Chapter 545

"Retreating bravely from a swift current" — these four characters carry quite a lot of information.

"Chief Chen? What do you mean?" Fang Ziye wanted to ask in more detail.

It wasn't Chen Guangbai himself who said Chen Guangbai was an extremely excellent TCM doctor, but Wu Xuanqi.

By age, the current Chen Guangbai is already approaching fifty. Old Doctor Chen had a son in middle age. He is now over eighty years old.

If we push back ten or twenty years, Fang Ziye felt it might have been possible to learn something.

"Upper Nine Streams: first-rate Buddhas, second-rate immortals, third-rate emperors, fourth-rate officials, fifth-rate stove-makers, sixth-rate pawns, seventh merchants, eighth guests, ninth farmers. Middle Nine Streams: first-rate scholars, second-rate doctors, third-rate geomancers, fourth-rate fortune-tellers, fifth-rate painters, sixth-rate physiognomists, seventh monks, eighth Daoists, ninth qin and chess players."

"In today's society, although this doggerel no longer exists, the status of doctors in Eastern Han has always been relatively sensitive."

"Do you also think that when I gave up being a doctor back then, it was simply because I wanted to make money, and that I was truly going against my father?" Chen Guangbai asked.

Fang Ziye shook his head: "Chief Chen, no one has ever talked to me about this aspect, and I didn't dare think in this direction."

Today's Chen Guangbai has long since achieved fame and success, attaining the realm of true financial freedom; how would Fang Ziye dare comment on his choices?

If Chen Guangbai were a complete failure now, then in the world's eyes, his original choice might have been a deluded one.

Result theory is reliable everywhere.

"Ever thought about changing your way of life? I can help you jump out of your current circle." Chen Guangbai didn't waste words, but cut straight into Fang Ziye's heart.

Chen Guangbai's so-called circle was actually the captive circle Fang Ziye currently found himself in.

An unconventional captivity.

A tool of others — completely not doing what one wants to do, but having many of one's channels controlled by others.

Even Fang Ziye's own teachers were helpless against this kind of channel control.

The hospital has rules and regulations — cannot refuse treatment; you can never control who registers for your number, but others can!

This is the root cause.

Fang Ziye resisted the temptation of the fragrant delicacies and said: "Chief Chen, actually my current situation is pretty good, right?"

"Here at the sanatorium, it's also quite free; I can do many things I want to do."

But how could Chen Guangbai not know Fang Ziye's reservations?

He continued with a sigh: "What you cannot deny is that, as a human being, you inevitably fall into some circle."

"Including our lives — nothing more than taking your residence as the center, your range of activity as the radius, and then you move about within this objective circle."

"The things we do are the same: some are to support their families, some to earn money for a higher quality of life, and some for fame and fortune."

"No one can escape this scope."

"Even different people have different definitions of happiness."

Chen Guangbai spoke to here, slowly sipped a mouthful of tea; Fang Ziye then felt thirsty and also accompanied him in a sip.

The tea entered the mouth slightly bitter, yet upon aftertaste had a unique clear fragrance; Fang Ziye, who had drunk quite a lot of tea, understood tea a little.

"So, Little Fang, you also need to carefully consider what exactly makes you happy. This is also one of the pains we must experience in growing up."

"Happiness is chosen!" Chen Guangbai said.

This was the first time someone discussed these two characters "happiness" with Fang Ziye, and from a relatively high angle.

It could be said to be discussing from a philosophical angle.

However, Fang Ziye's happiness was quite simple: "Chief Chen, I may not have your broad vision, nor your high perspective."

"I feel I'm quite happy now — good income, parents proud of me, a good girlfriend, and my two Masters both treat me well."

"Currently my team is also thriving……"

But Chen Guangbai said: "Then why did you come to Enshi Yangyuan? Wouldn't returning to Zhongnan Hospital be much better?"

"People are all greedy; on this point you're not as good as me."

"No money — greedy for money; have money — greedy for fame; have fame — greedy for power; have power — greedy for life!"

"Fortunately, everyone's life cycle start and end points are unified; no one can break this shackle!"

"Besides that, no one is not greedy — only a difference between greed for more and greed for less."

"And economic foundation is the stepping stone that determines all the above; without economic foundation support, so-called seclusion or nurturing oneself are merely self-bestowed 'elegant appellations'."

"Ziye, you came from a village; those people in your village — would they think living idly in mountains and forests, running around for three meals a day, is happiness?"

"If there's money, then it's happiness!" Chen Guangbai directly punctured all of Fang Ziye's evasions.

Fang Ziye completely lost the ability to parry and defend: "Chief Chen, then are you happy now?"

When unable to parry, Fang Ziye naturally attacked spear with spear!

Chen Guangbai shook his head very decisively: "If I were happy, I wouldn't have come here to relax; every day there are too many worries."

Only then did Fang Ziye say: "Chief Chen, you yourself don't have this so-called happiness; you ask me to switch tracks — will that really make me happy?"

"Since neither of us is happy, I've decided to shrink my ambition a little!"

"Enough to eat, enough to wear — that's all."

Chen Guangbai's brows furrowed slightly, but he didn't force Fang Ziye anything.

To reach Fang Ziye's current professional achievement, it's impossible he had no personal ideas; even Fang Ziye has his own ideals, just hasn't reached that step yet.

Chen Guangbai then said: "Eat; I know you probably haven't eaten."

"Okay, Chief Chen." Fang Ziye then began eating without further politeness.

Due to habits left from his previous time as Chief Resident, Fang Ziye still adhered to the principle of eating when he could, afraid some emergency would delay his mealtime and he'd go hungry in vain.

After eating, Chen Guangbai proposed to personally send Fang Ziye off, but Fang Ziye politely declined.

Watching Chen Guangbai leave by car, Fang Ziye was thoughtful.

These two characters "happiness", like "freedom", can have a very broad definition, or a very narrow one.

Fang Ziye didn't choose to take a taxi home, but checked a bus route and then walked to the stop sign.

After boarding the bus, Fang Ziye only then began scrolling through the chat records with his two fellow trainees.

Since the 10th of last month, after Deng Yong called himself, the two junior fellow trainees started chatting with him one after another.

Lan Tianluo: "Senior Brother, the patients in the department have been getting harder and harder to manage lately, and the complaints from family members and patients have been increasing too. Even Teacher Deng is starting to buckle under the pressure."

Jie Han: "Senior Brother, I never thought that after you left, the department would become a bit chaotic."

"But Senior Brother, you should still enjoy your trip..."

November 14th.

Lan Tianluo: "Senior Brother, I'm also planning to pull out. Anyway, I'm just a standardized trainee, I don't have to undertake any emergency roles."

"Recently, a lot of people have been asking our department's people to inquire about your whereabouts, Senior Brother!"

Lan Tianluo: "Director Wang and Professor Du both came to the department today. A patient was unsatisfied with the surgical outcome and reported Professor Deng."

"The Medical Affairs Office Director only came yesterday, and today the Dean and Director Du came."

Jie Han: "Senior Brother, I suddenly feel that being a junior doctor is pretty good. When the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up."

"Even Professor Liu Huanglong's father-in-law personally came to Zhongnan Hospital today. Don't know what happened. But Professor Liu's temper is really stubborn!"

"He said, if they really want to make a fuss, he'll post the video online!"

November 17th.

Lan Tianluo: "Senior Brother, I found out that many of the patients in the department were actually deliberately sent over by someone!"

"But who specifically, we don't know for now. Estimated there's no way to find out either."

"Right now, some of the department's patients have been discharged one after another, but a portion still remain."

"According to Director Deng, Hubei Province's health system has recently lost its sense of proportion a bit! But the matter won't blow up big."

"The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection came to the department, looked around, found nothing, and left again..."

November 21st.

Lan Tianluo: "Senior Brother, the storm in the department has finally calmed down. It's as if nothing ever happened."

"There are also many fewer patients booking admission. Today the Head Nurse made twenty-some calls and only booked six people in."

"Calm and peaceful. That's good."

Lan Tianluo: "Quite envious of Senior Brother Jie. His thesis defense ends in January, he'll graduate with his Master's. Four more months and his standardized training ends too."

Lan Tianluo is a Professional Master's third-year student this year. When his standardized training ends next March, he can apply to graduate. Similar to Fang Ziye back then, he'll have a very long vacation period.

Lan Tianluo can't. Although he and Jie Han entered the hospital the same year, his first year he was a regular standardized trainee. After he withdrew from standardized training, he re-entered the standardized training rotation.

"Senior Brother, you've had it tough too. You were the one charging into battle. Many people aimed their spearheads at you, while we weren't noticed instead."

"Some say you eat inside and claw outside. Some say you..."

"Anyway, the scolding was very ugly. Even Dean Wang and Director Du scolded you."

Fang Ziye read up to here, then didn't continue reading the later content. Instead, he flipped to the latest entry.

Lan Tianluo just sent a message: "Senior Brother, I've already asked Qi Ge for leave. Coming to Enshi on the 18th. Want to book a hotel in advance?"

"Or, we could also stay at your villa?"

Fang Ziye asked back: "How are Hu Qingyuan and Feng Junfeng arranged?"

"Are you coming together? Or separately?"

December 18th is Fang Ziye's birthday. The junior fellow trainees and Luo Tingzhu all plan to come to Enshi to celebrate Fang Ziye's birthday. Fang Ziye actually finds it quite troublesome.

But the other side has already arranged the schedule. Fang Ziye can't just unilaterally refuse directly.

Lan Tianluo said: "Hu Qingyuan is still an undergraduate. Didn't you throw some tasks at him? He's busy in the training room every day, occasionally goes to the lab!"

"But this Hu Qingyuan is really amazing? His operation is extremely slick. What's his background exactly?"

Fang Ziye replied: "Didn't I tell you? Strongest King, and also a streamer. His hand speed must be fast, right?"

"People who are good at games basically won't have poor comprehension ability or operation ability."

"But his talent probably can't catch up to you."

Lan Tianluo smugly replied: "Senior Brother, besides you, I haven't submitted to anyone else. Qingyuan is already very good. Barely makes me submit a bit too!"

"Compared to Qingyuan, Feng Junfeng is slightly worse. But still okay. About the same as Senior Brother Xiong Jinhuan!"

Fang Ziye read and laughed: "Already screenshotted. Tingzhu has already received it! ~"

Lan Tianluo recalled a message.

"Senior Brother, don't mess with me like this?" Lan Tianluo quickly replied.

"Xiong Jinhuan received it too. You actually use him as a combat unit!!!" Fang Ziye said.

"Doesn't matter." Lan Tianluo replied quite tsundere-ly.

Fang Ziye: "..."

Fang Ziye laughed for a while before steering the topic back: "Tianluo, about me coming to Enshi, I've already discussed it with Master. I'll try not to stay here too long."

"Fortunately, during this period, Master went overseas. You and the junior fellow trainees are still students. No matter how bad it gets, there's still Han City University sheltering you. It definitely won't implicate you."

"But what about Teacher Deng Yong?"

Lan Tianluo said: "Senior Brother, Professor Deng will very likely take over as Bone Surgery Chief. Professor Du of Orthopedics has basically secured promotion to Vice Dean!"

"???" Fang Ziye looked, full of confusion.

Lan Tianluo said: "Senior Brother, you don't think that after this farce ends, Zhongnan Hospital and Han City University would be fools, do you?"

"And then just abandon Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery?"

"After resource control is lifted, they just can't provide benefits to the power holders. The benefits that should be brought to Zhongnan Hospital, brought to Han City University — not a single bit is reduced!"

"So, Director Du and Professor Deng both took advantage of the storm ending to each get a small promotion."

"Director Deng as Bone Surgery Chief, also holding a Surgery Teaching Research Director post. If he gets promoted to General Surgery Department Chief on top of that, it'll be perfect."

"But Senior Brother, there's one more thing!"

"That Research Assistant following you has already applied to resign. She's taking the postgraduate entrance exam soon. Don't know how her final grades will turn out."

"Professor Deng asked me to tell you, if you have a suitable candidate here, you can recommend another one too."

"The support the hospital and department give you will never change! ~"

Fang Ziye thought so too.

Zhongnan Hospital and Han City University have always treated him well; the people scheming behind the scenes certainly wouldn't be Wang Xinghuan, Professor Du Xinzhan, and the others.

They aren't after anything.

Fang Ziye leaving like this is akin to burning the bridge after crossing the river; on the surface it appears to implicate Deng Yong and the others, but behind the scenes, the ones truly hurt aren't Zhongnan Hospital!

Zhongnan Hospital has never promised anyone anything; it has always operated in the form of a hospital.

The supply chain rupture caused by Fang Ziye's sudden withdrawal cannot affect the hospital's operation; only some transactions will be interrupted, and there will even be backlash!

The patients will certainly have strong opinions, but no matter how strong their opinions, they won't go so far as to kill Deng Yong and the others.

The normal leave of Zhongnan Hospital staff, being seconded out, or being dispatched for advanced study, are all very normal personnel changes for the unit.

Which law or personal rule stipulates that because Fang Ziye is capable, he has no right to rest? No right to be deployed?

"Tian Luo, I have to stay here for a while, and I have some good ideas; if you're free and can get away, come to Enshi with Jie Han too?"

"You saw it before too; the scale of Enshi's laboratory, the equipment conditions, are much better than Han City's, right?" Fang Ziye pondered for a moment, then asked.

As soon as he finished sending the message, the transfer station he was waiting for arrived, so he hurriedly got off!

Then he continued waiting for the bus.

"Senior Brother, I probably can't; during standardized training it's best not to act rashly — that's what you taught me — but Jie Senior Brother can come help you."

"I really want to come though; the training rooms, laboratories, and testing rooms there — those are what you call real testing rooms; I reckon they were built benchmarked against international top laboratories!"

"Oh, right, Senior Brother, Brother Nie also came to Han City." Lan Tianluo said.

"You won!"

Fang Ziye immediately corrected Lan Tianluo's wording: "Between me and Big Brother Nie Mingxian, there is no victory or defeat; this is called mutual admiration among kindred spirits — what do you mean I won?"

"Going by what you say, between me and Tingzhu, I won too? Between me and you, I won too? Is that how it is?"

"Or should we say, you won, and Tingzhu beat me?"

"Oh, right, you're already calling him Brother Nie; you said you only ever submitted to one person? Aren't you afraid Nie Mingxian will hook you and give you a warning?" Fang Ziye asked.

Nie Mingxian's talent isn't bad either; for Lan Tianluo to catch up to his level, the expectation is at least thirty-five or even forty years old.

And Nie Mingxian is over ten years older than Lan Tianluo; by then, Nie Mingxian would be in his late fifties — who would still care whether Lan Tianluo is more formidable than him?

Lan Tianluo replied: "Senior Brother, if Brother Nie wants to torment me, I'm really not afraid."

"Truth is, aside from you — this person who looks like he activated cheats — I basically don't fear anyone else."

"What's with the back-and-forth? Lose and fight again, win and celebrate."

"Let's leave it at that then, Senior Brother; I have to get to the lab too; you and Jie Senior Brother are both about to make shore, and I have to prepare for my doctoral research projects."

Fang Ziye read the messages and said busily: "The few research projects I sent you — study them carefully; I think they're all feasible; you pick one, and it won't be worse than your miRNA one."

"Thanks Senior Brother, thanks Brother-in-law." Lan Tianluo immediately sent a big laughing emoticon.

Overjoyed.

Toward him, Fang Ziye was still a tiny bit better than toward others.

……

After Fang Ziye arrived at the villa, he first took a smug shower, and then Gong Jiahe and the professors pulled him into the Disease Contact Group and a few private discussion groups organized by the professors.

Moreover, Gong Jiahe and a few professors were still in the group discussing the feasibility of treating several disease types.

Gong Jiahe wanted to transfer a severe burn patient over; after reading it, Fang Ziye hurriedly stated in the group:

"Don't, absolutely don't, Professor Gong; with this degree of burns, our conditions here probably can't handle it."

"I am extremely unfamiliar with burn disease types!!!"

Professor Gong Jiahe replied: "Oh, right, Little Fang, you haven't had much contact with burn patients before; I forgot; alright, we'll keep looking slowly then!"

"Mm-hmm, okay, Professor Gong; I'll go blow-dry my hair first, then we'll chat slowly." Fang Ziye said.

However, Fang Ziye had only picked up the hair dryer and blown his hair half-dry when the phone rang again.

Fang Ziye picked it up and looked — it was Liu Huanglong's.

"Teacher Liu! ~" Fang Ziye's tone was very polite.

Liu Huanglong cursed back: "Ziye, just knew your favors are easy to take but hard to repay? Damn it, this time you nearly dragged me into the ditch with you."

"Good thing my father-in-law's contact list is strong; he directly submitted the info internally to that position."

Academicians come into contact with leadership in some national-level science and technology committees, strategic planning, and policy formulation.

Academicians exchange and cooperate with relevant leaders and experts of science and technology departments — the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

This is content you can look up directly online.

But, aside from that batch of people, no one knows exactly which level of people they can directly contact.

But no one dares guarantee which Academician big shot cannot directly contact that person!

"Teacher Liu, thank you!"

"It's because my capability isn't enough, so I could only take emergency evasive action." Fang Ziye said.

Liu Huanglong shook his head: "Ziye, actually, this thing — it was still me who caused it."

"Water too clear has no fish; if I hadn't gotten rid of that Head Nurse, perhaps the situation wouldn't be this troublesome now."

"Leaving a loophole for others is actually a kind of safety and self-protection."

"But in the end it's resolved."

"Also, Ziye, you prepare yourself; perhaps you'll be nominated for the National Natural Science Award!"

"Ah?" Fang Ziye's tone stalled!

Liu Huanglong chuckled lightly: "No matter; didn't leave Hubei Province, but first reached the whole of China — this matter is funny in just one spot, funny for just a little while!"

Fang Ziye fell silent upon hearing this.

He then asked: "Is it because of the Microcirculation Instrument?"

"Yes, this thing has shown its worth in several recent fire and explosion rescue operations, making its value and real-world significance much more obvious!"

"Ziye, I've heard that the Yangyuan has ample funding and relatively free time. I hope you can make good use of it. When the opportunity arises and there's a suitable research project, think of your Partner, Teacher Liu?" Liu Huanglong said with a laugh.

"Certainly, Teacher Liu."

"You have shown me kindness by recognizing my worth, and now you've saved me from fire and water. You are truly my benefactor, Fang Ziye, and I will not forget it." Fang Ziye said in a serious tone.

"Your words are too heavy, your words are too heavy."

"Ziye, if I were seeking repayment from you, I'd rather just compromise."

"Cooperation and exchange are about mutual understanding and mutual assistance. It just so happens that you need it, and I can provide it." Liu Huanglong spoke very generously.

"Thank you, Teacher Liu! ~" After replying, Fang Ziye then hung up the phone.

Today, he learned a very, very great move from Liu Huanglong.

First Give Then Take!!!

The holy way of dealing with people.

Fang Ziye was not a god; not every illness could be cured, and not every situation could be easily resolved!

But Fang Ziye had his own thoughts and calculations.

Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, retreat is the best strategy. After seeking advice from many sides and careful consideration, Fang Ziye felt that leaving was the best countermeasure; otherwise, it would be like a quagmire—once formed, the deeper one sinks.

Instead, after leaving the quagmire, the power of the 'Natural World' and time is great; it will soothe all storms.

(Chapter End)