Du Heng's words genuinely moved Li Qingde.
Seeing that Du Heng didn't seem to be feigning reluctance, Li Qingde nodded in agreement.
However, it was a bit uncomfortable for him to let Zhang Jinlian off so easily.
But Zhang Jinlian was a staff member with an authorized job, and the Health Clinic only had two people capable of treating patients. Without her, he wouldn't be able to manage the situation.
When Du Heng goes to Upper Village, Wu Buwei will certainly accompany him.
Besides, even if that lad Wu Buwei were left behind, he'd be of no use. The main issue was his lack of a practice qualification, meaning he couldn't independently diagnose and treat patients anywhere.
So, when the time came, the Health Clinic would still have to rely on Zhang Jinlian to keep things running.
Sigh, what a tough situation!
The Health Clinic was small, but its problems were significant.
News of Du Heng's noble actions quickly spread throughout the Health Clinic.
Every colleague Du Heng encountered gave him a thumbs-up, praising his ideals, admiring his initiative, and respecting his moral character.
Li Nating, who had been busy on the second floor, even found a moment to rush over and praise him profusely.
In a single afternoon, Du Heng's character and medical reputation were "sublimated" within the small Health Clinic.
The only one who was unhappy was Wu Buwei.
He was very clear about his own position: Du Heng was his senior brother and also his supervising mentor.
If Du Heng was going to Upper Village to make house calls for the villagers, how could he, the "disciple," remain alone in the warm office?
He looked at the setting sun outside the window, momentarily speechless.
Of course, there was one other person who didn't appreciate it: Zhang Jinlian, who had been holed up in the Internal Medicine Office all day. When she heard the news, she breathed a sigh of relief but also disdainfully muttered, "Idiot!"
It seemed she was aware of what might have happened.
However, she didn't think Du Heng's actions had saved her. Instead, she thought he was foolish.
Du Heng wasn't bothered by everyone's attitude.
I can gain both fame and profit, so why not do it!
As Du Heng was packing up to leave work, the grandmother of the pediatric patient from the second floor approached him. "Doctor Du, we'd like to go home for the night. Would that be alright?"
Du Heng hesitated. In a Big Hospital, duty nurses would likely refuse such a request due to management or safety concerns, requiring patients to stay overnight.
But here at the Health Clinic, management was considerably more relaxed.
There were only two nurses upstairs. If there were patients, Wang Lili and Li Nating took turns working the night shift and staying in the dormitory. If there were no patients, they simply went home to sleep.
Deep down, they really didn't want patients staying overnight; they didn't even want the Health Clinic to admit inpatients at all.
Although their salary structure was the same as the doctors'—both received differential wages—the small bonus from each inpatient wasn't enough to entice them to work the night shift.
Each patient only brought in forty or fifty yuan. Since they couldn't admit many in a month anyway, they preferred not to have any at all.
Du Heng considered this, which made him hesitate and not respond immediately.
The child's grandmother, thinking he might refuse, quickly said, "Doctor Du, our home is just by the main road out front, at most two hundred meters from the Health Clinic. Can we please go home to sleep? My daughter-in-law has trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds; she can't rest well in the hospital."
It didn't matter whether it was the daughter-in-law or the elderly woman herself who was particular about beds.
Since they lived nearby, Du Heng agreed. "Alright, you can go home. Just make sure to give the child the last dose of medicine before bedtime."
"Okay, I've noted that. I'll make sure my daughter-in-law does it."
"And one more thing, don't bundle the child up too much, especially indoors. Normal clothing will be fine."
The child's grandmother nodded vigorously.
She now trusted Du Heng implicitly, simply because the child's fever had subsided and the cough had stopped.
One acupuncture treatment, one dose of powdered medicine, plus a supplementary bottle of Children's Cough Syrup, and just like that, the illness was resolved. To an old woman like her, such a doctor was exceptionally trustworthy.
What's more, he was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine.
Generally, older people have a deeper affinity for and greater trust in traditional Chinese medicine compared to the younger generation.
When Du Heng came out, Wang Zhenzhen was already waiting outside.
Freed from the constraints of the Health Clinic as her workplace and her professional role, Wang Zhenzhen was quite eye-catching in her high-heel long boots, with her shoulder-length hair, and wearing lipstick that was bright yet tasteful.
"Let's go! I've been waiting ages for you. Why are you so slow? Not eager to get off work? There must be something wrong with your head," Wang Zhenzhen said as she saw Du Heng emerge. She gave a slight shrug, hunching her shoulders, and started walking towards the roadside.
That gesture, however, instantly dispelled the elegant image she had presented moments before.
"Just had to give some instructions," Du Heng replied with a smile, slinging his bag over his shoulder and following Wang Zhenzhen out of the Health Clinic's Hall.
The moment they pushed open the door curtain of the Hall, a gust of cold wind rushed in, making Du Heng instinctively hunch his shoulders too.
"Where's your brother-in-law?"
"Never mind him. It snowed today, so he'll be leaving work a bit late. Let's hail a cab; he can follow later."
"Alright."
Just then, Wu Buwei drove out from the side gate in his car. "Wang, Senior Brother, are you two heading into the city as well?"
"Hey, perfect timing! I'd forgotten about this lad; I thought he didn't drive. Come on, Wang, let's have him give us a ride."
Watching Du Heng get in the car, Wang Zhenzhen didn't hesitate and followed.
Du Heng happily rode off in the car, oblivious to Li Nating behind him. With her bag slung over her shoulder, she bit her lower lip, watching them depart.
"Hmph, no wonder he didn't have dinner with me today. So he had company."
Wu Buwei's medical skills might have been somewhat lacking, but he was very perceptive.
He dropped them off at their destination. Politely declining their invitation to join them by saying, "I already have plans," he stepped on the gas and quickly drove off.
Eating hot pot on a snowy day—a perfect match.
Although it had stopped snowing, the kind of chill that sets in when snow melts—that "melting snow cold"—was equally perfect for hot pot.
Du Heng didn't worry about what to eat; Wang Zhenzhen and her cousin would handle that.
He wasn't a picky eater and had no dietary restrictions, so he'd eat whatever they ordered.
My only task for today is to pay the bill.
"Xiao Heng, it's just us two now. Be honest with me, what were you really thinking, taking on all that documentation work?"
"Wang, honestly, I wasn't thinking much else. I just want to treat more patients to practice and gain more experience."
Wang Zhenzhen looked at Du Heng skeptically, but she couldn't figure out his reasoning either.
"Fine, if you don't want to say, then don't. But treating more patients will indeed improve your medical skills and broaden your experience. It's good that you have this drive. Keep working hard. If you maintain this mindset, I believe you can achieve great things, even if you stay at the Health Clinic."
"Thank you for your encouraging words, Sister."
As they were chatting, Wang Zhenzhen's cousin finally arrived.
She appeared to be about 1.7 meters tall. Her light makeup only enhanced her naturally beautiful features, rather than concealing them.
When she took off her overcoat, an exquisite figure was fully revealed.
She was perfectly proportioned—any more would have been too much, any less, too little.
Every ounce of flesh was exactly where it should be.