36. You Call Me Uncle, I’ll Call You Teacher—We’ll Each Use Our Own Terms.

Director Shen of the Rheumatology and Immunology Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of the Medical University trotted up to Liu Haisen, swept his eyes over the group, and ultimately fixed his gaze on Chen Yong and Luo Hao, who were both wearing masks.

He hesitated for a moment, unable to distinguish between the two. "Little Liu, who was it that contacted Elder Zhao just now?"

Liu Haisen, looking bewildered, pointed toward Luo Hao.

"Little Uncle!" Director Shen extended both hands, enthusiastically grabbing one of Luo Hao's hands while bowing slightly. "I have often heard my seniors speak of how Elder Zhao took a shine to a young man some years back, but unfortunately, the timing wasn't right, and he didn't stay. We have known each other in spirit for years, and I have always held you in high regard. To finally meet you in person today is a true honor."

*Pfft!*

Liu Haisen felt as if he were about to cough up blood.

"Little Uncle," "high regard," "known in spirit"—hearing these words from the white-haired Director Shen, who looked like a sage, felt completely surreal.

*Am I dreaming?*

Director Shen was no ordinary department head.

He was a disciple of the head of Rheumatology and Immunology at 912 Hospital, and he possessed the quintessential temperament of a top expert in his field—stubborn, rigid, and abrasive.

Regarding other doctors, these high-achieving rheumatology experts shared a uniform assessment: no other doctors knew how to actually treat patients.

Liu Haisen had worked at the First Affiliated Hospital for over twenty years and had never seen Director Shen act so subserviently.

*Is this really the same Director Shen I know, the one who is grumpy every day and can't say a kind word to save his life?!*

"You're too kind, may I ask..." Luo Hao was caught off guard by the scene. He wasn't overly surprised, but the fact that an elderly man was calling him "Little Uncle"... it was just too much.

Truly too much.

"I am Shen Yongming. My teacher is... well, I am a student of Elder Zhao."

"Years ago, I heard that Elder Zhao met a young man at a conference and wanted to mentor him in rheumatology. I have spent these years wondering which young talent could have earned such favor from Elder Zhao."

As he spoke, Director Shen gripped Luo Hao's hand tightly, making it impossible for him to pull away.

"Seeing you today, you are truly a promising youth—not like those other doctors who don't know how to treat patients."

*Don't know how to treat patients...*

Liu Haisen felt as if his throat were clogged, suffocatingly uncomfortable. Being caught in the crossfire felt terrible; it was absolutely maddening.

"Elder Zhao's kindness is misplaced; I am simply not good enough," Luo Hao said politely.

"Luo Hao, that is your name, right?"

"Yes, Teacher Shen."

"Don't call me Teacher. By seniority, I am your junior fellow apprentice."

"..." Luo Hao looked at the white-haired Director Shen, gave a helpless smile, and quickly said, "I wouldn't dare, I really wouldn't."

"Why not? Elder Zhao is our patriarch!"

The phrasing sounded odd, but Luo Hao understood the implication.

The graduate and doctoral students of the last decade had become the backbone of the field, and they had grown up reading fantasy novels.

In referring to academic leaders and mentors, the previous generation called them "boss," while this generation called them "patriarch"—a mark of the changing times.

The importance of an academic leader is unparalleled.

Take interventional surgery for liver cancer, for example. After decades of clinical practice, its effectiveness is well-established, and the results are quite good.

But since it is effective and minimally invasive, why has it been so slow to be included in the medical guidelines?

It is simply because the academic standing of the interventional discipline is not as high as that of hepatobiliary surgery.

When one "patriarch" is at the Nascent Soul stage and another is at the Deity Transformation stage, the difference is vast.

"Little Uncle, what brings you here..."

"Teacher Liu is showing me around the First Affiliated Hospital," Luo Hao smiled. "I am about to leave now. My schedule is a bit tight this time, but we shall meet again."

Director Shen cast a sidelong glance at Liu Haisen, his face full of disdain.

He made no secret of his arrogance toward directors and professors of other departments, a stark contrast to his attitude toward Luo Hao.

After exchanging a few polite words, Director Shen insisted on calling Luo Hao "Little Uncle," while Luo Hao insisted on calling him "Teacher Shen."

Each stuck to their own form of address; neither could persuade the other.

"Little Zhou, is this doctor Luo..." Section Chief Duan whispered to Zhou Tianci.

As for what kind of person Luo Hao was, Section Chief Duan couldn't even find the words.

Previously, when his young grandson needed surgery at Anzhen Hospital, it was Luo Hao who had arranged it through a classmate. Although Cui Mingyu was young, Section Chief Duan could accept that—it was within the bounds of his worldview.

But now, this white-haired, expert-looking Director Shen had suddenly appeared and was insisting on calling Luo Hao "Little Uncle"...

This was something Section Chief Duan could not fathom.

Especially with the way Director Shen looked unhappy, as if Luo Hao were slighting him by refusing.

The more Section Chief Duan watched, the more confused he became; his worldview was on the brink of collapse.

Zhou Tianci steadied his nerves and whispered back, "Luo Hao has been likable since he was a child, especially with elders."

"That is a skill. Little Luo's emotional intelligence is truly high," Section Chief Duan nodded.

Zhou Tianci could no longer keep up the act.

Being "likable to elders" was one thing; being cute and well-behaved might make elders take notice, but this was going too far.

There was no precedent for an elder of Director Shen's age chasing someone around to call them "Little Uncle."

Combined with the fact that he had seen Luo Hao staying at the provincial capital's top riverside villa complex last night, and that his beat-up Peugeot 307 actually had the heart of a Lamborghini...

Zhou Tianci's fragile heart could not handle such a barrage of shocks; he could vaguely hear the sound of his own heart cracking.

After a few more polite exchanges, Luo Hao and Director Shen agreed to meet again in the near future and exchanged phone numbers and WeChat IDs before Luo Hao had someone bring the Peugeot 307 around.

The car had been parked near the hospital, waiting for his call.

Once in the car, Luo Hao waved goodbye to Director Shen and Liu Haisen.

Overall, Luo Hao felt satisfied with this visit to the First Affiliated Hospital. The emergency mission reward was generous, and having treated a sophomore student who had likely been misdiagnosed put him in a great mood.

...

Watching the silhouette of the Peugeot 307 disappear around the corner, Liu Haisen finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Director Shen, how could you call Luo Hao 'Little Uncle'?" Liu Haisen finally mustered the courage to ask.

"You don't know anything," Director Shen said, shedding the kindness and warmth he had shown Luo Hao, his face now full of arrogance. He asked haughtily, "What is your relationship with Luo Hao? How do you know him?"

Liu Haisen, long accustomed to Director Shen's personality, didn't get angry and smiled. "Director Shen, Luo Hao is the nephew of my college roommate. Whenever I perform surgery at the Donglian City Mining General Hospital, Luo Hao acts as my assistant. Director Shen, how do you know him?"

"A few years ago at a conference, Little Uncle attended, and as a result..."

Director Shen paused, casting a sidelong glance at Liu Haisen.

"Why are you asking so much? What, do you want me to call you 'Grand-Uncle'?"

"Heh, Director Shen, look at what you're saying." Liu Haisen chuckled. He wanted to, but he didn't dare. "Let's each stick to our own forms of address. By the way, how is that patient doing?"

"It's all because of you quacks. If it hadn't been for Little Uncle, the patient would have been delayed."

Liu Haisen thought to himself that this had nothing to do with being a "quack." Rheumatology conditions were rarely encountered by ordinary clinical doctors; they were rare, and it was normal not to diagnose them immediately.

"Why didn't Little Uncle stay at Peking Union Medical College Hospital? Is he now at the Mining General Hospital in Donglian? Which department is he the head of? How much did the Mining General Hospital pay to poach him?"

After a brief scolding, Director Shen rattled off a series of questions.

"He returned to Donglian Mining General Hospital and is working as a staff member in the Medical Affairs Department."

At these words, Director Shen looked devastated.

Liu Haisen also felt it was a pity for Luo Hao to be a staff member in Medical Affairs, and he understood Director Shen's feelings.

"I'm going to Donglian City tomorrow. Little Uncle should at least be a department head in a provincial-level hospital. He can come to us and start as a deputy director, just to endure it for a while. If it weren't for the fact that I'm retiring in a little over a year, him coming here to be the director would be for the best."

"!!!"

...

Liu Haisen stared at Director Shen. *Has he lost his mind?*

Thinking back to the half-finished sentence Director Shen had left hanging, Liu Haisen felt even more curious, as if several kittens were clawing at his heart.

...

The drive back to Donglian City was quiet.

After dropping off Section Chief Duan and Chen Yong, Luo Hao drove Zhou Tianci home.

Once the two of them were alone in the car, Zhou Tianci hesitated for a long time before asking in a low voice, "Luo Hao, your car looks quite old, but it's surprisingly comfortable to ride in. No wonder you have to send it to the provincial capital for maintenance."

"I'm just used to driving it. I'm reluctant to replace it, and I'm too lazy to bother," Luo Hao said calmly. "Although manual transmission cars are hard to maintain these days, I still want to drive it for a while longer, so I have no choice but to drag it to the provincial capital."

*Show-off!*

*Keep showing off!!*

*Too lazy to replace it, attached to memories—it's all nonsense.*

Zhou Tianci thought with disdain.

In his mind's eye, he kept seeing the Peugeot 307 slowly pulling away from the prime spot in the riverside villa district in the provincial capital at two in the morning.

The intense sense of dissonance and conflict clung to him, and he almost blurted out that he knew the truth.

But Zhou Tianci had spent several years working in the municipal government; he was no longer a naive kid. He knew what was important.

Since Luo Hao didn't want to talk about it and wanted to keep up the charade, there was absolutely no reason for him to expose it.

Not even to his childhood friend!

"Luo Hao, how come that director at the First Affiliated Hospital called you 'Little Uncle'?" Zhou Tianci steered the conversation elsewhere.

"I have a good relationship with his teacher's teacher. One year at a conference, something came up, and Elder Zhao wanted to take me on as a student. Elder Zhao hadn't taken any doctoral students for many years, so it was indeed an opportunity. But I was already pursuing my PhD at Peking Union, and I had my own advisor, so I couldn't transfer."

"And you just let it go like that?" Zhou Tianci's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Actually, Elder Zhao wanted to build a post-doctoral research station for me, but I had some things to deal with, so I had to come back to the Mining General Hospital."

*Show-off!*

*Keep showing off!!*

In Zhou Tianci's view, every word Luo Hao said was a display of arrogance.

To pass up Peking Union and a post-doctoral research station just to return to Donglian City and the Mining General Hospital—if there wasn't something fishy going on, he'd be shocked.

If Luo Hao were just an ordinary staff member with a monthly salary of five thousand, it could be interpreted as life not going his way, or being unable to stay at Peking Union, hence his dejected return.

But Luo Hao's words, overlaid with the image of the Peugeot 307 slowly pulling away from the 'Iron Man' villa last night, created such a strong contrast that it nearly tore Zhou Tianci apart.

He no longer had any thoughts of looking down on Luo Hao, nor did he question Luo Hao's contradictory statements.

In Zhou Tianci's heart, Luo Hao was just like that Peugeot 307—though he was at the Mining General Hospital, and though he wore a worn-out exterior, the man had the heart of a Lamborghini.

"Being good at studying is truly a blessing," Zhou Tianci sighed sincerely. "Actually, I regretted my choices after I started working. If I had been able to get into a 985 university, my promotion path would have been smoother."

"That's true," Luo Hao nodded, not being modest. "In medical school, the education at Peking Union, Peking University, West China, and Zhejiang University is different from that of ordinary schools."

"Oh? How is it different?" Zhou Tianci asked earnestly, without a trace of mockery in his tone.

"Peking Union is a tier above the others. Let's put it this way: in the past, Peking Union would send expert teams to visit top universities across the country every June and July."

"???" Zhou Tianci was stunned.

"Whenever they spotted a good seedling at another school, the expert team would recruit them into Peking Union."

"!!!"

After a brief silence, Zhou Tianci asked, "Isn't that blatant poaching? It's no different from our Donglian City key high schools offering money and perks to poach top students from the middle schools."

"Heh," Luo Hao smiled slightly. "It's not poaching; it's giving excellent graduates an opportunity to continue their advanced studies at my Peking Union."

*Damn!*

*He's showing off again! He's even calling Peking Union 'my' Peking Union.*

Zhou Tianci truly didn't want to keep talking to Luo Hao. Every word Luo Hao said was a show-off, yet he was powerless to refute any of it.

*What kind of situation is this!*

"It's true; Peking Union is in a league of its own in the country, after all."

"Can your Peking Union treat every single illness?" Zhou Tianci couldn't help himself and blurted out a sarcastic remark.

As soon as the words left his lips, he realized his mistake.

*How could I talk to Luo Hao like that?*

Just as he was about to make amends, he heard Luo Hao sigh.

"Not necessarily. Every top-tier Grade A hospital has its own strong professional fields; Peking Union just happens to have more of them. It's hard to explain, but many 'second-generation' medical professionals also sneak in, doing nothing, misdiagnosing patients, and leaving others to clean up their messes."

"Ah?!" This was news to Zhou Tianci; he was stunned. Luo Hao's words were different from his understanding of Peking Union.

"There's no helping it; wherever there are people, these things exist." Luo Hao smiled, and the trace of gloom vanished. "But overall, it's still a good place."

Zhou Tianci sensed that his own emotions were off, so he held his tongue.

After getting home, he went straight to his room and re-examined everything that had happened over the past two days.

Lying silently in bed, Zhou Tianci began to adjust his mindset, correcting the impressions he had held for years.

...

The next day.

As soon as Luo Hao arrived at the hospital, he was called over by Wen Youren.

"Little Luo, where did you go this weekend? I didn't see you around," Wen Youren asked with friendly enthusiasm.

"Director Wen, I went to the provincial capital."

"When is the patient's surgery?" Wen Youren asked. "Let me know when you do it; I'd like to come and learn. Nowadays, Southern Hospital does liver cancer cases, and they look at the imaging both before and after surgery."

"As I've said before, I've always wanted to implement a similar surgical workflow, but I'm struggling because the people in our hospital's interventional department have all left. Sigh, the South poaches talent too aggressively. I understand their thinking, too—it's not that they don't want to stay and treat the people of their hometown, it's just that the South pays too much."

Luo Hao smiled. His enhanced mental strength was subconsciously at work, telling him something was wrong.

But specifically what it was, Luo Hao couldn't read Wen Youren's mind.

"The surgery is scheduled for the day after tomorrow."

"Alright, once you confirm it, I'll adjust my own surgery schedule. I'll come observe your interventional surgery then."

After Wen Youren left for his office, Luo Hao tilted his head and thought for a few seconds.

The day passed quickly. After work, Luo Hao didn't rush home; instead, he stayed in the department to re-examine the medical records.

The medical records he wrote could be used as demonstrations in national exhibitions.

Luo Hao didn't deny this; he was certain that Wen Youren couldn't find any faults in his records.

But where was the problem?

As time passed, Luo Hao felt increasingly uneasy.

It was just a vague, indescribable feeling, yet it made him feel unsettled.

*A thief is not to be feared, but a thief who is watching you is.*

After reviewing the records again, Luo Hao decided to take a break and took out his phone.

"Chen Yong, what do you want to eat?" Luo Hao asked.

"I'll go ask the nurses." Chen Yong stood up and walked directly out of the doctor's office.

Luo Hao felt a bit helpless. Chen Yong wouldn't say a word all day, but whenever he saw a female doctor or nurse, he was full of witty remarks, making them giggle.

It seemed Chen Yong wasn't anti-social; he just didn't want to talk to men, only to women.

...

It seemed that in Chen Yong's eyes, all men were dull and repulsive.

After ordering the food, milk tea, and coffee, Chen Yong busied himself arranging the meal once it arrived.

Just as Luo Hao was about to reach for his chopsticks, he saw Chen Yong pull out a pair of sterile gloves as if by magic, tear open the packaging, and put them on.

Finally, he snapped the cuff of the glove against his wrist with a sharp "pop."

*Cool!*

The young nurse's eyes lit up, but Luo Hao felt nothing; he just thought Chen Yong was being extra.

"Relax," Chen Yong, who had removed his mask, said seriously to the braised pig's trotter on the table.

"???"

"???"

Luo Hao and the nurse were both stunned. What was Chen Yong doing?

"That's right, relax. Don't resist my strength."

As he spoke, Chen Yong, with his gloved hands, began to stroke the pig's trotter just like a Traditional Chinese Medicine or Western orthopedist would.

His technique was standard, his gloved hands roaming over the greasy trotter as if he were performing an adjustment.

"Yes, just like that. Very good."

"Relax, relax."

*Snap!*

The pig's trotter was pried open by Chen Yong.

He smiled and placed the fattest, most succulent piece into the nurse's meal box.

"What about mine?" Luo Hao asked.

"Don't you have hands? Can't you do it yourself?" Chen Yong's tone turned cold instantly.

"..."

Luo Hao sighed. This guy really couldn't—or rather, wouldn't—talk to men.

He was full of quirks.

If it weren't for the fact that he had used his 'magic' to help him find that endangered patient, Luo Hao would have loved to give him a good slap.

Chen Yong didn't notice his own tone; his performance wasn't over yet.

Removing his gloves with a smooth, cool motion, Chen Yong took the milk tea the nurse had ordered, smiling.

*Pop, pop, pop!* He tapped the milk tea cup, just like a nurse would tap a patient's hand before inserting an IV.

"It's okay, relax. It won't hurt at all," Chen Yong said gently.

"Yes, just like that. Relax, don't use force."

As he spoke, the straw approached the top of the milk tea cup.

"How old are you?" Chen Yong asked the cup.

Halfway through the question, the straw descended like lightning, piercing the cup with a "bang."

"Next." Chen Yong coolly handed the cup to the nurse, acting like an experienced nurse ready to stick the next patient.

Luo Hao handed over his own water bottle, earning a look of disdain and contempt from Chen Yong.

The nurse giggled uncontrollably, her eyes shimmering.

Tall, handsome, and humorous—this kind of young man was indeed particularly attractive to the opposite sex.

After Chen Yong's performance, the nurse was incredibly happy, while Luo Hao felt full without even eating.

*Next time I order something, I'm not including Chen Yong's,* Luo Hao thought.

"Brother Yong."

A sweet, delicate voice drifted over.

"Huh?" Chen Yong turned around to see a girl in a white uniform.

"Brother Yong, are you guys eating?" The girl smiled, trying to show her most beautiful side.

"Little Jia, have you eaten?" Chen Yong asked politely.

Little Jia and the nurse on duty locked eyes, sparks flying. In an instant, Luo Hao could feel the glint of steel in the air, the atmosphere heavy with hidden murderous intent.

"I'm not eating," Little Jia laughed. "Your Director Wen asked my director for a product insert, but my director forgot, so he just called me. I brought it for you. Give it to Director Wen first thing tomorrow morning, okay?"

So she was a pharmacist from the pharmacy department; Luo Hao finally understood.

Chen Yong really had a way with women; Luo Hao couldn't help but admire that.

If it could be quantified, Chen Yong's 'attraction to women' stat was probably at least 30, rivaling his own luck value.

"Alright, alright." Chen Yong took the insert while joking and laughing with the pharmacist.

But after just a glance, Chen Yong immediately turned serious.

"Brother Yong, what's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" the pharmacist, Little Jia, asked in surprise.

"It's nothing, nothing. You go ahead; I'll bring you some milk tea later. Sorry for the trouble, just wait a second," Chen Yong said dismissively.

Even though anyone could hear the dismissiveness, Little Jia the pharmacist only smiled even more happily, turned, and skipped away.

"Luo Hao, come here."

Chen Yong beckoned.

Luo Hao tilted his head, not understanding Chen Yong's meaning, but seeing his serious expression, he figured it must be something important and stood up to follow him.

"Brother Yong, eat first! The food's going to get cold," the nurse on duty called out.

"You eat first. I have something to do."

Chen Yong pulled Luo Hao into the doctor's duty room.

"Look."

Once inside, Chen Yong handed the drug insert to Luo Hao.

It was an insert for Lipiodol. Luo Hao couldn't understand what could be wrong with a product insert.

Chen Yong didn't know either, but he felt that anything Wen Youren wanted must have a problem.

Sitting on the bed, Luo Hao began to read the insert word by word.

Liver cancer, interventional surgery, Wen Youren, the Lipiodol insert—everything pointed to something.

Luo Hao even lit a cigarette, squinting as he read it line by line.

"Is there a problem?" Chen Yong asked with certainty.

*There must be a problem!* Chen Yong was sure of it.

Luo Hao looked at the indications and contraindications.

When he reached the indications, his expression grew grave.

"What's the problem?" Chen Yong noticed the change in Luo Hao's mood and asked immediately.

"It's indicated for checks like fallopian tube imaging. Look at the indications—Lipiodol cannot enter the bloodstream," Luo Hao said in a deep voice.

"!!!" Chen Yong was shocked. "How is that possible? Hasn't the surgery been performed for over twenty years?"

"That's right, I don't understand it either," Luo Hao shook his head. "By the way, Chen Yong, return the insert to the pharmacist, and then do this..."

Even though they were the only two in the room, Luo Hao leaned in close to Chen Yong's ear and whispered instructions, fearing someone might overhear.