C13 I Remember All the Contents of This Book
Dr. Wang's gaze upon Yang Ling was tinged with scorn as he offered a condescending smile. "Forget the movie. Here's five hundred yuan for you. That should cover the cost of ten tickets."
He nonchalantly pulled out several hundred-yuan bills from his wallet and laid them on the table, adding, "I've taken care of your breakfast as well. If there's nothing else, you're free to go."
It was a taunt, a blatant one at that. The earnings of auxiliary staff couldn't hold a candle to a doctor's salary, and it was clear that Dr. Wang had little respect for Yang Ling.
Amidst the murmurs of the onlookers, some of whom couldn't hide their snickers, Yang Ling's face took on a grave expression. He responded calmly, "As a doctor, you ought to treat people with kindness. Your obsession with money suggests a serious lack of professional ethics."
"We may be police assistants, but we certainly don't stoop to such vulgarity!"
His words carried an undercurrent of suggestion, insinuating that Dr. Wang's behavior was unbefitting of his profession. The crowd paused, taken aback, but soon nodded in agreement. Yang Ling might have been idealistic, but his critique struck a chord.
Compared to him, Dr. Wang seemed all the more crass.
Curious eyes turned to Yang Ling, eager to see how the situation would unfold.
"Ding! You've satisfied the crowd's desire for entertainment. Wish Value +1."
"Current Progress: 3/10."
Zhang Yurou's eyes sparkled with amusement as she watched Yang Ling. His words clearly resonated with the young nurse's values.
Dr. Wang's face tightened. He hadn't anticipated Yang Ling's sharp retort. His attempt to flaunt his wealth and belittle Yang Ling, all while impressing Zhang Yurou, had backfired spectacularly.
The 500 yuan on the table now seemed like a glaring mistake, and he was at a loss for how to retract his gesture.
"Ding! You've crushed Dr. Wang's attempt to mock you. Attribute Point +1."
Yang Ling couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction from the exchange, while Dr. Wang, his face flushed with embarrassment, retorted, "I've been in medicine for years. You think you can lecture me on professionalism?"
"I offered you money to lighten the mood, and you turned it down?"
"Can you make heads or tails of this medical book I gave you?"
The room fell silent at his words, which clearly paled in comparison to Yang Ling's.
Yang Ling picked up the Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases from the table. Flipping through it nonchalantly, he quipped with a wry smile, "Dr. Wang, you're not making any sense."
"Not even our bureau chief could comprehend this without some study."
"Are you implying our chief is dishonorable too?"
Laughter erupted at his remark.
Yang Ling had left Dr. Wang at a loss for words. Initially, the crowd had little regard for Yang Ling, but now they saw him in a new light—clever and articulate.
In the corner, several female university students were all smiles, whispering among themselves, seemingly quite taken with Yang Ling.
Zhang Yurou watched Yang Ling, her face breaking into a radiant smile without her realizing it. The memory of his hand brushing her neck the previous night brought a blush to her cheeks once more.
Dr. Wang, fuming with anger, demanded, "What gives you the right to handle my book? Remove your hand at once!"
With a dismissive toss of the book back onto the table, Yang Ling replied coolly, "You're giving this book to Yurou, so you must know it inside out, right?"
Dr. Wang retorted with a cold laugh, "Obviously. But someone like you wouldn't understand even if I explained it."
Yang Ling laughed softly, "You know, I've read this Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases in my youth."
"Let's do this: we'll each recite a passage from the book and see who's more accurate."
"If you win, I'll rip up the movie ticket, stay in my hospital bed, and won't interfere with your dating plans."
"But if I win, you'll leave Yurou alone from now on. Deal?"