Chapter 837: Young and Promising

Chapter 837: Chapter 837: Young and Promising

Returning home, Kang Yanyan didn’t even bother washing up. The first thing she did was open the official registration mini-app for the Feng City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She typed "Li Xu" into the search bar. The page refreshed, and a photo of a young doctor in a white coat popped up.

Kang Yanyan froze. "He’s this young?"

The man in the photo was lean and clean-cut. His gaze was peaceful, and a faint, refined smile played at the corners of his mouth. Looking at his resume, he was indeed only in his early thirties, yet his titles read "Vice Dean" and "TCM Internal Medicine Expert."

As a secretary to a high-ranking official, Kang Yanyan had interacted with countless deans and experts. Every single one of them had graying hair and a dignified, composed aura. For someone as young as Li Xu to sit in such a position, he either had a profound background or truly possessed extraordinary skills.

She continued scrolling through his resume and patient reviews. The comment section under the registration system was filled entirely with glowing praise.

"Dr. Li is truly a miracle worker. Just three doses of his medicine cured my mom’s ten-year insomnia."

"Young and promising with a gentle attitude. He doesn’t prescribe unnecessary tests. He’s the hope of Feng City’s traditional Chinese medicine."

"He has noble medical ethics. This is what you call a true Great Physician for the people."

Reading these comments, Kang Yanyan’s curiosity was piqued. In a medical industry that placed extreme importance on seniority and age, it was highly unusual for a thirty-year-old young man to garner such high praise. She operated her phone deftly and snagged the number seven spot for Li Xu’s clinic tomorrow morning.

"Li Xu... I hope you truly live up to your reputation. Otherwise, Director Tian will have made this trip for nothing," Kang Yanyan prayed silently in her heart, looking at the successful appointment prompt on her screen.

The next morning.

Carrying freshly bought fish fillet congee and a few light pastries, Kang Yanyan knocked on Tian Wen’s door right on time. As a secretary, she knew Director Tian’s schedule and physical condition like the back of her hand. Even though the director had gone home last night, her tightly furrowed brows and frequent trips to the restroom along the way had kept Kang Yanyan tossing and turning all night.

The door opened. Tian Wen stood in the entryway wearing beige loungewear, gripping a toothbrush. Her complexion still looked somewhat ashen, and there were distinct dark circles under her eyes. It was obvious she had been tormented quite a bit last night.

"Morning, Director Tian," Kang Yanyan greeted softly as she changed her shoes. "Have some congee to pad your stomach first. Your digestion is weak, so something hot in the morning will make you feel better."

"Mhm. Just put it over there," Tian Wen replied, her voice tinged with hoarseness.

She walked into the bathroom. The vanity was neatly lined with various everyday medications, including a few bottles of Western medicine for cystitis that were already more than half empty. After washing up, Tian Wen sat at the dining table, her movements somewhat sluggish.

As Kang Yanyan served her the congee, she carefully observed her superior’s expression and probed cautiously, "Director Tian, I’ve already secured the appointment. It’s for the 9:00 to 9:30 AM slot, so we’re pretty early in the queue. However, I looked up Dr. Li Xu’s background yesterday. Even though he has great online reviews and holds the title of Vice Dean, his professional rank is only that of an attending physician. He’s in his early thirties at best. How about... I contact the major hospitals in Feng City instead and have Professor Liu or Director Shen take a look at you? They’re both renowned senior experts in the province; their experience is definitely far more seasoned."

Tian Wen took a spoonful of congee. The warm liquid sliding into her stomach finally relaxed her expression a bit. She put down the spoon and shook her head.

"Yanyan, have I not booked enough appointments with those top provincial experts for this illness? I’ve seen Professor Liu, and I’ve called in favors to be checked by Director Shen. I’ve taken antibiotics and consumed plenty of ready-made Chinese medicines. And the result? It’s just like what that taxi driver said: ’If you’re running on the wrong track, it doesn’t matter how fast you go.’"

She laughed self-deprecatingly and continued, "Going there this time is partly for the medical consultation. But more importantly, isn’t our Health Commission currently drafting the shortlist for the ’Top Ten Outstanding Young Doctors in the Province’? Among this batch of nominees, I remember the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine submitted a few names. Even though it hasn’t reached my desk for final approval yet, I need to go down and take a look around. We set the policies, and we enforce the standards. But if we don’t visit the front lines and listen to what the common folks consider a ’good doctor,’ those red-headed official documents sitting in our offices will just become castles in the air."

Kang Yanyan’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly nodded with newfound reverence. "You still think the most thoroughly, Director Tian. My perspective was too narrow."

She knew very well that the Health Commission’s focus in recent years had consistently leaned toward the grassroots level and young talents. A cross-regional outstanding physician selection like this was more than just a matter of prestige. It directly impacted subsequent research funding allocations, the cultivation of academic leaders, and the administrative planning of medical resources. Director Tian was taking matters into her own hands to gauge the "public reputation" of the Feng City medical system.

"Alright, enough with the flattery. Drive your own private car later; let’s keep a low profile." Tian Wen stood up and subconsciously pressed her lower abdomen, her brows furrowing once again. This inescapable, heavy dragging sensation gave her no peace for even a moment.

At exactly nine o’clock, a plain white family car parked in the lot of the Feng City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Wearing a face mask and a dark gray cashmere overcoat, Tian Wen walked into the outpatient hall, accompanied by Kang Yanyan.

Compared to the crowded and noisy Grade 3A general hospitals in the city center, the decor of the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine appeared much more quaint and classical. A faint scent of mugwort and herbal medicine permeated the air, slightly calming their restless minds.

"Director Tian, we’re checked in. There are three patients ahead of us," Kang Yanyan said, waving the queue ticket in her hand.

The two sat on a bench in the waiting area, and Tian Wen silently observed her surroundings. She noticed that among the people here to see Li Xu, a surprisingly large number had traveled from out of town.

An elderly couple sat nearby, holding test result bags from another province. They muttered to each other, "Our neighbor said Dean Li is absolutely brilliant at treating spleen and stomach issues. We’ve traveled to seven or eight cities already; this time, we have to get a proper check-up."

"Public reputation..." Tian Wen murmured the words softly.

Having been in the system for so long, she was used to seeing all sorts of artificially packaged "experts." Because of that, she was far more willing to trust this kind of raw, unadulterated evaluation.

"Patient number 7, Tian Wen, please proceed to Consultation Room 3."

At the synthesized electronic voice, Kang Yanyan hurriedly stood up and supported Tian Wen. "Director, it’s our turn."

Pushing open the door to the consultation room, a rush of warmth greeted them. The room wasn’t large, but it was organized in perfect order. Behind the consultation desk sat a young man in a crisply ironed white coat, exuding the refined and calm demeanor of a scholar. Beside him sat a young woman with her hair tied in a ponytail, diligently taking notes in a notebook.