Chapter 1

As the only female doctor in the urology department,

my surgical skills were so exceptional that every time appointment slots opened up, they'd be snatched clean by patients in seconds.

But today, I'd been sitting in my office for a full hour without a single patient showing up.

When I asked the young nurse what was going on,

she looked me up and down with a scornful expression:

"A woman deliberately staying in the men's clinic—do you think I don't know what you're really up to?"

The appointment system opened right on time. Three seconds later, all slots showed "Fully Booked."

This was my normal.

As the only female doctor in the urology department,

not only was my scalpel steady, but my precision reached millimeter-level accuracy.

Patients seeking my care had to fight to snag appointment slots down to the very second.

Yet today, I'd been sitting in my examination room for a full hour without anyone showing up.

The wall clock ticked away steadily.

I glanced at my computer screen—the queue list was completely empty.

Maintaining my composure, I stood up to pour myself some tea.

Just as I took a sip, someone knocked on the examination room door. John, a familiar patient, poked his head in, his face full of confusion.

"Dr. Christie, aren't you off work today?"

I looked up at him. "What makes you say that?"

"I camped out on the app last night to book an appointment, but the system didn't even show your name. I thought you'd gone on vacation or something."

John waved his phone at me. Sure enough, the screen showed my name grayed out, unavailable for booking.

I set down my teacup, already understanding what had happened.

The hospital's appointment system was managed entirely by the nursing station. Doctors only had scheduling privileges—we had no authority to change appointment availability status.

I walked out of the examination room and headed straight to the nursing station.

The new intern nurse, Fiona, was sitting with her legs crossed, scrolling through videos on her phone.

When she saw me approach, she didn't even bother to look up.

"Nurse Fiona, why were all of today's appointment slots closed?" I got straight to the point.

Hearing my voice, Fiona tossed her phone onto the desk with a cold laugh.

"They're closed because they're closed. If no one books, the system automatically shows it as closed."

"What, is Dr. Christie here to inspect my work?"

"The system doesn't automatically close slots that are fully booked," I said calmly.

"You're new, so if you're unfamiliar with the procedures, I can teach you. But the appointment slots need to be restored immediately."

Fiona acted as if she'd heard the world's funniest joke. She suddenly stood up, leaning forward, her knuckles rapping against the desk one tap at a time.

"Christie, who are you trying to fool?"

"This is the urology department—a men's clinic. Any man would blush just hearing about this place."

"And you, a woman, you force your way in here, dealing with all that disgusting stuff every day—aren't you ashamed?"

"I don't think you're here to treat patients at all!"

"As a fellow woman, I can see right through what you're really thinking."

I understood completely.

This kind of malice born from gender discrimination—

I'd seen it too many times. Arguing would only waste time.

I pulled out my phone and, right in front of her, dialed the director's internal line.

"Dr. Christie?"

"What can I do for you?"

"Director, the urology nurse Fiona has closed all of my appointment slots today without authorization, and her attitude has been extremely poor."

The line went silent for half a second, then came the sharp sound of a chair scraping back.

"What? Dr. Christie, don't worry, I'm coming right over!"

Fiona rolled her eyes and sneered.

"What, calling for backup? Are you three years old?"

I ignored her, hung up, and stood quietly against the wall.

Less than five minutes later, urgent footsteps echoed through the hallway.

The director arrived with beads of sweat on his forehead, practically running.

When he saw me, he didn't even pause to catch his breath. He rushed straight to the nursing station and bellowed:

"Fiona! Who gave you the authority to touch Dr. Christie's appointment slots!"

Fiona hadn't expected the director to actually come in person.

Her face instantly went pale, but she still stubbornly held her ground.

"Director, a woman bossing everyone around in the men's clinic goes against protocol. I was just protecting the hospital's reputation..."

"Shut up!"

The director was furious, pointing right at her nose.

"Do you have any idea how much medical revenue Dr. Christie brings to this hospital with a single surgery?"

"You're here pushing gender discrimination? Are you here to work or to play boss!"

Then he turned to the head nurse standing nearby and roared, "Right now! Immediately!"

"Restore all of Dr. Christie's appointment slots. If there's still a system malfunction within ten minutes, you're all fired!"

Fiona was completely stunned by this display.

She clutched the folder in her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white from the pressure.