At noon, across from the north gate of Bikang Comprehensive Hospital in a small residential area, there was a quaint little restaurant.

Shen Qiang walked into the restaurant with the always giggling class beauty, Xin Xiaoting, as if they knew the place by heart, and sat down by the window.

However, the two of them hadn't even started to order.

Soon after, they saw Director Wang, Doctor Liu, and Zhang Yujian, three people, also walk in.

The look on class beauty Xin Xiaoting's face not only turned unhappy in an instant, but she also felt like she was going crazy because on the way to the restaurant, her mood had been absolutely delightful.

But as soon as Director Wang, Doctor Liu, and Zhang Yujian appeared, Xin Xiaoting knew that the sweet lunch for two she had anticipated was doomed to be ruined by them.

"Boss, serve us your best dishes, four meats and four veggies, and also bring three bowls of rice," Doctor Liu ordered bluntly, sitting right next to the table where Shen Qiang and Xin Xiaoting were, smiling cheerfully.

Someone in the restaurant responded.

Zhang Yujian looked at Xin Xiaoting with a smile, saying, "Xin Xiaoting, we meet again. How about joining us for a shared table?"

With a frosty expression, Xin Xiaoting glared at him and stood up, saying, "Shen Qiang, let's go."

But then, she froze.

Because to her astonishment, she saw that Shen Qiang's large hand had already pressed down on the back of her hand.

In an instant, the heat of his palm and the strong sense of security transmitted through, causing a tremor in her heart.

"Sit down. We'll stay right here."

Shen Qiang's voice wasn't loud, and his tone was flat, yet it made Xin Xiaoting feel she couldn't possibly refuse.

Not just that, these simple words exhilarated her heart incredibly.

"He's holding my hand, he must like me, it must be so."

As everyone watched Shen Qiang hold class beauty Xin Xiaoting's fair and slender jade-like hand, instead of resisting, Xin Xiaoting's lovely face flushed red, and she followed his lead with a shy look in her eyes, Zhang Yujian's face turned unsightly.

Because even if he was clueless, he could see that Xin Xiaoting was clearly falling for Shen Qiang.

"Oh, her shy demeanor is so pure. If I could have a woman like that, with lips delicate as cherry blossoms, fluttering eyelashes, a tall figure, and fair skin, my life would definitely not be wasted," thought Director Wang to himself as he secretively eyed the coy Xin Xiaoting, though his words were, "Is that right? After all, our Doctor Zhang Yujian here is the next-in-line deputy chief of Tumor Surgery at Bikang."

"Shen Qiang, you've been performing well lately. After your internship period is over, the hospital might very well hire you, and then you would be working under Doctor Zhang. Why don't you show some respect to your future boss by toasting him with a cup of tea?"

Shen Qiang laughed, turned his head, and looking at Director Wang, he said, "It seems you really forget the pain once your scar heals. Do you need me to make you kneel and beg for mercy again?"

Upon hearing this, both Zhang Yujian and Doctor Liu's eyes lit up.

Director Wang, feeling awkward, laughed it off and changed the subject, saying, "Xin Xiaoting, as a woman, choosing a boyfriend is a lifelong decision. You mustn't be rash. First off, even if you don't care about yourself, you must think clearly for the sake of your future children.

"Our Doctor Zhang Yujian, his father is an official at the Provincial Health Department, and he himself will soon become the deputy chief of Tumor Surgery. If you start dating Doctor Zhang, staying in Provincial City as a doctor after your internship would be incredibly easy."

Xin Xiaoting snapped back, "My matters are none of your concern."

Director Wang smiled, "I'm just speaking the truth. Provincial City is so good, with its ample resources: education, medical care, transportation, commerce. Smaller cities simply can't compare."

"But staying in Provincial City isn't so simple. To put it simply, an ordinary doctor earns a salary of just four or five thousand yuan a month. With the current housing prices in our city at seven or eight thousand yuan per square meter, you really can only buy outside the third ring road."

"Even then, if you don't eat or drink and save for two months, you can only buy one square meter. Without tightening your belt and enduring for twenty years, dreaming of buying a house in Provincial City is just that, a dream."

"But if you were to become Dr. Zhang's girlfriend, all of this would be at your fingertips, wouldn't it, Dr. Zhang?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yujian immediately laughed and said, "I just bought a new house a while ago, fourteen thousand per square meter, a three-bedroom, two-living room, one hundred and thirty square meters, right on the edge of the second ring road."

Dr. Liu chuckled and added, "That's really enviable. Not to mention interns like Shen Qiang, even locals like me can't afford it. So you see, Dr. Zhang is really capable. You'd better think carefully, young lady."

Xin Xiaoting said with a cold face and angrily, "What does your mansion have to do with me? Whom I like is my freedom."

Director Wang chuckled, "Indeed, it is your freedom, but you still have to think about your descendants, don't you? With Dr. Zhang, you'll have a house, a car, connections, and a job."

"If you were to be with Shen Qiang, you'd really have nothing. To put it bluntly, for a doctor like him with no background or support, buying a house in Provincial City is an uncertain prospect for a lifetime."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qiang, with an indifferent expression, laughed, "I see, the three of you are banding together just to pick a fight with me."

Dr. Liu sneered, "So what if we are? As long as you're at Bikang, you'll never live comfortably."

Shen Qiang laughed and said, "Director Wang, remember I once said I would take away everything you cherish? Your authority in Tumor Surgery is almost gone now. With me here, you wouldn't dare to accept red envelopes, so your income is gone too."

"The only thing you can use against me now is to bully me for being young and not having started work formally, earning less."

Director Wang laughed, "And so what if that's true? You don't have the capital to fight back."

Shen Qiang laughed, "Don't worry, within a month I'll buy a house. That's not an issue."

These words left the three of them somewhat surprised.

Director Wang's eyes shifted as he said, "You can talk big all you want, but tomorrow Xin Xiaoting will have to intern with Dr. Zhang. Any man, anyone who has a bit of dignity, wouldn't be able to stand seeing the woman he likes following around his rival. If I were you, I would resign to save myself the embarrassment."

Upon hearing this, Xin Xiaoting became anxious, "I would rather not do the internship than be under his supervision."

Dr. Li laughed lewdly, "Tsk tsk, Shen Qiang, what kind of man are you if you can't even protect a young girl? If you give up now, all of your year's internship will have been for nothing."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qiang laughed, squeezed Xin Xiaoting's hand, and after giving her a reassuring look, Shen Qiang said, "If a dog bites me, I will smash all its teeth."

"If someone tries to bully me with their power, aiming to step on me, then I intend to crush them into the ground."

Glancing over, at the private room of the small restaurant, Shen Qiang said with a smile, "Now tell me, what do you think should be done about this situation?"

Dr. Liu, Director Wang, and Zhang Yujian were all taken aback.

Almost at the same time,

The curtain to the private room of the small restaurant was lifted, revealing the beautiful assistant to the dean, with her black-framed glasses, white shirt tucked into her step skirt, and high heels. She walked out with a cold expression and placed a phone on speaker mode on the trio's table.

"Xiao Zhang, I've thought it over. With your exquisite medical skill, you're more suited to training elites, so I've especially selected four outstanding interns for you. They will report to you this afternoon. As for Xin Xiaoting, she's doing fine interning with Wu Guoxi, let's leave it at that."

"Hello! Dean Su!"

Tut-tut...

The call was disconnected.

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