Seeing Xu Xiangbei’s expression, Director Wu’s small eyes turned slightly. After all, he was a doctor sent by the People’s Hospital, and he couldn’t afford to offend him despite his age.
He smiled and comforted, "I know the infirmary conditions are simple, but funds are tight at our school now. Dr. Xu, please bear with us for a bit. How about I get you an air conditioner for the infirmary tomorrow?"
He had already thought it through, planning to take an old air conditioner and install it in the infirmary to ease the tension.
He underestimated Xu Xiangbei, who persisted, saying, "Let’s not talk about the environnt first. Dr. Luo is old, and he seems to be close to seventy, but the problem is he has severe amnesia. How can he be a school doctor?"
Finding Xu Xiangbei too nagging, Director Wu looked displeased, "Dr. Luo is indeed a bit old, but we are now promoting the reemploynt of retired personnel to leverage the elderly’s remaining heat. Besides, the older the doctor, the more experienced they are. We all prefer seeing older doctors; who likes to see a young doctor?"
No wonder he is the head of the Teaching and Research Office at Jiangcheng University; when he speaks, his logic is rigorous and watertight, leaving Xu Xiangbei speechless.
"But he clearly has amnesia, and those dications are expired. This is seriously irresponsible regarding students’ health."
Seeing that Xu Xiangbei had no intention of leaving, Director Wu resorted to his usual tactics: downplaying major issues, dismissing minor ones, and if nothing works, dragging it out by chatting.
A flicker of disdain crossed his eyes, disappearing quickly, "Dr. Xu, your comnts are very constructive. You go back first, and when I have ti, I’ll discuss it with the school leadership."
Xu Xiangbei knew he was just stalling. Saying he would discuss it with the leadership ant it might be put off for a month, by which ti Xu Xiangbei’s assistance in campus activities would end, and the issue would be forgotten.
Just when Xu Xiangbei was about to continue talking, a middle-aged man carrying a black handbag walked briskly in from outside. He had a serious expression, wore glasses, and passed by Director Wu.
Director Wu, who had been lounging in his chair with an indifferent and proud deanor, saw the middle-aged man and imdiately straightened up, smiling and greeting him.
The middle-aged man nodded and stopped, "Director Wu, is the end-of-sester exam schedule and sumr work plan prepared?"
Director Wu, with an ingratiating smile, nodded and bowed, "Principal Zhou, everything is ready per your instructions. I emailed them to you this morning while you were in a eting."
The middle-aged man adjusted his glasses and nodded, "That’s good, that’s good."
The middle-aged man was Principal Zhou of Jiangcheng University. He glanced at Xu Xiangbei, initially thinking he was a student from the school, but upon seeing the girl in a pink nurse’s outfit standing next to Xu Xiangbei, he took a second look.
The more he looked, the more familiar Xu Xiangbei seed. Xu Xiangbei also found the middle-aged man familiar but couldn’t rember where they had t.
The middle-aged man suddenly thought of sothing and smiled at Xu Xiangbei, "Were you at Jinhua Hotel with Secretary Qin this morning?"
At the ntion of Secretary Qin, Xu Xiangbei rembered that Principal Zhou had been one of the conference representatives who had walked into the lounge behind Secretary Qin.
Xu Xiangbei bead, "Oh yes, you were next to Secretary Qin. I rember now, has your eting only just ended?"
Principal Zhou’s eyes showed a bit of fatigue, smiling as he shook hands with Xu Xiangbei, "The eting ended long ago, but the discussion just finished. Are you friends or relatives with Secretary Qin?"
He noticed Secretary Qin warmly shook hands with Xu Xiangbei, as if they were old friends, but Xu Xiangbei seed too young, unless they were an intergenerational friendship.
Speaking of relatives, Secretary Qin was a bit too courteous, and he couldn’t quite guess the relationship between Xu Xiangbei and Secretary Qin.
Xu Xiangbei offhandedly said, "I’m neither friends nor relatives with Secretary Qin. I just helped him with so dical issues, not much contact."
Suspicion flashed in Principal Zhou’s eyes; seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving. Secretary Qin had never shaken hands with him so politely. There must be sothing unusual about their relationship.
Principal Zhou introduced himself, "I’m Zhou Yiping, how should I address you?"
Director Wu quickly chid in, "Principal Zhou, this is Dr. Xu, sent by the People’s Hospital for the campus assistance program."
Principal Zhou laughed heartily, "Dr. Xu, why don’t you take a seat. I have so things to handle, and we’ll have dinner together tonight."
He solemnly instructed Director Wu, "Arrange a private room at the Champion Scholar Tower next to the school. The people from the Health Bureau are coming tonight, and I want to have a good drink with Dr. Xu."
With that, Principal Zhou walked into his office.
Seeing Principal Zhou treating Xu Xiangbei so politely, and since Xu Xiangbei seed familiar with Secretary Qin, it appeared his connections were significant. Director Wu’s face turned a bit pale.
He quickly fetched two chairs, forcing a smile, "Dr. Xu, please sit down. This lady nurse can sit here."
Xu Xiangbei glanced askance at Director Wu, "Oh, I must get back to the infirmary. Keke, let’s go."
Director Wu hurried to block Xu Xiangbei, "Dr. Xu, Principal Zhou said to have dinner with you tonight, don’t forget."
Xu Xiangbei looked cold, "Oh, the infirmary’s dicines are all expired, where do I have ti for dinner, I’m not going."
"Hold on, Dr. Xu, don’t rush. I understand the situation in the infirmary. Tomorrow morning, I’ll report to Principal Zhou, what do you think?"
Xu Xiangbei replied firmly, "I demand that a new room be found for the infirmary, and it must have air conditioning and a freezer for storing dicines. All dications must be checked, and expired ones replaced imdiately. Don’t wait to report tomorrow morning, do it now. If you don’t, I will go straight to Principal Zhou."
Director Wu had a bitter smile, ntally calculating that if Xu Xiangbei told Principal Zhou directly, Principal Zhou would surely bla him for mishandling things, jeopardizing his prospects for promotion to vice-principal.
He quickly said, "Okay, I’ll prepare the materials now, organize your suggestions, and submit them to Principal Zhou. Give half an hour."
"Oh, and Dr. Luo should retire, he can’t continue working."
Director Wu looked troubled, knowing that Dr. Luo was introduced by an old acquaintance. Before his amnesia, he was quite capable.
But in the last two years, Dr. Luo’s amnesia worsened, and due to face-saving reasons, Director Wu turned a blind eye.
If he brought this up, he would offend people for sure.
Xu Xiangbei knew Director Wu’s thoughts, lit a cigarette, and blew a smoke ring, "If you’re afraid of offending people, no problem. I’m just a small doctor; you can ignore my requests, I don’t mind."
Director Wu gave an awkward laugh, internally struggling, realizing that not even local officials should be as feared as those with imdiate authority. This young man had close ties with Secretary Qin; he’d rather offend others than offend him.
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