No one had expected Director Li to say something like that.

To simply give up his own position? Never mind how much of a jest that statement might have contained; merely observing the fervor in Director Li’s eyes directed at Zhang Yang made it clear that this was no idle talk.

The representatives from the various hospitals had not genuinely examined the patient; they cared only about the final outcome—as long as the patient was well in the end, that was sufficient. Thus, they were unaware of the specific role Zhang Yang had played in the process. Only Director Li, who had personally inspected the patient, knew how astonishing it was to completely eliminate an eye ailment, especially concerning such a delicate organ. Most importantly, Zhang Yang had used neither medicine nor surgery—only eight needles!

A director from Peking Union Medical College Hospital, a chief physician from one of the capital’s top hospitals—such a credential, applied to any young man in his twenties, would be enough to cause a sensation across Beijing.

It could be said that as long as Zhang Yang nodded, he would essentially grace the front pages of all major Beijing newspapers tomorrow, provided Zhang Yang was willing to reveal himself. Otherwise, simply announcing his status as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences would have already secured him the top headline long ago.

Many hospital representatives couldn't help but look upon Zhang Yang with envy. Working at a prestigious institution like Peking Union Medical College Hospital held a significance far beyond mere salary or the title of director at a local hospital; moreover, if he truly joined Union Medical, the compensation would naturally not be lacking.

Director Li was exceedingly earnest. After speaking, he looked at Zhang Yang with renewed enthusiasm, eagerly awaiting his response.

Zhang Yang smiled faintly. This Director Li was truly a lovable old man, and the offer he presented was indeed substantial. It was just unfortunate that Zhang Yang had already made his decision moments before; otherwise, he would certainly have accepted Director Li’s proposition.

Zhang Yang sincerely clasped his hands toward Director Li and said, "Thank you for your high regard, Director Li, but I have already made up my mind. The hospital where I will intern is Jinghe Hospital."

"Ah!" Guo Yong, surrounded by representatives from various hospitals, felt as if he had misheard. His eyes widened in disbelief.

Was Zhang Yang foolish? He actually refused Director Li’s invitation, not even choosing Jingren Hospital, which had offered a million in salary, nor any of the other hospitals that presented superior terms.

"Ah? You want to intern at our hospital?"

Even Guo Yong felt dizzy, as if struck by a pie falling from the sky. It wasn't happiness he felt, but sheer stupefaction; he utterly failed to comprehend why Zhang Yang would ultimately choose his hospital.

He, too, had personally examined the child’s eyes and understood exactly why Director Li offered Zhang Yang such terms. To cure an eye disease completely with traditional Chinese acupuncture—such a feat would likely be unbelievable if spoken aloud.

Furthermore, Guo Yong knew perfectly well that he possessed no conditions that could compare to those offered by the other hospital representatives, let alone Director Li’s offer. To be honest, even he felt a flicker of temptation by Director Li's offer. If he were decades younger, he would rather take the director position at a major hospital like Union Medical than remain the head of Jinghe Hospital.

With Zhang Yang’s medical skill, his future prospects, had he gone to Union Medical, would have been limitless.

"I will be interning at Jinghe Hospital, Dean Guo. Are you not welcoming me?" Zhang Yang blinked, asking with a playful, teasing smile.

"How could we not welcome you? How could we not!" Guo Yong snapped back to reality, slapping his thigh fiercely in excitement. The tingling numbness in his leg confirmed he wasn't dreaming—Zhang Yang truly chose to stay at Jinghe!

Zhang Yang paid no mind to the incomprehension of the other hospital representatives. With his level of ability, future prospects and credentials meant little; he chose Jinghe Hospital purely because of Guo Yong as a person.

This dean was absolutely a good dean; Zhang Yang deeply admired his medical ethics.

Although Jinghe Hospital could not compare to Union Medical, it was still a proper, established hospital. Union Medical was already brimming with talent; adding one more doctor wouldn't significantly change things. If he went there, it would merely be gilding the lily. Staying at Jinghe, however, would allow him to exert his abilities more fully and treat more patients.

Delivering charcoal in snowy weather was naturally better than adding flowers to brocade.

Counting his rebirth, Zhang Yang had lived two lifetimes and understood that in a few years, driven by rampant materialism, too many people would prioritize immediate gain over the lives of others. People like Guo Yong were exceedingly rare and precious.

With someone like Guo Yong in charge, Jinghe Hospital would never decline as it did in his previous life, eventually degenerating into a private hospital that cared only for money.

What’s more, Guo Yong trusted Zhang Yang implicitly and was willing to grant him the maximum possible authority—this was precisely what Zhang Yang valued most.

If he were at Union Medical, Zhang Yang was certain that Director Li would never grant him such broad authority. Take this instance, for example: even with a minor eye ailment, Union Medical would surely have been unwilling to let Zhang Yang use such a high-risk method for treatment, even though this method was the most fundamental way to resolve the root cause.

"Zhang Yang, are you truly decided?" Director Li looked regretful now that Zhang Yang had made his choice. He also felt that Zhang Yang’s decision was a sacrifice, as he could clearly choose a better hospital.

"I sincerely thank you for your great kindness, Director Li, but my decision is set," Zhang Yang replied firmly.

"Very well then. With your medical skill, your talent will not be buried anywhere," Director Li saw Zhang Yang would not change his mind and did not press further. Young people have their own ideas, and that is fine; there is still a long road ahead.

"Thank you, Director Li," Zhang Yang smiled slightly. This Director Li, like Guo Yong, was a kind person, and Zhang Yang held genuine respect for him from the bottom of his heart.

"No need for thanks; it is simply that our Union Medical Hospital was unlucky enough not to have a doctor with your supreme skill," Director Li waved his hand. After a pause, he seemed unable to resist and finally asked, "By the way, Zhang Yang, could you tell me why, during your needling process, the child suddenly began weeping blood again and displayed symptoms that seemed even more severe?"

"That was simply because the child's eye disease was extremely serious. His ailment didn't form overnight but was the result of prolonged overuse of his eyes and excessive pressure, with the fire incident acting as the trigger that caused the sudden outbreak. To be honest, even without the fire, he would likely have gone blind soon enough," Zhang Yang said, finding it strange himself—how could a child under ten suffer from eye strain and excessive pressure? Moreover, until now, he hadn't seen the child’s parents, or even any family member, which was also peculiar.

"So, severe illness requires severe treatment?" Director Li, seasoned by decades of practice, immediately understood what Zhang Yang implied.

Zhang Yang nodded and continued, "Yes. Therefore, I used silver needles to pierce the temples, initially to stabilize the blood vessels in both eyes so that subsequent needling wouldn't affect them. Then, I pierced the Tianying, Jingming, and Sibai acupoints to relieve pressure and guide out the accumulated blood stagnation beneath his eyeballs over a long period, while stimulating ocular acupoints to accelerate the healing of subconjunctival hemorrhage, thereby curing his eye disease."

There was one detail Zhang Yang omitted: possessing the peak mastery of the fourth layer of Inner Force, the silver needles acted merely as a bridge between him and the child. The needles themselves didn't exert much force; the credit belonged primarily to his Inner Force.

This method of treatment was something only Zhang Yang could achieve. Any other doctor daring to insert needles this way, even without the slightest error, would never achieve such results; any lapse in concentration would inevitably lead to the patient’s condition becoming critically worse!

Director Li was unaware of Zhang Yang's Inner Force, but he understood the immense courage and confidence required for such needling treatment, and he gave Zhang Yang a thumbs-up.

The other hospital representatives simultaneously envied Guo Yong. In their eyes, Guo Yong had struck pure gold by obtaining a treasure like Zhang Yang.

Guo Yong, meanwhile, was already beaming so widely that he hadn't heard his old classmate, Zhu Daoqi, call his name two or three times in succession.

"That Guo Yong..." Zhu Daoqi sighed, though his face was beaming. He was genuinely happy for Guo Yong; once Zhang Yang finalized his internship procedures, he would certainly have to treat him to another meal!

"All right, I apologize for taking up everyone's time," Zhang Yang said, seeing that nothing else needed to be done. He was ready to discuss the internship arrangements with Guo Yong; having so many hospital representatives lingering wasn't practical.

Everyone else also had their own matters to attend to; they remained only to try and secure Zhang Yang. Now that Zhang Yang had made his choice, it was inappropriate for them to stay. Hearing Zhang Yang speak, they quickly exchanged polite farewells and departed from Jinghe Hospital.

Inside Jinghe Hospital, soon only Guo Yong, Zhu Daoqi, and Zhang Yang remained.

"Let's go to my office to talk." Having been busy all afternoon, Guo Yong certainly wouldn't discuss internship matters in front of the emergency room doors.

Zhang Yang had just nodded when a desperate wail and commotion echoed down the hospital corridor.

"You go pay the fees!"

"Why should I? You go!"

"My grandson... Doctors, nurses, I beg you... you must save my grandson..."

Zhang Yang instinctively frowned.

Guo Yong froze for a moment, then quickly called out to a female nurse passing by, "What's happening over there?"

"Dean Guo, it's the family of the child who was just in the emergency room," the nurse immediately replied upon being stopped.