Both Elder Huang and the old dean's faces changed dramatically.
They were both well-informed. This time, the people accompanying the minister were mostly aligned with Director Liang, so the outcome of this vote was, without a doubt, a foregone conclusion.
They knew Guan Xing's character well, and the atmosphere in the room became tense and oppressive.
Minister Mu Changxin stood up, his decision now would determine whether this so-called "chat" of a meeting would continue.
His gaze was cold, sweeping over the gathered individuals with no discernible expression. Then, in a calm tone, he said, "No need. I've decided to invite Dr. Guan to attend the international medical seminar next week. Director Liang, please inform the press about this and make sure it's in tomorrow evening's paper."
It wasn't a suggestion; his tone was calm but carried an unmistakable authority.
"Minister, how can this be? Dr. Guan doesn't have the qualifications to attend such a world-class seminar. I think—"
Minister Mu turned his head and glanced at his assistant, his eyes sharp with a piercing coldness, as if suppressing an unspoken fury.
"Are you also trying to test me, Lao Ping? The Chairman of the Medical Association, Mr. Shifenti, specifically invited Dr. Guan. Seems like other people don't have the qualifications. No more discussion on this. Lao Ping, you go back and write an application to study at the First Hospital in Kyoto for a few years."
His tone wasn't harsh, but the words left Lao Ping's face pale. The suggestion to "study at the hospital" was clearly a demotion.
Director Liang, standing beside Lao Ping, nodded but didn't even look at him, seemingly as if he had never met him before. A sense of bleakness washed over Lao Ping as he sank heavily into his seat. It was at that moment he realized just how foolish he had been.
As people slowly began to leave, only four remained: Guan Xing, Minister Mu, the old dean, and Elder Huang.
Minister Mu's expression softened, and he turned to Guan Xing with a somewhat apologetic smile. "Dr. Guan, I'm sorry you had to go through this. When Elder Huang told me about the situation, I couldn't believe it either."
With such a high-ranking minister admitting fault, Guan Xing had little left to say. He smiled lightly, "Minister, you're being too kind. There's no such thing as perfection in this world. Even the tallest tree will have some withered leaves. Deal with it, and that's all."
Their conversation, casual as it was, managed to dissipate the tension. However, in the back of his mind, Guan Xing couldn't help but wonder: what connection did Director Liang have with the Guan family to be so relentless in forcing him out?
But at that moment, there was no time to delve into personal grudges.
"Well, at least Minister Mu's keen eye prevented such a medical genius from being buried," Elder Huang sighed, clearly frustrated with the bureaucratic attitudes at the Ministry of Health.
Minister Mu also expressed some self-reproach, saying, "Alright, Elder Huang, this was my mistake. Over the years, I've been negligent. When I return, I will issue a notice for political reorganization in the health institutions to stamp out this kind of atmosphere."
He smiled again, lightly joking, "But no matter how dark the clouds, they can't block Dr. Guan's brilliance. The title 'Eastern Divine Hand' wasn't given just for show. The success of those three heart surgeries made waves around the world. No one even knows the details. At that time, the Prime Minister asked me, 'Is this Eastern Divine Hand a Chinese? If so, bring him to meet me.' Such miraculous skills are bound to stir curiosity."
Guan Xing realized that even the country's leadership had taken notice of his achievements. Minister Mu must have been well-informed before coming today, especially since Guan Xing's household and his identity weren't secrets.
Thanks to the lively conversation with Minister Mu, the group continued chatting for hours. Guan Xing even learned that the Minister had a deep connection with his grandfather. However, Guan Xing couldn't recall when he'd met Minister Mu personally.
Regardless, the conversation continued without any sense of restraint. Guan Xing answered questions about his medical expertise, the heart surgeries he had performed, and other technical matters, leading the discussion into the late afternoon.
"Well, Dr. Guan, I think we'll wrap up here. Next time we'll talk about some personal matters. But don't forget about the seminar next Wednesday. If you don't attend, Mr. Shifenti might not give me any face. He might not even let me into the conference hall."
Minister Mu laughed self-deprecatingly and took out an invitation to the seminar from his briefcase, as well as a doctor's qualification certificate that he had personally signed, handing both to Guan Xing.
"Although this might not seem important to you, the formalities are necessary. Dr. Guan, I hope you can continue to create miracles in China. If you do, I'll throw a national banquet to celebrate in your honor."
This time, Guan Xing didn't act coy. He accepted the invitation and certificate with ease, showing respect for the minister's broad-mindedness. Truth be told, the decisions had already been made long before this meeting even started. Minister Mu was simply giving him a chance to see how his officials "serve the people."
Whether satisfied or not, the issue with the double-organ cancer surgery had finally come to an end.
Both the old dean and Elder Huang shook Guan Xing's hand in congratulations, expressing that in the future, he would have the opportunity to showcase the legendary skills of the "Eastern Divine Hand," something that all Chinese doctors hoped for.
As they left the building, Guan Xing saw Du Juan still anxiously waiting by the door. When she saw him looking energetic and unharmed, she finally felt at ease and left.
Guan Xing called Cheng Yunya on his phone. It was close to the end of the workday, and he was too lazy to return to the company. Cheng Yunya didn't object but jokingly said, "Dr. Guan Xing is so carefree, skipping a day of work and still leaving early. Fine, go ahead, but remember, no fooling around outside, and don't meet any other women."
Before Guan Xing could respond, the call was already disconnected. He couldn't help but chuckle. Did she think she was his wife?
As he was about to head home, Sun Yiran called and asked him to stop by the Jingnan Building to check out the office floor he had rented and offer his opinion. She also wanted him to pick her up and take her home.
Though he already had Hua Ruyin in his life, Sun Yiran was thriving in both love and career. She wanted to let everyone around her know that she was no longer alone but had a loving and caring husband.
Guan Xing wasn't particularly interested in these matters but knew he couldn't turn down picking up his wife. He quickly turned the car around and headed for Jingnan Building.
The Jingnan Building, with its 88th floor, was known as the tallest building in Kyoto, and its rent was among the highest in the city. Four of China's top ten conglomerates had offices in this building, and many companies rented a single office, calling it their "branch office" in hopes of benefiting from the building's commercial fortune.
When Guan Xing arrived, it was just after six o'clock, and the elevators were full of employees leaving for the day. The building was full of businesspeople in suits and skirts, with some higher-level executives mixed in. These were the types of people who were prominent in Kyoto.
"Dr. Guan, what are you doing here?" Just as Guan Xing was about to enter the elevator, a surprised voice rang out.
To his surprise, it was Qin Yunluo, who stood before him, surrounded by a young man in a designer outfit worth at least a million.
"Oh, you must have known I was here and came to pick me up, right? Dr. Guan, you're so kind to me." Before Guan Xing could respond, Qin Yunluo's soft, youthful hands wrapped around his arm, enveloping him in her fragrance.
Guan Xing was taken aback. He had just been warned by Cheng Yunya in the morning, and he definitely didn't want anything to happen with Qin Yunluo. He quickly tried to pull away from her grasp.
"Don't move. Help me get rid of this person." A delicate kiss landed on his cheek as Qin Yunluo whispered in his ear.