Chapter 437 - 410: Revolutionary Will as Strong as Iron
When Xu Chunliang and Pu Jian arrived at First-class Residence, they saw Lu Ming and some friends playing cards. It turned out they also booked a table here for the night.
Upon seeing Xu Chunliang, Lu Ming handed his cards to another friend and proactively came over to join him for tea. He felt that Pu Jian looked somewhat familiar, but couldn’t recall where they’d met before.
Pu Jian recognized Lu Ming, knowing that he is Lu Qi’s brother, the head of Dongzhou’s Internet Monitoring Department, someone with considerable influence. He remembered there was a past conflict with Lu Qi which Lu Ming had resolved, almost landing him in detention. It was only through finding connections, apologizing, and compensating that matter was settled.
Lu Ming told Xu Chunliang that there have been a lot of unfavorable rumors about their hospital recently.
Xu Chunliang knew that Lu Ming had helped Changxing quite a bit, mostly because of his relationship with Lu Qi. He smiled and said, "Brother Ming, it’s inevitable for there to be some controversy since Changxing’s restructuring hasn’t been long. Just handle it officially." He also didn’t want Changxing to keep invoking his name for favors.
Lu Ming said, "Even so, too much negative news eventually affects your hospital’s reputation. There’s a serious misunderstanding from the outside that you’ve become a completely private hospital. I’ll give you an example: my mother-in-law went to your dental department last week for a cleaning, and your doctor convinced her to have three teeth extracted. It cost her a total of 4,500 including examination and surgery fees. And she still needs three implants, which reportedly will cost over 80,000."
Xu Chunliang understood why Lu Ming proactively wanted to talk about this issue; obviously, he was unhappy. The price of dental implants is indeed outrageous. Three implants for over 80,000 probably means using all-ceramic crowns and titanium alloy implants, making their value comparable to gold. The key issue is that these expenses can’t be reimbursed through health insurance.
The reason Lu Ming was upset is that the three teeth his mother-in-law had could still manage somehow, so how did they become deemed absolutely necessary to remove by Changxing Hospital’s doctor, claiming it would otherwise cause severe periodontal problems? When such things happen to others, maybe you don’t feel it, but when it happens to a family member, it feels like being ripped off.
Xu Chunliang said, "I’ll handle this. I’ll immediately check if there was any excessive medical treatment, and if it turns out there was, I’ll have the hospital hold the responsible doctor accountable."
Lu Ming said, "Oh, come on, I was just mentioning it casually. Maybe the treatment was necessary in that situation." He also understood that the cost of implants remains high not only at Changxing but at other hospitals too. What truly frustrated him was that his mother-in-law went through the entire treatment process without even discussing it with them, and had three teeth pulled.
His wife blamed him, saying how can someone with many friends still let his mother-in-law get ripped off at the hospital? Actually, it wasn’t entirely his fault, as his mother-in-law went to the dentist without informing him first. If he had known, he could have arranged it at any hospital.
Just then, a friend arrived, and he got up to greet them.
Xu Chunliang went outside to call Gao Xinhua, who was instantly angry. Advising someone on implants isn’t inherently wrong, but eagerly persuading them to get three teeth pulled first—what’s the meaning of that? Once removed, the patient has no choice but to proceed with the implants.
Even if extraction is necessary, you should let the person consider it carefully. Is earning money like this really ethical?
Changxing’s dental center is also privately contracted. Not only outside patients, even hospital staff complain when they go to the dental department here, giving it a poor reputation internally.
Gao Xinhua agreed to handle this matter. The teeth that Lu Ming’s mother-in-law had extracted will be restored there, and he believed Director Zhao Feiyang would have no objections. Xu Chunliang wouldn’t need to be involved, as Gao Xinhua would handle getting Zhao Feiyang to sign and waive the fees.
He also asked him to collect the treatment documents from Lu Ming. Given the significant help Lu Ming has provided to Changxing, they must handle this issue beautifully.
Xu Chunliang hung up the phone, sighing inwardly. Zhao Feiyang introduced private capital with good intentions, but during implementation, things couldn’t always go as planned. Ensuring the overall goal remains unchanged is already very challenging.
Seeing Su Qing’s Beetle pulling up outside, Xu Chunliang got up to greet her.
Su Qing, dressed in a black suit that complemented her creamy skin, exuded an elegant yet lively charm. Wherever she appeared, she was a beautiful sight. Xu Chunliang paid particular attention to her eyes, bright as autumn waters, and she seemed in good spirits, apparently not too affected by her father’s sudden departure.
With a gentle smile, Su Qing said, "I came early."
Xu Chunliang replied, "I arrived early. Please!" As they entered the room, he helped Su Qing hang up her coat, choosing not to mention Su Tianyu’s situation.
Upon seeing Su Qing, Pu Jian’s gaze became somewhat fixed. Impressive, he thought, his connections all involve stunning beauties. This brotherhood, I’m committed to it.
Xu Chunliang introduced, "This is my bro, Pu Jian, and this is Su Qing, the star host from Dongzhou TV Station."
Pu Jian said, "I came from Capital City; here’s my business card." He didn’t rashly offer to shake hands with Su Qing, mindful that she might refuse.
Accepting his card with a smile, Su Qing said, "Hello, Brother Pu. I don’t have a business card on me, but you can contact me through Chunliang." Her response was graceful, skillfully maintaining a distance from Pu Jian.
Pu Jian sighed inwardly, thinking his earlier awkward gaze perhaps made Su Qing wary. While he’s no paragon of virtue, he knows not to covet a friend’s partner. But then again, isn’t Xu Chunliang’s girlfriend Mei Ru Xue? He can’t possibly be two-timing or trying to have it all, can he?
Just then, Yu Li and Yu Mo arrived together. Yu Li warmly approached Su Qing, shaking her hand and exchanging pleasantries.
Smiling at Yu Mo, Xu Chunliang said, "Director Yu, it’s been a while."
Yu Mo smiled back, "You’ve been quite the busy bee, I hear, tasked with supervising the construction of the Healthy Elderly Care Hospital. No wonder you’re rarely seen at the hospital."
Xu Chunliang replied, "I’ve mostly been on Weishan Island, a desolate place far removed from civilization, leading to my being sidelined by the hospital."
Yu Mo said, "Alright, no need to be modest. Indeed, Weishan Island used to be like what you said, but now it’s completely different. It’s been established as a national-level tourist resort, and it’s the hottest spot in Dongzhou."
Xu Chunliang is definitely a rising star at Changxing Hospital, and now everyone at Changxing Hospital knows his name.
After several people sat down, Yu Li took the initiative to talk about her wedding with Lu Qi. Upon meeting Su Qing, she simply invited Su Qing to host her wedding, saving Xu Chunliang the trouble of asking.
Of course, Su Qing couldn’t refuse, given her regard for Xu Chunliang. Although she had no experience hosting weddings, she planned to invite a male colleague from the TV station to co-host. Having a male-female duo would be ideal for Li.
Su Qing asked her which host she liked the most, and without thinking, Yu Li said Ma Xi. Among male hosts in Dongzhou, Ma Xi ranks first, highly respected. Su Qing was very familiar with Ma Xi and immediately agreed to help invite him.
Xu Chunliang noticed Su Qing’s mood seemed to have lifted from the distress of Su Tianyu’s disappearance. Normally, it shouldn’t have been so fast. Could it be that she and her father had already been back in contact?
Although Xu Chunliang had a good relationship with Su Qing, it wasn’t appropriate for him to inquire about personal family matters, but he was glad to see Su Qing’s spirit recovering from a low point.
Lu Qi and Li Zhong arrived together, and as soon as they entered the room, Lu Qi apologized, saying they were summoned for a meeting again today.
Xu Chunliang said, "Do you policemen have that many meetings?"
Li Zhong replied, "It’s almost the Spring Festival, and there’s concern over the safety hazards caused by setting off fireworks and firecrackers. We’re deploying key area defenses for focus control."
Pu Jian said, "I just don’t get it, what’s the problem with setting off firecrackers? We ordinary folks just want to enjoy this once a year, hear the sounds, see the fireworks, and have some fun. Are we not even allowed to spend our own money for it?"
Lu Qi said, "Brother Pu, there are too many in society who think like you, which is why we have to work overtime during the Spring Festival."
Li Zhong said, "Close the door and speak freely. Actually, I think there’s no harm in setting off fireworks during the festival. When we were kids, everyone was lighting firecrackers everywhere, it was lively, and we never heard about any pollution. Now that there are no firecrackers, the air doesn’t seem much better, and it’s so quiet everywhere that the festive atmosphere is gone."
Lu Qi said, "You can’t say that outside. If our boss hears, he’ll have you demoted or investigated."
Xu Chunliang laughed, "It’s not that serious."
Yu Li said, "Let’s not talk about politics while we’re eating today. Does anyone have any dietary restrictions? I’ve had the dishes arranged."
Lu Qi said, "There’s no outsiders here, just arrange it the best you can."
Xu Chunliang said, "Come on, that’s enough. Everyone says there are no outsiders, so don’t waste extravagantly."
Li Zhong said, "Don’t be polite with him. It’s a rare occasion to eat with the couple, so go with the highest standards."
Everyone actually knew that the highest standard at First-class Residence was about two hundred per person.
The dishes were soon served. Yu Li told Lu Qi that his big brother wanted him to go over and offer a toast. Lu Qi said he would wait until their hot dishes arrived, as going too early would disrupt their drinking mood, and it would be impolite to the guests here.
Lu Qi opened a bottle of Wuliangye, while the ladies were drinking Changyu Dry Red. After a few glasses, he proactively mentioned his upcoming trip to assist in Xingjiang in the second half of the year. This was a rare opportunity, fully demonstrating the leadership’s attention to him. In fact, he could choose not to go by explaining the situation, but Yu Li insisted he should go, as such a training opportunity was really rare.
Everyone knew very well that this trip to Xinjiang was a chance for Lu Qi to shine, and when he returned, he was bound to face a promotion. Opportunities like this don’t come to everyone.
Xu Chunliang raised his glass and said, "Let me first wish you a smooth journey and a step up in the ranks."
Everyone joined in responding.
Pu Jian’s outstanding social skills quickly allowed him to blend in with everyone. He deliberately asked, "Yu Li, you just got married, and you’re willing to let him go so far away?"
"Yes, as a wife, of course, I have to support my husband’s career."
Pu Jian said, "The Uyghur girls over there are pretty, aren’t you worried at all?"
Yu Li giggled, "Just treat it as a test of his revolutionary will."
Li Zhong said, "Revolutionary will as strong as iron, Lu Qi, it’s time to test if you’re as strong as iron."