This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

Du Heng was dumbstruck. What does this even mean? Just moments ago, he was praising my medical skills, and now he’s accusing me of being insidious? If it weren’t for the fact that Zhang Dewen is an Old Predecessor and really far too old, I’d genuinely want to ask him, ”Old sir, were you born in the Year of the Dog?”

Thinking it over, the only reason I can think of for being at odds with this old gentleman is the competition with Guan Bo. But Guan Bo initiated that competition; I was just passively responding to the challenge. As an industry Old Predecessor, you can’t be so biased towards your own student and belittle me, can you? Or maybe it’s that incident a few days ago, when the internet claimed I became famous by stepping on old people? But everyone knows that was purely a coincidence. I just can’t figure it out. Those compliments from a moment ago suddenly don’t feel so good anymore.

”Sir Zhang, please wait,” Du Heng called out, stopping Zhang Dewen. The first part of what Zhang Dewen said could indeed make me famous, but the latter part paints me as a villain. Comparing the two, I’ve clearly gotten the short end of the stick! This has to be clarified. If my skills aren’t up to par, I can practice more. But if my reputation is ruined, that’s not something I can just practice and regain.

Zhang Dewen turned his head slowly, looking calmly at Du Heng. ”Doctor Du, you’ve already achieved your goal. What else is there?”

Du Heng was even more dumbfounded. ”Sir Zhang, we need to make this clear! How have I acted like a villain, and what goal am I supposedly trying to achieve?”

Seeing Du Heng’s slight anger, a sneer touched the corner of Zhang Dewen’s mouth. ”Young man, know when to stop. I’ve walked more paths than you’ve crossed bridges; I can see through your little tricks at a glance. There’s no need to expose the matter. If it’s exposed, it loses its intrigue, and it won’t look good for either of us. Besides, I’d end up with a reputation for being petty, and that’s not good.”

”No, no, no,” Du Heng refused directly. ”Sir Zhang, it’s better to clarify things. I can’t accept responsibility for something so unclear.”

Seeing Du Heng so unappreciative of his attempt to let it slide, Zhang Dewen grew angrier. ”Young man, are you saying I’ve wronged you?”

Du Heng maintained a neither humble nor arrogant demeanor and said with firm conviction, ”Please enlighten me, Sir Zhang.”

This truly angered Zhang Dewen. He turned back fully and said, ”Young man, the competition between you and Guan Bo is a matter for you youngsters. I don’t object to such contests; after all, comparison leads to progress. But you knew the competition is tomorrow, yet you suddenly came to our hospital today. Was it to deliver a show of force, to trample over our entire hospital to display your skills? Were you trying to disrupt Guan Bo’s composure, or was it a warning to us, to show your high skill level and tell us not to play any tricks?”

Du Heng was dumbfounded. Aren’t you all overthinking this? Your imaginations are running a bit wild! ”Sir Zhang, I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood.”

”Misunderstanding?” Zhang Dewen shook his head. ”I don’t think so. Don’t you find it too coincidental?”

Looking at the old man, his mood seems a bit off, Du Heng thought. But this concerned his reputation, and he was determined to argue his case. ”Sir Zhang, it may be inappropriate for me, as a junior, to say this. But since it concerns my reputation, I must state that you are purely overthinking things. Although I, Du Heng, desperately want to win—and indeed, I must win—I would never resort to such despicable methods. My teacher and my elders would never permit me to do something so vile.”

Zhang Dewen trembled with anger at Du Heng’s words, pointing a finger at him. ”Are you calling me vile and despicable?”

Seeing Zhang Dewen tremble, Du Heng felt utterly helpless. ”Sir Zhang, how can you twist my words like that? I was saying *I* wouldn’t do such things.”

The junior, seeing his teacher’s state, quickly stepped forward to support him, saying sternly, ”Du Heng, is that any way to speak to an elder?”

Du Heng glanced sideways at him, his voice soft. ”And you are?”

The junior choked, utterly insulted. This is too humiliating! We’ve met before!

Ignoring the junior, Du Heng addressed Zhang Dewen directly. ”Sir Zhang, my competition with Guan Bo was set the day before yesterday in the afternoon. Director Jia fell ill yesterday at noon. Am I somehow able to control whether a famous director gets sick, or when he gets sick?”

Du Heng looked at Zhang Dewen earnestly. ”Sir Zhang, isn’t that accusation a bit unreasonable? Director Jia and I are not related, nor do we have any prior connection. We met today for the first time; we aren’t even acquaintances, let alone friends. Your claim is simply too far-fetched. Sir Zhang, I demand you retract your statement.”

This last sentence was delivered with unyielding force by Du Heng.

Zhang Dewen, however, was infuriated by Du Heng’s firm stance. He’s the one who did something wrong, yet he stubbornly refuses to admit it and even resorts to such blatant sophistry! Where does he get the nerve?

The old man’s anger coiled tightly within him, making his lips tremble. ”You still dare to argue so illogically? Let me ask you, why was the patient sent to our hospital? You should know that when returning from the tourist area, our hospital wouldn’t be your first choice!”

Hearing this, Du Heng thought, This old man might genuinely be getting too old; his mind isn’t working clearly anymore. ”Is that choice so difficult to understand? Luqi Hospital is the top hospital in East Hill, and the provincial of your hospital is the best. Is that really a hard decision to make?”