It was nearly dawn by the time he got back to the men’s dormitory at Southern Medical University.

Jiang He gently opened his laptop and logged into Dingxiang Garden.

A private message icon was flashing in the top-right corner.

He clicked on it. It was a long series of private messages from Gu Yizhou.

[Master Zhiyu! The patient was saved! The surgery was a success!]

[I really don’t know how to thank you.]

[You gave me the surgical plan, and you even helped me find a chief surgeon... You’re a benefactor to me and her entire family.]

[Waiting outside the operating room today, I came to a profound realization of my own incompetence. I’ll remember your guidance and study as hard as I can.]

[Master, if there’s a chance in the future, can I repay you in person?]

Jiang He skimmed through the messages and sent a simple "Keep it up" in reply.

’Repay him in person? We actually just saw each other outside the operating room,’ Jiang He thought.

Jiang He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and mentally reviewed the current list of people.

The number of people participating in next week’s group-joining assessment was larger than he had initially imagined.

His three roommates, plus his classmates Yi Xiangwan and Cheng Xiyao, and also Gu Yizhou.

Not only were there more and more people, but the ones who were coming were quite skilled, especially Yi Xiangwan and Gu Yizhou.

Both of them were highly motivated and had promising futures... It was starting to feel like his own core team was taking shape.

He shut down his computer. Before going to sleep, Jiang He set his plan for the next day:

Go to the hospital again to find Yang Xu and talk about the project proposal, then come back and prepare the questions for their assessment.

...

「The next day.」

Affiliated Hospital No. 1, first-floor lobby of the inpatient department.

Jiang He made his way through the bustling crowd and into the corridor of the general surgery ward, where he ran right into a familiar face.

Xu Chen.

He was wearing a white coat with a crisp collar, a Parker fountain pen and a stethoscope tucked into his breast pocket.

Professional skill aside, he was undeniably handsome.

Their eyes met.

Xu Chen’s steps faltered for a moment.

Then, he grinned.

’My luck is this good today? A perfect chance to show off first thing in the morning?’

In this place, he was a student doctor already on his clinical rotations early.

But Jiang He, even if he got a perfect score in the thinking competition, even if he made a splash in the advanced class assessment, was just an outsider here.

This was his home turf!

Xu Chen suppressed his secret excitement, walked up, and asked, "Jiang He? What are you doing in the ward?"

Jiang He answered, "I’m here to see Professor Yang."

Xu Chen immediately added, "Director Yang just finished his rounds. He should be in the director’s office looking at scans right now. This morning’s grand rounds were especially busy; we admitted three emergency cases. I still have to hurry and get these initial workups signed by the senior doctor."

Jiang He nodded. "Then you should get to it."

Seeing that Jiang He was about to leave, Xu Chen took a step forward, partially blocking his path.

He didn’t want the conversation to end just like that.

"By the way, I heard you plan on gathering people to start an early screening project on peripheral blood miRNA? And you’re even holding some kind of group-joining assessment?"

"Mhm." Jiang He had no intention of explaining further.

Xu Chen smiled. "What a coincidence. I just passed my interview with Professor Sun Changming from the oncology research institute this week and officially joined his research group. You should know, right? Professor Sun’s current core focus is also on early screening of gastrointestinal tumors using peripheral blood miRNA."

Jiang He said, "Congratulations."

Seeing his reaction, Xu Chen felt a little annoyed.

’Why can’t I seem to flex on him? I just want to see him look defeated and uncomfortable, even for a second. Why is it so hard?’

Just then, someone walked around the corner of the corridor.

Xu Chen’s attention was immediately diverted. He turned his head slightly and said, "See that guy? Attending physician Lin Peidong from the anesthesiology department. He’s also my uncle. Jiang He, in a hospital, connections are far more useful than skill, you know?"

With that, Xu Chen put on a respectful expression and walked up to him. "Uncle."

Lin Peidong nodded. "Oh, Xu Chen. Just finished your rounds? How are the initial workups coming along?"

"They’re going smoothly. The supervising doctor even praised me for how standard my physical examinations are." Xu Chen turned and said, "Uncle, this is my junior from the third year of clinical medicine, Jiang He."

When Lin Peidong saw Jiang He, he froze.

He had been the lead anesthesiologist in Operating Room 1 during last night’s heart-stopping severe pancreatitis surgery.

He had stood at the head of the bed and personally witnessed this young man complete the critical arterial repair under desperate conditions—a celiac trunk hemorrhage that had turned the entire surgical field red.

Although Jiang He was still young, Lin Peidong was thoroughly convinced of his abilities.

So, Lin Peidong walked right past Xu Chen and came to stand before Jiang He, speaking in a gentle voice, "Jiang He, I didn’t get a chance to greet you after everything ended yesterday. What brings you here today?"

Jiang He gave a slight nod. "Dr. Lin. You pulled an all-nighter last night. That must have been tough."

"You’re the one who had it tough."

Because of a tacit understanding of confidentiality, Lin Peidong didn’t say everything outright.

Xu Chen stood to the side, a look of utter confusion on his face.

’My uncle... knows Jiang He? But why is he being so polite to him?’

Lin Peidong turned to Xu Chen, his expression growing serious. "Xu Chen, did you just say Jiang He is your junior?"

"Ye... Yes," Xu Chen stammered.

Lin Peidong admonished him gravely, "Then from now on at school, you need to consult with Jiang He more, learn from him, and observe how he does things. You’d be doing well for yourself if you could learn even a fraction of what he knows."

Xu Chen: "?"

"Jiang He, you’re here to see Director Yang, right?" Lin Peidong turned his head, his tone immediately softening.

"Yes, I have something to discuss about a project," Jiang He said.

Lin Peidong immediately turned and ordered Xu Chen, "Xu Chen, take Jiang He to the director’s office. The ward is chaotic right now, so lead him properly. Don’t you dare be neglectful, you hear me?"

With his uncle speaking so sternly, Xu Chen had no way of refusing.

He could only mumble in response, "I know."

Only then did Lin Peidong give Jiang He a polite nod before carrying his thermos and walking back to the break room.

Only Jiang He and Xu Chen were left in the corridor.

The atmosphere turned a little strange.

Xu Chen was completely bewildered, but he eventually turned and said, "Let’s go. I’ll take you there."

Halfway there, Xu Chen stopped.

He’d been racking his brain but still couldn’t figure it out, so he decided to get things out in the open.

"Jiang He."

"What is it?"

"I don’t know what you did last night, and maybe you really do have some extraordinary talent, but medicine isn’t a field where you can get a foothold just by showing off once or twice."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Research is a competition of solid foundations. On this miRNA project, since I’ve joined Professor Sun’s team, I’m going to give it my all. I will defeat you head-on in this project. I’m going to prove that my path is the right one."

Xu Chen said these words with great seriousness.

Although it was a bit melodramatic, he wasn’t resorting to any dirty tricks. This was an open and direct declaration of war.

To be frank, it was a good thing for a young person to have such a competitive spirit.

Jiang He didn’t feel offended either.

He nodded and said softly,

"Alright. I wish you success."