Representatives from both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education delivered speeches, during which officials from both departments repeatedly offered praise to Zhang Yang and bestowed accolades upon Changjing University.

The host institution was completely overshadowed by Changjing University's prominence at this event, which left the faculty from other schools feeling a distinct pang of envy, though they outwardly offered their congratulations to Zhu Daoqi, whose grin seemed capable of splitting his face.

This public display was undeniably beneficial to the university.

Primarily, the school has now drawn the favorable attention of high-ranking officials within the Ministry of Education, which will undoubtedly ease the path to future promotions for the university leadership.

This assistance is purely for the administration; the university itself has secured substantial gains.

Firstly, projects from both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education will now see Changjing University prioritized, and securing additional project support translates directly into tangible benefits for both faculty and students.

It is precisely for this reason that Changjing University has become the object of intense jealousy among peer institutions.

Following the morning’s concluding remarks and awards, the event officially concluded with great success.

Students from various universities began their departures, though a handful of schools opted to stay an extra day, allowing their students a chance to relax and fully enjoy a day out in Shanghai.

Among those who remained was Changjing University. Having achieved such significant success, the administration was generous, immediately disbursing the promised one-thousand yuan bonus cash prizes so that their students could fully indulge themselves.

That afternoon, Zhang Yang made his way first to the Shanghai Municipal People's Hospital.

Elder Qiao’s recovery was progressing remarkably well; he had managed to eat something after waking up, and Wang Bin's full-body examination yielded results that astonished even him.

The foreign specialists who had not yet departed were calling it a miracle, and many sought to arrange meetings with Zhang Yang, all of whom he courteously declined.

Zhang Yang currently had no desire for such exchanges; he had participated in countless similar interactions in his previous life.

Moreover, Elder Qiao's rapid recovery was solely due to the efficacy of the Thousand-Year Ginseng Pellet—a true spiritual medicine. While it might not have the power to forcibly restore his spirit and save him, improving his overall constitution was well within its capabilities. Zhang Yang had no intention of offering explanations regarding the spiritual medicine.

“Zhang Yang, you’ve arrived!”

Gu Fang had been waiting at the hospital entrance and immediately strode forward with a beaming face upon spotting Zhang Yang’s vehicle.

Shi Qiang and Shao Yuping were beside him; they had rushed over to visit Elder Qiao upon hearing the news of his revival. Shao Yuping regarded Zhang Yang with a particularly complex expression.

They had all heard that saving Elder Qiao was entirely Zhang Yang’s doing. This meant the Qiao family now owed Zhang Yang an immense debt of gratitude. With this leverage, Zhang Yang could practically walk through Shanghai unimpeded for the rest of his life.

“I can go straight to the ward myself; there was no need for you to come out and meet me!”

Zhang Yang stepped out of the car, offering a faint smile. He understood that Gu Fang’s reception was a gesture of respect, but Zhang Yang disliked such formality, as excessive politeness often created distance.

“It’s the least we can do. Zhang Yang, if it weren’t for you, we honestly wouldn’t have known what to do this time,” Gu Fang chuckled, awkwardly rubbing his hands together, clearly agitated.

He was indeed excited. While his maternal grandfather’s rescue was due to Zhang Yang, he, in turn, was the one who had brought Zhang Yang into the situation, making him a major contributor in his family’s eyes. Over the past two days, his family’s attitude toward him had improved noticeably. Where he was once criticized for neglecting his career in favor of leisure, no one had voiced such complaints recently.

Zhang Yang smiled faintly and said softly, “Let’s go see Elder Qiao first.”

Zhang Yang walked ahead, with Gu Fang following close behind. Shi Qiang and Shao Yuping walked alongside. From the moment Zhang Yang exited his car, Shao Yuping had been watching him, yet Zhang Yang didn't spare her a single glance.

Zhang Yang never paid attention to people he disliked or felt indifferent toward, and Shao Yuping definitely fell into that category.

Shi Qiang sighed inwardly as he watched his cousin. He knew her headstrong nature well; she was beyond the control of her family, and even sending her abroad for studies hadn't changed her. Upon her return, her mannerisms became even bolder, as if she held no one in high regard.

None of the young men her family introduced her to had ever caught her interest, nor did the various outstanding young elites around them impress her. She often declared that she would only choose a man who was like a hero. Shi Qiang wasn't sure if Zhang Yang fit the 'hero' mold, but Shao Yuping had mentioned him frequently in the last few days. Upon hearing that Zhang Yang had saved Gu Fang’s grandfather, she insisted on coming immediately, dragging him along.

Their stated excuse was to visit the elder of a good friend, but Shi Qiang was keenly aware of her underlying motives. She was here to see Zhang Yang. His cousin clearly felt differently about Zhang Yang than about others, which worried Shi Qiang, given Zhang Yang’s cold reception toward her.

While Shi Qiang was contemplating this, they entered the ward building. Elder Qiao had been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit that morning; his recovery was so robust that he no longer required continuous monitoring there. The environment of the ICU certainly couldn't compare to these private, villa-like VIP wards.

When Zhang Yang arrived, Elder Qiao was semi-reclined, while his youngest daughter read the newspaper aloud to him. Before his illness struck, Elder Qiao required someone to read the papers to him daily; though his body was frail, his mind was sharp, and he could discern many issues from the news reports.

“Divine Doctor Zhang, you’ve arrived!”

Upon seeing Zhang Yang enter, the woman reading immediately paused and greeted him with great deference. They all understood that this young man had pulled their father back from the brink of death; he was the family’s great benefactor.

“I just came to check on Elder Qiao’s condition,” Zhang Yang replied with a light smile. The woman immediately yielded her seat to him, and Elder Qiao, half-reclined, also smiled warmly at Zhang Yang.

“Thank you, Divine Doctor Zhang, please take a seat,” Elder Qiao murmured softly. His voice was not as clear as when he first awoke yesterday, but it was significantly better than it had been just before this episode. Before this recent severe episode, his speech had been even more slurred, intelligible only to his youngest daughter.

“Please, you don't need to be so formal. I am hardly a divine doctor. You can call me Xiao Zhang, or Doctor Zhang, either is fine!” Zhang Yang smiled gently, taking the seat the young woman had just vacated.

The moment he settled in, his eyes instantly brightened, and a subtle shade of joy crossed his face.

A system notification chimed: Ding-dong! The Level Five Mission, 'Save Elder Qiao,' was successfully completed. In addition to overall improvements in his physical attributes, he had received a reward of five points of [Freedom Ability Value]. Furthermore, there were three points of random ability points—two were automatically added to his Internal Strength, and one point was allocated to Medical Skills.

This meant Zhang Yang's Internal Strength could be increased by a total of seven ability points in one go. Though he didn't achieve the maximum score of eight points, he was still satisfied. After the two randomly distributed points were added, Zhang Yang felt only a slight uplift in spirit, lacking the distinct warm current he used to feel. As his Internal Strength grew, the addition of just two points no longer produced such a noticeable sensation.

It was only after Zhang Yang allocated all five points to 'Zhang Family Qigong' that the familiar warm sensation reappeared, making him so comfortable he almost cried out.

Unfortunately, this was hardly the setting for elation, as a patient still awaited his attention. The flicker of joy on Zhang Yang's face, and his brief communication with the system, lasted less than half a minute; throughout this time, his hands remained subtly occupied, and no one noticed anything amiss.

Zhang Yang first took Elder Qiao’s pulse, nodding gently after confirming it. After consuming the Soul-Returning Grass, Elder Qiao’s spirit had greatly improved. Combined with the Thousand-Year Ginseng Pellet Zhang Yang had previously administered, Elder Qiao’s body was now in excellent condition.

If he continued his recovery regimen based on current progress, and with a few more auxiliary treatments from Zhang Yang in the future, Elder Qiao would absolutely be able to walk independently with a cane, perhaps tending to flowers or birds. Furthermore, his body would no longer be prone to such sudden breakdowns. Although he had brushed against the gates of death this time, it was a blessing in disguise; his health would remain robust for at least several years.

After exchanging a few brief words, Zhang Yang stood up to take his leave. His purpose today was only to check on Elder Qiao’s status. Since the elder was fine, and his mission was complete, there was no reason to linger. Shi Yan and the others were waiting for him on Jinling Road, and with truly free time and money in his pocket, it would be a disservice to himself not to visit the famous Jinling Road Pedestrian Street to do some shopping.

“Zhang Yang, let me escort you!”

After a few attempts to persuade him to stay proved futile, Gu Fang ceased pressing and walked Zhang Yang out. The other members of the Qiao family also came out of the ward to see him off, urging Zhang Yang to visit Shanghai whenever he had the chance, as his grandfather’s continued recovery would depend on him.

“Zhang Yang, this is for you!”

Upon reaching the exit of the ward building, Gu Fang pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it directly to Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang accepted it without ceremony and opened it in front of Gu Fang. Inside was a bank check for twenty million yuan in cash—this was the Qiao family’s consultation fee. After considering the villa gifted by Elder Wu, they ultimately decided on twenty million as compensation for Zhang Yang. Elder Qiao’s life was certainly worth far more than twenty million; this was merely a token of the Qiao family’s sincerity, as they felt it inappropriate not to offer something substantial.

“And this!”

Gu Fang then produced a set of keys and pressed them into Zhang Yang’s hand before stating, “Don’t mind that it’s a used car; that Bugatti was incredibly difficult for me to acquire—it’s a global limited edition, a gift to thank you!”

In addition to the twenty million consultation fee, Gu Fang gifted Zhang Yang his personal prized vehicle. They had first met at a racetrack, and Gu Fang knew Zhang Yang shared a passion for high-performance cars. He had pondered for a long time but could find no better gift than his Bugatti. This car was valued at over $400,000 abroad, but bringing it into the country easily doubled that price; it was certainly a valuable present.

“A gentleman does not take what is unnecessary. I accept the consultation fee, but please keep the car for yourself,” Zhang Yang said with a smile, looking at the keys in his hand. He accepted the twenty million—Zhang Yang practiced medicine to save lives, but he would also collect his due compensation, which was what he had earned. He had used a Thousand-Year Ginseng Pellet for Elder Qiao’s sake and nearly lost his own life in the process, and his arm was still injured; collecting twenty million was not excessive.

Zhang Yang did not charge arbitrarily. For instance, he accepted no fee from those he had saved at the auto show. He charged more from those who could afford it and less, or nothing at all, from those who could not.