Chapter 153 - 152: You Want Me to Open a Safe?

Chapter 153: Chapter 152: You Want Me to Open a Safe?

Stepping into the event hall, Yu Zhiming saw it was set up just like the signing ceremonies often broadcast on the news.

At the very front of the hall was a row of long tables for the signing, draped in red silk.

Behind the signing tables, a massive video wall was playing a promotional video for Huashan Hospital.

In the vast event hall, thirty or forty people were already chatting in pairs and small groups.

"Dr. Yu..."

Yu Zhiming followed the voice with his eyes and saw Ding Ye, wearing a beautiful dress, walking over with a woman who appeared to be in her thirties.

"Dr. Yu, this is Dr. Zhang Rui. She’s the star student of Dr. Wang Yaxian, a gynecology expert at Jiaoda Affiliated Hospital."

"Hello, Dr. Zhang. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

Yu Zhiming had just politely greeted Zhang Rui when, to his surprise, most of the people in the hall began to crowd around him and introduce themselves.

Yu Zhiming discovered they were either doctors from the liver disease research center, the stomach disease research institute at Ning’an Hospital, or the gynecology center at Jiaoda Affiliated Hospital.

’These people must all be participants in the project. We might end up working together in the future.’

Yu Zhiming had no choice but to exchange a few pleasantries with each of them, doing his best to memorize their faces, names, and voices.

After finally getting through that wave of socializing, Yu Zhiming noticed that his Fourth Sister and Zhou Mo were also surrounded by people.

Three young men stood by his Fourth Sister’s side.

As for Zhou Mo, she was completely encircled by a dozen or so young doctors.

This filled Yu Zhiming with contempt.

’Most of the people here have medical doctorates. To be so highly educated and still so fixated on looks, captivated by mere appearances...’

’How utterly shallow.’

Yu Zhiming’s gaze swept around the room and landed on his assistant, Qiao Lei, who was a short distance away. Whatever he’d just said had made Ding Ye double over with laughter.

’That assistant of mine is a bit too lively.’

As Yu Zhiming made this silent judgment, a gentle voice sounded by his ear. "Dr. Yu, care for some juice?"

Yu Zhiming turned and saw a young man, slightly shorter than himself, holding out a glass of juice.

In the northwest corner of the event hall was a bar where staff were serving water, other beverages, and freshly squeezed juices, along with some delicious-looking small pastries.

"Thank you!"

Yu Zhiming accepted the kiwi juice and studied the man’s face. His features were rather plain, but pleasant and easy on the eyes. He wracked his brain, trying to recall the man’s name.

’From Ning’an Hospital... his name was Guoqing something, wasn’t it?’

The man lifted his own glass of juice, took a sip, and chuckled. "Dr. Yu, if I’m not mistaken..."

"This outfit you’re wearing and mine... they’re from the same Italian brand, aren’t they?"

Only then did Yu Zhiming notice.

The man’s clothes were also a more casual style, and several details were identical to his own.

He smiled and replied, "I suppose they are!"

"My sister took me to a shop last night—an Italian boutique, I was told. She insisted today was a big occasion and I needed to dress more formally."

Luan Guoqing. Yu Zhiming suddenly remembered his full name.

Luan Guoqing smiled. "People judging a man by his clothes instead of his character... that’s something that only happens to minor doctors like us."

"A famous doctor like you, Dr. Yu, is already beyond such material constraints. Your name carries more weight than any brand."

Yu Zhiming laughed. "I wouldn’t dare call myself a famous doctor. I just have a few particular skills. It’s a gift from the heavens, you could say."

Luan Guoqing chuckled in agreement. "The heavens’ arrangements are absolute. Dr. Yu, we’re all incredibly envious of you, one of heaven’s favorites."

’I wonder if you’d want to experience the suffering I’ve been through?’

Yu Zhiming grumbled internally before changing the subject. "Forgive me for asking, but is your birthday on National Day?"

A frustrated look crossed Luan Guoqing’s face. "It is. I was born on National Day. My maternal grandfather said, since it was such a coincidence to be celebrating with the country, my name might as well be Guoqing."

"And just like that, my name was decided."

Yu Zhiming chuckled. "There’s an upside to a name like that. Your family and friends will never forget your birthday."

"Unlike mine. Sometimes more than a month goes by before my family remembers. ’Oh, right, your birthday passed.’"

"Then they’ll cook a nice meal to make up for it."

Luan Guoqing asked curiously, "From what I’ve heard, you have four older sisters. How could they possibly forget your birthday?"

Yu Zhiming explained, "My family is from a rural area, and with so many sisters, we rarely celebrated birthdays. The fact that my family made a nice meal for my birthday and my Fourth Sister’s was already considered a treat."

"Only now, when children are so precious, has the custom of eating birthday cake started to catch on where I’m from."

Luan Guoqing murmured an "ah" and changed the subject.

"Dr. Yu, that stomach cancer patient you identified was sent to us at Ning’an for a definitive diagnosis."

"A *suspected* stomach cancer patient," Yu Zhiming corrected.

"So far, Dr. Yu, every one of your suspected cases has been confirmed. There hasn’t been a single error."

Yu Zhiming said flatly, "Just because it hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean it won’t in the future. As the number of cases grows, misdiagnoses and mistakes are inevitable."

Luan Guoqing looked humbled. "Dr. Yu, your caution and diligence are truly humbling."

"I think I understand now. Your achievements aren’t just a result of your talent, but also your meticulous nature..."

Yu Zhiming cut him off with a smile. "Doctor Lan, you’re laying the praise on pretty thick. Don’t tell me you need a favor, do you?"

Luan Guoqing looked embarrassed, like someone who’d just had their mind read. "Ah, Dr. Yu, you hit the nail on the head. I do have a small favor to ask."

"A patient?" Yu Zhiming asked offhandedly.

Luan Guoqing shook his head. "Not a patient. It’s a very small matter, and a little embarrassing for a man to admit, to be honest."

"My wife is very strict about my allowance..."

"You’re married? How old are you?" Yu Zhiming couldn’t help but interrupt.

To him, Luan Guoqing looked to be about his own age, maybe a year or two older at most.

"I’m already twenty-nine."

Luan Guoqing wore an expression as if recalling a painful past. "I got married when I was twenty-three. I already have two children. My wife and I are childhood sweethearts; we know everything about each other."

"My maternal grandfather said that with my aptitude for medicine, establishing a career would take ages. He figured I might as well get married first to give me a sense of responsibility and help me settle down."

"And so, my maternal grandfather made the decision, and I got married."

Yu Zhiming couldn’t help but laugh. "Your maternal grandfather certainly has a high standing in the family. His word is law, it seems."

"If you don’t mind my asking, who is your maternal grandfather...?"

Luan Guoqing replied with a smile, "He’s the current honorary dean of Ning’an Hospital, Academician Zhang Yuanzhao."

Yu Zhiming was taken aback. "I never would have guessed, Doctor Lan. You’re Academician Zhang’s maternal grandson."

"I had the honor of meeting Academician Zhang just a couple of days ago."

Luan Guoqing smiled. "My grandfather mentioned you. He said repeatedly that you, Dr. Yu, are a future pillar of our country’s medical community and that I should learn a great deal from you."

With a humble expression, Yu Zhiming replied, "Academician Zhang is too kind. All I can say is that I will continue to work hard and try not to disappoint his expectations."

Luan Guoqing smiled and steered the conversation back to his original point.

"My wife’s strict control over our finances is making me miserable. But now, I have a great opportunity to expand my personal slush fund."

Luan Guoqing lowered his voice slightly. "A while back, my parents were renovating their house and came across an old-fashioned mechanical combination safe. It’s the one I used as a kid to store my lucky money and birthday presents."

"I vaguely remember that there should be a good bit of money inside, some valuable birthday gifts, and a bunch of miscellaneous junk that holds a lot of childhood memories."

"But it’s been over a decade, and I’ve completely forgotten the combination."

"I don’t want to force the safe open, for fear of damaging what’s inside, so I tried cracking the combination with a stethoscope, just like in the spy movies."

"But as it turns out, it’s not as easy as it looks."

"Dr. Yu, your skills in auscultation and percussion are second to none..."

Yu Zhiming found this rather amusing. He asked, just to be sure, "Doctor Lan, you want me to help you open the safe?"

Luan Guoqing nodded, then asked nervously, "Dr. Yu, with your abilities, it shouldn’t be too difficult, right?"

Yu Zhiming answered honestly, "I’ve never opened a safe before. I have no idea if I can do it."

But then he added, eager for the challenge, "Doctor Lan, if you can bring the safe to my office tomorrow at noon, I can give it a try."

Afraid that Yu Zhiming might change his mind, Luan Guoqing quickly said, "Great! We have a deal."

"Let’s set it for twelve o’clock noon tomorrow, in your office. I’ll see you then!"

Just then, a commotion erupted.

Yu Zhiming turned and saw a group of ten to twenty people, including Li Yao, Zhang Yuanzhao, Tan Ying, Gu Qingran, Professor Qi Yue, Zhang Yaxian, and Liu Yun, surging into the event hall...