Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1274 What exactly is Dr. Fang's status as the head of the Vietnamese Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Wei Guohao? (Bonus chapter for monthly votes)
The Soul-Returning Lock, one of the twelve linked locks of Taoist medicine, once again demonstrated its practicality at this time.

The elderly man was saved in full view of everyone.

Fang Yan and the others stayed with the elderly man until the ambulance arrived.

The ambulance donated by Lao Hu also shocked the overseas Chinese who came out with him. It was a Mercedes-Benz Type 319 ambulance.

Are all ambulances in Beijing this high-end?
Having finished their meal, Fang Yan and Dean Cui, having nothing else to do, drove after the ambulance back to Xiehe Hospital.

Accompanying them were the patient's son and the traditional Chinese medicine doctor from before.

The patient's son was sitting in the ambulance, while the traditional Chinese medicine doctor hitched a ride in a car with a local accent.

While waiting, Fang Yan had a brief conversation with this person and learned that his name was Wei Guohao and that he used to run a Chinese hospital in Vietnam.

He was the hospital director, and by the time he realized something was wrong, his family had already been sent to Hong Kong.

He came to Beijing with the group because all his money had been stolen, leaving him with only a box of medicine. He also couldn't contact his wife and children in Hong Kong, so he planned to come to Beijing first, then try to contact them before going there.

On his way back, he met an old friend. The family was in a better situation than his, with some money and elderly relatives. So they hired him to take care of their hygiene and safety along the way. Wei Guohao was very responsible. Everyone else got sick to some extent along the way, but the family that hired him didn't get sick because of him. Instead, they arrived in the capital healthy.

Their employment relationship ended after they arrived in the capital. The family then planned to contact relatives in the capital, settle down, and then try to start anew using the remaining assets they had overseas.

Wei Guohao is now considered a free agent.

He became very curious after seeing the first aid methods Fang Yan used, so he started talking to Fang Yan.

After Vietnam started targeting them, they were kept in very limited contact with the outside world, and he had no idea who Fang Yan was.

When I first saw Fang Yan appear in this kind of setting, I thought he was the son of some high-ranking official who was just showing up to gain experience. But I never expected that Fang Yan was actually his colleague.

"Are all the hospitals and doctors here so rich? A Mercedes-Benz, that car isn't cheap!" Wei Guohao exclaimed sincerely, looking at the luxurious interior of Fang Yan's car.

He had assumed that doctors in China wouldn't be this wealthy.

While driving, he explained in dialect:

"It's really not cheap; these were all donated by overseas Chinese businessmen who received treatment at our hospital."

“Overseas Chinese from all over the world come to our hospital for treatment, so some of the wealthier overseas Chinese businessmen there are quite generous.”

Wei Guohao suddenly realized and nodded, saying:

"Understood……"

Then he asked in dialect:

"Is your hospital currently short-staffed?"

Fang Yan was taken aback and asked:

"What? You want to apply for the job?"

"Weren't you going to find your wife and children?"

Wei Guohao said somewhat awkwardly:

"I don't have any money on me right now. I'm thinking of working at the hospital to earn some money for the journey before I go there."

He said in dialect:

"No need for that trouble. I can cover your travel expenses. You just need to go to Tanggu Port next week to board the ship, and the ship will take you all the way to Hong Kong."

"You can have someone take care of the formalities in the next few days."

Every other week, Fang Yan and his team would transport their goods to Guangzhou and Hong Kong by land and sea.

Wei Guohao can go with them, as long as the paperwork is complete.

Even if the paperwork isn't required, Old Tang or the Huo family over there can help take care of it.

It's just a slightly troublesome matter.

Wei Guohao was somewhat surprised and asked Fang Yan:

"Do you often send people over like this?"

Fang Yan smiled and shook his head, saying:
"Of course not, it's just that I can help you with this connection. How about it? If you agree, I can have someone arrange it right away."

Wei Guohao hesitated for a moment before saying:
"Okay...how should I thank you?"

He said in dialect:

“We’re all compatriots. This is just a small favor. There’s no need for thanks. When the time comes, come to Peking Union Medical College Hospital to find me. I’ll have someone take you to the train station and then to Tianjin Tanggu Port.”

Sitting in the back seat, Dean Cui Jingyi didn't forget to ask, "After you arrive in Hong Kong, will you be able to contact your wife and children?"

Wei Guohao said:
“I was able to get in touch with them. I’ve already deposited some money there beforehand. Once they get there, they’ll find a place to stay first, and then I’ll use that money to start my own business. I’m confident that I have the skills to support my family.”

Cui Jingyi said:
"Your plan is quite good. It seems you noticed the problem a long time ago."

Wei Guohao said:
"No matter what, I often come into contact with people from various industries, and I can still glean some information from their snippets of conversation."

“At the time, I knew things might change. Plus, some wealthy businessmen around me were depositing money abroad, so I thought I might as well deposit some money in Hong Kong as well. It would be more troublesome, but it would also be a good precaution against unforeseen circumstances.”

"I never expected it to actually happen. It's a pity that some of my money in the bank has already been confiscated." As he spoke, he slammed his fist on his thigh. Judging from his regretful expression, it must have been a lot of money.

As soon as Wei Guohao finished speaking, Cui Jingyi sighed: "Being able to prepare in advance is already much better than most people. I've heard that many overseas Chinese businessmen still clung to hope until the very last moment, only to end up with their assets confiscated and them penniless."

Fang Yan gripped the steering wheel, his gaze sweeping across the street scenes outside the window. Remembering several Hong Kong businessmen he had previously met who had business dealings in Vietnam, he continued:
“Indeed, quite a few people sensed something was wrong in advance. At the beginning of the year, I met with an overseas Chinese businessman in the textile business, surnamed Wu. He said that he felt something was amiss as early as 1976. First, the authorities suddenly increased the taxes on our shops, and then restricted the raw material purchases of Chinese enterprises, claiming it was to ‘protect local industries,’ but in reality it was targeted suppression.”

"Mr. Wu kept quiet at the time and secretly began transferring funds to Hong Kong. He had a distant nephew there who helped him register a shell company. Every time he exported fabric from Vietnam, he deliberately lowered the price and deposited the difference through the Hong Kong company. At the same time, he also secretly divided the gold and silver jewelry and important documents in his home into several parts and had his family members hide them in different places, just in case something unexpected happened."

Wei Guohao nodded repeatedly as he listened:
“That’s right! I’ve encountered a similar situation. In the latter half of 1977, the owner of the grain and oil shop next to my hospital, surnamed Chen, whose son worked in the Vietnamese customs, secretly told him that the authorities were taking stock of our assets, especially shops and factories, saying that they were going to ‘unify the planning.’ That very night, Mr. Chen transferred the cash and account books in his shop to his relatives’ house in the countryside. The next day, he deliberately sold grain and oil at a low price, pretending that his business was failing, in order to reduce the authorities’ attention.”

"There was also an overseas Chinese businessman I knew who was in the timber business, and he was even more cunning. He knew that the Vietnamese authorities were tightening their control over cross-border transportation, so he bribed a minor official at the border. Every time he transported timber, he would hide gold bars and US dollars in the interlayer of the container. After more than half a year of this, he transferred most of his assets to the branch office in Laos. When they started to expel us on a large scale in early 1978, he took his family directly from Laos to Thailand and suffered almost no losses."

Cui Jingyi asked curiously, "How did these people perceive the risk? They couldn't have just guessed, could they?"

“Of course not.” Wei Guohao gave a wry smile. “Although many of us do business there, we have always been ostracized. At first, it was just some minor friction, such as locals deliberately making things difficult for us vendors in the market, or government departments deliberately delaying our affairs. But after 1976, this harassment became an explicit regulation—for example, we cannot hold government positions, our children have to pay extra ‘special fees’ to go to school, and even marriages between our own people have to be approved.”

"What's even more obvious is the public opinion. Vietnamese newspapers have started frequently publishing articles like 'Chinese people seizing local resources' and 'Chinese people being disloyal to Vietnam,' blaming us for the economic problems. This is clearly incitement and paving the way for subsequent suppression. Anyone with a brain can see that this is not a simple policy adjustment, but something serious is about to happen."

Fang Yan added, "Some people got the news in advance through their connections. For example, some overseas Chinese businessmen who were doing business there mentioned that there are many Vietnamese Chinese associations in Hong Kong. These associations have close ties with the Vietnamese Chinese business community, and they will pass on the news as soon as there is any news. One overseas Chinese businessman who was in the hardware business learned through an association that the authorities were going to 'take over' Chinese enterprises. He dismantled the machinery and equipment in his factory overnight, loaded it onto a fishing boat and transported it to Hainan. Although he lost the factory building, he saved the core production equipment and was able to start production again as soon as he got back to China."

“But many people aren’t so lucky.” Wei Guohao’s tone turned somber. “There’s a nurse in my hospital whose husband owns a restaurant. He always thought, ‘If we do business honestly and don’t cause trouble, the authorities won’t do anything.’ He tried to persuade her several times, but she wouldn’t listen. Then, at the end of last year, the authorities suddenly sent people to shut down the restaurant, saying he was ‘operating illegally.’ They not only confiscated all his property but also arrested her husband and sent him to a labor camp. The nurse came to me crying with her child, and all I could do was scrape together some money for her to run away. As for her husband, we haven’t heard from him since.”

Cui Jingyi sighed, “In the end, it comes down to the difference between vigilance and action. Those who take precautions in advance are either well-informed or do not take chances and are willing to make tough decisions; while those who suffer are mostly those who think ‘it won’t happen to them’ or are reluctant to give up their current assets, and their hesitation causes them to miss the best opportunity.”

As they were talking, the ambulance arrived at the entrance of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The moment the ambulance stopped, medical staff rushed the stretcher towards the emergency room.

Fang Yan parked the car and said to Wei Guohao, "Come with me to the office later to register your information. I'll have someone contact Tanggu Port to help you get a letter of introduction so you can apply for a temporary pass."

Upon hearing this, Wei Guohao quickly bowed deeply to Fang Yan, saying, "Thank you so much. Without your help, I really don't know when I would have been able to see my wife and children again."

“We’re all compatriots, no need to be so polite.” Fang Yan patted his shoulder. “When you get to Hong Kong, if you want to continue practicing medicine and it’s difficult to open a clinic, I can help you contact hospitals there.”

Wei Guohao was still frozen in his bowing posture when he heard Fang Yan's words. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes instantly reddening. His tightly pursed lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something, but his Adam's apple bobbed twice, and he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Fang Yan was taken aback. She had only done something small, so why was he so moved?

"Don't get excited, don't get excited!" Fang Yan waved her hand and said to him.

Wei Guohao raised his hand and wiped his face, trying to hide the tears in the corners of his eyes.

He didn't cry when he fled Vietnam in a panic, he didn't cry when all his money was stolen, and he didn't cry when he lost contact with his wife and children and felt lost and helpless on the unfamiliar streets of Beijing. But at this moment, Fang Yan's casual words, "I'll help you contact a hospital," moved him to tears.

It's true that your own compatriots are the best!

“Dr. Fang…” Wei Guohao’s voice was noticeably hoarse. He took a deep breath to barely compose himself, and after a pause, he said to Fang Yan:

"You've been so kind to me. Meeting you today has shown me what true compassion for a doctor means."

"No, no, no!" Fang Yan quickly waved his hand.

Then he changed the subject and said:

"Let's go see the old lady."

Wei Guohao nodded and followed Fang Yan and the others. At this point, he still didn't quite understand what kind of status Fang Yan held at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

He knew that the person standing next to him was the dean. He also knew many overseas Chinese businessmen, so what was his status?

He's supposed to be in administration, but he's also a doctor. And yet, he's so young; most of the doctors at his hospital are still interns.

With questions in mind, Wei Guohao followed Fang Yan into the emergency room.

In the emergency room here at night, there are both Western and traditional Chinese medicine doctors on duty. As soon as a patient arrives, treatment begins immediately. Blood pressure, heart rate, and blood oxygen are measured, and intravenous access is quickly established for fluid resuscitation. At the same time, nurses draw blood for myocardial enzyme testing to verify the extent of the myocardial infarction.

Next, nitroglycerin was administered under the tongue to dilate blood vessels, which was then combined with the effects of the quick-acting heart-saving pills. Lidocaine was administered intravenously to prevent ventricular fibrillation. The TCM practitioners had already started using acupuncture at Neiguan and Tanzhong points to unblock the meridians, along with moxibustion at Zusanli point to warm the Yang. Previously, TCM was not available at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, but now the emergency department has also set up a position for Fang Yan and his TCM department. So when the rescue started, the scene was chaotic, and there was no clear distinction between who was assisting whom; it was just a matter of each person doing their own thing.

Wei Guohao, who was seeing this scene for the first time, was completely dumbfounded.

PS: I got 600 more monthly votes yesterday and 100 more today, for a total of 700. I still owe you 14000 words. After finishing this chapter, I owe you a total of 40000 words.

(End of this chapter)