51: Chapter 51 The Banquet!

After Su Ye sent Su Chen off and returned to his residence, the first thing he did after closing the door was let out a long sigh.

The room wasn't large.

A bed, a set of table and chairs, a small wardrobe, plus a narrow kitchen barely big enough for cooking—that was the entirety of this studio apartment.

One thousand two hundred a month.

It was considered cheap.

The landlord was a decent person. Knowing Su Ye was a Standardized Resident Trainee at the hospital and kept regular commuting hours, they gave him a bit of a discount on rent. For any other place nearby, a clean single room like this would cost at least two or three hundred more.

Standing in the room and looking around, Su Ye felt more and more bitter the more he looked.

"I only realized my biggest problem after cultivating until today."

He tossed his backpack onto the table and stood there with a complicated expression.

"I'm so damn poor!"

This wasn't being melodramatic.

He was truly poor.

When he lived alone before, he could barely scrape by. Now that Su Chen was here, he realized for the first time that his meager salary really wasn't enough to live a slightly comfortable life in a place like Jiang City.

The salary for a Standardized Resident Trainee was fixed.

There was only so much every month for food, rent, and daily expenses. Plus, his appetite had increased significantly after he started cultivating recently, nearly doubling his food expenses. Today, he spent the whole day touring the city with Su Chen—buying things, eating hotpot, and stocking up on daily necessities. After calculating the accounts upon his return, his wallet was almost empty.

If he lived in a better place, like a two-bedroom apartment, Su Chen wouldn't have to stay in the school dormitory. The two brothers could live together and look out for each other.

But the problem was...

With what money?

Su Ye leaned against the table and pinched the bridge of his nose.

He needed to make money.

These words spun around in his head, giving him a headache.

Previously, he only thought about becoming stronger.

Now it seemed that becoming stronger and making money were both indispensable.

Otherwise, if something really happened in the future and he had all this power but couldn't even afford to change his family's living situation, that would be too pathetic.

Thinking of this, Su Ye sighed again and picked up his phone, wanting to see if there were any decent side hustles lately. Just as the screen lit up, a call came in.

Caller ID: Zhou Jingtang.

Su Ye's expression turned serious, and he immediately answered.

"Elder Zhou."

On the other end of the line, the old man's voice was steady and gentle.

"Get ready tonight; come out with me."

"Go out?"

"There's a banquet within Jiang City's circles. It's not too formal, but all the people who should be there will be. Follow me and meet some people."

Su Ye was silent for a moment, his heart suddenly warming up.

He naturally understood what this meant.

A banquet that Zhou Jingtang would personally attend was definitely no ordinary dinner. Those seated inside would mostly be the truly influential figures of Jiang City—hospital directors, people from the bureau, corporate bosses, socialites, and elites. There might even be a few faces from the provincial level.

Elder Zhou was taking him along.

This was more than just a helping hand.

This was clearly leading him down the path of becoming a "successor."

"Okay."

Su Ye composed himself and gave a serious response.

After the call ended, he stood in place for a long time without moving.

His heart felt a slight warmth.

The old gentleman truly considered him one of his own.

...

Evening.

The banquet was held at an established club in Jiang City.

The place wasn't startlingly luxurious, but it excelled in being low-key. It looked quiet from the outside, but only after entering did one realize there was another world inside. The lighting was warm, the furnishings were exquisite, and even the waiters walked softly. It was clearly the kind of place that specialized in hosting "acquaintances" and "insiders."

Su Ye followed Zhou Jingtang inside.

As expected.

Almost none of the people sitting in the hall were simple.

There were well-dressed hospital leaders with smiles all over their faces, figures who spoke unhurriedly and clearly held high positions for years, and wealthy-looking bosses with watches on their wrists and polished leather shoes. Yet, the moment they saw Zhou Jingtang walk in, they stood up faster than anyone else.

"Elder Zhou is here!"

"Old gentleman, you really are hard to invite."

"Come, come, come, sit over here."

That respect wasn't feigned.

Who doesn't face birth, aging, illness, or death?

Whose family doesn't have elderly or children?

A person like Zhou Jingtang might seem low-key on ordinary days, but at a truly critical moment, he was a living brand who could pull someone back from the brink and extend their life.

So as soon as he appeared, the center of gravity of the entire banquet seemed to quietly shift toward him.

Then, many people's gazes naturally fell upon Su Ye.

Young.

Handsome.

Extraordinary temperament.

Standing beside Elder Zhou, his expression was calm and showed no signs of awkwardness.

Soon, someone spoke up with a smile.

"This must be Su Ye, right?"

"Ranked first in the province for the Medical Practitioner Qualification Exam, and personally mentored by Elder Zhou after he came out of retirement. We've all heard of you."

"The youth are truly formidable."

"It's been many years since a figure like you appeared in Jiang City."

"Your future is limitless."

Similar words followed one after another.

They weren't exaggerated.

But they certainly weren't light either.

On the surface, Su Ye responded appropriately, but his heart was inevitably shaken.

He had always thought he was being very low-key.

It turned out he had long since entered the vision of many people.

Too many things had happened recently—the Medical Practitioner Qualification Exam and Zhou Jingtang coming out of retirement. Any fool would know that another medical genius had emerged in Jiang City.

A new medical genius.

The next potential medical titan in the making.

Whether he liked it or not, such labels had already been stuck to him.

Su Ye chuckled to himself, realizing he was still too naive.

Next, he said what needed to be said.

He toasted those who needed to be toasted.

He was neither humble nor arrogant, handling the propriety very well.

Zhou Jingtang watched this and said nothing, only occasionally glancing at him with a hint of faint satisfaction in his eyes.

This child didn't just have talent.

His character was also very good; he didn't get stage fright.

A banquet was like this. Ultimately, it was just a group of wealthy and powerful people using a suitable venue to chat about things they all tacitly understood. Medicine, policies, projects, resources, and favors were all wrapped in smiles and wine glasses; a light clink was considered an agreement.

Su Ye just followed along quietly.

Listening more.

Speaking less.

He placed himself in a very appropriate position.

...

When the banquet ended, it was nearly midnight.

Zhou Jingtang was old and didn't like noise, so he left after sitting for a while. Su Ye followed him into the car. As soon as the door closed, the bustle outside was mostly cut off.

The car was very quiet.

Only the air conditioner was gently blowing.

Zhou Jingtang leaned against the back seat and casually spoke a few words to Su Ye. They were all experiences in practicing medicine—such as when to be decisive and when to leave some leeway. Treating a patient wasn't just about the illness; it was also about the doctor's gaze and attitude. For some cases, victory or defeat wasn't in the hands, but in the heart.

Su Ye listened intently.

These things weren't in books.

Only a person like him could speak of the things distilled from decades of medical practice so nonchalantly.

The car drove out of the club and along the street in the night.

Jiang City's night was still brightly lit. The tall buildings by the road receded one by one, and the neon lights dragged blurred long streaks on the car window. But at a certain moment, Su Ye suddenly frowned.

Something was wrong.

He turned his head and looked out the car window.

The night was very deep.

The wind was also very still.

But a bad feeling inexplicably rose in his heart.