From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

Chapter 606 - 577: Listening to the Rain by the Window

As Xu Ying listened to the rain, she pondered whether she should make a trip back to Dongzhou to console Zhao Feiyang in person. Just as she was lost in thought, she saw someone appear in her line of sight with an umbrella.In the rain, Zhao Feiyang looked somewhat forlorn. He wore a black outfit, with a mourning badge on his sleeve, and appeared much thinner.

Xu Ying put down her teacup and hurried out, opening the door before Zhao Feiyang arrived.

"Feiyang, what brings you here?"

Zhao Feiyang replied, "I’m on a business trip to Nanjiang and thought I’d drop by to see an old friend."

Xu Ying took the umbrella from his hand as Zhao Feiyang walked into the tearoom. "Nanjiang is too cold; your tearoom is more comfortable."

Xu Ying said, "Compared to Dongzhou, Nanjiang is a bit more humid, and we don’t have heating here."

Zhao Feiyang said, "Maybe it’s just my mood."

Xu Ying asked, "Want a drink?"

Zhao Feiyang was momentarily confused—wasn’t this a tearoom? But he quickly realized that Xu Ying must have heard about his situation and was trying to be considerate of his feelings.

Zhao Feiyang smiled and said, "As the guest wishes."

Xu Ying smiled gently, "Then let’s have tea!" She quickly prepared a clay stove and brewed a pot of Old White Tea in an iron kettle, which she had brought from Neon. Zhao Feiyang also had one, a gift from Xu Ying, which he later gave to his father, who never used it until his death.

Sipping the amber tea, Zhao Feiyang felt a bit warmer.

Xu Ying said, "I just heard about Uncle Zhao’s passing. Why didn’t you let me know?"

Zhao Feiyang said, "It happened quite suddenly, and my mind was blank during that time."

Xu Ying nodded, understanding Zhao Feiyang’s situation. "Did this affect you and Pei Lin in any way?"

A bitter smile appeared on Zhao Feiyang’s lips. "How could it not affect us? I can’t face her now. Seeing her reminds me of my dad."

Xu Ying said, "She’s a victim too."

Zhao Feiyang sighed, putting down the teacup, and gazed out the window. "If I find the person responsible, I won’t let them off."

Xu Ying said, "The tragedy has already happened. If Uncle Zhao knew, he wouldn’t want your marriage destroyed by someone else’s scheme."

Zhao Feiyang shook his head. "My dad never approved of our marriage. If I had listened to him and not married Pei Lin, my dad would still be alive. I killed my dad!" His eyes reddened; after all these days, he finally found someone he could confide in without reservation.

Xu Ying silently refilled his tea. It wasn’t just his father. Many around them had seen that his marriage to Pei Lin wouldn’t be happy, but Zhao Feiyang remained stubbornly unrepentant.

Xu Ying remembered how outstanding and high-spirited Zhao Feiyang was in college. After starting his career, he quickly proved his abilities. She always thought people like him would have a limitless future, but in recent years, for some reason, Zhao Feiyang seemed stuck in a dead-end, gradually losing his past advantages.

Xu Ying had considered this before. Maybe she had thought too highly of Zhao Feiyang, or maybe Zhao Feiyang had always had too smooth a path. Without experiencing real setbacks, he immediately revealed his true self when truly tested. He wasn’t all that clear-headed in handling major matters.

Xu Ying remembered a great person once said that people who mature too early often have psychological flaws. Some people rely too much on experience, while others hide their shortcomings with maturity, achieving less than ordinary people in the end.

Even Xu Ying herself had gone through a similar psychological journey. In college, she idolized Zhao Feiyang, believing he could do anything. After entering society, she realized that Zhao Feiyang also had his flaws. With the experiences over these years, looking at Zhao Feiyang now, she noticed many shortcomings and immaturities in him.

Had she matured, or had Zhao Feiyang been standing still all along?

Xu Ying asked Zhao Feiyang why he had come to Nanjiang.

Zhao Feiyang told her about the events on Weishan Island. Xu Ying was very familiar with Xu Chunliang, so he had no reason to hide anything.

From Zhao Feiyang’s perspective, discussing Xu Chunliang’s actions on Weishan Island inevitably caused some resentment. He felt that Xu Chunliang’s actions after leaving Changxing were ungrateful.

Differences in perspective lead to different attitudes towards things. Although Xu Ying sympathized with Zhao Feiyang’s recent experiences, she didn’t think Xu Chunliang had done anything excessive. Since Xu Chunliang had already gone to Hu Shan Town, everything he did was to protect the interests of Hu Shan Town.

Zhao Feiyang said, "He’s just on temporary assignment now; his post is in Changxing. He’s eating from Changxing’s bowl and smashing Changxing’s pot. Isn’t that kid hateful?"

Xu Ying smiled faintly, "That’s just what I learned from you."

Zhao Feiyang was startled for a moment, but he quickly understood what Xu Ying meant. He had personally facilitated the transition of Changxing Hospital from public ownership to a public-private partnership, and many people had talked about him behind his back. Zhao Feiyang shook his head, "I’m not like him. I’m doing this for the better development of Changxing."

Xu Ying said, "Feiyang, I find you’re very good at finding reasons for your actions."

Zhao Feiyang frowned. His initial intention was indeed for the better development of Changxing. He wanted to lead all the medical staff at Changxing to revitalize Changxing, making it the leader in the healthcare market of the Jianghuai Region. Why can’t anyone see his efforts, even Xu Ying says this.

Xu Ying said, "Can you say that when you promoted the reform of Changxing, there was no selfishness at all?"

Zhao Feiyang said, "I can say that I’ve always put the collective interest first."

Xu Ying sighed softly, "Maybe you thought like this in the past, but you will be changed by reality, and you might not even realize this change yourself." Her clear eyes looked at Zhao Feiyang, "You have always craved success. You know very well that a deputy-level position might be the peak of your career path, which is why you have the idea of switching alliances."

Zhao Feiyang said, "No, I decided to resign from my public position because of Pei Lin. I was worried that someone would make a fuss about it."

Xu Ying said, "I used to think like that too, but later I realized that you didn’t resign your public position for Pei Lin. You wouldn’t sacrifice your future for a woman. If you had a lot of room for advancement in your career path, you wouldn’t even be careless in front of Pei Lin. Feiyang, you love finding excuses too much, always shifting the responsibility to others."

Zhao Feiyang was startled in his heart and quietly asked himself, "Do I? Am I such a person?"

Xu Ying said, "You’re someone who holds high expectations for himself. From a young age, you were very arrogant. Even though you’re already the youngest deputy-level cadre in the Dongzhou health system, you’re not satisfied. You believe your ability shouldn’t be limited to this; you want to go further."

Zhao Feiyang took a sip of tea to hide his inner unease.

Xu Ying said, "If you were content to be the director of Changxing Hospital, perhaps you would have become a very good director."

Zhao Feiyang said, "The healthcare market competition is very fierce. If I stay content with the status quo, just guarding Changxing’s little territory, sooner or later I will be eliminated by this market."

Xu Ying said, "That’s just an excuse for your ambition. In fact, the real purpose of your public-private partnership is to fulfill your grand ambition. You’re not considering the employees of Changxing, or rather, you’re not putting them first. A true leader who puts the employees’ interests first would not take them on a risky journey."

Zhao Feiyang’s eyes showed a bit of disappointment. He always thought Xu Ying understood him best, but in her description, he became an extremely selfish, dictatorial person who disregards the interests of all employees.

Xu Ying said, "I might not know what you’ve brought to Changxing, but what I see is your constant concessions. You once said you’d stick to your position on Pei Lin’s involvement in Changxing, but the reality is she’s become the head of Huanyan Health and has even entered the board of Jiayue Department Store."

Zhao Feiyang said, "I can’t decide her entering the board, it was arranged by Tang Jingwei."

Xu Ying said, "Did you oppose it?"

Zhao Feiyang didn’t speak.

Xu Ying sighed, "Feiyang, one can’t just keep rushing forward. Sometimes, you need to stop and take a break, and think carefully about why people around you are leaving. Don’t always think it’s someone else’s responsibility. It’s time to seriously consider your own issues."

Zhao Feiyang said, "I will consider."

Xu Ying refilled his tea, "Feiyang, I might have said too much today. Please forgive me if I said anything wrong."

Zhao Feiyang smiled with some bitterness, "I have very few friends I can talk to already."

After dinner, Xu Chunliang showed Zhou Deming around his villa. Zhou Deming sighed, "If I had known being a doctor was so profitable, I would have chosen to study medicine back then."

Xu Chunliang said, "This villa was bought by my dad, it has nothing to do with whether you study medicine or not. Besides, I’m not a doctor."

Zhou Deming said, "By the way, the Huayuan Group’s withdrawal from Weishan Island has nothing to do with us, right?"

Xu Chunliang shook his head, "Don’t overthink. It’s Huayuan’s own problem. They had financial issues, and the medical staff at Weishan Island Hospital have always been seeking to defend their rights. In fact, the branch has become a burden for the Huayuan Group. Instead of continuing to deplete resources endlessly, it’s better to cut losses in time and still get a considerable transfer fee."

Zhou Deming said, "I’m not interested in affairs within the system. My dad also says I’m a bookworm and not fit for politics. It’s best to diligently do research in university."

Xu Chunliang chuckled, "You’re not a bookworm. That day you were very brave on Weishan Island, even I didn’t expect it."

Zhou Deming embarrassedly laughed, "To be honest, I had never been in a fight all my life until that day."