Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 205: Kill Two Birds with One Stone
"Don’t act like you’re the victim here."
Yang Meiling let out a soft laugh.
She slowly strolled over to Qi Yuanyuan.
Less than half a step separated them.
"Just swapping out some old equipment... that’s child’s play," she said in a low, gentle voice.
"I heard... the hospital just received a shipment of expensive Western medicine. All imported targeted drugs, each costing a five-figure sum, and they’re locked in the safe. They were just put in stock early this morning. I’ve already checked the security footage—there’s a three-minute blind spot during the handover."
Qi Yuanyuan’s head snapped up. Her face was as white as a sheet, her lips trembling slightly.
She kept backing away until the back of her head hit the wall with a soft THUD.
"No! Absolutely not!"
She almost shouted, her voice suppressed to a whisper.
"Yang Meiling, are you insane? Swapping the equipment can be passed off as a mistake, a mix-up with the registration forms. At worst, it’s professional negligence! But stealing drugs is a crime! A criminal offense! If I get caught, I’ll go to jail! I can’t do something like that!"
’Once I’m labeled a drug thief, I can forget about becoming the hospital president.’
’I probably won’t be able to find work in any hospital for the rest of my life!’
Seeing her trembling in fear, the smile on Yang Meiling’s lips only deepened.
She lowered her voice, her tone almost placating.
"Think about it. Once the commotion starts tomorrow, everyone’s attention will be on the equipment department. As the supervising vice president, Song Qingya will be completely overwhelmed—busy investigating, placating the departments, dealing with audits... Where would she find the energy to check if a few boxes of medicine are missing from the pharmacy?"
"Then, all we have to do is secretly plant the drugs in her office drawer, or toss them in the hallway of her apartment building, or in her car... No one will doubt it was her. She’s been emotionally unstable lately, and the rumors about her husband cheating have spread everywhere. Who’s going to believe she was framed?"
She didn’t say any more, but her meaning was crystal clear.
It was a plan to frame an innocent person, killing two birds with one stone: make money and eliminate a rival.
Qi Yuanyuan’s heart pounded wildly.
She panted, an image of Song Qingya’s usual haughty, aloof demeanor flashing through her mind.
’If I can pin the drug theft on Song Qingya too, she’ll be utterly finished!’
’She won’t just lose her position as vice president; she’ll probably have her medical license revoked.’
’She can forget about ever setting foot in a top-tier hospital again!’
’But the risk is just too great...’
"Besides," Yang Meiling suddenly leaned close to her ear, "I saw everything you did with the equipment. From the moment you pried open the first crate and slapped on the new labels, to when you stuffed the old equipment into the scrap bin in the underground garage—I remember every single move."
She slowly straightened up.
"We’re two grasshoppers on the same rope now. Neither of us can escape. If you go down, I’ll drag you down with me. If you run, I can still make sure you’re doomed beyond redemption."
Qi Yuanyuan froze, a chill shooting straight up her spine.
She stood rooted to the spot, unconsciously holding her breath.
’This Yang Meiling...’
’She’s so ruthless!’
’She had it all planned out from the very beginning.’
She hadn’t even realized that she was already a disposable pawn on the other woman’s chessboard, ready to be sacrificed at any time.
Yang Meiling slowly stood up straight, her hands shoved into the pockets of her white coat.
Her smile held no warmth, only cold indifference and calculation.
Watching Qi Yuanyuan’s expression of mingled shock and fear, a flicker of pleasure welled up inside her.
"Go get the drugs," she said calmly. "Make up any excuse. Say it’s an emergency case; the pharmacy shouldn’t ask too many questions. Or just come up with your own reason. Just as long as you get that batch of medicine."
She paused, glanced around, and added in a low voice, "I’ll keep watch for you out here. Be quick."
Qi Yuanyuan bit her lower lip, her teeth nearly sinking into the flesh.
But the thought of that position echoed repeatedly in her mind.
’As long as Song Qingya falls, the president’s position will be mine!’
’I can’t back down. I can’t hesitate. Otherwise, all my effort will have been for nothing.’
"I’ll go."
She spun around abruptly and strode quickly toward the pharmacy.
Yang Meiling watched her retreating figure, the smile on her lips growing wider and wider.
’Qi Yuanyuan took the bait so easily.’
’Just a few words of goading, a few hints, and she jumped right into the trap.’
’How foolish and pathetic.’
Now, all she had to do was wait quietly, wait for the knife she had personally handed over to strike the target she wanted to destroy.
Before long, Qi Yuanyuan returned.
Her face was even paler, with beads of cold sweat on her temples, and her breathing was a little ragged.
She was now holding a small paper packet, wrapped casually in ordinary brown kraft paper from the pharmacy.
She hurried forward and thrust the packet into Yang Meiling’s hands.
"I have to go!"
She spoke extremely quickly, her voice hushed, but she couldn’t hide the tremor in it.
The moment the words were out, she immediately turned and practically fled the scene.
Yang Meiling gripped the paper packet tightly, her fingertips gently tracing the rough surface of the paper.
’Everything is going according to plan.’
This packet of drugs would be the final straw.
「The next day.」
The hospital was as busy as usual.
Morning sunlight streamed in through the corridor windows.
People came and went at the nurses’ station, and patients’ families hurried by carrying thermoses.
Doctors bustled between consultation rooms, flipping through medical records.
Song Qingya, dressed in a clean white coat, walked calmly into the outpatient building.
She had just lifted her foot to step onto the stairs.
Suddenly, a sharp voice called out from behind her.
"Song Qingya! Stop right there!"
Yang Meiling rushed out from around a corner, her face flushed red.
She pointed a finger straight at Song Qingya, her voice echoing throughout the entire hall.
"How dare you abuse your position to steal! You secretly swapped out the aid equipment the hospital was supposed to distribute! If something goes wrong with that equipment and causes a medical accident, can you take responsibility for that?!"
Nearby nurses, doctors, and patients and their families who had just arrived for appointments all stopped in their tracks and turned to look.
In an instant, all eyes in the outpatient hall were fixed on Song Qingya.
Song Qingya paused for a moment, then slowly turned around.
"Comrade Yang Meiling, what are you shouting about so early in the morning? What’s this about swapping equipment? I don’t understand."
Yang Meiling sneered.
"You don’t understand? Yesterday, you were the one who personally instructed Ye Yuan to accompany me today to transport that batch of labeled old equipment. But guess what? I was just trying to be helpful and went to the warehouse ahead of time to see if there were any problems, but I found that several of the crates were off. They were stuffed with brand-new instruments! If you didn’t have someone tamper with them, who else could it have been?"
Song Qingya raised an eyebrow slightly.
She stared at Yang Meiling, her tone as slow and casual as if she were making small talk.
"Oh? Comrade Yang Meiling, you went to the warehouse to ’inspect’ it?"
"According to the rules, this batch of sealed equipment can only be loaded and transported after you, Ye Yuan, and I are all present to open the crates and verify their contents right before transport, correct?" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
Song Qingya retorted unhurriedly.
"It’s not time for the inspection yet, and the crates haven’t been opened. So how do you know new instruments were mixed in? Don’t tell me... you snuck in there last night?"
The surrounding crowd instantly erupted in an uproar!
