Zhang Ming stormed into the ER like a thundercloud, his face dark with rage. Without a word, he turned to Xia Tian and barked,
"Xia Tian. Office. Now."
He spun around and marched off, fury in every step.
Zhang Ming was usually easygoing, even known to joke with interns from time to time. But when he got serious, it was downright terrifying—every intern knew better than to test him.
As the office door shut behind them, a heavy silence descended.
The other interns looked at Xia Tian with a mix of pity and anxiety.
Xia Tian shot them a mischievous wink before obediently following Zhang Ming out.
No sooner had the door closed than the interns exploded with chatter like birds freed from a cage.
"We're doomed. Director Zhang is furious—Brother Tian's definitely in trouble."
"But what did he do wrong? Why is the Director so mad?"
"Come on, it's obvious. He's been cozying up to directors from other departments. Of course Zhang would be pissed."
Though departments in the same hospital appeared to collaborate on the surface, there were constant rivalries and hidden agendas underneath. Hospital revenue was tightly tied to each department's performance. High-performing departments were rewarded; underperforming ones were shamed—and sometimes even penalized.
Over time, every department head became a competitor in an invisible war.
So Xia Tian, a member of the ER, courting the favor of the colorectal surgery director? And now that very director had shown up in the ER? Zhang Ming had every reason to blow a fuse.
Zhang Ming:
"Right under my nose? What do you take me for—thin air?! I'm gonna explode!"
Intern Wang Boyi crossed his arms and said coolly,
"Xia Tian's a good guy, no doubt about it. Skilled too. But he spreads his kindness too thin—treats everyone the same. That's not someone you can build real trust with."
"Zhang Ming treats him like a son, and he's out there mingling with other departments? That's a slap in the face."
Wang Xiaobei, lounging with one leg crossed over the other, shot him a sideways glance.
"You sound jealous, man."
"Someone mad that the boss likes Brother Tian more than you?"
Wang Boyi's face didn't change.
"I'm just speaking the truth. No need to be jealous. There are plenty of genius doctors out there—way more impressive than Xia Tian."
"Take Ye Zimo from our med school. Guy was a top-tier prodigy. Got into the No.1 Medical College with just 9 points off a perfect entrance exam. Skipped two grades. Finished both undergrad and grad school in five years instead of eight. Performed a stage-three cancer surgery solo in his first year of residency."
"The patient recovered beautifully. No relapse after five years. That's excellence."
"Can Xia Tian compare to that?"
Ye Zimo was a legend—his name known across campus. A prodigy, born for the scalpel. After a stint at the provincial hospital, he was scooped up by a prestigious one in the capital and was now pursuing postdoctoral work abroad.
Xia Tian, by contrast, had graduated from the second medical college—not as elite, not as prestigious.
And Wang Boyi, a graduate of the top college with a stellar academic record and doctor parents, had always been unwilling to accept Xia Tian's rising star.
Wang Xiaobei rolled his eyes.
"Just wait. Brother Tian will be performing stage-three cancer surgeries in eight months. Watch and see."
Wang Boyi chuckled.
"Eight months? Performing stage-three surgeries?"
"If that happens, I'll livestream myself eating—well, you know what."
In the Office
Xia Tian sat upright, hands on his knees, eyes lowered like a well-behaved schoolboy.
Zhang Ming broke the silence.
"Xia Tian."
Xia Tian looked up and met his gaze.
Zhang Ming's face was solemn, as if bearing the weight of a nation.
"You've been interning here for three months now. Your performance has been outstanding. Given your academic record, there's no question you'll be staying on."
"Have you given any thought to which department you'd like to join?"
Usually, as long as you weren't a disaster during internship, a spot at the hospital was guaranteed for top-tier med school grads. The real question was which department you'd end up in—and once chosen, switching later wasn't easy.
Xia Tian hesitated.
"I haven't decided yet…"
Zhang Ming took a sip of tea, the image of a wise mentor passing down life lessons.
"Director Liu from Orthopedics and Director Qian from Colorectal Surgery are both interested in you."
"They're both highly capable. If you go with either of them, you'll learn a lot."
Huh?
I can actually consider that? Xia Tian looked at Zhang Ming carefully.
But the Director's expression darkened slightly, his eyes clouded with sorrow.
"As for me…"
"I still hope you'll stay in the ER. First, you'll get unmatched experience here. Second, I'm getting older—it's time I trained someone up. And I think you're the one."
"But I wonder… do you even see me that way?"
Ahem.
That wording felt a little… off.
Xia Tian hesitated. Choosing a department was no small decision. Each specialty was its own universe, and the door didn't swing both ways easily.
"Director… do I really have the freedom to choose?"
"Of course. It's your right. No matter what you pick, I'll support you."
"You won't be mad?"
"Not at all!"
Zhang Ming said the words, but the soulful ache in his eyes told a different story.
Will you only be satisfied if I cry…?
Okay, okay…
"Director, I'd like to stay in the ER for now. I want to learn as much as I can while I still have time. I don't know what the future holds, but I won't switch departments for at least three years."
The ER offered unparalleled exposure to all kinds of cases. It had always been Xia Tian's first choice—and honestly, with Zhang Ming looking like that, how could he possibly say no?
Half an hour later, Xia Tian returned to the intern office. Wang Xiaobei pounced the moment he walked through the door.
"Brother Tian! Well? Was the Director mad?"
"Nope."
"Did he scold you?"
"Nope."
Wang Boyi looked up from his seat, eyes gleaming.
"He was that pissed off when you left. If he didn't chew you out, what did he want?"
"Don't tell me… he's taking you as a personal apprentice?"
"No, nothing like that," Xia Tian replied with a shake of his head.
Wang Boyi smirked.
"Zhang Ming never takes apprentices lightly. Unless you're someone like Ye Zimo, forget about it. People like us shouldn't bother dreaming. Just do your job."
Wang Xiaobei was getting impatient.
"Then what did he want?! You were in there forever!"
Xia Tian replied nonchalantly,
"He… wants to be my godfather."