Chapter 1 — The new Director is the object of attention

The newly arrived male director transferred me from the position of Deputy Head of the Department to the guidance desk in the outpatient clinic. This news was announced at the noon briefing, in front of thirty-six people from the entire department. "Comrade Tham Tri Ha has a strong professional background, but based on the hospital's current personnel rotation needs, he was temporarily adjusted from being the Deputy Head of the Cardiovascular Surgery Department to working at the general service counter of the medical examination area." As soon as the person from the human resources department finished reading the document, the entire meeting room fell silent for three seconds. Next, I heard an uncontrollable laugh coming from the backseat. Without turning around, I knew who it was. Kieu Man. She's been waiting for this day for probably four years. I didn't look at her, nor did I look at the newly arrived male principal sitting in the chair. I only said one sentence: "Follow the arrangement." After the meeting ended, the way the whole department looked at me changed. The nurse yesterday called me "Director Tham", today she changed her mouth to "Doctor Tham", even the hand she used to hand over the medical records also moved half an inch away. Hua Duong dragged me into the stairwell. "Are you crazy? Are you willing to just accept that? You've been working in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery for eight years, the position of Deputy Head of the Department is because you worked hard for each and every surgery!" "If you don't agree, what can you do?" "Go find the hospital leader to complain!" "The director is sitting there looming." Hua Duong angrily took off his nurse's hat and then put it back on. "That guy Luc Nghien Tu is mixed-race." What kind of background is that? Just on the first day of skydiving, he touched you? "I don't know what his background is. I just know, when he sat in the chair to announce that decision, from beginning to end he didn't even look at me. When I got home from work, as soon as I pushed open the door, I smelled the fragrant sweet and sour fish sauce. My father, Mr. Tham Quoc An, has only had one hobby since retirement, which is cooking. This is not unusual. The strange thing is, in the kitchen there are the backs of two men. My father wore an apron and held a ladle to cook, while the person standing next to him was helping him peel garlic. That person wore a thin black sweater, rolled up the sleeves to reveal his wrist bones, and peeled garlic in extremely neat and clean movements. "Dad, who is that?" That person turned his back. The bag in my hand almost hit the shoe cabinet. Luc Nghien Tu. The name Luc Nghien Tu had just sent me to the instruction counter this afternoon. At this moment, he was standing in my kitchen, still holding a clove of garlic in his hand. "Tri Ha is back!" My father smiled widely, his wrinkles forming, "Why are you still standing there, wash your hands and eat. This is the sixth blind date that Uncle Trieu introduced to you." I looked at Luc Nghien Tu. Luc Nghien Tu also looked at me. His expression was still as calm as when he was in the conference room, as if the incident at noon had never happened. “Doctor Tham.” He called out to me. My father paused: "Do you two know each other?" "Not familiar." Luc Nghien Tu and I replied in unison. My father looked back and forth between the two of us, then put the ladle down next to the plate. "Okay, stop crowding in the kitchen. Tieu Luc, go sit in the living room, Tri Ha, follow me here." He pulled me into the bedroom, conveniently closing the door. "This Luc was introduced by Uncle Trieu, thirty-three years old, the new director of the city's No. 1 hospital, not married, basic family background, and a calm and stable person. yellow." "Dad." "Hmm?" "He's the dean who just demoted me this afternoon from Deputy Dean to the guidance desk in the lobby." The smile on my father's face stiffened, like someone suddenly turned off a burning stove. "Today?" "This afternoon, in front of all the staff in the department."Room

silence for a few seconds. My father touched his apron pocket, pulled out half an onion, then stuffed it back in. "Then we still have to eat rice, the fish is all cooked." I almost choked by this sentence. On the dining table, three people, four salty dishes and one soup. My father sat in the middle, on the left was me, on the right was Luc Nghien Tu, looking like he was mediating a dispute between a doctor and a patient's family. "Tieu Luc, which hospital did you work at before?" "Provincial People's Hospital." "So coming to the No. 1 hospital in our city, is it considered a job transfer to a lower level?" "That's the same." Luc Nghien Tu picked up a piece of fish meat, his movements were so formal that it looked like he was filling out a job. on the form. "Mr. Tham's fish is very delicious." My father was happy when he was complimented and gave him two more pieces into the bowl. From beginning to end I didn't move my chopsticks. "Tri Ha, why don't you eat?" "I have no appetite." "Then sip the soup." "Dad, today I was sent to the instruction counter, do you still force me to sip the soup?" The atmosphere on the dining table was quiet. Luc Nghien Tu put down his chopsticks: "Uncle Tham, today's matter is a position adjustment within the hospital, not related to personal matters." "Not related?" I looked straight at him, "Director Luc, on the first day of taking office, the first thing you did was drag me down from the operating table. Can you tell me what the basis is?" "The decision of the hospital board of directors." "Board of directors? You came to take office this morning, the meeting was over at noon? It was predetermined." Luc Nghien Tu picked up a glass of water and took a sip. "The specific reason, I can discuss with you during working hours." "You're working." eat fish cooked by my father at my house, but you want to talk to me during work hours? This meal lasted more than forty minutes. When Luc Nghien Tu left, he was very polite, changed his shoes, thanked him, said "Hello Uncle Tham", the process was as smooth as if he had practiced it before. The moment the door closed, I looked at my father. "This blind date, it stops here." My father did not immediately respond, he walked to the window and looked down at the house. Luc Nghien Tu's car lights parked outside the hospital gate for half a minute before lighting up. "Tri Ha, your Uncle Trieu is not a careless matchmaker." "So what, Dad?" "He said this Luc is not a foolish person." I burst out laughing. "Dragging you from the operating table, that's not being rude?" My father turned around and took off his apron. "Before she died, my mother was most afraid that you would suffer a disadvantage in the hospital." My hand stopped. It's been many years since anyone in the family has mentioned their mother. "Dad, don't bring up mother." "You don't bring her up." He hung his apron on the back of the chair, "You've been so stubborn these past few years, living like you're walking on a knife's edge. Don't be impulsive in any situation." "I'm not impulsive." "Earlier, when I was eating, I poked a piece of fish into pieces and couldn't even pick out the bones." I lowered my head to look at my bowl, the fish meat was crushed into a lump by me. The phone beeped. In the hospital's work chat group, Kieu Man just sent a new announcement. "Starting tomorrow, doctor Tham Tri Ha will be in charge of giving instructions at the medical examination lobby, recording wheelchair loans, and receiving complaints. Requesting departments to cooperate." Below are a series of "Received" messages.