Song Chuyi held her butt and laughed bitterly. “Changqing, I really can’t go to work properly with you acting like this.”
Changqing could feel his body heating up. She snorted, pulled an ugly face and ran off.
Song Chuyi tidied his slightly untucked shirt helplessly before driving off to the hospital.
Before he even drove in, he could already see a few people holding up signs, causing trouble. There were several onlookers crowding around. He pressed his horn and a security officer walked over, telling him, “Dr. Song, come in from the west gate. I’m afraid you won’t be able to enter from here any time soon.”
“What’s going on?” Song Chuyi frowned.
“After the news reported on Yan Corporation’s unqualified drugs yesterday, several patients who did their checkups in the Respiratory Medicine Department caused trouble early in the morning, saying that they had fallen ill after taking medicine from Yan Corporation and that their recoveries were being delayed, so they’re here to demand compensation,” the security officer said. “One look and you can tell that they’re just taking the opportunity to extort money. The Food and Drugs Administration’s results with regards to the previous batch of drugs haven’t even come out yet. They’re simply trying to create trouble.”
“Mm.” Song Chuyi nodded. He could do nothing about this matter. The hospital’s higher-ups would send someone to settle this.
Therefore, he simply parked his car by the side of the road and walked into the hospital.
In the A&E, it was less busy in the morning. When he walked to the office door, Song Chuyi could hear a few doctors gathering inside, chattering about.
“Aye, our hospital is really in a mess this summer holiday.”
“Yeah, one moment it was Dr. Song’s medical malpractice incident, and the next moment it was Dr. Yan’s bribery acceptance case then his son tried to kill someone. Now that things have finally settled down, this unqualified drugs saga has erupted.”
“However, come to think of it, all these issues seem to revolve around Dr. Song.”
“Yeah, I heard that the case of Dr. Yan’s bribery acceptance was also orchestrated by the Song Family behind the scenes. His son tried to kill someone and that person was Dr. Song’s sister. Now, these unqualified drugs are from his wife’s family business.”
“Say, if Dr. Song didn’t work here, would there be less trouble?”
“Shhh, don’t shoot your mouth off. Do you still want to work here? The Song Family is the biggest shareholder of this hospital.”
“In my opinion, the hospital will close down sooner or later if things carry on like this.”
Song Chuyi’s frown deepened. Suddenly, someone from behind him said, “Dr. Song, why are you standing here and not going in?”
The few doctors in the changing room all froze and their faces all lost color.
Song Chuyi turned to greet the doctor behind him lightly: “I’m about to go in.”
He strode in and the doctors inside were all so guilty they looked as though they had seen a ghost. “Dr. Song, we…”
“It’s almost time for work. Are you all still going to stay here to chat?” Song Chuyi questioned gently.
After he said that, everyone scooted away.
Song Chuyi got his coat and had a grave expression on his face.
In the afternoon, Song Chuyi came out from the A&E building, ready to have lunch and saw Song Huaisheng, Director Yu and a few others standing by the road, waiting for their chauffeurs.
“Dad… when did you come?” He walked over quickly.
Song Huaisheng looked at him and at that moment, a few luxurious cars drove over. He turned around to say to Director Yu, “Head over first.”
“Okay.” Director Yu and the rest left first.
“It’s warm here; let’s talk in the car.” Song Huaisheng also got into an expensive car by the side.
Song Chuyi went in and the chauffeur shifted the car a little closer to the roadside.
Song Huaisheng said lightly, “I just reached the States and before I even had time to look at Peiyuan properly, I heard about this incident and flew back immediately. Your stepmom is still in the States.”
“Is Peiyuan alright?”
“Your friend took pretty good care of him. He’s grown considerably larger and looks quite healthy.” Song Huaisheng lowered his head and lit a cigarette, not eager to talk.
Song Chuyi frowned. “Do you know about Yan Corporation’s situation? Actually, it was Jiang Shen who secretly cut production costs…”
“Yan Lei gave me a call; I know about it already.” Song Huaisheng interrupted him lightly. “But Jiang Sheng works under him. He has to take most of the responsibility as chairman for not managing his people well and allowing such an outrageous thing to happen. Besides, saying that it was Jiang Sheng might be a way to get himself out of the situation.”
“Dad, Changqing’s dad isn’t such a person.” Song Chuyi defended him. “Did you forget that the two of you are old friends who’ve known each other for a long time?”
“We’re just old friends in name. How many real ‘old friends’ can you have in the business world?” Song Huaisheng puffed on his cigarette deeply. “Chuyi, the Song Family has invested several hundred million in the Yan Corporation and now it’s all gone, not to mention that now, this issue has gone out of hand and he actually screwed things up just when the country is keeping a close eye on drug safety.”
The bad premonition in Song Chuyi’s heart grew. He heard Song Huaisheng continue saying: “I came back today for an emergency meeting with the shareholders. Now that the issue has bee exposed, although the Song Family can keep the situation under control, we’re still inevitably going to be affected. You saw all those people causing a scene at the entrance this morning too. Do you know what we discussed at the shareholders meeting just now?”
Song Chuyi licked his dried lips. “Me?”
“Glad you know,” Song Huaisheng said. “Issues involving you keep coming up lately and some people at the hospital are already dissatisfied. I had intentions of helping you get promoted before. Now, the other shareholders have an excuse to object to that. They think you’re not qualified at all. Previously, you were accused of medical malpractice then Yunyang was stabbed. Which of these incidents didn’t alarm the media and which of these incidents weren’t related to you? I know they had nothing to do with you, but once issues relating to you keep cropping up, problems will arise. I shouldn’t have arranged for you to go on a blind date with the Yan Family.”
“Dad…” Song Chuyi clenched his fists. “In my opinion, there’s nothing bad about this marriage. Can we not… always only look at interests and business? You place too much importance on that.”
“Importance?” Song Huaisheng scoffed. “Chuyi, without everything Dad arranged for you, could you live so comfortably? Do you know how much connections and money it takes for people to get an official job at our hospital? No matter how well you do in academics, without connections and money, you can’t enter any university you want and you won’t get any tutor you want to teach you.”
Song Chuyi closed his eyes helplessly. “But you were the one who made me go on the blind date. Even if you think it was a mistake on your part, you cannot change the fact that Changqing and I are already a married couple.”
“You’re not wrong.” Song Huaisheng nodded lightly. “No father would force his son to get a divorce. I will leave your marriage up to the two of you, but it will be impossible for me to help the Yan Family again.”
Song Chuyi took a deep breath. “Dad…”
“I’m well aware of Yan Corporation’s situation. Yan Lei is in a hurry to pay a huge compensation fee, but you probably don’t know that the compensation fee will also come from the capital that the Song Family invested in them previously. From the moment the two of you got married, the Yan Corporation has basically been in a situation in which it doesn’t have any liquid capital. Now that the Yan Corporation has just started to pick up, something like this happened. What else can I say?” Song Huaisheng’s face sank. “I personally liaised the pharmaceutical business with the Yan Corporation. When something like this happens, I’m the one with the least say in front of all the shareholders. I didn’t make Yan Lei pay that compensation fee of a few hundred million, on account that we had years of ties and also because of you. Also, you invest in stocks too. Do you know how much the Song Family’s shares dropped yesterday? A few hundred millions worth of capital is gone! I’m afraid the Yan Corporation won’t be able to make a comeback this time.”
Song Chuyi lowered his head and stared at the cigarette in his hand. He said hoarsely, “Can I ask you a question? Why did you invest in the Yan Corporation then? After all, there were so many other companies better than the Yan Corporation.”
“Although the Yan Corporation cannot compare to many large pharmaceutical companies, it’s an old brand name, after all. They have two medicinal products that sell very well which other pharmaceutical companies can’t produce and develop. When I invested in the Yan Corporation, we signed a contract stating that the two medicinal products can only be sold through our pharmacies and they cannot be sold to other companies,” Song Huaisheng said truthfully.
“I understand. Please enjoy your lunch.” Song Chuyi opened the car door and stepped out. The heatwave that assailed him made his head feel heavy.
“Don’t keep staying at the Yan Household; move back as soon as possible,” Song Huaisheng said expressionlessly from inside the car. “If Yan Changqing still insists on staying at the Yan Household, so be it.”
Song Chuyi shut the car door without saying a word. The car drove off slowly towards the hospital’s main entrance.
In the afternoon, Li Shaobin called Song Chuyi and to his surprise, he was actually invited to have dinner with him.
“Sure,” Li Shaobin said happily. “But I already made plans with Molun. Can we invite him along?”
“Mm,” Song Chuyi muttered then asked curiously, “It’s fine if you always have plans with women, but why are you always out with Molun?”
Li Shaobin said with a chuckle, “I’ve had nothing to do lately, so I got Molun to teach me boxing. We usually have dinner together before going for boxing training.”
“What good buddies you two are.” Song Chuyi couldn’t help but take a dig at him.
“Unlike you, who forgot me once you got a wife,” Li Shaobin complained.
After setting a location, Song Chuyi drove over after work. When he reached the hotel, Yan Molun and Li Shaobin had already arrived and ordered several dishes.
The service staff was opening a bottle of red wine. Li Shaobin pointed to the bottle and said, “This is the only place in all of China where this type of red wine can be custom-made. You’re in for a treat tonight.”
Song Chuyi nodded and looked at Yan Molun. “I haven’t seen you around lately; what are you busying yourself with?”
Yan Molun laughed softly. “You keep your wife company every day; I doubt you have the time to see me.”
“Yo, why do I smell something sour?” Li Shaobin said with a grin.
Song Chuyi looked Li Shaobin up and down and curled his lips. “Lately, why have you only been wearing black every time I see you?”
Yan Molun spat his tea out and quickly turned around as he coughed.
Li Shaobin looked embarrassed. “Really? You don’t even see me every day. It’s just a coincidence that I was wearing black when I saw you, alright?”
After Yan Molun was done coughing, he caught his breath and raised his eyebrows. “I’ve been seeing you a lot recently and I see you wearing black with white pants every day too. If it wasn’t for the different designs, I would’ve thought you only wore one set of clothes every day.”