MTCM Ch10

Chapter 10: The Art of Money-Making for a Gentleman

At this moment, Zhang Yang had no idea that Secretary Li from the County Committee was conspiring with Captain Ge of the County Criminal Police Brigade to plot against him.

After curing Han Chuanbao, he approached Zuo Xiaoqing with the blue cloth bag and placed it in front of her, saying, “Take a look and see if anything is missing inside.”

Zuo Xiaoqing glanced at the contents of the cloth bag and couldn’t help but laugh. “Their efficiency is quite impressive, but it seems they’re efficient at shopping.”

Zhang Yang also laughed. “Whether they bought it or acquired it elsewhere, as long as nothing is missing, it’s all good. By the way, the passenger transport company compensated you and Hong Ling with an additional one thousand yuan. Can you spare a bit to help me solve my food and clothing problem?”

Zuo Xiaoqing gave him a disdainful look, then singled out the portion that belonged to Hong Ling and put the rest of the money, along with the Motorola BP machine, back into the blue cloth bag.

She then pushed it in front of Zhang Yang. “It’s all yours. I don’t want anything of dubious origin.”

Zhang Yang was just joking and had no intention of extorting Zuo Xiaoqing. He smiled and said, “You’re so generous, but these things aren’t mine. I don’t deserve them without contributing anything. I dare not accept.”

“Do you really not want them, or are you just pretending?” Zuo Xiaoqing teased.

“A gentleman knows how to make money, and I don’t lack this amount of silver!”

“Heh, I didn’t expect you to be so upright and principled!” Zuo Xiaoqing couldn’t help but jest.

“Of course, I’ve always been selfless and dedicated to helping others!”

Although Zhang Yang hadn’t been in the 1990s for long, his eloquence had improved by leaps and bounds. He could effortlessly quote the classic saying of Chairman Mao commemorating Comrade Norman Bethune.

Zuo Xiaoqing looked at this energetic and proud junior with a somewhat helpless expression.

Thinking about last night’s events, she couldn’t help but be curious. She glanced around and, seeing no one nearby, whispered, “Are you really the nephew of Secretary Li Changyu from the County Committee?”

“Now I understand the meaning of ‘rumors can be terrifying!'” Zhang Yang replied absentmindedly.

Seeing that he wasn’t willing to elaborate, Zuo Xiaoqing naturally didn’t push further. Her curiosity was much smaller compared to other girls. Just then, the beep of a pager sounded. Zhang Yang looked towards the cloth bag and found that
Zuo Xiaoqing had taken out another pager from the pocket of her white coat.

He couldn’t help but be stunned. Wasn’t her pager lost yesterday? She truly came from a wealthy family, able to buy expensive items worth thousands of yuan without batting an eye. It was something that children from poor families like him couldn’t compare to.

After reading the message on the pager, Zuo Xiaoqing turned to Zhang Yang and noticed his bewildered expression. She couldn’t help but laugh. “This morning, when I had just started my shift, Captain Wang from the Station Police Station came by. He’s the one who retrieved our lost belongings for me and Hong Ling, so…”

Her gaze shifted back to the blue cloth bag. “Everything inside belongs to you. I don’t want it.”

Zhang Yang finally understood. Last night, while he had a peaceful sleep, Wang Zhongke and Han Weizheng didn’t rest at all. They used their respective channels to search for Zuo Xiaoqing’s lost belongings, resulting in the pile of items in front of him. The reason they worked so hard was the powerful forces behind Zhang Yang and Zuo Xiaoqing, forces that had yet to reveal themselves.

Zhang Yang suddenly grasped a truth: a fist is just a tangible weapon, while power is an intangible force. A fist can harm a person’s physical body, but power can intimidate and threaten someone’s innermost being. Clearly, the latter is more formidable. Those who excel at using their fists are mere martial artists, but those who excel at using power are true masters. Understanding this insight, Zhang Yang felt a greater yearning for power. He couldn’t help but think of Li Changyu, who still hadn’t given him an answer. Was that damn County Committee Secretary really content with being a eunuch his whole life?

Seeing Zhang Yang lost in thought, Zuo Xiaoqing chuckled softly. “There’s quite a fortune in all these things. Since they were sincerely given as gifts, why not accept them?”

Zhang Yang smiled and thought to himself, “I’ve already received five thousand yuan in medical fees. Do I really care about these things?”

Even if he wanted them, he had to maintain a dignified appearance in front of the girl. That’s what you call managing your image.

A voice suddenly sounded from behind, “Zhang Yang, instead of studying diligently in the rotation department during your internship, why are you wandering around? Don’t you want to graduate?”

Zhang Yang turned around and saw Gao Wei’s gloomy face. Without even thinking, he knew that this guy was annoyed by his lively conversation with Zuo Xiaoqing. Zuo Xiaoqing stuck her tongue out playfully behind Gao Wei’s back, looking adorable.

Zhang Yang smiled faintly. He had no intention of arguing with Gao Wei because, in his eyes, Gao Wei was clearly not on the same level.

He slowly stood up and grabbed the blue cloth bag. “Fine, if you don’t want it, I’ll return it to him to avoid unnecessary gossip.”

Unintentional words can be interpreted in different ways, and Gao Wei’s face suddenly turned red.

He blocked Zhang Yang’s path and said, “Zhang Yang, who are you talking about? Explain it clearly to me!”

Zhang Yang couldn’t help but feel annoyed by Gao Wei’s pestering. “I’m talking about you, Gao Wei. Why are you so boring? Did I offend you? Why are you clinging to me like a mad dog? If you like someone, go bother them. What the hell do I have to do with it?”

Not only Gao Wei, even Zuo Xiaoqing stared at Zhang Yang with wide eyes, clearly angered by his lack of tact. Anyone could tell that his words implicated himself as well.

Gao Wei, as Zhang Yang’s teacher, found it difficult to maintain his composure in front of so many patients and students.

He shouted angrily, “I have never seen a student with such poor quality like you. Fine, I’ll call the Education Department immediately and see how they will handle you!”

“Whatever, do whatever you want!” Zhang Yang said impatiently. Seeing that Gao Wei was still blocking his path, Zhang Yang became annoyed and pushed him, causing Gao Wei to stumble and almost fall to the ground. “Get out of the way, you damn dog!”

….

Upon hearing about Zhang Yang’s misbehavior, Yuan Wenli couldn’t contain her anger any longer, even if she had a good temper. Her favorite way to vent her frustration was by slamming magazines. “Do you know how much effort I put in to get you an internship at the county hospital? Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?”

Yuan Wenli saw Zhang Yang’s carefree expression and couldn’t restrain her anger any further. She grabbed the magazine in her hand and swung it towards his head. She had watched Zhang Yang grow up, and in her eyes, this unfortunate boy was almost like her younger brother. So when they were alone together, she didn’t need to hold back.

Zhang the Divine Physician lightly raised his right hand, effortlessly catching the magazine that was flying towards him, and then smiled as he placed it back on the desk. “Director Yuan, no, Sister Yuan, you’re like a real sister to me. I admit that I was wrong in today’s incident, but Gao Wei isn’t a good person either. I didn’t provoke him or do anything to him, so why is he picking a fight with me? If he wants to pursue Zuo Xiaoqing, he should do it openly and generously. I didn’t stop or block him. He’s just seeking personal revenge against me. Isn’t he acting like a mad dog?”

Yuan Wenli picked up the magazine again, ready to smack him, but couldn’t help but burst into laughter upon hearing Zhang Yang’s words. Once she started laughing, the seriousness of the situation diminished.

Faced with Zhang the Divine Physician and his thick-skinned nature, Yuan Wenli found it difficult to maintain a stern face and lecture him. She sighed and pointed to a chair, gesturing for Zhang Yang to sit next to her.

With a concerned tone, she said, “Zhang Yang, I have to say, you used to be an obedient good child. What’s been happening to you lately? The incident with Director Zhou hasn’t settled yet, and now you’ve offended Dr. Gao. How do you plan to write your internship assessment in the future? Your mother has worked hard to raise you and provide you with an education. She hopes that you will have a bright future. You only have half a year left until graduation, and my intention in arranging your internship at the county hospital was to leave a good impression on each department, so that when it’s time for assignments, you can strive to work in a supporting department here. With that stable job, your future life and your mother’s situation will gradually improve. Zhang Yang…”

Zhang Yang leaned on Yuan Wenli’s desk, still wearing his carefree expression. Although he had a good impression of Yuan Wenli, the neighbor’s older sister, it didn’t mean he wanted to continue his internship at the county hospital.

Yawning, he said, “Sister Yuan, I don’t plan to continue the internship. Don’t waste your efforts on me.”

Yuan Wenli’s eyes widened. “You little brat, what nonsense are you talking about? Don’t you want to graduate? What else can you do if you don’t intern?”

Zhang Yang countered, “If I continue interning for six more months, will I become the hospital director? Will I become a party secretary? Can you guarantee that I’ll become an official in the future?”

Yuan Wenli was left speechless for a while. She pressed her index finger firmly on Zhang Yang’s head twice and said, “You, a graduate from a vocational school, want to be a hospital director?”

She thought to herself, I, as the head of the department, took more than ten years to get to where I am. This kid really doesn’t know his place.

“Is being a hospital director a big deal? It doesn’t even compare to a seventh-ranked official. If you want me to be one, I’ll have to consider it seriously.”

At this moment, Yuan Wenli could only think that this child must have been through something that affected him. Why did he keep talking nonsense in broad daylight?

However, out of a sense of responsibility towards her old neighbor, Yuan Wenli forgave Zhang Yang’s nonsense and earnestly advised him for over an hour, until he agreed to apologize to Gao Wei in person.

When Zhang Yang walked out of the hospital’s administrative building, it was almost lunchtime. He encountered Zuo Xiaoqing on the main road leading to the outpatient hall. Zuo Xiaoqing’s expression was also unpleasant, and her cold gaze fell upon him.

It was no wonder she was angry. With his commotion, almost everyone knew about Gao Wei’s pursuit of Zuo Xiaoqing. Zuo Xiaoqing was a low-key person and disliked being the center of attention, yet Zhang Yang insisted on putting her in the spotlight.

Zhang Yang grinned, infuriating Zuo Xiaoqing even more because his smile showed no remorse. What was even more outrageous was that he shamelessly asked, “Are you waiting for me? Do you want to treat me to a meal?”

If it weren’t for Zuo Xiaoqing’s concern for her ladylike image, she would have kicked him away long ago. She held the thick textbook of diagnostic medicine tightly against her chest, glared fiercely at Zhang Yang, and walked briskly towards the hospital’s exit. Her stone-washed blue jeans hugged her slender legs, and her strides exuded a youthful rhythm.

Since Zhang Yang arrived in this era, he had developed a habit of looking at a woman’s legs first. After all, during the Great Sui Dynasty, women wore long skirts, and it was difficult to see their beautiful legs unless they were completely exposed. Although Zuo Xiaoqing walked fast, her pace was still slightly slower than Zhang Yang’s.

He caught up with her and walked beside her, saying, “Zuo Xiaoqing, let me treat you to a meal. Judging by your stingy appearance, it would be more painful for you to let me treat you to a meal than to kill you.”

Zuo Xiaoqing suddenly slowed down her pace and discreetly stomped her slender high heels hard on Zhang Yang’s foot. Zhang Yang didn’t expect that a lady like Zuo Xiaoqing would resort to such a sneaky move. The pain made him jump in place like a monkey.

Zuo Xiaoqing then quickened her steps. Her black long ponytail danced merrily on the back of her head, but she couldn’t help lowering her head. The petals on her shoulders trembled in the morning breeze as she suppressed her laughter.

Zhang Yang’s heart surged with excitement. Just as he was about to catch up, a white van pulled up in front of them. Han Chuanbao stepped out of the vehicle. Zuo Xiaoqing was still surprised to see Han Chuanbao suddenly appear. After all, the impression he left on her yesterday was extremely bad. He seemed like a lowly ruffian from the market. Without conscious thought, she instinctively took a step back and stood beside Zhang Yang.

When danger arises, anyone would seek safety first. Zhang Yang undeniably provided that sense of security for Zuo Xiaoqing. She glanced up at Zhang Yang and noticed that he was still grinning at her, which made her bite her lip tightly, reminding herself not to burst into laughter. However, the smile was already evident on her pretty face.

Just as Zhang, the great divine doctor, was about to make a witty remark to express his inner dissatisfaction, Han Chuanbao had already approached him and respectfully called out, “Brother Zhang!”

Zhang Yang chuckled, “Hey, Chief Han, aren’t you being too formal? Calling me ‘brother’ might make me feel old.”

Han Chuanbao glanced at Zuo Xiaoqing, still praising her beauty in his heart, but his facial expression and gaze became much more restrained. He bowed to Zuo Xiaoqing like an elementary school student and said, “Sister, it’s all my fault, countless mistakes. You, as an adult, should not bother with someone as insignificant as me.”

Zuo Xiaoqing exchanged a glance with Zhang Yang, and a strange expression appeared on her pretty face. Han Chuanbao was already in his mid-twenties, yet he called her “sister.” She didn’t want to accept such a greeting.

Han Chuanbao respectfully handed over a square newspaper package to Zhang Yang. Any discerning person could tell that it contained cash. The smile on Zuo Xiaoqing’s face immediately faded, and she thought to herself, “You, Zhang Yang, taking advantage of this opportunity to amass wealth. You truly have some nerve!”

Zhang Yang grabbed the newspaper package and stored it away. Then he handed Han Chuanbao the blue cloth bag that Han Weizheng had compensated earlier in the morning. “I haven’t touched anything inside. You can check it!” In front of Zuo Xiaoqing, he had to put on a generous appearance.

Han Chuanbao shook his head anxiously. “This is the compensation our passenger transport company gave you for your losses. How can I take it back?”

Zuo Xiaoqing’s expression turned from clear to cloudy as she spoke coldly, “The lost items have been recovered. I don’t want these things.”

Seeing her insistence, Han Chuanbao could only accept the blue cloth bag from Zhang Yang’s hand. “Brother Zhang, you haven’t eaten yet, right? Why don’t you both come on board? I’ll treat you to a meal.”

It was evident that Han Chuanbao was genuinely sincere this time.

Many times, conquering a man’s heart could also be achieved through conquering his physical desires, although in Zhang Yang’s case, he conquered Han Chuanbao with his fists.

Zhang Yang shook his head. “I appreciate your kindness, but we have some things to attend to. Let’s pass it on today.”

Han Chuanbao nodded awkwardly as he watched Zhang Yang and Zuo Xiaoqing walk away. He let out a quiet sigh and, after Zhang Yang reset his arm, Han Weizheng still wasn’t completely at ease. He took his son and went to find the old director of the Chinese medicine hospital.

After taking new X-rays, they discovered that Han Chuanbao’s arm had completely recovered. Even the old director was amazed by the result. Han Chuanbao couldn’t help but recall Zhang Yang’s brave performance last night when he single-handedly took on three opponents. It made him even more fearful because not only did Zhang Yang possess exceptional skills, but he also had a strong background. Going against such a person would be inviting trouble.

Furthermore, after meeting Wang Zhongke this morning, Han Chuanbao realized the negative impact his own reckless behavior could have on his father. That’s why he immediately came to give money to Zhang Yang and personally apologize. He hoped to mitigate the negative consequences of this incident through his efforts. Sometimes, an event can change a person, and Han Chuanbao’s nature couldn’t be considered too bad. Through this experience, he suddenly matured.

“I’ll treat you to a meal!” Zhang Yang caught up with Zuo Xiaoqing.

“I’m not hungry!” Zuo Xiaoqing coldly and indifferently refused.

“That money is my consultation fee, my hard-earned money. Don’t think too much about it!”

Zuo Xiaoqing stopped in her tracks and looked at Zhang Yang with some anger. “Is it necessary for you to explain your actions to me? We just happen to be interning at the same hospital. You are you, and I am me. I don’t want to meddle in your affairs, nor do I need you to meddle in mine!”

As she said this, she felt an inexplicable panic in her heart. What was happening to her? It was just a small matter, yet it seemed to have such a significant impact on her emotions. Did she really not want to be involved in Zhang Yang’s affairs? Did she truly not care about this junior before her? The answer might be a denial.

Zuo Xiaoqing evaded Zhang Yang’s gaze in a flustered manner.

“I’m sorry, I’m just in a bad mood…”

Her long black eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings, and a blush suddenly appeared on her fair and delicate face. She ran off into the distance as if escaping.

Zhang Yang didn’t immediately chase after her, but a faint smile appeared on his lips. As the great divine doctor, he had encountered countless women in the past, and from Zuo Xiaoqing’s unusual behavior just now, he could tell that her calm and composed demeanor had been disrupted by him.

Zhang Yang didn’t deny that he had a slight sense of uniqueness towards Zuo Xiaoqing, but his main focus was on adapting to this world and familiarizing himself with this era. In other words, he wasn’t ready to start a romantic relationship. However, when Zhang, the great divine doctor, realized that something might happen soon, he surprisingly felt a slight nervousness and a hint of anticipation in his heart.

In the following three days, Zuo Xiaoqing didn’t see Zhang Yang at all. She even suspected that the annoying brat was intentionally avoiding her. However, she found out through indirect inquiries with Hong Ling that Zhang Yang hadn’t been interning in their department. It was said that he had been blacklisted by the hospital and was among the individuals who were about to be dismissed for misconduct.

In reality, Zhang Yang wasn’t idle during this time. After his conversation with Yuan Wenli, he had made a decision to no longer continue his internship. To him, coming to this era was an opportunity to truly experience and enjoy life. Everything was novel and precious in his eyes, and he valued time more than money. As someone who had experienced death once before, he believed that he understood the true meaning of life better than others.

Therefore, Zhang Yang didn’t want to waste his time in the County People’s Hospital. His medical skills didn’t need any further validation. During the Great Sui Dynasty, Zhang, the great divine doctor, had already reached the pinnacle of Chinese medicine. What kind of feeling was that? It was the solitude of a master. If Zhang, the great divine doctor, had continued living in the Sui Dynasty, he would have quickly grown tired of that life.

However, after becoming Zhang Yang in this completely new era, he discovered a new source of excitement: officialdom. Zhang, the great divine doctor, either wouldn’t do it or would do it to the best of his abilities. He was striving to fulfill his dream of achieving greatness in the realm of government officials.

During these few days, Zhang Yang didn’t go anywhere else but immersed himself in the Chunyang County Library. He studied “The Twenty-Four Histories,” “Historical Systems of Government in Successive Dynasties,” “The Art of Cunning,” and even “Capital,” “Selected Works of Mao Zedong,” and “Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping”…

In short, Zhang Yang pounced on the books like a hungry person pouncing on bread. He constantly absorbed knowledge and prepared himself for his long journey in the world of officials. He had considerable confidence in Secretary Li, the interim eunuch secretary, and believed that he wouldn’t be disappointed.

Finding it troublesome to commute back and forth to the dormitory, Zhang Yang decided to stay at the Youth Hotel opposite the county library. He booked a luxurious standard room for 58 yuan per day, complete with 24-hour hot water, a color TV, a refrigerator, a telephone, and laundry services.

Zhang Yang wasn’t afraid of spending money, nor did he consider the amount spent. His greatest fear was having money but nowhere to spend it. If it weren’t for Zhang Yang returning to the dormitory to retrieve something, he wouldn’t have known that Liu Haitao had been looking for him for three full days.

When Liu Haitao saw Zhang Yang, he felt a sense of relief. Over these three days, he truly experienced the meaning of leaders talking while their subordinates ran themselves ragged. Calculating it carefully, he had made twelve trips to the County People’s Hospital, and that was not even counting meal times.

Liu Haitao couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, thinking that this job was really not meant for humans. Before he could even speak to Zhang Yang, he received a page from Secretary Li. In a fluster, Liu Haitao ran into the small department store near the dormitory entrance to make a phone call.

Li Changyu was clearly unhappy, and his tone on the phone revealed his displeasure: “Xiao Liu, what’s going on? Can’t even handle such a small matter? It’s been three days, three days and still can’t find a person?”

Liu Haitao held the phone with a forced smile, “Secretary Li, Secretary Li, I found Zhang Yang. He’s with me right now.”

Upon hearing this, Li Changyu’s anger naturally subsided a bit, and his voice lowered, “Bring him to Wei Garden immediately. I have an urgent matter to discuss with him.”

After saying that, afraid that Liu Haitao might have other thoughts, he added, “His father called from out of town…”

This statement seemed to be adding unnecessary details. Although Liu Haitao was just a driver, he wasn’t a fool either. During the past few days of searching for Zhang Yang, he fully utilized his detective instincts and found out about Zhang Yang’s background. He even went to the agricultural machinery factory dormitory.

His original intention was just to check if Zhang Yang was at home, and he didn’t have any other thoughts at that time. Li Changyu’s final statement made Liu Haitao develop some peculiar ideas. Zhang Yang’s stepfather clearly worked at the agricultural machinery factory, so why did Secretary Li say he was out of town?

Secretary Li was the first college student to resume the college entrance examination, while Zhao Tiesheng was a worker. Liu Haitao’s logical thinking abilities were quite strong, and a series of speculations led to one conclusion: Zhang Yang and Li Changyu’s relationship was definitely not simple. Li Changyu’s explanation, which seemed like an unnecessary addition, made Liu Haitao even more suspicious. It was possible that Zhang Yang was really Li Changyu’s illegitimate child.

Since Liu Haitao had made such a bold inference, his attitude towards Zhang Yang could only become even more respectful. Even an illegitimate child was still a dragon’s offspring, and even if they couldn’t be seen in the light, their status would be countless times stronger than that of a mere driver like him. “Zhang Yang, Secretary Li wants you to have dinner at Wei Garden tonight.”

Zhang Yang frowned. He had intended to get in the car, but he noticed a slender figure standing at the corner in the distance. Despite the dim light, Zhang Yang immediately recognized his mother, Xu Lihua.

Xu Lihua had already spotted her son from afar, but because Zhang Yang was standing in front of the car talking to Liu Haitao, she had some doubts about what she was seeing. It wasn’t until Zhang Yang walked towards her that Xu Lihua could confirm that the spirited young man before her was indeed her son.

Looking at Zhang Yang’s outstanding figure, Xu Lihua, as a mother, felt for the first time that her son had grown up. In her heart, she suddenly felt a mixture of joy and sadness that she couldn’t distinguish.

“Mom! Why are you here?”

Although Zhang Yang didn’t have deep affection for his mother, he couldn’t help but feel an inexplicable warmth when he saw the concern and affection hidden in her eyes.

“San’er… I heard that you got into some trouble, so I came to check on you.”

Zhang Yang didn’t need to think twice to guess that it must have been Yuan Wenli who told her something.

He smiled lightly, “I’m perfectly fine, eating well and sleeping soundly. Mom, don’t listen to other people’s nonsense. By the way, have you eaten yet?”

Xu Lihua timidly glanced in Liu Haitao’s direction. In her eyes, anyone who could drive a car had status and position. Although Liu Haitao’s appearance didn’t resemble that of a bad person, it was normal for Xu Lihua to have an excessive sense of caution due to her son’s situation.

Liu Haitao was adept at reading people’s expressions. Seeing Xu Lihua looking in his direction, he immediately pretended as if nothing was amiss and took out a cigarette, lighting it up.

It was a habit he had cultivated over the years, never smoking inside the car. Despite his strong nicotine addiction, he played the role of a mere chauffeur in the car, and the environment was meant to be kept pristine for the higher-ups.

Xu Lihua held Zhang Yang’s hand and walked towards a nearby streetlight. She handed him a plastic bag containing braised beef and sausages, a thoughtful offering from his Aunt Yang.

“I heard from your Aunt Yang that you’ve had some trouble at the hospital recently.”

Xu Lihua was an undeniably gentle and caring mother. Since Zhang Yang had lost his father at a young age, she rarely scolded him. Little did she expect that after she married Zhao Tiesheng, Zhang Yang’s situation would undergo such a drastic change. Xu Lihua, being tender-hearted and powerless to alter this harsh reality, could only do her best to protect her son.

Zhang Yang grasped his mother’s thin hand.

“Mom, don’t worry about me. It won’t be long before I make you proud!”

Xu Lihua’s eyes welled up with tears as she nodded vigorously, gripping Zhang Yang’s hand tightly against her own face. Zhang Yang looked at his mother with compassion, fully aware that it would be difficult for him to change her inherent vulnerability.

“San’er, promise Mom one thing: never become a bad person…”

Zhang Yang nodded, and suddenly, a voice of surprise came from a distance: “Zhang Yang!”