Chapter 81: Rumors

With Zeng Yi's accompaniment, everyone at the Health Department was quite cooperative. After going through the procedures at the audit office, the two million yuan for disease control was transferred to Nanyun County's finance.

"Brother Zeng, thank you so much!" Zhongyue Jiang held Zeng Yi's hand gratefully, "I thank you on behalf of the people of Nanyun County. This fund is very important for our disease control efforts. If it weren't for you today, we wouldn't know when we could get it."

Zeng Yi waved his hand, "You're making it sound too formal!"

The reason he helped Zhongyue Jiang today was that he found Zhongyue Jiang to be a decent person. To secure this fund related to people's livelihood, Zhongyue Jiang actually stood guard outside Wu Changxing's office. It was common to see county magistrates, and even mayors, standing at the doors of provincial agencies, but they usually stood at the doors of the finance department, the development and reform commission, or the transportation department, mostly to secure funds for political achievements or to boost GDP. Few officials would stand outside the door of a section chief or even a division chief of the same rank for such a small disease control fund.

From this perspective, Zhongyue Jiang was quite good. The amount he applied for was only 800,000 yuan. He could have easily entrusted the county health bureau to secure it, and getting 800,000 yuan wouldn't add to his political achievements. Political achievements were measured by the increase in GDP and the scale of investment, not by the addition of a few disease control testing devices in the county.

Zeng Yi sent Zhongyue Jiang to the ground floor of the Health Department and asked with a smile, "How is your child's illness? Has it improved?"

"It's completely better!" When Zhongyue Jiang mentioned this, he couldn't help but admire Zeng Yi's miraculous medical skills, "After finding that toy, his eating and sleeping returned to normal, and he has recovered his spirit."

"I'll find some time to come back for a follow-up visit."

Zhongyue Jiang hurriedly thanked him, "Brother Zeng, you are so busy with official duties, yet you still worry about my son. I don't know how to thank you."

Zeng Yi waved his hand, "I am just a doctor, and treating patients is my duty!"

"Brother Zeng, please stay here!" Zhongyue Jiang said politely, "No need to see me off. When you have time, I'll invite you for a drink."

"Sure!" Zeng Yi nodded with a smile, "Next time you come to the department, please notify me in advance so I can prepare some good tea for you."

As they were leaving, the security guards at the door all stood straight and saluted.

Seeing this scene, Zhongyue Jiang felt another wave of emotion. In the morning, his car, as the county magistrate's, was stopped by the security guards and thoroughly checked like a suspect before being allowed to pass. Now, the security guards saw Zeng Yi send him to the ground floor and changed their attitude, showing the same respect as if they were seeing off the director of the Health Department.

Through this experience, Zhongyue Jiang truly understood Zeng Yi's influence in the Health Department. At the age of just over thirty, he had become a county magistrate, which was considered a remarkable achievement. He usually thought he was doing quite well in the system, but compared to Zeng Yi, he fell short by a large margin. Just because Zeng Yi said "I met an acquaintance," everyone in the Health Department opened the green light for him. This was a level of authority that even the director of the Health Department, Chen Gaofeng, might not have!

Thinking back to his own position when he was Zeng Yi's age, he was just a small clerk, spending his days cleaning tables and watering plants in the office, having to bow to everyone. There was no comparison, truly no comparison!

As Zeng Yi walked upstairs, he thought about Feng Yuqin's instructions during the work report. In a few days, Fang Nanguo would set off for the capital to attend the provincial and ministerial cadre training class at the Central Party School. Feng Yuqin decided to go along to visit her daughter studying in the capital.

Feng Yuqin asked Zeng Yi to cooperate with Shu Mingliang during this period and ensure the smooth and orderly progress of the health base construction.

Zeng Yi was a bit puzzled. This was already part of his current job, so it seemed unnecessary to give specific instructions.

Whispers could be heard from the stairwell, apparently about Fang Nanguo. Zeng Yi stopped and listened intently.

The Health Department had few people, but the building had five elevators. Except for those working on the first floor, everyone used the elevators, rarely using the stairs in the safety passage. This was the quietest place in the entire building, and sometimes it took a long time for broken safety lights in the hallway to be noticed. Zeng Yi was an exception; he liked to use the stairs for exercise.

Someone was talking on the phone upstairs, speaking in a low voice, intermittently. Fortunately, Zeng Yi had an extraordinary sense of hearing and caught most of what was said. The gist of the conversation was that Fang Nanguo was being transferred to the Central Party School for study, and Feng Yuqin was going with him. The speaker was being mysterious, hinting that this was not a normal situation and that Fang Nanguo might have some issues.

Zeng Yi now understood why Feng Yuqin had given him those specific instructions. She wanted to reassure him.

The political arena, which seemed calm on the surface, was actually the most turbulent. A small stone thrown into the water could create a thousand waves.

Fang Nanguo was the top leader of Nanjiang Province, a public figure. His every move would naturally attract attention and speculation, which was normal. Especially within the system, everyone liked to speculate on the intentions of their superiors. Sometimes a single word or action from above could keep people tossing and turning, unable to sleep. How much more so for a major event like the provincial party secretary going to the capital for training.

Zeng Yi smiled, thinking to himself that these people were truly boring. The matters and people at Fang Nanguo's level were far beyond their concern. Be careful not to talk too much and make a mistake!

He coughed loudly, and the voices upstairs immediately stopped. Then he heard hurried footsteps as someone rushed out of the safety passage.

Two days later, Fang Nanguo and his wife officially left Nanjiang for the capital. The provincial standing committee members all came to the airport to see them off, and Zeng Yi, as the health doctor, also participated in the farewell.

After leaving the airport, Zeng Yi returned directly to his clinic.

Old Seven was still in a white vest and shorts, holding a fan at the clinic door. Seeing Zeng Yi, he hurriedly came forward, saying, "Doctor Zeng, you're back."

Zeng Yi looked at his landlord and smiled, "Brother Seven, is there something you need?"

"There is, and it's a big thing!" Old Seven seemed quite anxious.

Zeng Yi opened the door and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

Old Seven entered and, without sitting down, said, "Doctor Zeng, I'm really sorry, but you might not be able to rent this place anymore."

Zeng Yi raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? Is the rent too low, or are you dissatisfied with me?"

Old Seven quickly extended his hand, "No, no, no, don't misunderstand! It's not that I don't want to rent to you, but the area is going to be demolished."

"Demolished?" Zeng Yi was surprised, "When did this happen? Why so suddenly?"

"They've been talking about demolition for a few years, but it never happened. I thought it wouldn't, but today someone notified me that they've found a developer and are planning to build a modern commercial square here." Old Seven looked apologetic, "Doctor Zeng, I wouldn't lie to you. You can ask Director Chen; he knows it's a new development today."

Zeng Yi waved his hand, "This isn't something you can decide. I understand."

Old Seven rubbed his hands, "Here's the deal: I won't charge you any rent, and I'll refund it all to you."

"No problem, we'll settle up based on the time I've stayed. More or less, it's fine!" Zeng Yi looked at the medicine cabinets in the room, feeling unlucky. His clinic hadn't even opened, and now he might lose his place to live. Well, since he had decided to stay in Rongcheng, he might as well buy a house to avoid such troubles.

Old Seven waved his hands, "Why be so precise? We're old friends. Consider this place as a temporary loan."

"That won't do; we agreed it was a rental."

"Doctor Zeng, think about it. With the location and the size of this place, the compensation for demolition will be substantial. Don't be so formal with me." Old Seven laughed, looking pleased, "I, Old Seven, don't care about the rent anymore. Once I get the compensation, I'll buy a villa."

Zeng Yi clasped his hands and smiled, "Congratulations then."

"By the way, if you have no plans tonight, I'll treat you to dinner. I feel really bad about this. I haven't had enough time with you, and now I have to ask you to move out." Old Seven looked at Zeng Yi, genuinely preparing to invite him to dinner. He felt quite guilty, knowing that if it weren't for Zeng Yi's help, he would have been cheated by Director Chen.