Peerless Medical Emperor

As soon as he said this, the company's department heads were all champing at the bit. They each privately thought they had a chance, and they were already on the verge of arguing.

"I believe I'm the best candidate for the branch manager position," said a department head named Zhang Feng. "I've been with the company for many years, I'm experienced, and my team is outstanding."

"Give me a break, Zhang Feng," another manager named Liu Fei retorted.

"Your team is indeed outstanding, but your own skills haven't improved at all. Besides, your recent performance hasn't been anything special, has it?"

"What did you say?" Zhang Feng said, displeased.

"My performance may not be the best, but I'm not falling behind either. And I've been working hard to improve my skills."

"Working hard to improve your skills?" Liu Fei said mockingly.

"You're just treading water. I think I'm the most suitable candidate. My team has achieved some impressive results recently."

"That's enough, you two," Chen Qingdi interrupted. "This decision needs to be made through discussion, not arguments."

Hearing this, everyone broke into a flurry of discussion, debating who was the most suitable person to be the branch manager.

Chen Qingdi couldn't help but smile when he saw this.

He knew this selection process would be intense, but he was also confident that the most suitable candidate would be chosen in the end.

Over the next few days, the company's department heads were all busy with the selection process.

They each approached Chen Qingdi to express their ideas and ambitions, hoping to gain his support and approval.

Meanwhile, Chen Qingdi quietly watched it all unfold. He knew these people were acting out of self-interest, but he also believed that someone among them was certainly capable of handling the position.

Chen Qingdi sat in his office, savoring the fragrant tea in his cup. His eyes were fixed on the employee files in his hand, his mind pondering who was better suited to be the manager of the new branch.

He didn't have a definitive answer, but he had a shortlist of candidates in mind. However, his confidant, Chen Yuan, had just returned from Medical God Island and was now the acting chairman of Mingyue Group.

Chen Yuan was worried that Chen Qingdi's approach of letting them compete freely would cause the department heads to fight amongst themselves, damaging internal morale and affecting the company's growth.

Facing Chen Qingdi, Chen Yuan said firmly.

"We need to decide on this candidate as soon as possible. Otherwise, even though competition is a good thing, too much of it can hurt morale and impact the company's development."

After hearing this, Chen Qingdi put down the files, sighed softly, and replied, "I'm not worried about that. What I'm worried about is if they *don't* compete. If they don't, then I'll step in and make the appointment myself."

Chen Yuan was slightly taken aback. He knew Chen Qingdi's methods and wisdom all too well; if he decided to appoint someone, that person would undoubtedly be the most suitable.

Still, he worried that the department heads would develop conflicts while vying for the manager position.

"Chairman, I still hope you'll consider this carefully," Chen Yuan said. "We can't let internal conflicts affect the company's growth."

Chen Qingdi smiled faintly and patted Chen Yuan's shoulder. "Rest assured, I know what I'm doing. I'll find the most suitable person as quickly as possible and then I'll step in to make the appointment."

Hearing Chen Qingdi's words, Chen Yuan knew it was useless to persuade him any further. He nodded and quietly left the office.

Chen Qingdi picked up the files again and began to study them carefully. He knew that the choice for this manager position was crucial to the company's development and allowed for no carelessness.

The ringing of Chen Qingdi's phone sounded exceptionally jarring in the afternoon quiet. He frowned and answered. Dr. Ouyang's voice came from the other end.

"President Chen, Ms. Yao Shufen has escaped from the hospital."

Chen Qingdi's expression darkened. He knew exactly what this news implied. He tried his best to keep his voice calm. "Dr. Ouyang, how did you let her go?"

Dr. Ouyang sounded somewhat helpless on the other end. "Ms. Yao Shufen insisted on going out for some fresh air. I thought that since she's Shen Mingyue's mother, it wasn't an unreasonable request, so I agreed."

Chen Qingdi took a deep breath. "Dr. Ouyang, you know what she means to me. Why did you just let her go?"

Dr. Ouyang sounded nervous. "President Chen, I'm just a doctor. I can't restrict a patient's freedom. I never expected she would just run away from the hospital."

Chen Qingdi was silent for a moment, then said, "Fine, Dr. Ouyang. I'll send people to find her. But if anything happens to her, I will hold you responsible."

Dr. Ouyang could hear the threat laced in Chen Qingdi's words. He hung up helplessly. 'This President Chen is terrifying,' he thought.

Meanwhile, Yao Shufen was in a small tea house on a secluded street. She sat by the window, watching the bustling crowd outside as she took a contented sip of her tea.

'I've finally escaped that prison-like hospital,' she thought. 'It feels like I've returned to the land of the living.'

The old lady who ran the tea house saw Yao Shufen sitting there alone and walked over. "Ma'am, can I get you anything?"

Yao Shufen looked at the old lady and asked, a bit surprised, "Isn't this a tea house? How did it become a restaurant?"

The old lady smiled and said, "Oh, we're both a tea house and a restaurant. What would you like to order?"

Yao Shufen thought for a moment and said, "I'll have an order of red-braised pork and some fried noodles, please."

The old lady nodded and turned to leave. Watching her go, Yao Shufen thought, 'This little town is quite interesting.'

Before long, the old lady returned with two plates and set them on the table. "Here's your red-braised pork and fried noodles."

Looking at the red-braised pork and fried noodles, Yao Shufen suddenly grew sentimental. "The most important thing in life is to be happy. If you're stuck in a hospital all the time, it's like being locked in a prison with no freedom to speak of."

The old lady smiled. "That's right. You have to be free to be happy in life."

Yao Shufen took a bite of the red-braised pork. It tasted pretty good. She asked, "Who cooked this braised pork? They're quite skilled."

The old lady said proudly, "I made it. My cooking is delicious."

Yao Shufen tried a bite of the fried noodles and found them delicious as well. "Who made these fried noodles? Their skills are also excellent."

The old lady chuckled. "My husband made those. He's an expert at fried noodles."

Yao Shufen asked with some curiosity, "So you and your husband both know how to cook?"