Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1368 National Day Benefits: My Master Has an Acquaintance Among the Overseas Chinese (Two Chapters Combined)
After reading the report, Fang Yan went to the research institute again. They had been rushing to finish the work recently. The National Day holiday was supposed to be a holiday, but there were many places that needed to deliver, so they only stopped one production line and chose to have people take turns working. Of course, Fang Yan and his team paid five times the salary to those who worked today and tomorrow.

Some of the factory workers even wanted to work two days straight, and they tried to find a way to reschedule shifts for those who really couldn't come because of other commitments. That way, two days would be equivalent to ten days of normal work.

Of course, Fang Yan, as a member of management, certainly didn't approve of this approach. Having just treated Director Liao, who had developed problems due to overwork, Fang Yan wasn't concerned about which of the workers here might cause trouble.

Fang Yan walked into the research institute, where the hum of the machines was mixed with the sounds of people talking, creating a bustling scene.

When the workers saw him arrive, they all stopped what they were doing to greet him: "Director Fang is here!" "Hello, Director Fang!"

Fang Yan waved with a smile, walked to the production line, and watched the workers skillfully operate the equipment. He then reminded them, "Don't just focus on meeting the deadline. If you're tired, take a break, have a drink of water, and then continue working. Although we're rushing to meet the deadline, we can't afford to have any health problems. Don't overwork yourselves."

The team leader quickly responded, "Don't worry! We all work on a rotating schedule, no one is pushing themselves too hard."

Then someone nearby said:
"Well... we all got five times our salary, and everyone's feeling great, hahaha!"

The others also burst into laughter.

I'm here today to distribute things with He Puren.

State-owned enterprises usually distribute some gifts during holidays.

Fang Yan's workplace was no exception. They had already received a batch of supplies, mainly towels, washbasins, and bedding sets that the research institute had agreed to distribute. Today's supplies were purchased by their workplace itself.

This was Lao Hu's idea.

He ordered a batch of foreign tape recorders from Hong Kong. Once this stuff is released, employee morale is guaranteed to skyrocket.

The goods were delivered a bit late; they only arrived in Beijing last night. Fang Yan will distribute a batch to the workers who are on duty today, and He Puren will distribute another batch tomorrow.

The last batch will be distributed to the researchers after they start work.

Fang Yan had just finished reminding the workers to take a rest when He Puren came over carrying several tape recorders with foreign labels, greeting him with a smile: "Director Fang, everything's been moved over, shall we distribute it now?"

"Here you go!" Fang Yan took a radio and handed it to the old worker next to him who was operating the machine. "Master Wang, this is a National Day benefit from our company. It's a foreign brand radio and tape recorder. Listen to the radio or play some music when you have free time to relax."

The old worker took the tape recorder with both hands, stroking its smooth casing, his eyes lighting up:
"Wow, this thing is a rare find! It's hard to buy even on the market. Your welfare is really generous!" The surrounding workers also gathered around, looking at the radio and discussing it with great surprise. Although the towels and washbasins they had been given before were practical, this "high-end" radio and television was much more respectable than the welfare provided by other state-owned enterprises.

As He Puren handed the radio to the worker, he smiled and said:
"This was specially ordered by our unit from Hong Kong. It was only delivered to Beijing yesterday. We were afraid it wouldn't make it in time for everyone to use during the holiday. We're giving it to the workers who are on duty today. Tomorrow, when the workers who are on leave come back to work, there will be another batch. And when the researchers come back to work after the holiday, they will also get their share."

A young worker, holding a tape recorder, couldn't help but ask, "Director Fang, what if I don't know how to use this tape recorder?"

Fang Yan said with a smile:
"The instruction manual is in the box. If you still don't understand it, we'll have the technical staff explain it to everyone later, so that everyone can use it. When we give out benefits, we not only want them to be substantial, but also to make sure everyone is comfortable using them."

Upon hearing this, the workers laughed even harder, holding their tape recorders in their hands, and worked with even greater enthusiasm.

Seeing this lively scene, He Puren leaned closer to Fang Yan and said:
"This trick works so well! With this tape recorder, everyone will definitely be more attentive to their work, and we won't have to worry about team cohesion anymore!"

Fang Yan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the energetic workers in the workshop:

"Our company's progress to this point is all thanks to everyone's hard work, and good benefits should be given to everyone. But don't forget that health is the foundation of everything. Don't ruin your health by rushing to meet deadlines. If you're tired, take a break when you need to, and you won't lose a penny of your salary and benefits."

After distributing the benefits, Fang Yan and He Puren took another walk around the research institute. Seeing that every worker who received a tape recorder had a smile on their face, the two felt relieved.

After distributing the items, Fang Yan drove back to Xiehe Hospital.

Although it is National Day today, there are still quite a few people seeking medical treatment.

Especially today, with fewer service windows available, the queues have become even longer.

When Fang Yan arrived, a long queue had already formed, and most of the people were middle-aged. They were people who didn't have time during the week because of work, and they had taken a day off to come.

When the triage nurse saw Fang Yan arrive, she quickly greeted him and then reported the current situation, saying that with the current flow of people, today's task was quite heavy.

Fang Yan glanced at the patients and thought that he didn't have much to do that morning, so he might as well take over the patients as well.

After opening the consultation room door, Fang Yan asked the triage nurse to divert some of the patients to his office, and then he began seeing patients himself.

Although there were many people today, most of them were not in acute condition; they were all suffering from simple illnesses. After all, illnesses that have dragged on for so long are unlikely to be anything too strange or bizarre, and diagnosing them in the local dialect is quite quick.

With his arrival, the line outside the door visibly shortened. Everyone wanted to finish their medical appointments as soon as possible so they could spend the afternoon resting with their families.

By 11:30 a.m., Fang Yan had already finished seeing all the patients.

Fang Yan had the nurse come in and tidy up the consultation room. After organizing the medical records, he went to check on his master, Lu Donghua, next door. Now, those who came to see Lu Donghua were all people who wanted to have follow-up appointments with him.

Fang Yan told the old man that she was going back to cook first, and that he should go back after he finished watching.

"Okay, these are the two I want. I'll be back soon!" Lu Donghua said to Fang Yan.

"Master, shall I go back with you?" Anton asked Fang Yan.

“You go with your master!” Fang Yan replied to An Dong.

Anton nodded in agreement.

After Fang Yan left, the patient asked Lu Donghua:
"Sir, is Fang Yan your apprentice?"

Lu Donghua nodded:

"Yes, he's my sixth apprentice."

Fang Yan was originally a junior apprentice, but after Lao Hu joined, he was no longer one.

They were all surprised to hear that the old man was actually the master of the famous Doctor Fang.

This old man was unassuming and unassuming, but I never expected him to have such a distinguished background.

An older woman waiting in line came over, her voice full of surprise: "Oh my! So you're Dr. Fang's mentor! Dr. Fang's medical skills are so good, it turns out he learned from you!"

The uncle next to me, who was having a follow-up appointment, nodded with a smile: "Last time, my old lady had an upset stomach, and Dr. Fang cured her with just one dose of medicine. At the time, I wondered how this young doctor could be so amazing, and who his master was. I really never expected to run into him!"

Lu Donghua put down the pulse pillow in his hand, smiled and waved his hand: "He is willing to think things through on his own. He is more serious than anyone else when reading medical books and recording cases. I just give him some pointers."

Lu Donghua was still a little embarrassed. He really hadn't taught Fang Yan much about medicine; Fang Yan had mostly learned it on his own. His greatest contribution was probably giving Fang Yan a room full of Lu family heirloom books.

These words moved everyone even more. One patient said, "There aren't many doctors like this anymore. Not only are their medical skills excellent, but they're also approachable and considerate of us patients." Another said, "I'll definitely see you two, master and apprentice, from now on. I don't mind!"

As Lu Donghua listened to everyone's praise, his smile deepened, but his hands didn't stop moving. He took the patient's pulse while carefully inquiring about his condition.

I can say that I've benefited from my apprentice's success.

……

On the other side, Fang Yan returned home, and Lao Hu was back too, fiddling with a bunch of colorful things in the courtyard. Zheng Yi and Ming Zhu squatted beside him watching the fun.

Fang Yan walked over and asked:
"What is this thing?"

Lao Hu said:

"These are imported children's toys. We're getting two kids coming soon, so I bought them. When I went to buy the radio cassette player, I had someone bring them back too. Now we have to assemble them ourselves. What a hassle..."

Fang Yan looked at it and said to Lao Hu:

"These toys are for children at least three years old; you've introduced them too early."

Lao Hu said:

"It's alright, there's still Justice and Pearl, let them play first. Our two kids can't play, but they can watch the older kids play, it's just as educational."

"How far have you gotten with this assembly?" Fang Yan walked over, picked up a castle part, and looked at the instruction manual.

Old Hu looked up, a hint of helplessness on his face: "I just can't seem to get the wheels on this race car. The instruction manual is all in a foreign language, so I can only guess."

Fang Yan leaned over to take a look and pointed to the interface of the part, saying, "You have to put the shaft in first, then clamp the wheel. If the direction is reversed, of course it won't fit."

He reached out and quickly installed the wheel.

Old Hu's eyes lit up: "You're so skillful! With my brain, I struggle even to put together a toy."

Fang Yan said to Zheng Yi and Ming Zhu, who were standing to the side:
"You guys can help with the assembly too, since you'll be playing by yourselves from now on."

Justice and Pearl had been very curious for a long time, and upon hearing the dialect, they immediately agreed.

Old Hu clapped his hands, stood up from the ground, and asked his assistant, Xiao Lin, to sort the toys for the two children.

Fang Yan arrived at the main hall and looked around at the family members present. Her brother-in-law's family had not come because they had informed her in advance. Ma Wenying had come today and was chatting with Zhu Lin and the others. Her eldest sister's classmate, Song Jian, had also come, but the couple who often came over were not seen today.

"Didn't Chen Kaige and his wife come today?" Fang Yan asked the crowd.

Zhu Lin said:

"He came by around 10 o'clock, delivered some things, and then left."

Fang Yan suddenly realized that they must have had a family gathering for National Day.

Then Fang Yan went to cook. By this time, her older sister and younger sister-in-law had already prepared all the ingredients and finished cutting and preparing them. They were just waiting for Fang Yan to come back and bring out the soul of the dish.

Cooking isn't a big job, and there weren't many people at home today, so the dishes Fangyan made were ready in no time.

When Master Lu Donghua returned, Fang Yan had already prepared the dishes. "You're back just in time, perfect for dinner," Fang Yan greeted her master.

The meal prepared by Fang Yan for lunch today was quite substantial, after all, it's National Day. No matter what the holiday is, Chinese people always like to have something delicious.

Then the family members sat down at the table, and Fang Yan said to his master:

"You'd better eat a lot at lunch today, because we won't have much of a chance to eat well at dinner tonight."

Lu Donghua said:
"To be honest, this is the first time I've ever participated in a banquet to entertain overseas Chinese at my age."

Old Hu, who was also an overseas Chinese, was serving soup to the old man while saying:
“Master, that kind of occasion is all about drinking and talking; it’s nothing like the comfortable atmosphere of eating at home with family.”

Huang Huijie also said:

"That's right! It's so much more comfortable to eat at home, you can talk however you want, but in those kinds of situations, you have to be careful what you say."

The couple didn't really like this kind of occasion.

It feels more like a show.

Of course, he knew the dialect, but this was his mission, and most of these people were coming for him, so he couldn't be absent.

I don't know why Director Liao had to bring his mentor along.

They said there would be a lot of people at night, and they needed him to help keep things quiet. But what kind of occasion would require someone to keep things quiet?
Could it be that there are colleagues who have returned from abroad?

So, having the old man around would help draw attention away from the enemy?
However, Director Liao didn't explain it clearly, and we can only guess at the dialect.

However, the old man is so old and has never participated in such occasions before. It would be good for him to go and experience it. He doesn't find the dialect too offensive. He can just treat it as his master going to have a trip.

After lunch, Fang Yan went to the hospital again in the afternoon. The three people were still receiving treatment for rabies, thyroid cancer, and idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. Although there were people watching over them at the hospital, Fang Yan felt more at ease keeping an eye on things himself.

Zhang Fu's hydrophobia caused by rabies has improved a lot. It is estimated that he will be fully recovered in a few days after the National Day holiday. There will be a lecture at that time.

Although it was somewhat of a slap in the face to call in Western doctors, it was still a very important activity. The doctors wrote down all kinds of data and patient records in great detail, making it impossible for them to find any problems.

If successful, the recipe should spread quickly, according to the local dialect.

As for idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, firstly, this disease can only be treated by myself, and secondly, Mr. Ma is a very important overseas Chinese businessman. If I cure him, it is very likely to bring new technological assistance to the country.

We are in an era where everything needs to be rebuilt, so it would certainly be a good thing to be able to acquire more foreign technology.

As for Mr. Sima's thyroid cancer metastasis, it is also a highly difficult treatment. Li Ke's cancer-fighting and life-saving soup, after being modified by him, is presented to everyone in a completely new form that is ahead of its time.

If the treatment goes smoothly, the dialect will eventually gain the title of an authoritative expert in this field.

In short, all three people are very important.

Of course, many more difficult problems await him in the dialect, which are still being rigorously tested by foreign experts.

These patients, aside from anything else, are highly valued resources by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and even the Yanjing Hotel.

The dialect stabilized and cured them, resulting in a win-win situation for all parties.

……

The afternoon passed quickly. Fang Yan finished her afternoon rounds and spent the rest of the afternoon at home, mainly to spend time with her family.

Also, let's take a look at the toys that Lao Hu brought back.

Assembling it was quite a challenge, but it was very rewarding once it was done. Fang Yan even felt that the toy was mainly meant for the parents who were in charge of assembling it.

Parents play with the toys first, then let their own children play with them, making it easier for parents to buy toys for their children next time.

Around 5 p.m., Cui Jingyi drove to the courtyard to pick up Fang Yan and Lu Donghua, and they arrived at the Yanjing Hotel shortly afterward.

Upon arrival, the banquet hall was deserted, not as lively as expected. Fang Yan was puzzled, as there should have been quite a few overseas Chinese businessmen here by now, according to Director Liao's previous arrangements.

He stopped a hotel staff member to ask, as Fang Yan was a familiar face in the area. Upon seeing him, the staff member immediately smiled and explained:

"Dr. Fang, many overseas Chinese businessmen's flights were delayed today due to the weather. Director Liao and the others are still waiting at the airport. They just called to ask you to wait a little longer."

Fang Yan nodded, her heart finally at ease. She turned to Lu Donghua and said, "Let's take this opportunity to check the venue setup. You can rest for a while too."

The banquet hall was already decorated, with a red carpet laid from the entrance to the main table, on which were set exquisite tableware and fresh flowers, and banners reading "Welcome Overseas Chinese Businessmen Home" hanging on the surrounding walls.

Fang Yan walked around the venue and noticed that there were nearly ten more tables than last time. He thought to himself: It seems that there are quite a few overseas Chinese businessmen here this time, and the level of the event is also higher than last time.

Lu Donghua sat on the sofa in the corner, watching the staff bustling about, and said to Fang Yan with a smile, "I didn't expect the banquet to be so grand, it's much more lively than I imagined."

Fang Yan handed over a glass of warm water: "Director Liao said that many important people are coming this time, probably for future cooperation and exchanges, which is why he attaches so much importance to it."

The three waited for nearly an hour, and it was almost six o'clock, but they still hadn't received any news from Director Liao.

Fang Yan got up and went to the front desk to inquire. Just as she reached the front desk, the phone rang. The staff member answered and said it was Director Liao calling, saying that they had already picked up the person and asked the hotel to start preparing the meal.

It takes about an hour to get from the airport to the hotel.

The staff member hung up the phone and told Fang Yan about the situation. After Fang Yan returned, he told Cui Jingyi and his master about the situation. The three of them simply sat on the sofa and chatted while waiting for the convoy to arrive.

Just after seven o'clock, the sound of a car engine came from outside the hotel.

Fang Yan walked to the window and saw a convoy of cars adorned with big red flowers slowly approaching. Leading the way was a black Hongqi car, followed by more than a dozen cars, forming a neat line. The scene was quite spectacular.

"They're here!" Fang Yan greeted Lu Donghua and Cui Jingyi, and together they went to the door to welcome them.

After the convoy came to a stop, Director Liao got out of the first Hongqi car, followed by several overseas Chinese businessmen in suits and ties, as well as several patients in wheelchairs, who were obviously the family members of the overseas Chinese businessmen who needed dialect-based medical treatment, as mentioned earlier.

Of course, it wasn't just people in wheelchairs; there were also some who needed assistance to walk, and others who were wearing masks. These people were probably all patients. Fang Yan saw them being escorted upstairs to a place that had been prepared in advance.

They certainly don't have the energy to attend the banquet, and they might even have some kind of illness. If they die from drinking and eating, or spread their illness to others, that would be a real disaster.

Next, when Director Liao saw Fang Yan, he immediately waved to him and started introducing Fang Yan to the others right at the door.

"This is Dr. Fang, whom everyone has been looking for. His traditional Chinese medicine skills are unparalleled!"

"He can solve all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases. So far, he has not encountered any diseases that he cannot cure. I hope that the illnesses of everyone's family members can also be cured this time."

As soon as Director Liao finished speaking, someone came over to shake his hand.

"Dr. Fang, I've heard so much about you! My mother has suffered from rheumatism for many years and has difficulty walking. I brought her here specifically hoping you could take a look at her."

"My husband has been coughing for a long time, and Western medicine can't find the cause. We'll have to rely on you this time!"

"Dr. Fang..."

"Dr. Fang..."

All those people came over to greet Fang Yan; it was clear that most of the people here were drawn back by Fang Yan.

Looking at the lively scene, Director Liao smiled and said to Cui Jingyi beside him, "Fangyan is truly a treasure of your Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Look how much these overseas Chinese businessmen appreciate it!"

Cui Jingyi nodded: "Director Fang's medical skills and character speak for themselves, he deserves this trust."

After the introductions were finished, Director Liao raised his hand and gestured, "Everyone, please go in and take your seats. Let's eat and chat at the same time."

The overseas Chinese businessmen responded enthusiastically, crowding around Fang Yan, Lu Donghua, and others as they walked into the banquet hall, instantly enlivening the previously quiet venue.

After the banquet began, Director Liao went on stage to give a speech.

Fang Yan realized that this time was indeed different from before. These people had basically sent people back to negotiate investment projects, and many people could start seeing patients immediately.

Fang Yan didn't know how Director Liao would arrange the patients next. Previously, there were five patients a day, but she didn't know how Director Liao would arrange it this time.

Then the banquet began. Fang Yan and Director Liao sat at one table. Since he couldn't drink alcohol today, he substituted tea for wine and led Fang Yan and the others to offer toasts. Of course, Lu Donghua and Cui Jingyi were also with them.

Among them, only Fang Yan and Cui Jingyi were holding wine; Director Liao and Lu Donghua were not.

Just as Fang Yan and his group were toasting at one table, a man in his sixties suddenly stood up and said to Lu Donghua, "Lu Donghua! Do you still remember me?"

Lu Donghua was taken aback and looked at the other person, who was a very thin man. He frowned slightly.

"You are... I'm sorry, my eyesight is poor, I can't remember for a moment."

The man said:

“Back in 37 at the Tianjin docks, we even set up a stall together to earn toll fees!” the man said to Lu Donghua.

Hearing this, Lu Donghua frowned and said:
"That happened more than forty years ago, I really can't remember..."

Fang Yan was also a little curious. There was actually an old acquaintance of his master here? And it sounded like he was a fellow practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine.

PS: The basic chapter of 6000 words has been updated.

(End of this chapter)