Chapter 62
Fu Zong's appearance was exactly what Xie Xubai expected.
Judging from the number of onlookers and their reactions, it was clear he had caused quite a stir. Fu Zong, who could sense everything happening at the First Hospital, couldn't possibly be completely oblivious.
But the timing of their appearance was very strange. The commotion that occurred in the morning only ended when a curfew warning was issued by the radio before they came to confront them.
Xie Xubai hadn't forgotten that he was called to the dean's office as soon as he entered the hospital this morning, which indirectly showed that Fu Zong was definitely not a careless person.
So what restrained the other party?
When Fu Zong saw that Xie Xubai had stopped but seemed to be suppressing his annoyance and remained silent with his back to him, his eyes darkened.
Because he had impulsively shouted out, the bright red warning line immediately pierced his vision like a bone-deep affliction, causing him to experience a persistent throbbing pain in his head and ears.
Fu Zong ignored him and said without any emotion, "Director Xie and I have something to discuss. You can leave first."
The other directors, each with their own thoughts, exchanged glances discreetly.
Fu Zong was their immediate supervisor, while Xie Xubai was just a colleague they had spent the day with. They could certainly tell which was more important.
However, as a senior director who has made outstanding contributions, he can also hold his own in various departments of the hospital... Doesn't Fu Zong's dismissive attitude towards people seem a bit disrespectful?
Director Li's face fell.
Dark clouds overhead obscured the moonlight, plunging the tree-lined path into gloom.
The old man's cloudy, deep eyes stared directly at the middle-aged man at the door. The whites of his eyes gradually turned black, like a dark and bottomless vortex that could suck in one's soul and send chills down one's spine.
Director Li: "Let's not talk about other things for now. I just want to ask you, this morning, such a big accident happened in the alienation zone. All the medical staff were terrified, the entire defense department was mobilized, and it caused quite a stir."
"But as the dean, you didn't react at all, and you were nowhere to be seen all day. What kind of nonsense is this?"
On one side is the chief physician who forms cliques, and on the other side is the dean who wields absolute power and considers himself arrogant and aloof.
The two sides have a deep-seated animosity and have never had a harmonious relationship.
The moment Director Li uttered his question, the atmosphere instantly became tense.
If the other party's objection is valid, the rule will take effect immediately.
The stinging sensation that Fu Zong felt suddenly intensified, and the dark purple veins on the back of his hand taut and bulged instantly.
He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Director Li, then slowly retorted, "Mr. Li, don't think I'm being rude, but shouldn't you take some time to get a pair of glasses?"
“I arrived at Director Xie’s office earlier than you all when the accident happened. You old folks have poor eyesight and couldn’t see it, so how can you blame me?”
Director Li's face twitched, his eyes blazing with anger: "What—"
Fu Zong raised an eyebrow and spoke rapidly, cutting him off abruptly: "Anger easily damages the liver and spleen. I advise you to lose your temper less and drink more water. When you get angry, exercise. Don't let high cholesterol get into high blood pressure before you've even cured it."
"Don't worry about the accident this morning. I will definitely investigate it thoroughly and give everyone an explanation."
As he spoke, his cold, icy gaze slowly moved to Director Zhou's face.
Director Zhou's heart skipped a beat. He wondered what the dean meant by this. Could it be that the dean also suspected him?
Wait a minute, could it be that the dean isn't trying to harm Director Xie, but someone is actually pulling strings behind the scenes? And he's the prime suspect?
Director Zhou became increasingly alarmed as he thought about it, his back broke out in a cold sweat and his legs trembled uncontrollably.
Fu Zong looked away: "One last thing, next time you encounter such a major accident, notify me and the defense department immediately, so that you old folks don't have to run over there, not only exhausting yourselves, but also ending up singing 'Cool Down' with Director Xie's corpse."
The second half of the sentence stung the directors, who choked on their words and instantly felt a surge of anger.
Fu Zong didn't give them a chance to speak again, and coldly glanced at Xie Xubai: "What are you still standing there for?"
Xie Xubai turned to the directors, his eyes filled with apology.
After weighing the pros and cons, the directors suppressed their anger and said to him kindly, "It's alright, go ahead, the dean won't do anything to you."
Hearing this tone of shared hatred, Fu Zong almost laughed in anger and strode out of the hospital.
A few seconds later, upon hearing footsteps approaching from behind, his expression softened slightly.
He turned his head and said to the young man who was chasing after him with a half-smile, "Don't you think it's just the right time for me, this class enemy, to come out?"
When Fu Zong took over as hospital director, the hospital was already rife with the bad habit of forming cliques and excluding dissidents.
A once-prosperous hospital dedicated to saving lives has become a chaotic scene, resembling a palace drama, with various factions deeply entrenched and forming a web of intricate relationships.
Don't be fooled by the kind and gentle appearance of these old guys. When they ganged up on the previous director and forced him out, they left him no room for maneuver.
So much so that in the highly competitive First Hospital, the position of director of the special department can remain vacant for several months at a time.
Everyone wants to sit in the upper seat, yet no one dares to sit in it.
Xie Xubai's sudden arrival was like a pebble thrown into a stagnant pond, shattering the surface tranquility.
Originally, he should have suffered the same devastating blow as his predecessor, but unexpectedly, Xie Xubai revealed his true colors, demonstrating his formidable strength and forcefully suppressing the group of villains.
As luck would have it, he suddenly appeared, which provoked those old guys to directly categorize Xie Xubai as one of their own and prepare to join forces to deal with him, the "enemy of the world".
For a fleeting moment, Fu Zong wanted to wish them a lifetime of happiness and continued success in their endeavors.
But he was "well-mannered" and held back.
Xie Xubai did not answer.
Seeing his resistance, Fu Zong didn't know how to feel. He simply snorted and turned his head away, no longer speaking.
Until suddenly, someone behind me asked, "What happened to your injury?"
Xie Xubai was a little unsure before, but after observing carefully, he realized that it was indeed not his imagination.
Fu Zong suffered very serious injuries.
Xie Xubai had witnessed the other party's self-healing speed that morning; glass shards embedded in flesh could be completely restored in the blink of an eye.
The lingering smell of blood indicates that this was no ordinary injury.
In this hospital, besides the backlash against the rules, what else could threaten the powerful hospital director?
Fu Zong remained strangely silent, walking forward quietly. After a long while, he said cryptically, "Your eyesight is better than those old guys'. How did you figure that out?"
"Arms, feet," Xie Xubai replied. "Your arms have a clear tendency to extend outwards, and there should be an injury inside your elbow, making you afraid to keep them close to your side. Your steps are uneven, one light and one heavy. Is the injury to your Achilles tendon or your hamstring?"
Fu Zong suddenly stopped and turned to look at Xie Xubai's calm and composed face.
...As expected.
There wasn't a trace of concern or worry on that face; all that remained was a faint air of inquiry.
So Fu Zong curled his lips and said indifferently, "Completely wrong."
After saying that, he pulled up his sleeve and made Xie Xubai look at his elbow.
Aside from his terrifyingly pale skin, with faintly visible bluish-purple veins, there wasn't a single wound on it.
Fu Zong scoffed, "Looks like I should take back what I said about having a good eye. I suggest you go with Director Li when he gets his glasses. Maybe the clerk will see that your family isn't doing well and give you a discount or a buy-one-get-one-free promotion."
Xie Xubai glanced at him, then without warning reached out and pressed hard on the inside of the other's elbow.
Normally, Fu Zong would never let anyone touch even a single hair on his head.
However, due to his severe injuries and excessive blood loss, he was unable to avoid Xie Xubai's touch for a moment.
The fingers with distinct knuckles pressed against the skin, as if breaking through some kind of illusion, instantly leaving several hideous bloody marks.
Imprinted on pale skin, it was particularly striking and alarming.
Fu Zong shuddered, his face turning deathly pale. He gritted his teeth and kept quiet, quickly pulling his arm back.
After a long pause, the question was squeezed out between his teeth: "Do you think you're still a three-year-old? You can't resist pinching everything you see?"
Xie Xubai was still carefully considering his words.
But seeing Fu Zong's fierce but cowardly appearance, for some reason, he naturally blurted out a reply: "Even a three-year-old is honest, and I certainly can't be as stubborn as you, suffering for the sake of saving face."
Fu Zong was always the one who talked back to others, and he never expected that Xie Xubai would actually talk back. He stared at him with wide eyes.
Xie Xubai took it indifferently.
At the same time, he subtly rubbed the blood on his fingers a few times; it was warm, viscous, and had a distinct tactile sensation.
He originally thought that no matter what agreement Fu Zong and Lü Xiangcai reached or what their relationship was, since he had obtained the benefits, he would bear the corresponding consequences.
He will hold onto this position and also reclaim Lu Xiangcai's heart, for which he will not hesitate to show his prowess to anyone.
Since Fu Zong did not leave a place for him at the negotiating table, he would carve out a place for himself on the table, and stand right next to Fu Zong, keeping a close eye on any possible weaknesses the other party might reveal.
It wasn't until Fu Zong said in front of everyone that he arrived at the accident scene even faster than the other directors that he was able to get there.
That's not the tone the mastermind would use, unless they're lying and pretending, trying to distance themselves from the situation.
However, they couldn't explain the unexpected events that Fu Zong encountered today, or the sudden increase in his injuries.
The many strange things intertwined made Xie Xubai intuitively feel that things were not simple.
However, he was willing to trust his intuition and believe that Fu Zong had no intention of harming him for the time being. After all, it was Fu Zong who reminded him this morning that his mentor was trying to sabotage him.
Xie Xubai continued, "Leaving aside the injury on your elbow, your ankle certainly can't stand for long periods of time. Are you planning to walk home with me without saying a word?"
Fu Zong knew Xie Xubai was using reverse psychology, but the key was that he couldn't respond to that.
Xie Xubai guessed correctly; his leg was injured, not only his Achilles tendon but also his shinbone.
But he could also see that Xie Xubai was exhausted. After all, no doctor could be energetic after treating a patient all day. With a forced smile, he said, "How about I take you to the mall first, and we can buy a cane to walk with?"
"Thank you for your kindness, but I don't think I need to." Xie Xubai suddenly waved his hand behind him.
A horn beeped behind him, and Fu Zong turned around instantly.
The white headlights were dazzling and blinding; a luxury sedan was parked at the intersection.
The dog in the back seat eagerly poked its head out and barked excitedly at the young man, "Woof!"
Having waited so long for Xie Xubai to return home, Jiang Kaile followed him over. Seeing this, he breathed a sigh of relief and called out, "Teacher, have you had dinner yet? I packed some food for you!"
Old Zhang, the driver whom Lü Xiangcai had called to pick him up, was indignant on his behalf: "How is Mr. Xie today? What kind of hospital did you end up in? You were working overtime until so late before you were released."
Without warning, Fu Zong found himself all alone: "..."
Xie Xubai responded to each of their requests and extended an invitation with a smile: "If the Dean doesn't mind, why don't you ride back with us in our car?"
Author's Note:
Even Yuncheng couldn't stand how short today's chapter was. I'll see if I can write another one later. OTZ
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