This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

On his way home, Du Heng felt lost and conflicted.

Every word Lan Changhua uttered was a direct jab at his heart. Even though Lan Changhua had been gone for almost half an hour, Du Heng still felt a lingering sense of heartache.

Last year, due to some emotional reasons, he had abruptly returned, believing that human will could conquer nature. However, after a year’s trial, he finally understood that while he might be able to make it through on his own, the influences of his home region and working environment were problems he could never ignore or avoid. Moreover, Lan Changhua hadn’t mentioned this, but when he had finally reached a certain position, with more people and issues at stake, could he still easily walk away?

Actually, by now, Du Heng had a clear understanding of his heart’s desire—he wanted to leave; he wished to fulfill his ambition as soon as possible. So he needed a platform that could provide better help, a more potent support team, an opportunity with significant influence where he could speak his mind more easily.

But now, he felt stifled, unable to truly pack up and leave as he was engulfed by worldly matters.

If Lan Changhua hadn’t brought up the topic, he wouldn’t have entertained such a thought. But now that it was mentioned, and he was moved, he realized that he had deep, extensive ties with this place.

The development of the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital was on the right track, and the year-end evaluation had returned it to its initial position. Moreover, due to Du Heng’s two projects, it had leaped to tertiary and secondary levels. Though such ratings were abstract and somewhat inflated.

But after nearly a year’s coaching, though the Chinese Medicine Department at the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital couldn’t claim a complete transformation, it had definitely made significant progress. Moreover, those who had been sent to study at the Provincial Women and Children’s Hospital had returned one after another. This significantly boosted the otherwise weak soft power of the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital.

However, Du Heng worried; if he left just like that, could the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital continue to operate smoothly following the current path? Would it regress, as it did before?

Another issue had to do with the two project teams.

These two projects were pillars of the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital’s development and were highly regarded at both the provincial and municipal levels. As the leader, if he were to leave, should he take them? But then what? Du Heng shook his head, immediately abandoning the idea of taking them with him.

The projects were already functioning smoothly with a growing number of people and workplaces participating. It wasn’t as if he could just take them if he wanted to. But if he didn’t take them, would the current teams be able to manage? What if a problem arose?

There were many such considerations, so many that Du Heng felt breathless just thinking about them.

His family situation was an even more troubling issue.

For his elder brother and sister-in-law, he could rest easy: they had a sufficient contingency fund, friends helping out, and the drugstore was back in business. He had nothing to worry about there. As for Du Yi, he was gradually progressing under Wei Kaida, who had notably changed.

But what about Wu Shengnan?

She was pregnant now, over four months along. Could he just up and leave? What would she do if he left?

This trip was intended to be a long-term work assignment, possibly for three years, maybe five, or perhaps even longer, up to ten years. Would he have to maintain a long-distance relationship the whole time? Or should they relocate together?

But she was just starting to make progress in her career. Although it was a bit tiring, it was stable with a bright future. Given the support from her family, it would be a pity for her to give it up.

The most critical point was that if she gave up her job to go to the Capital with him, what could she do there? Should she become a housewife? Was her daily task supposed to be childcare and taking care of the household?

That’s impossible!

Given Wu Shengnan’s character and work experience, she wouldn’t be able to accept that lifestyle. If they tried to force it, given Wu Shengnan’s character, it would either result in arguments or a breakdown. Du Heng felt that the likelihood of a breakdown was more significant.

If Du Heng were a cold, selfish, and indifferent man, he could have walked away without a second thought. But he wasn’t. The fact that he could let the two projects go fully, allowing everyone to participate and benefit from them, showed he wasn’t that kind of person.

So, he couldn’t do it.

Ideals ultimately succumb to reality.

By the time he reached the door, Du Heng had already pushed these thoughts to the bottom of his heart. He planned to call Lan Changhua back tomorrow morning.

”Honey, you’re back!” As soon as he walked in the door, Du Heng smelled a faint aroma mixed with the scent of mutton and heard Wu Shengnan’s affectionate call.

He put his bag down, took off his coat, and changed shoes.

As Du Heng walked towards the living room, Wu Shengnan, whose lower abdomen protruded slightly, came out of the kitchen holding a bowl of soup.

”You doctors are really something, holding a meeting for an entire day. Can you even sit that long? Don’t your butts hurt?”

While Wu Shengnan was busy serving the food, she murmured, ”Hurry up and sit down. Judging by my own experience with meetings and your tendency to suffer in silence to save face, you must not have eaten enough today.”

Setting down the bowl, Wu Shengnan chuckled as she looked at Du Heng. ”Hurry up, this is the Angelica Ginger Mutton Soup I made following your recipe verbatim.”

”Thirty grams of angelica, thirty grams of raw ginger, a pound of mutton—not a bit more, not a bit less.”