This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

Du Heng, ever tactful, confirmed once more that he would pick her up before heading to the school to teach.

The subject Du Heng taught at the school was ”Diagnostic Studies,” the same course he had previously taught in Jinzhou.

But the students he taught now were different.

Likewise, these students made a much better impression on Du Heng than their predecessors.

Strictly speaking, the quality of the two groups of students wasn’t even comparable.

Students scoring over six hundred points on the college entrance examination were simply superior to those scoring over four hundred. They knew how to study and how to think.

More importantly, the learning attitude of these students was worlds apart from those in Jinzhou.

Every student in the Capital approached their studies with a mindset of learning, deep thought, and inquiry.

In contrast, you could clearly sense that at least a third of the students in Jinzhou had a perfunctory, task-completing attitude.

So, after every class at the Capital school, Du Heng always felt a sense of mental and physical well-being.

However, there was also something that bothered Du Heng.

This was due to a professor in his office named Ding Yuxue—the very same female lecturer who had visited Jinzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine College last summer vacation.

Although he hadn’t encountered this female professor many times, each meeting was incredibly awkward.

His colleagues in the office were particularly well-informed about the news of an expert from the Capital being bested by a ”local bumpkin.”

So, whenever Du Heng and Ding Yuxue crossed paths, his colleagues would flash strange smiles, making the office atmosphere even more awkward.

Consequently, whenever Du Heng found himself in such a situation, he would proactively leave the office.

Today, this awkward scenario replayed itself: Du Heng and Professor Ding Yuxue—or rather, Associate Professor Ding—ran into each other in the office once more.

Just as Du Heng was about to leave, as was his habit, the child beside Ding Yuxue suddenly started coughing.

Early spring was peak cold season, so it was perfectly normal for children to catch colds and cough.

However, the child’s cough just now sounded slightly different to Du Heng’s discerning ears.

Du Heng hesitated for a moment, paused, and glanced towards the child.

Just then, Du Heng heard the child cough again.

After much hesitation, Du Heng turned and walked over.

This was also the first time since arriving at the Capital College of Traditional Chinese Medicine that he had initiated a conversation with Ding Yuxue. ”Professor Ding, is this your child?”

In fact, as Du Heng walked towards Ding Yuxue’s desk, everyone else in the office had already turned their attention in their direction. Thus, hearing Du Heng speak to Ding Yuxue voluntarily left them quite surprised.

Equally surprised was Ding Yuxue herself.

Back in Jinzhou, Du Heng had left her utterly humiliated.

She originally had four more lucrative guest lectures lined up, but thanks to Du Heng’s actions that day, the income from those subsequent four engagements was lost.

Furthermore, what infuriated her most was that she hadn’t received a single lecture invitation during the recent winter vacation.

At this rate, it seemed unlikely she would receive any similar lecture opportunities for a long time to come.

To cut off someone’s financial means is like killing their parents.

Ding Yuxue felt that her restraint in not having clawed Du Heng’s face by now was truly commendable.

So, when Du Heng approached to speak with her, she didn’t give him a pleasant look.

Even though she suspected Du Heng was using the child as a pretext to try and smooth things over, she was still determined not to show him the slightest hint of cordiality.

When Ding Yuxue shot him a disdainful look, Du Heng felt a surge of irritation and wanted to turn and leave.

But just then, the child in front of him coughed twice more, compelling Du Heng to halt again.

Du Heng sighed softly, then turned to look at the child seriously.

The little boy, about ten years old, was chubby.

Perhaps due to illness, the child’s lips were somewhat dry and pale, with a faint darkish tint. The skin over the bridge of his nose also appeared dull and sallow.

”Hello there, little fellow. Why aren’t you at school today?” Du Heng redirected his question from Ding Yuxue, turning with a smile to engage the child.

The child, oblivious to the adult undercurrents, simply saw the man before him smiling and asking a question, so he replied, ”Hello, Uncle. I have a cold and I keep coughing, so my teacher told me to rest at home for a few days.

COUGH... COUGH COUGH... Mom wasn’t comfortable leaving me home alone, so she brought me here with her.

Uncle, I’m sorry. Did my coughing bother you?”

What good manners.

Du Heng couldn’t help glancing at Ding Yuxue. He found it hard to believe she could raise such a polite child.

Du Heng’s earlier irritation dissipated, and he asked with a sincere smile, ”There’s no need to apologize; you didn’t disturb me at all. Actually, Uncle has a few questions for you.”

”Okay, Uncle, go ahead and ask. I’ll definitely... COUGH COUGH COUGH... COUGH COUGH... tell you. Mom says we should be good children and always help others.” The little boy spoke with great earnestness.

Du Heng’s eyebrows rose slightly. ”Have you only started coughing recently?”

”COUGH COUGH... COUGH COUGH, I...”

”That’s enough!” Ding Yuxue interrupted the boy, her face cold. She addressed Du Heng frostily, ”Mr. Du, if you’re not busy, then please attend to your own affairs.

You’re a renowned expert from Good Friend Hospital. If you’re late and delay a patient’s treatment, that’s a responsibility I can’t bear.”

Du Heng’s expression stiffened. However, looking at the child, he reconsidered and said earnestly to Ding Yuxue, ”Professor Ding, regarding your son’s cough, have you taken him to a hospital for a check-up?”

Ding Yuxue, completely unappreciative, continued in her icy tone, ”Thank you for your concern, Mr. Du. We’ve already been to the Second Affiliated Hospital.

The child just has a common cold with a touch of pneumonia. It’s nothing serious, so you needn’t trouble yourself, Mr. Du.”

The Second Affiliated Hospital Ding Yuxue mentioned was the Second Affiliated Hospital of the Capital College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, located right on the edge of the school campus.

Although it was an affiliated hospital of a traditional Chinese medicine college, it operated independently and was a comprehensive hospital, not exclusively a Chinese Medicine Hospital.

Ordinarily, hearing this, Du Heng should have tactfully taken his leave.

After all, the Second Affiliated Hospital was also a Grade 3A hospital.

While its nationwide reputation might be slightly less than Good Friend Hospital’s, in a direct comparison, it wasn’t significantly inferior.

It made sense, really. With the Capital’s vast permanent population, as long as a hospital wasn’t utterly disreputable or misrepresenting its services, its medical expertise and standards would inevitably be sharpened by the sheer number of patients.

However, upon hearing this diagnosis, Du Heng’s expression subtly changed. After hesitating repeatedly, he still said to Ding Yuxue, ”Professor Ding, based on the sound of your child’s cough and my observation of his complexion, I suspect there might be an issue with his kidneys...”

Before Du Heng could finish, Ding Yuxue shot up from her seat. ”Du, you’re going too far!”

Her eyes wide with fury, Ding Yuxue glared at Du Heng. ”Any grievances between us are matters for adults!

And in all this time, have I ever sought trouble with you, Du?

But for you to curse my child now—aren’t you utterly despicable?”

At this, everyone else in the office frowned.

One of them spoke up, ”Mr. Du, we’re aware of the history between you and Professor Ding.

But regardless, that’s between you adults. To say such a thing about a child is going too far.

You should apologize to Professor Ding quickly, and we can all pretend this never happened.”

As this colleague finished, others quickly chimed in, attempting to mediate and diffuse the tension between Du Heng and Ding Yuxue.

Du Heng’s expression, however, turned serious. ”Professor Ding, I am not so vile as to do such a thing. I am telling the truth.

I know you won’t believe me, so I won’t offer to examine the child myself.

However, I strongly advise you to take your child to the hospital for a kidney function test.”