316-320

Chapter 316: The Manor's Doors Are Always Open for You

 "How could this happen?"  

Lily murmured, "Things weren't supposed to be like this..."  Adam let out a cold smirk.  

Was that even a question? 

Don’t ask!  

"No, no! He's not okay at all!"  

As the crowd fell silent, a voice filled with suppressed anger suddenly rang out from not far away.  

It was Dr. Miranda Bailey—nicknamed "The Nazi"—yelling at a group of obvious "Death Baby Derby" racers.  

"He deliberately threw himself at full speed onto the concrete road!"  

Seeing that the group remained unfazed, still grinning and joking around, Dr. Bailey grew even angrier. She pointed at them and shouted, "I know you punks, with your piercings, tattoos, and drug habits, think you're indestructible! If you want to throw yourselves onto the pavement and die, be my guest!  

Go ahead!  

But other people still need to walk, drive, and survive on that road. Today, because of your madness, two people died, and countless others were severely or lightly injured!"  

"Dr. Bailey."  

Meredith quickly intervened, worried that Bailey’s outburst would get her in trouble.  

Dr. Bailey took a deep breath, realizing she had lost her temper. She cast one last cold glance at the racers before turning and walking away.  

Watching her leave, Adam felt his previous irritation—caused by her refusing to let him into the operating room—completely dissipate.  

In this entire hospital, she was the only one bold enough to openly berate those reckless racers.  

That kind of courage earned Adam’s respect.  

Even if her words had no real effect—the racers clearly remained unmoved.  

"You guys should go check on Barney."  

After saying this to Lily and the others, Adam also turned to leave.  

He still had unfinished business.  

In the Operating Room 

A large group of medical staff had gathered.  

Dr. Burke was leading the procedure. First, he carefully removed the heart from the brain-dead patient. Then, one by one, he extracted other organs. Each time an organ was taken out, a staff member stepped forward with a refrigerated container to collect it.  

Once the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, corneas, and several patches of skin had been removed, Dr. Burke stepped away, leaving only Liz and the deceased with an open chest cavity in the operating room.  

"Liz?"  

Cristina paused, looking at Liz in surprise.  

"I want to stitch him up—for his family."  

Liz picked up a suturing needle.  

A flicker of sorrow crossed Cristina’s eyes as she recalled the man’s wife and daughter crying in despair. She hesitated, then chose to stay.  

"I'll do it."  

Adam pushed the door open and entered. "My sutures are a little better."  

Liz and Cristina exchanged glances before silently stepping aside.  

In this atmosphere, even someone as competitive as Cristina had no desire to fight for the task. They both knew Adam's suturing skills were superior.  

Adam did his best, meticulously stitching up the deceased, ensuring he was restored to the most dignified state possible.  

In the Hospital Lobby 

After the surgery, Adam found the deceased’s wife and daughter in the lobby. He spoke gently, "Mrs. Davidson, if you’d like to see him, he’s ready."  

Mrs. Davidson forced a smile, took her young daughter’s hand, and followed Adam to the operating room.  

The moment she saw her husband lying lifeless on the surgical table, she could no longer hold back her grief. Clutching her daughter, she broke down in uncontrollable sobs.  

That very morning, they had kissed each other goodbye before he left. Their daughter had playfully clung to her father, their life filled with happiness.  

But within just a few hours, she received the devastating news. Now, death had torn them apart forever.  

She had lost the love of her life.  

Her daughter had lost the father who adored her.  

Their mortgage and car payments were still unpaid.  

She was just a housewife—how could she support their daughter alone?  

Soon, the bank would repossess their home and car, leaving them homeless.  

Though she had agreed to donate her husband's organs out of goodwill, a part of her decision was also driven by the harsh reality of funeral costs.  

A funeral, including a burial plot, would cost at least $10,000 to $20,000. But by donating his organs or opting for cremation, she could save a significant amount of money.  

It was a bitter truth—dying was expensive.  

However, as a Christian, she believed in burial traditions.  

In the end, Mrs. Davidson couldn't bring herself to cremate her husband or donate his entire body. She decided to give him a proper funeral, no matter the cost.  

Her daughter needed a chance to say goodbye to her father.  

Thinking of this, she couldn't stop crying.  

Adam stood quietly beside them.  

He knew that no words could ease their pain—only tears could bring even the slightest relief.  

He had already asked his assistant to investigate the Davidson family's situation, and now, he understood their struggles even more.  

A Phone Call 

Just then, Mrs. Davidson’s phone rang.  

"Hello?"  

"Hello, is this Mrs. Davidson? This is the Ellis Charity Foundation. We were deeply saddened to hear about your husband's passing."  

"Thank you. Why are you calling me?"  

"Our foundation selects families for assistance each year, and we've learned about your situation.  

After review, we've decided to include your family in this year’s donation program. We will provide you with a $50,000 charity grant to help cover funeral expenses and support your living costs for a while.  

Additionally, if you're interested in finding work, we can offer job training and help you secure employment."  

Mrs. Davidson was stunned. She couldn't believe such good fortune was suddenly being offered to her. Clutching her daughter tightly, she hesitated, "Is there... any catch?"  

"None at all. Please don’t worry—we are a legitimate charity organization. You can verify our credentials at City Hall before deciding whether to accept our assistance. One of our representatives will reach out to you soon."  

"Thank you!"  

Realizing it wasn’t a scam and that no unreasonable conditions were attached, Mrs. Davidson felt overwhelmed. Perhaps her husband’s spirit was watching over them, pleading with God to send them a blessing. Choking up, she repeatedly expressed her gratitude.  

In Western culture, where many people are religious, this kind of "miracle and hope" could bring immense comfort.  

Her husband must have been "worthy" in God's eyes—surely, he had made it to heaven.  

That thought alone provided her with some solace.  

"Congratulations."  

Adam, standing beside her, smiled warmly.  

"Thank you."  

Tears streamed down Mrs. Davidson’s face as she held her daughter close.  

Grief and joy, so closely intertwined.  

A Quiet Call 

Adam smiled as he left, stepping into a secluded area before dialing a number.  

"Thank you, Caroline."  

On the other end of the line, his ex-girlfriend—"America’s Female Captain," Caroline Ellis—chuckled. "I should be the one thanking you."  

"Thanks to your donation, we can help even more people."  

Adam smirked.  

With Caroline’s integrity and professionalism, she was the perfect person to quietly channel his donations to those in need.  

All he had to do was send the money.  

"Come visit sometime?"  

Caroline extended the invitation.  

"Would that be appropriate?"  

Adam teased.  

There was a pause before Caroline replied seriously, "The doors of the Ellis Manor will always be open for you."  

Chapter 317: A Man’s Words  

Medical Center 

Emergency Room  

Nightfall  

“…He swallowed it as soon as he got it.”  

A young woman brought her five- or six-year-old son to the ER, saying that as soon as he got hold of a key, he put it in his mouth and swallowed it.  

“We need to take an X-ray first.”  

Adam reassured her, “Don’t worry, in most cases, it will pass through his system naturally when he has a bowel movement.”  

“I know.”  

The young woman held her forehead, looking distressed. “I just don’t understand why he did it.”  

“We can ask him.”  

Adam turned to the little boy. “Jimmy, why did you do that?”  

“Because…”  

Little Jimmy had just started to answer, still trying to find the right words, when his impatient mother cut him off.  

“See? He’s completely irrational.”  

“Mrs. Edmonds, let Jimmy speak at his own pace.”  

Adam reminded her, “With children, we need to be more patient.”  

“That’s easy for you to say.”  

The woman retorted, “Try being a single mom yourself! I have to work and take care of him. How could you possibly understand how hard it is?”  

“Jimmy, why did you do that?”  

Ignoring the woman’s complaints, Adam kept his focus on the boy.  

Arguing with a woman was best avoided. Arguing with a female patient was foolish. Arguing with a single mother who brought her child to the hospital? That was the height of stupidity.  

“I saw it on TV.”  

Jimmy tilted his head.  

“Saw what?”  

Adam’s instincts kicked in.  

“They put things in their mouths… all the way in.”  

Jimmy’s eyes sparkled with excitement.  

“What were you watching?! Who let you watch that?!”  

The woman instantly erupted, “I’m firing Nancy the moment we get home!”  

“Take it easy.”  

Adam calmed her down and turned back to Jimmy. “What you saw wasn’t real. They didn’t actually put those things in their mouths and swallow them—it was just an illusion. You shouldn’t try to copy them, okay?”  

Jimmy’s eyes darted around, clearly not convinced.  

“Mrs. Edmonds, you’ll need to educate him properly when you get home.”  

Adam resisted the urge to perform a magic trick on the spot and instead took a more measured approach. “He shouldn’t be watching those kinds of shows, and you should also make sure no one performs magic tricks in front of him. At this age, kids don’t have strong judgment skills, but they are very good at imitating.  

“There was a case before where an older brother performed a ‘coin from the ear’ trick for his baby sibling. The baby then developed a habit of stuffing anything he could get his hands on into his nose. He had to come to the hospital repeatedly. It’s a very dangerous behavior.”  

“Are you saying Jimmy might do the same?”  

The woman immediately became anxious.  

“That was a baby. Jimmy is old enough to understand if you educate him properly. The key is paying close attention to him.”  

Adam quickly explained.  

The woman still looked overwhelmed.  

Adam understood.  

Raising mischievous children had always been a major challenge. Most parents lacked the necessary skills and patience. In her case, being a single mother with limited time made it even harder.  

It was a common issue, and Adam could only sympathize.  

After taking Jimmy for an abdominal X-ray, they found exactly what they expected—a key-shaped object in his stomach. Adam advised the woman to monitor Jimmy’s bowel movements and then moved on to his next patient.  

A teenage girl was sitting on a hospital bed, holding her stomach, looking dazed.  

“Lower left abdominal pain?”  

Adam asked while examining her. Looking at her young face, he sighed internally.  

The girl avoided his gaze, blushing slightly, and nodded.  

“You’re pregnant.”  

Adam delivered the bombshell.  

“I’m not pregnant.”  

The girl shook her head immediately.  

“Even if there was no penetration, even if he told you, ‘I’ll just rub it, I won’t go in,’ you can still get pregnant.”  

Adam reminded her.  

“I’m not pregnant.”  

The girl shook her head again.  

“Miss Murphy.”  

Adam noticed the flicker in her eyes when he repeated that common excuse men use. Clearly, she had heard something similar before. He pressed on, his tone firmer: “If you are pregnant, it could be an ectopic pregnancy. If left untreated, it could become life-threatening. Do you understand?”  

“I’m not pregnant.”  

The girl repeated like a broken record.  

Snap!  

Adam closed the medical chart, took a deep breath, and asked in a serious tone, “Can you tell me the last time you got your period?”  

“I don’t remember.”  

She shook her head.  

“Just give me an estimate.”  

Adam continued.  

The girl hesitated but finally answered, “Easter.”  

“So it’s been several months.”  

Adam looked at her intently. “Now do you understand why I suspect you might be pregnant?”  

The girl fell silent.  

“So you have been sexually active?”  

Adam asked again.  

“Yes.”  

This time, the girl answered truthfully.  

“I’m ordering an ultrasound for you.”  

Adam warned, “If it confirms an ectopic pregnancy, you will need immediate surgery.”  

This time, the girl didn’t refuse.  

Adam shook his head internally.  

Hospitals were full of patients from all walks of life, with bizarre and shocking stories.  

Many of these stories challenged common sense. As an ordinary person, one might be tempted to criticize.  

But as a doctor, he had to remain professional and treat everything as routine.  

Allowing personal emotions to interfere could easily lead to complaints—or even lawsuits.  

Healing people was a noble calling, but the first rule was to protect oneself.  

As the saying goes: Being an honest official requires more cunning than being a corrupt one!  

The more tricks you know to protect yourself, the more good you can do.  

Adam firmly believed this.  

Ring!  

Adam’s phone rang.  

“Adam, can you book the Grand Plaza Hotel for a wedding reception on August 12th?”  

Leonard’s voice came from the other end.  

“I’ll try. Shouldn’t be a problem.”  

Adam immediately guessed it was about Rachel’s wedding. As a friend in more ways than one, no matter how tight the schedule or difficult the task, he would do his best.  

And as a billionaire, if he really wanted to make it happen, he probably could.  

“Who’s getting married?”  

Adam still played along and asked.  

“Rachel is getting married!”  

Leonard sounded excited. “She’s pregnant—I’m going to be a grandfather!”  

“Congratulations.”  

Adam immediately offered his best wishes.  

Among the Green family’s three daughters, Rachel was the eldest, already past thirty, and still unmarried. The second daughter, Amy, and the youngest, Jill, weren’t even close.  

Leonard was nearly sixty. If he didn’t long for a grandchild, it would go against human nature.  

Hollywood and American TV often portrayed characters who cared only about love and friendships while ignoring family. But that was because those shows were targeted at younger audiences, shaping their narratives accordingly.  

Americans were still human, and family and lineage were just as important to them.  

Leonard was clearly one of those people. After his initial anger over Rachel’s pregnancy, all that remained was joy—he couldn’t wait to give her the best of everything.  

Truly, no parent in the world is without love for their child.  

Chapter 318: The 2:30 AM Cook  

Restaurant.  

Phoebe and Rachel sat at the dining table, taking advantage of Leonard’s absence to argue with each other.  

"I can’t believe your dad thinks I’m a lesbian and that I’m the father of your baby! I actually thought he was kind and was considering letting you leave early," Phoebe complained.  

"Hey! That’s not the point!"  

Rachel waved a hand in front of Phoebe’s face to refocus her. "I just lied to my dad! I’m not actually going to marry Ross. What do I do now?"  

"Relax."  

Phoebe waved dismissively. "You’re a grown woman, and you’re already pregnant. What’s he going to do? Make you eat your baby the way he used to threaten to make you eat an entire pack of cigarettes when you smoked?"  

Rachel glared at her.  

"Alright, alright."  

Phoebe chuckled. "Just tell him the truth later."  

"Weren’t you listening?"  

Rachel looked horrified. "Didn’t you see the way he gritted his teeth when he thought his first grandchild might be illegitimate? It was terrifying!"  

"Hah! I have an idea!"  

Phoebe clapped her hands. "If you’re too scared to tell him, just let your baby do it! Wait until the kid grows up and suddenly appears in front of your dad—what a surprise that’ll be!"  

"That’s not a surprise; that’s a heart attack waiting to happen!"  

Rachel rolled her eyes.  

"How about letting Adam tell him?"  

Phoebe grinned. "They’re best friends, after all. Plus, they work together at the hospital now."  

Rachel’s eyes lit up.  

That sounded a lot better than leaving a voicemail.  

Better him than her, right?  

"Good news for you."  

At that moment, Leonard returned from his phone call, looking pleased. "I just spoke to Adam. He said there’s a good chance he can book The Plaza for your wedding reception!"  

"…!"  

Rachel’s smile froze.  

Adam was clearly taking Leonard’s side. There was no way she could count on him to break the news.  

"Looks like someone played their cards better," Phoebe teased.  

"What are you two whispering about?" Leonard asked, confused.  

"Nothing…"  

Rachel considered looking for another ally, but when she met Phoebe’s amused gaze, she took a deep breath and blurted out, "Dad, I lied about the wedding."  

"What?!"  

Leonard’s voice echoed through the restaurant.  

Rachel shrank back, especially when she noticed people around them turning to stare. She covered her face and whispered, "Dad, keep your voice down…"  

"Why?! Why aren’t you getting married?! Is it because that idiot Ross doesn’t want to?!"  

Leonard’s voice only grew louder.  

"Yes!"  

Rachel’s eyes lit up as she played the victim. "It’s Ross!"  

"That bastard!"  

Leonard shot to his feet. "I’m going to kill him!"  

"Don’t kill him, just yell at him a little!"  

Rachel called after Leonard’s retreating figure without much sincerity.  

"That was smooth," Phoebe said, giving Rachel a thumbs-up.  

"Did I do something wrong?"  

Rachel asked indignantly. "If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be pregnant and dealing with my dad’s pressure to get married! Why should I be the only one facing my father’s wrath?"  

"Fair point!"  

Phoebe nodded in agreement.  

The Next Day 

4:30 AM.  

"Bianca, Bianca."  

Adam gently nudged the sleeping Bianca.  

"What do you want?"  

Bianca muttered without opening her eyes. "I can’t do this anymore. Go wake up Iliad or someone else."  

"…"  

Adam paused for a second before nudging her again. "Time for work. Starting today, we’re on a 5 AM to 7 PM schedule. Someone’s probably already at the hospital.  

You don’t want all the good cases to be taken, do you? If they impress Dr. Snow first, they’ll get to assist in surgeries while you just stand and watch."  

"Argh!"  

Bianca groaned into her pillow before jumping out of bed.  

"Damned intern life!"  

As medical interns, after surviving the initial shock and learning the hospital workflow, they had now entered their real training period.  

Adam and the others had to wake up before dawn, rush to the hospital, and cheerfully wake up sleeping patients to ask about their condition.  

At that hour, patients were understandably cranky.  

But it had to be done. Interns needed to gather firsthand, accurate information before the residents did their rounds.  

If an intern failed to get the right details and the resident made a mistake because of it, they’d be the one taking the heat—not the patient.  

And when a resident decided to make life miserable for an intern? It wasn’t hard.  

On the flip side, doing a good job could make an impression. If an intern provided reliable reports, residents—and even attending physicians—would take notice.  

That was how interns earned their spot in the operating room.  

So, no ambitious intern showed up exactly at 5 AM.  

Most were there by 4:30. Some even arrived at 4:00. Others just slept at the hospital to be first in line.  

Adam’s apartment was right next to the hospital, only a few minutes away—practically the same as living there.  

But compared to hospital accommodations, plus a few personal reasons, Adam preferred going home every night.  

Once they had washed up, Bianca rushed Adam to leave.  

Not because she was afraid of being late, but because she was trying to avoid morning workouts…  

Outside, it was still dark.  

Even in a city that never sleeps, there were few people around besides the streetlights.  

But once they arrived at the hospital, everything changed.  

Doctors and nurses bustled about from all directions—some coming in, some going off shift. The energy level was almost the same as in the daytime.  

That was a hospital for you.  

"Boss, here’s your breakfast."  

A girl stood outside the hospital entrance, holding a packed meal. When she saw Adam, she immediately greeted him.  

"Thanks, Lisa."  

Adam smiled as he took it.  

"It’s my pleasure," Lisa said cheerfully. "If you ever have any special requests for breakfast, just let me know."  

"I will. Now go get some rest."  

Adam nodded as Lisa walked away.  

"You really know how to enjoy life."  

Bianca shook her head. "Breakfast isn’t a big deal. You could just grab something quick, but you actually hired someone just for that?"  

"Lisa isn’t my assistant."  

Adam walked as he explained. "She’s Ada’s assistant. I need to wake up early every day, but I can’t make Ada suffer along with me. Lisa’s a great cook, so I hired her."  

To have a freshly prepared breakfast ready for Adam, Lisa had to wake up at 2:30 AM to start cooking.  

The idea came from Juno and Karen.  

Karen was an amazing cook and took great care of Juno. Adam was envious.  

Karen was one of a kind, but hiring a personal chef? That was easy for a billionaire like Adam.  

He wasn’t about to start eating cold sandwiches for breakfast like most Americans.  

Chapter 319: Think About It Carefully!  

Medical Center.  

“Look!”  

Adam nudged Bianca and pointed toward the nurse’s station, where Cristina was looking full of energy.  

“She’s really pushing herself!”  

Bianca felt exhausted just watching.  

Thankfully, she was crashing at Adam’s apartment, which was right next to the hospital. Otherwise, with the time spent commuting, she’d have to wake up at 3 AM just to get here earlier than everyone else.  

Technically, after their 5 AM to 7 PM shifts, she should be able to sleep early.  

But in reality, no one actually leaves work on time.  

And even after getting home, could she go straight to bed? 

Yeah, right.  

Thinking about this, Bianca glanced at Adam and started weighing her options—should she keep staying at Adam’s place to save on commute time, or move out and get a bit more sleep instead?  

Outside the hospital, a loud, frustrated voice interrupted her thoughts.  

“You don’t understand! I’m a guy, and you’re a girl! You can’t just walk around in front of me wearing Hello Kitty while I’m showering!”  

It was George, the chubby, slightly effeminate guy.  

“Oh, that reminds me—don’t forget to buy us tampons!” Liz called out casually.  

“I’m a man! I don’t buy feminine products!”  

George was on the verge of a breakdown.  

“Adam! Say something!”  

Seeing Adam and Bianca, George hurried over, desperate for backup.  

“Oh, oh, oh!”  

Adam raised his hand, stopping him. “How does whether you’re a man or not have anything to do with me? Why should I say anything?”  

“Hahaha!”  

Meredith and Liz burst into laughter and walked away.  

“…”  

George looked at Adam with a pitiful expression.  

“Don’t look at me like that,” Adam shrugged. “You chose to live with them. Are you telling me you couldn’t find any other place to stay after moving out of your parents’ house? Bianca, what’s that phrase again?”  

“You just want to get with them. You’re shameless!”  

Bianca chimed in without missing a beat.  

She had heard Adam say this line countless times. As close friends who knew each other well, she immediately caught on to what he wanted her to say with just a glance.  

“I do not!”  

George protested. “Meredith’s place is great, and since we’re all colleagues, living together is convenient. That’s why I moved in.”  

“Well, you can move out now.”  

Adam smirked. “Otherwise, when Liz walks around in Hello Kitty again, will you be able to handle it? Wait—don’t answer yet! Let me analyze this for you: If you can handle it, that means you’re not a man.  

But if you can’t handle it, then why haven’t you moved out yet? Could it be that you’re just hoping for something? A thief at heart but too afraid to act? Bianca, what’s that other phrase?”  

“If you won’t be a beast, then don’t act like one. Pick a side!”  

Bianca instantly caught on again, responding as if on instinct.  

“…”  

George was nearly in tears. He threw down a final remark before storming off.  

“You guys are the worst!”  

“Who does he like?”  

Bianca asked, intrigued.  

“What do you think?”  

Adam replied with another question.  

“Liz is prettier, but if George saw her in that situation and wasn’t secretly enjoying it, and instead was freaking out… Hmm…”  

Bianca pondered. “That must mean he likes Meredith!”  

“Bingo.”  

Adam grinned as they headed toward the locker room. “Now take another guess—do you think Meredith knows that George has a crush on her?”  

“Of course she does.”  

Bianca said matter-of-factly. “It’s such an obvious situation. Even someone inexperienced in love could figure it out with a little thought. Plus, women have a natural instinct for this kind of thing. Meredith is a pro in the dating game—there’s no way she wouldn’t know.”  

“Exactly.”  

Adam snapped his fingers.  

“She’s just pretending not to know?”  

Bianca suddenly realized.  

Adam just smiled knowingly.  

Locker Room.  

Cristina leaned against the wall, softly murmuring something under her breath. Adam, with his sharp hearing, caught every word clearly.  

“55-year-old female, diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, has undergone chemotherapy to control the spread. Abdominal pain level: 3 out of 10. Nausea present but no vomiting, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, or black stools. Max temperature: 37.2°C, no fever, stable vitals. Lab results: bilirubin level at 7, elevated liver enzymes…”  

“Congratulations!”  

Adam smiled at Cristina.  

“For what?”  

Cristina stopped reciting the case file and looked at Adam warily.  

“Relax.”  

Adam chuckled. “This case belongs to Dr. Burke. There’s no way I’d be competing with you for it.”  

“Glad you understand.”  

Cristina let out a relieved sigh. “I got here at 4 AM just to prepare for this surgery.”  

“Surgery? What surgery?”  

Meredith immediately walked over. “What do you know?”  

Liz and George also turned their attention toward Cristina.  

“It has nothing to do with you.”  

Cristina quickly stuffed her notebook into her pocket and shook her head, refusing to reveal anything.  

Adam was right—he wasn’t in the same team as her, so he wasn’t a direct competitor. But Meredith, Liz, and Alex were—they were the real threats.  

Even though Meredith was her best friend, in this environment, competition was everything.  

There are no friends in the operating room.  

She would never forget the time Meredith stole her thunder.  

Friday Morning.  

Leonard’s coronary artery bypass surgery was scheduled for the morning.  

Adam, of course, was going to be in the OR, so he wasn’t assigned to the ER today.  

Hospital Cafeteria, Noon.  

“Meredith, that was an incredible surgery.”  

Adam complimented.  

“Thanks.”  

Meredith beamed. “It’s so rare to see a case where a nail gun shoots seven 3.5-inch nails into someone’s skull without instantly killing them. None of the other nerves were damaged—only the optic nerve was compressed.  

We managed to remove them at the exact angles they went in, with zero bleeding. The surgery was a complete success. I have to say, Dr. Shepherd is a genius.”  

“Heh.”  

Adam couldn’t help but chuckle.  

“Heh.”  

Cristina also laughed, but her smile wasn’t as bright.  

Meredith lowered her head, feeling a bit guilty under their knowing gazes.  

Dr. Shepherd was amazing—in more ways than one. Just because she and he had an indescribable relationship now, did that mean she couldn’t compliment his skills anymore?  

“How’s your pancreatic resection prep going?”  

Adam turned to Cristina, who now looked a little less energetic. “Not going well?”  

“How did you know?”  

Cristina looked up sharply. “Do you know something?”  

“I know she’s been a nurse here for a long time.”  

Adam reminded her. “She’s in bad shape. If she undergoes pancreatic resection, she probably won’t survive…”  

“I know, but she has no choice—if she doesn’t do the surgery, she’s just waiting to die. Dr. Burke is making me run every possible test to prepare…”  

Cristina trailed off, then met Adam’s pointed gaze—one that practically screamed, Think about it carefully.  

Her face darkened as realization hit her.  

“Son of a bitch! She’s only here to die! Burke knew! Everyone knew! Except me!”  

Chapter 320: Adam, the Subject of Gossip  

Medical Center.  

Cafeteria.  

With just a small reminder from Adam, Cristina finally saw through the haze, and an overwhelming sense of anger rose within her.  

What had she been working so hard for? 

Wasn’t it just to secure a chance to perform a pancreatic resection?  

Yet, despite all her efforts, Meredith, who hadn’t even competed, ended up getting a procedure far more interesting and rare than a pancreatic resection— the so-called Seven Nails Skull Extraction.  

Meanwhile, Cristina was stuck assisting an elderly nurse with a series of exhausting rectal exams.  

And now, she had just found out that these exams had been completely pointless.  

No wonder this pancreatic resection, which should have been done as soon as possible, kept getting postponed. Every time she suggested it to the lead surgeon, Dr. Burke, he simply brushed her off with more tests.  

That old nurse had even stood there with her arms crossed, mocking her from time to time.  

Turns out, everyone knew— the old nurse had come to the hospital just to wait for death. She had never intended to undergo pancreatic surgery in the first place.  

And Cristina? She had been running around like a clueless clown...  

"Meredith, you knew too?"  

Cristina, eyes red with frustration, turned to Meredith.  

"Knew what?"  

Meredith looked confused.  

"My pancreatic cancer patient came here just to wait for death."  

Cristina stared at her intently.  

"What?"  

Meredith gasped. "I didn’t know! Has it gotten that bad? I heard she used to be my mom’s surgical nurse."  

"She was your mom’s surgical nurse for eighteen years."  

Seeing that not everyone had known, Cristina’s expression softened a little. She then said blankly, "But she never once met you. She thought your mom was extremely arrogant."  

Even though doctors and nurses belong to different professional groups, the relationship between a dedicated surgical nurse and the lead surgeon shouldn’t have been so distant.  

Especially after working together for eighteen years.  

If an old nurse who had spent her life in the hospital developed pancreatic cancer, yet her colleague of eighteen years never once checked in on her, anyone would assume it was arrogance and disdain.  

"My mom... arrogant?"  

Hearing this, the excitement from Meredith’s earlier involvement in the Seven Nails Skull Extraction surgery instantly faded.  

She had always had a terrible relationship with her mother. She, too, thought her mother was arrogant, strict, and even a little cold.  

When she applied to Harvard Medical School, her mother flat-out told her she wasn’t good enough.  

But now, her mother had Alzheimer’s, forgotten everything, and was no longer the same person. Hearing someone else call her mother arrogant suddenly made Meredith feel uneasy.  

"And where did you hear this from?"  

Cristina turned to Adam.  

"It’s not exactly a secret."  

Adam shrugged. "The nurses all knew the moment she was admitted."  

Cristina understood. Given how much the nurses liked Adam, this kind of information would have reached him immediately.  

"This is ridiculous."  

Cristina grumbled, feeling stifled. "She’s wasting medical resources!"  

"She’s a veteran employee who served this hospital for decades."  

Adam reminded her, "In her final moments, she chose to come here. That’s human nature. Policies exist, but they should also account for people’s emotions. Put yourself in her shoes—what would you do?"  

"I’d choose to have the surgery..."  

Cristina started to argue but fell silent when she saw Adam’s be honest expression.  

People tend to speak from their own position.  

Right now, she desperately wanted to participate in a pancreatic resection, so of course, she wished the old nurse would have the surgery.  

But if she were being objective, the old nurse had three options:  

• Stay at home and wait for death.  

• Undergo pancreatic resection surgery.  

• Stay in the hospital and wait for death. 

The first option was the most painful— suffering from pancreatic cancer while knowing you’re just waiting to die. The physical and mental anguish would be unbearable.  

The second option, surgery, was risky. Given her condition, she’d likely die on the operating table. But at least anesthesia would make it a relatively painless death.  

The third option— staying in the hospital— meant she’d have access to morphine and other pain relief, reducing her suffering compared to waiting at home. And unlike surgery, she’d live a little longer.  

Everyone has a survival instinct. Death is terrifying.  

Knowing there’s a 95% chance of dying on the operating table, who would willingly choose that unless they had no other choice?  

Most people in her position would choose the third option.  

But as Cristina had pointed out, this was still a waste of medical resources— hospital beds, tests, medication.  

With how profit-driven the American healthcare system is, there’s no way such "wasteful behavior" would normally be allowed.  

It was both illegal and against regulations.  

Most people wouldn’t have access to this kind of treatment.  

But this old nurse had spent her entire career in this hospital. Everyone in the hospital knew her.  

The department head said nothing. 

The attending physician said nothing. 

The residents said nothing. 

The nurses said nothing.  

They all pretended she was genuinely going to have the surgery, running test after test until she eventually passed away naturally.  

This was the greatest level of compassion they could show within the system’s limits.  

Even if someone exposed this, it wouldn’t be a big deal.  

Besides, who would dare expose it? 

Unless they didn’t want a future in medicine.  

All the medical staff knew— this nurse’s situation could one day be their own.  

Sure, it wasted public healthcare resources and cost insurance companies money. But who in their right mind would make an enemy of their entire hospital over this?  

Cristina wasn’t stupid, so she could only keep her frustration bottled up.  

As they spoke, Liz sat down with her tray.  

"Well, if it isn’t our model doctor."  

Cristina, still irritated, couldn’t help but throw in a jab.  

Liz immediately shot her a glare.  

"Don’t look at me like that."  

Realizing she had misspoken, Cristina changed her tone. "Come on, six feet tall, ridiculously perfect body, long hair down to your chest— if I had your figure, I’d walk around naked all day. No school, no work, just living the dream."  

Everyone chuckled.  

"I was wearing makeup... and they edited the photos."  

Liz, sensing the friendly teasing, smiled too.  

"Still, taking down Alex in the locker room? That was badass!"  

George gave her a thumbs-up.  

Adam smirked knowingly.  

After discovering Liz had posed for a Bethany Whisper magazine shoot as a "sexy doctor," Alex had printed dozens of copies and plastered them all over the locker room— even on the elevator doors.  

When Liz saw it, she didn’t hesitate. While Alex was egging her on, she started taking off her clothes right in front of everyone, taunting him.  

We’re all doctors. Haven’t we studied anatomy? Haven’t we seen it all before?  

It’s just a bunch of fat, right?  

That completely shut Alex down. The gathered crowd, which had been enjoying the show, suddenly felt too awkward to laugh.  

The whole hospital was buzzing about it.  

Liz noticed Adam’s amused expression and shot him a you have no right to laugh at me look.  

Adam blinked, suddenly sensing something was off.  

All around them, people were whispering and pointing—not just at Liz, but at him too…  

(End of Chapter)