Merchant and doctor

Chapter 2266 A Disagreement
As a Go master, Bian Mu's understanding of "position" is naturally much deeper than that of ordinary people!
Inside the private room, the current situation was very clear: 11:1, Bian Mu was definitely at a disadvantage.

Following the path laid out by Cai Huaixin, everyone got along well, and Bian Mu was able to step into a rather prestigious new circle. At least in Lijin, his rather shiny chair was added to the TCM community in certain occasions.

Of course, the premise is that Bian Mu must readily accept the "order" of these 20-plus interns. Moreover, it may become a kind of routine in the future. Whenever someone in the room feels it is necessary, they will send a few interns to the "New Concept" Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic from time to time, and the related expenses may have to be borne by Bian Mu and others.

In other words, Bian Mu's "level" is still somewhat different from these distinguished guests. The fact that they took the initiative to invite him to meet is already a great honor for him. What annoys Bian Mu even more is that he can't refuse them in person, otherwise he'll be seen as immature and ignorant. If he shows even the slightest emotional outburst, someone will immediately label him as arrogant and conceited.

Clearly, Cai Huaixin had been up to no good this time! At least, he was the one who created this predicament. Moreover, Cai Huaixin had subtly demonstrated a certain toughness, forcing Bian Mu to submit on the spot. This was also a warning to Bian Mu to constantly remind himself of his true identity. In the future, if Bian Mu wanted to do better, he had to learn to be pragmatic, distinguish between relatives and friends, and know who was close and who was distant. If anything happened, he had to learn to inform them in advance.

Feeling a bit rushed, Bian Mu could only make up some nonsense in order to buy himself some time and come up with a perfect excuse that would not offend most of the people present, while also allowing him to launch a counterattack and thwart Cai Huaixin's plans.

Seeing the suspicious looks on everyone's faces, Bian Mu immediately felt that he and these distinguished guests were not quite compatible in any way.

The head of the general education department paused for a moment, then replied with a smile, “We have recent graduates here. In previous years, graduates chose their own internship locations and brought back their internship evaluation results after the internship. However, given that the ‘New Concept’ Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic has a comprehensive range of techniques, I’ve heard it covers almost all aspects of the six techniques of traditional Chinese medicine, and the operational logic of each technique can be demonstrated throughout the process. Wouldn’t it be more direct and concrete for graduates to learn on-site? On Secretary-General Cai’s recommendation, we made an innovation and directly assigned the internship location to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, a medical entity at the level of a medical institution. The school leaders have already approved it, so please rest assured, Dr. Bian!”

“Oh… I knew it! Graduates from prestigious universities usually choose to intern at top-tier hospitals, which are more professional and comprehensive. There are actually many inconveniences here, mainly because… how about the cost?” Bian Mu deliberately sounded a little stingy. Coming from a humble background, it’s understandable that she’s sensitive about costs.

"Everything is as usual! We certainly won't add any burden to your institution, so please rest assured, doctor!" the head of the general education department replied with a smile.

"That's alright, that's alright... However, our clinic is newly built, and there are still many problems with its facilities and experience. Suddenly accepting such high-level interns is really beyond our capacity. How about... since the New Year is just around the corner, allow us to use the Spring Festival holiday to make proper preparations? So as not to delay your school's normal work arrangements any further." Bian Mu was directly declining.

Upon hearing this, the person in charge of the general education department was taken aback. His expression then turned somewhat gloomy. He pursed his lips, glanced at the seat where Cai Huaixin was sitting, and said nothing more.

"Dr. Bian, don't misunderstand! Today's students are even more eager to learn than we were back in school. It's just that the holidays are approaching, so we specially arranged for them to go there to familiarize themselves with the environment. Once the Spring Festival holiday is over, they can immediately throw themselves into the front line of clinical practice, benefiting both their teaching and learning. Dr. Bian, you've done a great service!" At the end, Cai Huaixin even made a little joke, implying that he was urging Bian Mu to agree to the arrangement as soon as possible. "Hey! For them, the internship location is directly related to their future career path, so we can't be careless! Besides, although we call ourselves the 'Digital Medicine' school, our internal operating philosophy is actually quite traditional. According to the old custom, those graduates have to formally perform the apprenticeship ceremony with us. If we really want to reach an agreement, we have to prepare well in advance. The more grand the apprenticeship ceremony, the more solemn it seems. But... can they accept it?! Right? After all, they are students from prestigious universities, and they may not be able to accept some very traditional rules!" Bian Mu changed the subject, refusing to budge.

Hearing this, Cai Huaixin felt a little unhappy, feeling that Bian Mu was deliberately finding fault to politely refuse!

Everyone present was a sensible person. Upon hearing this, they immediately realized that today's meeting might have been a waste of time. This young and popular famous TCM doctor was adamant about not giving in. Well then! Let's see how Cai Huaixin will handle this.

"You're so ungrateful!" Cai Huaixin cursed inwardly, feeling a chill run down his spine.

With an awkward smile, Cai Huaixin had no choice but to downgrade the topic of the day.

"Dr. Bian, don't misunderstand. Didn't I already say it on the phone? This kind of thing is about balancing public and private interests! To be honest, sending interns from regular universities and hospitals to private clinics is an innovation in itself. It's all about seeking novelty, change, and improvement! It's a new thing! It takes time for everyone to get to know and adapt to each other. Let's seek common ground while reserving differences! Everyone is usually quite busy. Today, since we've finally gathered together, let's discuss the latest developments and technologies in traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology. It would be quite a grand occasion!" Cai Huaixin was really quick-witted and had excellent mental fortitude. In the midst of their conversation, she subtly shifted the focus of today's discussion.

With a cold expression, Bian Mu showed no intention of agreeing.

The other guests were also somewhat disappointed, sitting there each lost in their own thoughts, none of them saying a word.

As Cai Huaixin sat there, unsure of what to do, a man in his fifties approached Bian Mu with a slight smile and asked, “Dr. Bian! I’ve long admired your expertise! The technical strength of our hospital’s Traditional Chinese Medicine department has always been relatively weak. For a long time, the hospital leadership has been looking for a place where we can quickly improve our skills through further training. We’ve sent many people from Beiqi and Nanjin, but over the years, the results haven’t been very significant. When Secretary-General Cai mentioned the internship, we gathered together to discuss it and unanimously agreed that your institution is located at the forefront of new TCM clinical practice, and in the past two years, you have produced a series of outstanding successful cases. It is indeed worth learning from. So… if we formally express our intention to pursue further training, I wonder if Dr. Bian could consider it? To clarify, we are not looking for an internship or clerkship, but rather further training. We would appreciate it if Dr. Bian would give us the opportunity.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned and couldn't react for a moment.