Chapter 226

This time in America, Wang Yan was still quite well-behaved. After all, the neighborhood around his school had decent security, and since he was here for legitimate purposes, there was no need to stir up trouble. Aside from studying and practical training, he mostly just spent time with Zhao Yingnan and Yang Yue. They were abroad, no one knew them, and the only person aware of the truth was Xinyi. So the three of them openly moved in together and lived quite comfortably.

As for Xinyi, burdened with so much debt, he studied like his life depended on it. To protect his health, Wang Yan never stopped giving him Qiang Shen Wan, and regularly took him out for pulse checks, meals, drinks, and sports like basketball. He cared for him more than his own father ever had.

It must be said that the teaching environment and technology here were indeed significantly stronger than back home. He didn't pursue lofty goals like studying rare or complex diseases; instead, he simply learned from his mentors here and clearly felt his own progress accelerating rapidly.

Clinical treatment, whether Chinese or Western medicine, relies on experience. Wang Yan's theoretical knowledge was better than anyone else's, but he lacked practical experience with Western medical techniques. There was no way around it—he could only accumulate that after returning to China. That's why his Western medicine skill remained stuck at LV2, lacking hands-on practice. Otherwise, with his peak TCM ability, his accumulated knowledge of Western medicine, and the right clinical experience, he could have broken through to LV3 long ago, and even reached LV4 was possible.

As for personal KPI—the work of publishing papers—Wang Yan produced one every few months, just for the sake of it. Mostly, they were patchwork theories stitched together with filler content, yet still published in world-class journals. But most of what he published had little real value; he mainly did it to build reputation.

Such output and achievements indeed made Wang Yan rise to fame in the international medical community. Even Washington University invited him to stay on as faculty, offering funding to support his research—never mind green cards or citizenship. Wang Yan, of course, politely declined.

Long Teng's development was also going well. Due to its responsible role during the flood relief, it was set as a model, and the domestic situation was overwhelmingly positive. Overseas operations, which had already existed, were doing passably well. Now with Wang Yan personally steering them, growth climbed another level. Plus, he understood financial trends and occasionally played the market, making substantial profits in U. S. dollars. He then reinvested that money back home, funding development and construction, expanding ever larger.

The classmates back home—Houpu, Du Zhong, and others—had only sent a bunch of random purchases along with letters after first settling in America, received one reply, and then lost contact. Xinyi was much the same; he wasn't like Huang Qi, chasing romance, so there wasn't much to say.

Thus, three years passed, and in June 2001, Wang Yan, Zhao Yingnan, Yang Yue, and Xinyi completed their studies and boarded the flight back to China.

Wang Yan had actually finished long ago—his Western medicine skill had already been theoretically pushed to LV3. He stayed this long, and Xinyi didn't mind, mainly to wait for Zhao Yingnan and Yang Yue. Though both were high-IQ talents, earning their doctorates wasn't easy. It was only because Wang Yan tutored them regularly that they didn't take four or even five years.

Xinyi completed his studies in three years for one simple reason: money. After being convinced by Wang Yan's persuasion, Xinyi dropped out of all other activities and studied full-time. Every time he opened his eyes, he was spending money—U. S. dollars—and the pressure and urgency weighed on him, forcing him to push himself to the brink. Had Wang Yan not constantly monitored him, the outcome might have been very different.

It was fortunate Wang Yan brought Xinyi over; otherwise, without his constant attention, Xinyi wouldn't have just fallen seriously ill—he might have dropped dead from stress.

Being this kind of father was exhausting…

At the capital airport, it was afternoon. After disembarking and exiting the terminal, someone immediately stepped forward to take their luggage and load it onto three parked cars nearby.

Wang Yan turned to Xinyi: "Go with him. Tell the driver where you're going."

Xinyi nodded, glanced at Yang Yue, and replied: "Then I'll go first. See you at the hospital." He then got into the car with the man.

"I'm sorry," Wang Yan stepped forward and hugged Yang Yue, hoping his warm embrace would comfort her. "I'm sorry" was the hardest phrase to say—and yet the easiest to utter. Wang Yan had no psychological barrier; the words came out effortlessly. The path was Yang Yue's own choice; she had to bear it, no matter how hard.

His first stop upon returning was Zhao Yingnan's home—they hadn't seen each other in three years, and her family had prepared a grand gathering for tonight.

Besides, this year he, Zhao Yingnan, and Yang Yue were all twenty-seven—old for unmarried people in this era. People their age were mostly already married with children. Since they officially started dating after graduating in 1993, they'd been together for eight years; it was time to get married. Of course, the bride would be Zhao Yingnan; this return was to discuss wedding plans. Saying "I'm sorry" to Yang Yue was because of this.

Yang Yue shook her head: "You haven't wronged me. I chose this willingly. Besides, I've already made arrangements with her—I'll be her maid of honor, so I'm marrying you too."

Wang Yan ruffled her hair: "Come on, your parents must be waiting."

Yang Yue said nothing, turned, and walked away. Though she spoke those words, thinking of that scene made even a strong woman feel aggrieved. After all, she had always prided herself as a prodigy, yet ended up choosing a man she couldn't publicly be with—how could she not feel bitter?

Zhao Yingnan didn't care at all; she was smiling happily beside them. At last, that day was coming. She had spent eight years anxious and fearful he'd leave—now, only one final step remained. Even with Yang Yue, that little enchantress, who cared? Her man was outstanding.

Wang Yan looked back at Zhao Yingnan's joyful face: "Don't just sit there laughing. Get in the car—your family's waiting."

Zhao Yingnan rolled her eyes: "You brought this on yourself." Then she tossed her long hair and turned to board the last car.

Shaking his head, Wang Yan got in after her. The car started and drove away from the airport toward Zhao Yingnan's military compound.

Along the way, Zhao Yingnan pressed her face against the window, watching the dramatic changes outside and sharing them with Wang Yan. Wang Yan, unfazed, responded half-heartedly.

Entering the new millennium, the power of reform and opening-up became even more evident. The entire nation resembled one giant construction site, everywhere building and developing. Next year, upon joining the WTO and integrating with the world, foreign influences would come in, domestic ones would go out—another leap forward. China's market, its creativity, the diligence and unity of over a billion Chinese people, and its glorious history—all these made it impossible for such a great nation to remain backward.

At Zhao Yingnan's home, the aunts and relatives were no less bustling than during the New Year.

Zhao Yingnan's grandmother was over eighty. Wang Yan had treated her, and with continuous Qiang Shen Wan and exercise, her health remained robust. If maintained, she could easily live another ten to eight years. The old lady held her granddaughter's hand tightly, asking about her years abroad.

Wang Yan chatted with Zhao Yingnan's father Zhao Guosong and several uncles and older brothers. They were all familiar—he'd spent every New Year with them before. He'd visited Zhao Yingnan's home often during his studies; they weren't outsiders.

Notably, Zhao Guosong had risen to the rank of Colonel. With his family's influence, inherited connections, and political network, his next promotion to Major General was almost certain.

Zhao Guosong's generation was fine—many held positions in both military and government. The younger generation, those in business, all revolved around Wang Yan. Though they had high-level connections and smooth operations, reaching Long Teng's scale was nearly impossible. Wang Mou started with nothing, yet single-handedly built a commercial empire spanning countless industries—imagine how impressive that was.

Wang Yan spoke about business matters, enough to keep these people studying for a while. Not to mention the vast upstream and downstream operations tied to Long Teng—just a few scraps would be enough to feed them.

The bustle didn't last long. After the family dinner, everyone dispersed. Zhao Yingnan and Wang Yan needed to adjust their time zones and rest after the exhausting journey.

The wedding date was settled at dinner: the fifth of next month, the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month, auspicious for marriage. Of course, this date wasn't chosen by Wang Yan's divination—it was already picked by Zhao Yingnan's mother, who consulted a master.

That night, Wang Yan held Zhao Yingnan and slept soundly in her home.

The next day, after breakfast, Wang Yan took Zhao Yingnan back to their residence to settle in. With so many people under his command, such chores as tidying up were never done by themselves—they'd always been cared for over the years.

After settling in, he picked up Yang Yue and drove them both around Beijing in his car, letting them experience the city's transformation. He'd bought the car long ago—a black Santana—and because of the Zhao family's connections, it bore the license plate Jing A8. Even without the Zhao family, he could have gotten it himself.

He'd never cared much for cars. He figured this boxy Santana could still run for another ten or eight years. Truthfully, when he first bought it, it was considered a decent car—genuinely respectable. In the 1990s, few spent over 100,000 yuan on a car. But the world changed too fast; now the Santana's prestige had dropped.

After wandering all day, the three went to a restaurant. The night before, Houpu saw Xinyi return and called Wang Yan, complaining he hadn't been told in advance. After a long rant, he organized this gathering today. Wang Yan treated all his classmates in Beijing to dinner—to reconnect and inform them of his upcoming wedding.

The class had never been large, and after graduation, everyone scattered—now, men and women combined, there were only a dozen or so.

Wang Yan hugged Houpu, Du Zhong, and others; even Qiu Shui received a hug from him.

Yes, Qiu Shui and Xiao Hong had come. Because of Qiu Shui's father's connections, despite their mediocre skills, they remained at Renhe Hospital as interns in the Zhuyuan Force.

They were both twenty-six or twenty-seven. They'd never fully broken ties, maintaining a surface friendship—everyone got along. So Qiu Shui got along fine with the other guys, and after three years apart, he should've learned to reconcile with himself. After all, the gap in status was too vast—he couldn't even hold Wang Yan's shoes. What grudge could he possibly hold? He didn't even know about Xiao Hong's situation…

Everyone sat down. The women clustered together chattering. Wang Yan turned to Du Zhong: "Your kid's almost one year old?"

Du Zhong nodded with a smile: "You two need to hurry up too. You've been together for years—this dragging on isn't right."

Houpu said: "Yeah, Wang Yan, when are you two getting married? Mei and I already set ours for next year."

"I was just about to say," Wang Yan cleared his throat and clapped to get attention: "Classmates, I've got news—I'm getting married to Zhao Yingnan on the fifth of next month. All of you come, come!"

Gu Xiaoman turned, astonished, to Zhao Yingnan: "Class monitor, you're finally getting married? I always thought you and Wang Yan would be first."

Zhao Yingnan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Yang Yue: "We should've married long ago—just got delayed by going abroad. When the time comes, all of you will be my bridesmaids. No excuses allowed."

Gu Xiaoman couldn't help but pout: "Too bad I'm already married…"

Wang Yan said: "No need for all that formality. Du Zhong will be my best man."

As they joked, dishes arrived, and everyone ate and drank merrily. They asked about life abroad, talked about classmates, and reminisced.

Huang Qi's fate followed the original script—he broke up with Liu Tiantian in America, then dated Yuan Baihui for a while with no result. After graduation, with average grades and no connections, he went to work at a hospital in Shanghai.

Gu Ming didn't meet Ding Xiaohe this time, didn't sleep with Xiao Hong, but his overall direction remained unchanged—he still went to Yangcheng to find his mother.

Qiu Shui and Xiao Hong, without Wang Yan's mediation, had experienced the power of a dragon and couldn't be satisfied by mere insects, so they inevitably reverted to their old quarrels. But Xiao Hong, feeling guilty, didn't make too much noise; they'd managed to stumble through these years. Now they're planning their wedding—likely this year.

Other minor characters had their own paths. At the table, all were in Beijing except Wang Xiuyu.

As for Wang Xiuyu, this relative, Wang Yan had kept tabs on her over the years. She got along well with Dai Bingzhong and married right after graduation last year. Wang Yan even sent a red envelope—everything was settled. She didn't come because she was on duty, and also because she didn't get along with anyone at this table—better not to show up.

The dinner lasted until past ten at night. Not much alcohol was drunk—everyone was a doctor, had to work the next day, and had patients to care for. Overall, the exchange was good, but there wasn't much to say. Just talk about life abroad, what distant classmates were up to, and long reminiscences of student days—that was all.

Over the next two days, Wang Yan took Yang Yue to the company to arrange some work. He couldn't just let Yang Yue jump straight to the top position right away; she'd only studied for a few years, so she still needed to accumulate plenty of experience and get familiar with things before taking on a higher role. Along the way, Wang Yan also carried out a series of personnel changes. After all, he'd been away for three years, so his authority had slipped a notch, and there were quite a few people making little moves. Sorting out a batch this time would also keep these people in line.

After wrapping up the company matters, Wang Yan went to Renhe to report in.

The treatment naturally went without saying—he received a warm welcome. On one hand, it was Wang Yan's identity as a tycoon; on the other, it was his current reputation in the medical world. Of course, the main reason was the former. Otherwise, no matter how big his reputation, he was just a twenty-seven-year-old young man—not high-ranking enough.

Previously Wang Yan had been a lowly resident physician; this time, coming back, he was directly promoted to attending physician, and the college arranged a lecturer position for him, requiring him to give classes to students from time to time. And after two years of accumulating experience, he could take an exam and go straight to associate chief physician.

As for the treatment, there was no need to mention it—it was definitely at the highest standard. Plus, he was assigned a house, even though he couldn't live in it... whether he should take the house was itself a problem. If he took it, others would say he was already so rich, blah blah blah; if he didn't, others would call him an idiot for not taking such a bargain. Although Wang Yan didn't care what others said, no matter what he did, people would gossip, so he might as well take it.

And the house wasn't bad either—it was newly built last year, constructed by Long Teng. The quality needed no further mention, and other aspects including the architectural style were quite ahead of their time by current standards.

After reporting in, with the formal start of work next Monday, Wang Yan still had a few days of leisure, spending them at home with Zhao Yingnan preparing wedding matters together.

There wasn't really anything special; they had already taken plenty of wedding photos in America before, so this time they just needed to find a couple of scenic spots in the country and take some more. As for the other matters, Wang Yan's male secretary was more than capable—full one-stop arrangements, absolutely handled.

The wedding venue was set at the State Guesthouse. The invitees, besides Old Zhao's relatives and friends, as well as a group of classmates like Houpu and Xinyi, were the Long Teng upper management and some partners and the like. All in all, the lineup was quite impressive. After all, there was a whole group from Old Zhao's side and a whole group from his side—besides those classmates, basically none of them were ordinary people.

Time passed quickly; amid all the bustle, it was suddenly Sunday evening.

In the residence, having just finished dinner, Wang Yan was sitting with Zhao Yingnan and Yang Yue, the two of them, having a harmonious time drinking tea and watching TV.

That said, Zhao Yingnan and Yang Yue, the two women, were among the women Wang Yan had been with in the past, and their educations were both top-tier.

Both women were strong-willed. Being with Wang Yan together in the first place was already a huge breakthrough; anything else was basically a fantasy. But after living together in America for three years, through Wang Yan's shameless persistent grinding, he'd also unlocked the achievement...

While watching TV, the cell phone Wang Yan had left in the room rang. He got up, walked over to check it, picked up the phone, and held it to his ear to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Is it okay?"

"Alright, then come to... wait for me, I'll head over in a bit."

Wang Yan gave an address and hung up.

He came out and said something to the two women, got himself ready, and then drove off...