Unperceived to the receptionist, another doctor, who was walking past the reception area, heard them praise Li Mian, which made her face darker with jealousy. A strong sense of unpleasantness stung her heart.
There are people who aren't good at self-command or showing phlegm in unpleasant or under trying circumstances. Doctor Liu could be undoubtedly classified in this class. The burger, which she bought for her brunch, fell off her hand, attesting her lack of self-command.
Although it couldn't even pick up the slightest taint from the gleaming and spotless floor, same couldn't go accurately for germs. Disgruntled, she threw it in the dustbin and briskly walked away.
"Director's room. What is your name by the way?" Mian asked, while walking through the corridor.
A flush of shyness crept up the receptionist's cheeks, hearing the Goddess Of Beauty ask his name. "Sheng Yize," He replied, his face was tinted with delicate pink.
However, Mian didn't notice the blushing boy. She was inspecting the place silently, as the receptionist was leading the way. So far, Mian was well pleased with the result, the hospital stood up to its 'The Cleanest' reputation.
At that moment, they reached in front of the director's room. Sheng Yize knocked on the door lightly.
"Come in," A gravelly calm sound came from inside.
Sheng Yize opened the door, and held it for Li Mian.
"Thank you, Sheng Yize." Mian entered inside, keeping the blushing poor man outside the room.
Seeing Li Mian in his room, Director Fu stood up from his posh chair, and greeted her enthusiastically, "Good morning, Dr. Mian! Welcome to First People's Hospital!"
"Good morning to you too, Director Fu."
"Please sit down,"
"Thank you, sir."
Director Fu flashed a big smile at Mian showing his not so white teeth, and let a tirade of acclamation loose upon her,
"It's my honour to have you here, in First People's Hospital, Dr. Mian! I have heard a lot about your achievements. You took your doctor's license at the age of 19 from Harvard Medical School, and won several gold medals for your unbelievable performance. Till now, your success rate is 100%, which is why people call you, Doctor The Miraculous!"
He paused to take a breath, eyes were sparkling, then continued, "The fact that you came back to your own country to treat your own people, despite having been given the opportunity to be a professor and surgeon in Harvard University, made us all very proud of you, as fellow Chinese. It's worth applauding that you considered China as your base!"
The corner of Mian's lips unwittingly curled up in a mocking smile which was a rare sight. Nevertheless, before it could be obvious, she reverted her expression quickly without leaving a trace.
Her consent to join the First People's Hospital must have gotten the director a good amount of profit. His sparkly eyes and saccharine attitude gave it all away.
There were other well splendid, top-notch hospitals who offered Mian to be their head neurosurgeon with bungalows, expensive sports cars, and other facilities. However, the reason she entered upon in First People's Hospital was because all other hospitals turned down the condition she placed on the contract papers: to treat the people from a charity house free of cost.
The Charity house called 'Love The Lives' housed thousands of destitute people who suffered from chronic illness like cancers, Alzheimer disease, dementia, malignant tumours, Cystic fibrosis, Crohn disease, COPD, Parkinson disease, Multiple sclerosis, Cystic fibrosis, HIV/AIDS, Asthma, Arthritis, Epilepsy, Heart disease and several long-term neural disorders.
Obviously, Mian wasn't an omni-curer, thus, apart from neurological disorders she couldn't treat other problems nor could she force other specialists to walk in her footsteps. Nonetheless, she wanted to make use of the privilege she had, to shoo away the curse called 'Diseases' from as many people as she could.
First People's Hospital's management team wasn't intellectually destitute. After all, it was a commercial hospital. In fact, this bunch of brainy outsmarted their rivals. They had their own strategies to extract all the money, which would be spent on providing free treatment and surgeries to the poor, with interest.
Normally, a single surgery should have earned Mian 1 million dollars. 50 would be a least number to say, of the surgeries Mian would perform in a month, considering her fame and record. However, binding in the employment contract, she would receive a fixed salary of $4M including the percentage of patients' appointments, and physical tests.
Clearly the First People's Hospital was in the winning end, and so are the basic rights deprived, those indigent people from 'Love The Lives' charity house. Yet, Mian was okay being the scapegoat in the middle. She needed the best technology and equipment provided by the hospital to treat them.
"Director Fu, I should get going now, as I have to familiarise myself with other doctors and nurses as well before nine." Mian spoke up quickly, before the Director could get a chance to spread his wings of plaudits to fan her again.
There was no lack of respect toward the Director based on Mian's manner of speech, but hollowness. Well, thousands of people would have thousands of different opinions, and principles, and she couldn't show hostility towards everyone for their outlook. That would degrade her to the level of pugnacious, fish-woman.
Director Fu wasn't done with his praises yet, however, as what Mian said was logical, he couldn't hold her up any longer, "Sure. Here is the employment contract you need to sign." He said, then pushed a stack of papers on the table towards Mian.
Mian read the documents carefully, before putting beautiful cursive signatures on it. There wasn't any hassle, as she already negotiated all the terms and clauses over video meetings, before agreeing to join here.
"Let me escort you." Director Fu proposed.
"No, you don't have to, sir. I can manage." Mian refused eagerly, yet politely.
"It will be my pleasure, Dr. Mian. I insist, please." Saying that, Director Fu already got up from his chair, walked out from behind his desk.
At that point, Mian could only nod her head helplessly in response.
'This person is quite irritating.' She noted in her mind.