Su Yun and Zheng Ren got into Manager Feng’s car. It was the only logical arrangement as there were too many of them to fit in one.
The Mercedes-Benz S600 left the premises as silent as it had arrived. Fang Lin took his phone out to hire another vehicle.
“Hey Fang Lin, did that really just happen?”
“Yeah. That was quite a show.” He ordered a car and locked his phone.
“Sea City is just a third-tier city. How did they get noticed by someone of this caliber?”
“Well, that’s not the only factor. Brother Yun, for example; the man doesn’t want to be a doctor, but if he did, he would be performing the elephant trunk surgery today. And between Brother Yun and Brother Zhao, I have more confidence in Brother Yun as the lead surgeon,” Fang Lin said with a cackle.
No one could argue with Fang Lin’s vote of confidence.
Who was this man that Su Yun called brother?
To make a company’s sales manager wait at the counter as they wined and dined, just to pay the bill and drive them back to the hospital.
The man must have some leverage over the company.
“Though I still don’t agree with the research center’s focus.”
“This problem couldn’t be solved by even the big shots, it’s unlikely he can do any better. However, it is a great opportunity to rub elbows with people.”
“He’s lucky to be from general surgery… Wait a minute, the current research topic has nothing to do with general surgery…”
At that point, the same question ran through everyone’s minds. Why had an emergency chief resident doctor specializing in general surgery been invited to a prostatic artery embolization research conference?
What was his deal?
It was preposterous.
…
…
Feng Xuhui sent Zheng Ren and Su Yun back to the reception area.
They exchanged farewells before the two men made their way upstairs. Feng Xuhui exhaled as he watched the two retreating silhouettes.
It was early winter season. The temperature in Imperial Capital was not as low as that of Sea City, but it was still cold.
Feng Xuhui did not leave immediately. He pulled his coat tight and went out for a smoke.
As he took a drag, he recalled his day. Had there been any actions or words of his that could have left a negative impression on Chief Zheng?
He replayed all of their interactions in his mind. He only relaxed once he was certain his performance today had been perfect.
As he let his guard down, the chairman’s deep voice boomed in his head. Words from a few hours ago echoed within Feng Xuhui’s mind.
“Manager Feng, Biosensors International is breaking into China’s market. Our company is at a turning point and a breakout in your field will play a critical role in ensuring our survival. The company will fully support you; let us know if you have any requests. Failure is not acceptable in this project!”
Out of the blue, Feng Xuhui had become an employee of interest in Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery.
Survival… full support… failure unacceptable…
These high expectations weighed heavy on Feng Xuhui’s shoulders. After all, he was but a recent hire.
Feng Xuhui worried about the company’s decision to place all their chips on a 30-year-old doctor. Were they drowning and clutching at straws?
He understood the chairman’s worries.
Biosensors International was a multinational healthcare company based in Singapore. They were a huge corporation with annual sales ranking fourth globally.
The company’s main focus was in Europe and America, but there were plans to expand into China.
Biosensors International had recently developed a new cardiovascular membrane stent that was to be their cash cow, but the same technology had also been pioneered by Boston Technologies.
The research and development of the stent technology had exhausted Biosensors International’s financial reserves. Hence, they were looking to capitalize on the Chinese market due as it had less competition.
Feng Xuhui did not know why Biosensors International had neglected China previously, but as multinational corporations entered the local market, it never bade well for smaller companies.
It was no small feat that Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery stood where it did now.
Biosensors International debuting in the Chinese market would threaten their business.
Feng Xuhui understood the gravity of the situation. Facing a behemoth, the chairman’s worries were fully justified. The company’s survival was at stake.
It was not easy to manage a company that solely catered to the domestic market.
There had been limited advancement in their materials research and development which made them less competitive when it came to quality. They could only lower their profit margins in hopes to retain their clients.
However, in interventional-radiology assisted surgery, materials played an important role. There was no doubt a multinational healthcare company would have better products that offered premium user experiences.
A smoother user experience often meant shorter surgery times. Rates of success would naturally increase with a reduction in radiation exposure during the procedure.
This mission of his… It was more difficult than scaling the steps to Heaven.
In his previous job with Great China Company, he was in charge of sales of electronic switching systems. The commission for a successful sale was high and there was also an ongoing maintenance contract with the company, which meant that it was easier to achieve a high volume of sales.
Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery lacked the in-depth knowledge and expertise to attract more clients. These doctors were sacrificing their lives to perform surgeries.
What a headache… Feng Xuhui finished his second cigarette. He put it out and let out a foggy breath into the winter air.
The only way was forward.
Planning was man’s due, the outcome was God’s.
Materials… Materials… The word echoed in his heart.
Feng Xuhui stood, throwing the butt into a nearby bin, dusting his pants and driving away.
He should get some rest. He had to get breakfast for his guests tomorrow morning.
‘What does Chief Zheng like to eat? Dumplings or soy milk with fried bread sticks?’
The soy milk in Imperial Capital could be too different for Chief Zheng’s taste.
…
In the headquarters of Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery in Shenzhen City, bright lights illuminated the building proper.
The chairman was still in a meeting despite the descending darkness outside.
The bittersweet smell of coffee permeated the meeting room. The expressions of the meeting participants were dull and weary; they looked nothing like the commonly-accepted exuberant, high-flying and white-collar image of workers in big cities.
“Finance can allocate some resources to Imperial Capital but I don’t think Manager Feng from the northeast district would make a huge difference,” an overweight middle-aged man said. “In my opinion, we have to invite Wu Haishi for a joint research venture to see results.”
“Materials R&D?” the chairman asked from the end of the table with folded arms.
“There has yet to be a breakthrough, sir.” The head of the materials research department was the most awkward person in all these meetings.
The research into new materials had been unfruitful to date. This not only limited the growth of Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery, it also placed them at risk of bankruptcy.
“Speed it up.” A deep frown marred the chairman’s forehead. “Any news on Biosensors International?”
“Yes,” a sharp-looking woman said. She waved for her assistant to bring over a freshly-printed document.
“We just got news that Biosensors are running a similar trial procedure in Sorcery Capital. They are ramping up production of the new model of guide wires and catheters. I give them another week before they hit a milestone.”
Bad news was coming, one after another.
