Chapter 58: Celebrating the New Year

It was the Chinese New Year, and aside from a few patients undergoing chemotherapy, the Department of Glandular Surgery was nearly empty. Su Jing directly gave Zhang Fan time off. Since she was his clinical supervisor and there were no patients, spending time in the empty department would just be tedious, so she simply told him to take a break and enjoy the holiday.

This was Zhang Fan's second Lunar New Year in the frontier. He had spent the last one in the department, making this year even quieter. Across China, families were gathering together. He called his parents and younger sister. Life this year was much better than in previous years. Tuition fees took up the lion's share of the expenses, but once Zhang Fan shouldered that burden, the family had no other major financial strains. Zhang Fan had called his parents and had them open a small grocery store in their residential compound using his money. The business was decent, enough for their daily living expenses, and they no longer needed to go out to work as migrant laborers.

Seeing that his family's situation had improved, Zhang Fan stopped worrying. Old Chen had invited him a long time ago, asking Zhang Fan to visit their home on the third day of the lunar new year. On the third day, Zhang Fan drove to the county town. He had originally planned to return the same day, but Old Chen detained him and wouldn't let him leave.

Chen Qifa had successfully passed his exams and become the head of surgery, and his wife was especially overjoyed. As soon as Zhang Fan arrived at their house, they brought out the very best things they had to treat him. Old Chen's son was in his second year of high school and was full of curiosity about his father's young master. He followed Zhang Fan everywhere. His father was usually very strict with him, but now that the young Zhang Fan had become his father's master, the boy felt he had finally found a reliable backer.

After having lunch at Old Chen's place on the third day, Shi Lei found out that Zhang Fan was in the county town and treated him to dinner at the county guesthouse that evening. Old Zou was getting older, and Shi Lei wanted to advance his career, but his connections in the county were not particularly solid. Zhang Fan was an opportunity he was determined to grasp.

Shi Lei hosted Zhang Fan with only Old Chen present to keep the guest list small. The standards were very high. While people in the frontier usually drank local spirits, Shi Lei broke out Moutai and Wuliangye. He went out of his way to build ties, and the dinner table was filled with constant laughter. He simply wanted to befriend Zhang Fan so that when the crucial moment arrived and he needed to ask for a favor, Zhang Fan wouldn't be able to refuse.

The next evening, Zhang Fan was thoroughly drunk and passed out in the guesthouse suite that Shi Lei had booked for him. The following day, when Zhang Fan tried to leave, the chubby manager came out and intercepted him, refusing to let him go. The manager knew that Zhang Fan had a very close relationship with Dong Hua. Although Dong Hua had been transferred, she had received a promotion and gone to the neighboring county to serve as the county magistrate. Zhang Fan didn't touch a single drop of alcohol during this meal. Although the manager knew Zhang Fan, they weren't particularly close, so he had asked Shi Lei to join as a companion.

That afternoon, Zhang Fan was determined to leave; if he didn't, he might literally drink himself to death in the county town. Before he left, Shi Lei packed several cartons of cigarettes into his car, mentioning that he would be visiting the city for further studies soon and they would catch up then. Zhang Fan drove out of the county guesthouse and headed to Batu's home, only to find an iron padlock hanging on the front gate. Zhang Fan decided not to contact Batu's wife again. The outcome was clear, and there was nothing left to ask. Besides, there was nothing else Zhang Fan could do to help.

Back in the city, Tang Jingjing called Zhang Fan. "The leader is angry! She said you didn't even come to pay your respects for the New Year. Do you even have the leader in your eyes anymore?" Her tone was relaxed, however, and Zhang Fan knew she was joking. Tang Jingjing had also been promoted alongside Dong Hua, reportedly moving up a rank. Tang Jingjing worked tirelessly and faithfully, and despite the New Year, she probably hadn't even stayed home for two full days before rushing back to serve.

With the order given, Zhang Fan had no choice. He bought plenty of fruit and headed to Dong Hua's home. Since he was visiting Dong Hua, a visit to Wang Qian's home was also obligatory. Regardless of whether they lacked anything or not, showing up empty-handed during the New Year simply wasn't done.

The large Jeep Cherokee had practically become Zhang Fan's dedicated vehicle, with Assistant Li Xiao delivering a batch of fuel vouchers every month, leaving Zhang Fan feeling rather embarrassed. When he arrived at Dong Hua's apartment, he knocked, but no one answered. Just as he was about to call Tang Jingjing, he saw Tang Jingjing walking up the stairwell. "Happy New Year, Dr. Zhang! The leader is at Director Wang's place. I saw your car pull in, so I hurried up as fast as I could."

"Haha, I walk fast. Happy New Year, Sister Tang. Didn't you go back to the provincial capital?"

"I did, just came back today. Hurry up and go, everyone's waiting for you."

There were a lot of people at Wang Qian's house today. Originally, Dong Hua had wanted to invite Wang Qian's family out for dinner, but Wang Qian suggested inviting all their close friends over to celebrate at home instead. Their apartment was quite spacious, but today it was truly packed. There were Dong Hua, Tang Jingjing, Li Xiao and her assistant, along with several other prominent figures in Chasu City. Zhang Fan stepped inside and thought, *Whoa! There really are a lot of people.* Today was the first time Zhang Fan met Wang Qian's husband, Lao Jiang—Jiang Yi, the executive deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, who looked like a refined and scholarly gentleman.

Seeing Zhang Fan step through the door, Wang Qian stood up and said, "Happy New Year, Zhang Fan. Come, let me introduce you." After making the rounds, Zhang Fan was kept busy nodding and exchanging greetings. Almost everyone present was a high-ranking official: bank presidents, the director of the power bureau, the party school secretary. Zhang Fan didn't bother committing their names to memory. These people were only showing enthusiasm toward Zhang Fan because they were in Wang Qian and her husband's home. Once they stepped outside this house, they would be total strangers.

Today's meal was prepared by a chef hired from a hotel, who brought along three assistants and all their own ingredients, sparing Wang Qian any trouble. Li Xiao and a few others were playing *Shuangkou* cards, while Dong Hua helped Wang Qian entertain. After Zhang Fan greeted Li Xiao, Dong Hua, and the others, Jiang Yi called him over to his side.

Jiang Yi looked Zhang Fan up and down with a sigh of admiration. "To be so capable at such a young age is truly enviable." His own son had finally come home for a visit, only to run off to the provincial capital for a classmate reunion. Jiang Yi pulled Zhang Fan down to sit next to him, handed him a cigarette, and said, "Dr. Zhang, your medical skills are truly exceptional. Sister Wang has praised you to me until you sound almost like a miraculous divine physician."

Zhang Fan smiled sheepishly and replied, "Sister Wang is exaggerating. It's mainly because Sister Wang's condition wasn't that severe yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to do much either."

"She's not exaggerating at all. I accompanied her to so many hospitals, and none of them had any effect. Look at her now, completely healthy and even able to play badminton." Wang Qian walked over, placed a cup of tea in front of Zhang Fan, and smiled.

"Haha, see? Sister Wang has recovered quite well now. I also want to thank you. Good health is the most important thing. If you encounter any issues in your life or work, feel free to come to me or Wang Qian. Anything we can help with, we certainly will. Consider it a token of our appreciation for treating Sister Wang so well."

Because of the particular nature of his position, Jiang Yi preferred not to owe favors. To him, personal favors were the most troublesome thing. The incident with Batu last time was a prime example. Therefore, he spoke very directly, fearing that Zhang Fan might misunderstand.

"Everything is great, and I don't have any problems. Besides, Sister Wang already paid a very generous treatment fee—it's several months' salary for me," Zhang Fan said with a smile. He wasn't the type to aggressively climb social ladders. Wang Qian had paid for her treatment and had been genuinely good to him; he had no desire to cause them trouble either.

"Oh, that's good then." Jiang Yi looked at Zhang Fan and realized this young man was truly steady, free of vanity, possessed the focused temperament of a technician, and was not the scheming, opportunistic type.

Shortly after Zhang Fan sat down, the chef announced that dinner was ready. Zhang Fan was the youngest person present. Tang Jingjing and the others were eating in a separate room and didn't join the main dining table. Before the meal started, Jiang Yi said a few words. Knowing that Zhang Fan wasn't good with alcohol, Wang Qian specially poured him a soft drink. At gatherings of this level, no one pressured anyone to drink; everyone consumed according to their capacity.

The fact that Zhang Fan was able to sit at the main dining table genuinely surprised the others. The party school secretary, who suffered from lower back pain due to years of desk work, asked with curious amazement, "Director Wang, is your back really healed? You're playing badminton now?"

"Of course! Don't let Dr. Zhang's young age fool you; his skill level is truly impressive."

"Well then, I'll have to trouble Dr. Zhang with my back sometime." With those words, he raised his glass and clinked it with Zhang Fan's. Before Wang Qian spoke up about it, none of the others had paid much attention to Zhang Fan.

Li Xiao also chimed in, "It hasn't been many days since Dr. Zhang finished my treatment, and I'm feeling much better already. Since I happened to run into Dr. Zhang today, when should my next course of treatment start?" With the topic raised, Li Xiao seized the moment to ask.