「Five days later, Binhai Huashan Hospital.」
Hospital Director Li Yao arrived ten minutes early, and upon walking into his office, he saw Qi Yue waiting for him in the outer room.
"Director Qi, you’re here to ambush me first thing in the morning. If you have something important or difficult on your mind, just come out and say it."
Qi Yue followed Li Yao into the inner office.
"Director, I do have something important. I have a candidate for our Young and Mid-career Talent Program."
"However, it would require you, Director, to make an exception to bring him on board!"
"An exception?"
Li Yao echoed, setting his briefcase on the desk. He then took off his jacket, placed it in the wardrobe, and casually pulled out a white coat to slip on.
He walked over to the seating area, took the thick manila envelope Qi Yue handed him, and sat down.
A staff member from the director’s office brought in two cups of hot tea, then quietly excused themselves.
"Director Qi, you’ve bypassed the Talent Recruitment Review Committee and come directly to me asking for an exception."
"It seems this ’exception’ must be quite a big one!"
Li Yao chuckled, pulling the documents from the manila envelope. He glanced at the talent recruitment application form lying on top.
As he read, his eyes behind his glasses began to widen, bit by bit.
"Jishui Medical College?"
"A bachelor’s degree?"
"An attending physician at Liyang County People’s Hospital?"
"Twenty-six years old?"
Li Yao tossed the documents onto the coffee table, his face a mask of displeasure as he met Qi Yue’s gaze.
"Director Qi, are you pulling my leg?"
"For this talent program of ours, let’s not even get into the standards like outstanding research ability or exceptional medical skills. A doctorate or an Associate Chief Physician title is the bare minimum."
"This person you’re recommending wouldn’t even be qualified for an administrative or logistics job here!"
Qi Yue’s expression remained placid. He said slowly, "Director, I’ve worked at Huashan Hospital for twenty-four years. Have I ever made an outrageous or unreasonable request?"
"This man..."
Qi Yue reached out and tapped the documents on the coffee table.
"His resume may look terrible, but he is an absolute medical genius with limitless potential. He’s worth our hospital’s full effort to cultivate."
"Director, I will stake my reputation on him."
Seeing how gravely Qi Yue spoke, Li Yao picked the documents back up from the coffee table.
He flipped through them quickly and said with a frown, "I’m not seeing what’s so special about this guy."
Qi Yue explained patiently, "Director, this kid’s skills in auscultation and percussion far surpass even my own."
"He may have attended a third-rate medical school, but his capacity for learning is astonishing."
"Director, let me tell you something that isn’t in his file. He was blind until the age of thirteen, the result of a cranial blood clot from a childhood injury."
"It took another two or three years for his vision to fully recover."
Qi Yue sighed wistfully. "Director, for someone with his background, just getting into medical school and graduating with honors is already a remarkable achievement."
Li Yao gave a slight nod. "Now that you put it that way, the kid does have some admirable qualities."
"But, Director Qi, as I see it, he barely meets the minimum requirements for a new medical graduate to join our hospital."
"As for bringing him in through the talent program..."
Li Yao shook his head, his tone firm. "Director Qi, I must uphold the integrity of this hospital’s talent recruitment process."
"These standards can’t be broken."
"Director Qi, please try to understand."
Qi Yue took a deep breath. "Director, I’m sixty years old. I have five years until I retire."
"Over the past decade or two, I’ve trained some decent doctors."
"But to be perfectly honest, not one of them has ever truly satisfied me, or made me excited about their future."
"But this kid..."
Qi Yue gestured to the documents on the coffee table again, his voice rising.
"The more I learn about him, the more impressed I am."
"Director, let me put it this way: he has an extraordinary gift for medicine. He has already demonstrated praiseworthy skill, and I have no doubt he’ll bring us incredible surprises in the future."
After a brief pause, Qi Yue said with a grave expression, "Director, I’m not threatening the hospital. I’m simply stating my position and how highly I think of this young man."
"If you can’t make an exception to bring him on, then I’ll leave with him. We’ll find another hospital that isn’t afraid to break the mold for talent."
The moment he said this, Li Yao’s expression soured, and he locked eyes with Qi Yue.
The atmosphere in the office instantly grew tense.
Qi Yue’s gaze didn’t waver.
After a moment, Li Yao was the first to break eye contact.
"Director Qi, you say it’s not a threat, but that’s as blatant a threat as I’ve ever heard..."
Suddenly, a thought struck Li Yao. He picked up the documents from the coffee table and glanced at them again.
Liyang County, Lu Province!
Li Yao recalled Qi Yue’s... colorful love life and asked, "Director Qi, if I recall correctly, you’re also from Lu Province and used to work at Qilu Hospital?"
Qi Yue nodded, looking somewhat puzzled.
Li Yao asked with a smirk, "Director Qi, be honest with me. What’s your relationship with this kid?"
Qi Yue understood immediately and couldn’t help but chuckle. "Director, are you thinking he’s my ex-wife’s son?"
"Or... your illegitimate son?" Li Yao added.
Qi Yue laughed in exasperation.
"Director, is that really the kind of person you think I am?"
"He and I are not related in any way, by blood or otherwise!"
Qi Yue grew agitated, gesturing with his right hand.
"I’m recommending him this strongly purely out of an appreciation for talent! My only selfish motive is the hope that, in my lifetime, I can mentor a master physician who will surpass me—someone I can be truly proud of."
Hearing Qi Yue speak with such heartfelt passion, Li Yao knew he was serious. ’This guy has really dug in his heels.’
’He won’t rest until he achieves his goal.’
He unconsciously began drumming his fingers on the coffee table.
After a moment of thought, Li Yao looked up, meeting Qi Yue’s gaze once more.
"Director Qi, you really think that highly of him?"
"A medical genius is destined for greatness and will benefit countless people. We must recruit him as soon as possible!"
"How are his skills right now?"
"A little raw, and his medical fundamentals are somewhat weak, but he already carries himself like a master physician and can surprise you from time to time."
"And his skill with percussion and auscultation is second to none!"
Li Yao nodded slowly, then said clearly, "Director Qi, since you think so highly of him and believe he has the makings of a master physician, then let’s not ask for an exception by bypassing the review committee."
"How about this? We’ll have the review committee organize a special practical assessment just for him."
Seeing Qi Yue hesitate, Li Yao retorted, "What’s the matter? Don’t you have confidence in him?"
"Or do you think the experts on the review committee lack your discerning eye and won’t see his potential?"
Qi Yue shook his head. "That’s not what I meant. Those experts are all highly respected figures in their fields. I have great admiration for them."
Li Yao smiled. "In that case, you have nothing to worry about."
"True gold fears no fire."
"If he can win you over and earn your full-throated endorsement, then winning over the experts on the committee should be simple enough."
Qi Yue sighed, a note of resignation in his voice. "I was hoping to handle this quietly. I don’t want him attracting too much attention at his age."
"It’s not good for his future growth."
Li Yao chuckled. "What’s a little attention? To become a master physician, having a strong constitution is essential."
With a frustrated look, Qi Yue said, "Fine, we’ll do it that way."
"So, Director, should I make the arrangements on my end?"
Li Yao replied heartily, "I’ll handle communication and arrangements with the review committee."
Qi Yue nodded and stood up.
A thought occurred to him, and he pushed, "Say, Director, if his talent and potential are recognized by the experts, then our hospital’s offer won’t be just the minimum package for the talent program, will it?"
Li Yao waved his hand dismissively, his tone magnanimous. "If he’s confirmed to be a true medical genius, giving him the top-tier package is no problem at all."
"We at Huashan Hospital aren’t short on cash!"
After a brief pause, he asked again with a knowing look, "Director Qi, are you sure he’s not... someone’s love child?"
"It’s just the two of us. I won’t tell a soul."
Qi Yue huffed in annoyance, turned on his heel, and walked out...