Fatty happened to come over for a consultation, emerged from the corner, and moved closer to look: "Professor Li, who is this? Such a big commotion?"

Before Li Zehui said anything, Dean Xia already returned, patting him on the shoulder: "So, how does it feel to experience the warmth of the organization?"

Li Zehui smiled: "A bit flattered."

"This is just the beginning." Dean Xia said, "You have no idea; you guys are the treasures of our city."

The few young doctors finally dared to gather around, their eyes bright: "Professor Li, did the director of the city’s talent bureau come specifically to see you?" "Professor Li, you’re amazing!" "Professor Li, why didn’t you mention any difficulties earlier? Opportunities like this are so rare!"

Li Zehui looked at them, momentarily unsure of what to say.

Fatty sighed beside him: "How come no one comes to see me?"

Little Fatty chimed in: "Do you even count as talent?"

Fatty got angry and chased after him, the two of them ended up in a tussle.

The director personally came, the phone was on 24/7, specifically to ask if there were any difficulties. This kind of treatment, he wouldn’t even dare to imagine in the United States. But here, it seemed normal.

Later, he also attended several symposiums for overseas talents, mostly aimed at solving his issues.

This kind of scenario would absolutely be impossible in the United States.

In the United States, he had attended many similar "symposiums," which were actually fundraisers. First, you’d eat, then listen to speeches, and finally hand over a donation slip. Donate a lot, and you’d have the opportunity to take a photo with the principal; donate a little, and probably don’t come next time.

Here, no one asked him for money. People only asked: What do you need?

Once, he talked about these things with Yang Ping.

"Professor, do you feel that the emphasis on talent in the country now is kind of... exaggerated?"

Yang Ping was looking at the literature, without lifting his head: "Exaggerated?"

"It’s just..." he thought about how to phrase it, "I’ve been in the United States for twenty years, and I’ve never seen such an arrangement. The director personally visits, and there’s always someone helping you think about everything. Honestly, sometimes it feels a bit unreal."

Yang Ping then raised his head and glanced at him: "Why do you think that is?"

He said: "Because I’m worth it?"

Yang Ping smiled: "Yes, because you’re worth it, but not only because you’re worth it."

He put the literature aside and said seriously: "Twenty years ago, we were the ones catching up. Back then, we lacked technology, equipment, funds, and experience. Now, we are already running side by side, and in some areas, we are leaders. At this stage, what do we lack the most?"

He thought: "Talent?"

"Yes, top talent." Yang Ping said, "Technology can be bought, equipment can be imported, funds can be raised, experience can be learned. But top talent can’t be bought, and can’t be imported. We can only cultivate it ourselves, or attract it back. So now, from top to bottom, the attitude towards talent is: at all costs."

Li Zehui was silent for a while.

"When I was in the United States, I always felt like an outsider." He said slowly, "No matter how well I did, I was still a ’Chinese-American scientist.’ When receiving awards, the news would say ’Chinese-American scientist so-and-so won the award.’ It seemed like my identity was more important than my achievements."

Yang Ping didn’t speak, just listened to him.

"After returning, I realized that I don’t have to be called a ’Chinese-American scientist,’ just a ’scientist.’ I didn’t have to explain who I was, didn’t have to prove whether I was worthy. I could just do what I’m good at, and then someone would tell me: you’re doing great, we support you to keep doing it."

Yang Ping nodded: "That’s the difference between being a host and a guest."

In the evening, Li Zehui returned home to find his wife busy in the kitchen.

"Why are you home so early today?" he asked.

His wife didn’t even turn her head: "Someone called me."

"Who?"

"Director Liu from the talent bureau." She poured the vegetables into the pot, sizzling, "He said he’d contacted an international school for me, asked if I’d be interested in becoming an educational consultant there. I said yes. He said okay, I could interview next week."

He was stunned for a moment: "That fast?"

"Isn’t it?" She lowered the heat and turned to look at him, "Now I believe it, you really came back for the right reasons."

He stood at the kitchen door, looking at his wife’s back, and suddenly felt a rush of complex emotions.

His wife brought out the dishes, "Are you going next week? Accompany me to the interview?"

Li Zehui said: "Sure."

She asked again: "Do you think they’ll want me?"

He said: "They will."

She smiled, a type of smile he hadn’t seen in a long time.

The next day, when he went to work, he ran into Director Bai on the first floor.

Director Bai cheerfully stopped him: "Professor Li, are you free this weekend?"

He said: "Yes, what’s up?"

"I’ll take you to a nice place." Director Bai said mysteriously, "I know a fishing spot, very peaceful. You operate every day, you need to relax."

He was about to agree when Fatty emerged from the side: "Director, I’m coming too!"

Director Bai glared at him: "Why are you joining the fun?"

Fatty felt wronged: "I also want to relax."

Little Fatty chimed in: "Exactly, Director is being biased."

Director Bai blew his beard in exasperation: "You two, invisible when it’s time to work, and now you show up when there’s something good."

As they were making a fuss, Xu Zhiliang stuttered over: "Li... Li... Professor Li, I... I... I also want to go."

Director Bai looked at one, then the other, and finally sighed: "Alright, alright, all of you can come. Professor Li, see, your arrival turned my private event into a team-building one."

Li Zehui couldn’t help but laugh.

He suddenly remembered something.

In Cleveland, he had a few colleagues he got along with. Occasionally, they would plan to eat or play ball together, but it was always an "event," scheduled a week in advance, put on the calendar as an "appointment." When the time came, everyone drove their own cars, and after the event, they went home separately.

Here, it was different.

Here, someone might suddenly knock on the door: "Professor Li, want to have lunch together at noon?" Someone might bring him a coffee on the way: "Just bought it downstairs, drink while it’s hot." Someone might text him at midnight: "Professor Li, can I learn from you on that case in surgery tomorrow?"

These weren’t "events." This was life.

On the weekend, he really did go fishing with Director Bai and the others.

The fishing spot was by a reservoir in the suburbs, indeed very peaceful. Director Bai was obviously experienced, expertly casting the rod, baiting, and adjusting the floater. Fatty and Little Fatty were purely there for fun, each with a rod, cast it out and left it alone, running around watching others fish, then coming back to ask, "Got any fish?"

Xia Shu, however, was serious, but unlucky; he didn’t catch a single fish all day.

He sat on the bank, watching the water, with nothing on his mind.

The sun was nice, the breeze mild, occasionally a fish would leap out of the water, stirring ripples.

Director Bai asked beside him: "Professor Li, did you ever fish like this in America?"

He said: "No, too busy."

Director Bai nodded: "You need to get used to this. Here, we get busy when it’s time, and when it’s time to relax, you need to relax too. Health is the foundation of everything."

Fatty interjected: "Director, you sound like an old cadre."

Director Bai glared: "I am an old cadre."

Little Fatty laughed on the side.

He suddenly asked: "Do you guys usually do this?"

Director Bai asked: "Do what?"

He said: "Like this, going out to play together on weekends."

Director Bai thought for a moment: "Not every week, but we gather when we can. People in our hospital get along well. Unlike some places, where colleagues are just colleagues, strangers after work."

Fatty added: "Professor Li, don’t listen to the Director, he’s the type who loves company, and gets mad if no one hangs out with him."

Director Bai pretended to hit, and Fatty dodged with a smile.

Watching the scene, he suddenly remembered what Yang Ping had said: Here, you are the host.

Indeed.

What does it mean to be the host? It means there’s a place for you here, people here consider you one of them, there’s a spot for you in this life.

In the United States, he was a guest. Polite, courteous, at a distance. No one would invite him fishing, no one would joke with him.

Here, he was one of them.

That evening, they packed up their rods and went home.

They didn’t catch a single fish, but felt unusually good.

Director Bai said: "Professor Li, we didn’t catch any today, next time we’ll go somewhere else, I know a pond with lots of fish."

He said: "Sure."

Fatty said: "Professor Li, next time I’ll get you a good rod, surely you’ll catch something."

He said: "Thank you."

Little Fatty said: "Professor Li, don’t listen to them, fishing is all about luck."

The car drove back to the city, with lights just starting to shine.

He looked out the window and suddenly felt as if this city had really become his home.

Not the kind of home where "I live in this city" but the kind where "this city has a place for me."

Someone waiting for him at work, someone inviting him to meals, someone taking him fishing, someone helping him with family matters.

This feeling is wonderful.