Chapter 71: Self-Awareness

Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Self-Awareness

Yu Zhiming worked nonstop until well past two in the afternoon. Only then did he finish resolving the backlog of cases at Ning’an Hospital: several difficult fetal positions for women in labor, and a few other severe cases of the umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck.

Afterward, a famished and exhausted Yu Zhiming and his sister followed Gu Qingran and his young assistant to a restaurant called Tingfeng Tower, a three-story, antique-style building on the shores of Ning’an Lake.

Gu Qingran explained that the restaurant specialized in Huaiyang Cuisine, with a quality comparable to a state banquet that was well worth sampling...

Sitting in a private room on the third floor, gazing out at the beautiful scenery of Ning’an Lake while savoring the exquisite, flavorful food, and occasionally hearing the pleasant chime of wind chimes outside—it was truly one of life’s great pleasures.

The only fly in the ointment for Yu Zhiming was the very attractive young assistant.

Her previously pleasant demeanor had vanished, replaced by a cold expression whenever she looked at Yu Zhiming.

Whenever their eyes happened to meet, she would give him a furious, pouting glare.

’How did I offend her?’

’Did I make her wait too long? Is she just angry because she’s starving?’

’Doesn’t she see that her own boss, Dean Gu, is being patient and treating me with such enthusiasm?’

’She’s so spoiled and arrogant, she’s completely forgotten her place.’

’Hmph. A woman who thinks she can be arrogant just because she’s pretty.’

Yu Zhiming decided to ignore the tactless young assistant who didn’t know her place and focus on tackling the food.

He had to admit, the dishes on the table—stir-fried eel, Lion’s Head meatballs, Wensi Tofu, and more—were all uniquely delicious.

They were absolutely mouth-watering, and Yu Zhiming was full of praise...

After they had sampled several courses, the group settled into casual conversation.

"Dr. Yu, you’ve completed your first week at Huashan Hospital. How are you finding it?"

Yu Zhiming chuckled. "It’s been great. This first week was mostly about getting adjusted, so the workload was light. It was pretty relaxed."

"I’ve really gotten a feel for the profound resources and power of a major hospital, and I’ve also recognized some of my own shortcomings."

"The real test will probably begin next week..."

Yu Zhiming elaborated, "Teacher Qi said that starting next week, he’s arranging for me to work one day a week in the outpatient and emergency departments."

"And I’m sure there will be other assignments as well."

Gu Qingran nodded. "Ah," he said. "Director Qi is a very responsible and respected medical expert. His arrangements for you are surely well-thought-out, with your growth and future in mind."

He immediately followed up with a proposal. "Dr. Yu, how would you feel about working part-time here at Ning’an one day a week, say, every Saturday?"

"You could be at the postpartum care center in the morning and see patients in the expert clinic in the afternoon. As for compensation, we’ll work that out separately, but I guarantee you won’t be disappointed."

Well...

Yu Zhiming hesitated for a moment before saying, "I’m an attending physician at Huashan Hospital, and I know that attendings there are worked like dogs. Sometimes they have to pull overnight shifts right into day shifts."

"There’s not much time to rest, even on weekends."

"If I end up being that busy, I doubt I’ll have the time or energy to work part-time at Ning’an."

Gu Qingran knew Yu Zhiming was speaking the truth. Attending physicians are the absolute workhorses of any hospital, the ones who put in all the sweat and effort.

Only upon reaching the level of Associate Chief Physician do doctors gain some real control over their work, allowing for a more regular schedule and free time to enjoy life.

Gu Qingran had to concede. "Dr. Yu, how about we make a tentative agreement for now? Your work and schedule at Huashan Hospital will always take priority."

"If you find you can’t make it, just let us know in advance. That’s all."

Given such a flexible arrangement, Yu Zhiming was happy to agree with a nod.

Just then, his phone rang.

It was a call from Zhou Mo.

Yu Zhiming shot Gu Qingran an apologetic glance before answering the call.

"Zhou Mo, what’s up?"

Zhou Mo’s pleasant voice came through the phone. "Dr. Yu, Yao Chengyun couldn’t get your contact information from the nurses at the center, so she contacted my mom to get in touch with you."

"Her fiancé—the one she’s legally married to but hasn’t had the wedding ceremony with—is showing severe symptoms of ricin poisoning."

"She wanted to ask if there’s any more of that experimental drug that can neutralize the ricin toxin."

Yu Zhiming cried out in astonishment.

"Am I hearing things? Did I hear you correctly? She’s asking for medicine for the fiancé who tried to kill her?"

"Or has the final police investigation come out? Was there some shocking twist where he was proven innocent?"

Just this morning, Yu Zhiming had called the Qi Yue Medical Research Center to ask about Yao Chengyun’s condition.

The doctor on duty had told him that Yao Chengyun’s condition had already shown significant improvement.

At the same time, Yu Zhiming also learned from the on-duty doctor that the poisoning case had been solved.

Knowing his fate was sealed, Yao Chengyun’s fiancé hadn’t put up much of a fight and had confessed to everything.

Apparently, his career was failing, and he’d started an affair with Yao Chengyun’s best friend, an insurance agent.

Goaded on by his lover, he finally set his sights on Yao Chengyun, who had a large life insurance policy.

However, the guy insisted that his lover was the mastermind and he was merely an accomplice—or, as he put it, coerced into it.

This excuse only made Yu Zhiming more contemptuous of the man. ’He should have just taken all the blame himself.’

Zhou Mo’s frustrated voice came over the line. "As far as I know, there’s been no twist in the case."

"Yao Chengyun just says that what he did doesn’t warrant a death sentence."

"Dr. Yu, even though I’m a woman, I have to admit that once a woman gets tangled up in matters of the heart, you can’t look at her like a normal person anymore."

"I only promised to pass along her request. Whether or not you tell Director Qi is your decision."

Yu Zhiming hummed in acknowledgment.

A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he asked directly, "Zhou Mo, your relationship with Director Qi is much closer than mine."

"You could have just told Director Qi directly. Why go through me?"

Zhou Mo explained in a business-like tone, "Yao Chengyun is your patient, and she specifically asked to contact you."

"Besides, my relationship with Director Qi is strictly professional, a superior-and-subordinate one. It could never compare to the close mentor-protégé relationship he has with you."

"Okay, I’ve done what I promised my mom and Yao Chengyun I’d do. That’s all. Bye!"

Hearing the click of the call disconnecting, Yu Zhiming gently placed his phone on the table. He didn’t contact Teacher Qi.

It was unnecessary, and he had no desire to.

As the head of the center, Teacher Qi surely already knew that the man in Jinling had also been poisoned by ricin.

If he had intended to give the man a dose of the antidote, he certainly wouldn’t have waited until his symptoms became this severe.

Besides, Yu Zhiming believed the man didn’t deserve to be saved.

’Everyone must take responsibility for their own actions.’

’If you do something as evil as trying to take someone’s life, you’d better be prepared to lose your own.’

Yu Zhiming suddenly noticed the young assistant shooting him a curious, probing glance, and he gloated inwardly.

’I’m not going to say a word. Let’s see how you handle your burning curiosity.’

He put on a mysterious air and said, "It concerns one of my patients. It involves personal privacy and a major criminal case, so it’s not appropriate for me to discuss it."

Immediately after, Yu Zhiming heard the distinct sound of someone grinding their teeth.

Gu Qingran chuckled. "Besides lawyers, I imagine doctors are the professionals who hear the most secrets."

"Patients tend to answer whatever you ask, after all."

Yu Zhiming chuckled. "We only ask questions relevant to their condition. Anything else, we try to avoid."

"We’d rather not risk being silenced."

"In TV dramas, the main reason ancient Imperial Physicians get killed off is that they know too much..."

Amid conversation and laughter, they finally finished their very late lunch at three-thirty in the afternoon.

The group walked out of Tingfeng Tower.

Gu Qingran extended another invitation, "Dr. Yu, would you be interested in having an exchange with some of our experts at Ning’an?"

Yu Zhiming quickly waved his hands in refusal.

"If it were a chance to learn from them and broaden my horizons, I would agree in a heartbeat."

"But a mutual exchange? I’ll pass."

"My skills in auscultation and percussion are just a minor specialty. My theoretical medical knowledge isn’t on the same level as theirs."

"There’s no need to waste the experts’ valuable time."

The young assistant muttered under her breath, "At least he’s self-aware. Knows how to hide his weaknesses and play to his strengths."

Yu Zhiming pretended not to hear the brat’s comment and was about to bid farewell to Gu Qingran when Yu Xiangwan handed him her phone.

Yu Zhiming took the phone and saw a post from the Huashan Hospital online forum displayed on the screen.

The post claimed that Huashan Hospital’s talent recruitment program was a sham, rife with shady, backroom dealings and cronyism.

Yu Zhiming also saw that his own recruitment was being presented as a prime piece of evidence, written about in great and damning detail...