Chapter 1008: [1008] The sorry state of the senior apprentice brother

“I’ve just arrived, Teacher,” Xie Wanying found it hard to say that she had been so engrossed in watching Teacher Lu instruct students.

“I know, you’re always so modest. Everyone else hasn’t arrived, only you did. You’re afraid to stand out if you say so, aren’t you?” Teacher Lu chuckled, pointed at her, then picked up her phone, and began to criticize her group of lazy seniors, “Those guys are unbelievable, claiming to be your teacher and your senior. What day is today? A big day, a day to set an example in front of colleagues nationwide, and yet they all lie in bed oversleeping. Had I known, I would have set an alarm for them.”

Xie Wanying originally wanted to say something in defense of her seniors, asserting that it was impossible for everyone to be late today. But then she thought about how early Teacher Lu had come, and feared that Teacher Lu would be even angrier if she spoke.

This is not about being late or not, it’s about how seriously they take things.

“Maybe the seniors had work to do last night and went to bed late,” Xie Wanying searched for an excuse, trying to imply that the seniors surely didn’t take this lightly, “We’ve had many meetings in the department.”

“Meetings, babbling away, a bunch of people spitting saliva indoors, don’t think I don’t know. Only those lacking confidence need to hold frequent meetings for discussion,” Teacher Lu, with her usual stern demeanor, was not indulging anyone in making excuses for doing wrong.

Hearing this, Xie Wanying dared not speak anymore, afraid that the more she spoke, the more trouble she’d cause for the seniors.

Zhang Shuping also fell silent, knowing well his grandmother’s style.

Ring, ring, ring, a phone blared in the hospital corridor. Someone hurriedly pulled a phone out of their pocket.

“Are you at home?” Teacher Lu asked the person on the other end of the phone.

“No, Teacher, I am at the hospital.”

“How come I haven’t seen you if you’re at the hospital?”

“Teacher, you—” Tao Zhijie, with his phone pressed to his ear, overheard something amiss and abruptly halted before the door of the doctor’s office. He had originally planned to go straight to his own office.

No doubt, the unexpected appearance before him practically made him lose his balance as he braked, and he steadied himself with a hand on the doorframe.

This was the first time Xie Wanying saw Senior Tao in such a disheveled state, and it was quite an eye-opener.

“Teacher Lu, why are you—” Tao Zhijie’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Teacher Lu, seemingly at a loss for how to begin speaking to her.

” wondering why I am here?” Teacher Lu finished his sentence for him, pointing to her grandson beside her, “I specifically brought a medical student today to observe and learn. I told him last night that today’s surgery is very important, that the doctors probably won’t sleep well tonight, and that they have to come to the ward to check on patients at five in the morning. I brought him over at six, and none of you were here.”

Tao Zhijie: …

“She’s the only one here,” Teacher Lu pointed at Xie Wanying again, “You’ve become slick, none as active as this student here. Think back to how you were before.”

The teacher was reminiscing about their days as proactive medical students and comparing it to their present condition.

“Teacher,” Tao Zhijie found his voice again, saying, “I admit that I failed this pop quiz.”

“When you’re not speaking, that’s fine, but when you do, it’s all smooth talk,” Teacher Lu wasn’t very satisfied with his sincerity in apologizing.

Tao Zhijie’s eyes curved into a smile, and he put away his phone and went into the office.