This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

”No problem, I was just curious. You should be familiar with Director Gao Qin of the Gynecology Department, right?”

Lu Guangying’s eyes shifted. ”Not very familiar. She’s always been in the Gynecology Department, and I’ve always been in Pediatrics. We haven’t interacted much, just spoken a few times.”

Du Heng couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

He had looked at the hospital’s personnel files; there were only about forty doctors in total. Both Lu Guangying and Gao Qin had worked at the hospital for nearly twenty years and had both served as Department Directors. How could they not be familiar? Who were they trying to fool?

However, Du Heng didn’t let on, continuing to ask with a smile, ”I see. This week, I noticed that Director Gao comes in every morning to clock in, and then she can’t be found. Is something going on at her home that prevents her from leaving?”

Lu Guangying looked at the young man before her, her eyelids twitching. She truly hadn’t expected this young man to be so composed. ”Perhaps. I heard she has a mother-in-law with mobility issues who might need care.”

Du Heng said ”Oh!” and then added self-reproachfully, ”Oh no, this is a mistake on my part. I’ve been here for a week and had no idea that Director Gao has such difficulties at home.”

He then paused and put on a show of saying, ”In that case, this afternoon, our hospital’s leadership team will visit Director Gao together. We’ll help her solve her practical difficulties on the spot.

Vice Dean Lu, please take the trouble to notify the other hospital leaders. What do you think?”

Lu Guangying looked at Du Heng, somewhat dumbfounded, and stammered, ”This... this might not be a good idea. Everyone else is quite busy, and you have your own work, Dean. How about I go on everyone’s behalf?”

Du Heng’s expression hardened slightly. ”Vice Dean Lu, that’s not right. Director Gao has dedicated her youth to the hospital, working tirelessly for twenty years. Now that her family is facing difficulties, how can we be so unfeeling just because of a little work?

Work can always be done and will never be finished, but we can’t dishearten our colleagues. We must make her feel that we are a large family, a supportive group.

So, it’s decided. At two o’clock in the afternoon, all those in leadership positions at the hospital will go to offer condolences to Director Gao. Then, we can all put our heads together and help Director Gao resolve her practical difficulties.”

Seeing that Lu Guangying still wanted to say something, Du Heng continued, ”I have nothing further. Vice Dean Lu, please go and attend to your own matters. Just remember to notify everyone.”

Lu Guangying opened her mouth but could only leave resentfully.

As soon as she returned to her office, Lu Guangying immediately made a phone call.

”Director Gao, the new Dean explicitly mentioned you just now, and he’s very unhappy with your absences from work.”

A ”TSK” sounded from the other end of the phone. ”What can a greenhorn like him do if he’s unhappy? He’s just a former township Deputy Director. He should first worry about whether he can even keep his position as our Dean.”

A corner of Lu Guangying’s mouth quirked upwards. ”Old Gao, he’s still the Dean, after all. He just took office; you should give him some face. Once this period passes, you can go back to your clinic. Why insist on provoking him?”

”HUMPH! If I don’t run the clinic, what will we eat? I have a family of six or seven to feed. On the mere four thousand yuan a month from the hospital, my whole family would starve.

Besides, I’m not the only one doing this. What’s the point of singling me out?

Liu Cui from your Gynecology Department also runs an outside clinic. And people from the Obstetrics Department and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology—several of them are earning extra money at Post-partum Care Centers. Why doesn’t he go after them?”

Lu Guangying’s smile widened, but her tone remained exceptionally gentle. ”I’ve told you. Whether you listen or not is up to you. And let me tell you something else: this afternoon, the new Dean plans to bring the entire hospital leadership team to visit your home to ’help resolve your family’s difficulties.’”

”****! What’s this little bastard trying to do?” Gao Qin on the other end of the phone became furious.

On her end, Lu Guangying chuckled, pleased with herself, but her voice remained as gentle as ever. ”Who knows what he’s thinking? Maybe he genuinely wants to offer condolences?”

There was silence on the other end of the line, before a hurried ”I got it,” and then the call was hung up.

Lu Guangying looked at the disconnected call and smiled smugly once more.

Current policy allows and even encourages physicians to hold part-time jobs in clinics. However, this doesn’t mean physicians can run clinics or work part-time during their regular hospital hours. The policy permits such activities only during their personal time.

But on the other hand, doctors at large hospitals are skilled but have little spare time. Doctors at small hospitals have more time, but their skills are often average, and working part-time doesn’t pay much. In fact, after covering rent, medicine, and a nurse’s salary, they’d likely go bankrupt.

The best solution is to take on part-time jobs as ”hourly workers.”

Watching Lu Guangying leave, Du Heng also grinned.

He was well aware of why Gao Qin was skipping work and knew the situation in other departments too. If he really wanted to discipline her, it would take some effort, but it wasn’t impossible.

But one shouldn’t take things to extremes. He used this roundabout approach to make Gao Qin reflect on her actions, hoping she wouldn’t force him to take harsh measures and cause embarrassment for everyone.

He then dismissed the matter, picked up a pen and paper, and resumed drafting his work plan.

Meanwhile, Lu Guangying found Qiu Pingzhen from the Medical Affairs Office. ”Old Qiu, that’s the Dean’s arrangement. What do you think?”

Qiu Pingzhen was a bald man in his forties who wore frameless glasses. Beneath the lenses, his eyes constantly darted around.

After hearing Lu Guangying, he countered, ”So, Vice Dean Lu, what are you suggesting?”

Lu Guangying leaned back. ”Don’t let the new Dean’s youth fool you; he’s quite shrewd. If Old Gao comes back, she’ll inevitably have to explain herself to him. The moment she explains, she’ll lose her leverage.

If she returns and doesn’t explain, the new Dean will surely seize the opportunity to visit her home, making her lose face in front of everyone. That would give him the perfect excuse to discipline her.”

”What if Director Gao simply ignores it?”

”HEH. He’s looking to make an example of someone. The new Dean has already sharpened his knife; he’s just waiting for a chicken to slaughter as a warning to the monkeys.”

Lu Guangying sneered openly.

”So, should I notify the other leaders?”

”Yes, and make a big show of it. Let everyone in the hospital know.”

Qiu Pingzhen adjusted his glasses, momentarily concealing the glint in his eyes.

This woman is no saint either, Qiu Pingzhen thought. It’s not just Gao Qin skipping work; she’s trying to stir up resentment against Du Heng among the others.

Just as Qiu Pingzhen was about to speak, his mobile phone rang. After a series of ”uh-huhs” and ”okays,” he suddenly burst out, ”Stop talking! Just pull them apart! I’m on my way!”

As he spoke, Qiu Pingzhen stood up and prepared to leave.

Lu Guangying hurriedly stopped him. ”Why are you so angry?”

Qiu Pingzhen’s face was filled with rage. ”What else could it be? That Cui Ying, one of Director Gao’s subordinates, not only misdiagnosed a patient but also got into a fight with them! Honestly, Director Gao! If she’s going to slack off herself, she should at least manage her subordinates properly. How many times has this happened?

Now look! I have to go play firefighter again.”

As Qiu Pingzhen attempted to leave again, Lu Guangying stopped him once more. ”Old Qiu, wait.”

”Is there anything else? Let’s talk later after I finish dealing with this.”

”No, no, Old Qiu, an opportunity has arisen!”

Qiu Pingzhen suddenly stopped in his tracks. As his eyes darted back and forth, he feigned confusion and asked, ”What opportunity?”

”Isn’t our new Dean rumored to be highly skilled in medicine? This is a perfect chance for young women like Cui Ying to witness his abilities. It’s also a good opportunity for the new Dean to establish his authority,” Lu Guangying said slowly, her words sounding very appealing.

Adjusting his glasses, Qiu Pingzhen said, ”That might not be such a good idea. Dean Du was an Internist; he might not be able to handle cases in the Gynecology Department, right?”