After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

The next morning, the north wind blew the old pine trees in the military hospital compound so hard they whistled.

In the very center of the logistics plaza, ten enormous pine crates bearing the black German word "Siemens" stood like ten mountains of gold, stacked steadily. Although a red and white cordon had been set up around them, it did nothing to block the intense, searchlight-like gazes coming from all directions.

Representatives from various hospitals came to join the fun, along with doctors and nurses from our own hospital who weren't on duty. They packed the square three or four deep, making it impossible to move.

In this era where even color TVs require ration coupons, an imported ultrasound machine is a hospital's "treasure," a powerful weapon! If any department has this thing, the head of the department can walk with an even more upright posture, and look down on everyone.

Ye Zhen stood on the high steps, holding a list in her hand, her face expressionless, as cold as the late spring chill in February.

Dean Zhang Guohua stood beside her, holding a large, chipped enamel mug, both excited and nervous, his palms sweating. These ten machines were like ten hot gold ingots; last night, the Ministry of Health's phones were ringing off the hook with calls from all sorts of powerful figures trying to snatch them away.

"Everyone."

Ye Zhen's clear, cool voice blared through the loudspeaker, carrying a penetrating force. The square, which had been as noisy as a market, instantly fell silent; even the old man coughing in the back row forced back the phlegm in his throat.

"These ten latest Siemens linear array ultrasound machines are assets of the 'Heart of China' Foundation." Ye Zhen's gaze swept over the eager faces below the stage, and she got straight to the point, "Since they're mine, they have to be done according to my rules."

A buzzing sound erupted from below. Many people were thinking to themselves: This young Dr. Ye is not old, but he speaks with such arrogance, like a leader giving a lecture.

"There's only one rule: lend, don't give."

Ye Zhen held up a long, slender finger, her tone leaving no room for argument, "Ownership belongs to the foundation, while the right to use belongs to the selected hospitals. The selected hospitals must unconditionally cooperate with the students of 'Heart of China' in screening and must first advance the costs of transporting and providing initial treatment to critically ill children in their respective areas. If they breach the contract, I will not listen to explanations and will send a vehicle to take them away at any time."

"Borrow?!" The crowd erupted like a pot of oil being sizzled with water droplets.

These days, it's all about government allocation; there's no reason for a private individual to lend to the public. Public property is like meat on an iron rice bowl—lend it? That's unheard of!

"The list is as follows." Ye Zhen didn't give them time to process their shock and read it aloud, "First, Peking University Third Affiliated Hospital; Second, West China Medical University Affiliated Hospital; Third, Harbin Medical University First Affiliated Hospital..."

As each name was called out, some people cheered so hard their hats flew off, while others beat their chests and stamped their feet as if they had lost their parents.

Ye Zhen carefully selected these ten spots. They were all affiliated hospitals of the medical school, and their geographical locations were precisely situated at key nodes in the Northeast, North China, East China, Southwest, and Northwest regions, like a move in Go where every move affects the overall situation.

"Wait a minute! That's not right!"

Suddenly, a small, elderly man with gray hair, wearing a woolen overcoat, squeezed out of the crowd. It was Zhao Degong, the president of Shanghai First People's Hospital. He was so anxious that his hat was askew, and his face was red and his neck was thick as he pushed aside the young man blocking his way. He didn't care about his image and rushed straight to the police line.

"Dr. Ye! Dr. Ye! Could you please stop for a moment!"

Zhao Degong's voice cracked with rage. "Is this list missing something? Why is Zhongshan Hospital listed in Shanghai? In terms of clinical expertise and cardiac surgery skills, our First Affiliated Hospital is the top hospital in Shanghai! How could they give such good resources to a bunch of teachers?"

He was really desperate.

Last night, he witnessed Ye Zhen's amazing ultrasound skills firsthand, and he dreamt about those red and blue blood flow images all night. He thought that since he arrived early and was shameless enough, he could at least get an ultrasound machine as a consolation prize. Even if it wasn't a color Doppler ultrasound, this German-made machine with its foreign label was still a hot commodity!

As a result, they didn't even get a sip of soup!

Ye Zhen stopped reading the list and looked down at Zhao Degong, who was jumping up and down in anxiety.

"Dean Zhao," she said in a flat tone, with a hint of coldness, "you yourself said that you are a top-tier hospital with heavy clinical workload. My machine is for teaching students."

"We can mentor students too! How many interns do you need? I'll arrange that many! Is a hundred enough?" Zhao Degong slapped his thigh anxiously. "Zhongshan Hospital is a teaching base for Fudan University; they're too bookish! Our First Affiliated Hospital is all about practical experience; we're out there saving lives from piles of corpses! We need to use our best resources where they matter most!"

Ye Zhen closed the folder, a half-smile playing on her lips, her eyes sharp.

"Dean Zhao, let's be frank. The reason I didn't choose your institute is because your technical credit score is negative in my eyes."

These words were like a resounding slap in the face, turning Zhao Degong's old face ashen in front of everyone.

A low chuckle and whispers rippled through the crowd. Who didn't know that on New Year's Eve, Shanghai First Hospital had suffered a double loss, almost scrapping its precious extracorporeal circulation machine? The story had already spread throughout Beijing's medical circles and become a laughing stock.

"That was an accident! Purely an accident!" Zhao Degong, for the sake of the machine, threw away all pretense of decency and immediately shifted the blame. "Expert Ye, you can't generalize like that! We have money! We have wards! As long as you give us the machine, we'll cover all the post-operative rehabilitation costs for children with congenital heart disease in the Shanghai area! We'll even vacate the wards for cadres for the children!"

Ye Zhen's eyes flickered slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them.

That's exactly what she was waiting for.

The long recovery period for critically ill children is a huge money pit and a mess. If this cost could be shifted to local financial backers…

"Dean Zhao, you said it yourself, and so many people are listening." Ye Zhen stared into his eyes. "All-inclusive? No backing out?"

"All included!" Zhao Degong gritted his teeth, as if he were tearing his own flesh apart, his heart bleeding. "Just give me the machine! I, Zhao Degong, keep my word!"

"Unfortunately, the ultrasound machines are all used up." Ye Zhen spread her hands, looking regretful.

The light in Zhao Degong's eyes went out instantly, and he seemed to have lost all his strength, dejectedly about to smash the beloved purple clay teapot on the ground.

"but!"

Ye Zhen changed the subject, lowering her voice slightly, her tone enticing, like a fisherman casting bait, "Siemens' president Thomas promised me that three prototype QAD-1 color ultrasound machines might be delivered next year. Those are real 'sky eyes,' ten times better than these black and white ones, able to see blood flow."

Zhao Degong's hand holding the purple clay teapot froze in mid-air, his eyes widened like copper bells, his Adam's apple bobbed violently, and he swallowed hard.

The fleeting glimpse of the red and blue blood flow last night was once again spinning wildly in his mind.

An ultrasound machine can only show an image, but a color Doppler ultrasound machine is a magical device that can clearly see how the heart is beating! If an ultrasound is a rifle, then a color Doppler ultrasound is an atomic bomb!

"As long as Shanghai No. 1 Hospital performs exceptionally well in this screening process, especially in terms of rehabilitation, and satisfies the parents, allowing the children to grow up healthy and chubby," Ye Zhen said slowly, like an old farmer teasing a donkey with a carrot, "I can consider giving Dean Zhao a... priority observation spot."

"really?!"

Zhao Degong suddenly hugged the purple clay teapot tightly to his chest, so excited he almost jumped up on the spot. "Expert Ye, we don't cheat honest people! It's a deal! I'll call the hospital right now to make arrangements! Anyone who dares not to make room for the child, I'll fire them!"

Watching Zhao Degong rush towards the phone booth like he was on steroids, Gu Zheng, standing in the corner, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

At this moment, Zhang Guohua was already holding the black crank phone and began to report the good news to the deans in other places according to the list.

"Hey? Old Li, it's Zhang Guohua... Hey, don't hang up! I'm not asking to borrow money! This is amazing news!"

Zhang Guohua's voice smacked with a triumphant smugness. "I have a brand-new Siemens ultrasound machine here. Expert Ye specifically requested it for your West China Hospital... Hey, hey, hey? Why are you swearing? Who's lying? It's true! Free! No money required!"

"But there's a condition: we have to sign an agreement to prioritize screening children with congenital heart disease... What? You're personally leading a team to Beijing to pick up goods? And you're bringing two truckloads of cured meat to thank Expert Ye? Fine, fine, bring plenty of pork belly!"

"Hey? Is that Old Wang from Harbin Medical University?... Wake up! A huge pie is about to fall into your mouth!"

As each call was made, the entire Chinese medical community was in an uproar.

Those usually aloof and superior deans reacted remarkably in unison when they heard the words "free Siemens equipment": first they wondered if Old Zhang had gone mad, then they were overjoyed, and finally they wished they could crawl down the phone line to kowtow and call him their ancestor.

Ye Zhen, the one who started all of this, had already wrapped her coat tighter and turned to walk towards the warehouse at the back.

"Gu Zheng." Ye Zhen suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"Here!" Gu Zheng stood at attention reflexively, his eyes and brows full of smiles.

"Let's go to the department store this afternoon." Ye Zhen turned around, a hint of warmth flashing in her cool eyes. "Buy a new Yixing teapot for Dean Zhao. I saw that the lid of his teapot was cracked. He's supposed to be the prospective director of our Shanghai branch, so we shouldn't look like we're stingy."

Gu Zheng grinned, revealing his neat, white teeth, and reached out to shield her from the wind: "Yes, sir! Leader Ye is so thoughtful; this is a slap followed by a sweet treat!"

He lowered his voice and whispered in Ye Zhen's ear, "Wife, you're not doing medical work, you're just seizing territory and making your own vassals. That Zhao Degong is a cunning old fox, he used to be a big shot in Shanghai, but you've turned him into a free laborer, and he's even happily counting money for you."

"It's just a matter of each getting what they want." Ye Zhen adjusted her collar, looking at the busy students in the distance. "They want fame and fortune, I want my life. The lives of the children."

The wind picked up, whipping up the snowflakes on the ground, but it didn't feel so cold when it blew on people.

On this day, China's first nationwide congenital heart disease screening network was quietly established amidst these few words of conversation and a series of phone calls.