Chapter 712: Chapter 713: Hard to Decline the Gracious Invitation
Zhao Rui immediately said, "Then thereâs nothing more to discuss, you must take care of it for her. Lin Suâer is our college roommate, and itâs just the three of us who are close. If you donât handle it well, I wonât agree."
Zhou Pingqing said, "Yes, yes, my wife has spoken, so I must do it. But as you know, the current situation in the hospital, I can only say thereâs a chance, but I canât be completely sure."
Lin Suâer quickly said, "Thank you for your kindness, but you really donât need to trouble yourselves, I can find a way on my own."
Zhao Rui immediately turned serious and said, "Suâer, why are you being polite with us? Whatâs our relationship? Youâre new here, unfamiliar with the place. If we donât help you, where else would you go to find a job? Even if you go to a private clinic, not only is it hard, but the pay isnât good either."
Song Qing also chimed in, "Exactly, exactly, youâre facing difficulties now, so we must help you. Once your job is settled, then you can treat us to a good meal."
Seeing their attitude, if Lin Suâer didnât let them help, it would almost seem like she was letting them down. Lin Suâer could only give a wry smile and said, "Donât worry, Iâve already arranged everything about the job, Iâm definitely going to be able to work at the same hospital as you."
"Really?" Both Zhao Rui and Song Qing were wide-eyed in surprise as they looked at Lin Suâer.
Lin Suâer nodded and said, "Of course, why would I lie to you? I should be able to start working the day after tomorrow."
Zhao Rui looked at Lin Suâer doubtfully and said, "Wow, youâre amazing? You must have some strong connections, I remember your family...was it your boyfriend who found the job for you?"
Song Xiaodong interjected, "You all said the hospital has only recently become strict. Suâerâs job was found because she was proactive. She sent her resume to the hospital in advance knowing that she wanted to come here. Since she performed very well at her previous hospital, they directly wanted her without leveraging any connections."
Lin Suâer and Song Xiaodong both didnât like to show off, especially in front of classmates, and she didnât want others to look at her differently, so she just made up that excuse.
Song Qing laughed and said, "Suâer, youâre really lucky. We were worried for nothing earlier. Come on, letâs have a drink to celebrate the three of us working together again."
After eating and drinking for a while, Zhao Rui asked again, "Lin Suâer, where are you living now?"
"We... live in Hedong District."
Song Qing immediately said, "Hedong District? Isnât that in the suburbs? Itâs quite far from the downtown area; youâll have to change buses to get to the hospital."
Zhou Pingqing said, "Why live so far away? Itâs much better to live downtown. I think the rent near the hospital isnât too expensive either; a nicer place is just over three thousand a month, or if you rent something average, it seems like you can get it for around two thousand."
Zhao Rui glanced at Zhou Pingqing and said, "The salaries in our hospital are only about four to five thousand, Lin Suâer just got here, where would she get that much money? Of course, itâs better to save where you can."
Song Qing also glanced at Zhou Pingqing and said, "Do you think everyone is as rich as you? We donât have that much money; saving a little where we can is just natural."
Yang Yong nodded and said, "The rent there is indeed cheaper. The rent in the city is more than double what it is there; spending a bit more time commuting is worth it."
Lin Suâer and Song Xiaodong looked at each other. Lin Suâer had only mentioned it casually, but they had already decided that the two of them were renting there. However, this was also fine. Lin Suâer immediately said with a smile, "Yeah, saving a bit here and there is always good."
Zhou Pingqing shook his head and said, "Itâs not a matter of money. This way, a lot of time is wasted commuting. If you donât live in such a remote place, you can rest more or spend the time on other things, like reading a book or something. I feel that time is still more important."
Song Xiaodong smiled and added, "We feel the environment there is better and quieter, so we chose that place. If Suâer finds it inconvenient for work, we can consider moving downtown later."
That way, it avoided having to discuss the issue further.
Zhou Pingqing said, "By the way, Song Xiaodong, weâve been talking about Lin Suâer this whole time. Where do you work?"
"This..." Song Xiaodong hesitated.
Zhou Pingqing quickly said, "Thereâs nothing to be embarrassed about. We wonât look down on you; after all, weâre all locals, and we still have some connections here. Things like civil service positions, we definitely canât arrange for you, but introducing a job should still be feasible."
Song Xiaodong smiled slightly and said, "I feel my job is okay for now; I donât plan to change it yet. If I decide to look for a new job, I will definitely come to you."
Zhou Pingqing said, "Thatâs not very good of you, being all evasive with us. Whatâs there to hide about your job?"
Song Xiaodong, seeing this persistent attitude from them, although somewhat wanting to show off, mostly meant well, and felt hard to decline outright. He thought for a moment and casually mentioned a small company within the Su Family, saying, "I work at Pengfei Company."
Zhou Pingqing said, "Pengfei Company, thatâs a good place. I even know their CEO. Iâll mention you to him, and later on, maybe he can arrange a better position for you, increasing the chances for promotion and a raise."
Song Xiaodong then felt somewhat embarrassed. He hadnât expected Zhou Pingqing to actually know the company and even the CEO of Pengfei Company. If he really went and talked to them, knowing that he worked there would be awkward. He quickly said, "Thank you for your kindness, Doctor Zhou, but I still hope to advance on my own merits to prove my ability."
Zhou Pingqing frowned and said, "Thatâs the wrong attitude. While ability is important, grabbing opportunities is also crucial. Many times, no matter how hard you try, without the right opportunities, itâs difficult to progress. Weâre not strangers; I would still help you if I can."
Hearing Zhou Pingqingâs somewhat preachy tone, Song Xiaodong could only wryly nod. The goodwill from these people left him somewhat unsure of how to respond.
Zhao Rui, being a keen observer, noticed the awkwardness on Song Xiaodongâs face and thought Zhou Pingqing was harming his pride. She quickly said, "Alright, alright, letâs drink now. This isnât something that needs to be resolved immediately. Letâs talk about it later."