As the legendary surgeon, the moment I announced I was putting away my scalpel and stepping off the operating table for good, the entire surgical department erupted in excitement. They even threw a celebration. But only Serena White, the intern Mark brought in – the one hailed as a once-in-a-generation medical prodigy – approached me, a look of unease on her face. “Dr. Chen, even though you’ve made a few mistakes in your recent surgeries, your skills are still there. We need you, and so do countless patients.” She spoke with such earnestness, if I hadn’t been the one involved, I might have actually fallen for it. I turned and walked away, my face expressionless. In my past life, she was an intern who followed me into surgery. But every time, right in the middle of an operation, my body would suddenly go out of control. And every time, Serena would step in, taking over and flawlessly completing the surgery. After a few such incidents, she became the medical genius everyone praised, while I was branded a fraud, someone who stole her reputation. Desperate to prove my true capabilities, I took on a world-class, complex surgical case, despite immense pressure. I spent sleepless nights researching materials, searching for similar cases, and developing a surgical plan. But the moment I confidently stepped into the operating room, my body once again betrayed me. Serena flawlessly completed the surgery again, and her surgical plan was exactly identical to the one I had meticulously devised. She became the miracle worker everyone talked about, and I became an incompetent quack, scorned by all. Unable to bear the blow, I ended my life with the very scalpel I once mastered. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Serena first arrived at the hospital. ………. “The patient suddenly had a massive hemorrhage, and our Dr. Chen was so scared she just froze. Good thing Serena was there, otherwise, we would have been in big trouble.” “And she still calls herself a legendary surgeon? Doesn’t she feel any shame? Always acting so high and mighty. Well, now with Serena, a true genius, as a comparison, how can she even show her face in the operating room again?” Familiar mocking voices yanked me back to reality. That’s when I realized, I had been reborn. Ignoring their taunts, I rushed straight to Neurology for a full body check-up. The results, as expected, showed I was perfectly normal. I suspected Serena was the source of the problem. To test my theory, I immediately scheduled another surgery. This time, I refused to let Serena into the operating room with me. The surgery started smoothly, but at the most critical moment, my body once again went out of control. Just then, Serena, as if she had predicted it, quickly walked in and finished the rest of the surgery. Coming out of the operating room, Dr. Thompson, the Vice Dean, called me into his office and said to me with grave concern, “Valerie, have you been too tired lately? How about I give you a few days off to rest?” “You don’t have to worry about the hospital. I think that young woman, Serena White, is quite good; she’s handled these last few surgeries beautifully.” “You’re not getting any younger. Perhaps it’s time to consider taking a step back and enjoying your well-deserved retirement.” I stared at Dr. Thompson, my former mentor and teacher, in disbelief. He should know my capabilities better than anyone. Was even he losing faith in me now? My eyes instantly welled up. “Teacher, even you don’t trust my skills anymore?” Seeing my distress, Dr. Thompson sighed deeply. “You’re my student; of course, I know your level. It’s just, considering your performance in these last few incidents, I think it’s time for you to step down.” I left the Vice Dean’s office, utterly devastated, and returned to the surgical department. Everyone was gathered around Serena, asking her for advice on emergency solutions for unexpected surgical complications. She was confidently explaining everything, holding nothing back. But what she was saying was all the experience I had accumulated over many years. How was this possible? I had painstakingly summarized these insights from thousands of surgeries, never formally teaching them to anyone. Everyone murmured in envious admiration. “Serena, you must be a legendary medical genius. You’ve only been in a few surgeries, yet you can anticipate so many emergencies and handle them so perfectly. Is this truly the difference between people?” Just then, Mark spotted me through the crowd, a sneering smile twisting his lips. “Serena is the real genius, unlike some people who, after performing so many surgeries, still get scared and lost when a patient bleeds heavily. I don’t know how she still has the nerve to call herself a surgical maestro.” Serena looked over, following his gaze, her eyes brimming with undisguised triumph. “Mark, don’t talk about Valerie like that. She’s still your wife, after all.” “I came here to learn from Dr. Chen, not to steal anything from her. But since I have a talent for surgery, I should make good use of it to save more patients.” Her words earned her a chorus of praise and applause. Initially, everyone had been skeptical of Serena’s medical genius, but as she successfully performed one critical rescue after another, they gradually became convinced. Even the hospital’s top management held her in high regard, giving her priority for training. She became a miracle worker, sought after by all. My husband and colleagues, who once flocked around me, had all abandoned me to fawn over Serena. I could understand this; after all, in such circumstances, following Serena would easily grant them more resources and compensation. “Serena, you’re too generous! Dr. Chen can’t even compare to you. In the last surgery, she was afraid you’d steal her thunder and deliberately kept you out of the operating room. In the end, didn’t you have to clean up her mess anyway?” “Exactly! When I asked her for anything, she wouldn’t say a word, claiming she could only teach me if I encountered it during surgery. I think she just didn’t know how and was brushing me off.” “Serena, you’re the future hope of our surgical department. We’re all counting on you.” … I coldly watched the group of people and Serena, who was surrounded by them. In my past life, it was this kind of betrayal that pushed me to end my life with a scalpel. And in doing so, I had only cleared the way for Mark and Serena. Reborn, I would take back everything that was mine. I silently turned and walked away, not returning to the home I shared with Mark. Instead, I went back to the apartment I had bought before we got married. I couldn’t understand where things had gone wrong. But one thing I was certain of: this whole situation was connected to Serena. Even if she was a so-called medical genius, it was impossible for her to come up with such detailed emergency protocols without extensive practical experience. More importantly, every time she took the spotlight, my body would suddenly go out of my control. What exactly had Serena done to me? As I thought this, a name suddenly flashed in my mind. Yes! That’s it! I could tell him what was happening to me. Maybe he would know how to fix it. I quickly found his phone number and dialed it directly. He answered quickly. I thoroughly explained the strange things happening to me and Serena’s abnormal behavior. He pondered for a moment, then said he would give me an answer in three days. He advised me to avoid contact with Serena during these three days. With his assurance, I felt much more at ease. I immediately requested a week’s leave from the hospital. I had planned to relax for a few days. But while I was avoiding Serena, she seemed determined not to let me go. On the third morning of my leave, Mark suddenly called me. His tone was incredibly hostile as he demanded, “Valerie Chen, why didn’t you tell me you were taking leave?” I had no patience for him anymore. “What does my leave have to do with you?” Mark on the other end of the line paused, surprised. But it was only for a second. Then, he irritably ordered me, “Never mind that. Get to the hospital now.” I scoffed. “I’m on vacation. If you need something, find someone else.” With that, I decisively hung up. I lay back down on the bed, just about to drift off to sleep again. Suddenly, someone started pounding loudly on my door. At the same time, they were shouting my name. I looked through the peephole. It was Mark and Serena. I didn’t want them to disturb my neighbors, so I irritably opened the door. “Mark, what do you two want?” Seeing the door open, he grabbed my arm without a word and started pulling me out. I forcefully shook him off. “Are you out of your minds? If you have something to say, say it here. Otherwise, I’m calling the police.” Mark’s face turned livid. “You’re coming back to the hospital with me now. There’s a surgery today that only you can perform.” I looked at him, his expectation so blatant, and burst out laughing mockingly. “Isn’t Serena a medical genius? Why doesn’t *she* go? Why call me?” Mark’s face was filled with impatience. “Valerie Chen, I’m giving you one last chance. Are you coming back to the hospital with me or not?” “No!” I refused, cold and decisive. He let out a cold laugh, clearly infuriated. “You’re forcing my hand.” Then he pulled out his phone and shoved it in front of me. A video clip was playing on the screen. In the video, a woman was trying to hand me an under-the-table payment, which I refused. The next second, she burst into tears, kneeling and kowtowing repeatedly in front of me. I remembered this incident. The woman’s son had suffered a sudden cerebral infarction, and I had saved him. After the surgery, the woman wanted to give me a bribe to thank me for saving her son’s life. When I refused, she immediately knelt down and kowtowed. I looked at Mark, confused. “Why are you showing me this?” Mark’s lips twisted into a challenging smirk. “Don’t be so hasty, just keep watching.” The video clip ended, and the woman who had kowtowed to me appeared on screen. Dressed in ragged clothes, she tearfully accused me in front of the camera, “It was this Dr. Valerie Chen who caused my son to be paralyzed!” “She refused to operate on my son because she thought my bribe was too small, making us miss the best time for treatment!” “But I truly couldn’t afford more money. It’s my fault for being useless and harming my son!” The video ended there, and Mark threatened me with a cold sneer. “If you don’t come back with me obediently today, I’ll post this online and completely ruin your reputation!” I looked at Mark in disbelief. I never imagined he would stoop to such lengths to frame me, all for Serena. “Fine, I’ll go back with you.” Since you want me back so badly, I’ll humor you. Just don’t regret it later. The moment I stepped through the hospital entrance, Dr. Harrison, the Head of Surgery, grabbed me and hurried me inside. “Valerie, you’re finally here! We just got a car crash victim with an intracranial hemorrhage and an unruptured aneurysm. This is a complex case, and you’re the only one in this hospital who’s ever done this specific procedure. Get ready quickly!” I asked for the patient’s detailed condition; for now, their life wasn’t immediately at risk. I looked at Serena, who was about to change into scrubs, and calmly stated, “Dr. Harrison, you know my recent situation. I’m really not suitable for surgery right now.” Dr. Harrison heard me and seemed to recall something, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. But he couldn’t think of anyone more suitable than me. Seeing the sweat forming on his brow, I tentatively suggested, “Dr. Harrison, don’t rush. I can find someone to come over, we should still have enough time.” At this, Serena, whose face had been full of anticipation, turned pale. Without waiting for Dr. Harrison to speak, she hastily objected. “No way!” Both Dr. Harrison and I looked at her. Her expression was a little unnatural. “What I mean is, the patient might not be able to wait. Since Dr. Chen is here, let Dr. Chen do it.” Dr. Harrison looked at me, somewhat hesitantly. “Valerie, why don’t you just go ahead?” Before I could even speak. Serena’s eyes turned red with urgency. “Dr. Chen, I know you’re still angry with me, blaming me for stealing your thunder. But you really can’t just stand by and watch someone die!” As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears. Seeing her cry, Mark’s face filled with distress, and he glared at me, his expression even darker. “Valerie Chen, that’s enough! I never knew you were such a cold-hearted person!” “Just go and perform the surgery obediently, and let Serena be your assistant.” I looked at him coldly. “How am I cold-hearted? I know my own condition. I’m not suitable for such a complex surgery right now.” “And I already said I would find someone to replace me for this operation.” My words left Mark speechless. At this point, Serena suddenly burst into tears and knelt before me. “Dr. Chen, I was wrong. I can resign. I’ll never bother you again.” “But the patient in the operating room truly can’t wait. Please, I’m begging you for him, save him!” Her actions instantly ignited the anger of everyone present towards me. “Is this even a doctor? She’s a butcher!” “How can she be so cold-blooded, letting someone die without helping?” Then, someone shouted, “I just saw online that someone exposed her! She refused the surgery because the family didn’t give her an under-the-table payment!” This statement caused a massive uproar, pushing the crowd’s anger to its peak. No one listened to my explanations anymore. The scene instantly erupted into chaos, and someone rushed forward to hit me. “Kill this heartless, unethical doctor!” “Kill her!” I was surrounded by the crowd. Someone kicked me hard in the knee. “You beast, get down on your knees!” I cried out in pain and collapsed, clearly hearing the sound of bone cracking. Then, someone grabbed my hair and slammed my head onto the ground. “You greedy, murderous, unethical doctor, hurry and kowtow to confess your sins!” Blood instantly gushed from my forehead, and my vision blurred repeatedly. Powerless to resist, I could only curl up on the ground, covering my head, as everyone continued to hit me. Fists rained down on my body relentlessly. Then, someone kicked me hard in the abdomen. I instantly coughed up a mouthful of blood. Only then did security guards arrive and control the angry crowd. Dr. Harrison and a few colleagues haphazardly helped me, who was on the verge of fainting, to my feet. Looking up, I saw the triumphant glint in Serena’s eyes. She wanted to force me into this surgery, then use her trick again. She wanted to step on me to gain higher honors, while I would be utterly crushed into the mud, never to rise again. She was paving her path to glory with my blood and flesh. “Dr. Chen, please agree, otherwise, we can’t save you either!” Serena’s expression was earnest as she pressured me again. I silently swept my gaze across the faces of everyone present: some angry, some sneering, some just waiting to see me fail. Among them were patients I had saved. But now, they were all glaring at me as if I were their enemy. Just then, my phone rang. I answered, listening in silence, a mocking smile unconsciously twisting my lips. Seeing this, the crowd grew angry again, ready to charge at me. “She’s still smiling! She’s cold-blooded, not even human! Kill her!” But then, I suddenly bowed deeply to everyone. “I’m sorry, but as you can see, my current condition makes it impossible for me to perform surgery.” As I spoke, I raised my right hand, which was now bruised and bloody from being stomped on, my fingers dangling limply. The eyes of those who had just hit me flashed with a hint of panic, but they quickly regained their indignant composure. “We hit you because you’re greedy and murderous, unfit to be a doctor!” “Since everyone believes I’m unfit, then I hereby announce that from today onwards, I am stepping down, and will never again enter an operating room.” I calmly looked at Serena, whose face was slowly turning ashen. I wanted to see, without me, how she would continue to be her medical genius.
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