I Am Diagnosed as a Medical Titan

Jiang He spent two days looking for an apartment.

He rented a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment with great natural light in a newly built residential complex, located between Southern Medical University and Affiliated Hospital No. 1.

As for why a young couple would rent a two-bedroom place, don't ask. If you have to ask, it's for conquering new frontiers.

For the past two days, perhaps because a cold front was moving south, the sky had been constantly overcast with frequent showers.

This kind of weather was the most uncomfortable—so damp and humid.

After finishing cleaning, Jiang He pushed open a window.

...Ugh, it's raining.

Better to keep it closed.

He'd actually had a thought while setting up this little home.

'Should I make the layout here the same as our little nest from my past life?'

'I remember how Teacher Shen loved to grow flowers and plants on the balcony. Too bad she could never keep them alive, so in the end, it was just cacti...'

After some consideration, Jiang He gave up the idea.

'Since I'm living a new life, everything should be a new beginning.'

He still had a long, long time to be with Teacher Shen—long enough to fill this empty house, bit by bit, with brand new memories.

The rain grew heavier, PITTER-PATTERING against the windows.

Jiang He glanced at the large, empty bed, a feeling washing over him that this bed would be the setting for many stories in the future...

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. He locked the door and left.

...

For the next few days, Jiang He's life was a straight line between two points.

The library and the lab.

Lately, he had even been going to Affiliated Hospital No. 1 less often.

Dean Chen had specifically spoken with him, the central message being singular: put aside all miscellaneous tasks, don't worry about the surgeries in the department, and focus all his energy on preparing for the academic exchange conference in Baltimore.

Even though he didn't have to worry about clinical work, Jiang He couldn't stay idle.

In the lab, besides the routine equipment maintenance and data review, Jiang He had opened a new "side quest" for his team.

Verify Teacher Miller's paper!

This task was primarily assigned to Junior Brother Cai.

Replicating another person's top-tier journal paper was typically time-consuming and laborious work, and it was difficult to produce any new results from it.

But when Cai Zhuoqun saw Jiang He arrive with the paper to assign the task, he didn't ask a single unnecessary question and immediately prepared to get to work.

The young guys in the lab currently had what could only be described as a blind reverence for Jiang He.

If Jiang He told them to go east, they would never go west, or north, and certainly not south...

...

10:00 PM, Southern Medical University library.

The rain was coming down harder and harder.

Jiang He walked out of the library, about to call Chen Hao and ask where that kid was and if he could transform into a trusty steed and come pick him up.

But then he saw Su Zhi appear in his line of sight, holding an umbrella, looking fresh and vibrant.

The rain had soaked the hem of her trench coat, but she still looked as sharp and capable as ever.

"Mr. Jiang, are you finished with your work?"

Jiang He was a little surprised. "Su Zhi? Why are you still here?"

They had spoken once that afternoon; he hadn't expected her to still be around.

"My job is to handle all matters related to your trip to the US. The rain is too heavy today, and I wasn't sure if you had an umbrella, so I waited. The car has heating. Shall we go to the car and discuss the itinerary?"

'Her service attitude and efficiency are truly impressive.'

Jiang He said, "Alright, thank you for the trouble."

The two of them walked down the steps side by side.

Su Zhi deliberately tilted the umbrella mostly over Jiang He, and her own shoulder was quickly soaked by the rain...

After he got in the car and closed the door,

Su Zhi took a document from the passenger seat. "Mr. Jiang, this is the finalized itinerary. Please take a look."

Jiang He took the document.

Su Zhi explained it item by item from the side:

"On the morning of the 13th, we'll depart from Yangcheng Baiyun Airport, have one layover at Tokyo Narita International Airport, and then fly to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. After landing, the consulate will arrange for a private car to take us to our hotel in Baltimore."

"The entire journey will take about twenty-two hours. I've already upgraded you and Ms. Shen to first class to ensure you can rest as much as possible en route."

"We will arrive in Baltimore at 3:00 PM local time, which gives us only a day and a half to adjust to the time difference. At 10:00 AM the day after tomorrow, the academic symposium at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine will officially begin. It's scheduled to be held in their main auditorium."

Jiang He: "The main auditorium?"

"Yes, it's a big affair. Besides the professors and researchers from Johns Hopkins University itself, they've also invited some scholars from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and even the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to observe. It's less of a symposium and more of a public inquiry."

Jiang He closed the file. "It seems Miller wants to prove, in front of all his American peers, that his decision to reject the manuscript was objective and fair."

"Should I file a protest through the foreign affairs office and demand they reduce the scale of the meeting?" Su Zhi asked.

"No need. The more, the better."

Su Zhi couldn't help but feel a sliver of admiration for Jiang He.

Faced with an international academic ambush of this magnitude, most people would probably be too nervous to sleep.

But he spoke of it as casually as if he were discussing what to eat for dinner tomorrow.

Su Zhi continued, "Additionally, regarding the equipment, I've confirmed with the consulate that the American venue will provide the latest model of projector with a VGA interface. I've prepared two backup laptops and have downloaded PowerPoint-compatible software for different versions to ensure your presentation doesn't have any technical glitches."

"Very thorough." Jiang He nodded. "I have no other questions."

"Alright." Su Zhi put the file back in her briefcase. "Then, Mr. Jiang, where are you living now? I'll drive you back."

Jiang He gave her the address of his newly rented apartment complex.

It wasn't far, about a twenty-minute drive.

A little over twenty minutes later.

"Which building?" Su Zhi asked.

"Turn right up ahead, it's the third building. You can just stop under the entryway."

The car slowly came to a stop at the edge of the canopy in front of the building entrance.

Jiang He said, "Thanks for everything today. Be careful on your way back. The rain is really heavy, so drive slowly."

"It's my job." Su Zhi nodded slightly.

Just as Jiang He was about to open the door to get out, a strange noise suddenly came from under the car's hood.

The engine.

It had stalled...

Su Zhi froze.

She turned the key, trying to restart the engine.

"CHH-CHH... CHH-CHH..."

The engine didn't respond at all.

Su Zhi's movements became stiff.

This car was a bit old, but it was usually well-maintained. Why did it have to break down right at this moment?

And on a stormy, windswept night like this, no less.

'This is a little awkward.'

Su Zhi couldn't help but glance at Jiang He.

She had worked in the professional world for years and had heard many stories...

Late at night, a downpour, a lone man and woman, the car breaking down right in front of the man's apartment building.

It was like a reenactment of those melodramatic stories she'd heard at work.

She knew Jiang He was brilliant.

In his early twenties, he was already a talent under the special protection of the provincial department, about to go head-to-head with the world's top medical titans in the US.

His future could only be described as limitless.

For many women eager to climb the social ladder, Jiang He was definitely a high-value asset.

If they could just get involved with him, they could skip twenty years of struggle... maybe even leap across social classes entirely!

But Su Zhi really disliked getting involved in that kind of thing.

She had her own principles.

She had climbed to her current position based on her own professional competence.

What's more, she knew very well that Jiang He had a fiancée with whom he was on extremely good terms, even if it was a long-distance relationship.

Of course, in many of those little stories, the "long-distance fiancée" label was basically synonymous with cheating.

"A red flag at home, and colorful flags fluttering outside." There were too many men like that...

Right now, Su Zhi's biggest fear was Jiang He saying something like, "The rain is so heavy and the car is broken. Why don't you come upstairs and wait for a bit?"

If Jiang He made such a request, and then made a further one, how should she refuse?

Refuse him bluntly? Reject him tactfully?

No matter how she handled it, it would become very troublesome.

Su Zhi took a deep breath, planning to draw a clear boundary before Jiang He could speak. For example:

'Mr. Jiang, you should go upstairs and rest. I'll contact the insurance company for a tow truck. I can just wait in the car.'

However, before she could say anything,

Jiang He said, "Do you need me to call the insurance company or a tow truck for you?"

Su Zhi was a bit stunned.

She subconsciously shook her head. "No, it's fine. I can contact them myself."

"Alright." Jiang He got out of the car. "The tow truck will probably take a long time in this weather. Stay safe."

With a THUD, the car door closed.

He didn't linger for a second. His back quickly disappeared into the stairwell.

Su Zhi sat in the driver's seat, completely silent.

'Just... like that?'

'He left so decisively?'

Although Su Zhi wasn't the kind of woman who was arrogant because of her beauty, she was still confident in her own looks and charisma.

In that situation, any other man, even one with no improper thoughts, would have at least stayed to wait with her for a while, or invited her to take shelter from the rain.

But instead, after deciding she didn't need help, he just turned and left...

Su Zhi pulled down the car's vanity mirror and took a close look.

"Did my makeup get ruined today? Or do I look like a mess?"

The woman in the mirror still had exquisite makeup. Other than the rain-soaked patch on her shoulder, there was nothing out of place.

She suddenly couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

She was laughing at her own overactive imagination and the drama she had just cooked up in her head, and also at Jiang He's pure straightforwardness.

"He really is... a one-of-a-kind person."

It was as if that home wouldn't permit any other woman to take even half a step inside.

Su Zhi took out her phone and dialed the insurance company's roadside assistance number.

Even though she would have to wait here for at least an hour, her mood was much lighter than it had been a moment ago.

...

Upstairs.

Jiang He entered his apartment.

The small home was spotless, but it felt a little empty.

It was just missing one Teacher Shen!

Missing her terribly, he typed out a text message and sent it.

[Teacher Shen, it's raining really hard in Yangcheng tonight.]

A reply came back quickly:

Little Clever: [I know, Dr. Jiang. I just finished reading and I'm about to go to sleep. You should get some rest early too, no staying up late!]

Jiang He: [Mhm, got it.]

'Another day of missing Teacher Shen like crazy...'

'Sleep? Impossible. Time to get to work first.'

Outside the window, the rain grew even more violent, with occasional flashes of lightning tearing through the night sky.

Time passed, second by second, minute by minute.

"BEEP BEEP—"

Suddenly, his phone rang.

It was Yang Xu.

Jiang He answered immediately. "Teacher."

On the other end of the line, Yang Xu's voice was urgent. "Jiang He, are you free right now?"

"I am."

"Can you get to City First Hospital as fast as you possibly can?"