Wu Youdao stood before Zhang Yang, squinting slightly, a jovial smile playing on his lips as he regarded him. Hu Xin and the others stood wide-eyed, utterly incredulous.

The fact that Changjing Third Hospital was seeking to specially recruit Zhang Yang was shocking enough, a genuine surprise, but what staggered them even more was that Zhang Yang had actually refused the special recruitment offer.

Hu Xin and the rest, just like Mi Xue and Gu Cheng before them, had the immediate thought: was Zhang Yang an idiot?

"Elder Mr. Wu, hello!"

Zhang Yang offered a slight smile. He had some inkling as to why Wu Youdao had come. The high regard the Changjing Third Hospital held for a student as unknown as himself was genuinely touching, but it didn't mean he would abandon his original resolve. Having this chance to start over, he had no desire to spend his days tethered to a hospital, living a monotonous, predictable existence.

"Regardless, I am a guest, am I not? You don't intend for us to stand here talking, do you!"

Wu Youdao let out a hearty laugh, a tone laced with playful humor, entirely different from his demeanor at the hospital.

Zhang Yang paused briefly, then quickly smiled. "Elder Wu, my apologies. There is a small teahouse nearby; perhaps we could sit there for a while. We are just poor students; we can't afford to take you anywhere truly fine—please don't mind the humble setting!"

Zhang Yang greatly appreciated Wu Youdao's forthright nature, and the fact that he had shown up personally after school demonstrated significant sincerity.

"Haha, excellent, I was hoping to have a good chat with you!"

Wu Youdao accepted without pretense, laughing happily, and the group immediately ceased their previous discussion, heading toward the school gates.

As they walked out, Zhang Yang and Wu Youdao led the way, speaking quietly. The three Mi Xue sisters followed behind, while Hu Xin, Gu Cheng, and Xiao Bin brought up the rear. The three men were still muttering amongst themselves. Their topic, of course, was Zhang Yang’s rejection of the Third Hospital’s offer earlier that day. They still found it hard to believe and kept questioning Gu Cheng and Mi Xue until they confirmed the news multiple times before finally giving up.

The small teahouse Zhang Yang mentioned was a place that existed in his "valuable memories"—a spot the former Zhang Yang frequented for tea. Though small, the tea and pastries were quite good.

The teahouse was indeed small, and since it was the weekend afternoon, it wasn't crowded; there were still several empty tables when Zhang Yang’s party arrived.

Zhang Yang led Wu Youdao directly to a small table. Hu Xin and the others sat nearby; they knew the owner here and immediately ordered three pots of tea along with some small snacks.

"Elder Wu, please forgive the simple surroundings!"

Zhang Yang poured a cup of tea for Wu Youdao. His impression of the old doctor was excellent—a learned, highly skilled traditional Chinese physician whose theoretical knowledge surpassed even his own.

"You are Zhang Yang, correct? I shall call you Xiao Zhang. Xiao Zhang, did Director Wang come to see you at noon today?"

Wu Youdao smiled faintly, dropping all formality with Zhang Yang, and asked directly with keen interest, observing him closely. Few people would refuse a special recruitment offer. He had reviewed Zhang Yang's file—just an ordinary university student. He genuinely couldn't fathom why Zhang Yang would refuse, but refusing itself showed courage, increasing his interest in Zhang Yang substantially.

"Yes, I spoke with Dr. Wang at noon. For the time being, I have no intention of working anywhere. I deeply appreciate your esteemed hospital's kindness!"

Zhang Yang nodded slightly. Wu Youdao continued to look at him, the slight smile remaining on his lips. With this statement, Zhang Yang reaffirmed his refusal. He was signaling to Wu Youdao that if he was here to act as a persuader, hoping to sway Zhang Yang into working at their hospital, the matter was closed; he had no plans to join the Third Hospital.

"I did not come here today to persuade you to work at the Third Hospital. In fact, I am not officially staff there; I am merely a physician recalled on a contract basis!"

Wu Youdao smiled and shook his head, taking another sip of tea. Though the teahouse was small and the tea leaves ordinary, the brewed tea was quite good. Wu Youdao had some knowledge of tea culture and recognized that this tea was prepared with genuine spring water—something very rare among the many small teahouses in Changjing City.

Zhang Yang paused slightly but remained silent, simply watching Wu Youdao with a smile.

"You don't wish to work in a hospital—that is your choice. I only believe that your excellent medical skills should not be wasted but put to practical use!"

Since Zhang Yang remained silent, Wu Youdao continued. In his heart, Wu Youdao was somewhat astonished; Zhang Yang’s demeanor was nothing like that of an undergraduate yet to graduate. With just a few sentences, Zhang Yang had seized the initiative in the conversation, forcing him to alter his approach to persuasion.

"Elder Wu, please just state your purpose directly?"

Zhang Yang chuckled lightly. Hu Xin and Mi Xue sat beside them, sipping their tea, but none spoke; every ear was keenly tuned to the exchange between Wu Youdao and Zhang Yang. When Zhang Yang had refused again earlier, Hu Xin had been tempted to rush over and shake him, or perhaps peer into his skull to see if he was truly foolish enough to reject the Third Hospital’s special recruitment. If such a good opportunity ever fell to him, he would have eagerly hugged the recruiters and kissed them!

After a moment of reflection, Wu Youdao looked up and said softly, "If you simply desire freedom and do not wish to be bound by a full-time job, you can do as I do—only accept recruitment from the hospital to hold consultations and treat patients. However, you are still a student, so at most, you could be an intern. If you are willing, I can arrange for them to recruit you as an intern, the most flexible intern available!"

"Clatter!"

The cup in Gu Cheng's hand suddenly dropped onto the table, spilling tea everywhere, some of it splashing onto his clothes. Gu Cheng hastily wiped himself down, a hint of embarrassment on his face, but no one noticed his awkwardness then. Everyone stared wide-eyed, fixed on Wu Youdao.

If a special recruitment wasn't enough, now he was offering employment? To accept that would be true folly. Moreover, employment usually meant temporary work; they had never even heard of an offer for recruiting interns. All of them, including Gu Cheng, were silently lamenting what they saw as Zhang Yang’s misfortune. They believed Zhang Yang's rejection had forced the Third Hospital to change tack, shifting from special recruitment to general employment, and that Zhang Yang had needlessly thrown away a golden opportunity.

Zhang Yang, meanwhile, kept his head lowered, slowly contemplating. After a moment, he raised his gaze and asked quietly, "I want to know, how much freedom?"

A spark flashed in Wu Youdao’s eyes, and his smile deepened. He continued, "You can set your own working hours. Since you are in an internship period, you won't receive a salary, but your bonuses will be directly tied to your salary. I can fight to secure the highest bonus standard for you!"

"That could work, but I have two other conditions!"

Zhang Yang nodded slowly and held up two fingers. This time, it wasn't just Gu Cheng; everyone felt their hands go weak, their grip failing on their cups. Listening to Zhang Yang, it seemed he was inclined to accept this proposition—refusing the special recruitment only to agree to be employed as a temporary worker. Such an idiot, they hadn't just never seen one, they had never even heard of one. Everything Zhang Yang had done today was completely incomprehensible to them.