Seeing the forty-something old man, Kong Mingqing, shamelessly start feeding each other with the young girl beside him, Lin Jie couldn't endure it anymore.

He stood up, ready to confront them, but was pulled back by Zhang Xiaoxiao.

Lin Jie asked in confusion, "Xiaoxiao, aren't you angry? He has a wife and kids."

"Sit down first!"

Zhang Xiaoxiao pulled Lin Jie back to his seat and said softly, "Don't forget what Brother Kong does for a living."

"Brother Kong once told us that if we see him outside, unless he comes over and greets us, we shouldn't contact him easily; he might be on a mission."

Thinking of Kong Mingqing's identity as a detective, Lin Jie hesitated a bit.

Maybe he's really pretending to be a couple with someone else, on an undercover mission.

He asked again, puzzled, "Xiaoxiao, did Brother Kong really say that? How come I didn't know about it?"

Zhang Xiaoxiao gave him a sideways glance and said, "Back when you lived in Garden District One, you basically went between the grocery store and home, almost never going out. Did you need to be reminded?"

That's true.

Lin Jie thought for a moment and secretly took his phone to capture the intimate interaction between Kong Mingqing and the girl, thinking, "I'll take the evidence first and let Brother Kong explain it later."

At this time, the dishes and seafood they ordered, along with the dipping sauce and a small hotpot for each person, were brought over, and everyone got busy.

An Kemeng picked up a shrimp and complained, "This shrimp is so skinny and small, definitely not fresh."

Recalling, she said, "Speaking of which, it was the time at Zhujia Port when eating seafood was truly satisfying!"

Lin Jie laughed and said, "Today, just make do with it; small shops like this can't prepare top-quality seafood. If you're really craving seafood, I can call Zhang Daya and ask her parents to prepare some."

Lin Miao also got tempted and pleaded, "Brother, make the call; I also want to eat freely and heartily."

Seeing An Kexin and Zhang Xiaoxiao also looking at him expectantly, Lin Jie had no choice but to pick up his phone again.

While searching for Zhang Daya's number, he asked, "Do you want to go to Zhujia Port to eat, or bring it back to cook yourself, or have someone process it?"

An Kexin spoke up, "Let's bring it back; at this time, the seaside is cold and damp, easy to catch a cold."

She thought for a moment and said, "Ah Jie, why not ask Zhang Daya's parents to prepare more, so they won't feel awkward about accepting money. Besides keeping some for ourselves, we can give the extra to relatives or employees as New Year gifts or benefits."

Lin Jie nodded, found Zhang Daya's number, and dialed it.

The phone rang a few times before it was answered, and he heard a slightly confused voice of Zhang Daya through the phone, "Dr. Lin?!"

"It's me, on a night shift?"

"Yes, I was on a major surgery last night!"

Zhang Daya's voice over the phone became much clearer, "Your call is right on time, just ready to get up for lunch. Dr. Lin, is there anything you need me to do?"

With Zhang Daya, Lin Jie didn't stand on ceremony and got straight to the point, "We'd like some fresh seafood for ourselves, and to give to relatives and friends, as employee benefits..."

Before Lin Jie finished, Zhang Daya understood and replied, "Okay, I'll call my parents and have them prepare it well. Dr. Lin, what kinds of seafood and how much do you want?"

"The kinds and quantities of seafood..."

While repeating this, Lin Jie looked at An Kexin and heard her say softly, "However much there is, we want it all!"

"The more, the better!"

Lin Jie said to Zhang Daya, "Alright, today is Sunday; I'll have someone drive over to pick it up on Wednesday morning."

Zhang Daya chuckled softly, "No need, it's inconvenient for you to drive over yourself."

"There's a small truck in the village specifically for deliveries, ensuring the seafood is still alive when it reaches your doorstep."

Lin Jie gave an "oh," and said, "Alright then, I'll trouble Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang."

"You know my address, and as for the price of the seafood, just charge the market retail price; we're ordering quite a bit, don't be shy."

"Haha, of course, we wouldn't shy away with you, Dr. Lin."

After handling this matter, Lin Jie casually asked, "How's work at Donghua Hospital? Do you need to be transferred to the Affiliated Hospital?"

"Work's okay, I'm familiar with the environment and colleagues, and there are plenty of learning and training opportunities."

Feeling a bit proud, Zhang Daya added, "Expert Lin, already two surgeons privately told me that they are leaving Donghua Hospital next year and that I should join them if I'm interested."

Lin Jie praised, "Not bad, you can already have lead surgeons trying to recruit you."

"But..."

He reminded again, "Daya, you need to be clearly aware that my requirements are more stringent compared to other doctors, so don't get complacent."

With seriousness, Zhang Daya replied, "Of course, I know that."

"Dr. Lin, you are the most capable and excellent doctor in Binhai, and as your future instrument nurse, I must become the best nurse too."

"It's great that you think this way!"

Lin Jie suddenly realized something and asked, "You said that two chief surgeons have actively recruited you to leave Donghua Hospital. Have many doctors at Donghua Hospital now announced their future plans publicly?"

"Yes, quite a few. There are even more rumors circulating in private."

"It's not just the doctors. Even we nurses and caregivers are feeling anxious, as if the hospital is going to collapse."

An Kexin, sitting next to Lin Jie, vaguely heard this and felt a stir in her heart.

After Lin Jie hung up the phone, she softly said, "I don't think highly of the doctors at Donghua Hospital, but the nurses and caregivers there are quite commendable."

"If we could recruit a group of them, with their experience leading the newly graduated nurses, the hospital's operations would be much smoother."

Lin Jie laughed, "You're really something, thinking about work even while out shopping."

"Why don't you contact Zhang Daya yourself someday and see if she can help you recruit a group..."

Once they started eating the hotpot, Lin Jie felt the heat immediately, and beads of sweat began forming on his forehead. He had to take off two or three layers of clothing.

He couldn't help but complain, "Can you all stop treating me like I'm a patient?"

"I've told you all before, my health is great, healthier than most people. Yet every time we go out, you wrap me up like a mummy."

Lin Miao snorted, assertively saying, "You can discuss anything else, but not this."

She warned, "Brother, the more nothing happens, the more you need to be cautious."

"If you start being careful only when something happens, it'll be too late. You're a doctor, a very accomplished one, we shouldn't have to remind you of this, you should be conscientious about it..."

Lin Jie directly picked some greens with his chopsticks and stuffed them into Lin Miao's mouth, saying gloomily, "Alright, alright, stop nagging, I'll be more careful in the future."

Halfway through the hotpot meal, Lin Jie received another call from Xiang Rong.

After exchanging New Year greetings, Lin Jie laughed, "Editor-in-chief Xiang, what's the news this time that you want to share with me?"

"Just wanted to wish you a happy Gregorian New Year!"

Xiang Rong chuckled lightly, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Expert Lin, there's also a small matter. Someone reached out to me, asking to know to what extent you're planning to pursue matters with Gao Qihua and Wei Zhifeng and the others."

Lin Jie laughed, "Why is it about the extent I'm pursuing them?"

"The wrongdoings they committed weren't something I fabricated to frame them. The specific punishments they receive will be handled by the relevant departments, I don't have the power to interfere with judicial fairness."

Xiang Rong let out two dry laughs over the phone, saying, "Even though you say that, there's always a range for actual punishment. For instance, a sentence could be three to five years, and the question is whether it's three years or five years, there's room for maneuvering."

"Expert Lin, the other side communicated, admitting their mistakes."

"They deeply regret their own dark thoughts and are willing to take responsibility, only hoping that you can be a bit lenient..."

Lin Jie was momentarily stunned and asked in confusion, "A bit lenient?"

"Editor-in-chief Xiang, I've always kept myself out of the follow-up handling of this matter."

Xiang Rong spoke softly, "Expert Lin, you may not have intervened, but someone took action on your behalf."

"The real reason behind their wrongdoing this time is a rumor circulating widely in Capital City."

"The news says they were jealous of your achievements and wanted to suppress you, so they set you up by using the Warmth-Giving Medical Experts Group charity event."

"Someone involved in this grew a conscience, secretly informed you, and then an outraged influential person took bold action, grasping onto their many small faults."

Xiang Rong sighed and said, "Expert Lin, let me put it this way."

"With your current reputation and connections, many things don't require you to speak up, plenty of people are speculating about your intentions and getting things done."

"To my knowledge, one of the Capital City's four young lords, Nie Yuming, made it clear that anyone who harms you is his enemy."

"There's even a rumor that the more influential young lord, Ye Peihua, mentioned at a gathering that you are a respected friend in his eyes."

"Moreover, a few highly esteemed masters of traditional Chinese medicine in the Capital, renowned doctors from the First Military Medical Affiliated Hospital and Jingcheng University Affiliated Hospital, the Ma Family, and a few others of stature have all spoken in various settings."

"They've all expressed that a genius doctor like Expert Lin is rare in a century."

"The medical community should be proud and protective of you."

"This kind of behavior motivated by jealousy and oppression leveraging one's status should absolutely not be tolerated and must be harshly punished."

"Now that public opinion and pressure are in place, these people are essentially disgraced."

"They came to me hoping I could find out your real stance on handling this matter."

Lin Jie pondered for a moment, saying, "Editor-in-chief Xiang, regarding the follow-up to this matter, I will remain neutral and not get involved."

"Alright, Expert Lin, I understand your stance."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Jie couldn't help but feel a bit self-satisfied, telling An Kexin and the others, "This call truly made me realize that the influence of a renowned doctor is indeed not just for show..."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.