Zhu Mingyuan didn't want to chat too much with someone junior, arguing would only lower himself, so he raised his glass and said, "Dean Gao, I toast to you. Your card skills have reached perfection, you completely blew my mind today."
Gao Xinhua burst into laughter, "It's not my card skills, it's all luck." In front of everyone, he couldn't openly show his dissatisfaction with Zhu Mingyuan, so he clinked glasses with him and drank it all.
Tang Mingmei turned to Xu Chunliang and said, "Xiaoxu, let's have a drink."
Xu Chunliang quickly stood up, and Tang Mingmei waved him down, "Sit down, in Dongzhou standing up doesn't count for drinking."
Xu Chunliang said, "Nurse Chief Tang, I toast to you."
Tang Mingmei giggled, "We're not in the hospital, don't call me that. I'm only a few years older than you, just call me Sister Tang."
Gao Xinhua thought to himself, you're old enough to be his mother, but it's not wrong to address co-workers like that. Tang Mingmei has always been a notable figure at Changxing Hospital, he remembered when she was younger, every time she was on emergency duty, a bunch of young people from outside would come for injections and infusions, and to earn her favor, two groups of people even fought in the hospital over jealousy, causing the police to intervene.
Beauty is a curse! Gao Xinhua lamented to himself, but Tang Mingmei wasn't so lucky in love, she met the wrong people, her ex-husband was a university professor but was suspicious by nature and violent, frequently committing domestic violence against her. Eventually, they got divorced and their only daughter was awarded to the ex-husband.
After the divorce, trouble never ceased for Tang Mingmei, with many pursuing her at the hospital, and numerous rumors spread. However, she was highly competent at work, with great interpersonal skills. The leadership had internally decided that she would soon become the Nursing Department Director at Changxing Hospital.
Xu Chunliang called her Sister Tang, went to her side to drink a glass with her, and filled her cup again, believing good things come in pairs when drinking.
After drinking, Tang Mingmei's face flushed, making her even more charming and captivating, even outshining Cheng Xiaohong who was more than ten years younger.
Tang Mingmei asked, "Xiaoxu, do you have a girlfriend?"
Xu Chunliang honestly replied that he didn't have one currently.
Gao Xinhua said, "Xiaotang, introduce some outstanding girls from around you to Xiaoxu."
Cheng Xiaohong lowered her head, drinking her beverage. She didn't have a boyfriend either, not because she had any special feelings for Xu Chunliang, but discussing such topics made her feel awkward.
Tang Mingmei laughed, "What era do we live in? Young people don't go for this anymore, with Xiaoxu being so excellent, there must be plenty of girls chasing after him."
Zhao Yongsheng gave her a meaningful look and said, "You can't say that, it's often the case that good men have no good wives; the best cabbages are usually snatched by pigs." He had always had thoughts about Tang Mingmei, but she remained distant, which only made him want her more.
Zhu Mingyuan laughed, "Old Zhao, you're an old man with a young heart. If your wife heard this, there'd be trouble."
Zhao Yongsheng had a strict wife, and Zhu Mingyuan knew his old classmate's feelings well, having pursued Tang Mingmei himself back in the day. Unfortunately, she was indifferent; when she was younger, she was proud and from a good family, with many suitors, not regarding the young doctors at Changxing then.
However, times change. Since her father's passing, she'd hit a string of bad luck, introduced to her ex-husband Sui Guangyuan who turned out to be a hypocritical professor at Jiangzhou Normal University, intensely jealous and abusive, making that marriage a nightmare she couldn't escape from.
It was only after her divorce that her career started improving, being the first in Changxing Hospital's nursing specialty to earn a master's degree. She was hardworking, led by example, and her capability was well-known there.
Next month, the current Nursing Department Director will retire, and the hospital leadership had decided after discussion that Tang Mingmei would take over the position and had already talked with her.
Zhao Yongsheng and Zhu Mingyuan had been in a love-hate relationship for many years, considering each other rivals when pursuing Tang Mingmei, but neither ended up winning her over, often joking about it.
Despite Zhao Yongsheng's successful family and career now, he wasn't satisfied. Every time he saw Tang Mingmei, his heart itched restlessly, thinking the reason she rejected him was his rural background and poor family conditions.
But things were different now. As the Chief of Neurology at Changxing Hospital with a commendable income, he no longer felt inferior in her presence. With his current status and position, many young beauties threw themselves at him, but his heart always longed for Tang Mingmei. He even thought that conquering her was true success.
Tang Mingmei was a highly intelligent woman, fully aware of Zhao Yongsheng's intentions, despite his position as neurology chief, living in a villa, driving luxury cars, and wearing branded clothes, the vulgarity ingrained in his nature couldn't be changed. She didn't look down on his background but on his mindset and vision, despite his efforts to hide it, emitting an insidious aura of petty pride.
What Tang Mingmei couldn't tolerate was him wanting to prove his existence and success by conquering her. However, her brilliance lay in being able to conceal her emotions well, managing to smile warmly even at someone she disliked.
Tang Mingmei skillfully shifted the topic away from herself, "Director Zhu, are the acupoint strikes in martial arts novels real?"
Zhu Mingyuan replied, "Martial arts novels are all fabrications, acupoint strikes aren't that miraculous."
Cheng Xiaohong also asked, "Director Zhu, do the mute acupoint, soft numbing acupoint, and laughing waist acupoint exist?"
Zhu Mingyuan said, "Those were all artistic embellishments by martial arts novel authors, without any scientific basis." He deliberately glanced at Xu Chunliang, "Xiaoxu learned from prestigious masters, ask him." Passing the ball to Xu Chunliang with an intention to trouble him.
Xu Chunliang smiled at Cheng Xiaohong and said, "These things might be beyond your understanding, but that doesn't mean they don't exist." Everyone could tell this remark was aimed at Zhu Mingyuan.
Zhu Mingyuan said unhappily, "Xiaoxu, it seems you're a master of acupoint strikes then."
Xu Chunliang said, "I've been learning pulse reading and acupoint strikes with my grandfather since I was little, I could find the exact positions even with my eyes closed. Regarding the mute acupoint, soft numbing acupoint, and laughing waist acupoint, they all truly exist, and not just in one place."
Zhu Mingyuan sneered to himself, ignorant brat, the so-called mute acupoint usually refers to the Yamen Acupoint, but pressing an acupoint doesn't render one speechless. He was planning to seize the opportunity to trouble Xu Chunliang.
Gao Xinghua, noticing the tension, promptly interjected, "Didn't we agree not to discuss work while drinking? How did we end up on this topic again?"
Zhou Wenbin quickly chimed in, "Exactly, Xiaoxu, you're still young, you need to learn more from Director Zhu in the future." Although they hadn't known each other long, he already understood the young man's unruly nature.
Tang Mingmei laughed, "The waves of the Yangtze River push forward, the future of Changxing belongs to the young."
Zhao Yongsheng let out a hearty laugh, "Well said, Xiaotang, let's have a drink. I remember you started working a year before me, so as a younger wave, I toast to you."
Tang Mingmei immediately caught his insinuation, Zhao Yongsheng was verbally taking advantage of her, thinking he could overcome her? Not likely. She laughed, "Xiaoxu is the real younger wave here; don't pretend to be young when you're just an old cucumber painted green."
Zhao Yongsheng said to Zhu Mingyuan, "Look, Nurse Chief Tang doesn't fancy this old cucumber of mine anymore."
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