Chapter 48: Is Being a Factory Director Such a Big Deal?

"If I hadn't stopped her, your daughter would have practically swallowed Dr. Lin whole," Mother Lou said, glaring fiercely at Lou Xiaoe.

"Girls are truly inclined to leave the nest," Lou Ban-cheng sighed, before asking with curiosity, "How is Lin Shaowen? Does he meet your approval?"

"Lou Ban-cheng, are you doing this on purpose?" Mother Lou said with a wry smile. "Just based on his looks, Lin Shaowen is one in a million. Add in his miraculous medical skills, and I honestly feel Xiaoe isn't good enough for him."

"What? I'm not good enough for him?" Lou Xiaoe immediately protested.

"Lin Shaowen is a proper medical university graduate. May I ask how many years of schooling Miss Lou has completed?" Lou Ban-cheng teased.

"I... I attended a private traditional school, and I even had a private tutor," Lou Xiaoe retorted.

"Lin Shaowen has enjoyed a level-six salary tier right out of graduation. Miss Lou, you are still living off your parents," Mother Lou added with a smile.

"So what? What's yours will eventually be mine, and what's his will be mine too," Lou Xiaoe said dismissively.

"You have no shame at all." Mother Lou gave Lou Xiaoe's dainty nose a gentle tap.

Lou Ban-cheng fell into deep thought before saying, "The rolling mill is a massive factory with over ten thousand workers. It's not proper for Dr. Lin to be the only physician in the clinic. Starting tomorrow, you should go and help him out."

"Really?" Lou Xiaoe asked, pleasantly surprised.

"As an unpaid volunteer, no salary," Lou Ban-cheng said offhandedly.

"I don't want a salary, I'll go tomorrow... Oh dear, what should I wear? No, I need to buy a couple of outfits for work." Lou Xiaoe shouted, "Xiao Li, get the car ready, we're going to Wangfujing..."

"This girl." Mother Lou shook her head with a wry smile.

"I heard Elder Zhao is going to present a silk banner to Lin Shaowen..."

Lou Ban-cheng's single sentence left Mother Lou frozen in place.

***

Medical Clinic.

Lin Shaowen was taking a nap on his bed after lunch when the sudden sound of gongs and drums nearly startled him right out of bed.

"What on earth are you doing? This is a damned medical clinic, did you think it was an opera house?"

He flung the door open and roared, leaving the group outside momentarily stunned.

"What are you looking at? Is being a factory director so impressive?" Lin Shaowen barked at Yang Weiguo.

There was a strict rule in the medical department prohibiting loud shouting.

Yet, this single outburst still startled everyone present.

"There are outsiders here," Factory Director Yang said through gritted teeth.

"Show some respect," Deputy Factory Director Li reminded him in a low voice.

Lin Shaowen composed himself, then immediately broke into a beaming smile. "Director Yang, Deputy Director Li, what brings you here?"

"Could you possibly look any faker?" Yang Weiguo's teeth were practically grinding to dust.

"Alright, cut the act. What on earth do you want?" Lin Shaowen couldn't be bothered to play along.

"Someone is here to present you with a silk banner," Deputy Director Li said, smiling brightly.

***

"Who?" Lin Shaowen asked curiously.

"Dr. Lin, hello, my name is Zhao Qingshan."

A sturdy, muscular man stepped forward. Although he was wearing civilian clothes, Lin Shaowen could tell at a glance that he was a soldier.

"Hello, is there something I can help you with?" Lin Shaowen asked, frowning slightly.

"I am here on behalf of my father to present you with a silk banner, to thank you for saving his life." Zhao Qingshan first bowed deeply to Lin Shaowen before unfurling the banner.

"In deep gratitude to Dr. Lin for his gift of a second life — Presented by Zhao Qingming."

"Is your father feeling better?" Lin Shaowen asked curiously.

"He's still a bit weak, but at least his life was saved," Zhao Qingshan said with a wry smile.

Lin Shaowen tilted his head in thought. "Let's go, to the hospital..."

"Why are we going to the hospital?" Yang Weiguo asked in surprise.

"For a stroll, care to join?" Lin Shaowen rolled his eyes.

Deputy Director Li inwardly shook his head. Why was Old Yang so dense sometimes?

After walking quite a distance and noticing that Yang Weiguo hadn't kept up, Lin Shaowen called out, "Director Yang, hurry up..."

***

Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

A completely bewildered Yang Weiguo stepped into the ward, his pupils abruptly contracting.

The room was filled with numerous high-ranking officials whose positions were astonishingly high.

"Dr. Lin, why are you here?"

Zhao Qingming offered a pale, wan smile.

"My two factory directors were worried about your health and asked me to come and take a look," Lin Shaowen said calmly.

Hearing this, Zhao Qingshan cast a surprised glance at Lin Shaowen.

"Thoughtful, very thoughtful."

Zhao Qingming smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for Yang Weiguo and Li Xinmin to find seats.

Yet, how could the two of them dare? Sweat poured down their faces, but they didn't dare wipe it away.

"Come here, let me give you a couple of acupuncture needles."

Lin Shaowen motioned for Zhao Qingshan to turn Zhao Qingming over.

Disregarding the panicked doctors, Zhao Qingshan simply scooped up Zhao Qingming and turned him over.

"You... how can you move the patient like that?" the attending physician shouted angrily.

"That's enough, you may leave," a voice suddenly came from the doorway.

"Elder Qin, Director..."

The doctor respectfully acknowledged them, but the two men waved their hands, signaling him to step outside.

Lin Shaowen focused his mind for a brief moment, and thirteen silver needles instantly left his hand, landing firmly and precisely across Zhao Qingming's back.

"Hoo..."

Zhao Qingming expelled a breath of stale air, and his tightly furrowed brow instantly relaxed.

Before long, he drifted into a deep sleep.

"What acupuncture technique is this?" Qin Zhong asked with astonishment.

"Self-invented, the Thirteen Needles of Yama. Impressive, isn't it?" Lin Shaowen raised an eyebrow.

"Impressive," Qin Zhong nodded.

"How long have you been pondering over this?" Zhang Yuyang asked in a low voice.

"I just figured it out a moment ago," Lin Shaowen said, scratching his head.

"So you basically used my old man as a guinea pig?" Zhao Qingshan said with a wry smile.

"You can't put it that way, this is called a clinical trial," Lin Shaowen replied with a straight face.

"Go on, stop talking nonsense." Qin Zhong lightly tapped Lin Shaowen on the head. "The acupuncture on that rolling mill patient's hand this morning was also done by you, wasn't it?"

"Did they manage to reattach the hand?" Lin Shaowen asked anxiously.

"It was reattached, but the postoperative result isn't very optimal. That hand will probably only be good for show," Zhang Yuyang said with a wry smile.

"Is that so?" Lin Shaowen sighed.

"Consider yourself lucky. If it weren't for those two needles of yours stopping the bleeding, the man probably wouldn't have survived halfway here." Qin Zhong tapped Lin Shaowen on the head once more.

"Alright, since the matter is settled, I'm heading back to work." Lin Shaowen walked straight toward the exit.

"Hey kid, those needles of yours..." Qin Zhong called out.

"In half an hour, they'll fall out on their own," Lin Shaowen's voice drifted back from afar.

"I'll see him out."

Zhao Qingshan immediately followed him out.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director Li and Factory Director Yang remained seated among the heavyweights, reporting on their work.

"Little Yang, your rolling mill is running quite well."

"Little Xinmin, you are in charge of welfare and benefits; you mustn't let our worker brothers suffer any losses."

"You younger generation strive ahead, but we old fellows shouldn't just sit around eating free meals. How about this... Little Hu, leave your phone number with Yang Weiguo, and help him resolve any issues if they arise."

...

When Yang Weiguo and Li Xinmin finally emerged from the hospital, they were nearly ecstatic.

"Promotion, we must promote him," Yang Weiguo declared fiercely.

"Why don't you just give him the director position you're holding concurrently?" Li Xinmin suggested.

"That step is too big. Let's make him a department head first," Yang Weiguo consulted.

"What about the reward?" Li Xinmin asked again.

After pondering for a moment, Yang Weiguo suddenly realized that Lin Shaowen didn't seem to lack anything at all.