Chapter 383: Chapter 383: So She Knew All Along
Gu Jiaojiao said goodbye to her grandfather and walked home for a bit. She usually only had four classes on a Friday.
Su Shuochi would typically go home to make lunch and wait for Gu Jiaojiao. But today, because his assessment time was uncertain, he didn’t go home to cook. He planned to go home a little earlier in the afternoon to be with his wife.
Gu Jiaojiao went home, left a note, and then got into the Mu Family’s car to head to the grand compound.
When she arrived at the Mu residence, she saw that Xia Qiuming was also there. "Professor Xia, what brings you here?"
"I figured you’d be coming to the Mu residence around this time to apply the silver needles. I wanted to ask for your guidance on some preparations for the surgery the day after tomorrow."
"Go ahead. I can listen while I apply the silver needles. I have to go to my parents’ place for dinner later," Gu Jiaojiao said as she walked toward Mu Ziquan’s room.
"Jiaojiao, it’s rare for Professor Xia to visit. Why don’t you stay and have dinner with us?" Mr. Mu invited warmly.
"Some other time. Even after the surgery, I’ll still be coming every day to apply the silver needles for Mu Ziquan. I won’t stop coming until he’s fully recovered and can walk normally."
"Thank you for all your hard work, Jiaojiao," Mu Ziquan said gratefully. Those few simple words, "recovered and can walk normally," made his heart burst with joy.
The two-hour acupuncture session passed quickly, and Xia Qiuming had finished discussing everything he needed to.
During this time, the satellite communicator Xia Qiuming carried with him rang countless times. It was the hospital, urging him to return for a surgery.
"Master Jiaojiao, I’m heading back to the hospital. See you the day after tomorrow." With that, Xia Qiuming left.
He had his own dedicated driver, and the car ride was the only time he had to close his eyes and rest for a moment.
After Gu Jiaojiao washed her hands, Mr. Mu personally brought over a few plates of pastries, insisting she eat some before leaving.
It was an offer too gracious to refuse, and it was still a while before evening, so Gu Jiaojiao sat on the sofa in the Mu Family’s living room, drinking tea and eating snacks.
Her sharp eyes noticed that the teacups on the Mu Family’s coffee table had indeed been replaced with a new set, but Gu Jiaojiao didn’t ask about it.
Instead, it was Mu Ziquan who, after coming out from his shower, took the initiative to tell Gu Jiaojiao all about Lin Yu.
He had wanted to say something during the acupuncture session, but Professor Xia had been talking the entire time, so he never got the chance.
"So which hospital is he staying at?" Gu Jiaojiao asked after he finished.
"I didn’t ask. It’s probably the First People’s Hospital. After all, everyone knows I’m having surgery at the First People’s Hospital on Sunday."
After speaking, Mu Ziquan’s uncertainty gave way to worry. He was afraid something might go wrong on the day of the surgery.
"Even if Lin Yu isn’t at the First People’s Hospital, those people will go where they need to go. Don’t worry," Gu Jiaojiao said, sensing his unease and offering some comfort.
Although Mu Ziquan had Hidden Guards protecting him, they weren’t infallible. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have ended up paralyzed from the waist down.
He opened his mouth several times, wanting to tell Gu Jiaojiao that he had people protecting him from the shadows, but he didn’t know how to begin.
"Have your family’s Hidden Guards all assigned to you and your brother, Mu. Don’t assign anyone to follow me anymore. My status is insignificant right now; no one will be tailing me."
Mu Ziquan was speechless. ’So she knew all along!’
"Jiaojiao, the Mu Family has plenty of Hidden Guards. It’s no problem to assign a few to protect you."
"You’re the top priority right now, especially since your mobility is limited. Your brother, Mu, could also be a target.
So don’t get distracted for now. I’ll go to the hospital in a different look the day after tomorrow. Even my own mother wouldn’t recognize me, let alone any spies."
Gu Jiaojiao finished with a flamboyant laugh. Her bright smile dazzled Mu Ziquan’s eyes and stunned his heart.
A ripple spread across the calm lake of Mu Ziquan’s heart, and it took a long time to settle. By then, Gu Jiaojiao had already gotten up and left.
Mr. Mu saw Gu Jiaojiao to the door. When he turned back, he saw his grandson sitting in his wheelchair, looking dazed.
He said reproachfully, "Ziquan, why didn’t you say goodbye to Jiaojiao? She said she was leaving twice, and you didn’t even react."
"Grandpa..."
"Ziquan, are you worried the surgery will fail?"
"Not really. It’s just that the enemy is in the shadows while we’re out in the open. It’s impossible to guard against every threat."
"Listen to Jiaojiao and call everyone back to your side. I’ll stay home for the next two days and not go anywhere."
"Mm," Mu Ziquan responded in a low voice.
Gu Jiaojiao was in the Mu Family’s car. As it drove along the main road of the compound, they found the way blocked by a crowd of people gathered in the middle of the street.
"Driver, could you please open the door? I’m going to get out and take a look," Gu Jiaojiao said to the driver.
"Miss Gu, please don’t get out of the car. It’s most dangerous when there’s a crowd. It’s better if I get out and check first," said the bodyguard sitting in the front passenger seat.
"It’s fine. What if it’s a medical emergency? How could I just stand by and watch someone die without helping? I’ll go take a look. You all wait in the car for me."
After speaking, she undid the safety lock herself. She had only asked the driver out of respect.
She pushed her way through the crowd and saw that an elderly person had collapsed in the middle of the road up ahead.
"Spread out! All of you, spread out! With so many people crowding around the patient, the lack of air circulation could easily cause suffocation," Gu Jiaojiao shouted, telling the onlookers to move back.
"Who do you think you are, giving orders when you don’t know anything...?"
Gu Jiaojiao cut the person off without hesitation. "I’m a medical student. Please, make way."
"The person’s already stopped breathing! What’s the point of making way?" a woman shouted in a shrill voice.
It was unclear whether it was because Gu Jiaojiao mentioned being a medical student or because the woman had yelled that the person wasn’t breathing, but either way, the crowd quickly backed away from the old woman on the ground.
Gu Jiaojiao took the opportunity to rush forward and check the old woman’s pulse. ’There’s nothing seriously wrong with her body, so why is she unconscious!’
"Young lady, that old woman isn’t breathing anymore. You’d better not get involved in this mess. Her sons are all very important people."
A kind old grandmother saw the young lady’s worried frown. The girl was as pretty as a flower, and the grandmother couldn’t bear to see her get blamed by others.
Gu Jiaojiao saw that the old woman on the ground was still clutching a bag of fresh dates. ’She must have been eating them while walking and choked.’
Saving lives is indeed a doctor’s duty, but a reckless fool with no real ability would only make things worse.
She wasn’t a saint; she would only act if she was certain she could save the person.
’There are two methods for dealing with someone choking on food. If the person is conscious, you use the Heimlich maneuver. For an unconscious patient, you need to perform CPR immediately. Everyone is saying the old woman is already dead, which means she’s definitely unconscious.’
Without a moment’s hesitation, Gu Jiaojiao first used one hand to lift the patient’s chin, trying to open her airway slightly.
She placed her other hand on the old woman’s chest, then began pressing down firmly on her chest with both hands.
She was trying to give the old woman a chance to come back from the brink of death, hoping to rouse her from her unconscious state.
Her slender arms grew sore, and sweat soaked through her clothes as beads of it rolled ceaselessly down her forehead.
The people in the compound were not, after all, completely ignorant. At first, they just watched quietly.
But after Gu Jiaojiao had performed about a hundred compressions with no result, they all started chattering at once.
