Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 203: Who Should Take the Fall?

Seeing that her words were having an effect, Yang Meiling was secretly overjoyed and immediately took a few steps closer.

"The hospital warehouse has some valuable equipment, doesn’t it? Things like microscopes... they’re advanced, command a high price, and aren’t easy to track."

"Help me sneak one or two pieces out. Nothing too eye-catching. Be quiet, be subtle, and just mix them in with that batch of old equipment..."

"Once the shipment arrives and they take inventory, they’ll discover valuable instruments are missing... They’ll have to report it, and the investigation will trace right back to our hospital."

"So, tell me, who’s going to be the scapegoat?"

As Qi Yuanyuan listened, her heart began to race, and her palms grew slightly damp with sweat.

Her first instinct was to refuse. ’This is theft of hospital property!’

It was a serious offense. If she were caught, she’d lose her job at best. At worst, a formal investigation would be opened, and she could even end up in jail!

But on second thought, if the plan actually worked, Song Qingya would undoubtedly be held accountable for mismanagement.

After all, she was the president, in charge of all the hospital’s resources. For a theft in the warehouse, she would be the number one person held responsible.

When that happened, forget about keeping her position as president—she’d be lucky to even clear her name!

The thought ignited the greed she had long suppressed, along with her enduring resentment toward Song Qingya.

Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Yang Meiling knew she was starting to waver and immediately struck while the iron was hot.

"Doctor Qi, if Song Qingya goes down, who’s going to take her place? Among the vice presidents, considering seniority and connections, who could be more suitable than you?"

"Once this is done, I’ll have every step arranged. Who could possibly trace it back to us?"

"You’ll be the president then, at the top of the food chain, and your word will be final."

"And as for me, I’ll finally get my revenge after being held down by her for so many years. It’s a win-win."

"Fortune favors the bold, and an opportunity like this doesn’t come around every day. If you miss it, who knows how long you’ll have to wait for the next one."

Qi Yuanyuan’s eyes darted back and forth, the scales of her conscience tipping violently.

"Fine! We’ll do it your way."

She paused, her tone suddenly hardening.

"But I’m only responsible for getting the items out of the warehouse. How they get mixed in with the old equipment and how the transport is handled—you have to arrange all of that. There can be no mistakes."

"I need this to be clean. Not a single trace left behind."

Hearing this, Yang Meiling’s lips curled into a triumphant smile, like a hunter who had finally snared her prey.

"Don’t worry, Doctor Qi. I’ve already thought of everything. From the transport manifest to the handover procedures, I’ve got it all arranged. It’s foolproof."

Pushing open the door, Song Qingya walked in, her steps feeling a little heavy.

Song Qingya paused for a moment, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.

Hearing the sound, Fei Jin slowly lowered the newspaper he was holding.

He stood up and took her bag.

Then, he produced a glass jar from behind his back.

The jar contained an amber-colored liquid, in which several dried ginkgo leaves were steeping.

"I’ve noticed you’ve been enjoying this lately, so I got you some."

Song Qingya froze, her eyes faltering for a moment before she looked up at him.

Her hand paused in mid-air for a moment before she reached out to accept it.

The chill from the jar seeped through the glass into her palm, a cool sensation spreading against her skin.

"Thank you."

She smiled, the corners of her lips turning up gently.

She glanced down at the glass jar. Inside were the preserved hawthorns she had been craving lately.

’My tastes really have changed since getting pregnant,’ she mused. ’I used to prefer lighter foods.’

But now, for some reason, she’d grown fond of this particular taste.

Especially in the evenings, this flavor always managed to soothe the indescribable queasiness in her stomach.

She hadn’t mentioned it, but the man by her side had quietly taken note.

Just then, Liu Li and Mr. Fei also came out of their rooms.

Liu Li was holding a light blanket.

She was about to drape it over Song Qingya’s shoulders but stopped short when she saw her accept the jar.

Mr. Fei followed behind her, dressed in light gray loungewear.

One after the other, they walked into the living room, their eyes landing on Song Qingya and the jar of preserves.

Liu Li stepped forward, her movements gentle, and cast a warm glance at her.

"Qingya, you’re back? Come, sit down and rest for a bit. Don’t just stand there."

As she spoke, she reached out to gently guide Song Qingya by the shoulder.

She was only halfway through her sentence when the living room door was thrown open.

The door slammed against the wall with a loud BANG.

A figure immediately staggered into the room.

The man was hunched over and disheveled, cutting a sorry figure.

"Old Liu? What happened to you?"

Mr. Fei frowned and hurried forward.

He was the first to react.

Old Liu was panting heavily, his chest rising and falling dramatically.

He waved his hand dismissively, a look of embarrassment on his face.

"Ugh, don’t ask! I was taking a walk in the courtyard, and everything was fine. Then I ran into some mischievous kids with water guns, and they started chasing me... I can’t very well fight back against children, can I? So I ran, but I wasn’t careful and ended up falling a couple of times. I cut my arm."

As he spoke, he lifted his left arm and pointed to the wound.

Sure enough, there on his outer forearm was a long, though not particularly deep, gash.

The edges were already turning red, and faint trickles of blood were still seeping out.

A strip of what looked like a reasonably clean cloth was wrapped loosely around the wound a few times.

Song Qingya’s gaze fell on the strip of cloth, and she paused, taken aback.

She stared at it for a couple of seconds, slightly surprised.

The bandaging technique wasn’t professional, but the basic principle was right.

It was also wrapped in a way that avoided hindering the joint’s movement.

You could tell it was the work of someone with at least some basic knowledge.

’This old man usually seems so confused... but he actually knows how to bandage a wound?’

"Uncle Liu, that wound..."

"It’s fine, really."

Old Liu quickly pulled his arm back.

"It’s just a scrape, nothing much. I tightened the cloth, and the bleeding stopped. It won’t get in the way of eating or sleeping, so don’t you worry."

Fei Wen Kang chimed in with a proud laugh.

"Qingya, you wouldn’t know, but Old Liu was in the army when he was younger. He even spent some time at a field hospital! He’s seen it all back then. A small injury like this is nothing to him, just a scratch. He can handle it himself."

An idea sparked in Song Qingya’s mind, and her gaze lingered on Old Liu for a few moments.

Old Liu’s lucidity came and went. On his good days, he was articulate and sociable, and could even help tidy up the courtyard.

But when he had a bad spell, he was prone to wandering off or doing something completely unexpected.

No one felt at ease just letting him be.

’But what if... what if we let him do something he’s capable of? Could that actually help stabilize his mood?’

"Dad, Mom, Uncle Liu, I have a suggestion. We’re a bit short-staffed at the hospital right now and could use some help organizing equipment. I’ve seen how meticulous Uncle Liu is, and he has experience and is very reliable. How about he comes to help out? The work isn’t strenuous—it’s mostly sorting and cataloging. That way, I can also keep an eye on you, Uncle Liu, and notice right away if anything seems off."

"That’s a wonderful idea!"

Liu Li immediately clapped in agreement, a relieved smile spreading across her face.

"With Qingya looking after him at the hospital, how could we not be at ease? She’s the most dependable doctor in our family. If Uncle Liu goes, he’ll have something to do, and we’ll all have peace of mind."