Chapter 13 The Situation is Very Serious_1

Zhang Xian awkwardly withdrew his hand, no longer caring to engage Xu Li and Xu Song.

As a cultivator, he had absolutely no need to, nor did he wish to curry favor with two ordinary people. Saying hello was merely a matter of politeness. If they ignored it, there was nothing he could do about it.

"Zhu Qing and... whoever you are, whatever you want to drink, just order it! I will be treating," said Xu Song magnanimously.

Of course, however much Zhang Xian and Zhu Qing could possibly consume at this small juice bar wouldn't make a significant dent in his wallet. Paying for their drinks was a piece of cake for him, given his hefty salary.

"No need, I will handle it myself," said Zhang Xian.

I don't need it either; I've already ordered," said Zhu Qing, wanting to avoid getting too involved with Xu Song and Xu Li. The vibe she got from those two was rather disturbing.

Xu Li seemed like a woman who wallowed in vanity, always turning everything into a competition. Xu Song, on the other hand, came off as an arrogant man who loved to show off his accomplishments, which she found quite distasteful.

"Eh..." Xu Song looked slightly displeased, but he didn't dwell on this minor issue. Looking at Zhu Qing, he asked, "She must be your distant relative, right?"

"No. She's just an ordinary friend," Zhu Qing shook her head.

"An ordinary friend? Does this mean she came to Tiandu to find work?" Xu Song chuckled, then continued, "Actually, if she wants, I could recommend her to work at our hospital. I can't promise anything about other places, but in our hospital, I have considerable say. It wouldn't be a big deal to arrange for one or two people to work there. The question here is whether your friend would be interested in joining our hospital."

"Yes, indeed. If your friend is willing, our hospital would be a great choice!" chimed in Xu Li, grinning from ear to ear.

As she had always felt overshadowed by Zhu Qing at the hospital, she certainly wouldn't let this opportunity pass to get one over her.

Xu Song, at a young age, had already obtained a master's degree, and was not just a key figure of the hospital's orthopedics department, but also the son of the hospital's deputy director. It really wouldn't be a problem for him to arrange a job for someone.

Zhu Qing, slightly vexed, was well aware of Xu Li's intentions. Yet she felt helpless. After all, why had she brought along someone who obviously looked like a rustic country bumpkin?

"Actually, if I did go to your hospital, you'd have to vacate your post," Zhang Xian replied with a grin.

"I... I will lose my job?" Xu Song was momentarily taken aback, then he shook his head and chuckled, "I think you misunderstand. I was suggesting you join our hospital as a janitor, not as a doctor. So you won't pose a threat to my position."

"You're the one with the misunderstanding," Zhang Xian laughed, "If I were to join your hospital, it certainly wouldn't be as a janitor. But as for you, you may very well be in danger. I believe the hospital will make the right choice."

"Are you also a doctor?" Xu Song asked curiously.

"No. But I'm far more skilled than you. Ousting you would just be a matter of a simple directive," said Zhang Xian confidently.

Merely a small-town doctor, regardless of the backing in his hospital, would certainly be removed if he, Zhang Xian, expressed his desire to work there, setting a conditional clause that Xu Song be dismissed.

"More capable than me?" Laughing heartily, Xu Song countered, "Hey, Don't you realize that what you just said is rather humorous? How dare a nobody like you belittle a doctor with a master's degree?"

"Hahaha, Zhu Qing, your friend is hilarious," Xu Li guffawed, utterly devoid of grace.

Zhu Qing stared hard at Zhang Xian, shamefaced. What in the world was he trying to do? Talking big without knowing anything? Just showing off unnecessarily?

At best, Zhang Xian just didn't grasp things, having just descended from the mountains. At worst, he was just an airheaded newcomer – utterly clueless, but insisting on acting like he was all that.

Zhang Xian made no effort to explain after seeing that Zhu Qing, Xu Song, and Xu Li refused to believe in his capabilities. He just lowered his head, sipping his pineapple bubble tea dismissively.

"Mr. Sun, what... what's wrong with you?"

Suddenly, a surprised voice came from a corner of the juice bar.

Over there, there were still three customers, all sporting smart suits. Among them, an old man had inexplicably fainted next to their table.

The suddenness of this event startled the other old man and the middle-aged man, throwing them into a flurry.

After several moments, the older man managed to calm down. Looking at the middle-aged man, he asked, "What happened, young Zheng? Why did Mr. Sun just faint out of the blue?"

"Mr. Qian...Mr. Sun has had a history of cerebral hemorrhage, I'm worried..." The pallor on Zheng Jun's face was reminiscent of waxed paper.

"What?" Qian Bo stood rooted to the spot, stunned.

A stroke... it might be a stroke... why did it have to happen now? This is no casual illness!

"I'll go check." Seeing the situation unfold, Zhu Qing hurriedly got up to check on the old man, "Sir, I'm a nurse at City First Hospital, may I ask what's happened to this gentleman?"

"Yo...you're a nurse?" Qian Bo looked surprised as he stared at Zhu Qing.

"Yes, please call for an ambulance while I check on the elderly gentleman," Zhu Qing replied, before proceeding to examine the man.

Upon realizing that the man's pupils were contracted like pinholes and his breathing was irregular, she frowned – she could not confirm his diagnosis. Although a practising nurse, her lack of experience showed.

"This old man is in trouble." After a quick scan of the old man's body with his psyche, Zhang Xian's eyebrows squeezed together.

Xu Song and Xu Li had also walked over but clearly showed no interest in offering any assistance. Such matters were like a double-edged sword — it could go either way, and they weren't keen on involving themselves in it.

A vain woman and a man who loved to show off above his station, why should the wealth and life of others concern them?

"Xu Song, you're a doctor, can you figure out what's wrong?" Zhu Qing turned to Xu Song.

"Well, I'm an orthopedic doctor, and this gentleman clearly doesn't have a bone issue. Without medical equipment, what can I possibly diagnose?" Xu Song shook his head.

Qian Bo, seeing that neither the doctor nor the nurse could diagnose Mr. Sun's issue, felt his heart sink. Mr. Sun was no ordinary old man. If something happened to him on his watch, who knows how major the repercussions could be?

Zheng Jun's face had long drained of color due to fright. He was shaking uncontrollably, hands and feet all over the place. The main issue was that the person who had passed out held considerable clout. Even if Zheng Jun was normally calm, he's unable to bear such weight now.

"Qingqing, don't touch him." Zhang Xian suddenly stepped forward.

"Ah..." Just as Zhu Qing was about to check the old man's eyes, Zhang Xian's warning made her instinctively pull her hands back.

"This gentleman's condition is critical. Everybody step back. If immediate rescue measures are not initiated, his life will be in danger," said Zhang Xian, his brows furrowed as he approached the table.

"You... are you a doctor too? Can you diagnose Mr. Sun's condition?" Qian Bo asked in surprise.

"I'm not a doctor, but I'm definitely more competent than some who only know how to boast but lack actual ability," Zhang Xian shook his head, smiling.

"What... what do you mean? Are you speaking about me?" Realizing Zhang Xian's implication, Xu Song was enraged, "Do you, a country bumpkin, claim to be able to diagnose the elderly man's condition?"

"I can't be bothered with you, you fool." Zhang Xian glanced dismissively at Xu Song, then turned to Qian Bo, "Old man, do you trust me? If you do, I'll save him. If you don't, just stay put and watch."