Chapter 134: The Final Verdict

After saying his piece, Liu Qizhou turned and stepped back behind Liu Yiming.

But his words had left a deep and lasting impression on all the doctors present.

'Mr. Mu... He called Mu Lin *Mr. Mu*...'

Zhang Chunlei's head snapped up, and he stared at Mu Lin in disbelief.

The Liu Family had actually come for Mu Lin.

How else could any of this be explained?

'He actually has that kind of power...'

Zhang Chunlei had thought Mu Lin was just a highly skilled young man, nothing more.

Now, his perception of Mu Lin had been completely overturned.

Liu Yiming sighed. "This is getting tedious. Let's not waste any more time. Call the authorities. Let the Government investigate. The outpatient department has security cameras, doesn't it?"

Hearing about security cameras, the young nurse, already a bundle of terror and dread, couldn't hold back any longer.

"I'll tell the truth! I'll tell the truth! Don't call the authorities!"

The young nurse raised her hands as if to surrender.

Liu Yiming stared at the young nurse, his gaze sharp and scrutinizing.

"That depends on whether what you have to say satisfies me."

The young nurse's eyes darted around the conference room before landing on one person in particular.

Dean Zhu saw where her gaze settled and his heart leaped in alarm.

His heart began to POUND.

"Elder Liu, why don't you let me handle this? I guarantee a satisfactory result. It's not right to do this to a young woman in front of everyone."

Liu Yiming shot Dean Zhu a look. "My Liu Family has invested a fortune into this City Hospital. Are you saying we're outsiders?"

Dean Zhu wiped the sweat from his brow. "No, that's not what I meant at all!"

"Then what did you mean!"

"I..."

"Silence!"

It was as if Dean Zhu's mouth had been sealed shut; he couldn't move.

"Go on, young lady," Liu Yiming said, gesturing to the nurse.

The young nurse's lip trembled. "It was Dr. Xiao Zhu! He forced me to do it!"

"I accidentally broke a blood bag one time... I was supposed to be fined, but he... he forced me..."

This time, the young nurse truly burst into tears, her sobs growing more and more heartbroken.

"He said that if I just forced Elder Zhang out, he would leave me alone from now on... and even get my contract converted to a permanent position..."

All eyes in the room fell on Zhu Mingxing.

And his identity, aside from being the head of the Emergency Department, was that of Dean Zhu's own son.

Then, even more gazes shifted to lock onto Dean Zhu himself.

"You changed your story! If you weren't going to point the finger at Zhang Chunlei, then fine, but why are you blaming me?! What the hell are you playing at?"

Dean Zhu was furious.

He had no idea what was happening.

But he was absolutely certain his son was not that kind of person.

"Don't spout nonsense! I'll sue you for defamation! You'll regret this!"

But the young nurse pointed at Zhu Mingxing. "If you don't believe me, look at the photos on his phone... There are so many... so many..."

She couldn't go on, breaking down into loud wails.

Dean Zhu's face darkened. "Mingxing, get over here!"

Zhu Mingxing's face paled. He snatched up his phone and tried to do something with it.

Liu Qizhou grabbed a teacup and hurled it straight at Zhu Mingxing's head.

CRASH!

Zhu Mingxing was knocked to the ground. Liu Yiming walked over, snatched the phone, used Zhu Mingxing's thumb to unlock it, and after scrolling for only a moment, slammed the device on the table in a rage.

"Dammit, this bastard! Dean Zhu, you've raised a fine son!"

Dean Zhu didn't need to look; he knew the young nurse must have been telling the truth.

He had somehow raised a modern-day Ximen Qing—a lecherous predator who tried to use a woman to oust Zhang Chunlei.

On top of that, plenty of people in the hospital couldn't stand Zhang Chunlei, and by colluding, the scheme had been on the verge of success.

What a terrible crime that would have been!

He truly didn't dare to imagine the consequences.

A moment later, Zhang Chunlei's phone rang. He answered it, and the speakerphone automatically switched on.

"Is this Elder Zhang? Following a decision by upper management, you are to be appointed the new Dean of the City Hospital."

Zhang Chunlei felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. He'd never imagined that he would have anything to do with the dean's position.

'God, what is happening?'

"There must be some mistake, right?"

"No mistake. The meeting just concluded. The leadership made the announcement themselves."

The call was on speakerphone; everyone in the room heard it.

The faces of all the other doctors turned grim.

They had just been racking their brains for a way to force Zhang Chunlei out, and now he was the new dean?

This was a disaster of epic proportions.

'Isn't he going to make our lives a living hell?'

They scrambled to get closer to Zhang Chunlei.

"Elder Zhang, a great man like you doesn't hold grudges against the small-minded. Please, let us off the hook!"

"Elder Zhang..."

The doctors swarmed him like flies.

Seeing the truth revealed, Liu Yiming knew his part was done. His mood was calm.

He hadn't expected to hear such explosive news: Zhang Chunlei had been appointed the next dean.

In terms of seniority or status, Zhang Chunlei wasn't even close to being qualified.

He focused on medicine, so he hadn't published enough papers and had never even passed the English proficiency exam required for promotions. By all official rules, it was impossible for someone like him to become dean.

And yet, an exception had been made.

Officially, that kind of appointment power rested with the Health Bureau leadership. In reality, a single phone call from the head of the Zhou Family was all it took.

Clearly, the old patriarch had made his move.

'Was this all just for Zhang Chunlei?'

Liu Yiming didn't think Zhang Chunlei was important enough for that.

'Unless...'

His gaze fell upon Mu Lin.

'That would explain it.'

The Li Family and the Zhou Family lived in the same gated community; it was only natural they'd be acquainted.

'The competition has already begun in secret.'

'The Zhou Family used the dean's appointment to flex their muscle. I'll have to find a way to flex ours, too.'

After a moment of thought, he gave Liu Qizhou a meaningful look.

"Go. Drag that Zhu Mingxing over here."

Zhu Mingxing had been knocked out cold and still hadn't come to.

As Liu Qizhou started dragging Zhu Mingxing over, Dean Zhu couldn't just stand by and watch his son be manhandled. "Patriarch Liu," he pleaded, "my son's constitution is weak, please don't be so rough..."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Liu Qizhou stopped dragging him.

He dropped Zhu Mingxing on the floor, then gave him a hard kick, sending him skidding across the floor like a soccer ball to stop at Liu Yiming's feet.

It was even rougher than before. Dean Zhu's heart ached watching it. 'My own son... How can they kick him around like this?'

But he was in no position to object. After all, Zhu Mingxing was the one at fault.

First, he blackmailed the young nurse and took compromising photos, then he ordered her to frame Zhang Chunlei.

With this pile of sins, it was truly difficult for anyone to speak up for Zhu Mingxing.

Liu Qizhou sneered. "A piece of trash like him? He'd deserve it if I kicked him to death!"

Dean Zhu was furious but didn't dare let it show. He could only say:

"You're right. I have failed in raising my son. Thank you, Patriarch Liu, for disciplining him in my stead!"

Liu Qizhou gave a cold laugh. "You talk a good game, but don't think for a second I don't know you hate my guts."

"I wouldn't dare!" Dean Zhu exclaimed hastily.

"I don't care if you'd dare or not. If you've got the guts, come and try me!" Liu Qizhou was utterly brazen.

"Wake him up," Liu Yiming commanded.

Dean Zhu leaned down and called his son's name a few times, but Zhu Mingxing showed no reaction at all.

Mu Lin sighed and stepped forward. "Allow me."

He took out a silver needle and pricked the crown of Zhu Mingxing's head a few times.

Zhu Mingxing's eyelashes fluttered, and then his eyes opened.

He saw his father's disappointed face, the nurse with eyes red and swollen from crying, and the furious visage of Zhang Chunlei.

The young nurse's eyes were filled with scorn; she looked at Zhu Mingxing as if he were a piece of filth.

Zhang Chunlei strode forward and landed a sharp slap across Zhu Mingxing's face.

"Zhang Chunlei, you bastard, you dare hit me!" Zhu Mingxing shot up in a rage, only to be kicked back to the ground by Liu Qizhou.

"Kneel!"

Liu Qizhou commanded, retracting his foot.

Though furious, the idea that Patriarch Liu was not to be trifled with was deeply ingrained in Zhu Mingxing's mind.

He would never, ever directly cross the Patriarch of the Liu Family.

Not unless he was insane.

Zhu Mingxing obediently knelt, but Liu Qizhou was still not satisfied.

"What are you kneeling to me for? You should be kneeling to Elder Zhang!"

'Elder Zhang... isn't he just some useless old codger who only knows how to treat patients?' Zhu Mingxing cursed Zhang Chunlei furiously in his mind.

Zhu Mingxing reluctantly shifted on his knees, slowly turning to face Elder Zhang.

He moved at a snail's pace.

Liu Qizhou knew Zhu Mingxing was resisting internally, but he didn't rush him. He simply watched as the man slowly pivoted toward Zhang Chunlei.

After what felt like an eternity, Zhu Mingxing finally faced him.

"Apologize. Sincerely," Liu Qizhou commanded, his deep voice like that of an indifferent deity.

"I'm sorry, Elder Zhang! I'm a piece of shit! I shouldn't have framed you! Please, give me another chance! For the sake of how well I've managed the Emergency Department..."