Gu Cheng could only look back with regret. Zhang Yang's refusal this time was something he truly couldn't comprehend. Unfortunately, he wasn't Zhang Yang, and he had no way of knowing that the soul residing within Zhang Yang had completely changed.

The former Zhang Yang would have instantly agreed to such a wonderful opportunity, probably shouting a few excited yells. But for the current Zhang Yang, the status of a special recruitment intern held no appeal whatsoever; in his previous life, he himself had specially recruited several outstanding traditional Chinese medicine talents.

“Director Wang, that kid is completely out of line!”

One of the two men accompanying Wang Guohai leaned in slightly and whispered into Wang Guohai’s ear.

Wang Guohai slowly lifted his head and cast a faint glance at the man, who immediately took a step back, his face plastered with an obsequious grin.

Wang Guohai somewhat agreed with the sentiment, but hearing it from this particular man’s mouth made him feel uneasy.

This man was named Li Shu, the sixth child in his family, hence nicknamed Li Liu. He was the biological nephew of Vice Director Li Jiu. Li Shu had been a poor student, and despite having the character 'Shu' (book) in his name, he detested studying. He dropped out after junior high.

He spent a few years struggling outside with little success before Li Jiu arranged a temporary position for him at the hospital. Ever since becoming a temp, he constantly aimed to secure a permanent position, but the legitimate path was difficult. Thus, he set his sights only on those rare special recruitment slots.

What choice did he have when his uncle was the Vice Director?

Li Jiu had also been working hard on his behalf. Just when a sliver of hope appeared, an unexpected obstacle arose: the hospital suddenly approved a special recruitment slot, and it was awarded to a currently enrolled student. This deeply offended and enraged Li Shu, and he was the happiest person when Zhang Yang rejected the offer earlier.

Wang Guohai was fully aware of all these undercurrents, but Zhang Yang's refusal was an undeniable fact.

He stood up, let out a soft sigh, and said, “Let’s go back first!”

“Yes, yes!”

Li Liu immediately broke into a wide grin. He hadn't expected today’s outcome, but the result was beneficial to him. Zhang Yang rejecting the special recruitment meant one more slot was available, giving his uncle leverage to lobby the Health Bureau further. He still had a chance to secure a permanent position through that route.

His smile lasted only a few seconds before freezing on his face.

Wang Guohai merely glanced at him and spoke again, “Go back and discuss this with Elder Wu. We need to figure out how to get this young man into the hospital. He is a genuine talent; we absolutely cannot let him slip away!”

With that statement, Wang Guohai strode away.

Wang Guohai was fully aware of Li Liu’s petty schemes and held a deep disdain for such people.

He also knew that Li Liu’s fixation on the special recruitment slot was sheer pipe dream. Firstly, he wouldn't pass muster with the Director; his uncle was only the Vice Director, and without the Director’s explicit approval, no one could secure a special recruitment spot.

The Director intensely disliked those who relied on connections. Of course, Wang Guohai certainly wouldn't voice these thoughts aloud.

“Zhang Yang, why did you refuse such a great opportunity?”

After dropping Mi Xue off at the Mathematics Department, Zhang Yang and Gu Cheng walked toward their Medical School together. On the way, Gu Cheng couldn't help asking again.

Zhang Yang stopped, shaking his head helplessly.

He had already answered this question earlier, and he had told the absolute truth: he genuinely wanted to rest for a few years and fully enjoy this youthful period of his life.

“Let me tell you, I have zero interest in working at the hospital, do you believe that?”

“I don’t believe you!”

Gu Cheng shook his head honestly. At this time, working at a hospital was highly desirable; securing a position there was no less prestigious than entering government departments. Since they were medical students, the most relevant place for them after graduation was a hospital.

Rejecting a special recruitment offer from the hospital simply made no sense to him.

“I knew it. People never believe the truth when you tell it!”

Zhang Yang tapped his forehead, deciding not to offer Gu Cheng any further explanations. He started walking forward again. If they didn't hurry, they would be late for class again. Having once been a professor himself, he was acutely aware of how much teachers detested tardiness.

The afternoon passed uneventfully. Zhang Yang kept thinking about the task weighing on his mind, which hadn't shown any signs of activity these past few days. This forced Zhang Yang to keep a close watch on Mi Xue. Outside of class time, Zhang Yang practically glued himself to Mi Xue’s side whenever he was free.

Zhang Yang's actions were interpreted by Mi Xue as deep concern and reliance on her, which only made her heart feel sweeter.

After afternoon classes, Zhang Yang and the others gathered together again. This time, Xiao Bin joined them.

Tomorrow was the weekend, and there was no school. As they were discussing where to go for the weekend, Hu Xin’s suggestion to go singing that evening was met with a gentle tap on his head from Xiao Dai. The previous incident had stemmed from going singing; how dare this guy bring it up again.

“If you ask me, why don't we head to Shihu River tomorrow? The Maple Leaf Valley over there is fantastic. We can bring our own supplies and have a barbecue!”

Nannan offered a suggestion. Shihu River was a long river winding through Changjing City. The Maple Leaf Valley she mentioned was in the outskirts, an undeveloped area boasting truly beautiful scenery, perfect for a picnic.

Mi Xue’s eyes lit up, and she immediately clapped her hands in agreement: “Great idea! Shihu River is nice; we can fish by the riverbank too. You guys, the boys, can have a fishing competition—the winner gets a prize!”

Shihu River, Maple Leaf Valley—besides being ideal for barbecues, it was also a favored spot for romantic dates. Mi Xue had overheard her classmates mention it once and had never been herself. Nannan’s suggestion instantly captivated her.

“Then it’s settled, we go there tomorrow. A self-catered barbecue sounds great!”

Zhang Yang nodded decisively. Once he spoke, no one else objected or offered alternative suggestions. Nobody noticed that in just a few days, Zhang Yang had naturally become the group's anchor.

“Hey, isn’t that the old doctor from the hospital?”

Mi Xue looked up toward the distance, paused slightly, and called out in surprise. The others followed her gaze.

Not far away, an elderly man dressed in a Zhongshan suit was approaching. Everyone except Xiao Bin recognized him—it was Wu Youdao, the man who had dragged Zhang Yang into the office at the hospital that day.

That action had initially caused a misunderstanding among them, leaving a strong impression of him.

“He isn’t here to invite Zhang Yang again, is he?”

Gu Cheng stared, whispering the question. Only Gu Cheng and Mi Xue knew about the hospital’s special recruitment offer at noon; they hadn't shared the news yet.

“What’s going on?”

Hu Xin, impatient by nature, immediately pressed for details. Gu Cheng briefly recounted what happened at noon. Just as he finished speaking, Wu Youdao arrived at their side.

The old Chinese medicine practitioner was indeed there seeking out Zhang Yang.

In fact, after returning that afternoon, Wang Guohai had told Elder Wu about Zhang Yang’s refusal to join the hospital, which prompted him to think about coming to talk with Zhang Yang personally. Zhang Yang’s rejection of the special recruitment had also exceeded his expectations.

However, Wang Guohai’s final, almost joking remark had temporarily calmed his temper, leading him to wait until after school ended before coming over.

………… Desperately seeking recommendation votes! The number of recommendation votes is too low. Friends who have finished reading, could you please give Xiao Yu a few votes of support? The friend who casts the most votes will have their name displayed in this book’s Hall of Fame—this is a source of pride, and Xiao Yu always feels sincere gratitude every time I see that name! C