This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

So what did he really want?

Du Heng breathed a long sigh and slowly leaned back in his chair.

Did he want money or fame? Should he pursue extreme material enjoyment, or seek spiritual wealth? His hometown was indeed very poor. Facing the yellow earth with their backs to the sky, they struggled to scrape a living from the soil. For their children's tuition, their parents' medical expenses, and the oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea for their homes, people had no choice but to leave to find work. But that little bit of money was still nowhere near enough. They'd bear the pain of their illnesses and carry on. In the end, when they couldn't take it anymore, they'd go to the hospital for treatment if it was inexpensive. If it was too expensive, however, they'd rather go home and die in pain.

Du Heng quietly sighed. He had enough money now, more than enough. There was no shortage of doctors in the city. But there was a shortage in rural areas, especially in his hometown. Although he wasn't a highly noble person, he wanted to contribute as much as he could. He was still young, and there would surely be better opportunities in the future. There was no need to rush.

"Forget it. Whatever the reason, help me suppress it, and don't send it to the district. The Third Hospital has many specialists; they don't need one more general practitioner like me. I'll just serve my hometown folks well and wait for a better opportunity later."

Du Heng finally made up his mind not to go to the Third Hospital.

"Okay, I'll put in a word when I get to work," Dong Yuezhang agreed. For him, this was a trivial matter. If he wanted to, he could transfer Du Heng to another hospital immediately, and it wouldn't be a problem at all.

However, one couldn't just do things like that. Sometimes, doing too much could turn people against you. Friends and brothers should help each other, but they shouldn't make decisions for them or dictate their lives. Dong Yuezhang understood this sense of proportion very well and had a good grasp of it.

"By the way, there's one more thing," Dong Yuezhang said suddenly. "The day before yesterday, just before the end of the workday, your district sent over a file. Your name was on it."

Du Heng felt weary. When did I become such a hot commodity? "What about me now?"

Dong Yuezhang laughed. "This time, it's genuinely good news. Your district is recommending you for an exceptional promotion to Deputy Chief Physician. The recommendation letter was submitted along with it."

"So soon?"

Hearing this, Du Heng was a bit surprised. If he remembered correctly, it was the morning of the day before the holiday that Old Song went to the district bureau. For it to be delivered to the Municipal Bureau that same afternoon... that was some high efficiency.

"Of course, it's fast! There are four recommenders: your Health Clinic's new Dean, Song; Director Wu of Pancreatic Surgery at the Municipal Second Hospital; Deputy Director Ma of orthopedics at the Provincial First Hospital; and Deputy Director Xu of the Gastroenterology Department. The recommendation letter has signatures from three directors, and it was submitted with a core journal and your two papers.

Normally, you submit the materials, the district reviews them, then the city reviews them, and after that, they're sent to the provincial level for review. Once the Provincial Department finishes its review, it's handed over to the Health Commission for their review.

Registration starts on the ninth and ends on June first. Do you think your district isn't anxious? If they were any slower, they might not even complete the process. Registration? They'd be registering for nothing!"

Du Heng wasn't excited. Instead, he was cursing Old Song inwardly. That old fox is truly unscrupulous! Director Wu of the Municipal Second Hospital is Wu Buwei's father. Deputy Director Ma of the Provincial First Hospital's orthopedics department is Ma Zichen's father. For them to sign the recommendation, that old fellow Song must have gone knocking on their doors personally. Their sons were also co-authors on the papers. These favors... how could he ever repay them? Old Song used Du Heng's social capital to get his own business done, and Du Heng still had to thank him for it! If Xu Pinglin also signed, it must have been the same routine—repaying a favor. But once this was all done, how would others see him? As someone who leverages favors owed to him? That damn Old Song, he's really not a good person!

Wei Kaida exclaimed, "Wow, Ma Ti'er, when did you become so awesome? You know a whole bunch of directors and deputy directors! By the way, what papers did you publish?"

Du Heng was very annoyed by Old Song's actions and, feeling rather resentful, was in no mood to answer Wei Kaida's questions.

"Hey, this kid's got an attitude now, not even answering me." He turned to Dong Yuezhang and said, "Dong, aren't you in charge of matters related to professional titles? You mentioned it, so you must know the details, right?"

Dong Yuezhang mysteriously took out his phone and showed him what he had already looked up. "I was shocked to see Ma Ti'er's name the day before yesterday too. I couldn't believe it, so I specifically went online to confirm. Look, these are the two."

Wei Kaida took the phone to look, and Jin Zan also leaned over.

"Damn, Ma Ti'er, you're truly awesome! Two core papers!" Wei Kaida began to gush, strongly expressing his stunned admiration.

Jin Zan also clicked his tongue in amazement, his eyes shining as he looked at the papers on the phone.

Suddenly, Wei Kaida scolded Du Heng, "Du, you're really something else! With such a great thing, you didn't even think of us brothers and instead gave it to outsiders! Do you still consider us your brothers or not?"

Du Heng was completely baffled. "What are you talking about? What did I do?"

"What did you do? Core papers! Who are the second and third authors? Why didn't you put my name and Jin Zan's on them?"

Wei Kaida, filled with righteous indignation, glared at Du Heng. "And here I thought of you as a brother! My new car, I'd only driven it for a week, and when you said you were going to your mother-in-law's, I lent it to you to take to your workplace without a second thought! But you?"

So that's what this is about!

Du Heng rolled his eyes at Wei Kaida. Even Dong Yuezhang couldn't help but look speechlessly at this blockhead.