The problem now was that even if Xu Pinglin didn’t give them face, they had no way to deal with him, no matter who came forward.
Perhaps they would also consider Xu Pinglin’s title as Deputy Director of the Provincial First Hospital and choose to back down.
But some people wouldn’t give him any face.
A slightly plump Elder Sister holding a silk banner suddenly pushed Xu Pinglin.
Xu Pinglin, despite his height, was somewhat thin and was actually staggered by the Elder Sister’s push.
Just as his anger flared and he was about to question her, the Elder Sister spoke first, "Who are you? What are you doing, standing here nagging all by yourself?" She looked him up and down contemptuously.
Xu Pinglin’s face turned red at this. "I am Xu Pinglin, the Deputy Director of Digestion Department 1 at the Provincial First People’s Hospital."
"I don’t care who you are." The Elder Sister impatiently brushed him aside again. "I’m looking for Doctor Du. Why are you always blocking the way? If you want a silk banner, go to your own hospital and ask for one! Do you think I’d give it to you for blocking me?"
She gave him another disdainful look, then turned to Du Heng, her face instantly beaming with a smile. "Hello, Doctor Du. My mother is You Ying. Do you remember her?"
He’d seen too many people this month. Du Heng could usually recall patients if their illness or village was mentioned. But just a name? He really couldn’t place it; the name didn’t match any face in his memory.
At this moment, a man emerged from behind the woman. It was Zuo Liangliang, the village doctor of Mubangou. "Doctor Du, it’s the one from our village—the Old Lady you told to get a heart stent."
"Oh, oh, right! Now I remember. I’m sorry, I’ve seen so many patients this month, it’s hard to connect faces and names." After being reminded, Du Heng immediately recalled who it was. This woman, judging by her age, must be the Old Lady’s granddaughter.
"It’s okay, Doctor Du. I came today specifically to thank you. If it weren’t for your reminder, my grandmother might have been in danger. You don’t know, my grandmother raised me since I was little; we’re very close."
"Is the elderly lady alright now?"
"When we went, the doctor said her condition was critical. Fortunately, it was discovered in time, so her life wasn’t in danger. Now she’s fine. She’s already had the operation and is resting at home. She actually wanted to come, but her health wouldn’t allow it, so I didn’t let her."
"No, no, that’s quite alright. As long as she’s resting and recovering well, that’s all that matters."
"Hello Doctor Du, I am..." At this point, another man stepped forward, also holding a silk banner, this one with a large character for "Amazing" written on it.
Unexpectedly, Xu Pinglin was completely enraged. He shouted, "Aren’t you tired of putting on this act? Tell me, how much did they pay you for this?"
Madame You Ying’s granddaughter was angered and turned to retort directly, "Why are you buzzing around like a fly? Can’t you just stop? What makes you think we were hired?"
"Exactly! What makes you think that?"
"You’re slandering us!"
"Slandering us is one thing, but you’re slandering Doctor Du!"
The Elder Sister’s words incited a chorus of condemnations from the group, forcing Xu Pinglin to step back repeatedly.
Xu Pinglin felt like his head was about to explode. He steadied himself and shouted, "Aren’t you? Why did you all come to present silk banners today of all days? Wasn’t it organized by someone?"
The plump Elder Sister laughed. "Actually, yes, someone did organize this."
Xu Pinglin revealed a victorious smile. "See? I wasn’t wrong, was I? They’re just a bunch of swindlers, tarnishing the reputation of doctors!"
"Shut up if you don’t know what you’re talking about!" The Elder Sister spoke very bluntly. "I actually came yesterday. I even brought some gifts to thank Doctor Du, but he had gone to the village, so I couldn’t find him. Director Li told us that their doctors cannot accept gifts or Red Envelopes, and that giving them things would be harming Doctor Du. He also told us that it’s a doctor’s duty to treat illnesses and save people, so we should just go back."
At this time, the man who hadn’t managed to speak earlier finally piped up, "My dad has been paralyzed for almost half a year. After just one course of Doctor Du’s medicine, my dad can already sit up. I came to thank Doctor Du and also to ask him to give my dad a follow-up examination. I happened to overhear what Director Li said to this Elder Sister. We discussed it amongst ourselves and decided to present silk banners instead. Is there a problem with that?"
"Yeah, we all came to thank Doctor Du. If giving gifts isn’t allowed, is there a problem with presenting a silk banner?"
"I think he’s just jealous! Doctor Du treated my mom’s hemiplegia, and fifteen courses of medicine only cost 770 yuan in total. But I spent nearly 50,000 yuan at their Provincial First Hospital’s Neurology Department, and they told me there was nothing they could do! If you couldn’t do anything, why didn’t you say so earlier, instead of waiting until all our money was spent? You’re just angry because Doctor Du charges less, cutting into your profits, so you’re barking like a mad dog!"
Upon hearing the term "mad dog," Du Heng quickly tried to calm the patient’s family member.
But the patient’s family members were already agitated, and Xu Pinglin was even more worked up than they were.
"TSK TSK. Look at you all, flustered and angry, spinning lies without even preparing your stories. One moment it’s treating facial paralysis, the next it’s hemiplegia, then it’s heart disease, and oh, right, you even diagnosed cancer! Has your boasting no limits? Even the old Chinese doctors at our Provincial First Hospital wouldn’t dare to make such claims!"
Zuo Liangliang was displeased. He was a village doctor, true, but he had no connection to the Provincial First Hospital.
Hearing Xu Pinglin’s words, he immediately retorted mockingly, "You wouldn’t dare to boast! You spend 50,000 yuan and fail to cure someone, while Doctor Du cures them for just four or five hundred yuan. Do you even have the nerve to brag?"
Xu Pinglin, after all, considered himself an intellectual and disdained arguing with a group of ordinary people. He sneered and said, "A bunch of liars. No matter how glibly you talk, you need to show evidence. A group of family members who don’t even know the attending doctor dares to vouch for someone? What a joke!"
Zuo Liangliang laughed, then turned and shouted loudly, "Brother, bring in Uncle! Let this blind fool see for himself!"
As his voice faded, a man looking very similar to Zuo Liangliang pushed a wheelchair in. Seated in the wheelchair was Zuo Shucai, the hemiplegia patient—the only one Du Heng had ever given an injection to for treatment.
Du Heng, finally freed from being blocked by the Elder Sister, hurried over to the old man. "Uncle Zuo, why aren’t you in my office? What are you doing out here? Quickly, let’s get you to my office."
"No rush. You’re busy right now, aren’t you? We can talk when you’re done. I can already walk a few steps leaning on the wall. There’s no hurry."
Xu Pinglin watched the scene unfold, a sneer plastered on his face. "You people are really willing to spare no expense, aren’t you? Putting on such a complete show. Look at how convincingly this old man is acting. You must have paid him a lot."
Du Heng frowned. He was thoroughly annoyed. This man is definitely unhinged. Once he starts his madness, there’s no stopping him.
At this point, he no longer cared if any leaders were present. He looked directly at Xu Pinglin and asked coldly, "Director Xu, what exactly are you trying to do?"