Chapter Ten

Zhao De gave an awkward smile. “How did you know?”
Luo Fancheng replied coolly, “It’s obvious from the smell.”
“Ahem, Wu De has left, and the position of Director of the General Department can’t stay vacant. How about you give it a try?” Zhao De deliberately changed the subject, eyeing Luo Fancheng.
Luo Fancheng nodded. “That’s fine, but the terms remain the same. I’ll only work two days a week. I won’t accept more than that.”
Zhao De nodded in agreement, then called for his assistant to show Luo Fancheng to the General Department.
Naturally, as the department director, Luo Fancheng had his own private office.
Once inside, he quickly grew bored. He’d never actually worked as a doctor in a hospital before and had no idea what was expected of him. So he simply sat in his chair, idling away the time until he drifted off to sleep.
He didn’t know how long he’d been out when the door suddenly swung open.
Bang!
A loud noise startled Luo Fancheng awake.
In his daze, a figure appeared before him, growing clearer until he saw a man in his forties, about the same age as Zhang Cheng’an.
“Who are you? Is that your seat?” The man barked at Luo Fancheng as soon as he opened his eyes.
Luo Fancheng was speechless. He’d just started his new job—wasn’t this his office? He asked in return,
“Is it your seat, then?”
At that moment, a young female doctor in her twenties stepped forward, her face full of disdain. “This is Director Luo of the General Department. He’s only the deputy for now, but he’s not far from being the official director.”
“So you’re not the director yet?” Luo Fancheng said bluntly.
“Idiot! Even if our Director Luo isn’t the official director yet, it’s not a seat for someone like you!” the young doctor snapped, stamping her foot. “Get out of that chair right now!”
“You say I should move, and I’m supposed to just get up? Wouldn’t that make me look spineless?” Luo Fancheng was unimpressed. He’d barely had time to warm the seat before being rudely awoken. Now they were acting as if they were in the right?

The young doctor ground her teeth in frustration. Deputy Director Luo patted her on the shoulder, signaling her to step aside, then glared at Luo Fancheng. “What’s your name, and why are you sitting here?”
Faced with Luo’s anger, Luo Fancheng grew furious himself. They’d barged into his office unannounced, interrupted his sleep, and now had the nerve to scold him? Who could tolerate that?
A wicked smile played in Luo Fancheng’s mind. If they wanted a fight, he’d give them one.
“What does my name have to do with you?” he shot back.
“Do you know where you are? This is the General Department Director’s office. What makes you think you deserve to sit there?” Deputy Director Luo glared at him.
“And you do?” Luo Fancheng retorted with disdain.
“How can you be so unreasonable? You were told you can’t sit there but you won’t listen. Are you out of your mind?” the young doctor snapped.
“I may not deserve it now, but soon I’ll be promoted to director, and then the seat will be mine anyway.” Deputy Director Luo’s eyes shone with hope as he spoke.
“Then wait until you’re director to sit here. For now, I’m the one occupying this seat. Surely first come, first served counts for something?” Luo Fancheng smiled.
“You’re impossible! You were told you can’t sit there, so you can’t! Who cares about first come, first served?” Deputy Director Luo shouted.
The young doctor’s gaze landed on Luo Fancheng’s clothes and she noticed he wasn’t wearing the hospital uniform.
“Are you pretending to be a doctor? You’re a fraud. You’re not even in our hospital uniform!”
Deputy Director Luo noticed too and echoed her. “A fake?” He immediately turned to the young doctor. “Xiao Jing, hurry, call the police!”
Xiao Jing hesitated, then pulled out her phone, threatening, “Impostor, get out now or I’ll really call the police.”
Luo Fancheng was momentarily surprised. He hadn’t expected things to escalate this far, but since they’d disturbed his sleep and Deputy Director Luo’s attitude was so insufferable, he decided to play along.
“Go ahead and call! I’m telling you, even if the king of heaven himself comes, I’m not leaving this seat until I’ve had my fill,” Luo Fancheng roared in mock fury.
Xiao Jing froze, unable to tell if the man before her was crazy or really ill.
Seeing her hesitate, Deputy Director Luo shouted, “What are you waiting for, Xiao Jing? Call the police! I’d like to see what happens to this fraud today!”

“Oh, right!”
Just as Xiao Jing was about to dial the police, a knock sounded at the office door.
Everyone turned to look. Luo Fancheng recognized the newcomer as the hospital director’s assistant who’d brought him here.
Deputy Director Luo looked puzzled—why was the assistant here? Before he could speak, the assistant addressed them first.
“Director Luo, I forgot to bring you your lab coat earlier. I’ve brought you an XL—try it on and see if it fits. If not, I’ll fetch another size.”
“Director Luo? You?” Deputy Director Luo was stunned. The assistant called him director? And had used the respectful form of address repeatedly. What was going on? He asked,
“Assistant Xiong, is there some mistake? He’s the director?”
“He is the new Director of the General Department, invited personally by the hospital president—Director Luo Fancheng,” Assistant Xiong replied.
“Are you sure? He looks no more than twenty-two or twenty-three. Could you have made a mistake?” Deputy Director Luo pressed.
“Deputy Director Luo, let me be clear: he is the new Director of the General Department—Director Luo Fancheng. Do you understand?” Assistant Xiong said sternly.
Deputy Director Luo fell silent, looking utterly lost, while Xiao Jing stared in shock. So young, yet already a director—it was unheard of.
Seeing what had happened, Assistant Xiong apologized profusely to Luo Fancheng before leaving.
As soon as the assistant left, Xiao Jing began to sob. She’d thought following Deputy Director Luo would lead to a bright future, but after just a few days as an intern, she’d already offended the new director.