This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

”It’s fine. Being willing to pursue further studies is a good thing.”

”Senior Brother, will there be authorized jobs available at your place?” The topic Xiao Su thought had concluded was suddenly brought up again by him.

”Those with a master’s degree get one after being promoted to Deputy Director, and PhD students get one directly. Undergraduates receive equal pay for equal work.”

Xiao Su rolled his eyes.

What Du Heng just said sounded wonderful—that authorized jobs didn’t matter and equal pay for equal work was the same. But now, he was still using authorized jobs to attract talent, basically showing contempt for those with lower educational qualifications.

”Are you looking for many people this year?”

”Not too many. Why, have you come around to the idea?”

Du Heng looked curiously at Xiao Su.

Xiao Su quickly waved his hand. ”Senior Brother, do you remember Xiao Li?”

”I remember. Weren’t the two of you with me at the outpatient service last year? By the way, where is Xiao Li? How come I haven’t seen him since the New Year? Is he also preparing for his PhD exams?”

”No, his family situation isn’t good, and he’s looking for a job now.”

”Has he found one?”

”Not an ideal one. He basically can’t find any authorized jobs. All he can find are some small hospitals offering section employment. He’s preparing to go back to his hometown and try his luck at their County Hospital.”

Du Heng frowned. ”Didn’t Teacher recommend him? If Teacher recommends him, getting section employment at a Grade 3A hospital shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

”He did. But, Senior Brother, as you know, the rules in Grade 3A hospitals are strict. He must go through another year of standardized training before he can start working. And Xiao Li urgently needs money now; he doesn’t want to waste that year on standardized training.”

Du Heng sighed as well. This whole standardized training business... big hospitals have really exploited it to death these days.

”Xiao Li’s skills are quite good, and he’s a diligent learner. It’s a pity for him to just go to a county-level hospital.” Du Heng pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and said, ”Ask him if he’d be willing to come to our Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital. If he is, tell him to come find me after the May Day holiday.”

Xiao Su’s face lit up with a smile. ”Thank you, Senior Brother! I thank you on Xiao Li’s behalf. After the May Day holiday, he’ll definitely be at your office door. If he doesn’t go, I’ll tie him up and drag him there!”

”Don’t say that. We all studied under Teacher; it’s only right that we help each other.”

The two chatted casually for a while longer. Eventually, Li Jianwei walked over, his expression cold the entire time.

Du Heng enthusiastically approached him. ”Teacher, you’ve worked hard. It’s past closing time, and you still can’t get a moment’s rest.”

Li Jianwei shot Du Heng a sideways glance. ”President Du, what brings you here today? I thought you’d be too busy.”

”I have been busy, Teacher! I just got transferred, and everyone’s been using underhanded tricks against me. I’ve had to be incredibly careful these past two weeks.”

”Too busy to attend my classes?”

”Oh, Teacher, you’ve really got me wrong there. I haven’t been idle at all. Besides work, I’ve been constantly reading and studying, and I’ve also completed my paper. I came today specifically to ask you to look it over and see if it’s publishable.”

Li Jianwei’s tense expression finally softened.

With the change in their respective statuses, he wanted to savor the feeling of being Du Heng’s teacher.

As for critiquing Du Heng’s paper, he knew his own limitations. Besides, he wasn’t really qualified to comment on whether Du Heng was studying or not, because Du Heng now understood more than he did—that was an undeniable fact.

But Du Heng’s respectful attitude was very gratifying to him.

Especially since Du Heng now held the title of Deputy Director and was the Dean of a Level 2 hospital, it felt incredibly satisfying for him as his Teacher.

Furthermore, the ’stroke complications’ treatment project, in cooperation with Zhonghu Health Center, had been achieving good results. Consequently, whether it was Department meetings, hospital-wide meetings, or even external conferences related to traditional Chinese medicine, he felt he could hold his head much higher these days.

Upon arriving at the office, Du Heng borrowed Li Jianwei’s computer, plugged in his USB drive, and typed a title onto the blank cover page of the document.

”Teacher, please take a look. Do you think this paper could get accepted by a core journal?”

Li Jianwei smiled as he looked, murmuring softly, ”Wind-phlegm-induced stroke complications...”

After reading the paper’s title, Li Jianwei clicked his tongue in admiration. ”Are you thoroughly dissecting the different types of stroke now?”

Du Heng nodded. ”Yes, I’ve analyzed them separately. After our chat last time, I decided to completely differentiate them. If I’m going to write about something, I want to do it thoroughly. If I just lump everything together superficially, I’d feel dissatisfied with my own work, and it wouldn’t be very useful either.”

Li Jianwei nodded, agreeing with Du Heng’s approach. His eyes continued down the page. ”Corresponding author: Li...”

Before he could finish reading the name, Li Jianwei’s eyes widened. ”You... This... This isn’t appropriate, is it?”

Though he said it wasn’t appropriate, the smile on his face bloomed like a thousand-petal chrysanthemum, dazzlingly bright.

Du Heng feigned a serious expression. ”Teacher, what are you saying? How is it not appropriate? I think you’re perfectly suitable. You chose the research direction for me, you helped me iron out the details, and above all, you’re my Teacher. How could it be inappropriate?”

He then urged Li Jianwei, ”Teacher, please don’t get hung up on the name. Look at the content; are there any issues? Please help me find them so I can correct them right away.”

Li Jianwei grinned so widely that his back molars were visible, and the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes deepened into three distinct lines.

One year! One whole year of hard work, one whole year of anticipation, one whole year of effort—it was all worth it!

He scrolled down with the mouse, skimming through Du Heng’s paper rapidly.

He knew what he should do, and what he shouldn’t.

However, the further he read, the slower his pace became. By the end, the smile on his face had transformed into sheer astonishment. ”Xiao Heng, this is incredibly detailed! Diagnostic characteristics, patient constitution, medication dosages—you’ve broken it down so meticulously. This is practically a set of treatment guidelines for wind-phlegm stroke! Even someone with only a little knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine could follow this and not go wrong.”

Du Heng smiled faintly. ”Teacher, is this level of detail acceptable? If it’s too much, I can revise it.”

”No need! This is perfect.” Li Jianwei waved his hand dismissively. ”It needs to be this detailed. The more detailed, the better! Anyone looking to find fault will have to think twice.”

Li Jianwei released the mouse and sat up straighter. ”Let’s submit it just like this.”

”Alright, I’ll submit it as is,” Du Heng agreed with a smile.

Li Jianwei glanced at Xiao Su, who was standing nearby, and noticed the unconcealed envy in his eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, he said to Du Heng, ”Xiao Heng, look, for this paper... do you think you could add Xiao Su’s name to it?”

He glanced at Du Heng’s expression and, seeing no sign of displeasure, continued, ”I don’t know what’s gotten into Xiao Su. This child suddenly doesn’t want to work and now wants to apply for my PhD program. But he didn’t plan for this before, so his preparations are a bit lacking. How about adding his name? It would help boost your junior fellow apprentice’s credentials.”

Upon hearing Li Jianwei’s words, Xiao Su’s eyes immediately lit up, and he looked at Du Heng with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

Du Heng chuckled. ”I was wondering what major issue it was! Just adding his name? We can list him as a co-second author, how about that?”

”Co-second author?” Li Jianwei asked, puzzled.

”Yes, a co-second author with Wu Buwei. About a third of the disease records and data in this paper were provided by him.”

Li Jianwei thought for a moment. ”Are you talking about that young man from your old Health Clinic? The one who used to call you Senior Brother?”

”Yes, that’s him. He’s also a graduate from our university. His academic advisor was the same as mine. He’s been working with me for about two years, and his skills are quite decent.”

Li Jianwei said, ”Oh. In that case, now that you’ve left, isn’t it a bit unfair to leave him there alone?” He suddenly chuckled. ”Why don’t you ask him if he’s interested in coming to Provincial First Hospital? If he is, I’ll take care of the transfer procedures.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Xiao Su, who had just effortlessly secured a co-second authorship on a core journal paper, felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.

What was disparity? This was disparity.

Du Heng hadn’t said much, merely that Wu Buwei had learned under him for two years, and Li Jianwei was already offering to arrange a job transfer.

From a Health Clinic to a Grade 3A hospital—the leap was simply enormous!

Thinking back on his own job-hunting experiences over the past month... it was true what they say: comparisons are odious.

At the same time, he gained an even clearer understanding of just how highly Li Jianwei regarded Du Heng.