"Xiao Mu has a PhD, and she still doesn't look down on Lu Cheng. In this relationship, it's Xiao Mu who is currently in a state of giving up. When she thinks about management, she prioritizes Lu Cheng's future."

"Because Dr. Mu's career floor is high enough, whereas Lu Cheng's floor is too unpredictable!!"

"Chen Song, can you come back?"

Chen Song said, "Director Xiang, my suggestion is that it's best if I don't come back."

"Zhang Boyuan's situation can be explained clearly to Lu Cheng. Lu Cheng is someone who values emotion deeply, but he's not someone who depletes emotion."

"There's one more detail I need to report to you."

"Back when Lu Cheng was at Long County People's Hospital, he said that Professor Tong Yuan'an's tendon sutures weren't as good as his."

Xiang Dongshan had heard of Tong Yuan'an but didn't pay much attention; after all, he was just a minor associate professor at Xiangya Hospital.

Of course, that's from Xiang Dongshan's perspective. From Lu Cheng's perspective, Tong Yuan'an was still a towering mountain back then: "Well, this young man fits my taste even more."

Chen Song: "..."

"..."

Sha City, Yuhua District, high-speed rail station.

The morning sun shines, and the dawn after the drizzle is exceptionally dazzling.

Mu Nanshu saw Lu Cheng waiting at the entrance of the subway station after exiting the train station and said, "Weren't you going to compete?"

"The nature of the competition is like a salon; you can set scores, or you can choose not to, mainly to lock the highest scores."

"I can't quite manage vascular and nerve sutures, so there's no need to set scores. I can skip this morning's competition."

"Yesterday, those who needed to compete already did. Those competing today are either trying their luck or just setting scores."

"Never mind, let's go have breakfast first." Lu Cheng took the red suitcase from Mu Nanshu's hand and pushed towards the elevator.

Of course, as Lu Cheng grabbed the suitcase, he also casually held Mu Nanshu's hand.

Mu Nanshu clenched her fist briefly and then relaxed, not making a fuss about it: "I'll talk to you about some things later."

"No hurry."

"How's the situation with Teacher Xie Yuan'an? Is everything going well?" Lu Cheng nodded.

"It's alright, not particularly difficult. The actual data is fake, but the overall direction is correct!~"

"No one is deliberately targeting her. Find time to swap the data; the editorial team should agree." Mu Nanshu said.

"As long as it's smooth!" Lu Cheng also didn't want to comment on such matters of paper exchanges.

Calling them uncivilized, surely they are.

But without the exchange, another PhD student might not be able to graduate smoothly, and both sides end up benefiting.

At a beef noodle restaurant near the subway station outside the Century Jinyuan Hotel, both Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu could barely finish half of their meal.

It's not that the Chang City beef noodles weren't tasty, but the flavor differed greatly from their hometown, making it hard to appreciate.

A taste ingrained in one's genes doesn't change just because of long-term residence elsewhere.

"Lu Cheng, I need to tell you something, don't get mad," Mu Nanshu wiped her mouth, her tone steady.

Not being picky about flavors, Lu Cheng continued eating the noodles to fill his stomach: "Go ahead."

"To be honest, your starting point is relatively low, so you can't upgrade your competitive horizon in the same step-by-step manner as many others." Mu Nanshu's voice was calm and steady.

Lu Cheng slightly raised his head: "Competitive horizon? What do you mean?"

"It's each person's specific micro-focus."

"For example, if you're a junior high student, then entering a good high school is your competitive horizon."

"If you're a high school student, then getting into Huaqing or Kyoto University is your typical competitive horizon."

"Undergraduates hope to pursue good master's programs; master's students hope to pursue Ph.D. programs..."

With Mu Nanshu's explanation, Lu Cheng nodded: "I understand this."

Mu Nanshu continued: "Yes, I know you understand this competitive horizon, but you've never put yourself into it. Actually, I haven't really put myself into other identities."

"But I know this thinking. You can try some role reversal."

"If you were Director Lin from your hospital and saw yourself, what would you think?"

"Is this a talent that can be nurtured well?"

"Is this a threat? Should I get rid of them?" Mu Nanshu asked Lu Cheng tentatively.

Lu Cheng's brows furrowed instantly: "I really haven't considered this issue."

"Yes, you wouldn't previously think this way, because it's unrealistic—but now, you can't avoid being unrealistic."

"Even though such role reversal brings subjective intention, you have to go this route!"

"You need to come up with your choice." Mu Nanshu's tone was decisive, clearly aimed at nurturing a certain thought process in Lu Cheng.

"From my personal angle, considering my habits, I should choose to nurture." Lu Cheng replied.

Mu Nanshu wasn't surprised: "Then think further, why nurture and not suppress? What's the reason? Simple admiration?"

"Could there be other factors and ideas involved?"

Lu Cheng was confused; Mu Nanshu's questioning really puzzled him.

Mu Nanshu continued to hint: "Now replace yourself, if you were Director Lin at Long County People's Hospital, what pressure would you face? What would you specifically need to do if you wanted to improve?"

"Just three things: First, manage personnel relationships and build your own network—this is fundamental, indispensable in Hua Country and worldwide."