"What's going on here? Such a ruckus is unseemly!"
Just then, a man in his forties wearing a white lab coat stepped out from the crowd. He had an air of authority and a slight frown on his brow, as if he was very displeased with the noisy scene. After all, this was the Municipal Central Hospital, and such unruliness was simply improper!
"It's Zheng Yi, Doctor Zheng. He's an expert in the TCM department at the Central Hospital, with the rank of associate chief physician. Everyone quiet down, quiet down," someone recognized the man and immediately called out, afraid to displease Doctor Zheng and affect their upcoming consultations. It was clear that many of them were here specifically for him.
Generally speaking, in any top-tier hospital, the hierarchy of doctors in each department, from top to bottom, was divided into chief physician, associate chief physician, attending physician, and resident physician.
The chief physician was undoubtedly the top expert in each department, truly qualified for the title, while an associate chief physician, although a step down, was still an extremely capable individual. A department would only have two or three of them.
The TCM department at the Central Hospital was also quite unique. Aside from Dr. Xu Zhenxing, there were no other chief physicians. This made Zheng Yi, as the associate chief physician just below Dr. Xu, an unquestionable authority in the department. With his brilliant medical skills, he practically held up half the sky on a normal day.
Seeing the scene quickly quiet down, Zheng Yi nodded in satisfaction. He then turned to the resident physician who had stopped Chen Fei and asked, "Xiao Zhu, what's the matter?"
The resident physician jolted, pointed at Chen Fei, and said in a low voice, "Doctor Zheng, he seems to be the one recommended by Doctor Liu Changqing yesterday."
"Oh, it's him?"
Upon hearing this, a subtle coldness and a mocking look flashed in Zheng Yi's eyes. He glanced at Chen Fei indifferently and said, "Dr. Xu mentioned you to me. He's tied up with something today and will be in later. Come to my clinic first. I have something to say to you."
Having said that, he paid no further attention to anyone else and headed straight for his clinic.
"Yes."
Chen Fei watched his retreating figure with a slight frown. He could clearly sense the hostility and disdain in the other's gaze. It seems that securing a position in the TCM department of this hospital won't be an easy task.
However, he then shook his head nonchalantly, a confident smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he walked toward the clinic. If it were anything else, he might not be so confident, but when it came to traditional Chinese medicine, he feared no one! If I can't even handle this little challenge, I'll be unworthy of being the successor to that expert from the Cultivation World.
"Take a seat."
When he arrived at Zheng Yi's consulting room, the other man was already seated in the rocking chair behind the desk. He eyed Chen Fei with a scrutinizing look before saying indifferently, "Go on, introduce yourself."
Chen Fei felt a trace of pressure from that scrutinizing gaze, but he quickly steadied himself. He raised his head and looked at the other man. "Doctor Zheng, my name is Chen Fei. I graduated from the Medical Department of Northern Mountain Normal University."
"Northern Mountain Normal University? Then who was your mentor? Was it a nationally renowned sacred hand or master physician?" Zheng Yi's brows knitted together immediately, his tone turning cold. Northern Mountain Normal University's Medical Department? What the hell is that? How could someone from a trashy Third Tier university possibly qualify to enter our Central Hospital?
"Neither. My master is just an ordinary person. As far as I know, he isn't famous," Chen Fei deflected, as he certainly couldn't reveal his heritage from an expert of the Cultivation World.
"Nonsense!"
At this statement, Doctor Zheng immediately became furious, speaking to Chen Fei with an extremely mocking and disdainful tone. "You, a graduate from a Third Tier university, a nobody—and you want to be an official doctor in the TCM department of our Central Hospital? Do you even know traditional Chinese medicine? Do you have any idea what herbal medicine and acupuncture are? If someone like you treats patients and something goes wrong, who will take responsibility?"
Chen Fei frowned. Although he was unhappy, he suppressed his emotions and explained, "Doctor Zheng, I have been studying traditional Chinese medicine with my master since I was young. It's been more than ten years, so I'm quite confident in my TCM skills!"
"Shut up!"
However, Doctor Zheng bluntly interrupted him, sneering, "More than ten years? Do you know how long I have been practicing Chinese medicine? Forty years! Even I wouldn't dare say I'm fully confident in TCM. What gives a greenhorn like you the right to say something like that? Let me tell you, our TCM department does not welcome self-important people like you who lack any real skill!"
After a brief pause, he added coldly, "Also, don't think that having Doctor Liu as your backer will let you do as you please in the Central Hospital! Doctor Liu Changshan might be able to call the shots in the cardiology department, but you need to get something straight: this is the TCM department. Don't come to the wrong place!"
Hearing this, Chen Fei's expression turned completely grim. It was now clear to him that the other man was deliberately targeting him, perhaps because of Dr. Liu Changshan's recommendation!
"Doctor Zheng, while you may be a senior in the TCM department, you don't seem to have the authority to intervene in my employment, do you? Besides, Doctor Liu already spoke with Doctor Xu about this last night. I only need to pass Doctor Xu's evaluation. As for you..."
Although Chen Fei didn't finish his sentence, the mockery dripping from his words was obvious enough for anyone to hear.
True, the man before him was a deputy chief physician at the Municipal Central Hospital, likely with far more seniority, connections, and backing than he had. But since the other party was already targeting him so openly, there was no need to grovel. The worst-case scenario was that he wouldn't get the job. Where one door closes, another opens!
BOOM!
"What did you say!?"
Doctor Zheng Yi exploded with anger. He couldn't believe Chen Fei dared to speak to him in that tone, even saying he wasn't qualified. This was, quite simply, a complete lack of respect.
"Get out! Get out right now! If I see you in the TCM department again, don't blame me for calling security to throw you out!" he roared at Chen Fei, already reaching for the phone to call someone to have him ejected.
"Doctor Zheng, bad news! Young Master Gao is in trouble! You need to go see him quickly!" Just then, someone burst into Zheng Yi's consulting room.
"Young Master Gao? Which Young Master Gao?"
"The son of Director Gao Zhinan of the Vast Sea Group! They say he was eating out when a wall collapsed and buried him. He's been rescued, but his condition is extremely serious. He's in the emergency room right now!"
Zheng Yi stiffened, instantly growing anxious. He quickly grabbed his medical kit from the side and instructed the resident physician, "Quick, take me there now!"
Gao Zhinan, the CEO of the Vast Sea Group in Northern Mountain City, owned a network of supermarkets, restaurants, and other businesses worth over a billion. He was easily ranked among the top few in Northern Mountain City and had a noteworthy background. Having donated significant medical equipment to the hospital, he was someone Zheng Yi naturally did not dare to neglect.
Of course, injuries from a structural collapse were typically handled by the Western medicine departments. But how could he possibly miss such a golden opportunity to ingratiate himself with the CEO of the Vast Sea Group? If I can latch onto such a powerful connection, my future will be set!
"Also, have security throw him out. We don't allow riffraff like him to loiter in the Central Hospital!" While fantasizing about easily healing Young Master Gao and securing his connection to the Vast Sea Group, he didn't forget to have Chen Fei thrown out. How dare he speak to me, Zheng Yi, like that? He's courting death!
"Young man, you heard Doctor Zheng. Please leave," the resident physician said to Chen Fei in an official tone, though his eyes were full of ridicule.
"No need to escort me. I'll see myself out."
Chen Fei declined the 'kind' offer, his expression ugly as he left the Central Hospital's TCM department, making his way down from the upper floors of the outpatient building.
Although he wasn't too concerned about working at the Central Hospital after receiving the legacy from the Cultivation World expert and successfully reaching the first level of the "Scripture of Meditation," being thrown out like a stray dog was a different matter entirely. It left him feeling incredibly annoyed, even a little humiliated.
"Tch. You snob. One day, I'll make you regret this!" Chen Fei gnashed his teeth, silently committing the incident to memory. Revenge is a dish best served cold, after all.
Suddenly, the classic Nokia ringtone sounded from his pocket. Chen Fei pulled out his phone and saw it was a call from Liu Changshan.
"Dr. Liu..."
Chen Fei answered, but before he could say another word, he was cut off by the urgent voice on the other end. "Xiaofei, are you at the hospital right now!?"
At the hospital? Chen Fei paused for a moment before realizing he meant the Central Hospital.
"I am."
"Good. Get to the entrance of the outpatient building right now. I'm waiting for you here. Hurry, there's a patient in very serious condition, and even I'm not very confident. Come with me and take a look," Dr. Liu said anxiously.
A patient in very serious condition? Chen Fei's gaze flickered as he recalled the 'Young Master Gao' mentioned by the resident physician and Zheng Yi. Could it be him?