Chapter 116 Not Contrived
After getting off the plane, Brooklyn and several patients from other departments of the hospital boarded a bus with medical supplies. The bus jolted for several hours, arriving in town at nine o'clock in the evening.
Getting off the bus, Brooklyn and the accompanying doctors were stunned.
"What is this place?"
"It looks so dilapidated!"
Underfoot was a rugged dirt road, and at the town's entrance hung two dim streetlights. The orange lights illuminated small, round patches on the ground, but the rest of the area remained very dark.
"Can people live in a place like this?"
"This is terrifying!"
Only three of the seven or eight doctors were women. The other two female doctors specialized in respiratory and gastroenterology. Both were inexperienced newcomers. It was clear they were sent here as a form of exclusion.
The group shivered as they reached the accommodation prepared by the hospital. The town had only one two-story building, with a white incandescent bulb hanging at the entrance. The bulb was, at most, fifteen watts, swaying in the wind and looking like it could fall at any moment.
At the door, Nathan Reed hurried out to greet them warmly and invited them inside to rest. His clothes were also quite worn. Under the streetlight, they could see a burn hole on his sleeve from a cigarette.
The poverty here was evident.
"I've been preparing to welcome you all. Finally, you're here! Please come in. Dinner is ready."
Nathan was enthusiastic, but they dared not get too close. They were afraid to interact with the villagers because of the illness.
Entering the house, they saw six large yellow bowls filled with food on the living room table. Seeing the food and the interior decor, the female doctors turned their heads away, afraid they might vomit, unable to bear a second look.
Brooklyn didn't react as dramatically, but after the bumpy ride, her stomach was churning, so she had no appetite.
They said in unison, "We've already eaten."
Nathan looked a bit embarrassed. "The food is already prepared."
Understanding their concerns, Nathan waved his hand and earnestly explained, "Don't worry, this food was specially bought for you from outside. The villagers haven't touched it. I made it myself, and I'm not sick."
Despite his explanation, no one dared to take the risk, preferring to go hungry rather than risk their health.
Brooklyn bit her lip, smiled at Nathan, and followed the others upstairs. At the stairway corner, Brooklyn glanced down and saw Nathan sighing at the food.
She felt a mix of emotions.
The so-called restroom was just a room with two wooden beds. The bedding was new, but as soon as the two doctors entered, they started crying, "I want to go home. This place is so rundown."
"I'm scared. I'm afraid of getting sick. If I get sick, I won't be able to get treated!"
Brooklyn tugged at the blanket. "You are doctors. Have you forgotten basic common sense? Don't be afraid. Get some good sleep. Tomorrow will be busy."
The two doctors looked at Brooklyn as if she were a monster. "You're not scared?"
"What's the use of being scared? We could save our energy and rest, so we can finish everything tomorrow and go back early.
That night, Brooklyn lay in bed, looking at the moonlight outside the window, and thought to herself, 'I've really lived a full life.'
Meanwhile, in Aucester, the bustling streets were adorned with neon lights, looking like a sea of stars, filled with a sense of hedonism.
Zach walked out of the operating room at nine-thirty in the evening, rubbing his sore shoulders, and saw the lights outside the window.
"Dr. Rivera, was the surgery successful?"
Piper had already changed into casual clothes, wearing a knee-length skirt with a delicate short jacket, light makeup, and long hair, looking elegant and noble.
"Very successful."
"Dr. Carter, you've been in the operating room for so long. You must be hungry. I just finished my work, too. How about we have dinner together?"
Zach took off his gloves and threw them into the trash. "Maybe another day. It's too late."
Piper smiled gently. "Dr. Carter, we can reschedule dinner, but how can we reschedule a birthday?"
Zach furrowed his brows. "Your birthday?"
"Your intelligence and energy have all been taken by the patients. Today is your birthday. I'm inviting you to dinner. Don't refuse."
Zach replied, "It's just a birthday. It doesn't matter."
Piper insisted. "Once a year, how can it not matter? Come on! Treat yourself today."
Piper gracefully took Zach's arm and walked forward. Zach subtly withdrew his hand under the pretense of looking for his phone.
In an elegant restaurant, they sat by the window. Piper kept trying to catch Zach's attention, changing topics several times, but he remained uninterested.
"By the way, did you know? Our hospital's volunteer aid this time is for a village with a high concentration of AIDS patients. Eight doctors went in total."
Zach had heard about this decision but was too busy preparing for surgery to inquire further. "That's a good thing. It's great for the hospital to do more charitable acts."
Piper casually held her knife and fork. "I think it's great too. The doctors who went are all outstanding. Even the star cardiologist went."
Zach's hand paused mid-air. "Who did you say?"
Piper chuckled and said, "Brooklyn, Our hospital's famous Dr. Mitchell."
Upon hearing this, Zach thought, 'Why did she go?'
He then said, "I have something to do. I'll leave first. Enjoy your dinner."
"Dr. Carter, you..."
Zach perfunctorily dismissed Piper. Although he knew someone had to go to such places, he didn't want Brooklyn to be the one!
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