To prepare for his assessment in Binhai, Yu Zhiming had been incredibly busy the past few days, even working overtime until nine or ten every night.
He even swapped shifts with colleagues on Saturday and Sunday, working nonstop.
When Wednesday, the day of departure, finally arrived, Yu Zhiming and his Fourth Sister were at home doing a final check of everything they needed to bring to Binhai.
"Travel sleep kit: buckwheat pillow, soundproof earplugs, and the small white noise machine..."
"Gifts for Dr. Qi: one bottle of red wine, five jin of millet, five jin of mung beans, five jin of red-skinned peanuts, five jin of savory multigrain pancakes, and thirty green-shelled salted duck eggs..."
"Gifts to bring to Dr. Qi on behalf of Dean Wu: a five-jin barrel of Liyang Chun baijiu, a large bag of big sesame shaobing, and a vacuum-sealed half a pig’s head, braised."
Dean Wu himself had delivered the gifts he wanted Zhiming to bring over early that morning.
Seeing the dignified dean of the hospital produce such gifts, Yu Zhiming couldn’t help but smack his lips in private disapproval.
’He really looked down on them.’
The gifts Yu Zhiming was giving were authentic local farm products.
Putting aside their monetary value, they at least embodied the spirit of the saying, "a goose feather sent from a thousand miles away; a small gift that carries great meaning."
But Dean Wu’s gifts were truly a bit embarrassing to present.
Especially that plastic barrel of baijiu from a local distillery; it reeked of cheapness and was completely unsuitable for a formal occasion.
Dean Wu noticed the disdain in Yu Zhiming’s eyes and chuckled. "Ah, this baijiu isn’t the kind you find on the market. I had the distillery specially bottle the original mash for me. Not a drop of water or additives. It’s delicious."
"And this pig’s head, I braised it myself. It’s my own secret recipe, perfected over many years. It’s incredible."
"Dr. Qi and I have had meals together."
"He loves this baijiu, this pig’s head, and this shaobing. Just take it to him for me..."
Dean Wu had also specially given Yu Zhiming nearly two jin of the braised pig’s head and a few large shaobing for himself.
And that’s what Yu Zhiming and his Fourth Sister had for breakfast.
They wrapped slices of the braised pig’s head in the large, fragrant sesame shaobing, which were twenty to thirty centimeters in diameter, and took a big bite.
It really was an explosion of rich flavor—absolutely delicious...
In Yu Xiangwan’s words, even if Dean Wu weren’t the dean of a hospital, he could get rich just by setting up a stall selling braised pig’s head...
It took Yu Zhiming and Yu Xiangwan nearly an hour to pack everything they needed to bring.
In total, they filled two large suitcases and two travel backpacks.
A little after ten-thirty in the morning, the two of them brought their luggage downstairs. They didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes before a taxi pulled up.
The moment the taxi stopped, Fu Xiaoxue hopped out of the front passenger seat.
She ran over to Yu Zhiming in two steps, hugged his arm, and pouted.
"Uncle, Uncle, do you have any idea what my life has been like at home these past few days?"
"’Living in deep water and scorching fire’ doesn’t even begin to describe it..."
On the evening the college entrance exams ended, Fu Xiaoxue had gone back to her town with her mother.
Today, Fu Xiaoxue had first taken a bus to the county seat, then a taxi to the Yushuiwan District.
The girl rattled on with her complaints. "I know, I know. Before the exam, you’re a national treasure; after the exam, you’re a weed."
"But I didn’t expect the difference to be this huge."
"I don’t dare complain about the food."
"When I got home, I even took the initiative to help with the cooking, laundry, and sweeping the yard."
"Even so, my mom still finds fault with everything I do, nagging me at every turn..."
"Did she hit you?" Yu Zhiming interrupted.
Fu Xiaoxue let out a little "ah" and shook her head. "Well, she didn’t actually hit me, but Uncle..."
Yu Zhiming cut her off again. "Xiaoxue, if you didn’t get a beating, you should count your lucky stars!"
"During the exams, your mom swore to me that as soon as you were finished, she was going to find an excuse to give you a good thrashing."
Fu Xiaoxue’s mouth fell open, speechless.
They loaded the luggage into the taxi and headed for the high-speed railway station.
Fu Xiaoxue was quiet for only a few minutes before she couldn’t hold it in any longer. "Uncle, Aunt, you two don’t want to beat me up too, do you?"
Yu Xiangwan put on a stern face. "I actually suggested to your mom that we give you a sisterly two-on-one."
"It’s just a shame your mom took you back home as soon as the exams were over."
"What about Uncle?" Fu Xiaoxue asked, putting on a pitiful expression.
Yu Zhiming wore a benevolent look.
"How could I bear to hit you? At most, I’d stand on the sidelines and cheer your mom and aunt on."
A chill ran down Fu Xiaoxue’s spine.
She quickly changed the subject. "Uncle, new haircut?"
Yu Zhiming touched his hair. "Yesterday, your aunt dragged me to a supposedly amazing salon. It cost me 210 yuan."
"What do you think? Look good?"
Fu Xiaoxue laid on the flattery. "Good? It’s more than good! It maxed out your handsomeness stat, Uncle."
"When you get to Binhai and walk down the street, you’ll definitely have all the pretty young ladies turning their heads."
"Xiaoxue, your bootlicking skills have improved a lot. Looks like you’ve been practicing on your mom at home these past few days!"
Though Yu Zhiming said that, inwardly he quite agreed with his niece’s words.
’Before he earned the nicknames ’Human CT Scanner’ and ’Little Diagnostic Expert,’ he was the hospital’s resident heartthrob, after all.’
Yu Zhiming was hoping for a few more compliments from Xiaoxue, but he heard the little rascal change the subject again.
"Uncle, Aunt, my mom and dad got into a fight on the phone last night."
"A really bad one."
"About what?" Yu Xiangwan asked curiously.
Fu Xiaoxue said softly, "I didn’t hear the specifics, only that they were talking about my younger paternal aunt and a child or something."
"Uncle, Aunt, have you ever met my younger paternal aunt?"
Yu Xiangwan shook her head. "Never."
"Xiaoxue, three years ago when you went back to your ancestral home in Gan Province with your parents for your grandfather’s funeral, did you see your aunt then?"
Fu Xiaoxue thought back for a moment. "I don’t think so."
"My mom says this aunt is a lot of trouble, but she married into a family in Guangshen and is very well-off."
"Last night, I wanted to ask more about it, but my mom got really impatient and shooed me away..."
Yu Zhiming’s group took the 11:40 high-speed train, arriving smoothly in Binhai a little after three in the afternoon.
What warmed Yu Zhiming’s heart was that Dr. Qi Yue had arranged for someone to pick them up at the Binhai High-speed Railway Station.
The person who came to pick them up was Dr. Qi’s niece, Yin Wenzhu.
Yin Wenzhu told Yu Zhiming that after Dr. Qi returned to Binhai from Liyang County, he had called a meeting with her parents and others, and they had unanimously decided that she should quit her job to focus on her health.
Under immense pressure from her family, Yin Wenzhu had no choice but to go through with her resignation.
During this time, Yin Wenzhu followed a schedule Dr. Qi had given her, sticking to a strict routine of rest, exercise, and healthy eating.
It was... utterly depressing.
Yu Zhiming suggested, "Sister Wenzhu, Binhai probably isn’t the best place to recuperate."
"Why not try a change of scenery?"
"Or maybe go on a trip?"
Yin Wenzhu chuckled lightly. "I was thinking the same thing."
"But I still have some loose ends from work and my personal life to tie up."
"Once I’ve taken care of everything, I’ll go traveling."
Yin Wenzhu’s voice was filled with longing. "I’ve been working for so many years; I really do need to stop and look at the scenery around me."
She then turned to Yu Xiangwan and Fu Xiaoxue. "For the next few days, if you don’t mind, I can show you around Binhai."
Yu Xiangwan replied politely, "We’d love that, but would it be too much trouble for you, Sister Wenzhu?"
Yin Wenzhu chuckled. "Not at all!"
"To be honest, I’ve been in Binhai for ten years, but I’ve always been so busy with school and work that I’ve never really had the chance to appreciate it."
"At my age, it’s hard to find travel companions. You all came at the perfect time..."
The group chatted casually as they rode in Yin Wenzhu’s new energy vehicle, arriving an hour or so later at the Youyou Grand Hotel, not far from Huashan Hospital.
It was a four-star hotel that also had a corporate agreement with Huashan Hospital.
Yu Xiangwan mentioned that by using Dr. Qi’s name, she had managed to get a significant discount when booking their two rooms.
The hotel had arranged two adjoining rooms for them.
Located on the seventeenth floor, one was a king-bed room, and the other was a standard room with two beds.
Yin Wenzhu saw Yu Zhiming’s group to their rooms and said, "You all should settle in, freshen up, and rest for a bit."
"My uncle has already booked a private room in the restaurant on the third floor, but it’s not until six-thirty this evening."
"I have other plans tonight, so I won’t be able to join you..."
Out of politeness, Yu Zhiming, Yu Xiangwan, and Fu Xiaoxue walked Yin Wenzhu out of the hotel and watched her drive away.
Just as Yu Zhiming was about to turn and go back inside, Fu Xiaoxue grabbed his arm.
"Uncle, look over there..."
Yu Zhiming followed Xiaoxue’s gaze.
Not far away, a woman with long, maroon hair was inelegantly sprawled over a round stone bollard meant to block vehicles...