Chapter 145: Peng Haibo: ???
“Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.” Peng Kun, wearing pajamas, urgently knocked on Peng Haibo’s door.
Peng Haibo suddenly opened his eyes and, seeing it was Peng Kun, raised his eyebrows: “What time is it?”
“Half past two in the afternoon.”
Peng Kun was already not young, so he could control his various emotions: “Dad, Xiang Kuihua from the department just called, saying the hospital sent a letter saying Professor Tong is applying to extend his time in the countryside.”
“Most likely, they will also change the assigned hospital ward.”
Peng Kun clearly explained the three points of concern.
This news came from Xiang Kuihua, then about extending the time and changing the ward.
Peng Haibo immediately understood Xiang Daihong’s real intention for calling him, and his brows furrowed instantly: “Why is Professor Tong extending his rural assistance period?”
Peng Kun naturally knew that Xiang Daihong was specifically called by Peng Haibo.
Tong Yuan’an extended his rural assistance period, and Xiang Daihong was now stalled.
Peng Kun shook his head: “I don’t know for sure yet, Xiang Kuihua said he also just received this news.”
“Dad, if Professor Tong extends his rural assistance period, what will Director Xiang do?”
Tong Yuan’an is to be promoted, and Xiang Daihong is also to be promoted. Can Xiang Daihong yield once and then yield every time?
Peng Haibo shot Peng Kun a look, and said irritably: “What was wrong with you last night?”
Peng Haibo instinctively thought that Peng Kun had angered Professor Tong, so Professor Tong wanted to retaliate against the Orthopedics department by undermining it.
Thus, this move was a use of borrowed force against force.
Professor Tong is not directly targeting you, but his ‘normal operation’ is to make you offend someone.
“Actually, I’ve been practicing the Tang technique for a while, but Professor Tong always says I can’t get it right… even though I’ve been quite proficient practicing on pig trotters…” Peng Kun explained in a low voice.
“Do you think it’s possible that Lu Cheng is two-faced?”
“We’re polite to him, but he secretly trips us up.”
“He could actually do tendon revision, but he just won’t?” Peng Kun guessed.
Peng Haibo shook his head: “It’s hard to say for now, but based on my understanding of Lu Cheng, he’s not that kind of person.”
“If he could do it, he wouldn’t refuse, after all, he’s been able to confront Xiang Kuihua for so long.”
“But we can’t completely rule out this possibility. Our Orthopedics department hasn’t been very welcoming to him lately.”
Peng Haibo pondered for a moment, then rubbed his chin and said: “Furthermore, if Tong Yuan’an wants to extend his fellowship period, it’s not something he can decide alone. The unit providing counterpart assistance to our hospital has always been Xiangya Second Hospital.”
“If he always occupies the spot, it won’t just affect Director Xiang Daihong.”
“I’ll call the hospital office later to get more specific information.”
To be fair, Peng Haibo didn’t like Lu Cheng’s talent, but he couldn’t find fault with Lu Cheng’s character out of thin air.
……
As the sun set in the west, Lu Cheng woke up feeling a slight dullness in the back of his head.
When he opened the curtains, a ray of crimson sunset light shone in through the non-standard north-south transparent window.
Lu Cheng grabbed his mobile phone and checked the time; it was already 4:12 PM, meaning Lu Cheng had slept for over seven hours.
After covering his chest with his phone to savor the lingering sleepiness, Lu Cheng sat up and began to deal with his WeChat messages.
There were only two.
The first was a message from his parents asking him to take care of lunch and dinner; they had gone to Shaozhao Town for a banquet. Lu Cheng’s aunt’s mother had passed away last night. Since they were the biological parents of his sister-in-law, Lu Nan’s family and Tian Hui would personally go there to stay for a few days.
The second was a cartoon picture sent by Mu Nanshu at 2 PM: “Are you awake?”
“I haven’t slept a wink since last night. I got into bed around nine and just woke up.”
After replying, Lu Cheng got out of bed and, before getting ready to wash up, said: “I might have offended Professor Chen Song this time…”
Lu Cheng briefly recounted what happened that morning and then began to brush his teeth and wash his face.
Mu Nanshu pondered for a while before replying: “From my perspective, Professor Chen Song has indeed been very good to you. At least from what you’ve said, he truly sees himself as a teacher.”
“So, I can’t give you any good advice for now.”
Lu Cheng was very sure that he was a complete ‘scoundrel’ and definitely couldn’t navigate freely in the ‘purgatory’.
Once an adult makes a choice, there is no room for regret; they must take responsibility for all their actions.
Lu Cheng replied: “I sent Professor Chen a message before I went to sleep, but he still hasn’t replied. We’ll discuss future matters when Professor Chen returns to work the day after tomorrow.”
Today is September 21st. By rights, Lu Cheng and Chen Song should have been on duty together!
But Lu Cheng and Professor Chen Song had been dealing with things all night yesterday, so Lu Cheng had swapped shifts with someone else.
Chen Song would only return to work on September 23rd.
“My parents went back for a funeral. Have Uncle and Aunt returned? If not, shall we go out to eat later?” Lu Cheng sent an invitation to Mu Nanshu.
“Sure, are you driving to pick me up or should I take a taxi?” Mu Nanshu replied.
“I’ll come find you after I finish washing up…” Lu Cheng unilaterally ended the conversation.
Lu Cheng drank two cups of water before feeling comfortable in his stomach. After returning to his room and turning off the air conditioner, he checked his messages again, then indirectly sent a greeting message to Professor Tong Yuan’an.
Tong Yuan’an understood Lu Cheng’s intention: “We are all awake. Chen Song, that stingy guy, is drinking coffee here.”
“You should stop sending messages. He won’t reply to you. He said you are just casual acquaintances and have no formal relationship.”
“The friendship between gentlemen is as pure as water.”
Lu Cheng: “……”
Well, of these two teachers, one is a frequent ‘introvert’ and the other is a ‘casual acquaintance’?
However, Lu Cheng didn’t blame Chen Song; in his own heart, he had already prepared his own strategy.
……
Long County, Tian Yue Residential Area.
Peng Haibo dialed the phone of his familiar Vice President Hu Qingshan, and said in a cheerful and flattering tone: “Director Hu, do you have any plans for tonight?”
“I’m spending time with my child at home tonight. Director Peng, what are your instructions?” Hu Qingshan was a seasoned old fox.
“I wouldn’t dare. I mainly want to report a problem to Director Hu.”
“If Director Hu is busy tonight, I can come to your home to report in person?” Peng Haibo quickly retracted his tone.
Hu Qingshan: “Go ahead…”
“It’s like this, Director Hu. I just heard that the hospital issued a letter agreeing to Professor Tong Yuan’an’s request to extend the counterpart assistance program period for our department.”
“Director Hu, this is against the rules. As you know, our hospital’s counterpart assistance unit is Xiangya Second Hospital, and I’ve been contacting professors from Xiangya Second Hospital to come for rural postings recently.”
“Professor Tong from Xiangya Hospital extending his assistance period, isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”
“It makes my work difficult,” Peng Haibo asked.
Originally, Peng Haibo’s plan was that if Tong Yuan’an wanted to mess with him, he would get Tong Yuan’an sent back first. After all, it was a long way away, and he wouldn’t offend him.
Tong Yuan’an could change his assigned hospital ward, and Peng Haibo couldn’t control that.
But he couldn’t be the beneficiary, nor could he stay indefinitely.
Unexpectedly, Tong Yuan’an extended his fellowship period in return, and the hospital agreed. He called the hospital office and received a reply of agreement.
“Oh, you’re talking about this matter. Then I have good news to tell you, Director Peng. Through our efforts, our Long County People’s Hospital will sign a counterpart assistance agreement with Xiangya Hospital in October this year.”
“This is a great policy, Director Peng. Xiangya Hospital’s Orthopedics department is one of the strongest departments in the province, and Director Lei of Xiangya Hospital’s Orthopedics is the President of Xiangya Hospital…”
“Professor Tong extending his fellowship period now is something other departments in your Orthopedics department would wish for. It’s good news.”
Peng Haibo’s head suddenly buzzed.
“Director Hu, when did this happen?” Peng Haibo’s tone was a little anxious.
“It’s very recent, the contract will be signed this month! This is also a special privilege we snatched from Feng County, as our Long County is remote and relatively poor.”
“Unlike them, we can’t develop tourism, and the economy is developed,” Hu Qingshan replied cheerfully and formally.
“Director Peng, you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now. I have some personal matters to attend to. My son is celebrating his birthday today, and I’m decorating for him…”
After hanging up, Peng Haibo glared at Peng Kun again and began to ponder many things: “Director Hu, I won’t disturb you further.”
Including, but not limited to, whether those ‘second-generation’ individuals in the Orthopedics department had done something behind his back…
Lu Cheng went down to the underground parking lot. As soon as he got in the car and started it, Peng Haibo’s call came directly to his mobile phone.
Lu Cheng thought Peng Haibo was calling about last night’s events, so he chose to answer: “Director Peng.”
Peng Haibo’s voice trembled on the other end: “Xiao Lu, do you know where Professor Tong Yuan’an is? Can you contact him?”
“Director Peng, I just woke up… I haven’t even had lunch yet. Director Peng, do you need something from Professor Tong?” Lu Cheng asked.
Lu Cheng first needed to determine if Peng Haibo was looking for Tong Yuan’an or himself.
“Xiao Lu, can you help me arrange a meeting with Professor Tong? The matter is extremely urgent,” Peng Haibo said.
Lu Cheng thought for a moment and replied: “Director Peng, I’ve already arranged to have dinner with my classmate, and the dinner location has been confirmed.”
“I didn’t inform Professor Tong in advance either.”
“Why don’t you contact Professor Tong yourself?”
Lu Cheng felt no guilt about what happened last night.
If you don’t make things difficult for yourself, and you encounter a disease type you can’t handle, you can only admit defeat!
Peng Kun, on the other hand, wanted to fish in troubled waters and got himself into trouble. Who could he blame for that?
This wasn’t the first time. Long ago, when he was mentoring him, he would always find various ways for ‘practical clinical practice’.
Peng Haibo said: “Xiao Lu, there were indeed some misunderstandings between us when you were in the Orthopedics department.”
“But you know the situation in our Orthopedics department. The patient volume isn’t high, and Xiang Kuihua and the others came first, so I couldn’t intervene to arrange surgeries for them to practice.”
“Actually, I also wanted to mentor you more, Xiao Lu.”
“Xiao Lu, you also came from our department. You don’t want our department to decline, do you?”
Peng Haibo’s words were a bit far-fetched. Lu Cheng replied: “Director Peng, I don’t understand what you mean…”
Peng Haibo sighed deeply on the other end: “Our hospital will sign a counterpart assistance agreement with Xiangya Hospital in October this year. This means that Xiangya Second Hospital will no longer be our unit’s counterpart assistance object; it will be Xiangya Hospital.”
“Professor Tong and we have had some misunderstandings.”
“Professor Tong is applying to change his assigned hospital ward; he will most likely be going to the second ward.”
Lu Cheng was very surprised: “Director Peng, I don’t know about this matter?”
Peng Haibo suddenly looked more than ten years older: “It’s not just you who doesn’t know; I’m also unaware of this. But this is the current situation, Xiao Lu. You should also make arrangements soon.”
“After all, Professor Chen Song from your department will be returning soon too.”
“The people who come down in the future may not be acquaintances that Professor Chen Song knows.”
Peng Haibo was also doing Lu Cheng a favor.
Lu Cheng was unaware of such ‘hospital trends,’ which was understandable!
But for Peng Haibo, the Director of Orthopedics, to be completely unaware of such trends meant that Director Peng Haibo was merely a Deputy Chief Physician.
If he behaved himself, he could retire honorably in his director position. If he didn’t, the Orthopedics department wouldn’t mind replacing the director.
“Thank you, Director Peng. I can’t make any arrangements, but thank you for telling me about this matter,” Lu Cheng replied.
Peng Haibo continued to press: “Xiao Lu, you really can’t contact Professor Tong?”
Lu Cheng had already declined Professor Lan Hualuo’s dinner invitation, let alone a gathering organized by Peng Haibo.
“Director Peng, I’ve already made plans. Professor Tong is probably busy now. I didn’t ask.” Lu Cheng knew his reason was flimsy.
As long as he wanted to, he would try. The key is that in adult conversations, even if you want to, you can’t directly say you don’t want to contact them to avoid direct conflict.
Offending someone is one thing, and falling out with someone is another.
No matter what you do, you need to find a plausible reason.
Peng Haibo, having been in the workplace for a long time and being elderly, of course understood Lu Cheng’s meaning.
His relationship with Lu Cheng was not good. Originally, Peng Kun and Lu Cheng had a decent relationship, but that shallow relationship had long since faded.
When Lu Cheng was in the Orthopedics department, Peng Haibo had not shown him any special treatment, watching idly as Lu Cheng was isolated by a group of people without intervening.
It was understandable that Lu Cheng was unwilling to help now.
The key thing is that Lu Cheng is now in the Emergency Department. Peng Haibo replied: “Okay, Xiao Lu, you go ahead and eat. Don’t go hungry.”
After hanging up the phone, Lu Cheng opened the car window. As the car slowly started, the natural wind flowed through, making him feel refreshed and cool all over.
After driving a few steps, Lu Cheng played some car music and slowly turned out of the underground garage.
He wasn’t particularly happy either…
（ps: Asking for monthly tickets at the beginning of the month! ）
