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

When they arrived at the service area, Chen Ping asked Old Song and Li Jizhong to get out of the car and stretch their legs, while he went to see what food was available.

Chen Ping finally found a noodle shop and told Old Song and Li Jizhong to just grab a bite.

After all, the service area is small and doesn't have much decent food.

"Old Song, this service area is too small and there's not much good food. Just make do with this."

Chen Ping said.

"A bowl of noodles is good enough. During wartime, let alone noodles, you can't even get a sip of hot water. You just eat canned food all day long."

Old Song said with a smile.

After having lunch and resting for a while, the car continued its journey towards the provincial capital.

It was already past four o'clock in the afternoon when the car came off the highway.

The buildings in the provincial capital have already stretched out one after another.

There are more and more high-rise buildings, the roads are getting wider and wider, and the traffic is several times denser than in Tianhai City.

Chen Ping gripped the steering wheel, his attention even more focused than on the highway, since the provincial capital had more cars and more complex road conditions, which he wasn't very familiar with.

Li Jizhong, in the passenger seat, seemed much more relaxed, occasionally pointing out directions and suggesting which route was the shortest.

Old Song sat in the back seat, looking out the car window at the buildings passing by. He remained silent for a while before speaking, his voice filled with reminiscence: "The provincial capital has changed a lot in the past two years. This road wasn't this wide before. I was the one who approved the widening of this road back then."

Li Jizhong turned his head and replied, "Old commander, when you worked here back then, you made a significant contribution to the development of the provincial capital."

Old Song didn't reply, but just looked out the window, as if trying to figure out what was different from before.

The car wound its way through the streets before finally entering a quiet one.

Neat rows of plane trees line both sides of the road, their trunks thick and their leaves mostly yellow, carpeting the ground.

At the end of the road was an iron gate, next to which hung a sign with white background and black lettering that read "Provincial Military Region Cadre Sanatorium".

There was a guard post at the entrance, with uniformed staff sitting inside. After seeing the license plate and glancing at the people inside the car, they raised the barrier to let the car pass.

After the car went inside, Chen Ping found that the world inside was completely different from the outside.

Neatly trimmed holly bushes and lawns line both sides of the road, and several three-story buildings are scattered among the green belts, with red brick walls and white window frames, looking as clean as if they had just been painted.

Flower beds and walkways separate the buildings, and the air carries a crisp scent of pine and earth, a stark contrast to the exhaust fumes of the city outside.

Several elderly people were sitting on a bench by the roadside, some sunbathing, some chatting quietly, and they all looked up when a car passed by.

Chen Ping parked the car in front of a small building and turned off the engine.

When Mr. Song got out of the car, two elderly people who were chatting on the bench next to him recognized him and stood up to wave to him.

One of the voices was loud and clear, calling out from a dozen paces away, "Old Song! You're finally back! I thought you'd forgotten about us old folks!"

Old Song chuckled, walked over, and patted the man on the shoulder. "You might forget anyone, but you, Old Zhou, are you? Want to go fishing tomorrow?"

"No, my back hurts after sitting for a while, I can't go fishing." Old Zhou shook his head.

"Come fishing with me tomorrow, and I promise your back pain will be gone," Old Song said.

"You guarantee my back won't hurt, but you're riddled with health problems. You should be the one guaranteeing your own well-being."

Old Zhou laughed, not believing what Old Song said at all.

"I'm not sick anymore. Just listen to me, come fishing with me tomorrow. I've invited a miracle doctor over. If you don't come tomorrow, I won't take responsibility for you," Old Song said mysteriously.

After listening, Lao Zhou looked at Chen Ping and Li Jizhong.

When Li Jizhong saw the other person looking over, he quickly smiled and nodded.

His position as the Party Secretary of Tianhai City is nothing in the provincial capital, and even less so in this retirement home.

When you see someone, just bow and scrape, and be polite.

"Alright, I'll go tomorrow. But if you try to trick me, you know what I'm capable of. Back in the army, you were my defeated foe," Old Zhou said.

"Don't worry!" After saying that, Old Song turned around and led Chen Ping and Li Jizhong into the building.

The interior of the building is even more elaborate than the exterior.

The corridor was spacious and bright, with light gray floor tiles and several potted plants on the wall, their leaves wiped clean.

Old Song went up to the second floor with ease, pushed open a door, and found a small but very tidy suite inside.

It has a living room, bedroom, and bathroom. The furniture is dark solid wood, old-fashioned in style but well-maintained.

The window faces south, directly overlooking the lawn below and several ginkgo trees in the distance. Sunlight streams in through the window, making the room bright and airy.

"Dr. Chen, you'll stay in this room. Little Li will stay next door. I've already arranged everything."

Old Song pointed to the facilities in the room, then to the door next door, "Everything is clean, and the sheets and blankets were changed today."

"You guys take a break first, then come to the cafeteria for lunch at 6:30. I've had a table reserved for you."

Chen Ping and Li Jizhong nodded, and then went back to their respective rooms.

Chen Ping placed the canvas bag on the bedside table and stood by the window for a while.

On the lawn downstairs, two elderly people in casual clothes were walking their dogs. A golden retriever was walking slowly in front of them, wagging its tail, its pace neither too fast nor too slow.

Chen Ping lay down for a while; he was indeed very tired after driving all day.

At 6:20, Li Jizhong knocked on the door, and the two of them went downstairs to the cafeteria together.

The cafeteria is in a two-story building. It doesn't look big, but once you push the door open, you'll find a hidden gem inside.

The room was bright and clean, with solid wood tables and chairs covered with plain-colored tablecloths, and a small vase of fresh flowers on each table.

The air was filled with the aroma of food: stewed meat, steamed dishes, and the unique fragrance of freshly cooked rice.

Although it's called a cafeteria, it's comparable to a five-star hotel.

Old Song was already sitting at the table by the window, waiting. There were several dishes on the table. There weren't many dishes, but each one looked exquisite, and the ingredients were absolutely fresh and clean.

No one dares to skimp on the food here, unless they're tired of living.

"You two can eat whatever you want, don't be shy. There won't be any late-night snacks if you don't eat your fill," Old Song said jokingly.

"Yes!" Chen Ping and Li Jizhong nodded.

Old Song picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of green vegetable, and put it in his mouth. Only then did Chen Ping and Li Jizhong start eating.

Chen Ping saw a steamed sea bass on the table, which seemed somewhat different from what he had eaten.

Chen Ping picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks. It was so tender that it melted in his mouth, and it was indeed different from the fish in restaurants.

As he was eating with his head down, he caught a glimpse of two elderly people with gray hair at the next table, eating slowly. There was a pot of tea on the table, and they were chatting quietly, their voices not loud but composed.

During the meal, Old Song didn't say much, but occasionally pointed to the dishes and urged Chen Ping to eat more.

They then asked Li Jizhong about his work. Li Jizhong held his bowl and behaved very properly, a stark contrast to his domineering demeanor in the Tianhai Municipal Government building.

Occasionally, someone would pass by carrying a bowl, stop to greet Old Song, and he would nod in response. The person would then leave without lingering.