The next morning, Chen Yuan came to Jishi Hall as usual.
As he entered the prescription room, the scene was almost identical to the day before: two old men were squabbling over a game of chess while several middle-aged men watched.
The only difference was that today, upon seeing Chen Yuan enter, everyone stood up to greet him.
Jishi Hall had a renowned reputation, and there were many who came to the hospital for treatment, but the number of people who actually needed to visit the prescription room was quite small. Apart from a few big shots and the wealthy, ordinary people seeking medical treatment could hardly afford to engage these old men to formulate medicines. Their day-to-day work mostly consisted of academic research, which was essentially being idle.
Seeing that there was nothing to do and no new medicines had arrived, Chen Yuan walked out and began to stroll around.
When he reached the rooftop area, he saw in the distance a man dressed as a doctor and a woman dressed as a nurse tugging at each other.
The woman in the nurse's uniform, a dazzling beauty, was the same junior nurse who had entered the prescription room the day before, Lin Bailin.
"Minister Zhang, what are you doing? I've already told you, I won't agree to it!" Lin Bailin furrowed her brows and pushed away the doctor who was trying to get close to her, shouting with pride.
"Hehe, Bailing, you just have to agree to be my lover, and I'll help you out with the ratings this month. That way, you won't need three months to become the head nurse," the man said with a lecherous face, his eyes lustfully fixed on Lin Bailin's prominent chest as he took a few more steps closer to her.
Lin Bailin, looking at the vile expression on the man's face, stepped back and said, "Doctor Zhang, please have some self-respect! If you keep this up, I'm going to file a complaint against you!"
Doctor Zhang, seeing Lin Bailin's look of disgust and her icy tone, touched his protruding belly and said with a changed tone, "Hehe, a complaint? A junior nurse with no background like you, complaining about me? Do you think anyone will believe you? On the contrary, if I were to complain about you, do you think you could keep your job?"
The man was Deputy Minister Zhang Wo of the procurement department, already over forty years old, and he had been coveting Lin Bailin for more than just a day or two. With Lin Bailin adamantly resistant, he had decided to force the issue.
Zhang Wo had already investigated Lin Bailin's background thoroughly, knowing her family was in financial difficulty, and that they depended solely on her salary. She valued her job greatly.
At her age, it was impossible to find a place with treatment like Jishi Hall's.
As expected, upon hearing this, Lin Bailin's expression subtly changed, and she became petrified on the spot, unsure of what to do.
"What an elegant hobby you two have. Would you mind if I joined the observation?" Chen Yuan stepped forward with a light smile.
"Who's there?!" Zhang Wo was startled by Chen Yuan's sudden appearance.
"Doctor... Doctor Chen," Lin Bailin said with a delighted expression as soon as she saw Chen Yuan, immediately stepping behind him.
"Doctor Chen? What doctor? I don't recall ever seeing you," Zhang Wo asked with a hint of anger. After all, he felt that under his coercion, Lin Bailin had no other options. Suddenly someone interfered, how could that not anger him?
"Doctor Chen is the new Pharmacist hired by the prescription room!" Lin Bailin spoke from behind Chen Yuan.
Zhang Wo frowned; he was unaware of a new Pharmacist joining the prescription room. Although he was not afraid of the people from the prescription room—after all, anyone who could become Deputy Minister of procurement in Jishi Hall had some background—he did not want any unnecessary complications. With plenty of opportunities around, he let out a false laugh and said, "So you're the new Pharmacist, eh? Hello, I'm Minister Zhang, the head of the procurement department." He extended his hand for a handshake with Chen Yuan.
A mere Pharmacist was not of any importance to Zhang Wo. He revealed his identity just to let the young man in front of him know not to meddle in affairs that didn't concern him.
"Deputy Minister Zhang? Not familiar," Chen Yuan said with a light chuckle, arms folded as he leaned against the railing, looking at Zhang Wo.
Zhang Wo's extended hand hung in mid-air as he watched the two walk away, burning with anger. Who had ignored him like this for such a long time?
The procurement department boasted the greatest profits and the most power within the hospital; who didn't treat him with due politeness?
"It's working hours now, who allowed you to run around? Is there no discipline anymore?"
Zhang Wo saw Chen Yuan ignoring him, and his face darkened, thinking, "You're always staring at me; how can I stir up trouble."
"During working hours, the procurement department is part of the hospital as well, isn't it? Or is your purchasing site on the rooftop? Planning to buy airplanes later?" Chen Yuan said with a smile.
"You..." Zhang Wo, faced with the sharp-tongued youth, was at a loss for words for a moment.
His anger now stirred, he walked up with a grim face, pointing his finger at Chen Yuan's nose and said,
"I'll give you one more chance! Get down from the rooftop right now, and I can pretend today's events never happened. Otherwise, you can kiss your job goodbye!"
"Ah~~!"
Just as Zhang Wo extended his finger, Chen Yuan casually flicked it, causing a crisp 'snap' sound, and Zhang Wo let out a wail.
"Next time you point at my nose, you can say goodbye to that whole arm!" Chen Yuan said indifferently.
Zhang Wo clutched his finger, sweat dripping down his forehead, and his gaze towards the youth flashed with malice.
Chen Yuan then took Lin Bailin's hand without further regard for Zhang Wo and walked away.
Lin Bailin was led down the corridor by Chen Yuan, feeling the warmth from his palm, and her cheeks flushed with a sudden redness.
"Doctor Chen, thank you," Lin Bailin said softly, her head bowed. She didn't know what might have happened just then if Chen Yuan hadn't appeared.
"It was nothing; just be careful in the future. That fatso clearly has a lecherous look about him," Chen Yuan said with a light smile.
"It's just... this might cause trouble for you. Zhang Wo... he might make things difficult for you..." Lin Bailin said, somewhat worried.
Chen Yuan had a good impression of this little nurse. Seeing her worried expression, he grinned and pretended to muse:
"Hmm, if he causes me trouble, then you can compensate me later."
"Compensate?" Lin Bailin blinked her big eyes in confusion.
"Like eating out, watching a movie, checking out an apartment—all of those are fine," Chen Yuan said with a playful smile.
Lin Bailin immediately understood, her neck turning red as she fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, muttering, "I... We've only just met, I'm not that kind of person."
Chen Yuan looked at the coy little nurse and chuckled softly, "You go ahead with your work; I'm heading back to the dispensary."
Watching Chen Yuan walk away, Lin Bailin felt an inexplicable ripple in her heart.
Chen Yuan had helped Lin Bailin spontaneously, but he also knew that he had offended Zhang Wo.
He might not be afraid, but he guessed Lin Bailin would likely face difficulties in the future.
"Since I've helped, might as well help to the end," Chen Yuan thought, picking up his phone and making a call.
......