Chapter 11: Private Doctor

【11】Private Physician

Because he knew he was going to Chrysanthemum Fragrance Study the next day, Xiao Qiang went to bed with a lot on his mind. He woke up early, before six o'clock, and when he got up, he saw that the alarm on his phone hadn't even gone off yet. Xiao Qiang couldn't help but smile, muttering to himself, "It seems my political awareness is still quite high; I'm certainly qualified to be an ordinary cadre."

After he finished dressing and pushed open the door to enter the courtyard, he discovered that Dongzi was up even earlier, currently sweeping the ground with a reed broom. Seeing Xiao Qiang up, Dongzi hurried over. "Reporting to the Chief, breakfast is heated up." Xiao Qiang and Dongzi went into the kitchen and saw an iron pot set on the earthen stove, containing a small pot of fragrant millet porridge. Its golden hue was enough to whet anyone's appetite.

"Hey, Dongzi, your skills are really not bad. This millet porridge looks so good I want to eat it right now."

Hearing the praise, Dongzi couldn't hide his joy, his face flushing slightly. "Reporting to the Chief, I used to work in the mess hall. The porridge I make is delicious; even our Guard Regiment commander praised my porridge. The logistics department issued you a lot of rations, Chief. The commander said that the porridge you drink should be thick enough to stand a chopstick in."

Xiao Qiang thought to himself that this wasn't exactly relief for refugees, so was there really a need for such a rule? Still, he was truly touched. "Haha, don't call me 'Chief' anymore. Just call me Staff Officer Cao."

"Yes."

Just as they finished ladling the porridge and brought it into the dining room in the west wing, Minister Li’s guard came over to call Xiao Qiang for breakfast. Xiao Qiang had no choice but to put down his bowl and chopsticks, tell Dongzi to eat, and head out to Minister Li’s house. Minister Li also had millet porridge, along with Liubiju sweet-sauce cucumbers and sweet-sauce ginger sprouts, neatly arranged on two plates. Xiao Qiang didn't stand on ceremony; he sat down and began to gulp down the porridge. He felt a wave of warmth spread through his entire body, and he didn't stop until he had finished two large bowls.

After breakfast, Minister Li went inside to get his briefcase and took Xiao Qiang to say goodbye to Mother Zhao. The two of them then took Minister Li’s car to Chrysanthemum Fragrance Study.

After parking and passing through security, they walked all the way to the study and saw the Chairman taking a walk in the courtyard. It seemed the Chairman had already finished his breakfast as well.

"It’s Comrade Ke Nong and Xiao Qiang. I’ve been waiting for you; come into the living room."

Xiao Qiang followed them into the living room and found Premier Zhou sitting on the sofa, looking over some files. Seeing that everyone had arrived, the Premier asked them to sit down and got straight to the point. "Xiao Qiang, you know that the New China has just been founded and everything is waiting to be done. Which equipment do you think we should prioritize for procurement?"

Xiao Qiang thought to himself, *So this is a test.* Well, he only had so much knowledge, so he would just say what he knew.

"Premier, I know the government is currently negotiating with the Soviet Union regarding loans. My computer contains a list of the 156 projects to be built with these loans. Due to the conditions of the future and my own personal limitations, the military projects might be hard to acquire, but the procurement of industrial equipment is very convenient. Furthermore, the technological level far exceeds the equipment imported from the Soviet Union, and the price is also cheaper."

The Chairman lit a cigarette and decisively stated, "Then cancel the originally planned industrial projects and keep only the military ones."

The Premier affirmed, "I share that opinion. Additionally, I would like to add that besides importing equipment, a large amount of technology transfer is also necessary. We must put great effort into introducing and absorbing various books and technical materials, including patented technologies from the future. Currently, the government is putting great effort into inviting overseas Chinese scientists and students to return home. As long as we can bring them back, our ability to absorb and digest future advanced technologies will greatly improve, and the progress will accelerate."

Xiao Qiang said, "When I go back, I will purchase all the textbooks for every university discipline, and buy books from every field in the library. I cannot be an expert in every industry, but I can ensure that I don't miss anything and make a comprehensive purchase."

Minister Li spoke up at this point: "I suggest that after you return, you establish a company and hire people to share the workload. This will make the specific operations more convenient and efficient. Of course, you must maintain strict confidentiality. I will draft a specific plan immediately."

The four of them discussed until noon and only dispersed after having lunch at the Chairman’s house. This meeting profoundly influenced the later political, economic, and cultural fields of our country, allowing our socialist construction to achieve leapfrog development. That is a matter for the future, which we shall not dwell on for now.

After lunch, having bid farewell to the Chairman and the Premier, Xiao Qiang returned to the PLA General Intelligence Department with Minister Li to start work. Minister Li arranged an office for Xiao Qiang, paid him three months' salary in advance, and told him not to worry about daily necessities like firewood, rice, oil, or even vegetables, as the Central Guard Regiment would provide a monthly ration. If there were any extra needs, he could have his guard buy them. Xiao Qiang figured he would hand his salary over to Dongzi to manage, and in the future, he could have him go out to buy some meat, eggs, and side dishes to cook a little something extra at home.

"Xiao Qiang, go back and wait. According to the plan, you are to depart tonight. Don't wander off this afternoon; we will eat together tonight."

"Yes, Minister."

Xiao Qiang took the car arranged by the department back home. He hadn't looked closely last night, but now he realized that the area where he lived looked no different from other hutongs in Beijing from the outside. In reality, the security was extremely tight; it was an area heavily guarded by the Central Guard Regiment. It made sense—it was right next to Zhongnanhai, and important cadres of the central government lived here. If anything went wrong, it would be a major incident causing irreparable loss. Naturally, the security was extremely strict.

After getting out of the car and walking to his front door, Xiao Qiang knocked. He faintly heard the sound of light footsteps approaching from inside. When the door opened, Xiao Qiang felt as if the world had suddenly brightened, as if someone had pulled back the curtains in a dim theater, and his heart began to beat—thump, thump, thump—in time with the music...

The person who opened the door was a young woman in her twenties with an oval face. Her delicate skin was so fair and tender it was almost translucent, and her cheeks were flushed. Beneath two thin, straight, and elegant eyebrows, a pair of expressive eyes flickered as she looked at Xiao Qiang, as if questioning his identity. Her nose was straight and beautiful, carrying a heroic, noble temperament, and the corners of her mouth were pursed in a look that was half-pout, half-smile. Her thick, jet-black hair was braided and coiled at the back of her head, and she wore a loose yellow military uniform with the collar buttoned tightly.

Looking at Xiao Qiang, who was staring blankly, the girl frowned slightly. This expression, both annoyed and angry, made Xiao Qiang even more dazed, as he felt it contained a hint of deep affection.

Fortunately, Comrade Xiao Qiang was also a transmigrator. Before he could completely expose his "lecherous" look and let drool hang from the corner of his mouth, he finally managed to stop the spread of his infatuated expression!

He roared in his heart, "Stay calm!" His expression immediately turned serious. Then, this "lecher" preemptively asked, "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" she asked back, slightly lifting her chin with a proud smile.

"I live here. My name is Cao Xiaoqiang."

She paused for a moment, stood a little straighter, and reported softly, "Hello, Chief. My name is Yu Feng. The General Hospital sent me to take care of your health."

After Yu Feng finished speaking, she seemed a bit suspicious and slightly annoyed. After receiving the Dean's orders, she had assumed that this "Staff Officer Cao" would be an elderly veteran. Moreover, the organization had specifically talked to her about this, repeatedly emphasizing the confidentiality rules and the importance of the mission. The earnest instructions from the Dean and the Party Secretary made her realize that the soldier she was to serve must be a very important national leader, an old revolutionary. She hadn't expected him to be so young, and the way he had been staring at her just now made him look like a fool.

Recalling Xiao Qiang’s initial "lecherous" look, Yu Feng felt a bit of contempt for this silly, slightly chubby young man in front of her.

"I understand. Thank you, Chief and Dr. Yu, for your concern."

At this moment, Dongzi ran out from the east wing and came straight over to report to Xiao Qiang: "Reporting to Staff Officer Cao, the east wing has been cleaned up for Dr. Yu according to the instructions of Commander Zhang of the Central Guard Regiment."

"Thank you, Pan Dongzi," Yu Feng said to Dongzi with a smile.

"It's nothing, this is what I should do. Dr. Yu, come and see if there is any furniture that needs to be moved; I can help you shift it."

Dongzi led Yu Feng and Xiao Qiang into the east wing. Xiao Qiang looked carefully; there were two rooms in the east wing, an outer living room and an inner bedroom. The space seemed slightly smaller than his own north room.

*The place is really big, much more spacious than my previous hospital dormitory. The furniture, wardrobe, and wooden storage boxes are all here. The environment is really good,* Yu Feng thought.

"This is excellent. Thank you for the arrangement, Chief, and thank you, Dongzi, for helping me clean up," Yu Feng said gratefully.

Xiao Qiang smiled without a word, turned, and walked into his north room, leaning back on the sofa and closing his eyes to rest.

Dongzi helped Yu Feng carry a trunk of luggage from the courtyard into the room and then returned to his own quarters.

At this moment, Xiao Qiang thought of his ex-girlfriend, Wang Xiaoxiao. He didn't know where that woman was after they broke up. Xiao Qiang hadn't blamed Wang Xiaoxiao for the breakup; she was a very realistic girl, and you couldn't blame others for being realistic. In that era of rampant materialism, pinning one's hopes on feelings over reality was impractical.

*This Dr. Yu is very beautiful, but I am a person from the twenty-first century, and everything about me is a secret. Only those on the top-secret list in Minister Li’s hands can know my true identity. Revealing it to anyone without permission is a crime. My life is in the twenty-first century; this is just a stopover in my life.* Xiao Qiang tried his best to convince himself not to entertain the idea of pursuing Yu Feng.

"Staff Officer Cao, I need to perform your routine check-up for today," Yu Feng said, knocking at the door.

"Come in."

Yu Feng entered the living room. She sat gracefully on the sofa next to Xiao Qiang. Although she didn't realize it herself, to Xiao Qiang, every gesture of this woman was as beautiful as a painting.

Yu Feng said briefly to Xiao Qiang, "I'm going to take your pulse."

As she spoke, Yu Feng placed her slender, translucent fingers on Xiao Qiang’s wrist. Those soft hands! They looked like white porcelain Buddha's hands.

While taking his pulse, Yu Feng asked about Xiao Qiang’s medical history. Her dignified demeanor exuded a sacred aura, making her even more attractive. Xiao Qiang turned his face away, trying his best not to look at Yu Feng, but even so, his heart was pounding, his nostrils flared slightly, and he felt a bit breathless.

Yu Feng didn't notice Xiao Qiang’s abnormality at all. She finished the examination earnestly and informed Xiao Qiang that he would have to undergo such routine check-ups every day. After saying this, she returned to her room.

Back in her own room, Yu Feng found it increasingly difficult to understand. A mere staff officer shouldn't be at a high enough level to be assigned a private physician. At most, there would be a designated personal health doctor, and that kind of doctor would be responsible for multiple leading cadres. Yet, she had been sent by the organization to be responsible for him alone, and his daily physical examination reports had to be archived and submitted weekly. With such a great fuss, what on earth did he actually do?