46: Chapter 46 Director Wang's visit today was no coincidence
"Director Wang, what's up?"
Director Li Sen's tone didn't change, but there was something extra in his eyes.
"Nothing major, just here to confirm next month's department budget plan with you. President Zeng is in a rush."
Director Wang walked in, placed the folder on the desk, and then seemed to notice Lu Chen sitting nearby.
"Oh, Xiao Lu is here too."
"Hello, Director Wang."
"What are you two chatting about?"
Director Li Sen glanced at Director Wang without volunteering any information. Lu Chen didn't say anything either.
But Director Wang was clearly not the type to be deterred by silence.
"Are you talking about the schedule? I heard Xiao Lu wants to train in the Red Zone?"
Director Li Sen's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"Who did you hear that from?"
"Ah, President Zeng mentioned it to me earlier. He said Xiao Lu's overall performance is outstanding, and if conditions permit, we could consider letting him get involved in Red Zone work sooner."
Director Wang's tone was very casual, as if he were just making small talk.
"Of course, this is entirely up to you, Director Li, I just happened to mention it."
Director Li Sen was silent for a moment. The atmosphere in the office was a bit subtle.
"I'll consider it." Director Li Sen finally said these words.
Director Wang smiled and picked up the folder.
"Alright, please sign the budget plan once you've reviewed it. I'll come by to pick it up this afternoon."
"Hmm." Director Wang turned and left.
When he reached the door, he looked back at Lu Chen and nodded slightly. The nod was subtle, but Lu Chen saw it.
After the door closed, the office became quiet again. Director Li Sen picked up his teacup, took a sip, and set it down with a soft click.
"You saw that?"
"I did."
"Do you know what that means?"
"I do."
Director Li Sen looked at him.
"President Zeng is pushing for you. Director Wang's visit today was no coincidence; it was a heads-up for me."
Lu Chen didn't deny it.
"What do you think about this?"
"Director Li, regardless of who is pushing for me, my desire to go to the Red Zone is genuine. It's not because of anything President Zeng said, but because I truly need that platform to improve myself."
Director Li Sen stared at him for several seconds.
"Alright."
He picked up a pen and changed a few words on the shift schedule in front of him.
"Starting next Monday, you are officially transferred to the Red Zone, but you must operate under the direct supervision of a senior physician. There can be no ambiguity about this."
"Understood."
"I will discuss the Red Zone schedule with Zhao Yaqin and Zhou Ze. Your mentorship will remain with Zhao Yaqin for now, but I will personally oversee the Red Zone shift arrangements."
"Understood."
"Also." Director Li Sen put down his pen and looked at him.
"No matter what people outside say about whose person you are, you must be clear in your own mind. You are part of the Emergency Department, you are your own person. Don't let those labels lead you astray."
"I understand."
"As long as you truly understand." Director Li Sen waved his hand.
"Go get back to work."
Lu Chen stood up and walked out of the office. As he walked down the hallway, his mind was racing.
Director Wang's appearance today was indeed no coincidence. President Zeng Dayang had given a push from behind.
This push was very clever; it wasn't a direct order, but rather a hint given to Director Li Sen through Director Wang.
Director Li Sen was a smart man; he wouldn't completely change his judgment just because of this hint. But given that he already recognized Lu Chen's abilities, this hint became the final weight that tipped the scales.
The result was that Lu Chen successfully secured his ticket to the Red Zone.
As for the price... President Zeng Dayang's person. This label was already on him, whether he admitted it or not.
Lu Chen thought for a moment, then let it go. A label is just a label. As long as he could treat patients and save lives, as long as he could level up and grind, what did it matter whose person he was?
He had no intention of participating in any factional struggles. He just wanted to focus on his skills, make money, and let the children in the Orphanage live a better life. As for other matters, whoever wanted to worry about them could do so.
At noon, while Lu Chen was eating in the Cafeteria, his phone buzzed again. It was a message from Zhao Yaqin.
[Zhao Yaqin: Heard about it, you're going to the Red Zone next Monday.]
[Lu Chen: Yes, Director Li just approved it.]
[Zhao Yaqin: Are you ready? The Red Zone and the Yellow Zone are completely different worlds.]
[Lu Chen: I'm ready.]
[Zhao Yaqin: That's good. By the way, I have something to tell you. We're getting a few new staff members in the department over the next two days. One of them is a Nurse who seems to have transferred from another Hospital and has been assigned directly to our Emergency Department.]
[Lu Chen: Oh?]
[Zhao Yaqin: Her name is Shen Xiaoning, do you know her?]
Lu Chen's hand holding the chopsticks paused.
Shen Xiaoning? That girl who was crying her eyes out in the Debridement Room at Guangfu Hospital? Shen Yu's sister? She came to Central Hospital to be a Nurse?
[Lu Chen: I know her. We met during the exchange at Guangfu Hospital.]
[Zhao Yaqin: Well, I checked her resume. She has a bachelor's degree in nursing, good grades, and interned at another Hospital for a while. This time, she is joining as a permanent staff member.]
[Zhao Yaqin: The reason I'm mentioning this to you is because she has been assigned to the Yellow Zone, and you are going to the Red Zone next Monday, so you won't be in the same area.]
[Lu Chen: Understood.]
Lu Chen put down his phone and continued eating. But his mind was already racing. Shen Xiaoning joining Central Hospital. And as a permanent staff member. This was a lot of information.
Central Hospital is a top-five tertiary Hospital in the province, and the competition for permanent nursing positions is extremely fierce. Every year, applicants are desperate to get in, and the acceptance rate is shockingly low. For a recently graduated undergraduate Nurse to land a permanent position at Central Hospital directly, she must either be exceptionally talented or have someone backing her.
Lu Chen recalled the situation when he first met Shen Xiaoning at Guangfu Hospital. She was wearing a light blue T-shirt at the time, looking like an ordinary college student, squatting helplessly beside her brother's gurney, crying.
But. What about her brother, Shen Yu?
That young man who had been slashed three times without a sound, with something unusual in his eyes. When treating his wounds in the Debridement Room, Lu Chen had felt that there was a story behind Shen Yu. Not the kind of story an ordinary person would have.
Three thugs specifically coming to the Hospital to threaten a doctor not to save someone—that in itself wasn't normal. In an ordinary fight, who would chase someone to the Hospital? Unless the other party wanted to send a message, or Shen Yu had offended someone extraordinary.
And now, Shen Yu's sister had directly landed a permanent position at Central Hospital. That was even more abnormal. If the Shen family's background was truly just an ordinary family, Shen Xiaoning couldn't have gotten in so smoothly. But if the Shen family's background wasn't simple, why was Shen Yu being chased and slashed?
Someone with a background gets slashed three times, and the other party still dares to chase him to the Hospital to make threats? This meant that the people who slashed him either didn't know his background or knew it but didn't care. Or perhaps, Shen Yu had deliberately hidden his background for some reason?
Lu Chen stopped thinking at this point. He was overthinking. These things had nothing to do with him. He was a doctor, not a private investigator. It was enough to focus on his own skill upgrades and his goal of making money. As for why Shen Xiaoning came to Central Hospital and why she was assigned to the Emergency Department, time would provide the answers to these questions. He didn't need to actively investigate.
After finishing his meal, Lu Chen returned to the Yellow Zone to continue his shift.