Chapter 144: Whistleblowing

It was past two p.m. by the time that Zhang Fan arrived in Kuake City. "What happened?" Zhang Fan asked Chen Qifa who was obviously rather frustrated. Chen Qifa's wife also looked quite worried.

"Teacher Zhang, you're here! I reported Superintendent Zou to the authorities, but the government returned my whistleblower letter to the hospital! I then had a big argument with Superintendent Zou," Chen Qifa said rather dejectedly with his head held low.

"What exactly happened?" Zhang Fan asked with some confusion.

"Superintendent Zou keeps selling patients off to other hospitals. Yesterday, a collarbone fracture patient arrived. We could have performed surgery for the patient. However, Superintendent Zou sent both anesthesiologists out on study programs, so we had no anesthesiologists, and couldn't perform surgery. The patient then left. I was so angry that I reported Superintendent Zou."

"Haha, how did you report him?" Zhang Fan felt that this was rather funny as Chen Qifa seemed rather childish.

"I wrote that he was selling patients to other hospitals!" Chen Qifa felt rather aggrieved.

"You wrote your own name on the whistleblower report?"

"Yeah! I really don't want to work at Kuake City Hospital any longer. There's no meaning at all in staying here. I haven't gotten to perform a single surgery in more than half a year."

"You're certain?" Zhang Fan asked.

"Yeah. If I really can't find a job here, I'll go to inland China. I've heard that there's more chances there!" Chen Qifa was rather worried as his son was still in school. Having zero surgeries meant that he could only receive a base salary with no bonuses. His wife was a stay-at-home mom with no income, so of course he was worried.

"Forget it, no need to go to inland China. I have a job you can go work at. However, it's at a private hospital. Are you willing to go?"

"Sure, I'll listen to you. If the job doesn't work out, then we can talk again. Superintendent Zou has suspended me anyways!" Chen Qifa said dejectedly.

"Then go organize what you need to, and I'll ask more about this job. It's in Chasu City. You can go first to see if the job works for you or not. If the job works, you can ask Li Liang if he's willing to go there as well."

"Okay."

Zhang Fan didn't stay in Kuake City for very long. He still needed to stay in the rural area; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain things to Superintendent Ouyang.

Ma Wentao's new hospital was finally finished with its renovations. Since the superintendent of Chasu City Women and Children's Hospital was the construction consultant, the new hospital was quite similar to the Women and Children's Hospital in style. Not only that, a hallway was constructed to connect the two hospitals. The superintendent definitely wanted more than just money for her consulting services.

Ma Wentao hired a number of recently graduated medical students as intern doctors working under the expert doctors that he hired. For the head nurse, he hired an experienced head nurse who had retired from a smaller city hospital.

It was difficult for him to find a surgeon. Younger surgeons would either be inexperienced or be the elites in their hospital, with a great future ahead of them. They wouldn't give up on their current jobs easily, and here in the border province, people valued a proper job far more than a million.

One million yuan versus a proper job. Most people would choose the proper job, not the money. This was why Ma Wentao was having a difficult time hiring a skilled surgeon. He couldn't exactly go ask his father for help regarding this matter, as he would lose far too much face.

Ma Wentao was watching construction workers move out the last of their equipment when Zhang Fan drove his car up and parked at the hospital entrance at this time. Ma Wentao, who didn't know that the car belonged to Zhang Fan, came out and pointed at the car while shouting, "Park farther away! Can't you see that we're moving things?"

"President Ma! It seems that you'll soon be open for business!" Zhang Fan chuckled as he got off his car while taking off his sunglasses, and greeting Ma Wentao.

"Doctor Zhang! Please, come in. Sorry about how messy things are here. Let's go to my office and have a tea while we chat." Ma Wentao was quite happy that Zhang Fan had come to visit his hospital. Maybe he would even be able to recruit Zhang Fan if the latter came a few more times!

Ma Wentao's office wasn't very large. It was furnished quite simply, with only a desk, computer, sofa for guests, tea set, and so on. It definitely seemed like starting a business was difficult.

"Come, have a taste. This is Tie Guanyin tea. I've changed to drinking this brand. Please have a taste."

"Why are you drinking Tie Guanyin tea? Is there something special about it?" Zhang Fan asked in some confusion.

"You must be a stranger to tea! The Fujianese all drink nothing but Tie Guanyin tea in their hospitals! It's said that the hospital will definitely become popular if you drink Tie Guanyin tea." Ma Wentao intentionally lowered himself to joke around with Zhang Fan.

One wanted to recruit the other, while the other had a request to make. This was the best that the two had gotten along so far. They kept chatting on about various things. But, Zhang Fan couldn't take it any more by the time that he had finished three cups of tea. He had originally wanted Ma Wentao to speak first, but the latter kept going on and on about everything but the topic of lacking surgeons.

In negotiation, the one who had to ask first would be in a weaker position. Zhang Fan had originally wanted to make Ma Wentao ask first so that he could obtain more for Chen Qifa's sake. However, Ma Wentao wasn't saying anything at all.

No matter what, Ma Wentao was someone who had traveled to several different western countries, and was experienced in business affairs as well as being born into an affluent family who held great power in politics. He was far too familiar with business dealings. The moment that Zhang Fan got out of his car and greeted him, he knew that Zhang Fan had something to request of him. Ma Wentao decided right then and there that he wouldn't mention any serious business at all today, and only made small talk.

Zhang Fan could only directly state his intention. "President Ma, how goes your search for a surgeon?"

"Oh, weren't you uninterested? It can't be helped, so I found another surgeon. I'm currently in discussion with him, but it should be done in a few days... But if you want to come instead, I'll quit talking to him since I feel that you're more appropriate." Ma Wentao told a big fat lie here as he had no luck whatsoever with finding a surgeon as of yet.

"Oh! Forget it then." Zhang Fan immediately gave up. He had taken a look at this hospital as he came in. There was only one surgical department, with all other departments being internal medicine. He felt that such a small hospital would be unable to support too many surgeons. He didn't want to trouble Ma Wentao if the latter had already found a surgeon, which was why Zhang Fan intended to try helping Chen Qifa find a job at a different hospital instead now.

But before Zhang Fan could even get up, Ma Wentao told him to remain seated. Ma Wentao smiled wryly, and remarked, "Doctor Zhang, you're far too skilled. Not only are you skilled at surgery, you're also skilled at seeing through others. No wonder my Aunt Li praises you so much. Let me tell you the truth. I still have no candidates for the position of surgeon at my hospital. So, are you interested?"

Ma Wentao was under the mistaken impression that Zhang Fan had seen through him. Zhang Fan honestly hadn't noticed anything at all! However, Zhang Fan wasn't a total idiot. Although Zhang Fan didn't really understand what Ma Wentao was talking about, he definitely understood that apparently Ma Wentao still didn't have a surgeon yet.

"Forget about me since I'm not interested for the time being. But, ever since you told me about it last time, I started paying attention because President Li really does treat me well. I have a friend from a smaller city who's slightly more than 10 years older than me. He's currently the surgical director of that city hospital. He's quite reliable, and won't have any trouble performing any regular orthopedic surgeries. He's been thinking about leaving his city recently. Would you like to contact him?" Zhang Fan said everything that he should without saying anything that he shouldn't. He was closer to Chen Qifa than Ma Wentao, with Chen Qifa always addressing him as teacher, so of course Zhang Fan wanted to help Chen Qifa obtain as much as possible.

"Okay! Then, how about I meet him tomorrow?" Ma Wentao said after only a short time of thinking.

"Alright. I'll tell him to come find you tomorrow." Zhang Fan didn't spend any more time here after this discussion was over. Shao Hua was waiting for him at her home!

Shanghai was an economic hub of China. There was no need to describe how flourishing this well-known city was. When Shao Hua returned from Shanghai, it was as if she had moved back from there. She brought countless things with her, especially clothing.

She purchased a suit, leather shoes, and tie for Zhang Fan! She had also purchased a wallet for him. All the things that she purchased for Zhang Fan would be more than enough to fill an entire suitcase. She also purchased some clothes for her father, but they were mostly sweaters and so on.

Shao Hua made Zhang Fan try on clothes for quite a long while. She felt a sweet feeling in her heart as she saw how her chosen clothes made Zhang Fan seem more handsome. Men were born to conquer the world, while women were born to conquer men. A woman would be successful if she could change a man!

Zhang Fan was used to being told what to do by his parents ever since young. Perhaps his future wife would need to constantly tell him what to do after they got married! There was nothing right or wrong about this. Everyone would have a different most appropriate partner!

On the next day, Chen Qifa paid a visit to Chasu City. Zhang Fan notified Superintendent Ouyang beforehand that he was going to Chasu City instead of staying in the rural area today. He wanted to accompany Chen Qifa to visit Ma Wentao.

This time, Ma Wentao had a different attitude. He acted completely like a boss.

"Director Chen, why are you leaving your current workplace?" Ma Wentao asked after greeting Zhang Fan and Chen Qifa.

"My superintendent is selling off patients to other hospitals, so my surgical department has zero surgeries to perform. I really can't stay there any longer!" Chen Qifa answered directly and honestly. He was now middle-aged and had a family to support. This made him really want to keep a job in the nearby area. If he truly had to move to inland China, that would mean moving his wife and son as well, along with a lot of other troublesome issues.

"Oh, I see. Director Chen, what types of orthopedic surgeries do you do at your original hospital?"

"Fixation for the four limbs, and simple surgical procedures for the hands and feet."

"Although my hospital will also perform major orthopedic surgeries, I also intend to develop some high-level hand and foot surgical procedures, such as limb replantation. Director Chen, have you ever researched these fields before?"

"No, as our hospital didn't have such equipment. We've never developed these fields." Chen Qifa felt like there wasn't much hope for him getting hired here anymore. He became somewhat dejected again.

"Oh, I see. Director Chen, what requirements do you have for your salary?"

On the way here, Zhang Fan and Chen Qifa had only discussed the matter of salary without talking about anything else. However, Zhang Fan was a recently graduated young doctor, and Chen Qifa had stayed at Kuake City Hospital for many years already. Neither of them had much experience with interviews.

Ma Wentao instantly understood Chen Qifa's current situation from his answer to the first question. Chen Qifa had nowhere to go! Of course there would be no good result possible from having a conflict with one's boss! Ma Wentao was thus prepared to lower the salary he offered!

Zhang Fan and Chen Qifa had agreed that the latter should ask for 15,000 yuan per month as salary. But after these questions, both of them had lost all their confidence. Chen Qifa glanced at Zhang Fan, gritted his teeth, and said, "10,000 yuan per month!"

At Kuake City Hospital, Chen Qifa would be able to obtain at least 7,000-8,000 yuan per month with medical equipment and medicine kickbacks. If he changed jobs but still only got that much as base salary, that would be a poor deal.

Zhang Fan spoke up at this time. "How about this, President Ma? I'll do the limb replantation surgeries in the future. As long as the number of surgeries increases, I'll do my best to have Director Chen be able to independently perform limb replantation surgery within six months. Limb replantation is actually just a minor category of orthopedic surgery, and it will be quite easy to find doctors who can perform this surgery. However, it's far more difficult for you to find experienced doctors like Director Chen, not to mention how he's a director who has more than 10 years of work experience. His salary should be 12,000, and you also need to pay his insurance!"

"Okay, I'll give you face and do as you say. But for now, I can only give him 10,000 yuan per month, no more. Also, there needs to be a trial period of one month! We can discuss again after Director Chen can independently perform limb replantation surgery!" This time, Ma Wentao dominated Zhang Fan in negotiation.

"Old Chen, what do you think?" Zhang Fan turned around to ask for Chen Qifa's opinion.

"It works for me, but I don't have anywhere to live in Chasu City. Also, my wife and child~" Although Chen Qifa was nominally speaking to Zhang Fan, he was looking directly at Ma Wentao. This was simply how Chen Qifa's personality was. He wanted to get as many benefits as he possibly could.

"You don't need to worry about that. I have several dormitories for my doctors. I'll give you an apartment to live in." Ma Wentao smiled as he had prepared this for his doctors already.

Chen Qifa was really delighted as he agreed to work here. Rent in Chasu City typically cost 700-800 yuan per month. That would be enough for two months of living expenses for his son!