Chapter 584

David felt a bit relieved when Charlotte agreed to follow the regular procedure.

This way, he could buy some time until Melody arrived.

He handed them two sets of test papers. “These are the papers we use for hiring other doctors, but since you’re students, I’ve already removed some of the more difficult questions. You only need to answer the ones left.”

Charlotte arrogantly snatched the test papers and asked coldly, “Where are we taking the exam?”

“Upstairs in the break room,” David replied.

He led them to the second floor, instructed a pharmacy clerk to watch over them, and then headed downstairs to prepare the clinical practice questions.

He had intended to find Nana to help, but after searching around, he couldn’t find her.

“Where’s Nana?” he asked a colleague.

The colleague snorted angrily. “I was just about to tell you. She’s gone.”

“What do you mean?” David asked, confused. “What’s going on?”

The colleague scowled. “I saw her leave through the back door and drive away in one of our hospital’s delivery vans. I called out to her, but she didn’t even acknowledge me. And her mother left with her. They must have felt we were in trouble, so they decided to bolt. I’m furious. They even took our van. David, we need to call the police immediately to get our vehicle back.”

“That can’t be,” David said firmly. “She wouldn’t just abandon her post like that.”

Although David hadn’t known Nana for long, she had struck him as the kind of person who would never desert her duties, even facing a difficult situation head-on.

The fact that she hadn’t slapped him when Charlotte asked her to was proof enough for him.

“How do you explain them leaving the hospital at such a crucial moment?” the colleague pressed.

“They must have gone to find help,” David suggested.

“Find help? Hey. If they had someone to rely on, why would they be working as errand staff here? David, you’re being naïve. If they don’t come back, you’ll have to explain to Miss Fox,” he continued.

Mentioning Melody brought David a sense of pressure, but he still trusted his instincts. “Nana and her mother aren’t fleeing. There must be another reason.”

“Let’s see,” the colleague said angrily, clearly frustrated with David’s unwavering trust in Nana, and stormed off.

After the colleague left, David tried calling Nana, but she not only didn’t answer but also hung up on him.

‘Could she really be abandoning us?’ A wave of intense unease washed over him.

He pushed aside his anxiety and focused on his immediate tasks.

Although Herbathrive was a traditional hospital, it was located in a residential area, and it frequently received emergency cases from local residents.

For the sake of patients, Herbathrive had an emergency center with two doctors in modern medicine on duty.

This was why Melody’s dog, Lucky, was able to undergo surgery in Herbathrive’s operating room when it was in need.

David temporarily set aside his concerns about Nana and quickly found the two doctors to discuss the content of the clinical exam.

“Normally, we wouldn’t include this since they’re just students with little clinical experience. But if they do pass, it could really shake things up at Herbathrive. So, I need your help to figure out a solution,” he explained.

“Understood. If the assessment is too difficult, they’ll be dissatisfied. If it’s too easy, it won’t work either… Ugh, this is really troubling,” one of the two said.

“Let’s first see which patients are willing to be used for their assessment. We can’t force patients to let interns treat them,” another added.

“Right, we should choose from the patients who agree…” The three of them were deep in brainstorming.

Meanwhile, in the car, Talia asked Nana with curiosity, “Why aren’t you answering David’s calls?”

“Let’s wait until things are settled,” Nana replied, her foot pressing firmly on the gas pedal. “I’m afraid that if our plan fails, it will only disappoint him. It’s better not to give him any hope for now.”

Talia, observing Nana with a knowing look, said, “I see.”

Nana felt uncomfortable under her mother’s gaze and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Talia shifted her gaze and said, “Among the people at Herbathrive, David is the one you’re closest to. He might be a bit slow-witted, but he’s a good person, hardworking and reliable. He’ll probably make a good husband and father.”

Nana’s heart skipped a beat, and she responded, “Mom, what are you thinking?”

Talia’s expression turned knowing. “You can’t hide this from me. The way you look at him is exactly the same as when you used to like someone else. His character is excellent. I’ve come to realize that love is more important than money. If you really like him, I wouldn’t object.”

“Mom,” Nana said, annoyed. “We’ve only known each other for a week. You’re jumping to conclusions.”

“Well, just get to know each other better for now. I’m not rushing you to get married immediately,” she smiled.

“I’m not discussing this with you. Let’s focus on what we’re going to say when we meet Oliver.” Nana snorted.

With that, Talia dropped the subject, and the mood turned serious again.

Meanwhile, Melody had finally arrived at Herbathrive.

She had left during the morning rush hour, and the traffic was a nightmare. After receiving Nana’s call, she decided to abandon her car midway and ran to speed through the traffic, finally reaching Herbathrive.

As soon as she walked in, the staff in the lobby quickly rallied around her, eager to update her on the situation.

“I’m already aware of everything. I’ll go upstairs and check things out. You all focus on your tasks and don’t let this delay patient care.” Melody instructed.

“Yes!” The staff responded in unison and quickly returned to their duties.

Melody wasn’t in a rush to head upstairs. Instead, she first went to the backyard and used her laptop to look up information on Elton and Charlotte.

Knowing both oneself and one’s opponent ensured success in a hundred battles. Under her examination, she learned about the various aspects of their lives and why Charlotte was interning here.

With a look of understanding, she closed her laptop and made her way to the second floor.

The written test was supposed to last about an hour, and it had only been a little over ten minutes since the test began when Melody arrived at the room where the candidates were taking their exams.

Only a pharmacy staff member was present, keeping an eye on the candidates to prevent any cheating.

When the staff saw Melody approach, his eyes lit up and he immediately began to greet her. “Hi, Ms. Fox…”

Melody made a shushing gesture and walked over to where the candidates were seated.

Just as she was a few steps away, Charlotte turned to her, pointing arrogantly. “Hey, you.”

Melody paused briefly and met Charlotte’s gaze with calm composure. “What’s up?”