56 Peak

As Yang Xiao was descending the mountain, she missed a step with her right foot and fell. Zhao Mutao and Xiao Fei quickly picked her up and helped her to her feet. They came up to her and asked if she was okay.

Yang Xiao shook her head. She was dressed warmly, so she wasn't hurt much from the fall, but she felt like she was still half asleep, and her legs were shaking. "It's okay, I can walk on my own. No need for support." She hadn't seen the stairs just now, purely because she was still preoccupied with Zhi Miao's affairs. The layers of worry had obscured her vision, blinding her from the path below.

Since relying on the big guys isn't working, is the only option left to try and get involved in Wuhan? But right now, aside from volunteering and delivering supplies, there's no legitimate way to access data.

Another deadlock.

When the three of them got back into the car, dusk was approaching. Yang Xiao was about to take them home when she heard Xiao Fei sneezing in the back seat. "Do you have a cold? Go home and take some medicine."

Zhao Mutao knew that Xiao Fei wouldn't stockpile medicine unless necessary, so she said softly, "You're the most fragile of the three of us. Mr. Yang, please drop him off after we pass this intersection. There's a community hospital up ahead. I'll take him there."

Community hospital.

How could I forget about this?

Yang Xiao tapped her index finger loosely on the steering wheel as a vague plan began to take shape in her mind. "I'll go with you."

"Ah?" they both said in unison, "Boss Yang, are you feeling unwell?"

"The wind's blowing a bit... giving me a headache. I'll go check it out too." Yang Xiao swiftly turned into the parking lot and entered the building with the two of them. Looking around, they found that the community hospital was small, mostly consisting of general practice clinics, with a relatively flat organizational structure. This also meant that getting in touch with the decision-makers there was much easier than at larger hospitals with their multi-level approval system.

Yang Xiao followed them without saying a word, her head buried in her phone, her expression focused. Her neck was aching from hanging down, and just as she raised her head to stretch it, she saw Xiao Fei coming out of the clinic, holding the payment slip. Yang Xiao seized the opportunity and knocked on the door. "Hello, I'd like to ask how to get to the dean's office."

The doctor, his eyes almost buried in the computer, pointed to the left without looking up. "The room at the back here."

"Okay, thank you."

Zhao Mutao turned around, but Yang Xiao still hadn't come out, so she had to let Xiao Fei sit on the chair and wait for her. She walked towards the end of the clinic, looking for Yang Xiao. She walked all the way down the corridor, but couldn't see Yang Xiao. When she reached the end and was about to turn back, she heard Yang Xiao's voice coming from the half-open door.

"President, rest assured, this will not cost your hospital a cent. It's only for the front lines of the epidemic, and it's a pilot program. Don't worry about patient privacy. We've previously worked closely with tertiary hospitals in Sichuan, so we have experience in data confidentiality. If the pilot is successful, it will be a highlight of your hospital's technological innovation in supporting the fight against the epidemic."

Through the crack in the door, Zhao Mutao could only see Yang Xiao's right shoulder, a few strands of hair draped over it, her back straight. Mr. Yang was indeed Mr. Yang, able to find an opportunity to discuss cooperation even when seeing a patient. Zhao Mutao felt that Yang Xiao was truly going to be her role model in life, and she would never miss any opportunity.

Zhao Mutao, breathlessly concentrating, barely caught the dean's words. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Xiao Fei approaching. He was truly restless. He was always making such a fuss. What if he ruined Mr. Yang's cooperation? Zhao Mutao dragged him away again. They sat in the hall for an unknown amount of time before the gray-haired but energetic dean escorted Yang Xiao out.

The two said goodbye at the office door, and Yang Xiao walked toward them, against the light of the corridor. Though the light was clearly white, Zhao Mutao could sense the brightness of moonlight, enveloping Yang Xiao like a thin, moon-woven garment. This inexplicably reminded Zhao Mutao of the moment when Daphne became a laurel tree.

"How is it, did the deal work out?" Zhao Mutao stood up impatiently and met Yang Xiao with anticipation.

"The initial trial will last for three months." Yang Xiao laughed, looking relieved. "Today, we have to thank our great hero, Xiao Fei. Rest well tomorrow to recuperate. We're going to have a hard time in the future."

Zhao Mutao shook her head and said, "This isn't suffering, this is happiness."

Xiao Fei carried the medicine bag, his eyes shining, his voice choked with sobs, "Yes, this is happiness."

Zhao Mutao slapped him on the back without mercy, "Hey, don't be so sentimental. When we really ring the bell at Nasdaq, you will cry to death." Although he said so, Yang Xiao also saw the moisture in Mutao's eyes, which disappeared in the blink of an eye.

She looked at them, the warm blood in her heart flowing to her limbs, diluting all the coldness that had accumulated over the past few days. She reached out her hand, gently patted their arms, one on each side, as if to say that the cold winter was about to pass.

The process at the community hospital went smoothly, and the system officially entered trial operation next Monday. Thanks to the community hospital's full cooperation, everything went smoothly at Zhimiao. Although the system was provided free of charge, Yang Xiao hadn't considered making money from the community hospital from the outset. Her goal was to achieve nationwide adoption after the model had been refined based on real-world data and reached sufficient maturity.

As long as Zhimiao's name is made known, even if it is still provided free of charge in the future, there will surely be a steady stream of investors pouring in. After all, this is an excellent opportunity to enhance the company's social image: on the one hand, it can help the epidemic area improve diagnostic efficiency, and on the other hand, it can gain social influence, a win-win situation.

Yang Xiao's judgment proved remarkably accurate. In the second month of the trial run, as doctors at the community hospital spontaneously promoted Zhimiao's assisted diagnostic CT program, an angel investor finally arrived. She was a middle-aged woman with short, sleek black hair and an expensive business suit.

When she asked Yang Xiao to meet her at the cafe downstairs, Yang Xiao was very nervous.

The hand that pushed the door open trembled uncontrollably, and the opportunity came to him again. Once missed, it was like car exhaust, you can see it, smell it, but you can't catch it.

The middle-aged woman has a kind face but speaks sharply.

"Mr. Yang, hello. My name is Lu Wei. Before I pay you, I need you to answer a few questions."

"How long can your Zhimiao's technological barriers be maintained? After the epidemic, how will you transform and maintain your value? I have limited capital and cannot raise money in the next round. How will you achieve a break-even point? And what rate of return can I get after I become profitable?"

Question after question bombarded Yang Xiao, making her increasingly nervous and even feeling dizzy. Yang Xiao subconsciously swallowed, then took a sip of the lemonade on the table. She met Lu Wei's scrutinizing gaze and spoke candidly, "Mr. Lu, to be honest, I didn't fully consider these questions before coming here."

"So my answer may be a bit rambling, please forgive me."

"As for the technical barriers, it will take at least six months to a year. As long as the model is continuously optimized and funds are continuously injected, the barriers will continue to rise in the future. After the epidemic, our team's initial plan is to transition to routine lung screening, such as tuberculosis. As for your concerns about return rate and profit and loss, I also have a finance background."

Yang Xiao pursed her lips and smiled. She hadn't rested properly since the trial run, and her tone was a little tired. "I promise you, we will do our best to keep Zhimiao alive and survive until the next round of financing. The specific financial accounting model will be determined based on your investment amount and the company's investment and profitability."

After hearing this, the middle-aged woman suddenly seemed to lose her composure and burst out laughing. "Alright. Stop pretending and formally introduce yourself again. My name is Lu Wei, Lu as in highway, Wei as in towering. Just think of it as a stress interview. Please forgive me, it's a huge sum of money after all, so I have to ask for the answers, right?"

Good luck almost knocked Yang Xiao unconscious, and she was still a little dazed as she walked back to Zhimiao.

So what Lu Wei just said meant that he passed the test, right?

Yang Xiao couldn't help but burst out laughing in the elevator, drawing several glances from the people around her. She immediately pulled out her phone and pretended to be amused, but she didn't even turn on her phone. A soft, green meadow seemed to sprout in her heart, and she lay down on it, rolling around leisurely.

That's great.

As soon as this news reached Zhi Miao through Yang Xiao, Zhao Mutao stood up from his chair with a bang, hugged her and swung her around, laughing non-stop. Xiao Fei also grinned foolishly at his phone, even going so far as to splurge on a 500 yuan red envelope to the three people's work group chat. Yang Xiao was the lucky winner, receiving around 400 yuan per person, so she turned around and sent an even bigger red envelope to the group.

The three of them were playing a childish game of sending red envelopes to each other, which was a rare occasion, and they never got tired of it.

Such joy made Yang Xiao forget the pain she had just experienced on this road. Sometimes she felt like she was walking on peat without shoes or socks, burning her feet until they broke out in nasty blisters. Sometimes she felt like she was walking on a vast snowy mountain, freezing to the point of being completely numb, not knowing how to proceed.

But now, all the places where she once walked barefoot have grown flowers and green leaves, supporting her step by step upwards, telling her to walk a little higher, there will be more beautiful scenery at the top of the mountain.

That day, she finally had a good sleep and had no dreams all night.

The city scenery she once longed for is right at her feet. The person she once admired has now been obtained. The hurdle that she once thought was insurmountable, she changed her path, but they both ended up at the same destination.

So 27-year-old Yang Xiao came to an immature conclusion.

She attributes it all to growing up.

It’s great to grow up.

It's so good that she can pursue what she wants to her heart's content and reject what she doesn't want. She no longer has to worry about food and clothing, or be anxious about getting other people's kindness. She no longer has to feel uneasy because she has so little to give that she doesn't know how to repay them. She no longer has to feel inferior, and no longer has to live by chasing after other people's shadows.

She was genuinely happy for herself.

Yang Xiao, Yang Xiao, it was so hard and tiring in the past, but you stood up straight and got through it well.

That's awesome.

Next, cheer and be proud as you should be, as you should be free and passionate.