Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

"Please bear with it, these are the conditions here," Cui Ying said.

"It's pretty good." Chen Ping looked around. "It's better than the fast food I eat in the city."

Cui Ying glanced at him but didn't reply.

The uncle was indeed quick and efficient; he brought out two breakfasts in no time.

The white porcelain bowl held steaming hot soy milk, topped with a thin layer of bean curd skin, which looked very thick.

The fried dough sticks were golden brown and fluffy, still steaming hot on the plate.

Chen Ping took a bite of the fried dough stick; it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a rich, oily flavor.

He took another sip of soy milk; it was so thick it clung to the bowl, and the sweetness was just right.

"Hmm..." He couldn't help but sigh, "These fried dough sticks are really good."

"That's right."

The uncle, overhearing this, was very proud. "My fried dough sticks are unique in Siping Township. I get up at three in the morning to knead the dough, let it rest for two hours, and that's how they get fluffy after frying. Can those frozen ones in the city compare?"

"It's incomparable," Chen Ping said sincerely.

Cui Ying sipped her soy milk slowly, her eyes crinkling, looking quite pleased with herself.

"Uncle Liu has been running this stall in Siping Township for more than ten years."

As Cui Ying ate, she said, "When I first came here last year, I ate here for my first morning. I didn't know anyone back then, and sitting here all alone, I felt quite homesick."

"And now?"

"Now?" Cui Ying thought for a moment, "I'm used to it now. Uncle Liu is a good person, Sister Zhang takes good care of me, and my colleagues at the health center are all nice... except for the director who's a bit stingy, they're all great."

Chen Ping laughed: "You always say Dean Zhao is stingy, but what exactly did he do to offend you?"

He didn't offend me.

Cui Ying lowered her voice, "You have no idea, the health center is desperately poor. They only have that little bit of funding each month, and Director Zhao has to stretch every penny. Last month I wanted to buy a new printer, and he pleaded with me for three weeks, but in the end he still didn't approve it."

"That's really stingy," Chen Ping nodded.

"But he's not a bad person," Cui Ying said seriously. "He's just too focused on money. The health center is responsible for its own profits and losses, and now fewer and fewer people are coming to see the doctor. We're not making any money at all, and we haven't been paid for three months."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping remembered the few dozen yuan in his pocket and became somewhat worried.

If his wages are also delayed, won't he starve to death?

The two ate and chatted, and before they knew it, they had finished off all the soy milk and fried dough sticks.

Chen Ping ate quickly, while Cui Ying ate slowly. He just sat there waiting, watching people come and go on the street.

The sun had risen fully, shining brightly on the street and making the old shops gleam.

The fog on the distant mountains had mostly dissipated, revealing the verdant mountain peaks, which shone brightly green.

Chen Ping squinted and watched for a while.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what it felt like, but it just felt... pretty comfortable.

You don't have to think about those messy things, you don't have to worry about anyone's feelings, and you don't have to choose between signing or not signing.

I just sit here, eating fried dough sticks, drinking soy milk, and watching the people on the street bustling about.

After Cui Ying finished eating, she wiped her mouth, took out ten yuan from her bag, and handed it to Uncle Liu.

"Uncle Liu, the money."

Uncle Liu took the money, pulled two yuan from his apron pocket, and gave it to her as change, muttering, "Little Cui, your boyfriend is really good; he seems like an honest man. When you get married, Uncle Liu will fry you a hundred youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks) as a congratulatory gift!"

"Uncle Liu!" Cui Ying blushed and stomped her foot. "I already told you he's not my boyfriend!"

"Okay, okay, no, no."

Uncle Liu smiled and waved his hand, but his eyes kept glancing at Chen Ping.

Chen Ping stood up and nodded to Uncle Liu: "The fried dough sticks are really delicious. I'll come again tomorrow."

Come! Come every day!

Uncle Liu chuckled, "Xiao Cui, your boyfriend has a sweet tongue and knows how to talk!"

Cui Ying turned and left in anger, her ponytail swinging high in the air.

Chen Ping smiled and followed, the two of them walking back one after the other.

"Dr. Chen, don't be angry. Uncle Liu just likes to talk nonsense and make fun of people."

Cui Ying explained to Chen Ping as they walked.

"I'm not angry. The fact that you see me as your boyfriend is a sign of your approval. I'm several years older than you."

Chen Ping said with a smile.

"But you don't look big at all," Cui Ying said.

"They're still young. If I had children, they'd be old enough to run errands by now."

Chen Ping said with a self-deprecating smile.

If he and Su Meng had a child, they could really travel around now.

The two walked and talked, and soon returned to the health center. They saw Zhao Guosheng coming out, carrying an enamel mug with tea leaves floating on top.

"Dr. Chen, up so early?" Zhao Guosheng greeted him. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I ate it, I ate it at Uncle Liu's stall," Chen Ping said.

"Oh, Old Liu's," Zhao Guosheng said with a smile. "His fried dough sticks are indeed quite good, but his soy milk is getting thinner and thinner. A few years ago, it was really thick."

"Dean, you're talking badly about Uncle Liu behind his back again," Cui Ying interjected from the side.

"What's wrong with telling the truth?" Zhao Guosheng glared at him. "His soy milk was just too watery."

Cui Ying pouted, ignored him, and walked straight inside.

Zhao Guosheng watched her retreating figure, shook his head, and then turned to Chen Ping: "Dr. Chen, when we get to work, I'll show you around the health center first."

The place isn't big, but there's a lot going on. We lack medical care and medicine, making it very difficult for ordinary people to see a doctor.

"Okay." Chen Ping nodded. "Dean Zhao, feel free to assign me any tasks from now on."

Zhao Guosheng patted him on the shoulder and sighed, "I'm already burning incense with gratitude that you came. I thought you were going to be scared away by what happened with Liu Mazi yesterday."

"Scared away?" Chen Ping laughed. "A few thugs can't scare me away."

Zhao Guosheng smiled, a very happy smile: "Good, good, I'm relieved to hear that."

He took a sip of tea from his enamel mug, looked at the sky, and then at the distant mountains.

He then slowly added, "Siping Township is a poor and remote place, but you'll know once you stay there a while. The people here are honest."

"Yes, the people here are really nice." Chen Ping nodded.

At this moment, Zhao Guosheng pointed to a crooked old locust tree in the yard and said, "This health center was built in the 1980s. Back then, it was built brick by brick by the people of Siping Township."

"When I first came here, I was so full of ambition, thinking I'd work in the countryside for a few years, gain some experience, and then go back to the city. And what happened?"

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I've stayed here for twenty years, I've put down roots."

"Never thought about leaving?" Chen Ping asked.

"Walk?"

Zhao Guosheng took a sip of tea. "Can you really leave? If I leave, who will take care of this mess? Wang Jianguo could manage, but he's too honest and can't handle the situation."

Liu Wei is too young, Li Fang is a temporary worker, and Wang Tao is still an intern. As for Xiao Cui…” He shook his head, “He’s just here to gain experience; he’ll leave sooner or later.”

Chen Ping did not respond.