The Enhanced Doctor

This day off was taken by Liu Banxia at the last minute. Generally speaking, he could have kept resting, but now that he was the chief resident, even if you let him rest, he wouldn't be completely at ease.

Today, Liu Banxia had meticulously prepared for picking them up. Besides him, Qiaoqiao, Liang Xiaolin, and Qing Kewa were also coming.

If a car was needed, he could only think of Qiaoqiao. The alternative was Qiu Huaili, but asking him would cause too much of a fuss; Qiu Huaili would definitely insist on arranging a meal or something.

Qiaoqiao was different. She was a genuine good friend, and her family had two cars, so bringing them over would be no problem at all.

And Liang Xiaolin's task? They had to go to Binhai Medical College for registration, and Liu Banxia wasn't familiar with the place. Liang Xiaolin was the local expert.

As for Qing Kewa, she was just tagging along. She found the whole thing amusing and insisted on joining the fun.

"Why do you keep looking at me?" Qiaoqiao asked, taking off her glasses and staring at Liu Banxia while they waited at the station exit.

"Are you nearsighted? Also, I've been meaning to ask since this morning, don't you feel awkward in that outfit?" Liu Banxia asked.

He had indeed been wondering for a while. Previously, Qiaoqiao always dressed however she pleased—youthful, fashionable, and full of vitality.

Today, however, she was dressed very formally in a vest and tailored trousers, looking quite demure.

"Yanzi recommended this. The glasses are non-prescription, too. I said I wouldn't wear this stuff, but she insisted," Qiaoqiao said dejectedly.

Liu Banxia chuckled. "Alright, just take off the glasses then. Are you really treating this like meeting the in-laws? Look how casually the other two are dressed."

Hearing Liu Banxia say this, Qiaoqiao felt even more dismayed; this outfit truly felt awkward.

"You two will have a busy day. When we get to the restaurant, order whatever you like; it's on me," Liu Banxia said, turning to Liang Xiaolin and Qing Kewa.

"Tsk, talk is cheap," Liang Xiaolin retorted, curling her lip. "We're going to Jinbao for dinner. Is Qiaoqiao going to charge you extra or something? If you're really that generous, treat us to foot-long lobsters and crabs as big as washbasins."

"Hey now, don't you dare challenge me! Qiaoqiao, find some time and arrange it," Liu Banxia declared with a magnanimous wave of his hand.

"Why don't you buy it yourself?" Qiaoqiao asked curiously.

"Because I don't even know where they sell them," Liu Banxia's bravado instantly deflated.

"Actually, it's all the same. Lobsters from cold waters are delicious, regardless of size. I think there are some in the kitchen; we can make that a dish today," Qiaoqiao said after a moment's thought.

Liang Xiaolin, listening nearby, felt rather exasperated. Liu Banxia and Qiaoqiao's minds definitely work differently from normal people. Anyone could tell I was just kidding, right? And yet, those two actually took it seriously.

"You should all come to Russia with me. My family's ships can go fishing. Whether it's caviar, king crab, or lobster, we have tons," Qing Kewa interjected unexpectedly.

"Your family is in that line of business too?" Liu Banxia asked, intrigued.

Qing Kewa nodded matter-of-factly. "Otherwise, what would those ships be for? Some are for transport, and some, naturally, are for fishing."

Liu Banxia and the others were speechless. They had heard Qing Kewa mention her family before, but she always spoke briefly, and they hadn't paid much attention.

It seemed this girl wasn't just rich; she was much more than that. The scale of this shipping company couldn't be small, and it was just one of her family's businesses.

In any case, Liu Banxia felt Qing Kewa's family fortune might even surpass Qiu Huaili's. If they were involved in ocean shipping, just imagine the cost of a single vessel.

As they were chatting animatedly, passengers began to emerge from the station exit. Liu Banxia focused all his attention on the crowd, but even with his sharp eyesight, it was hard to pick anyone out from so many people.

After about twenty minutes, Liu Banxia finally spotted his father, mother, Grand-uncle, and young Third Aunt emerging. They were quite composed, not rushing like the other passengers.

When Liu Qingdong and Peng Xiuqin saw Liu Banxia jumping and waving, they were taken aback. In their memory, their son had never dressed so smartly.

But it had been a long time since they last saw their son, and they truly missed him. Seeing him occasionally on video was completely different from seeing him in person.

"Dad, Mom, let me introduce you. These three are my friends: Qiaoqiao, Liang Xiaolin, and Qing Kewa. The cars today are borrowed from Qiaoqiao. Later, Liang Xiaolin will take Third Aunt to register," Liu Banxia explained once they met up.

"Hello, Uncle. Hello, Auntie," the three young women greeted in unison.

This made Peng Xiuqin a bit flustered. "Hello, hello. We've troubled you all so much."

"Yes, indeed. To bother so many people for Xiuzhi's sake," Liu Banxia's grand-uncle, Peng Zhanyou, quickly added.

No one had expected Liu Banxia to make such a grand display—not only coming himself but also bringing three people, one of whom was a foreign friend.

Peng Zhanyou felt it was too much trouble, too much of an imposition.

Liu Banxia didn't mind at all. He directly picked up his young Third Aunt Peng Xiuzhi's suitcase. "Putting aside our family ties, even if someone else from town had asked my dad, I'd still have to handle it properly."

"Let's go to the college for registration first. After that, we'll have lunch, and then we can buy some daily necessities. Dad, Mom, you two should stay here for a few more days."

"Alright, we'll stay a few more days," Peng Xiuqin agreed readily.

The situation had changed. She had to carefully evaluate these three girls and see which one could become her daughter-in-law. They were all good; that foreign girl, Qing Kewa, was nice too.

When they reached the parking lot and saw the two cars, even though they didn't recognize the makes, they knew the vehicles must have cost a fortune.

"Qiaoqiao really went all out today, providing the cars and booking lunch at her family's restaurant," Liu Banxia praised.

"It's nothing, really, it's nothing," Qiaoqiao stammered nervously as everyone looked at her.

Liu Banxia was puzzled. What was wrong with the usually fearless girl today? Why was she so nervous? Was she shy around strangers? Even Liang Xiaolin wasn't shy.

As for Qing Kewa? No need to even consider it. Liu Banxia had never seen her nervous. She was always incredibly composed, never fazed.

"Banxia, you're truly impressive now," Peng Zhanyou praised him on the way to Binhai Medical College.

"Grand-uncle, please don't praise me. The cars are borrowed. It'll only be truly commendable when I can buy my own. By the way, what major did Third Aunt choose?" Liu Banxia said with a smile.

"Dentistry. If it's hard to find a job in the future, she can just open her own clinic back home," Peng Zhanyou replied.

"I'd say she should be determined from the start. Nowadays, working for yourself is better than anything," Liu Banxia stated.

"Plus, working for yourself is more flexible. As long as she studies hard, earning around 300,000 a year in our city isn't a problem. The key is that it's not too tiring, and it won't interfere with family matters."

"Banxia, can one really earn that much?" Peng Zhanyou asked in surprise.

"That's just the current market rate. Who knows how much Third Aunt will earn after she graduates," Liu Banxia said with a smile.

"Nowadays, people focus on their quality of life. If they have a dental problem and can afford it, they'll get it treated. For things like extractions or implants, the old idea that it costs only a hundred or two is wrong. It's at least one or two thousand, and with good materials, it can easily be tens of thousands."

"But you absolutely must be skilled; a good reputation is crucial. The Dentistry department at Binhai Medical College is well-known nationally, so there's no need to worry about her future."

"Actually, I was afraid I wouldn't be good at surgery, so I chose Dentistry," Peng Xiuzhi said, a bit sheepishly.

"It's true, the pressure during surgery is quite high. Some people adapt well, others don't. On the operating table, hesitation is the most dangerous thing," Liu Banxia stated.

"Banxia, what kinds of surgeries can you perform now?" Peng Zhanyou asked curiously.

"I've just officially finished my training. I can do common surgeries like appendectomies, gallbladder removals, standard gastrointestinal procedures, and also liver tumor resections," Liu Banxia replied.

"I'm in general surgery, so the procedures I do are mostly within the abdomen. The heart and lungs are handled by cardiothoracic surgeons. By the way, Third Aunt and I are sort of alumni now; I'm also currently a postgraduate student at Binhai Medical College."

"How come we didn't know about that?" Liu Qingdong asked, startled.

"Mine is a part-time postgraduate program for working professionals; it's different from full-time postgraduate studies. Plus, I've been quite busy lately, so I didn't get around to telling you," Liu Banxia said with a laugh.

Liu Qingdong and Peng Xiuqin were both thrilled. They hadn't realized it before, but now that Liu Banxia was truly starting his career, they understood just how important education was.

For doctors, a bachelor's degree really isn't enough. Even in a county-level city, it's difficult to get into a good hospital with only an undergraduate degree. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been scammed out of money back then, with his job prospects uncertain.

Now, regardless of whether Liu Banxia was a part-time or full-time student, he was pursuing postgraduate studies. That alone made him the most educated person in their branch of the Old Liu family in town.

Not to mention, Liu Banxia was working at a major hospital in Binhai City. When Liu Qingdong first heard this news, he had an extra couple of drinks to celebrate.

Their son was truly successful now, with a good job and good friends. Even though the fancy cars were borrowed, being able to borrow them was a testament to his capability.

"Third Aunt, add me on WeChat later. If you need anything, just message me directly," Liu Banxia continued.

"Do you think everyone was as mischievous as you were in school? Xiuzhi got the best exam scores in our town this year!" Peng Xiuqin retorted.

"Of course! Dentistry is a top major at the medical college; you need real skill to get in," Liu Banxia said with a smile.

These words were very well received, making Peng Zhanyou beam with joy. Initially, seeing the grand arrangements Liu Banxia had made, he had felt a little out of his depth.