48 Hours a Day

“Third-degree radiation sickness? Is it serious?” The receptionist tried her best to act like a wife who was afraid of losing her husband.

The female doctor did not answer the question directly.

“We will do our best to treat him.”

“Then can you tell me how long he can live?” The receptionist did not forget Zhang Heng’s advice and asked the most important question.

“I can’t tell you the exact time, madam. Radiation sickness varies from person to person,” the female doctor said.

“I beg you,” the waitress pleaded. In order to earn a generous reward, her acting skills exploded. “We still have three children. I can’t raise them all by myself. I need Dima,” she cried and sobbed.

“He’ll be fine, madam,” the female doctor quickly consoled. “Although I can’t give you any guarantees, I will do my best to treat him. Also, considering his current condition, I think it’s best if you keep a certain distance from him, madam.”

“What? You mean I can’t accompany him to the hospital?” The receptionist was anxious when she heard that. Her salary was calculated by the day.

“Yes, the hospital has a dedicated nurse. We will take good care of your husband. He has suffered from high levels of radiation. For the sake of your health, you should take some time away from him.”

The receptionist hesitated. In fact, when the two first met, Zhang Heng had told her about his illness and how it would affect her, but she knew nothing about radiation and didn’t think it was a problem. There was also nothing wrong with her body during the journey.

This caused the receptionist to relax a little. It wasn’t until the female doctor brought it up again with a serious look on her face that she had to pay attention to this problem.

However, Zhang Heng’s offer was too generous. 10 rubles a day, 300 rubles a month. Having a monthly salary of a measly 100 rubles, this job paid three times that. This was an offer she simply couldn’t refuse.

Thus, after thinking about it, the waitress unwillingly asked the female doctor, “Will I be infected to death?”

“Not necessarily so,” the female doctor explained patiently. “His illness is not an infectious disease. It’s just that he has come into contact with a radiation source and absorbed a relatively large amount. His body may produce unstable radionuclides. In addition, there may be some radioactive aerosols on his body, so those who stay by his side may also absorb the radiation.”

“What?” The receptionist was confused.

“Are you pregnant now?” The female doctor changed the question.

“Oh, I’m… I’m not pregnant.” The receptionist blushed. She had never been in a relationship before, and this time, she was willing to pretend to be Zhang Heng’s wife to earn some extra money. This was her limit, though, and she became a little shy when asked such a direct question.

Fortunately, the female doctor was not a sharp person, and she failed to notice Mrs. Dima’s abnormality. After hearing the receptionist’s answer, she nodded. “That’s good. Otherwise, we’ll have to do another check-up on you and the fetus.”

“So, if I’m not pregnant, can I stay by his side?” the receptionist eagerly asked.

“No, madam, you don’t understand what I’m saying,” the female doctor said. “I don’t mean that it doesn’t matter if you’re not pregnant. I just mean that this can eliminate the effect on the fetus, but if you’re by his side, it’s still possible…”

“I don’t understand your professional jargon, doctor,” the receptionist interrupted the female doctor, “I’m just a receptionist working in a hotel. I simply want to know if I’ll die if I stay by my poor husband’s side and take care of him.”

“You won’t die, but you’ll be exposed to radiation.”

“I don’t know what radiation is, but I know that my husband needs me right now. Without me, he won’t be able to communicate with the outside world! He also won’t be able to cooperate with your treatment.” The receptionist’s gaze became firm again. This was because she saw Zhang Heng extend his finger, indicating that her wage had just increased from 10 to 30 rubles a day. In addition, the female doctor had clearly stated that she would not die. This also relieved the biggest burden in her heart.

Only in a month’s time could she earn almost 1,000 rubles! Even professors and scholars in universities didn’t make such a salary. The waitress did not know when she would encounter something so good again if she missed this opportunity.

Moreover, learning a language wasn’t easy. Conservatively speaking, it would take at least half a year for Zhang Heng to be barely able to have a daily conversation. In other words, she could earn at least 5,000 rubles from Zhang Heng. This was a huge sum of money, to say the least.

One had to know that the latest Volga sedan only cost 7,000 rubles. 100 rubles could buy an imported mink collar coat, 100 Soviet chocolates, or four bottles of French perfume. After finishing this job, she could go on a trip for two or three years before coming back to work.

“Please, doctor, please do me a favor and let me stay here to accompany my man,” the waitress pleaded. “I don’t want to regret in the future and let my Dima leave alone at the last moments of his life! I have already left my three children with my friends, so I have plenty of time to stay here.”

“Well…” the female doctor’s expression also became a little hesitant.

Because of work, the waitress had seen countless people and knew that she had a chance in this matter. Thus, she stepped up her efforts and secretly wiped her tears.

“Alright, Alright.” Although the female doctor had seen many such incidents, she could not help but soften her heart.

“I’ll talk to the inpatient department to allow you to stay with your man. However, it’s best if you don’t interact with him anymore. If you really just stay at the side, the problem won’t be too serious. Also, you must remember not to be intimate with him during the treatment period.”

The receptionist’s face flushed red when she heard that. She subconsciously wanted to open her mouth to refute, but she quickly remembered the role she was currently playing. She could only swallow her words silently.

Then, the female doctor called for a nurse to assist them with the admission procedure. She even emphasized that she wanted to give Zhang Heng a separate room. Thus, Zhang Heng became a patient at the Kiev People’s Hospital; the start of his treatment journey.