Chapter 46

Chapter 46: The Necessity of Recalling That IncidentDuring this time, Song Jingshan had been experiencing discomfort when using the restroom, a mild pain that felt like a tearing sensation. He began to worry if he had developed issues like anal fissures. To address his concerns, he visited the hospital and scheduled an appointment at the proctology department.

Interestingly, he found out that the proctology department had quite a number of patients. He arrived at the hospital a little after 8 AM to get a ticket, but he ended up with a number over fifty. Feeling a bit bored while waiting, he started to wander in the corridor leading to the examination rooms. The nurses at the station reminded him several times that he should wait in the waiting area if his number hadn’t been called yet and not enter the examination area.

However, Song Jingshan paid no attention to their warnings and continued to wander on his own, occasionally peering into some of the open examination rooms to see what was going on inside. The nurses had no choice but to tolerate this stubborn, streetwise patient since provoking him might lead to complaints, bonus deductions, and reprimands from their superiors.

Working in healthcare was indeed quite challenging. As Song Jingshan roamed around, he suddenly noticed a regulation sign hanging on the wall of each examination room. Naturally, this piqued his curiosity, and he started reading it. In the beginning, Song Jingshan found the regulations quite normal. However, when he reached the sixth rule, he furrowed his brow.

“No farting?”

“Do they even regulate passing gas?”

“What kind of hospital is this?”

Song Jingshan thought this rule was outrageous.

It violated his “right to pass gas freely.” So, when it was his turn for the examination, he raised the matter with Mao Jianfei, the deputy chief physician who was there to treat him. Of course, his approach can be described as impolite, bordering on questioning and scolding. It even included personal attacks. He accused the hospital of lacking compassion and referred doctors as money-hungry individuals.

Mao Jianfei, as a deputy chief physician, had seen his fair share of difficult patients. For this patient deliberately looking for trouble, he chose not to engage further and simply replied that it was a rule set by the hospital, adding that he didn’t make the rules. However, this response only made Song Jingshan feel disrespected, as he believed Mao Jianfei, as a doctor, had an unsatisfactory attitude. Consequently, he continued complaining and ranting, neglecting his health to argue with the doctor.

Mao Jianfei was increasingly exasperated and considered calling hospital security to have this unruly patient “escorted” out. However, to everyone’s surprise, when Mao Jianfei reached for the desk phone to call for assistance, Song Jingshan snatched the phone and threw it to the ground.

“What’s the matter? Going to get physical now?” Song Jingshan’s temper flared.

Even a patient has their limits. Song Jingshan had taken things too far, and Mao Jianfei was beginning to lose his patience.

“Get physical? You think I won’t dare!” Song Jingshan rolled up his sleeves, seemingly ready to fight Mao Jianfei.

Song Jingshan stood at nearly six feet tall, while Mao Jianfei, although also fairly tall at around five feet nine, had a slim build and appeared quite frail in comparison to Song Jingshan.

“Okay, okay, no need for violence! Let’s talk it out!” The next patient waiting outside, unable to bear the situation, rushed forward to intervene.

Upon learning of the situation, the nurses promptly informed hospital security. However, before the security guards arrived, it was Lu Ming who arrived first. After understanding the specifics of the incident, Lu Ming decided to ensure justice for Mao Jianfei. While it was a doctor’s duty to save lives, it didn’t mean they had to endure unwarranted abuse.

As a patient, you can question hospital regulations reasonably, but you should not engage in personal attacks or violence.

Indeed, to those unaware of the context, the rule prohibiting patients from passing gas seems absurd. Anyone with some understanding of the situation would find this rule entirely reasonable. Lu Ming promptly entered the examination room.

At this moment, Song Jingshan was glaring furiously at Mao Jianfei. If it weren’t for an old patient standing between them, Song Jingshan might have punched Mao Jianfei.

“Doctor Lu.”

Upon seeing Lu Ming, Mao Jianfei quickly greeted him, his eyes filled with a plea for help.

“Doctor Lu?”

“You’re the hospital’s director, right?”

Hearing Mao Jianfei address Lu Ming this way, Song Jingshan immediately shifted his focus.

“Not exactly. I’m just the honorary associate director,” Lu Ming explained.

“Oh, that’s still a director.”

“Come on, explain to me what this rule means. Is it discriminating against us patients?”

Song Jingshan seemed about to press Lu Ming’s head onto the regulation sign but refrained from doing so.

“There’s no intention of discrimination,” Lu Ming explained before his volatile temper interrupted him.

“You’re saying there’s no discrimination?”

“Who comes to the proctology department if they don’t have some issues down there?”

“Almost everyone can’t help but let out a few gas-passing incidents. Ask the people here; isn’t it like that?”

Song Jingshan’s gaze swept over many individuals in the room, causing them to lower their heads instinctively. But, oddly enough, what he said had some merit. Some individuals with anal or rectal issues do struggle to control their gas.

“Indeed, this rule is a bit problematic,” Lu Ming nodded and began to think seriously.

“See, even the hospital’s director admits there’s an issue! I told you I was right!” Song Jingshan suddenly wore a self-satisfied expression.

Mao Jianfei was getting anxious. Why was Lu Ming conceding? Wasn’t this rule put in place because of that incident?

“Since you also acknowledge the problem, you should remove this rule right away,” Song Jingshan said, hands on his hips, his demeanor forceful.

However, Lu Ming shook his head. “No, we can’t revoke this rule.”

Upon hearing this, Song Jingshan’s anger flared once again. “You won’t correct your mistake?” sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ n0vᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“You’re making enemies of the people!” Song Jingshan declared righteously.

“It can’t be revoked, but it can indeed be revised to address the issues,” Lu Ming responded.

“Change ‘no gas-passing’ to ‘no gas-passing during the examination process,’ and it should suffice,” Lu Ming suggested after serious thought.

“What’s the point of making that change?” Song Jingshan huffed.

“There’s a story behind this rule,” Lu Ming began, “I hope you won’t interrupt me and will listen carefully before judging whether this rule is reasonable.”

Song Jingshan was about to retort with anger at Lu Ming’s words. However, he reluctantly held back and waited to hear what Lu Ming had to say.

“I have to go back to an afternoon six months ago to begin this story,” Lu Ming continued, “and our Dr. Mao was one of the individuals involved.”

Lu Ming smiled and pointed at Mao Jianfei, who appeared somewhat startled. Mao Jianfei hesitated for a moment but soon became lost in his recollections. It was an unforgettable memory that haunted him for a lifetime…

Six months ago, on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon, Mao Jianfei was working in his usual place, conducting examinations in the proctology department. At that moment, a young male patient entered the room. A woman was accompanying the patient, likely his wife or girlfriend. As per his routine, Mao Jianfei inquired about the patient’s condition and proceeded with the examination. Initially, everything was going as expected.

However, during the process of lowering his pants for the examination, the patient mentioned feeling a bit bloated in his stomach and having the urge to pass gas. Mao Jianfei was in the middle of a rectal examination and instructed the patient to hold on a bit longer. The patient obediently complied.

When the rectal examination was completed, and Mao Jianfei was in the process of withdrawing his finger from the patient’s rectum, he heard a thunderous noise!

Immediately, a shadow fell over his field of vision. Something was hurtling toward his face! Then, he was plunged into darkness. He wiped his eyes with his hand, struggling to open them. When he looked down at his hands, he discovered they were smeared with a thick, yellowish substance. The odor was overpoweringly foul.  He realized it was feces, and it had burst out from the patient’s rectum, covering him from head to toe. The entire wall behind him was also splattered with feces. Even the patient’s wife, standing by his side, wasn’t spared and was covered in feces. This was no ordinary gas-passing. It was a “shart.”

Since that incident, Mao Jianfei developed a psychological scar and felt distressed every time he conducted a rectal examination. The memory of that scene would haunt him for the rest of his life. It was from that time that the proctology department at the hospital added this particular rule: “No gas-passing!” However, it was written in a rather simplified manner.

As Lu Ming had suggested, it should be revised to state, “No gas-passing during the examination.”

Having heard the story behind this rule, everyone in the room was shocked.

“This… it’s hard to judge.”

“So, there’s an absurd story behind absurd rules!”

“Now, this rule is reasonable.”

“It’s hard to imagine that Dr. Mao could endure such an experience and still dare to treat patients here.”

The onlookers had various comments.

Song Jingshan, too, was left in astonishment.

“Gas-passing causing a fecal explosion?”

“And it covered the doctor from head to toe?”

“This, this, this…”

“Damn it!”

“Well, this rule… it should stay! It can’t be revoked!”

Song Jingshan walked up to Mao Jianfei.

“What… what are you going to do?” Mao Jianfei became nervous.

Just as Lu Ming was about to intervene and shout, “What are you doing, big dummy?” Song Jingshan suddenly bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry!”

“I misunderstood you!”

“I misunderstood the hospital’s rule!”

Mao Jianfei was baffled by Song Jingshan’s abrupt change in attitude and responded with a hint of uncertainty, “So… should I say it’s okay?”