Mi Xue, Nannan, and Xiao Dai were all there, each wearing a radiant smile. Their visit to the Women's Federation today had gone smoothly; the aunties there were deeply sympathetic to their plight, with some even cursing General Liang and the restaurant owner, vowing to ensure justice was served. That owner, little did he know, was destined for bankruptcy.

In the following days, Zhang Yang visited the hospital daily. He had resolved to leave, but first, he needed to wrap up some pending professional matters. For instance, Zhao Zhi from Jiaoyi, whose melanoma had been surgically removed—a procedure Zhang Yang himself performed at the Third Hospital—was a patient under his direct care. He needed to make sure Zhao Zhi’s situation was settled. And this next patient awaiting surgery—since Zhang Yang had made a commitment, he would see it through.

Three days passed quickly, and the surgery proceeded as scheduled. This operation was a resounding success. The patient would be discharged soon, and the two major hurdles facing the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at the Third Hospital were finally cleared. Wang Guohai let out a deep sigh of relief. Regrettably, following this surgery, Zhang Yang's contract with the Third Hospital officially terminated.

During these days, Zhu Zhixiang had not been idle, constantly trying to persuade Zhang Yang to stay. But Zhang Yang’s mind was made up, and eventually, Zhu Zhixiang could only reluctantly agree. For Zhu Zhixiang, Zhang Yang’s departure represented a loss far greater than just his medical skill; it was the loss of Zhang Yang’s connections. With Zhang Yang gone, the vital link between the Third Hospital and Director Zhao vanished—this was what pained Zhu Zhixiang the most. Wu Youdao hadn't guessed wrong; what the hospital truly coveted was Zhang Yang’s influence.

Zhu Zhixiang’s efforts at persuasion were not entirely without result, however. At the very least, Zhang Yang agreed that his intern status would remain affiliated with the hospital. Should the hospital encounter a case they couldn't solve, they could still call upon him for assistance. Healing the sick and saving lives—Zhang Yang never shirked that duty, regardless of the institution he was formally attached to.

Barely two days after leaving the hospital, Wang Chen called Zhang Yang. The restaurant owner, unable to withstand the mounting pressure, had sold his establishment. Wang Chen managed to acquire the restaurant, valued at nearly three million in total assets, for a mere 1.2 million on Zhang Yang’s behalf. This time, the owner truly took a devastating loss. That wasn't all. A significant portion of the money from the sale had to go toward paying fines; bankruptcy was looming large.

Zhang Yang had also informed Mi Xue about the restaurant acquisition. This time, Mi Xue didn't object. Since starting work, she hadn't wanted to remain idle, and being an owner, at least, meant fewer constraints. As for Nannan and Xiao Dai, when they heard Zhang Yang had bought the restaurant and planned to entrust its operation to the three of them, they were simply stunned into silence. Before this, the two of them hadn't ruled out the idea of opening a grand restaurant themselves, but it had always remained a daydream during leisure moments—much like an office worker fantasizing about becoming the boss someday, or a government employee imagining becoming a leader. Such fantasies are common to everyone. But fantasy is, after all, just fantasy. They never imagined that a fantasy might actually materialize. When Zhang Yang shared the news, they sat speechless for a good five minutes; it was utterly unexpected.

Of course, Zhang Yang wasn't gifting them the shares. The value attributed to their shares would have to be repaid later. Only after clearing the debt would they truly become the owners. Even so, they understood that Zhang Yang was helping them, essentially providing them with seed capital that allowed them to start years ahead of others. Subsequently, the two women, along with Mi Xue, were filled with tremendous drive. Running their own business was completely different from working for someone else. While school hadn't resumed, they aimed to reopen the restaurant and restore its former success.

Regarding the distribution of restaurant equity, Zhang Yang remained entirely uninvolved, leaving the decision to the trio’s discussion. In the end, Nannan and Xiao Dai insisted: they would each take only a twenty percent stake, leaving the lion's share—sixty percent—to Mi Xue, ensuring she held the majority and was the true boss. The two were perfectly content with holding twenty percent each. This was a three-million-yuan asset; even twenty percent was worth several hundred thousand. They had never imagined one day possessing such wealth.

As for the restaurant staff, they were even more bewildered, having witnessed a magical 'Cinderella' transformation firsthand. The restaurant, busy at work one moment, was suddenly sealed off. Many hadn't even received their wages for the current month yet. Just as everyone anticipated unemployment and the need to find new jobs after losing a month's pay, they suddenly received notice to return to work, complete with back pay for the previous period. Upon returning, they discovered that their former colleagues—those two inconspicuous waitresses who had been harassed—were now their bosses. The sudden elevation of their former colleagues to ownership status was hard for many to accept, and quite a few became intensely envious. They secretly hoped for an identical experience one day, aided by an incredibly wealthy friend who could also propel them to ownership.

Having lent a hand to Nannan and Xiao Dai, Zhang Yang decided to assist Hu Xin and Gu Cheng as well, ensuring their launch was quicker and they wouldn't be left behind by the other two. Zhang Yang invested in them to start a logistics company. It wasn't a huge investment, but it was vastly superior to their previous setup of running business with just one small van for hauling cargo. This deepened their gratitude toward Zhang Yang; they understood that without his help, they would never have had the opportunity to start a company so early. Naturally, this money also needed to be repaid, with interest slightly higher than bank rates. Zhang Yang wouldn't help them for free; such unchecked assistance only fostered complacency.

………… "Brothers, my apologies for taking so long to thank you!" Mi Xue and the others had just successfully reopened their establishment (ShuShuWu). They had been swamped these past few days, and Zhang Yang hadn't had the chance to gather everyone for a proper expression of gratitude. Now that his immediate tasks were done, he finally had the time. "It's about time you showed up, so you owe us three penalty drinks!" Su Zhantao chuckled mischievously. Zhang Yang blinked slightly, casting a helpless glance at the two-ounce-plus liquor glass in his hand and the bottle beside it. One drink was over two ounces; three penalty drinks would mean downing nearly seven ounces straight. And this was strong liquor. Even with Zhang Yang's high tolerance, drinking that much in one go would be tough. "Zhang Yang is showing great sincerity; why penalize him? I think you should be the one penalized!" Yang Ling looked up and stepped in to smooth things over for Zhang Yang. As soon as she spoke, Su Zhantao immediately lowered his head. Yang Ling currently held absolute sway over Su Zhantao, and he genuinely dared not ignore her words. "Young Master Su, penalties aside, I think if Zhang Yang has the time, perhaps he should come along with us!" Huang Hai also spoke up on Zhang Yang's behalf, though his suggestion left Zhang Yang slightly confused. "Yes, if Zhang Yang comes, we essentially have a divine doctor tagging along; we won't have to worry about getting sick on the road!" Huang Hai's comment made Su Zhantao nod in agreement. He turned back to look directly at Zhang Yang. "I agree. Zhang Yang, you haven't started school yet, right? You should have time recently?" Li Ya immediately raised his hand in assent, and even Long Cheng nodded slightly. The group focused their gazes on Zhang Yang. If Long Feng hadn't been present, Long Cheng would have spoken up sooner. "Wait a minute, what exactly are you talking about? I do have time, but why am I so confused?" Zhang Yang waved his hands quickly, unable to grasp what they were saying. Mi Xue also looked up, equally puzzled. "It’s like this: a few days ago, we guys discussed forming a team for a self-driving tour. This time, we're heading to the Savage Mountain, and we might be there for a while. We didn't notify you because you were busy," Huang Hai explained slowly, then added more detail. After his explanation, Zhang Yang finally understood that these friends planned to assemble a convoy for an excursion. The biggest pastime for these wealthy young men was leisure; once bored with Changjing, they would venture out for fun. Self-driving tours were common, a favorite among many car owners. They had been on such trips before. However, their adventures differed from the ordinary. Simply put, this group consisted of affluent young men looking for thrills because they had too much money to spend. They planned not just a road trip, but also hunting expeditions and forays into primeval mountain ranges. The Savage Mountain was a primeval range famed for rumored sightings of wild men and numerous other mysteries. It was about a thousand kilometers from Changjing, and this was where the group had decided to go. "No problem, as long as you can be back before school starts!" Zhang Yang readily agreed after Huang Hai’s introduction. Ever since obtaining the Shadowless technique in Shanghai, Zhang Yang had contemplated venturing into the mountains to try his luck, hoping to find other suitable rare treasures with Shadowless's help, which he could then use for compounding medicine. If his friends were heading out, it was the perfect chance to go along. Even if they found nothing extraordinary, he could collect other medicinal herbs. In his past life, Zhang Yang had often gathered herbs himself; some medicines were simply unobtainable on the market and required personal collection. "Great, Zhang Yang's agreement is all we needed. We still need a few days to prepare before departing. I'll let you know when we leave!" Huang Hai laughed heartily, while Long Cheng and Li Ya also showed smiles. Su Zhantao, meanwhile, picked up his glass again, clinking it repeatedly with Zhang Yang. He would join this road trip too; he disliked racing, but exploring virgin forests was something he thoroughly enjoyed. Young men sought excitement, and Su Zhantao was no exception.

That evening, Su Zhantao drank quite a bit. Mi Xue took the opportunity to secure some business, as all the men promised to book their corporate hosting events at her new restaurant in the future. While this venue might not match the scale of grand establishments like Wangyue Tower, it was still a high-class restaurant, perfectly suitable for company functions.

Entering a primeval forest required extensive preparation. With Zhang Yang, the divine doctor, accompanying them, Huang Hai and the others felt much more confident, especially Long Cheng, who was aware of Zhang Yang’s formidable skills. With Zhang Yang along, the inherent danger of the trip would be significantly reduced. The more thrilling the pursuit, the more perilous it became; venturing into undeveloped mountain ranges was no different—a single mistake could mean never returning. (To be continued)