“I have a habit of waking up early to go for a run!” Zhang Yang pulled out his chair, sat down first, and murmured softly. Zhu Daoqi nodded slightly, smiling faintly, "Not many young people enjoy exercising early in the morning.

Zhang Yang is quite commendable!" Zhao Qiang and Shi Yan, along with the others, all turned to look at Zhang Yang. Zhao Qiang even grumbled that Zhang Yang hadn't woken him up; if he had known, he would have gone out to exercise too, saving him the trouble of returning so early and brooding.

After a brief chat, everyone went to get their plates to start eating breakfast. When Zhang Yang returned, the others had just arrived.

A small spat with the Jinda group had soured the mood, leaving many without much appetite, including Zhu Daoqi, who hadn't eaten much. This exchange program consisted of three days of theoretical discussions followed by seven days of practical internship at the hospital.

The first three days were dedicated to theory. There was no opening ceremony today; everyone would gather in a small auditorium where one student selected from each school would present their insights or research topics.

Most attendees were undergraduates, so their so-called research topics were naturally scarce, focusing mostly on personal reflections. This served as a way to gauge the teaching standards of each institution.

After breakfast, the group boarded the large buses sent by Tongji Medical College. Three buses in total quickly ferried everyone to the small auditorium on campus, a hall capable of seating three hundred people.

Besides the hundred-plus participants from their contingent, experts from various hospitals in Shanghai and the surrounding areas were also present. These were the shining stars from the top medical schools, eager to scout for promising talent to bring back to their own institutions.

Additionally, there were thirty observers from Tongji University. Observers were students allowed to sit in and watch but not participate.

Such exchange activities offered excellent learning opportunities for every student, and the host, Tongji Medical College, certainly didn't want to waste the chance. Aside from the students they sent to present, the observers were also carefully selected for their intelligence and excellent grades.

Including some school administrators, the total attendance was around two hundred people, making the small auditorium feel comfortably full. “Professor Zhu, let me take the stage today!” Not long after sitting down, Zhang Yang suddenly said this to Zhu Daoqi.

The others nearby immediately turned their heads, looking at Zhang Yang in astonishment. Shi Yan, in particular, was revising her notes one last time.

She was scheduled to share her practical experiences—while not a research topic, her insights were highly practical and invaluable for students who hadn't yet started interning. Content with strong practical application was, to a certain degree, as valuable as research topics that hadn't yet yielded results.

Zhu Daoqi also looked surprised, but Zhang Yang's voluntary offer sparked further thought. “Zhang Yang, are you confident?” After a moment, Zhu Daoqi slowly asked the question.

The other senior students and the accompanying teacher turned back, staring at him in shock. From his tone alone, it was clear he was leaning towards accepting Zhang Yang’s request.

Zhang Yang smiled faintly and said softly, “I have a pending research project that is progressing very well. I am confident!” The project he referred to was Su Shaohua's condition—multiple primary asthma—a challenge he had overcome in his previous life, which led to his nomination for the Nobel Prize in Medicine, and was universally recognized as a global enigma.

Presenting such a topic at a medical student exchange might seem like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. However, it was undeniable that such a topic held immense appeal for many.

“Shi Yan, you won’t be presenting today; let Zhang Yang go instead!” Zhu Daoqi studied Zhang Yang for a moment before turning back and quietly telling Shi Yan. Shi Yan did not object or show anger, merely looking at Zhang Yang with a touch of confusion.

Zhang Yang offered her an apologetic smile. He had suddenly replaced her after she had prepared for so long.

Anyone else in her position would likely be furious. Zhang Yang was already considering offering some form of compensation if she became upset—perhaps mentoring her in medical skills for rapid progress, or some other form of recompense.

Shi Yan’s complete lack of reaction slightly surprised him. “You all wait here; I’ll go notify them about the change!” Zhu Daoqi stood up and walked toward the organizers' seating area.

The presentation list had already been submitted, so a last-minute alteration required informing the other side. Upon learning that Changjing University was making a last-minute change, the organizers were also surprised, inquiring if the original student had encountered some sort of issue.

Everyone knew that presenters were designated in advance and fully prepared; a last-minute replacement usually implied an unforeseen emergency, such as illness. This was why they asked.

When they learned that the original presenter had no emergency and the switch was purely voluntary, the organizers appeared even more astonished. Surprise aside, they proceeded to amend the speaking roster as requested by Changda.

This request was permissible, falling within their autonomy. Soon, the exchange activity officially commenced.

Each student was allotted twenty minutes for a free presentation, followed by ten minutes for questions. It was not easy to convey one's intended message within such a short window, and the subsequent ten minutes of questioning presented a significant trial.

Since they were all medical professionals, many areas of knowledge overlapped and were understood by all. Being stumped not only caused personal embarrassment but also brought shame upon one's university.

It was important to remember that questioners were not limited to students from other schools; experts from the participating hospitals also had the right to question. The first to take the stage was the representative from Tongji Medical College.

He was a seemingly bright and energetic young man who spoke on a medical topic concerning influenza—a minor subject area. Though described as minor, it was by no means simple.

The bright young man presented his points logically and clearly, earning bursts of enthusiastic applause within the first five minutes of his speech. During his twenty-minute presentation, he received four rounds of applause from the entire audience, which spoke volumes about his capability.

The students and faculty of Tongji Medical College wore brilliant smiles. As the hosts, they needed to establish a strong presence from the outset, and they were extremely satisfied with this opening performance.

The following ten minutes of Q&A heated up the atmosphere considerably. The bright young man addressed every question related to his topic meticulously, providing excellent explanations.

Students from other schools also posed questions, though theirs were less pointed than those from the experts. Nevertheless, he answered them all.

The ten minutes passed quickly, and many felt they hadn't heard enough, wishing to continue their inquiries, but time had run out. Several expert representatives from the hospitals secretly noted the bright young man's name, planning to seek him out for further discussion or to see if they could recruit such a talent for their own hospitals after the event concluded.

This was, without a doubt, a rare gem of talent. When the bright young man stepped down, the entire hall erupted in the most fervent applause.

Every student from Tongji Medical College beamed with pride—this was collective honor. Zhang Yang also offered the young man a slight nod and a smile.

This young man was excellent. In his previous life, Zhang Yang admitted he would have been tempted to recruit him for his own hospital.

Tongji, as one of the nation's foremost medical universities, indeed possessed deep resources. The students scheduled to present next from other schools looked somewhat subdued.

Some realized they simply couldn't compete with Tongji Medical College’s representative. Others remained unconcerned; Tongji’s reputation was well-known, and they hadn't come expecting to match Tongji’s presenters, content as long as they secured a good ranking.

The second speaker was a student from Hangzhou University. He shared some personal insights, delivering a commendable presentation.

Many students nodded in agreement while listening, yet it lacked the sustained, enthusiastic applause elicited by the previous young man. Applause only came once his speech concluded, and it was noticeably weaker than before.

During the Q&A session that followed, the experts showed no intense desire to interrogate him as they had before; mostly students asked common questions, which he answered thoroughly. The ten minutes passed quickly.

His presentation itself was quite good, free of errors, and he addressed all inquiries comprehensively. Unfortunately, the stark contrast provided by the opening act made his own performance seem comparatively dim.

This left the supervising teacher from Hangzhou quite disgruntled. He began considering whether he should suggest to the organizers later that hosts should present last, perhaps as the finale, rather than opening the session, otherwise, subsequent speakers would inevitably be overshadowed, serving only as supporting foliage.

Part of attending these events was vying for honor and reputation for one’s own school; no one wanted to be the supporting act. The entire morning passed quickly.

Almost every student who presented was affected by the performance of Tongji’s bright young man, and subsequent presentations failed to stand out significantly. However, many students gained substantial knowledge and learned a great deal.

The objective of an exchange is fundamentally to promote learning and mutual advancement—showcasing one's strengths while absorbing the strengths of others. From this perspective, the initial goal had been achieved with good results.

Many students were diligently taking notes, intending to share what they learned with their peers upon returning, effectively carrying the conference's achievements back to their respective schools. This multiplication of impact was precisely what both the educational and health departments hoped to see.

“Zhang Yang, that guy was incredible. The influenza topic is notoriously difficult, yet he presented it so well, and their research is so deep!” During lunch, Zhao Qiang exclaimed with deep emotion, then glanced worriedly at Zhang Yang.

With Zhang Yang’s sudden decision to take the stage, no one knew how prepared he was, and having such a formidable competitor right at the start made shining afterward seem exceptionally hard. Shi Yan also looked at Zhang Yang.

She knew clearly that if she had presented, she certainly wouldn't have matched that first bright young man. However, she hadn't worried excessively; her school hadn't put that kind of pressure on her; she only needed to surpass the students from Jinling University.

Second update; more to follow.