't argue. It's my fault. Don't argue because of me. I'm sorry, You Ruo. I'm really just too scared. I'm already very, very grateful that you're willing to ask for me. I'm not in a hurry, really not. Wait until Uncle has time to look..."

I remained expressionless: "My father doesn't even know you. Why call him Uncle? Don't pretend to be familiar."

Du Zhiyao choked, then quickly said: "Okay, okay, then thank you, Dr. You."

I don't know whether to say there are more good people or more fools in this world.

After this exchange, classmates who had previously gotten along relatively well with me now looked at me with more complicated expressions.

People are like that—as long as things don't happen to themselves, they mistakenly think they're objective observers.

Chapter 4

Two days later, at noon.

My father called me. Perhaps because this was my first time asking for his help, my father sounded very excited.

"I'm sorry, Ruoruo. Dad has been too busy these past few days, dragging until now to call you. How is your classmate's situation? The CT scan photo is a bit blurry. Ask her if she has clearer ones. Of course, I still recommend that if conditions allow, it's best for her to come in person. No matter how clear the photos are, they're definitely not as convenient as seeing someone face to face."

Me: "She's just a classmate I don't know well. Just take a rough look. Don't delay other patients because of her."

My father laughed: "Whether the relationship is good or bad, as long as they're patients, they're equally important in a doctor's eyes."

Just as I expected.

I sighed mentally in my heart, agreeing to my father's words, chatted a bit more about Du Zhiyao's illness, when someone suddenly called my father to see a patient, and I hung up after my father's repeated instructions.

Afterward, I found Du Zhiyao's contact information and sent her a message, relaying my father's words.

But Du Zhiyao didn't reply until evening.

"Strong Zhiyao: Thank you so much, You Ruo. Wait a moment, I'll go through my album to see if I have any clearer photos!"

Not mentioning going to the hospital at all.

Since she was the one who needed medical treatment, and she didn't mention it, I didn't ask either.

After more than ten minutes.

"Strong Zhiyao: What should I do, You Ruo? I don't have any clearer photos..."

"Strong Zhiyao: That... You Ruo, my parents are usually very busy, and they don't feel comfortable letting me go so far alone for treatment. They want me to ask if your father has time for house calls? If he has time to come over, money is not an issue!"

"Strong Zhiyao: When Yuanyuan mentioned to me that your father was a chief physician at a top-tier hospital, my mom happened to call me and heard. She and my dad were very happy and said they had heard of your father's reputation before, but your father's appointments are too hard to get, and they're too busy, so they never went. Knowing I'm classmates with you, they've wanted to meet you at school, and said if you could invite Dr. You to come here personally to treat me, they could satisfy any wish you have."

Me: "......"

"Me: My father is busy too. If you really want to see him for treatment, just make an appointment."

"Strong Zhiyao: I understand, I understand. Sorry, Ruoruo. My parents are just confused with worry. Dr. You is a chief physician after all, and probably doesn't have much time to travel thousands of miles to treat me."

"Strong Zhiyao: I'm sorry. My parents and I were too presumptuous."

Me: "......"

So sarcastic.

The way she spoke made it sound like my father was unwilling to come because of his status as a chief physician.

Since they had been running to hospitals for treatment, didn't they know that doctors within the system can't easily go to other hospitals for consultations or surgery?

"Me: Okay, if you understand that, I need to study. Not chatting anymore."

"Strong Zhiyao: ...oh, okay"

Chapter 5

I thought after having her warm face met with cold indifference, Du Zhiyao would know when to retreat.

Who knew she would choose to press her advantage.

The next day I received another message from her.

"Strong Zhiyao: That... Ruoruo, can you give me your father's WeChat? My parents mean that if your father can't spare time to come over, then we'll make a video call and let Dr. You look at the scans. Video will definitely be clearer than photos."

"Me: ......"

"Me: It's still the same thing. If you want treatment, make an appointment at the hospital. Our relationship isn't good enough for me to casually give you my father's WeChat."

"Strong Zhiyao: [Bitter][Bitter][Bitter]"

"Strong Zhiyao: Ruoruo, you don't have this illness, so you can't truly understand my feelings. I'm really afraid that one day I'll suddenly go blind. My parents are very worried too. If there were any other way, I definitely wouldn't bother you again and again. But I'm truly desperate, Ruoruo. Please, take pity on me. My parents also said that as long as Dr. You is willing to come, my family can bear all the expenses incurred!"

"Strong Zhiyao: I'm begging you, Ruoruo. Dr. You is my last hope. I promise, I'll only trouble him this time, just this once. Please, help me..."

"Strong Zhiyao: I know, you must be worried that Dr. You coming here will delay his original patients. But those patients are all in the hospital, right? Even without Dr. You, there are other doctors who can treat them, but I have no other doctors besides Dr. You. Ruoruo, I really need Dr. You..."

Annoyed by her messages, I simply muted my phone, adopting an out-of-sight-out-of-mind approach.

As a result...

Du Zhiyao actually called me for a voice chat.

I immediately hung up and sent her a WeChat message in return.

"Me: I've made it very clear. If you want treatment, make an appointment. Don't waste my time."

"Me: Besides, what do you mean other patients are all in the hospital and other doctors can see them? Those patients waited a long time for their appointments. Why should my father give way to you?"

"Me: If you're really so scared and worried, then take action instead of just talking. My father's appointments are hard to get but not impossible. Why are other people willing to wait but you're not? Are you nobler than other patients? If you had never met me, would you just not treat your eyes?"

"Me: I can understand that you're emotionally unstable because of your illness, but don't repeatedly press your advantage. Just because you're sick doesn't mean the whole world must make way for you."

"Strong Zhiyao: That's not it, Ruoruo. I didn't mean that. I just thought... since we're classmates, you certainly wouldn't stand by and watch me suffer. I'm sorry. I misunderstood. I shouldn't have been so one-sided in thinking you'd be willing to help me..."

Here comes that moral blackmail nonsense again?

Well, sorry, but I never fall for that stuff.

"Me: Now you know. We've said less than five sentences to each other in the past two years. Our relationship really isn't that close. And please call me by my full name. We're not that familiar."

Chapter 6

In the end, despite all my precautions, I couldn't stop her.

I don't know where she got my father's WeChat ID, but Du Zhiyao directly added him, claiming to be my good friend in the request message, and even lied that I told her to add him.

After my father accepted her friend request, Du Zhiyao began constantly playing the victim and kept using me as leverage.

And I didn't learn about these things until I saw my father outside the school a week later.

At the dinner table, I frowned at my father.

"Do you believe everything she says? Didn't I tell you before that she's just a classmate I don't know well? You rarely get days off. Why did you fly all this way?"

My father explained: "I didn't come just because of her. Your university is far from home, and you can only go back once or twice a semester. I'm busy, and you might not even see me when you go home on vacation. I thought I'd take this opportunity to see you, and顺便 look at your classmate's eyes."

Seeing I was still somewhat unhappy.

My father smiled: "Don't be angry. Saving lives and healing has always been a doctor's duty. Besides, I came during my day off, so it won't delay seeing other patients."

Me: "Then did her family pay for your plane ticket and hotel fees?"

Earlier, Du Zhiyao had said that as long as my father was willing to come, her parents would cover all expenses.

My father smiled and shook his head: "Dad mainly came to see you. If I really had them buy tickets and book hotels, wouldn't that put seeing my daughter in second place?"

Me: Damn it, even angrier.

Although I had known my father had a benevolent heart for medicine.

But until now, I had never had a personal feeling about this matter.

However, when I was taking my father to the airport the next evening, listening to him talk about Du Zhiyao's eye condition, saying he would continue to follow up on her condition and treatment, and would fly over again during his next day off to perform surgery for her, only then did I truly have a concrete understanding of this.

Getting out of the taxi, I didn't understand his decision and asked: "But you were manipulated by her entire family this time. If they really wanted treatment, they should have gone through proper channels instead of using these underhanded methods."

In the busy terminal building, I frowned and looked at my father standing before me.

After a long while, he suddenly curled the corners of his mouth, then raised his hand to rub my head, his voice gentle yet firm as he said a sentence.

"Wherever I go, and whether the patient needing treatment is male or female, free person or slave, I treat them all equally. Working for their happiness is my only purpose."

My father's eyes calmly met mine.

"This is a line from the 'Hippocratic Oath' that I learned in my first lesson when I entered medical school."

No more words needed to be said—I already understood why my father had made such a decision.

Chapter 7

A month passed quickly.

When early summer arrived, my father again flew from inland to this coastal city, personally performing surgery for Du Zhiyao.

I went to the hospital that day too. Many people were standing or sitting outside the operating room.

But they were waiting for the patient, while I was waiting for the doctor.

A full six-hour surgery.

When the operating room doors opened again, I was the first to look up and saw my father walking out slowly, his face showing fatigue.

But before I could call him, Du Zhiyao's family swarmed around him.

I stood at the very edge of the crowd, listening to my father patiently explaining Du Zhiyao's intraoperative condition and follow-up treatment to them again and again, as if those six hours of surgery had no effect on him at all.

Only when Du Zhiyao, still under anesthesia, was pushed out did my father finally manage to break free.

I walked to my father's side, looking at the sweat beads covering his forehead. After being silent for a long time, I made small talk.

"Are you hungry?"

My father revealed a tired smile, indulgently saying: "Hungry. Let's go, let's eat."

After my father changed clothes, we went to the nearest restaurant to the hospital.

My father, who had flown over during his day off, didn't have much time.

After eating, he hurried to the airport.

This time he didn't let me see him off. We separated at the restaurant entrance. I stood in place, watching his taxi disappear around the corner, then slowly walked toward the subway station.

Through this incident, I seemed to have a clearer and more profound understanding of my father as a person, and the profession he had dedicated himself to.

Saving lives and healing—at this moment, it became tangible.

Chapter 8

After the surgery, Du Zhiyao rested for a long time.

Until summer vacation arrived, I never saw her at school again.

I only learned from Qiao Yuanyuan's occasional conversations with others.

That her postoperative recovery was going very well, and the transplanted cornea showed no signs of rejection.

After the last final exam, I packed my luggage and flew home the same day.

Just as I got off the plane, my phone suddenly kept making WeChat notification sounds. Seeing my mother waiting for me outside the gate, I walked forward while taking out my phone to look.

Before opening WeChat, I assumed it was another school notice, with the class representative tagging all members.

But after opening WeChat, I discovered.

Someone was actually continuously tagging me.

Clicking into the class group, sliding to the top to see the first tagged message, I suddenly frowned and stopped in my tracks:

"Du Zhiyao: @You Ruo, your dad is a corrupt doctor! Just for a simple flying knife surgery, he charged our family 20,000 yuan. What a bloodsucker! Healing and saving lives is a doctor's duty, how could he have the nerve to charge our family so much money!"

"Du Zhiyao: @You Ruo, let me tell you, I've checked. The behavior of top-tier hospital doctors earning extra money by performing surgery elsewhere is within the scope of the country's strict crackdown. You'd better have your father return the money to our family now, or I'll go to court to sue him and make it impossible for him to stay in this profession!"

"Du Zhiyao: @You Ruo, don't think your father is amazing just because he's a chief physician. Someone like him with such a rotten heart shouldn't be permanently kicked out of the medical industry!!"

"Du Zhiyao: @You Ruo, which doctor charges 20,000 yuan for surgery? If I had known your father was so black-hearted, I would have rather let my eyes rot and go blind than have him operate on me! I actually thought he was a good doctor, but he turned out to be such a profit-driven scoundrel! I really misjudged him!"

"Du Zhiyao: @You Ruo, don't pretend to be dead and ignore me. Hurry up and return the money to me, or I'll report him now!"

Immense anger mixed with belated confusion surged through me.

What the hell was wrong with her?!

Chapter 9

Du Zhiyao stirred up a thousand waves with one stone. In the class group, Qiao Yuanyuan was the first to speak up.

"Yuanyuan: Oh my god, one surgery costs 20,000 yuan? That's too black-hearted, isn't it? No wonder people say doctors earn the most money, especially those from top-tier hospitals, easily earning six figures a month, let alone someone at You Ruo's father's level—can it reach seven figures? [Smirk]"

Within two minutes, more than ten people popped up in the group, standing on Du Zhiyao's side, viciously cursing at doctors.

I was so angry my vision kept darkening. It wasn't until my mother saw me standing still for a long time and came over to call me that I forced myself to calm down.

To prevent my mother from seeing the group messages, I put my phone on silent.

Not until I got home, told my mother I was tired and needed to sleep first, and returned to my bedroom did I open WeChat again.

The nearly two-hour journey.

The unread messages in the group had already soared to 999+.

I took a deep breath and clicked into the group chat.

In the class group at this moment, Du Zhiyao played the victim, while others played righteous passersby, enthusiastically cursing at doctors, nurses, and the domestic medical system.

"Chief physician, who knows if he got there through connections or bribery. Taking such unscrupulous money, are you earning money for your own coffin?"

"Where are there still doctors who save lives and heal the wounded these days? All they talk about is money, money, money. Disgusting."

"Ordinary doctors charge at least 500 red envelopes per surgery, let alone someone like him who's a chief physician. That must be super-multiplied, right?"

"Just look at all the brand names You Ruo wears. How could her father be a good doctor?"

"Drawing a salary, taking red envelopes, earning flying knife fees—no wonder Mr. Lu Xun said studying medicine can't save the country, because doctors are the most conscienceless things!"

"Aren't they afraid of divine retribution for taking such unscrupulous money?"

"......"

There were forty-three classmates in the group, and more than half had joined in this siege against my father.

But I wasn't in the mood to argue with these scoundrels right now.

I read Du Zhiyao's few tagged messages over and over again.

I quickly typed a line in the input box and clicked send.

"@Du Zhiyao, wasn't it you who cried and begged my father to fly here to treat you? Wasn't it you who didn't value other patients' lives and insisted my father ignore everyone else and only treat you? Wasn't it you who added my father's WeChat without permission and harassed him day and night playing the victim? Wasn't it you who promised to cover all expenses as long as my father was willing to come? Wasn't it you who was desperate and said only my father could save you? Right?"

Chapter 10

I spoke to the facts, but Du Zhiyao argued illogically.

"Du Zhiyao: Right now I'm only talking about your father taking our 20,000 yuan in black-hearted money! Stop bringing up other things!"

"Du Zhiyao: Your father is a doctor! Healing and saving lives is his duty. It's just one surgery—how much effort could it cost? To open his mouth so wide like a lion? For money, he doesn't even want conscience anymore, and he still dares to call himself a doctor? Is he worthy of being a doctor?"

"Me: Just tell me if the surgery my father performed on you was successful or not."

"Du Zhiyao: That's two different things! I just think your father shouldn't have ripped me off knowing we're classmates!"

"Me: Fine, since you insist my father's 20,000 yuan was black-hearted money, then let me calculate it properly for you today."

"Me: Because of your illness, my father spent over 10,000 yuan just on round-trip plane tickets, plus three to four thousand in food and accommodation expenses. Before your surgery, my father worked overtime, staying up late adjusting the surgical plan according to your various physical indicators. For a month after surgery, my father followed up on your recovery situation, and later flew over several times in person to confirm your recovery in person."

"Me: Even just considering the toll your damn illness took on his body and energy, do you think that can be measured by money? Saying 'black-hearted doctor' with every breath—who's really black-hearted, you know in your heart."

"Du Zhiyao: Did I ask him to take a plane? He could have come by train, but he insisted on taking a plane!"

"Me: Do you have a brain? Do you think my father, a doctor, usually has nothing better to do than wait for your highness to summon him? By train? Do you even know how long it takes to get from Beijing to Guangzhou by train, yet you speak so casually?"

"Du Zhiyao: But he's a doctor! Going through fire and water for patients is his duty! Without even this bit of compassion, someone like him with no medical ethics and no conscience doesn't deserve to be a doctor at all!"

"Me: So you mean doctors should all just drink the northwest wind and starve to death, is that it?"

"Du Zhiyao: Stop talking nonsense! I'm just saying that since your father is a doctor and has a salary, then no matter where he performs surgery, it should be benchmarked against his local salary! Otherwise, he's taking black money!"

"Du Zhiyao: Besides, I just said, doctors flying to other places for flying knife surgeries is against regulations. If your father doesn't return the money, I can completely report him to the hospital where he works, and even sue him in court!"

"Du Zhiyao: @You Ruo, I thought since we were classmates, you would at least consider our classmate relationship, but I never expected you to be so unable to distinguish right from wrong!"

"Du Zhiyao: @You Ruo, I'll say this much today. If I don't receive your father's refund by tonight, I won't just report him and sue him—I'll also post this online, letting the whole country see your father, the famous top-tier hospital ophthalmologist, the high-ranking chief physician, for what kind of profit-driven black-hearted person he really is!"

"Me: [Smile]"

I've seen shameless people, but never this shameless.

So she planned to freeload from the beginning, but clearly her family's financial situation was very good—they weren't lacking money at all!

Since this wasn't my personal matter, after exiting WeChat, I directly called my father.

Fortunately, he wasn't in surgery at the moment.

We had a brief conversation, and I went out to catch a taxi to the hospital.

Chapter 11

It happened to be lunchtime.

My father took me to the hospital cafeteria for a meal.

"Then just return the money to her."

After listening to me explain the whole situation, my father sighed helplessly.

Due to his profession, he had seen countless bizarre patients—even the medical disputes I knew about, he had experienced more than I could count on one hand.

Perhaps for him, Du Zhiyao's ridiculous operation might only count as small potatoes.

But I didn't want to swallow this insult.

"No."

I kept a straight face, poking my chopsticks in the rice.

My father gently tapped the back of my hand with the other end of his chopsticks: "Eat properly."

I pressed my lips together and put down my chopsticks, looking up at him.

"If—this is hypothetical—if we don't return the money, what's the worst consequence you might face?"

After a moment of silence, my father said seriously.

"Based on no medical errors occurring and the patient's subsequent recovery being good, with relevant expense receipts on hand as evidence—first, this flying knife surgery doesn't count as illegal conduct. Second, even if the hospital investigates, the most severe estimate would be suspending me with pay, and after the situation calms down, having me return to work at the hospital."

I twirled my fingers, the words I wanted to say to him stuck in my throat, unable to come out.

As if seeing what I was thinking, my father's voice carried encouragement: "It's okay, say whatever you want to say."

Looking at the gentle-faced father before me, I hesitated again and again, but finally said what was in my heart.

"Dad, I don't want to return this money to her."

"She said she wants to report you, to post these things online and incite netizens to cyberbully you—then I want to make her reap what she sows."

From the very beginning, it was she who wanted to take shortcuts and morally blackmail my father, which caused him to spend time and energy, flying thousands of miles to treat her.

But after her eyes were cured, she bit my father in return.

Why should she be able to, with just a few words from her mouth, not only erase my father's efforts but also try to smear him with the label of a corrupt doctor?

Previously, out of respect for my father's medical benevolence, I tolerated her outrageous actions.

But she insisted on repeatedly coming to provoke me.

Then don't blame me for settling accounts with her later.

Chapter 12

My father looked at me with a complex expression.

"You should know, Ruoruo. Dad has been a doctor for so many years, and I've always felt that as long as I have a clear conscience, that's enough. As for patients' evaluations of me... I stopped caring long ago."

I exhaled, feeling my heart drop into my stomach.

When my father said he didn't care, did he really mean he was so broad-minded that he didn't mind, or was it because he had been hurt too many times that he had no choice but to care?

For so many years, he had never once been negligent with any patient, spending more time and energy on them than on his family.

He went to Tibet again and again, not for the resume-polishing that others spoke of.

He just wanted to reduce the number of patients suffering from eye diseases and harmed by blindness in this world.

Whether to me and my mother he was a qualified father and husband.

But to all the patients he treated, he was the most dedicated and responsible doctor.

He shouldn't be hurt by rumors, nor should he bear undeserved accusations.

Countless words to persuade him flashed through my mind, but only three words came out.

"I care."

My father's expression froze, his eyes gradually widening, filled with surprise and astonishment I had never seen before.

I took a deep breath and repeated: "Dad, I care."

I care that his medical benevolence was wounded.

I care that his adherence to the Hippocratic Oath was slandered.

I care that his dedication to patients was smeared.

He never should have suffered any of this.

Time passed bit by bit.

In my father's astonished eyes, gradually emerged faint smiles, and his eyes reddened as if stained by sunset.

After a long while, he finally spoke, his tone somewhat guilty, his voice carrying undisguisable choking.

"Good, then we won't return the money to her."

He said: "Ruoruo, do what you want to do. Dad can bear any consequences."

【The End】