Chapter 33 Is My Time Cheap?

Saturday 13th 2010 - Apartment 5

It was 7:30 am. Li Xiuying and Little 4th were showered and dressed. They were sitting at the kitchen counter eating some vegetable dumplings that Li Xiuying had made with soy milk.

Li Xiuying: "Bad night sleep? You look like a baby panda."

Little 4th looked a little guilty as he told a small white lie: "I slept fine big Sister YingYing." He only managed to sleep for 4 hours the night before.I can't let Big sister think I couldn't sleep, she might not let me stay over again.

Li Xiuying raised an eyebrow. "Mmm. You'll have to have a nap after we get to the hospital."

Little 4th nodded and continued eating the dumplings.

Little 4th noticed Li Xiuying smiling at her phone.

Little 4th was curious: "What are you looking at big sister YingYing?

Li Xiuying: "News."

Little 4th remembered that his big sister had asked his daddy to help her report some news about some Yu Yan and ex-fiance.

Little 4th: "Can I see?" His eyes contained curiosity.

Li Xiuying put her phone in Little 4th's hand.He stared at the man and woman.

My big sister is much better than this woman. This man doesn't look worthy of my sister.

He handed the phone back. They then proceeded to finish their breakfast before heading to the living room to watch some TV.

...

At 8:00 am Qin Jingfei shot out of bed.

Qin Jingfei ran to the living room. "Why didn't either of you wake me up! I only have 30 minutes to get ready, do you know how long it usually takes me to get ready and I have to..."

Little 4th and Li Xiuying didn't look away from the TV.

Little 4th expressionlessly said: "You didn't ask us to wake you up. You should have set an alarm."

Li Xiuying: "14 minutes and 30 seconds."

Qin Jingfei: "AARRRGGHH"

She quickly went to shower and get away from the expressionless zombies on the sofa.

At 8:15 Li Xiuying and Little 4th were putting on their coats and shoes in the foyer.

Qin Jingfei ran towards them her coat over her arm, her bag half falling from her shoulder, her hair falling all over her face, she had a steamed bun in her mouth and no makeup on her face.

Little 4th looked at Qin Jingfei.

Qin Jingfei finished chewing her dumpling and said sternly: "Don't say a word little 4th."

Qin Jingfei sulked and became even more unhappy after seeing Little 4th's "why do you look like that" face.

...

Li Xiuying and Little 4th strolled leisurely hand in hand towards the hospital.

Qin Jingfei: "What are you two doing right now?"

Little 4th replied in a matter-of-fact tone: "We're walking to the hospital, it takes 20 minutes."

Qin Jingfei: "I realize we're walking, what I was asking is why aren't we taking the car?"

Li Xiuying: "Exercise and Parking."

Qin Jingfei: "Fine you two walk and get exercise. Can I drive your car?"

Li Xiuying: "Are you covered by my insurance?"

Are all the Qin family covered under my car insurance policy? I should ask Elder Qin.

Qin Jingfei: "..."

This is what uncle must have been referring to when he said that Dr. Li could render people speechless with a few words.

Qin Jingfei cried inside: I thought I could do my makeup in the car!!!

...

An unhappy Qin Jingfei and Little 4th dropped Li Xiuying to her office then headed up to Qin Jingfei's office.

Li Xiuying sat at her desk with Director Zhang sitting opposite.

Jiang Huan: "Would you like some tea?"

Director Zhang: "No thank you, I'm supposed to be nil by mouth."

Jiang Huan: "I wasn't erm okay. Dr. Li would you like some tea?"

I wasn't asking you. Now Dr. Li might think I'm incompetent and that I don't even know when a patient should be nil by mouth.

Li Xiuying: "Black tea, 2 sugars. Thank you."

Jiang Huan left the room to go make tea.

Director Zhang: "Li Yu Yan has spoken a lot about you. I was surprised to find out that the famous Dr. Li Xiuying was her cousin and willing to do my surgery."

Li Xiuying: "I was coerced."

Director Zhang was confused: "Ah Yes?"

Don't people usually say "all good I hope?" or something along those lines. Coerced?

Li Xiuying: "I will be performing a total knee arthroplasty on your right knee due to the osteoarthritic changes.I know you've had a history taken, examination and X-ray of your knee earlier this week as arranged by my PA."

Director Zhang: "Yes I came in on Wednesday."

Li Xiuying: "I would personally like to take a history and do an examination today, to confirm the findings. But before that I have something to discuss."

Director Zhang nodded. "Is it about Li Yu Yan's admission?"

Li Yu Yan had explicitly stated to him that Dr. Li would only agreed to do his surgery, if she was granted admission into medical school.

Li Xiuying: "Li Yu Yan informed me that you would be willing to accept her onto the accelerated medical programme?"

Director Zhang: "She meets the grade requirements and she has various extra-circular activities and work experience we look for in a well rounded student. If you were to provide a reference it would be the final push she needed to allow her in."

What director Zhang actually meant but didn't say: Li Yu Yan is actually way below the grade requirement for the accelerated programme. She is lacking clinical experience and her extra-curricular activities are limited. We're only willing to bend the rules because she has a connection to the world renowned Dr. Li.

Li Xiuying: "I want her to be admitted to the normal programme. I don't want her to be treated differently from anyone else. I won't be supporting her."

Director Zhang: "Ah well erm.. yes."

Li Yu Yan told informed me that she was so close to Dr. Li that they were more like sisters than cousins. It seems she lied to me.

Li Xiuying: "Northwest University's medical programme is the most oversubscribed in the country. The normal 5 year programme has an application to places ratio of 85:1, the accelerated programme 116:1, I don't want someone to be given a place by using my name."

Director Zhang nodded.

Dr. Li clearly wanted the admission process to be as fair as possible. And Li Yu Yan's grades just about meet the requirements for the normal programme.

Li Xiuying: "She probably assured you that I would be willing to conduct lectures and teaching sessions for free, I won't. You'll have to contact my PA to check my availability and pay my usual fee."

Director Zhang: "Your uncle also.."

Li Xiuying: "I didn't realise my time was so cheap?"

Director Zhang stuttered: "I wasn't trying to imply your time was cheap. I was just led to believe that you would be willing to help your cousin and the University."

Li Xiuying: "I didn't receive a notification stating that I owed my cousin or Northwest University anything."

Director Zhang. "..."

I'll have to have a talk to that lying duo; Li Yu Yan and Li Wang. how dare they lead me to believe their lies resulting in me being humiliated!

Director Zhang hopelessly spoke: "Regarding my surgery fees, Li Yu Yan mentioned that..."

Li Xiuying: "You'll have to pay for my time. 100k every 5 minutes cheque or cash. All other costs will be covered by me."

Director Zhang left his anger for the Li family to one side: "Thank you Dr. Li I appreciate you making the time for my surgery."

Director Zhang comforted himself. "I should be grateful that Dr. Li is even willing to do my surgery considering it was on Li Yu Yan's request, there's clearly no love lost between her and her family. I can teach Li Yu Yan a lesson later for lying to me. Without Dr. Li's backing, Li Yu Yan is just another medical student and she's only a mediocre one at best.'

Li Xiuying: "Let's begin, I have a few questions I would like to ask about your knee."