[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-from-the-god-of-medicine-a-journey-through-film-":3,"chapter-from-the-god-of-medicine-a-journey-through-film--from-the-god-of-medicine-a-journey-through-film--chapter-961":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","From the God of Medicine: A Journey Through Film and TV Worlds",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2334887,4564,"Chapter 961: Lin Bai","from-the-god-of-medicine-a-journey-through-film--chapter-961",961,"\u003Cp>Zheng Qiudong had just sat down to eat when he saw a news push on his phone. At first he ignored it—it was too far removed from his life—but he couldn’t help caring, since it involved the current partner of the woman he once knew. The moment he tried to dismiss it, Luo Yiren’s smile flashed in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if his imagination were strong enough, he might also picture the scene of Old Xia Jiguo together with Luo Yiren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was, of course, heartbroken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So now, seeing Xia Jiguo brought down and investigated, his first thought was that Luo Yiren’s situation must be dire too—she couldn’t possibly escape being tainted by Xia Jiguo’s downfall. After all, her company was, to some extent, Xia Jiguo’s glove for taking bribes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Zheng Qiudong’s gloom, Wang Yan smiled: “I remember you mentioned you still have some connections in Beijing. Maybe you should make some inquiries. Luo Yiren may not be the wisest, but she’s not stupid. I think she’s already anticipated this scenario. Her problems probably aren’t serious—maybe just cooperating with the investigation, a month or two, and it’ll be over. No need to worry too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But over all these years, you two have always been destined to miss each other—something always got in the way, always separated. Now it’s better: you’re both free again. This is the time to pick up where you left off. Besides, she’s still a company CEO. Even though Xia Jiguo gave her plenty of leverage, she’s had all these years to develop her abilities. You can absolutely bring her on board—we’ll work together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about shares—I won’t be stingy. When we raise capital and expand equity, we’ll just dilute our own stakes a bit, and her share will come out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve got quite the plan, Brother Yan,” Zheng Qiudong chuckled, shaking his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone doing well is truly well,” Wang Yan replied. “Alright, focus on your work. I’ve already started headhunting. When you’re ready, bring Huang Zimu back. I’ll train him for a few months. Once he can run the business independently, my boss and I will head to Hangzhou to support you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zimu, you heard that? Go back, do well, and you’ll be our Nanning branch manager. Do poorly…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you do poorly, then do better. But I’ve hired a few more people—I need to earn their respect by showing undeniable capability. Without real ability, you’re our number-one founding member, doing your job fine—what can they do? Whether you come back is your choice; whether you become manager depends on your ability. Don’t rush your decision. Take these two days to think it over carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, by the way, Brother Yan, I’ve got something to tell you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Qiudong got up, left, and found a private room. “Didn’t I mention Lin Bai before? I ran into him this time—he wants to refer me for a consultant manager position at a bank. But that’s not the main point. Lin Bai’s got serious clout—he’s been in headhunting for years, with vast connections…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Want to poach him? You can reach out first, but it’s unlikely. Our scale is still too small—he’s top-tier talent. We need more growth. When I get there, I’ll contact him myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That works. He’s in Hangzhou anyway, and I’ll need him to look into Luo Yiren’s situation. I’ll set up a coffee meeting with him soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright then, I’m hanging up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiong Qingchun said: “You want to bring Luo Yiren on board, but what if she looks down on our little operation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That depends on whether Zheng Qiudong can deliver. Luo Yiren isn’t joining us for our future prospects. I just said she’s not stupid—she must’ve already secured an exit plan. Either way, she’s got enough money to live comfortably; she doesn’t need another job. Enough talk—let’s eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan waved his hand and went back to eating heartily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Qiudong’s emotional entanglement with Luo Yiren had nothing to do with this mission. Wang Yan merely acted on the hope that true lovers would eventually unite, subtly influencing Zheng Qiudong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, his own union with Xiong Qingchun had already helped Zheng Qiudong. Then bringing him into the startup had delayed progress somewhat. Now, Zheng Qiudong has only been in Hangzhou three months—he’s probably still single.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the depth of Zheng Qiudong and Luo Yiren’s bond, and both being single now, there’s no room for anyone else. Though they were always meant to end up together, reducing the wasted years in between would still be better…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Qiudong hung up and called Lin Bai, arranging to meet for coffee that afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the office, he’d barely sat down when he saw his subordinates’ gossiping glances—just like Xiong Qingchun’s earlier, curious about Luo Yiren. Except Huang Zimu—he was a veteran, having joined on the same day as Zheng Qiudong, already heard it all, sat silently eating, clearly not saying a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, he didn’t need to make it clear—one woman spoke up to prove it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman asked curiously: “Boss, who’s Luo Yiren? Your ex-girlfriend?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jia Yimei, focus on your work. Why so nosy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Yimei was the character from the original drama, who came to Zheng Qiudong for a job. Now, same as before—she’d come here again. Since Jia Yimei always needed a job and Zheng Qiudong always needed to hire, she’d been interviewed later and her reappearance wasn’t surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just now the boss said ‘pick up where you left off’—that’s definitely an ex-girlfriend. Tell us what happened!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You already know she’s an ex—why ask? Just eat your meal,” Zheng Qiudong waved them off, ignoring them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Yimei’s eyes flickered, but she ultimately said nothing, suppressing her thoughts…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I guess you asked to meet me because you want me to ask around about Luo Yiren.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Bai, sharp and composed, sat in his chair, legs crossed, leaning back against the chair, hands resting on the armrests, completely relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. You know I don’t know anyone in Beijing anymore—my reputation’s ruined.” Speaking of his past, Zheng Qiudong was surprisingly calm. “I need you to help me find out what’s going on, and also locate a lawyer named Zhong Huailan—she’s Luo Yiren’s friend. I want to talk to her too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhong Huailan’s info—I’ll get it to you tonight. I knew why you called me; before coming, I already checked around. The news is late: Xia Jiguo was taken eight days ago; Luo Yiren was taken for investigation the same day. More details are still unclear. But the rumors about Luo Yiren and Xia Jiguo’s wife? They’re flying everywhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as in the original drama: Xia Jiguo’s wife divorced him, took his assets, then remarried him using his secrets, while Luo Yiren became his mistress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that’s implausible. At Xia Jiguo’s level, marriage is a major political issue. This point might be clarified by Gao Yuliang. Xia Jiguo divorcing his wife to marry Luo Yiren? Impossible. A powerful official in his forties or fifties falling in love with a twenty-something girl? Few would believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing the full story, Zheng Qiudong sighed silently: “She’s had it hard. Please help me dig deeper—I’m really worried about her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand,” Lin Bai nodded with a smile. He wasn’t truly close to Zheng Qiudong, but he respected his abilities. As a headhunter, he made friends everywhere and cultivated goodwill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said: “I mentioned this before—have you really not considered it? The pay’s great. Do well, and you’ll easily make two or three hundred thousand a year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our company, including me, made a net profit of six hundred thousand last month. I own twenty percent—that’s one hundred and twenty thousand. After taxes, I still have one hundred thousand. I’m officially a six-figure earner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think I’m stupid? Shareholders are shareholders, money is money—doesn’t the company need to grow? But your little company really surprised me—I had no idea. Don’t think I’m insulting you, but I’ve given up on this idea. Let me ask: what’s your monthly salary?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the early stages, our salaries are low. I take home four thousand—just enough for daily expenses. The benefits are decent: we get the highest social security, and all housing, food, and drink expenses are reimbursed if we have receipts. Like this coffee—we usually forget, but today I remembered—I’ll claim it, ha ha. Overall, life has no real worries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the founder—you can afford it. But you guys are impressive. Less than a year, you’ve reached this level. Many startups lose money for years. Most people start with passion but end up with nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Yan certainly contributed greatly—he’s capable. I told you before—you’ve seen the conditions at Beihai Prison? He’s good at HR too. He laid the foundation for this company. Our operations, even opening a branch in Hangzhou—all of it came from Wang Yan’s side gigs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just like you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t underestimate side gigs—they’re still a big market. But I’m not as capable as Wang Yan. I barely cover my own costs now, making seventy or eighty thousand a month. Wang Yan’s impressive: in Nanning, he turned a profit of over two hundred thousand in three months.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After the New Year, he started proper headhunting. With no prior connections, he made two hundred thousand. At that time, I’d been working four months and made eighty thousand that month. When I came to Hangzhou, he landed a job: finding a chief editor for a new media company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That month, he found two content editors in this city—the company hired them both. He even helped us assemble a full high-capability team. That deal earned us two hundred and fifty thousand. Including that one, his monthly performance hit six hundred thousand. Last month was lower—only three hundred thousand—but his trained staff are now performing. Leveraging his established network, they can make ten thousand in a good month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard he’s recently hunting for CEOs with million-yuan salaries. If he lands this one, our Wang Qiuchun will reach a new level—entering the top-tier talent market, competing with the world’s best headhunting firms.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lin Bai said, he hadn’t investigated the obscure Wang Qiuchun—otherwise he wouldn’t have brought up the past and tried to recruit Zheng Qiudong. But even without knowledge, he had expectations. Clearly, what Zheng Qiudong described far exceeded them. As Zheng spoke, Lin Bai’s eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, he chuckled: “Your growth is truly unexpected. I genuinely admire you—and Brother Yan. But telling me all this? Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why inappropriate? Aren’t we friends? Besides, this isn’t confidential data. Anyone who bothers to investigate already knows. Frankly, despite our success, we’re not even worth investigating by competitors. Only headhunting firms that lost business to Wang Yan might notice us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t undersell yourselves. Anyone with eyes has noticed. Otherwise, where would your business come from? At this rate, you’ll hit a million a month in less than two months, ten million a year. That number already surpasses most headhunting firms. At that point, only the world’s most famous agencies will be above you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If so, do you have any interest in joining us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re trying to poach me?” Lin Bai laughed out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not?” Zheng Qiudong raised an eyebrow, spread his hands, showing his palm, then sipped his coffee. “You clearly believe in us. Joining us—whether for your future growth, personal value, or earning more money—will far surpass your current situation. You’re already doing well, but your upward potential is nearly exhausted, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What you say makes sense—but now is now, the future is the future. I still need to think carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you were just being polite when you said we have a bright future? Lin Bai, you’re not being a good friend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re relentless. This is life-changing—you can’t rush it. When Brother Yan comes to Hangzhou, arrange a meeting between us. After all, he’s the major shareholder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s settled. Let me tell you about Brother Yan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zheng Qiudong lavished praise on Wang Yan and finally urged Lin Bai to investigate Luo Yiren and get Zhong Huailan’s contact details, the two men, their stomachs full of coffee, finally parted ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Bai, relatively higher in status, watched Zheng Qiudong hail a taxi and leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hesitation also stemmed from Zheng Qiudong and Wang Yan themselves—Zheng Qiudong hadn’t yet claimed he’d gone undercover in a bank to steal client data, then stopped, swore to reform, and now lived honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Lin Bai befriended Zheng Qiudong, he valued his abilities, not true intimacy. Before, Zheng Qiudong was a fraudster using a fake identity; before that, a convict from a pyramid scheme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likewise, Wang Yan, the major shareholder of Wang Qiuchun, was also a convict. How much courage did it take to work with two ex-criminals without hesitation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Bai’s concerns, Zheng Qiudong naturally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed to Wang Yan: “Lin Bai knows our past—he’s hesitant, resistant. But it’s normal. If I were him, I’d be unsure too, afraid to decide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yan smiled: “It’s completely normal. Even if he didn’t know we had criminal records, when we go out on business, no one just agrees on the spot. I’ll meet him when I get there. As for Luo Yiren—I said I’m confident, but we don’t know the real situation. If there’s anything we can do to help, don’t be shy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course—between us, who needs formalities?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright then, I’m hanging up.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2230,"2026-06-20T21:08:55.377Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c8514ec35b50b3e703b2322937e4b785821d770fbd443d75e62f7b6e3344f7e3","from-the-god-of-medicine-a-journey-through-film--chapter-962","from-the-god-of-medicine-a-journey-through-film--chapter-960",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffrom-the-god-of-medicine-a-journey-through-film--cover.jpg"]