Chapter 20: Triumph, Rivalry, and New Beginnings

Rank 1: Zhou Can – Written exam score: ‘A’ with an actual score of 94 points. Interview score: 88.5 points. Additional bonus for medical ethics: 10 points. Total score: 192.5 points.

When Zhou Can heard that he had secured first place, his brief moment of excitement quickly settled into calm composure.

After all, this was just a residency exam. True achievements and genuine growth would come on the operating table. He still had a long journey ahead.

Learning is endless, and medicine is a pursuit worth a lifetime.

An A+ for the written exam would be 95 points or above, so his 94 was still very impressive.

The maximum score for the interview was 90, and he lost only 1.5 points – likely placing him in the top three and possibly even first.

The bonus in medical ethics goes without saying; he risked losing his chance at the residency exam to earn those extra 10 points.

He accepted those 10 points with ease.

Among over 7,000 candidates, he was the only one awarded this prestigious bonus for medical ethics.

With the first-place win, every candidate’s attention turned to him.

Admiration, envy, and awe filled the air.

Zhou Can became the star of the event.

“Examiner, may I ask—did Zhou Can also get a perfect score in Pathology Diagnosis?”

Gao Jian, who had assumed the top spot was his by right, was stunned to see Zhou Can clinch first place. His head buzzed with disbelief.

“What did you expect?”

The examiner, seemingly a bit annoyed by Gao Jian’s question, shot back dryly.

“Rest assured, every candidate was scored fairly. The margin for error is almost zero. Some flaunt their prowess, others keep it humble, and some hide it deep inside. No hidden meanings here—it’s just that, in my book, the truly talented are the most modest and low-key.”

Gao Jian’s face flushed scarlet from the examiner’s remark.

He lowered his head, too intimidated to speak further.

Wasn’t the man who openly flaunted his abilities referring to him?

“Rank 2: Gao Jian – Written exam score: A+ with an actual score of 99 points. Interview score: 88.1 points. Total score: 187.1 points.”

A top student from Imperial Capital Medical University, Gao Jian’s written exam was outstanding; he lost only one point.

Even more remarkable was his equally impressive interview performance.

He truly excelled in both academics and demeanor.

“Rank 3: Yang Chan – Written exam score: A+ with an actual score of 97 points. Interview score: 87.4 points. Total score: 184.4 points. Rank 4: Du Leng – Written exam score: A+ with a perfect score of 100 points…”

The audience erupted in astonished murmurs.

Despite the exam’s difficulty, someone even achieved a perfect score in the written test.

Who exactly is this Du Leng? He seemed even more formidable than Gao Jian, the graduate from Imperial Capital Medical University.

Yang Chan clinching third place was no small feat.

After all, the talent pool this year was exceptionally deep.

Jin Mingxi, who ranked second in the re-examination, surprisingly failed to break into the top ten—his written score of 90 significantly held him back.

“Now, the top 20 overall results have been announced. Other candidates can check their rankings on Tuyu Hospital’s official website. Candidates in the top 20, please proceed to the experience department for your unified physicals. Congratulations to Zhou Can on his first-place victory.”

The examiner led the applause.

All the candidates joined in, congratulating Zhou Can on his stellar performance.

“Thank you for your support and trust in Tuyu Hospital. For those not admitted, do not lose heart—fight again next year. Also, keep an eye on Tuyu Hospital’s recruitment announcements online. Farewell.”

The examiner and evaluators then left the room.

Both the nursing and medical technology departments had also completed their recruitments.

Some were overjoyed, while others were disheartened.

The successful candidates were ecstatic.

As long as they didn’t invite trouble, their futures looked incredibly bright.

Those who failed left the room, downtrodden and dejected.

Success often comes at the cost of many failures.

Only a few can ever truly succeed.

Gao Jian approached Zhou Can. Their eyes met – Zhou Can’s starry gaze was gentle, calm, like water in an ancient well, undisturbed by ripples.

Gao Jian’s eyes, in contrast, were sharp and domineering, filled with a stubborn refusal to accept defeat.

“You’re very strong,” he managed to say.

Gao Jian squeezed out those three words.

“Likewise,” Zhou Can replied coolly.

His response exuded the calm confidence of a master at ease, unfazed by any challenge.

“Our contest is only just beginning. It won’t be over until I beat you and leave you far behind,” Gao Jian declared with a hint of arrogance.

This was a challenge between two men.

They were about to embark on a fierce rivalry in the field of medicine.

“Is winning really that important?”

Zhou Can glanced at him sideways.

“I joined Tuyu Hospital’s residency recruitment because my mentor wanted me to come out on top, to bring honor to my alma mater and add luster to his name. If I lose to you, I can’t face my mentor.”

It turned out Gao Jian carried a mission; no wonder he valued his reputation so highly.

“Fine, I welcome the challenge,” Zhou Can said graciously as he extended his hand.

Gao Jian firmly grasped it.

“I promise to compete fairly. A true man from the North never resorts to foul play,” Gao Jian declared, his face set in a serious expression.

“Heh, your eyes don’t lie—I trust you,” Zhou Can responded with a smile.

In conflict, he had always been fearless.

Gao Jian’s straightforwardness even earned a measure of respect from him.

He recognized in Gao Jian a worthy opponent.

“I’ve been interning at Tuyu Hospital for nearly a year now, so I know the layout well. How about I show you around the experience department?”

“Thanks,” Gao Jian replied with a smile, and the two set off together toward the physical examination area.

Side by side they walked and chatted, not like foes at all but as if they were friends.

Perhaps this is what a true duel between masters looks like.

A friendly rivalry where each strives to outdo the other in medical skill.

…

The most challenging parts of the residency exam were the written and interview segments. Once you passed the physical exam, the residency contract was essentially secured.

Of course, there were the occasional unlucky cases—those with infectious or special diseases would ultimately be turned away by the hospital.

Zhou Can’s physical exam results came out quickly – everything was normal.

It wasn’t long before he received an invitation message from the Human Resources Department.

Elated, he rushed to the Human Resources Department to complete his residency formalities. Thanks to his lucky first-place finish, the department took care of his entire process for obtaining the practicing physician certificate.

When the national unified exam rolled around, he would only need to show up and take it.

The rest, including registration, would be managed by the hospital, saving him considerable time.

For a year of hospital internship, working for free while occasionally paying fees just to take the exam for the practicing physician certificate was a challenge.

Only with the practicing physician certificate could one legally practice medicine.

Later, promotions to Attending Physician, Associate Chief Physician, and so on all required that certificate.

“After signing the residency contract, please proceed to the adjacent meeting room. Shortly, the heads of the various departments will come to select candidates.”

Tuyu Hospital certainly had deep pockets; this year, they recruited 20 full-time residents for the general departments, nearly 30 for nursing, and 10 for the medical technology residency. One department, in particular, was notorious for favoring personal connections.

Wherever people gathered, personal relationships were bound to play a part.

For example, an old friend of a deputy director once invited him out for tea.

During the meeting, the old friend even brought along his son.

After some casual chatter and catching up, the conversation got to the point.

“Buddy, aren’t you the deputy director at Tuyu Hospital? With your high rank and power, could you help get my underachieving son a job at your hospital? We’ve been friends for years and I’ve never asked for a favor before—but I’m really at my wit’s end.”

The deputy director was in a bind.

Even students from top universities might not have a shot at Tuyu Hospital.

Yet the old friend’s request was hard to refuse without causing disappointment.

Agreeing meant risking his son causing trouble.

The clinical department was highly sought after but carried significant risks. Those without the skills forced into the role could create a dozen issues in just three days.

If a medical accident occurred, not only would the hospital suffer, but the old friend’s son would be finished, and the deputy director himself would be implicated.

What could be done?

They decided to assign the young man to the medical technology department.

There, he’d only need to perform simple tasks like conducting an electrocardiogram – an easy job with minimal risk. The old friend’s request was fulfilled.

Soon after, following some maneuvering, the old friend’s son was placed in the medical technology department.

Other leaders, observing this method, thought it was a clever workaround.

In future requests that weren’t so easily shaken off, other leaders would follow suit.

In the end, the medical technology department became a notorious hotspot for favoritism.

The heads of Human Resources were shrewd; after numerous instances of leaders pushing through their own people, they deliberately set aside extra slots every year for the medical technology residency.

Zhou Can entered the small meeting room and saw many others already waiting.

They would soon be colleagues. Some with a knack for navigating connections had already begun forging relationships all around.

Zhou Can, preferring quiet, wasn’t adept at schmoozing or playing the field.

So he sat alone at the side, idly playing on his phone.

He opened his favorite academic database and began reading through his saved research papers.

Ever since he discovered that studying clinical cases boosted his experience in Pathology Diagnosis, he had grown even more passionate about reading.

Before long, a magnetic male voice broke the silence.

“Hello! Beautiful Ms. Yang, may we make each other’s acquaintance? My name is Du Leng. I’m a doctoral graduate from Johns Hopkins University.”

Du Leng, who ranked fourth overall with a perfect written exam score, had long been suspected to be quite the heavyweight.

And he turned out to be explosively impressive.

Not only did he boast a terrifying doctoral degree, but he also graduated from a prestigious foreign institution – Johns Hopkins University.

This university was ranked as the second best medical school in the world.

Truly remarkable.

Hearing his voice, Zhou Can turned his head.

He saw a dashing, sharply dressed young man greeting Yang Chan with a charming smile.

With such a handsome, wealthy guy around, it was hard to imagine any girl not being smitten.

This guy’s taste was truly impeccable – he had singled out Yang Chan from among many.

In truth, the few girls seated next to Yang Chan were also beautiful.

Yet compared to Yang Chan, they looked like mere supporting players.

A woman, like a flower, can look stunning on her own, but when placed beside a peony, she becomes merely an accent.

Zhou Can couldn’t help but wonder how the Class Monitor would react to Du Leng’s flirtatious advances.

Having been classmates for five years, he remembered Yang Chan as someone sociable with her peers, yet inwardly proud and dignified.

Back when they first entered university, Zhou Can had set his heart on this stunning girl at first sight.

But he ended up with a painful, embarrassing experience.

Yang Chan’s metaphorical ‘soft nail’ had left him with a lingering psychological scar.

She regarded Zhou Can as nothing more than a rich spoiled brat, especially when set against this refined, handsome, and extraordinarily accomplished returnee doctor.

A rather questionable thought crept into Zhou Can’s mind.

He mused about somehow getting Yang Chan to deliver a few stinging blows that would leave Du Leng with a lasting apprehension.