Chapter 163
An abrupt voice shattered the somewhat delicate atmosphere within the office.
Everyone’s eyes followed the sound. Three people in white coats were entering from the doorway in a triangular formation.
The man and woman in the back were about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old.
The man wore glasses. Though he had a somewhat scholarly air, his expression was bright and his features resolute. There was an imposing aura to his stride.
The young woman had short hair, fair, smooth skin, and delicate features.
She looked cute and innocent, but with her hands in her pockets, a cold expression on her face, and a forceful gait, she exuded a cold, aloof beauty that kept everyone at a distance.
Thanks to this unique presence, the young pair gave off the distinct impression of being cranes standing among chickens.
However, they only seemed so dazzling in comparison to everyone else.
But when compared to the woman leading them, their brilliance was like that of a firefly before the splendor of the stars, instantly eclipsed and dimmed.
The woman in the lead was tall, with a stunningly beautiful face.
In her early thirties, she had the skin of a young girl yet exuded the unique allure of a mature woman.
Though her white coat was a bit loose, it couldn’t conceal her buxom figure.
Her full, firm breasts were barely concealed by the slightly open collar, threatening to spill out.
The fine legs revealed beneath her coat were wrapped in black stockings as sheer as a cicada’s wing, giving off a tempting aura.
Her fair, delicate feet were clad in a pair of exquisite Valentino heels.
As she strode forward—CLICK, CLACK, CLICK—it was as if the wind itself carried her, causing her dark hair and loose-fitting coat to flutter gently.
Combined with her ice-cold expression and the pride glinting in her eyes, she looked for all the world like an empress ascending to her throne.
The powerful aura she exuded, perhaps unintentionally, not only made the security guards instinctively part to let her pass but also caused Gao Tianqi to immediately shed his arrogance and swagger. He hurried forward to greet her with a fawning smile.
"Director Liu, what brings you here?"
The one he called Director Liu was none other than Liu Yun, the person who had recommended Chenyang to the City Hospital.
Though both held the rank of director, the prestige and influence of their respective positions were worlds apart.
Gao Tianqi had two titles: Director of the hospital’s General Affairs Office, and Deputy Director of the Emergency Department.
The General Affairs Office was in charge of all sorts of matters, big and small, within the hospital. Being its director sounded quite formidable.
But anyone in the know understood the reality. The General Affairs Office managed numerous important tasks, so for the sake of efficiency and better management, it was subdivided into multiple departments.
And the head of each of these departments also held the rank of director!
Since these directors managed different areas, there were vast disparities in their actual authority.
For instance, the director in charge of personnel transfers and scheduling for medical staff held authority nearly on par with a vice president of the hospital.
The director in charge of procuring and testing medical equipment, while not high in authority, had more opportunities for kickbacks than even the head of logistics.
As for directors managing minor affairs, like overseeing archives and documents, they had neither kickbacks nor much real power. They had so little presence that even a doctor from an obscure department was more significant.
Gao Tianqi belonged to this last category.
To put it bluntly, his director title in the General Affairs Office actually carried less weight than his title as Deputy Director of the Emergency Department.
Liu Yun, on the other hand, also had two titles.
One was Director of the Emergency Department, and the other was Acting Director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.
Based on the rank of their primary titles, they were technically peers.
However, within the hierarchy of the Emergency Department, Gao Tianqi was Liu Yun’s subordinate.
Overall, Gao Tianqi’s importance at the City Hospital wasn’t even a tenth of Liu Yun’s.
The importance of the Emergency Department goes without saying.
Furthermore, the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department had been the hospital’s flagship department since its founding.
Her appointment as director and acting director of these two major departments showed just how highly she was regarded by the hospital’s senior leadership.
More importantly, due to her high rank and formidable background, Liu Yun also held veto power in the hospital’s internal elections for promotions.
Gao Tianqi was currently in the midst of a critical campaign for a vice president position. Facing Director Liu, a woman who could make or break his bid, he naturally had to do everything he could to get on her good side.
In the face of his fawning, however, Liu Yun’s attitude was one of cold contempt.
"What? If Director Gao can be here in the Personnel Office, why can’t I?"
Gao Tianqi forced an awkward smile. "That’s not what I meant. I just figured you’re usually so busy that you wouldn’t come to a small office like this in person unless it was for something urgent."
"The Personnel Office is a vital department for recruiting all kinds of talent for this hospital. Even the hospital president considers it extremely important. Yet in the eyes of Director Gao, it’s just some ’insignificant little office’?"
"I..."
Gao Tianqi’s face instantly flushed with embarrassment.
While he stood there, too embarrassed to form a rebuttal, Liu Yun glanced over at Chenyang before changing the subject. "But you were right about one thing," she said. "I am here at the Personnel Office today for an important and urgent matter."