Knowing Zhang Yang was at the hospital, Wu Youdao made a special trip over, even taking the pulse of Nannan’s mother.

This greatly excited Nannan’s mother. Although Zhang Yang had also taken her pulse, the sight of Wu Youdao carried far more authority than Zhang Yang’s mannerisms ever could.

When it came to traditional Chinese medicine, the elderly man with the long white beard and traditional robe was always the first person people trusted. Wu Youdao embodied that image perfectly, possessing a truly ethereal, almost immortal bearing.

In the end, his diagnosis was much the same as Zhang Yang's: surgery was necessary, followed by herbal tonics to aid recovery.

After Wu Youdao departed, Zhang Yang and the others also rose to take their leave. Nannan escorted them to the car. Throughout the entire visit, neither Nannan nor her mother brought up the incident at the bank, nor did they mention Zhang Yang’s twenty million deposit. This greatly pleased Zhang Yang. While they were all good friends, it was best to keep matters like that confidential for now.

When someone close to you undergoes a sudden, drastic change, it instinctively creates a sense of distance. Zhang Yang certainly didn't want that kind of estrangement.

The next day, Zhang Yang attended classes quietly for the entire day. Not much new material was covered; it was mostly review, as exams were approaching quickly.

Speaking of the exams, the instructor stared at Zhang Yang for a moment. Usually, Zhang Yang’s grades were excellent, but he had taken over a month off due to illness. The teacher worried whether he could catch up, and how a poor performance might affect him.

However, Zhang Yang felt no anxiety about the exams. Leaving aside his specialized courses—after all, in his previous life, he had earned a Master’s degree, and securing a Ph.D. would have been easy if not for the demanding hospital work—his reputation was already on par with many Ph.D. holders. In fact, had it not been for that fatal plane crash, he would have acquired a doctorate within two years anyway.

As for the other subjects, he had the memories of the original 'Zhang Yang' for partial knowledge, meaning the foundational understanding was still present. Furthermore, Zhang Yang hadn't been completely idle during this time; he continued to read what he needed to. Having attended university twice now, he would feel he was letting himself down if he didn't ace the tests.

As soon as school let out that afternoon, Gu Cheng stormed over to find him, visibly upset.

At noon, the Student Union had held an emergency meeting where Zhou Yichen swiftly appointed his most loyal crony, Huang Sheng, as the new Head of the External Relations Department. Since Huang Sheng was previously the Head of the Organization Department, nobody could really object to his transfer to External Relations.

Huang Sheng’s first act as department head was to demand all previous approval documents from Gu Cheng, explicitly stating that all future funding approvals for the External Relations Department must pass through his hands.

With that single move, Gu Cheng’s authority was instantly stripped away, relegating him to a peripheral, unnecessary role in the department.

That wasn't all. Upon taking charge, Huang Sheng immediately approved several funding requests that Gu Cheng had been blocking—requests submitted by Zhou Yichen’s lackeys, some of which were clearly substandard. After these approvals went through, those individuals even taunted Gu Cheng, implying that even if he tried to obstruct things, they would still get the money they wanted.

It was no wonder Gu Cheng was so furious when he found Zhang Yang.

“Just hold on for a few more days. Believe me, the rainbow appears after the storm,” Zhang Yang murmured by way of comfort. Zhou Yichen reclaiming financial control so quickly and moving so fast caught Zhang Yang by surprise. But perhaps this was better. As the saying went, to bring about a person's downfall, one must first let them become reckless. The more wildly Zhou Yichen acted now, the faster his ruin would come. The blade was already ascending slowly, ready to strike when the moment was right.

Since Nannan’s mother needed to fast before the surgery, no one went to the hospital that day, giving the family time to rest properly.

Hu Xin and Xiao Dai vanished somewhere as soon as school ended. Zhang Yang wasn't going to the hospital, but Gu Cheng was, and after a brief word with Zhang Yang, he left. As for Xiao Bin, he hadn't been seen all day.

After picking up Mi Xue, it was rare for just the two of them to be left alone.

Zhang Yang didn't want to waste this rare chance for a private moment. A thought struck him, and he immediately suggested, “Mi Xue, let’s not go home to cook tonight. Let’s eat out!”

“That sounds great! What should we have?” Mi Xue instantly agreed, happy to delay going home as it was still early.

“Anything is fine. Let’s go downtown, and after dinner, we can catch a movie!”

Zhang Yang smiled slightly. Mi Xue looked up, startled, then a blush spread across her cheeks as she silently nodded. Dinner, a movie, window shopping—this was the life a couple should have, yet they hadn't managed a real date like this since they confirmed their relationship.

Having the car certainly made things easier. They drove back, then headed straight for the most bustling area of the city center.

It was still early, and the enthusiastic Mi Xue immediately pulled Zhang Yang toward the shops. They walked hand-in-hand, unconcerned about being seen, wandering through the large department stores. Mi Xue looked at much more than she bought, but she seemed thoroughly delighted regardless.

“This handbag is nice; it would suit you well. Get it,” Zhang Yang suddenly stopped Mi Xue, pointing to a bag she had just paused at. He had sensed a subtle difference when she looked at it—Mi Xue genuinely liked this particular bag.

“No, let’s look a bit further ahead,” Mi Xue quickly shook her head, glancing involuntarily back at the price tag.

“Excuse me, I’ll take this one!” Zhang Yang smiled faintly and waved over a sales clerk. It was a designer bag; the tag showed a price of over a thousand yuan—precisely the reason Mi Xue hesitated. One thousand yuan was a significant expense for her; she had saved her living allowance for a long time just to afford the pager she gave Zhang Yang, which cost only slightly more than that.

“You are not allowed to refuse!” Zhang Yang cut her off before she could protest. Seeing his brilliant smile, Mi Xue softly nodded, feeling a deep swell of emotion.

“Certainly, please wait a moment!” The sales clerk approached, eyeing Zhang Yang more closely. He was wearing his usual plain clothes and carrying his canvas messenger bag; he looked like any ordinary student. However, the clerk didn't comment, efficiently processing the paperwork and directing Zhang Yang to the payment counter to settle the bill before returning for the bag.

“Wait for me!” Zhang Yang smiled at Mi Xue. The clerk’s attitude toward them was neither overly enthusiastic nor condescending; it was perfectly neutral.

The payment counter was a short distance away, and Zhang Yang walked over with the receipt. The final price after discount was 1,380 yuan. With over thirty thousand in cash on him, there was no need to use a card; he paid in cash.

Watching Zhang Yang pull out more than a thousand yuan from his canvas bag without hesitation to purchase a branded item, the young female employees at the counter couldn't help but steal glances and whisper amongst themselves. Items here were not cheap; they bordered on luxury goods, usually purchased by wealthier clientele. Moreover, these patrons tended to be older, generally over thirty. Seeing someone Zhang Yang’s age making such a purchase was rare. Combined with his common attire, he naturally became the focus of attention and conversation—though not all the comments were complimentary.

After getting his receipt, Zhang Yang immediately headed back. After only a few steps, the smile on his face faded, replaced by a flicker of annoyance. In the short time he was gone to pay, a man had approached Mi Xue—a slightly overweight man, perhaps thirty-five or thirty-six. The man was saying something to Mi Xue while gesturing with his hands, but Mi Xue clearly looked disgusted and seemed unable to shake him off. Seeing this, Zhang Yang couldn't help quickening his pace.

“Excuse me, my boyfriend is here!” Upon seeing Zhang Yang, Mi Xue’s face instantly broke into a sweet smile. Although the man beside her was repulsive, she addressed him politely.

“Boyfriend!” The stout man blinked in surprise, finally noticing Zhang Yang striding toward them.

“What happened?” Zhang Yang asked quietly. He had only stepped away for a few minutes to handle the payment. To find someone harassing his girlfriend in that short span was enough to anger any man.

“It’s nothing, let’s go,” Mi Xue shook her head slightly. The sales clerk also approached, took the receipt from Zhang Yang, and handed over the bag that had been set aside for Mi Xue. It was a small, cute, pink shoulder bag. Mi Xue genuinely liked it, and it looked particularly becoming on her, adding a unique charm.

“Miss, you should really reconsider what I said. I guarantee I can turn you into one of the top models in the country. Your life will be so much better than it is now,” the stout man leaned in again, repeating his pitch to Mi Xue. Zhang Yang’s brow twitched again. The man hadn't even acknowledged Zhang Yang’s presence while speaking to Mi Xue.

“I already told you, I don’t need to, and I don’t want to be a model!” Mi Xue’s brow furrowed too, her tone turning icy. Hearing this, Zhang Yang understood the situation. The man saw Mi Xue’s good looks and was trying to recruit her as a model—a common tactic in his past life, usually employed by scammers looking to extort money or exploit women, promising stardom in exchange for favors.

“I am serious! You have the looks; it’s a complete waste not to model,” the stout man insisted. Apparently feeling that wasn't enough, he glanced dismissively at Zhang Yang and continued, “Miss, take my advice. Sweet talk won't get you anywhere. Real success requires earning your own way. Don't let a few paltry savings used to buy a simple gift blind you to a better future!”

“What did you say?” Zhang Yang’s brow tightened even further as he asked directly. The man’s last remark was clearly aimed at him.

The stout man gave Zhang Yang a cool look, then stated, “Young man, if you truly cared for your girlfriend, you wouldn't hinder her potential. How many months of living expenses did you save up just to buy that bag? That might impress a girl for a moment, but life lasts a lifetime. You need to think about yourself, too!” He paused, as if struck by an idea. “Tell you what: if you agree to let your girlfriend become a model, I can find you a job—one that pays no less than a thousand yuan a month. How about that deal?”

The man had laid his intentions out so clearly that even Mi Xue now understood. He assumed the money Zhang Yang spent on the bag came from painstakingly squirreling away his living allowance. And, admittedly, judging by Zhang Yang’s age and attire, the sales clerks who had gathered to watch seemed to agree with the stout man’s assessment. In 1998, a job paying over a thousand yuan a month was excellent, something many people would be tempted by. The stout man finished speaking with an air of magnanimity, as if he were granting Zhang Yang a massive favor.

“Zhang Yang, let’s go,” Zhang Yang’s face turned ashen. Seeing that things were escalating, Mi Xue rushed forward and grabbed Zhang Yang’s arm. She had never seen Zhang Yang this angry before, which made it clear he was truly enraged now.

“Miss, don’t you want an annual income of one hundred, two hundred, or even five hundred thousand? Then you could afford your own house, your own car, and live the life of luxury you desire!” Seeing Mi Xue try to leave, the stout man called out urgently. In that era, earning a hundred thousand a year was considered high income by many. Earning half a million was even more incredible than earning a million today, a prospect with fatal allure for most ordinary people. The envious and jealous expressions on the faces of the nearby clerks, some even trying to catch the stout man's eye for a similar opportunity, confirmed the impact of his words. But the stout man didn't spare them a glance.

“Damn your life of luxury!”

Zhang Yang’s other hand suddenly shot out, smashing directly into the stout man’s face.

With a dull thud, the man stumbled backward, a thin line of crimson blood tracing down from his nostril and splattering onto the floor. Zhang Yang’s force was considerable, amplified by his anger. The man was left stunned by the single blow.

But one punch wasn't enough to vent Zhang Yang's fury. He followed up with a kick, a forceful one aimed at the man’s midsection, ensuring the guy’s lower back would ache for months. After the flurry of hits, the man cried out in miserable agony from the indescribable pain spreading through his body.

Zhang Yang still looked ready to press the attack, but Mi Xue, snapping back to reality, held him tightly. Even she hadn't expected Zhang Yang to resort to physical violence. Her usual impression of him was far less volatile, certainly not this aggressive. Pulled back by Mi Xue, Zhang Yang finally stopped advancing, though a thick wave of rage still contorted his features.

He usually had an even temper, but he had limits. He could perhaps tolerate the man suggesting he was poor or that his efforts to please his girlfriend were meager. But the constant, insistent suggestion that Mi Xue should become a model and pursue some shallow, affluent lifestyle was something Zhang Yang simply could not endure. In his eyes, this was tantamount to openly flirting with Mi Xue. No man could tolerate his girlfriend being propositioned right in front of him. That Zhang Yang hadn't beaten the man senseless or killed him already demonstrated a degree of restraint.

210 votes for the extra chapter! Monthly ticket support isn't very strong today, alas!