Chapter 166: Returning Home in Glory

Chapter 166 -165: Returning Home in Glory

At 7:30 p.m., Yu Zhiming drove to the restaurant in the Youyou Grand Hotel for a dinner with Dean Wu and his party.

The moment he entered the private room, someone ambushed him with a hug.

“Third Sister, what are you doing here?”

Yu Xinyue let go of Yu Zhiming, her face radiating undisguised delight. “Your third sister is a member of the negotiation team, too,” she said with a happy laugh.

She added, “From now on, for every group of patients we send to Binhai for treatment, I’ll be the organizer and the accompanying medical staff.”

“Dean Wu wanted me to come along this time to get the lay of the land and meet the contacts at the two hospitals.”

Yu Zhiming murmured a soft “Oh,” and as he looked toward the dining table, he saw everyone had risen to greet him.

Besides Yu Xiangwan and Gu Qingning, Yu Zhiming saw a beaming Dean Wu, the director of the county hospital’s general office, and Doctor Liu, the hospital’s top surgeon. Dean Wu’s son, Wu Yuanhang, and his girlfriend, Qiu Wan, were there as well.

None of them were strangers to Yu Zhiming.

Yu Zhiming warmly exchanged a few pleasantries with each of them.

After hosts and guests took their respective seats, Yu Zhiming sat down in the empty spot between his Fourth Sister and Gu Qingning.

After taking his seat, Yu Zhiming asked politely, “Dean Wu, how long are the negotiations expected to take?”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

Dean Wu laughed heartily. “Dr. Yu, you haven’t heard? Our talks with Huashan Hospital and Ning’an Hospital are already finished. We’ve even signed the partnership agreements.”

“So quickly?”

Yu Zhiming looked surprised. “But didn’t you only just arrive this morning on the high-speed train?”

Dean Wu sighed softly, his expression a mixture of emotions. “Dr. Yu, truthfully, there wasn’t any negotiation process at all.”

“The moment we arrived, the representatives from both hospitals who met with us simply presented us with pre-drafted partnership agreements.”

“We took one look at the agreements, and the terms were much more generous than we ever anticipated. We were so happy, there was no room for disagreement. We signed them cleanly on the spot.”

“And just like that, the whole thing was over. We spent less than an hour at each hospital!”

To be honest, the process had gone so smoothly that Dean Wu felt like he was in a dream; it was almost unbelievable.

He had come prepared with numerous strategies, ready to deploy his full arsenal of negotiating tactics, but as it turned out, none of them were needed.

This left Dean Wu feeling thrilled, yet also somewhat let down.

There was even a faint sense of humiliation, like a poor relative looking for a handout who was quickly and disdainfully placated and sent on his way.

Of course, for the sake of the county hospital’s development, Dean Wu was more than happy to be “humiliated” like this again and again.

He said gleefully, “Dr. Yu, the terms of our partnership with Huashan Hospital are that we can transfer a maximum of twenty patients per week, and we get three free slots for advanced training each year.”

“Also, once a year, they’ll send a team of specialists to our county hospital for a week of professional guidance.”

“This time, Huashan Hospital even gave us a complete blood count analyzer and a urinalysis machine.”

Dean Wu took a sip of tea and continued, “As for our partnership with Ning’an Hospital, we can transfer up to fifty patients a week, and we get five free advanced training slots a year.”

“Ning’an Hospital also gave us equipment—two ventilators and two ultrasound machines.”

Dean Wu’s face was flushed with excitement. “This has been a bigger windfall than we could have ever imagined.”

“And I know it’s all thanks to you, Dr. Yu.”

Dean Wu spoke from the heart.

The day’s events had made him realize that Yu Zhiming’s status and the high regard he was held in at both hospitals far surpassed his previous estimation.

‘Now, Yu Zhiming had quickly become a powerful figure to depend on—a ‘thick thigh’ to hug. I have to hold on tight and never let go.’

Following Dean Wu’s lead, the office director and Doctor Liu also began to enthusiastically sing Yu Zhiming’s praises.

For a moment, surrounded by a deluge of praise from his hometown folk, Yu Zhiming had the surreal feeling of a triumphant return home.

Fortunately, the waiters began to serve the food just then.

This put a temporary stop to the saccharine flattery, bringing Yu Zhiming back down from the clouds.

Dean Wu and the others knew that Yu Zhiming was a teetotaler, so they abstained from alcohol as well.

Everyone at the table drank tea or other beverages, chatting happily over a spread of delicious food.

“Dr. Yu, eight training slots a year… and these are opportunities at Huashan Hospital and Ning’an Hospital! These are nationally renowned general hospitals, the kind run by academicians.”

Dean Wu sighed with emotion. “When we announce this back home, the staff is going to go wild. They’ll be fighting tooth and nail for these spots, that’s for sure.”

“Dr. Yu, do you have anyone you’d like to recommend?”

Yu Zhiming knew this was Dean Wu’s way of offering him a personal favor, allowing him to recommend a friend or two from the county hospital.

He thought for a moment and was surprised to realize he didn’t have any colleagues at the county hospital whom he could truly call a friend.

However, there were quite a few senior doctors he often consulted and with whom he was on good terms.

Yu Zhiming pondered for a moment before saying, “Let’s stick to a fair and just selection process. Choose young and middle-aged doctors who are hardworking and responsible.”

He added, “And it shouldn’t be only doctors. We should also give medical technicians, anesthesiologists, and nurses opportunities for development.”

Dean Wu nodded slowly. “Working in a major hospital really does broaden your horizons.”

“Even though I’m the dean, I admit my first thought was only about the doctors.”

He added with a sigh, “Compared to the major hospitals, our smaller hospital is even weaker in medical technology and anesthesiology. Those areas truly need improvement.”

“I hope that through this partnership, our hospital can reach a new level.”

“Come, let us all toast Dr. Yu with our tea…”

The dinner, held in a harmonious and friendly atmosphere that largely consisted of praising Yu Zhiming, concluded at half-past nine.

Just as Yu Xiangwan called for the check, she was informed that Wu Yuanhang had already settled the bill quietly.

Wu Yuanhang explained that he was treating his father and his colleagues from the hospital tonight. Besides, he added, both he and Qiu Wan owed their current wonderful jobs largely to Dr. Yu.

By all rights, he felt, he should be the one to pay for this meal.

After a polite bout of squabbling over the check, the Yu Family Siblings were “overpowered” and retreated, allowing Wu Yuanhang to pay the bill…

After ten o’clock that night, Yu Xinyue, laden with bags of all sizes, returned with Yu Zhiming and the others to their place in Zijin Garden.

“It looked pretty spacious in the video calls. Why does it feel so cramped now that I’m actually here?”

Yu Xiangwan rolled her eyes at Yu Xinyue. “Third Sister, this is Binhai. The cost of a single bathroom here could buy you a large house back in our county. This place is considered spacious.”

She then ordered, “Fifth Brother, go wash up and get to bed. Third Sister and I are going to stay up all night talking.”

Yu Xinyue shoved Yu Xiangwan away in mock disgust. “You’re such a restless sleeper. Who’d want to share a bed with you?”

She pulled Gu Qingning over by the hand, smiling. “Qingning is so soft and smells so nice! I bet she’s comfortable to cuddle with!”

Gu Qingning laughed awkwardly. ‘I really don’t want to,’ she thought, but she didn’t dare say no…

After washing up, Yu Zhiming returned to his bedroom. He remembered something and sent a message to Zeng Yan.

He told her that no one had come looking for him for a breast exam that morning…

After washing up, Yu Xinyue ended up on the Murphy bed with Yu Xiangwan after all, sitting and lying back.

“Lao Si, with so many patients coming every week, there will be even more family members accompanying them. And I’m in charge of coordinating their transport.”

“You can get that short-term rental business of yours started now. My husband and I talked it over, and we’re investing one hundred thousand from our savings.”

Yu Xiangwan hugged Yu Xinyue and grinned affectionately. “I knew you’d support me, Third Sister.”

“What about Second Sister?”

Yu Xinyue said quietly, “Second Sister said her husband’s older brother borrowed all their money to buy a house for his son.”

Yu Xiangwan grumbled, “She didn’t support Xiaobo’s venture, and now she won’t support my business either.”

“She’d better not get jealous when our businesses take off.”

Yu Xinyue chuckled lightly. “You know how Second Sister is. The only people she’s willing to spend money on are Mom, Dad, and Fifth Brother. The rest of us sisters shouldn’t even dream of it.”

She then added a word of caution, “Lao Si, just get a few places to test the waters first. Don’t invest everything all at once.”

“The first group of patients won’t arrive until next Friday at the earliest…”