Chapter 403

The leaders had just left when Chenyang, for his part, finished the treatment.

In the eyes of others, he had merely taken some silver needles, inserted them a few times, and made a few adjustments.

But those who truly understood the art knew that acupuncture was a healing method that was both physically and mentally demanding.

Having completed the treatment, Chenyang’s clothes were soaked with sweat, and a look of fatigue crossed his face.

He paid no mind to how others might see him and lit a cigarette for himself.

Between puffs, he gave some instructions to the nearby medical staff before stepping out of the ambulance.

He had been completely focused on the treatment moments before and hadn’t paid much attention to the scene outside.

The moment he stepped down, his expression faltered at the sight before him.

“Holy shit. All I did was save one person. Where did all these people come from?”

Doctor Liu gave a wry smile. “It’s the celebrity effect. A big star like Lin Jiji showing up in person is naturally going to attract a ton of fans.”

Chenyang frowned. “Isn’t he just some B-list celebrity? He has this many fans in our Yang City?”

“Of course not. About half the people here are his fans. The other half is a mix—ordinary citizens who followed the leaders, people who are just here for the spectacle, patients and their families, and some media types.”

“At a glance, there must be at least a thousand people here, right?”

“Probably more than a thousand. Our courtyard is the biggest of all the hospitals in Yang City. Look at it, it’s almost two-thirds full. By my estimate, if it’s not two thousand, it’s not far off.”

“Damn. This has really blown up.”

“Not only has it blown up, but it’s also become a huge mess to clean up.”

Just then, Yan Rongrong came over, munching on a block of dry ramen noodles. She stood next to Chenyang and pointed at the people on the steps. “See that man in the white shirt with the square face and black-framed glasses?”

Chenyang nodded. “Yeah. He’s got a powerful presence, and he’s surrounded by Vice Dean Kang and the others. Is he some high-ranking official?”

“That’s right. His name is Zhang Hongtu. He used to be the secretary to the Municipal Party Secretary, as well as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Committee Office. During the recent leadership reshuffle, he was promoted to Vice Mayor, and he also concurrently holds the position of Director of the People’s Congress.”

“Tsk. Vice Mayor… Doesn’t that make him the third or fourth most powerful person in Yang City?”

“A vice mayor with no real authority would be, sure. But he also serves as the Director of the People’s Congress. With those two titles stacked together, even if his rank is technically a bit lower, his actual power is no less than the second-in-command’s.”

Chenyang asked curiously, “I remember your dad is a bureau chief, but he’s also a vice mayor, right? If you compare the two of them, who’s more powerful?”

Yan Rongrong mulled it over. “In terms of influence, it’s probably my dad. But in terms of rank and the power in his hands, it’s Zhang Hongtu, no question. Plus, his potential is much greater than my dad’s because he’s the number one leader’s most trusted man. That’s why back when he was just a deputy secretary-general, my dad would have to be the one to offer him a cigarette and say hello.”

Chenyang frowned. “Even though what’s happened these past two days hasn’t been trivial, is it really necessary to bring in such a major figure? When you boil it down, this is just a personal grudge between a celebrity and a minor doctor like me.”

“It’s a personal grudge, that’s true, but in just two short days, you’ve turned Yang City’s online sphere into a toxic mess and disrupted the normal operations of the largest hospital in the city. The damage to public opinion and the impact on the medical system are hardly insignificant.”

Yan Rongrong paused, her expression turning serious. “More importantly, Zhang Hongtu isn’t here representing himself; he’s representing the number-one man. Everything he does next is as good as the top leader doing it himself. And according to my dad, this particular leader is known for being decisive and swift.”

Chenyang narrowed his eyes. “Are you saying it’s highly likely he’ll throw me under the bus just to quell public opinion and make this all go away?”

Yan Rongrong said in a low voice, “The possibility is not small. Zhang Hongtu may be a good official, but with thousands of people surrounding the hospital and countless others watching online, this situation will affect every facet of Yang City if it isn’t resolved quickly.

To leaders at their level, right and wrong are often irrelevant. The only thing that matters is the bigger picture. As long as they can maintain stability, sacrificing the interests or even the life of an individual or two is of no consequence.”