"Oh, I just wanted to ask if you knew anything about Jinghe Hospital?" Zhu Daoqi hadn't forgotten the favor he promised his old classmate, Guo Yong, and now that he saw Zhang Yang, he needed to put in a good word for him.

"Jinghe Hospital?"

Zhang Yang frowned. He had an impression of this hospital. It was an ordinary private hospital in Changjing, which, unlike others catering only to the wealthy elite, had always focused on serving the common people. Before his accident and rebirth, its reputation was quite good.

However, Zhang Yang did recall that just before his accident, the hospital's original director had seemingly resigned following a medical malpractice case. The director who took over was a notoriously greedy individual, and it was around that time that Jinghe Hospital, which had always served the populace, transformed into an aristocratic private institution.

"I know the hospital. What about it?" Zhang Yang looked at Zhu Daoqi strangely, knowing he wouldn't bring up a hospital randomly.

"Well... it's like this." Zhu Daoqi paused, then decided to tell Zhang Yang directly. "Guo Yong, the director of Jinghe Hospital, is my old classmate. He is very keen for you to intern at their hospital. He reached out to me a few days ago. I know Guo Yong well, so if I recommend Jinghe Hospital to you, I believe you will be even better at saving lives under his guidance."

"Of course, if you feel Jinghe Hospital isn't suitable, that’s fine too. Just refuse him directly." Zhu Daoqi was aware of Jinghe Hospital’s current situation. Although it was a private hospital, having maintained its focus on the common people, it couldn't offer a substantial sum to court Zhang Yang.

Fifty thousand? Zhu Daoqi recalled Guo Yong’s words during their dinner that day and sighed inwardly; fifty thousand wasn't a small sum for Guo Yong either.

Guo Yong? Zhang Yang suddenly remembered—the director who resigned due to a medical accident was indeed named Guo Yong.

Zhang Yang knitted his brows. According to his memories before rebirth, Guo Yong’s reputation had always been decent. If it hadn't been for the misjudgment in that medical case that resulted in a child losing their sight, Jinghe Hospital probably wouldn't have become an aristocratic private hospital.

Since Zhu Daoqi said the director of Jinghe Hospital was still Guo Yong, it meant that medical accident hadn't happened yet.

"Alright, Director Zhu, I will give it serious consideration." Zhang Yang finished speaking and left Zhu Daoqi's office.

Zhang Yang didn't agree immediately. He still decided to meet with representatives from other hospitals that afternoon before deciding where to intern. However, since Director Zhu had brought it up, Zhang Yang resolved to meet Guo Yong and see if there was an opportunity to offer him a subtle warning.

As he exited the Academy building, Zhang Yang saw Gu Cheng. Once the news of Zhang Yang's return spread, Changjing University erupted once more.

Below the office building of the Changjing University School of Medicine, crowds of impeccably dressed men swarmed in, including some elderly gentlemen whose hair was entirely white. These individuals were all renowned medical professors and doctors from Changjing.

Naturally, they were now representing their respective hospitals, all gathered here vying for an intern. They had all been ushered into a large conference room, accompanied by several leaders from Changjing University.

Zhang Yang arrived punctually. Seeing Zhang Yang, Zhu Daoqi quickly waved him over. Upon seeing Zhang Yang, the hospital representatives, who had been engaged in discussions, unanimously turned their gaze toward him standing at the conference room entrance.

Zhang Yang was taken aback. He had originally assumed the competition for him as an intern would only involve a few hospitals within Changjing, but there were at least forty people in the conference room.

Some of these faces he recognized from before his rebirth; they were pillars of several hospitals in Southeast Province. Not only provincial figures, but many unfamiliar faces among them spoke with distinct out-of-town accents—it seemed representatives from hospitals outside the province had been dispatched.

"You must be Zhang Yang!"

Seeing Zhang Yang, an elderly gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair stepped forward. He scrutinized Zhang Yang for a moment and said with great satisfaction, "Young man, you are quite impressive. Are you interested in joining our Beijing Xiehe Hospital?"

"This is Director Li from Xiehe Hospital," Zhu Daoqi quickly introduced beside Zhang Yang.

Xiehe Hospital! That was a famous hospital in Beijing, arguably one of the top-tier major hospitals everywhere. No wonder Director Li dared to step forward first. Indeed, among the nearly forty hospital representatives present, only Xiehe Hospital had sent a mere director.

The rest were mostly Vice Directors or held equivalent positions at their respective hospitals.

Zhang Yang narrowed his eyes. Hospitals in Beijing, while excellent, had many rigid rules. Zhang Yang knew that many of his methods for prescribing medicine and treatment procedures did not entirely conform to protocol. In the capital's hospitals, which prized adherence to rules above all else, he would be too constrained. He had already experienced this in his previous life, having to work hard just to gain acceptance—a process he did not wish to repeat.

"Thank you for your regard, Director Li, but I don't think Xiehe Hospital might be the right fit for me!" Zhang Yang smiled and politely declined Director Li's invitation.

Director Li was momentarily stunned; he clearly hadn't expected Zhang Yang to reject him so directly.

"Zhang Yang, come to Changjing First Hospital!" Seeing Zhang Yang reject the representative from a major Beijing hospital, a middle-aged man immediately stood up and addressed him. "Come to our Changjing First Hospital, and we'll make you a full-time employee immediately. With your ability, how can you still be an intern!"

"This is Vice Director Zhao from Changjing First Hospital," Zhu Daoqi quickly introduced to Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang remained silent. Suddenly, the rare calm in the conference room was utterly shattered. It was like a marketplace had broken out as the nearly forty representatives from various hospitals surged toward the doorway, all shouting their offers simultaneously.

"Zhang Yang, consider our Changjing Third Hospital. Don't worry, if you join us, I guarantee you'll be promoted within a year!"

"A year? Vice Director Sun is being stingy. Zhang Yang, I am Zheng Jie from Changjing Fourth Hospital. If you come to us, I'll arrange for you to be an Associate Department Head immediately, and after a short while, we'll make you permanent!"

"Zhang Yang, come to our hospital, and we'll directly appoint you as an Associate Director!"

"Zhang Yang..."

The scene devolved into chaos. Everyone crowded near the door, unable to exit or allow others in. Zhu Daoqi and the school leaders were terrified. They hadn't anticipated that these hospital representatives, many of them elderly doctors, would be so desperate for talent.

Zhang Yang noticed Guo Yong, the director of Jinghe Hospital that Zhu Daoqi had mentioned. At first, he wanted to speak up, but as others began throwing out their terms, Guo Yong grew quieter and quieter.

Just then, seemingly unable to push through the crowd at the back, a hospital representative shouted loudly, "Zhang Yang, come to our Jingren Hospital! Not only will we make you permanent immediately, but we will also offer you a salary of one million!"

One million!

Instantly, the conference room fell silent.

One million, in this era, still carried a direct and shocking impact. Offering a million salary to an intern was unprecedented.

And the one capable of offering such a sum could only be one of Changjing's famous aristocratic private hospitals: Jingren Hospital.

The representative from Jingren Hospital was Zhou Guofeng, a portly man with a large head. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, clearly pleased with the effect he had created.

Zhang Yang's research proposal on asthma presented to Changjing Third Hospital, combined with his presentations at Changjing University on immune rejection and single-gene mutation therapy, made Jingren Hospital willing to offer this price.

Jingren Hospital didn't lack money; it lacked renowned doctors. The director of Jingren Hospital was also an influential figure and had somehow heard that Zhang Yang had treated many powerful and influential figures. For this alone, Jinghe Hospital, a fellow aristocratic facility, wouldn't let Zhang Yang slip away.

"Well, Student Zhang Yang?" The other hospital representatives unconsciously parted a path, allowing Zhou Guofeng to approach Zhang Yang. Zhou Guofeng maintained a smug smile, his already small eyes narrowed into slits, his fleshy cheeks quivering with his movements.

He knew Zhang Yang was wealthy and lived in a villa, but he was more convinced that no one would refuse money placed right in front of them—this was a million, not ten or twenty thousand.

"I apologize, healing people is my duty. I became a doctor not to make money," Zhang Yang said, looking at Zhou Guofeng, speaking every word deliberately.

Zhou Guofeng was stunned, not expecting Zhang Yang to reject him outright.

"Good! Well said!"

The one who suddenly spoke was Director Li from Beijing Xiehe Hospital, who had spoken first. He looked at Zhang Yang, his satisfaction growing. "Healing people, that is the true calling of a physician. Nowadays, some doctors are just blinded by money."

As he spoke, Director Li glanced dismissively at Zhou Guofeng, then turned back to Zhang Yang. "Zhang Yang, come to Xiehe. I promise you, after you’ve been here for a while and achieved something, I will promote you. The administrative rank of an official at Xiehe is surely higher than that of a department head in an ordinary hospital, isn't it?"

"Zhang Yang, this is one million! If you just nod, it’s practically yours for free!" Zhou Guofeng couldn't believe it and shouted out loud in disbelief.

Zhang Yang frowned almost imperceptibly. Before his accident, Zhang Yang had seen reports in newspapers about Jingren Hospital. This private hospital did not have a good reputation in Changjing. Poor people couldn't afford to stay there; the fees for medicine and hospitalization were outrageously high. If you couldn't pay the fees, then sorry, medication would stop immediately, and you would be escorted out of the hospital.

No matter how much money such a hospital offered Zhang Yang, he would never go there.

"I will not be going to Jingren Hospital," Zhang Yang told Zhou Guofeng. "Vice Director Zhou, perhaps you should not waste any more time here. Please return."

"Zhang Yang, think about it again!" Zhou Guofeng, having lost face, was unwilling to give up and rushed forward, intending to confront Zhang Yang directly.

However, on his way, he knocked over a representative from another hospital. (To be continued)