Chapter 536

"Teacher Lin Yuan?" Fang Ziye had a note for the other party.

Lin Yuan of Xiangya Hospital's Trauma Surgery is the new director after the previous Director Zhu Xiong, the old professor, stepped down from the position of Chief of Trauma Surgery at Xiangya Hospital.

He is very young, only forty-two or three years old, currently just an Associate Professor, Chief Physician, and Master's Supervisor, yet he is already a Director.

Committee Member of the Trauma Surgery Group, Orthopedic Branch, Chinese Medical Association; Youth Committee Member of the Trauma Surgery Group, Orthopedic Branch, Chinese Medical Association; Committee Member of the Trauma Surgery Group, Orthopedic Surgeons Branch, Huaxia Physicians Association; Group Leader of the Trauma Surgery Group, Hunan Provincial Medical Association.

This resume looks even richer than his own teacher's.

"Professor Fang, sorry to bother you so rashly, it's really embarrassing."

"And if we fail to host you properly, that would be even more embarrassing." Lin Yuan spoke politely first; clearly he knew Fang Ziye very well and was very familiar with him.

Lin Yuan himself is a leading figure among the younger generation in Hunan Province; although his professional title hasn't risen as fast as Fang Ziye's.

But whether it's the seniors of Xiangya Hospital or the Hunan Provincial Medical Association's Trauma Surgery, they are still willing to pass the baton into his hands — this is actually a manifestation of respecting talent.

People who have been sheltered under an umbrella generally won't burn bridges after crossing the river.

Professor Lin Yuan continued explaining: "Not long ago, I received a surgery video here, sent by Director Huang Yulin of Yue City Central Hospital."

"I haven't even finished downloading it; I just read the description he gave me, and I already called and scolded him, Professor Fang, really, it's so embarrassing!"

Secretly recording someone else's teaching surgery video constitutes "illegal activity" without the other party's consent!

Fang Ziye's current technical level has risen to the level of intellectual property to a certain extent; how can you record it just because you want to?

Because it has value, you can use it to seek profit.

"Teacher Lin, you're too polite; actually, as long as the video is deleted, that's fine."

"I'm currently on vacation, and this kind of 'professional' surgery video isn't suitable to be spread around."

"Furthermore, Professor Zhou Yan of your hospital's Hand Surgery also knows; this patient's surgical procedure basically has no precedent to refer to; Professor Zhou and I are both feeling our way across the river." Fang Ziye did not speak his own thoughts, but first considered Zhou Yan.

If the other party spread it, no matter what, this surgery was led by Zhou Yan as Lead Surgeon; he, Fang Ziye, only assisted at Zhou Yan's request.

If someone wants to pick a fight, they won't trouble Fang Ziye the assistant; they'll only say the Lead Surgeon was too reckless.

In this surgery, even if Zhou Yan wanted to cover it up and make it more obvious, it's impossible; even if the whole of Hunan Province vouched and perjured themselves, it's impossible, unless they want Hunan and Hubei's Trauma Surgery to fight each other.

"Professor Fang, what you consider is one aspect, but more importantly, Director Huang was far too frivolous toward you, Professor Fang!"

"If Professor Fang doesn't mind, I'll handle it privately; if you mind, I can send you the corresponding deletion records and so on!" Lin Yuan said.

In the Central China Region, Hubei Province's comprehensive strength is relatively stronger than Hunan Province's.

As for Orthopedics, how can Hunan's three Xiangya-system hospitals withstand the ravaging of Hubei's Four Great Vajras?

Even if they want to suppress Hubei in a subspecialty, Tongji and Peking Union Medical College Hospital won't agree.

Besides, insiders more or less know some of Zhongnan Hospital's current situation.

Lin Yuan also doesn't know Fang Ziye's personality; if it really creates a knot in Fang Ziye's heart, and the Hand Surgery's newly acquired Microcirculation Instrument gets taken back, then Director Tan of Hand Surgery wouldn't just fail to swallow Huang Yulin alive!

This kind of Microcirculation Instrument has already been proven; it's very difficult to replicate in the short term.

Even Professor Gu of Huashan Hospital joined forces with Professor Qiu of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and a whole bunch of experts to make a high-profile push in the industry, but in the end the research project died without a trace — just goes to show how many troublesome things are inside.

"Professor Lin, this is enough; Professor Zhou already called me to explain before; there's no need for you to waste thoughts and time." Fang Ziye said.

Fang Ziye also doesn't dare say he completely doesn't care about this matter.

Professor Zhou Yan and Lin Yuan both care so much, proving it's a tacit understanding in the industry.

High-end surgery videos belong to intellectual property; this is an industry-default rule; Fang Ziye doesn't want to break any industry regulations and pretend to be noble.

"Professor Fang, thank you for your understanding; if there's a chance, our Hunan Province very much welcomes Professor Fang to come give a lecture."

"I wonder if Professor Fang has time in November? Our Hunan Orthopedics Annual Conference is arranged for mid-November; can we schedule a script with Professor Fang?" Lin Yuan seized the opportunity the moment he found a crack!

Fang Ziye calculated the time and declined politely: "Professor Lin, I just finished Chief Resident; mid-month I should be on vacation outside, the schedule is all set; I can only appreciate the kind intention."

【36】 "I wonder if Professor Fang has time in November? Our Hunan Orthopedics Annual Conference is arranged for mid-November; can we schedule a script with Professor Fang?" Lin Yuan seized the opportunity the moment he found a crack!

【37】 Fang Ziye calculated the time and declined politely: "Professor Lin, I just finished Chief Resident; mid-month I should be on vacation outside, the schedule is all set; I can only appreciate the kind intention."

"Regretful that I cannot hear the guidance of Teacher Lin and the various seniors of Hunan Province."

"Is that so?" Lin Yuan was a bit regretful.

"Then it's that our invitation was too late; actually we had this plan before, just didn't know Professor Fang's arrangements, so we were too embarrassed to ask."

"Is Professor Fang convenient in January? Our Hunan Province still has a first-quarter film reading meeting in January; although the scale isn't as grand as the Annual Conference, the participants are all our Trauma Surgery colleagues."

"If Professor Fang is convenient, I'll directly designate a session for Professor Fang; whatever Professor Fang is willing to share is fine." Lin Yuan thickened his face and kept pushing.

Fang Ziye understood; Lin Yuan's call wasn't about the video recording at all, but to get him to give a lecture.

If there are stairs, climb them; follow the pole and climb up.

Fang Ziye currently has no invitations; he thought for a moment and agreed: "Professor Lin, if you don't mind, I'll make a fool of myself then."

"Eh eh, Professor Fang is too polite; being able to invite you is our Hunan Province's honor."

"Professor Fang, then I'll send the corresponding invitation letter to your email; please reply with the convenient time and number of people coming to Sha City, I'll arrange someone to pick you up!" Lin Yuan said.

…

The call ended, and the corner of Fang Ziye's mouth curved up in a slight arc!

Luo Tingzhu was tying her hair, tilted her head, and said: "Senior Brother, if you want to laugh, just laugh heartily."

"Actually it's not that I want to laugh, just feel a bit subtle."

"Look at me; when I was Chief Resident, where would I receive any speaker invitations?"

"I just finished Chief Resident."

"The Associate Professor Title is still impressive." Fang Ziye replied.

Fang Ziye knows very well that Professor Lin Yuan called relying on two points: first, Fang Ziye's title went up; second, the previous seminar.

Foundation must be accumulated step by step; no one can go from a nobody to the heavens in one step.

Once you have a solid past resume, others will naturally recognize your capability!

In other words, a truly capable person shouldn't completely lack foundation and accumulation.

Even if time isn't enough, come back in two years; there'll always be your chance, right?

Luo Tingzhu put down her hands, stood up very naturally, and started applying a skincare sample to her face: "That's for sure!"

"Associate Professor, Deputy Chief Physician — both teaching and professional titles are Associate Senior Title."

"Senior Brother, you're still a Researcher."

"Compared to you, this Junior Researcher of mine, with a physician title, simply doesn't compare at all."

Fang Ziye moved a little closer to Luo Tingzhu and replied, "Tingzhu, you'll only be twenty-six next year; when I was twenty-six, I was also worthless."

"Who said that?" Luo Tingzhu was filled with righteous indignation.

"Senior Brother, back then you worked so hard, so seriously — every drop of sweat you shed was value; it was from that time that I started to like you a little."

Fang Ziye's looks were one point that drew Luo Tingzhu's attention to Fang Ziye.

Fang Ziye's obscurity and striving forward were another point.

The more crucial breakthrough was that Fang Ziye went from basic skills inferior to hers to overtaking her, which greatly surprised Luo Tingzhu, then sparked a determination to catch up and surpass in turn, after which the distance between her and Fang Ziye grew ever farther.

……

"Leaving White Emperor City amid colorful clouds at dawn, a thousand li to Jiangling in a single day returning. Gibbon cries on both banks cease not, the light boat has already passed ten thousand layered mountains." Fang Ziye sighed at heaven and earth on the Yangtze cruise ship with a touch of frivolous flair.

In November, the weather was slightly cool; Fang Ziye wore a short down jacket, the ever-unchanging jeans, leaning on the observation deck railing.

Beside him, Luo Tingzhu wore a full-length light pink wool coat, bundled up tight, wearing knee-high boots, a Gucci bag slung over her shoulder serving as a snack pack, from which she fished out a black-water duck claw.

She handed one to Fang Ziye: "Senior Brother, the Jiangling in this poem — is it really the Jiangling County we just passed?"

Where would Fang Ziye understand literature? The relevant books he'd read weren't even as many as Luo Tingzhu's.

But now Qian Du can solve everything: "When I was loudly reciting the poem I already looked it up — from White Emperor City to Hubei Province's Jingzhou is about 1,200 li, including 700 li of the Three Gorges."

"It's right at this location."

"Tingzhu, actually long ago I had the idea of taking a boat tour of the Yangtze, but back then my family was poor and I still had to study, so there was never a chance to realize it."

"Now, I can only say, the Yangtze is vast and mighty, nurturing the mountains and waters on both sides truly well."

"Amidst the river, distant mountains recede, there's an indescribable ethereal emptiness."

Fang Ziye closed his eyes: "No need to worry about graduation, no need to worry about finding a job, no need to worry about publishing papers for promotion."

"Even more, no emergency patients seeking you out at any moment, no department patients making you anxious and fearful, not even surgeries will bother you — you can completely empty your mind, not have to care about anything."

"This feeling is really good!"

Luo Tingzhu understood Fang Ziye; a single throat-gripping sentence: "Senior Brother, what if it's always like this?"

Fang Ziye opened his eyes: "Then it becomes idle wandering."

"Seems like that wouldn't be interesting either!"

At first, Fang Ziye couldn't be said to like medicine; he merely said, the medical specialty can give you a stable job, so you won't starve to death.

All the way until Master's Third Year, Fang Ziye still couldn't be said to have any liking.

But after that, Fang Ziye discovered his own two hands could solidly solve patients' suffering, using his hands to replace patients' pain with happiness.

Fang Ziye discovered his capability could solve many disease types that patients couldn't solve elsewhere, letting patients who were originally facing amputation leave on crutches, then return for follow-up having thrown away their crutches.

Fang Ziye further discovered, regardless of man or woman, old or young, whatever their usual mindset, their smiles could be utterly sincere, their gratitude, their silk banners, all very adorable...

Fang Ziye liked it then.

"But I still have to write papers! ~" Luo Tingzhu stuck out her tongue, made a dying ghost face.

Fang Ziye rolled his eyes in return: "Tingzhu, if you followed my example and didn't compete for something like Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation and just lay flat, why would you care about so much?"

"I won't! ~" Luo Tingzhu straightened her back tsundere-style.

"Senior Brother, who made you not compete yourself, who made you insist on early graduation? I'm going to get the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation, to obtain a regret you'll forever lack."

"Hahaha!"

Fang Ziye's doctoral dissertation had nothing remarkable about it — only above the average doctoral level, but if one wanted to evaluate it as outstanding.

Even if the school rated it outstanding, Fang Ziye would have to persuade the school to return the honor, lest it invite trouble.

Of course, early graduation has early graduation's benefits — early employment, early earning money.

Fang Ziye looked at the determined Luo Tingzhu and asked, "Do you want to write an Anesthesiology Anatomy monograph?"

"If you need help with analysis, you can find me to help."

"No monograph can be calmly completed by a single person. Especially this kind of highly specialized original article."

Luo Tingzhu turned and said: "Senior Brother, do you think I'd be a proud, aloof person?"

"Having someone to consult, having a place to learn is a good thing; as long as someone can teach me, I'll consult them, no matter who it is."

"Of course, if someone makes extremely excessive demands, I'd rather not learn."

Luo Tingzhu continued candidly: "Although Senior Brother Li Yuanpei's academic and professional qualifications aren't great, his management and interpersonal skills are beyond my reach, and I'm learning them too."

"For convenient team management later, my teacher also suggested I go learn, so I'll definitely go consult."

"Two years ago, that younger brother of mine!" Luo Tingzhu herself admitted Lan Tianluo was her younger brother.

"Although I feel he's still a bit annoying, doesn't matter — he can teach me to write tool-type papers, can take me to do some simple bioinformatics analysis, so I go consult him."

"Including you, Senior Brother — your basic experimental skills are stronger than mine, other senior brothers aren't willing to be bothered, so I consult you."

"Nothing embarrassing about it. Precisely because I don't understand, I must learn."

"If I knew everything, then I'd go teach others — why would I still learn? Why seek a teacher?"

"Moreover, the opportunities to learn in a person's lifetime are limited."

"Perhaps some people never touch this limit in their lifetime, but it's definitely limited; learn once and there's one less chance — someday you'll have no place left to learn, only able to grope forward on your own."

Luo Tingzhu's style at this moment was slightly funny.

Gnawing snacks busy duck claw, wearing Gucci bag as snack pack, speaking life philosophy!

These three, also don't match up at all.

"Senior Brother, this time, we'll stay in Yi City for four days — have you decided what you want to do?"

"My meaning is, aside from the things we have to go be busy with." Luo Tingzhu asked.

"I know. First, go take a look at our Big Senior Brother."

"Second, go take a look at Teacher Dong." Fang Ziye replied.

"Su Xiao the Big Senior Brother? I heard Su Xiao is now the Director of Trauma Surgery at Three Gorges University Affiliated People's Hospital. Does he have time to see us?" Luo Tingzhu said.

"After all, we're fellow disciples. Although we've never met, with the teacher's name behind us, there should be a chance to have a meal together."

"I haven't met Senior Brother Su Xiao either. When I came, the biggest Senior Brother in the teacher's group was Senior Brother Lin Xuanlei."

"Senior Brother Lin Xuanlei later went to Yunnan Province. Senior Brother Peng seems to be in Jingzhou, but we won't be staying in Jingzhou long, so let's not disturb him." Fang Ziye said.

Luo Tingzhu asked: "Senior Brother, how many doctoral Senior Brothers has Teacher Deng graduated?"

"Su Xiao Senior Brother, Gong Tingzhen Senior Brother, Peng Haibo Senior Brother, Lin Xuanlei Senior Brother, Sun Shaoqing, Wang Yuanqi Senior Brother and Gu Yi Senior Brother."

"Right, this time when we're in Enshi, we might have to stay a few more days!" While Fang Ziye was tallying these up, he thought of Gu Yi who had been arranged by Deng Yong to go to Enshi Yangyuan.

Fang Ziye didn't even know what Deng Yong wanted to do. Clearly knowing that Enshi Yangyuan wasn't an easy place to deal with, yet still pushing Senior Brother Gu over there — isn't that screwing him over?

Last time, Wang Yuanqi said Gu Yi was taken away for questioning, and asked if Fang Ziye could help say a few words.

Fang Ziye can say jack shit. Although he's from Enshi, his network in Enshi is practically zero!

Really think that rural rotation period can build some kind of vast network?

Luo Tingzhu is also in the group chat, knows some news: "Don't know how Senior Brother Gu Yi is doing exactly. He hasn't spoken in the group for a long time already."

"Teacher previously had Senior Brother Gu Yi go to Enshi Yangyuan first, actually for a temporary platform. Teacher still hopes Senior Brother Gu Yi can stay at the hospital."

"I feel this point of Master's is very bad."

"For example, previously Song Yi who was originally coming to our hospital to read PhD, this year in Hubei Province's Middle-aged and Young Physician Grand Competition, got Second Prize's good result."

"He's only a First-year Doctoral Student."

Song Yi, also the one who previously broke through the Training Room to read PhD together with Fang Ziye, the Kyoto University Seven-Year Program Master's Student, now went to Tongji Hospital, is Professor Duan Hong's beloved disciple.

If not for Deng Yong contacting the other party in advance, making him take the Training Room breakthrough route, to free up a spot for Li Yuanpei, Song Yi absolutely would have been a fellow disciple.

"Teacher's thinking and personality are already set. We shouldn't speculate recklessly." Fang Ziye shook his head.

The cruise ship isn't a light boat, nor is it drifting downstream, but its speed going upstream isn't slow either.

The river wind was too cold. Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu went inside the cruise ship to shelter from the wind.

……

After arriving at Yi City and disembarking, Fang Ziye's first reaction was to think Yi City is a water city!

Even in November, the air isn't dry at all. The river wind is slightly fishy, even more concentrated than the fishy smell in the river.

After Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu disembarked, they went straight to the pre-booked hotel to drop off luggage.

The two are slow traveling, counting as wherever they arrive is where they are.

Just arrived at the hotel, check-in procedures not even finished yet. Senior Brother Su Xiao whom Fang Ziye had contacted in advance sent a voice call back.

"Professor Fang, welcome your grand arrival! ~" Fang Ziye hadn't even spoken yet. On the other end of the phone, Senior Brother Su Xiao's enthusiastic voice rang through the ear canal.

"Director Su manages myriad affairs daily. Didn't rashly disturb you, did I?" Fang Ziye mimicked Su Xiao's tone.

Su Xiao's tone stalled, but tone still enthusiastic: "Uh... Professor Fang, you seem a bit different from the rumors?"

Luo Tingzhu listening to Fang Ziye's strange tone, eyes blinked bright and shiny twice. The two are so unfamiliar.

"Director Su, don't know what rumors you speak of. Can you enlighten me a bit?" Fang Ziye continued holding his voice.

See people speak people talk, see ghosts speak ghost talk.

Sound of a door closing came from Su Xiao's side. Estimated Su Xiao entered his own office.

Su Xiao's age is only six years younger than Deng Yong. Now already forty-four!

"Ziye, you really are different from the rumors. Some say you're high-cold, some say you're not close to people, some say you're not worldly-wise."

"But I discovered, they're all wrong." Su Xiao's attitude ultimately dropped first, recovered the steadiness of being a Senior Brother.

"Senior Brother Su, I'm here handling check-in procedures. Let me verify first, then call you back in a bit?" Fang Ziye said.

"That works. Had breakfast? If not, take you to try noodles." Su Xiao asked.

"Senior Brother Su, can you manage? If inconvenient, we plan to go play a bit first today." Fang Ziye had already walked to the video verification camera.

Su Xiao heard the hotel front desk sound: "Sir, please face the camera..."

"Then it's settled. Send me a location." Su Xiao actively hung up the phone.

Yi City People's Hospital, Trauma Surgery, Director's Office.

Su Xiao's right hand lightly tapped the tabletop. After putting down the phone with his left hand, thumb and index finger began to rub. He's a left-hander. Even during surgery, he's used to left hand wielding the scalpel, right hand holding forceps.

"Fang Ziye, Professor Fang, also not as high-cold as the rumors?" Su Xiao muttered in a low voice.

Fang Ziye is his Junior Brother. He's seen Fang Ziye many times in the group chat, but never had a chance to interact.

Last year when in Enshi, just heard people say his Junior Brother got a Special Prize. But he was already Attending Physician level then, didn't pay too much attention.

And by the time Su Xiao realized Fang Ziye had some substance, Fang Ziye's identity and status had already pulled a certain distance from him!

Flattering now, opportunity not enough either. Su Xiao even specially inquired from colleagues about Fang Ziye's character.

Although Su Xiao is the Big Senior Brother, he's never interacted with Fang Ziye. Where would there be much fellow disciple affection?

"Still better to meet first." Su Xiao picked up his phone, drove toward the location Fang Ziye sent.

……

9:37, after Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu got into the back seat of Su Xiao's Audi, they finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Senior Brother Su, I really thought you were that kind of person from the phone earlier."

"On the phone, what kind of person?" Su Xiao asked while driving.

Yi City's breakfast, noodles is a rather characteristic type. Taste slightly different from Yucheng noodles, has its own unique taste.

The place Su Xiao wants to take Fang Ziye to is what he considers the most authentic one. Distance not close.

"Outsider! ~" Fang Ziye replied.

Su Xiao haha laughed, while turning left at the red-green light: "Ziye, you're really more interesting than the legends. As for your Senior Brother me, I speculated too much about you before."

"I never dared to get close easily!"

Fang Ziye no longer replied, and then Su Xiao shifted the topic onto the beautiful junior sister Luo Tingzhu.

"..."

"Boss, three bowls of beef noodles, extra beef, less noodles." After Su Xiao parked directly by the roadside, he walked into a small noodle shop that wasn't very decorated.

"Okay, Doctor Su, please come in, find a seat yourselves." The male boss immediately greeted them with a smiling face.

After a few people sat down, Fang Ziye then said: "Senior Brother, this boss seems quite familiar with you?"

"Yes, his father previously had a car accident, it was a pelvic fracture, he had surgery at the county hospital, and the sequelae were quite serious. Later he came to me, and currently his rehabilitation is not bad." Su Xiao said.

"It just so happens his family's noodles taste authentic, so I often treat my own people there."

Generally speaking, the more familiar people are, the more they pay attention to taste when hosting guests, rather than paying attention to the environment.

Yi City isn't without those high-end decorated breakfast shops; the taste is also mediocre.

It's just that after commercialization, there's always a lack of some unique taste, catering more to the palates of outside guests.

"It seems Senior Brother Su is still quite famous locally." Luo Tingzhu smiled.

Su Xiao didn't respond, but instead asked Fang Ziye a question in return: "Ziye, have you offended someone?"

"How come in the group chat, your reputation doesn't seem good? Someone says you're high cold, they ask you for a consultation, you never agree?"

"Group chat? What group chat?" Fang Ziye's gaze flashed.

Then he explained: "I was previously a Chief Resident, where would I dare to run around casually? Senior Brother."

"A few small groups, all are directors from prefecture-level city hospitals. Master and them, including Little Xie, Xiao Han, and others are not in the groups."

"Xie Jinyuan, Han Yuanxiao." Su Xiao was afraid Fang Ziye wouldn't know who he was talking about, so he directly stated their identities.

Speaking of it, Su Xiao and Han Yuanxiao are from the same class. It's just that after Han Yuanxiao graduated with a Master's, he ascended to a Doctor, while Su Xiao had no fate with a Doctorate and could only return to a prefecture-level city hospital.

Xie Jinyuan is Su Xiao's junior-junior-junior 'Fellow Trainee'.

"Then I wouldn't know. Offending people shouldn't be the case. Every time I politely refuse. I don't have the habit of not replying to messages, right?" Fang Ziye shook his head.

Su Xiao sighed lightly: "Rumors mislead people."

"In the small groups, Ziye, your reputation isn't considered good. Above the directors, below the heavens, there's almost nothing you don't dare to do."

"There's also a rumor that the reason the Director Han from Zhongnan Hospital stepped down was all your 'merit'!"

"They say you whistleblew." After Su Xiao finished speaking, he looked seriously at Fang Ziye.

Upon hearing this, Fang Ziye's face tightened.

At this moment, he understood: if you want others not to know, you must not do it yourself; flies don't bite seamless eggs. As long as there's a crack, it's impossible to be especially innocent.

However, regarding this matter, Fang Ziye had a clear conscience: "Whistleblowing doesn't count. It was that previously, some leaders at Enshi Yangyuan wanted to transfer me to the sanatorium after my Chief Resident term ended."

"I said I couldn't go. My Chief Resident term was extended."

"This is just a fact! This is the hospital's decision. I didn't cry injustice."

"I'm also wronged! ~" Fang Ziye explained again.

"Senior Brother Su, what else did they say in the group chat?"

Su Xiao looked seriously at Fang Ziye. Fang Ziye had clear eyebrows and bright eyes, his gaze clear. He didn't look like someone who would do that kind of crooked evil way.

"There's plenty more. Someone says Fang Ziye, you've now clung to a big shot. You're too busy doing surgeries for benefactors, how could you possibly come down to a prefecture-level city hospital to teach?"

"Someone else says Ziye, you're running around for an Academician title, so it's very likely you'll leave Zhongnan Hospital and go to a higher Premium platform."

"There's even someone saying you're still cooperating with a company to make money. Currently your cash flow is already several tens of millions." Su Xiao counts as Fang Ziye's Senior Brother, so he told him all the gossip from the group chat.

Rumors are hard to control. When voices degenerate into rumors, don't expect them to have any good things.

"Senior Brother Su, they got it wrong too. My current cash flow is ten thousand times several tens of millions. It's several thousand hundred millions! ~"

"One pet rabbit model, I take three yuan. For cash flow to be several tens of millions, I'd need to provide at least ten million pet rabbit models. The total number of registered physicians in our country is only four million!"

"Who's going to make up the difference for me?" Fang Ziye complained helplessly.

"So they are rumors? I guessed whether you offended someone, so someone is deliberately smearing your reputation." Su Xiao said.

"When you have time, you still need to stay grounded. Although you can ignore these rumors, if one day you really have some mishap, these rumors might put you at the center of the storm!" Su Xiao advised.

Sometimes, the last straw that breaks the camel's back is thrown on by unrelated people and people you never took seriously.

With Fang Ziye's current achievements, there are people who are red-eyed with envy, and people who are jealous.

Every single jianghu is impossible to be thriving and wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao!

Luo Tingzhu looked at Fang Ziye a bit nervously, but her demeanor was still relatively calm.

"Senior Brother Su, thank you for telling me so much!" Fang Ziye took a deep breath and said so.

"How's the taste of the noodles?" After eating the noodles, wiping his mouth, Su Xiao asked.

"Unique flavor, the Litsea cubeba taste is very strong." Fang Ziye replied.

"Pretty tasty. The noodles are chewy, but it's missing a bit of spicy numbing taste." Luo Tingzhu is from Yucheng, so she compared the noodles here with Yucheng's noodles.

Everyone compares outside food with the taste of their hometown. As long as there's a slight mismatch, they feel they still miss the taste of home.

The farther from home, the more so.

"As long as you're used to eating it, it's fine."

"Ziye, how many days do you plan to stay in Yi City?" Su Xiao asked.

"Stay four or five days. Return to Enshi on the 9th." Fang Ziye said.

Traveling suits slow travel, not suitable for checking in everywhere like eating fast food.

Today is Sunday. There are still four or five days.

Su Xiao's brow tightened. He said: "Ziye, your Senior Brother has a presumptuous request. But I'll explain first. You choose yourself."

"I have a patient here who might be quite helpful to your Senior Brother in the future. He also wants to go to Zhongnan Hospital for surgery. He's found me many times, hoping I'd pull strings for him to let him be admitted in advance."

"But you also know, ever since Professor Liu at Peking Union Medical College Hospital started recording admission registration forms directly via video, no one dares to arbitrarily tamper with the queue."

"His admission time was scheduled for February of next year."

"He felt it was too slow, so he wanted me to ask you to come to Itinerary to perform the surgery. I explained to him that you're now the Chief Resident and can't leave."

"But this agreement has been ongoing..."

"Ziye, if it's convenient for you, Wednesday or Thursday, could you operate one case, just this one." Su Xiao's voice was solemn, his gaze sincere.

Fang Ziye listened, and instinctively gave a bitter smile.

After hesitating no more than two seconds, he nodded: "Senior Brother Su, since you've put it this way, there's definitely no problem."

"Over the recent days, we plan to wander around casually. Senior Brother Su, you make the arrangements and let me know. Then send me the relevant materials in advance."

Su Xiao was the eldest senior brother; the matter he requested wasn't beyond Fang Ziye's capabilities — he hoped Fang Ziye would perform one surgery.

Fang Ziye also found it not too easy to refuse.

It's just that this trip, mixed with all these things, seemed to have a somewhat bizarre style.

"Ziye, thank you. Senior Brother will definitely remember your kindness." Su Xiao said with particular solemnity.

"Also, regarding those matters in the group chat, I'll help you inquire about them meticulously when the time comes, and report to Master. We still need to come up with a countermeasure."

"..."

After Su Xiao sent Fang Ziye back to the hotel, he bid farewell and left, probably to arrange the hospitalization matters for that so-called Benefactor.

While packing the travel bag and snack packs, Luo Tingzhu said: "Senior Brother, what do you think about those matters in the group chat that Senior Brother Su mentioned?"

"Gods have the Way of Gods, humans have the Way of Humans, ghosts have the Way of Ghosts."

"In this world, there are too many unknown channels, especially in this current era of the great internet."

"The corners we don't know are truly too many." Fang Ziye cautiously added a sentence, then continued.

"For example, that group Wu Xuanqi pulled me into before — it still exists today, and I heard there are even splinter groups now."

"For example, in August of this year, our hospital's Vice Dean reviewed the list of this year's newly hired staff. Master Deng told me someone even called roll asking me to go on a blind date, to introduce a partner to me!"

Luo Tingzhu interrupted upon hearing this: "When did this happen? How come I didn't know?"

"I forgot the exact date in mid-August. At that time I was preparing for the mangled upper limb extremity matter, so I didn't bother with these things and directly refused."

"Of course, later someone explained to that Vice Dean that I have a girlfriend, and the matter dropped."

"Even among current inpatients, there are many, many people willing to act as matchmakers!"

Fang Ziye kept one sentence hidden and didn't say it: that Fang Ziye had encountered several patients who all said Fang Ziye's current girlfriend wasn't of much help to him!

If Fang Ziye were willing, he could climb many steps upward in one go.

There's nothing embarrassing about this; such things are commonplace within the system!

Fang Ziye had witnessed it himself. Not to mention distant examples — just take Professor Liu Huanglong. He has capability himself, and with connections and backing, his promotion speed can be described as soaring.

Fang Ziye's own rise was actually thanks to a Benefactor's assistance.

Luo Tingzhu's expression suddenly turned desolate, as if somewhat unhappy.

"Tingzhu, don't overthink. The reason I'm telling you these things is precisely because they're all unsubstantiated rumors."

"And we're both doing well. We don't have connections; in the future we ourselves will be the connections. Didn't you want to write a monograph?"

Fang Ziye added: "There's no shortage of people with good family backgrounds who are also very talented, but it's first come, first served."

Fang Ziye had also thought that Luo Tingzhu could actually choose many options, especially since as a girl, her selectivity was even higher than his own!

"Senior Brother, I suddenly discovered this path is too hard to walk."

"Someone as excellent as you, Senior Brother, still has people fabricating slander behind your back."

"In others' eyes, are we ordinary people really just a tool or some kind of resource?" Luo Tingzhu asked.

If you're not excellent enough, you can freely choose.

When you have a bit of value, you'll slowly feel at the mercy of circumstances. To break this cage, either choose to leave, or choose a pond too small to hold you, and as the leader run your own track.

"Not that bad, just extremely difficult to endure."

"This doctor track is still relatively friendly to ordinary people. After all, surgery is no child's play. If you can, you rise; if you can't, you don't dare occupy a key position and joke with others' lives."

"Forget it, why think so much? Let's go have a good time first."

"There's still me! ~"

"We have many backup options." Fang Ziye comforted.

Luo Tingzhu's emotional shift just now wasn't merely because of Fang Ziye's encounters, but because her Dao Heart had somewhat collapsed.

Only then did Luo Tingzhu silently go pack snacks...

After a while longer, Luo Tingzhu suddenly raised her head again and said: "Senior Brother, if in the future you encounter something especially difficult that you truly can't resolve, you must tell me."

Fang Ziye was startled upon hearing this, smiling as he organized his hiking pack and asked: "Tingzhu, why would you say that?"

"Senior Brother, guess why I came to Han City for university instead of other places?" Luo Tingzhu suddenly asked.

"Isn't it because Han City is close to both Sha City and Henan Province?" Luo Tingzhu had told Fang Ziye this reason before.

Luo Tingzhu took a deep breath upon hearing this, nodded but then shook her head: "My grandpa died early. He died in Han City."

"My father is my grandpa's fifth child. My eldest uncle was his first child. Several in between died young."

"Around when my grandpa was in his forties, my father was born. My dad was thirty when he had me."

"My grandma told me, coming to Han City makes it harder to be bullied." Luo Tingzhu spoke very subtly and cautiously.

Fang Ziye carefully calculated upon hearing this.

Luo Tingzhu, 24 years old, 26 years of age! Luo Tingzhu's father, 98 years old, 30 years of age, born in '68. Luo Tingzhu's grandpa fathered Luo Tingzhu's father in his forties — that's a person from 28 years ago.

In that era, coming from Yucheng to Han City without even bringing family — Fang Ziye suddenly discovered Luo Tingzhu actually had little secrets on her too!

For example, why is Luo Tingzhu's father a professor?

"Can you tell me in detail?" Fang Ziye swallowed a few mouthfuls of saliva and asked.

Luo Tingzhu shook his head. "My grandfather died a few years after my father was born. Senior Brother, matters at this time node are inconvenient to discuss—they're relatively sensitive."

"But there are some 'old people' my grandfather knew who are still alive."

"It's just a pity they aren't my real grandfather; favors are always used up one by one." Luo Tingzhu's voice was low.

After Fang Ziye finished listening, though he had many doubts, he did not steer the topic toward any direction.

When a person dies, the lamp goes out—but Luo Tingzhu still carried a slight red hue, which seemed to make many doubts suddenly make sense...

Chapter End