Chapter Thirty-Six: The Martial World!

"I am not at all surprised that you were able to pass the examination for the city hospital. I have been too busy lately to have a proper talk with you, but there is no need for that now. I have an empty apartment in the city; have Xiao Tang give you the keys when you leave." Seeing Zhang Fan about to refuse, she added with a smile, "Don't worry, it's not a gift. I'm not that wealthy. You are unfamiliar with the city, so I am just lending it to you for the time being. Return it to me whenever you buy your own place."

When Zhang Fan was at the county hospital, she was his superior. Now that he had passed the exam and was leaving, she appeared to him in an entirely different light. "Magnanimous yet unaffected, she feels more like an elder than a boss." Dong Hua handled the shift in roles with masterful ease. She knew Zhang Fan was no ordinary talent and had no intention of letting him slip away; by securing his loyalty now, he would become a vital asset when it mattered most.

Zhang Fan could not refuse. Back at the dormitory, his things were already packed. The bedding and such were provided by the hospital; all he had were a few sets of clothes and, primarily, books—thick, heavy medical textbooks. The next morning, Zhang Fan greeted Li Hui early, telling him he had to go out for a moment.

At Batu's house, the door was locked, just as it had been the several times Zhang Fan had visited. "Director Ba, I am leaving. I hope you can weather this storm," Zhang Fan said softly to the door. Whatever Batu’s faults—his snobbery, his corruption—Zhang Fan remembered that during his own most difficult and desperate times, Batu had told him, "At the county hospital, I am not just your superior, I am your guardian. Why didn't you tell me when you were in trouble?"

On the road, there was neither joy nor sorrow; Li Hui remained silent. He was suffering from a headache of his own. He and Wang Sha had been inseparable since their freshman year, a relationship spanning six or seven years, but yesterday they had the worst fight in their history. Wang Sha hadn't passed the exam, but Li Hui had. Whether he should go or stay was a dilemma, and Li Hui was a reckless man who flirted with nurses right in front of her; one could easily imagine the consequences if he moved to the city. "Choose me or the city hospital?"

"I choose both."

"Get lost!" In the end, a tearful Wang Sha let go. But Li Hui was not happy either.

The City Hospital was a long-established Grade A tertiary institution, built with Soviet aid. The old buildings were in the Soviet style. The director, Huang Yun, came from a background in general surgery and placed great importance on the development of surgical departments. Compared to other hospitals in the city, the surgical standards here were far ahead. He had been curious about the requirements for the position reported by the First Department of Orthopedics, and with Zhang Fan's arrival, the mystery was solved. "Director Gao places great importance on this recruitment; he has been to see me several times about it. If he thinks you are the one, you must be a talent. I hope you can fulfill your ambitions here at the city hospital; do not let Director Gao or me down." He didn't even notice Li Hui; in the hospital's hierarchy of prestige, he did not hold internal medicine in high regard.

"You're here. You should have come long ago, but now is the best time. This platform in the First Department of Orthopedics will never make you regret your choice. Don't worry about starting work today; get settled first. Tonight, I will organize a welcome dinner with the colleagues from the department. There are several senior doctors there—their skills are average, but they are very experienced. You should be prepared."

Competition existed in the county hospital departments, but it was not fierce. In a Grade A tertiary hospital, however, it was brutal. Doctors of the same generation competing for the position of director often left if they lost, moving to other hospitals. In a technical field, the senior doctor rarely defers to the junior; those with any level of ability have their own pride—why should they listen to you? If the hospital insisted on keeping them, they would have to open a new department just to make them a director.

In many Grade A hospitals, departments overlapped significantly. For instance, the First and Second Departments of Orthopedics would both handle joints and spines, with whoever snatched the patient getting the case. The relationships between doctors were tense; every joint surgery you performed was one less for me—it was all about money and profit. How could the relationship be good?

Director Gao had just been appointed acting director, and he still had a rival who hadn't left yet. The atmosphere in the department was toxic, and they often argued incessantly over surgical cases—not for academic reasons, but purely to make things difficult for Gao. This was why Gao was so eager for Zhang Fan to arrive. A resident who could handle surgeries usually reserved for senior specialists? If the others kept causing trouble, he would just stop letting them work and put Zhang Fan in instead.

The dinner was held in a large hotel not far from the hospital. Many people didn't show up, so Gao's goal of showing Zhang Fan the ropes wasn't fully realized. Gao had two protégés, Xue Fei and Zhou Chengfu, both in their early thirties. They had just become attending physicians and had several rotating residents under them. The head nurse, Miao Juan, was in her thirties; her husband was an internal medicine doctor. She seemed very sharp and was quite enthusiastic. There were two associate chief physicians: the thin and tall Cui Pingjun, Gao’s junior fellow apprentice who had been trained under the same master, was Gao's primary "enforcer," though his skills were mediocre. The other was Li Hongtu, who focused on arthroscopy; he was kind, did not participate in the competition for the directorship, and was generally considered a "good guy."

Gao's main rival was Wu Jinxi, who specialized in spinal surgery. The two were on very bad terms, neither willing to yield to the other. After Gao was appointed acting director, Wu started looking for an exit strategy. He also had two protégés. The city's Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was also a Grade A tertiary hospital, though smaller. Wu had already negotiated with its director to establish a specialized spinal surgery department just for him.

After years of "the daughter-in-law suffering until she becomes the mother-in-law," those who could compete for the directorship were all top-tier talents. Huang Yun, the director of the city hospital, had tried to appease Wu Jinxi for a long time, but to no avail. Gao and Wu were evenly matched in skill, but Gao had a better personality, whereas Wu had a volatile temper. The doctors below preferred Gao over Wu, which was a major reason why Huang Yun chose Gao for the post.

Orthopedics was the hospital's biggest consumer of medical supplies. An imported steel plate cost nearly ten thousand yuan, and with various sutures and instruments, the profits were enormous. Nearly every associate chief physician in the First Department of Orthopedics had their own medical supply vendor. Gao was no exception. These vendors had significant connections; to successfully win a bid in a Grade A tertiary hospital, they had their own methods. The funding for tonight’s department event was sponsored by Gao's dedicated vendor.

Toward the end of the meal, Li Qiong, Gao's dedicated vendor, came in to offer a toast. She was a woman in her thirties, quite striking, and was very familiar with the orthopedic doctors and nurses. "Director Gao, this dinner is quite a high-profile affair, but why haven't you even finished a single case of wine? Even Teacher Xue Fei is still perfectly sober."

"Let me introduce you. This is Zhang Fan, the new addition to our department. Based on his current skills, within the field of orthopedics, below the level of chief physician, Zhang Fan is unrivaled. Li Qiong, a powerhouse in the Tea City business world. She is very capable. Zhang Fan, if you have any issues in the future, you can go to Boss Li; there is almost nothing she cannot handle." Gao had actually wanted to say "below the level of senior specialist," but that would have made Zhang Fan too many enemies.

Li Qiong, as shrewd as they come, sensed that Gao held Zhang Fan in high regard. She raised her glass and said, "So young! Teacher Zhang, if you need anything in the future, just let me know. As long as I can help, I will never refuse."