Only one ward has been freed up as it is, and finding connections will do you no good now. Even if you bring someone from inside the hospital, once they hear the ward already went to another insider, they would never force it back. That would only make enemies, would it not?

"Hello? Professor Guan? This is Wei Zhao." The man Wei Zhao meant to find was naturally Guan Xuemin! Guan Xuemin was the dean of the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Songshan Medical and Pharmaceutical University, while the First People's Hospital was the university's affiliated hospital, and in personnel and titles alike it answered to the university leadership!

This was something Wei Zhao had learned while chatting with Guan Xuemin the other day, and who was Guan Xuemin? The dean of the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with the hospital's whole Traditional Chinese Medicine department under his charge. Even if the inpatient department was not under his control, a single call to the hospital director would easily secure a ward.

"Oh, Mr. Lin, what brings you to call this old man again?" Guan Xuemin sounded plainly delighted to hear Wei Zhao's voice. Wei Zhao had just called yesterday and was calling again today, and Guan Xuemin had been hoping to grow closer to him anyway.

"It is like this, Professor Guan, I am at the First People's Hospital. A friend of mine is staying here, and we wanted to pay for a transfer to a premium ward. We came first, but the head of the inpatient department gave the ward to an acquaintance of his." Wei Zhao added nothing extra and simply stated exactly what had happened to him.

"Heh, I understand. I will call Old Qin right now -- Director Qin of the hospital -- and I will get back to you in a moment!" Guan Xuemin said with a chuckle.

Had anyone else come to Guan Xuemin with such a matter, he would absolutely not have helped, for Wei Zhao had made it clear that the head of the inpatient department had given the ward to an acquaintance. That belonged to those unspoken rules everyone understood, and Guan Xuemin would never trouble another man over so trifling an affair.

That would make him, the dignified dean of a medical school, look petty and small-minded. Of course, that was not the heart of the matter. The crux was that although the hospital was affiliated with the university, it was jointly run with a company, and his own son was one of its shareholders!

So Guan Xuemin was even less inclined to meddle casually in hospital affairs -- a single call from him might stir up a tremendous uproar.

But since it was Wei Zhao who asked, that was different. Toward Wei Zhao, a bosom friend across generations who was both teacher and friend, Guan Xuemin naturally took the matter deeply to heart.

Having hung up on Wei Zhao, he called Old Qin, the hospital director.

The head of the inpatient department had watched Wei Zhao make the call with a sneer on his face, but the moment he heard Wei Zhao mention the words 'Professor Guan', he froze as he wondered who this Professor Guan could be, and then cold sweat broke out all over him!

Connected with the hospital, who else could be called Professor Guan? Who but Guan Xuemin, dean of the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Medical and Pharmaceutical University! At this thought, the inpatient head's expression stiffened at once. Who was Guan Xuemin?

Even the hospital director showed him deference, and what was more, Guan Xuemin's son was a shareholder of the hospital. To deal with a petty inpatient head like himself would be effortless, would it not?

The key trouble was that he felt wronged. The reason he had not given Kang a ward was that the doctor from before had already called ahead, asking him to hold a ward in reserve, and Kang had simply come in during the gap before that doctor arrived!

If it truly came to first come, first served, then that doctor had put in his word first! Still, he could only blame himself for not explaining clearly to Kang. Had he explained properly, things would never have come to this, would they?

At this thought, the inpatient head hurriedly rose to his feet and explained with some embarrassment, "Young man, why trouble Dean Guan? Actually, I owe you an explanation. That doctor who came for the ward earlier -- it was not a matter of first come, first served as you think. He had already called ahead, so I reserved the ward for him, which is why I told your friend here that there was no ward left."

"You think I will believe any of this now?" Wei Zhao cared nothing for whether his words were true or false, nor had he any mood to hear explanations. Even if they were true, where had he been earlier?

The inpatient head was left speechless, his old face flushing red. He wanted to say more, but the telephone on his desk shrilled piercingly. His heart jolted, and he rushed over to answer it humbly, having already guessed who was calling.

Sure enough, upon seeing the caller ID, the inpatient head grew even more obsequious, "Director Qin... you wanted me..."

But before the inpatient head could finish, a roar erupted from the other end of the line. He hastily answered 'yes' again and again, yet before he could offer any explanation, the call was already cut off.

The inpatient head set down the receiver in gloom, but the moment he turned back to Wei Zhao, his face was wreathed in a smile even brighter than before, "Young man, my apologies. I will have them free up the ward right away!"

The inpatient head had made his decision. Offending that earlier doctor was one thing, but to offend Guan Xuemin and Director Qin meant he could forget about surviving in this hospital -- he might as well pack up and get out.

Inwardly he regretted judging men by their looks, yet there was nothing to be done. Kang stood beside Wei Zhao, feeling ever more exultant, his earlier anger released in an instant as he gazed with a cold smile at the inpatient head's fawning grin.

Seeing Kang's smile, the inpatient head felt embarrassed and at the same time resentful. So playing the pig to eat the tiger feels good, does it? So putting on airs is fun, is it? Your friend knows Guan Xuemin, yet you begged and pleaded with me for a premium ward? Was that not something a single phone call could have settled?

Think what he might, outwardly he still forced an accompanying smile, "Please, all of you, follow me. I will arrange the ward at once!"

Tang Yun looked deeply at Wei Zhao. This man seemed to go nowhere without trouble he could not solve! His methods varied -- sometimes force, sometimes connections. Tang Yun shook her head and pressed her temples, calming herself down and refusing to dwell on Wei Zhao.

Coming out of the inpatient head's office, Wei Zhao was surprised to see Guan Xin there looking around. He beckoned to her in some astonishment, "Guan Xin, over here!"

Hearing Wei Zhao greet her, the inpatient head's vision went black, and he nearly collapsed to the floor. You even know Guan Xin, so why bother calling at all? A single word from Guan Xin to me would have carried more weight than that earlier doctor!

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