Merchant and doctor

Chapter 2305 Don't be shy at crucial moments

Seeing Bian Mu's bewildered expression, the herb farmer Lao Pei was overjoyed.

"A few years ago, Lao Liang's son and daughter would occasionally invite him to stay for a while. He said that neither his son's nor his daughter's place was comfortable; either it was too damp near the sea, or it was too remote and inconvenient. In short, he just couldn't get used to it. Also, the food there was mostly cold, while Lao Liang usually ate stewed dishes, so he couldn't stand it at all. After a while, he just got tired of going all the way across the ocean to suffer there! Later, it was similar to my family. His children rarely called unless there was something wrong, and when they did, it was mostly about money. Lao Liang was a bit annoyed by this, so he became somewhat distant from them." Lao Pei smiled and gave a brief introduction to the Liang family's affairs.

While sipping his fruit tea, Bian Mu remained silent, still unable to grasp the point of Lao Pei's words.

"Old Liang actually has a strong sense of family. Deep down, he longs for his children and grandchildren to come back to China to visit from time to time. He's a happy old man with four generations under one roof! His grandsons are all grown up and have their own families! Unfortunately, he's probably been spoiled since childhood. People on the other side of the ocean always find various excuses to come back to China to visit relatives, even during the Spring Festival. This year is an exception, but it's not out of family affection. The other day, we were drinking together, and Old Liang said that his son's family had suffered setbacks in business and had gone bankrupt. His sister's accounts were also not balanced. She was too busy taking care of herself to care about her brother's family. There was no other way, so his son sent his son and grandson back to China under the pretext of spending the Spring Festival with their elders. In reality, they just wanted to borrow some money from Old Liang to help them get by."

"Oh... so that's what happened. From what you're saying... the old man isn't planning to pay?!" Bian Mu guessed casually.

"No, that's not it! Old Liang is a very capable person! Unlike me, I'm easily swayed and can't resist the children's pleas. Of course, it's not that I won't lend a penny, but I'll write an IOU and sign an agreement! The interest I'm entitled to can't be reduced by a single cent. His son's family got a bit anxious when they heard that, and they've been making a fuss about it lately, especially during the New Year! If you call at a time like this, Old Liang will naturally make some connections..." Old Pei, the herb farmer, explained with a smile.

Hearing this, Bian Mu understood some of it.

"So...it means...the old man is determined not to give too much money, forcing his son's family of three generations to be completely self-sufficient from now on, otherwise, the troubles he causes in the future will only be more troublesome?!"

Hearing this, Old Pei smiled and nodded gently, then picked up his teacup and took a few sips of fruit tea.

"So... does that mean the principles apply to things at home and outside? When you encounter similar situations, you shouldn't be shy. You should refuse when you should refuse and make requests when you should make requests. This applies to family matters as well as business dealings with outsiders?!" Bian Mu guessed with a smile.

"Hmm...more or less! The guy surnamed Qiao used to be the vice president of a private hospital, the executive vice president kind of. Going back further, he was considered a medical expert, an ENT specialist, and his surgeries were quite exquisite. He also had a very sharp business mind. In addition, he married a pretty capable wife. He's been quite a handful these past two years."

"Really? When we were talking in his office that day... I could definitely tell from his voice that his wife was quite something, a tech person?" Bian Mu asked curiously.

"What rubbish about skills! She's just good at currying favor. She used to be Ouyang Ziye's assistant, you should have met her." "Ah?! Her! She's a master of those superficial social niceties!"

"Absolutely! She's incredibly smart! Most people are no match for her, and she's definitely not going to fall for your tricks! It's probably her idea that Qiao took the initiative to come to you."

"I've met her a few times, and from what I remember... she seems to be very good at understanding people's hearts. In short, she's quite remarkable!"

"More than that! You know what? She's usually quite close to Cao Xiuyi. People in the industry say they're like sisters..."

"Oh... so you're saying that all that high-tech stuff Dean Qiao mentioned, like digital collectibles on the blockchain, is just a gimmick?! They might change their minds at any time after I get involved?!" Bian Mu was still a little unconvinced, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

"It wouldn't be entirely objective to say it's just a gimmick, but... don't worry! Based on their usual style, there's one thing Lao Liang and I can confidently say: those two would never dedicate a significant amount of energy and funds to a long-term project like a technology upgrade with you. There's absolutely no chance. In terms of life experience, you can't compete with those two! It was just a coincidence that day; Lao Liang was at home arguing with his grandson when you called. Lao Liang was a bit hesitant at first! There are some things he really can't do in front of his grandson! But after your provocation, he cleared his head considerably, gave his precious grandson a good scolding, and didn't lend him a single penny!"

"Huh?! It's actually related?!" Upon hearing this, Bian Mu's mind went blank, and he couldn't make sense of it at all.

"You can't be shy at crucial moments; you have to be able to swallow your pride, understand? Old Liang, a hero all his life, still goes blank when facing his children and grandchildren. So, the moment you mentioned that couple surnamed Qiao, Old Liang snapped back to reality. Similarly, you have to be able to swallow your pride when facing that Qiao couple! To put it bluntly, you have absolutely no obligation to help him shoulder the hospital's troubles, understand? You're still too honest! Why did you two chat so happily that day?! His wife figured you out! Understand? For example, maybe... that day, Qiao and you were talking line by line according to a script they had prepared beforehand." Old Pei, the herbalist, suddenly said these words, which sounded somewhat frightening.

Hearing this, Bian Mu was stunned for a moment and remained silent for a long time.

"When men reach a certain age and gain relevant experience, they have to be willing to swallow their pride at crucial moments, otherwise, they'll suffer the consequences! The logic between you is actually quite simple: that hospital is not only burdened with debt in terms of infrastructure, but its internal personnel management is also a mess. Many historical problems have been passed down from one administration to the next, and over the years, they've become deeply entrenched! Originally, the higher-ups basically didn't consider Mr. Qiao, but it was only after the couple repeatedly fought for him and made a solemn pledge that they agreed to give him a try. Objectively speaking, he's well-versed in both Chinese and Western learning, and he's quite capable in management, which is also a good thing." "Yes, but... times change. He might not be effective in that position, but you're different. The hospital is in turmoil. You could try contacting the TCM department privately. What do you mean by 'don't poach' people?! No way! Take it one step at a time, right? You want to share the burden with him? You'll break your back and it won't help, understand? That hospital is very complicated! At crucial moments, you have to be ruthless and carefully consider your true capabilities! NFT?! You think other medical entities haven't tried it?! They have hundreds of times more resources than you, and in the end, they all failed!"

Upon hearing this, Bian Mu felt a chill run through her heart!