From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

She noticed Zhao Feiyang was upset, and the wisest course of action now was to leave the scene promptly.

Chunliang said, "Sister-in-law, let me see you out!"

Pei Lin picked up her handbag and left, reminding Zhao Feiyang not to drink too much before she went. In the eyes of others, they still seemed like a loving couple.

Chunliang escorted her to the door, and Pei Lin whispered, "Our flight is early tomorrow. Take good care of him."

Chunliang said, "Don’t worry. You can’t keep men on too tight a leash."

Pei Lin heard the underlying message in his words, sighed softly, and said, "You’re young, so you don’t need to worry, Xiaoxu. You’ll know when you hit forty."

She turned and walked away with light steps.

Chunliang didn’t dare to linger and went back in. Zhao Feiyang and Fu Guomin had already downed two glasses, and Zhao Feiyang asked him to make up for the rounds he missed.

Chunliang downed two glasses in quick succession and said, "Dean Zhao, how long are you going on this trip?"

"Ten days!"

Fu Guomin said, "I’m really envious of you."

Zhao Feiyang said, "What’s there to envy? It’s the time of year in Europe where the days are short and the nights are long, plus I don’t like Western food. I’m afraid my stomach won’t take it for ten days."

Chunliang said, "If there’s such a good opportunity in the future, arrange for me to go. I haven’t been abroad yet."

"Sure!" After Zhao Feiyang spoke, he remembered something, "Recently, President Tang has repeatedly emphasized that the Healthy Elderly Care Hospital should start soon. You probably won’t be able to leave in the short term."

Chunliang said, "Dean Zhao, if anyone doesn’t know, you should know, I’m just a decoration without real power. In the end, it’s you who make the final decisions. Whatever you ask me to do, I do."

Fu Guomin said, "It’s commendable that young people are aware of this. Xiaoxu, I have high hopes for you."

Zhao Feiyang said, "You’re not the only one who has high hopes for him." The person who promoted Chunliang was Tang Jinglun and not him; Tang Jinglun clearly intended to knock some sense into him through this matter by diluting his power by splitting the grand health sector.

Chunliang said, "If this were wartime, what you’re all saying when you say you have high hopes for me is that you want me to charge into battle."

Zhao Feiyang and Fu Guomin both laughed, and Zhao Feiyang said, "If you don’t charge into battle, where do you get the chance to make a name for yourself?"

Fu Guomin said, "That’s why we say risk and opportunity coexist."

Chunliang said, "It’s fine if you win, but if you lose, not only do I not get credit, but I might also have to take the blame."

Fu Guomin said, "That’s why we say risk and opportunity coexist."

Zhao Feiyang laughed and said, "If you want to make progress in your career, you first have to learn to take the blame. Don’t believe me? Ask Old Fu, who among us hasn’t taken the blame for our leaders?"

Fu Guomin nodded repeatedly, "What you’re taking isn’t blame, it’s responsibility. Of course, responsibilities come in all sizes. You scramble to take on the small blames, but you can’t take the big ones. Who knows, that pot might just crush you, leaving you with no room to rise again."

Zhao Feiyang said, "You’re corrupting young people."

Fu Guomin said, "These are heartfelt words. Everyone’s ability is different. Young people have more energy, so it’s okay for them to take on a few more pots. But at my age, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t."

"How old are you? It’s not your age; it’s your mentality that’s old."

Fu Guomin raised his glass and drank with them, "Secretary Zhou criticized me a few days ago, saying that I lack ambition and a sense of responsibility. I admitted my mistake to Secretary Zhou in person."

Zhao Feiyang said, "That’s a good thing. The leader criticizes you because he has you in mind and plans to use you."

Fu Guomin said, "Stop trying to sugarcoat things. I know my own capabilities. If I can do a good job in the Beijing Office, that’s good enough for me."

Chunliang said, "Director Fu, thank you for taking care of me during this time. I toast to you."

Fu Guomin said, "Don’t be so polite. Initially, I took care of you for Feiyang’s sake, but over this time, we’ve become good friends. This cross-generational friendship, no matter how you see me, I’ve regarded you as a little brother. Call me Brother Fu in private from now on."

Even though Zhao Feiyang had had a few drinks, he was clear-minded. He had long noticed the rapid development of the relationship between Fu Guomin and Xu Chunliang. Fu Guomin even seemed to be ingratiating himself with Xu Chunliang actively.

The first to sense the warmth of spring are the ducks in the river. Fu Guomin is very good at reading faces and comprehending situations, and he’s well-informed. There must be a reason behind this. Of course, Xu Chunliang also has a knack for dealing with people, being able to make someone like Fu Guomin and Geng Wenjun lower their guard is not something any young person can do.

Zhao Feiyang had long been impressed by Xu Chunliang’s distinctiveness. He used to think he understood Xu Chunliang more deeply than others, but now he doubted it. Looking back, he was never firm enough in employing Xu Chunliang and did not give him the attention he deserved.

Zhao Feiyang believed this was related to his mindset as an aspiring leader at the time. He actually never truly understood Xu Chunliang’s potential.

Zhao Feiyang could not drink more after two shots, not because the liquor was bad or due to Pei Lin’s reminders, but because he lacked the mood for drinking. He was facing the toughest decision since resigning from public office, having to choose between the two brothers, Tang Jingwei and Tang Jinglun.

What Zhao Feiyang regretted most now was resigning from public service. He left the system initially to avoid external criticism, to spread his wings and achieve great things, thinking it would be a vast sky ahead. But the reality was a self-imposed cocoon, with more constraints than before. To gain more freedom and power in the current circumstances, he must align with Huayuan’s interests, but even within Huayuan Group, there are two major factions.

Xu Chunliang accompanied them for a few drinks and found an excuse to leave early. Zhao Feiyang was too guarded, and staying there would hamper his communication with Fu Guomin.

After Xu Chunliang left, Fu Guomin poured a drink for Zhao Feiyang, who raised his hand and gestured, "No more."

Fu Guomin said, "What, afraid your wife will nag you?"

Zhao Feiyang forced a bitter smile, "She can’t control my affairs."

Fu Guomin took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one for himself since he knew Zhao Feiyang rarely smoked, but to his surprise, Zhao Feiyang asked for one.

Fu Guomin lit it for him with a lighter.

Zhao Feiyang took a puff, raised his head, and exhaled a long stream of smoke.

Fu Guomin said thoughtfully, "Not being able to control it is one thing, wanting to is another."

Zhao Feiyang said, "She doesn’t understand the intricacies of the system."

Fu Guomin said, "You resigned from public office because of her, didn’t you?"

Zhao Feiyang pursed his lips, saying nothing, which was a tacit admission. If it weren’t for Pei Lin, he might not have made the decision to resign so decisively. He had to admit Pei Lin had a significant impact on his life.

Fu Guomin said, "You could have gone further."

Zhao Feiyang shook his head, "I couldn’t climb higher. The director level was my limit, and mainly I wanted to accomplish something while I was still young."

Fu Guomin said, "Secretary Geng speaks bluntly, but you should take heed. Huayuan Group’s reputation in recent years isn’t great."

Zhao Feiyang said, "Huayuan Group is undergoing a transformation. Changxing is their key focus, so there’s nothing to worry about in that respect."

Fu Guomin said, "We’ve been in the system too long; we still lack understanding of these businessmen."

Zhao Feiyang looked at Fu Guomin and asked, "What do you mean...?"

Fu Guomin said, "I’m a history major; the basic national policy of feudal dynasties was to prioritize agriculture and suppress commerce. In the long two thousand years of feudal history, the ranking of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants remained unchanged, with merchants undoubtedly at the bottom. However, in modern society, wealth is often a symbol of status, and merchants’ status has undergone a drastic change, which I think is abnormal."

Zhao Feiyang laughed, "What era are we in, and you’re still engaging in occupational discrimination?"

Fu Guomin said, "It’s not occupational discrimination. Fundamentally, merchants prioritize profit over righteousness. In times of national difficulty, their first thought is to flee with their wealth, not to coexist with the country. So merchants are unreliable. Why should I confer them high social status when they care only for themselves and not for the country and the people’s interests? Scholars serve the nation, and farmers and workers support the national economy’s backbone. What about merchants? They often make profits through buying and selling, monopolizing certain channels to create shortages and inflate prices for huge profits."

"You can’t generalize. There are many patriotic merchants too!"

"There are! But they are scarce. I also acknowledge merchants are an indispensable part of this societal composition. However, their status is now exalted far above workers and farmers, which is abnormal."

Zhao Feiyang fell silent. Before resigning from public office, he too looked down on merchants because he knew those trying to ingratiate themselves were always after profits.

Fu Guomin said, "I don’t know your situation at Changxing, but Huayuan Group’s investment in Changxing is certainly not for charity. There is a fundamental difference between public and private sectors. In management, I’m surely not as good as you, so please don’t mind if I say anything wrong." Zhao Feiyang responded, "I’ve always looked up to you as a big brother; say whatever you need to. I’ve been a bit lost lately and need your guidance."

Fu Guomin said, "When you decided to resign, I advised you to reconsider. It’s a done deal now, so I won’t talk about the past. Since you’ve chosen this path, you can only move forward. You must realize you’re no longer part of the system. You must redefine yourself. You’re not a leader, not a director-level official; you’re a hospital manager, you’re a businessman."

The word "businessman" deeply stung Zhao Feiyang. Although he knew Fu Guomin spoke the truth, he still felt offended. He took a heavy drag on his cigarette, trying to dispel the frustration in his chest.

Fu Guomin asked, "Is it uncomfortable? Do you find it hard to accept?"

Zhao Feiyang smiled bitterly, "You’re even more direct than Secretary Geng. Now I feel completely inadequate."

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