Chapter Text
“This is it,” Chi Dayong exhaled slowly, muttering to himself as he arrived on the steps of the Yu Qing University Hospital. After completing a prestigious fellowship abroad, he had returned home to take a position on staff in the department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, as well as associate professor in the topic at the affiliated medical school. It was pretty much his dream job, and he felt extremely lucky to have landed it. He’d have to buy Siyang dinner and drinks as a thanks for tipping him off when the position was about to become available (Siyang will, of course, remind him that he earned it on his own merits and hard work, and not to sell himself short).
Dressed in a crisp white shirt and tie, Dayong cut an impressive figure as he strode towards the department’s reception area, and more than a few people turned their heads to see the new face in town. Stopping at the receptionist’s desk, he waited patiently for his turn before introducing himself.
“Good morning, I’m Dr. Chi; I’m joining the department today.” he smiled as he bowed his head politely in deference to what he felt was everyone else’s seniority at the institution. “I am in your capable hands.”
After being shown his office (Dayong couldn’t help but run his fingers on his nameplate on the door, still not quite believing this was all happening), it was time to get his photo ID, head to laundry services to pick up his scrubs (don’t ever let anyone tell you that a doctor’s life is glamorous), then head over to the clinical facilities for a look, and to meet the team. Lastly would come the fun (haha) of getting access to all the different computer systems, swipe cards, and codes. Dayong supposed that would be the last bit of quiet time he’d have before diving right in. He already knew he was expected in the clinic the next day.
One of the things that Dayong really liked about the Yu Qing facilities was the fact that the physiotherapy clinics and gyms were incorporated with the sports medicine clinics. He really believed in a multi-disciplinary approach, and knew that a good physiotherapist could often do more for a patient than a doctor could. He could feel his nerves setting in as he was guided towards the physiotherapy area; he really wanted to make a good first impression. With a deep breath, he allowed himself to slip into his professional persona, and went to introduce himself to the staff.
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If Tang Jiale was honest with himself, he’d tell you that he wasn’t a big fan of change. Once he was comfortable with things, he liked them to stay the way they were. He had worked hard to build the physiotherapy department here at Yu Qing University Hospital into the team they had today. He loved the people he worked with, and he loved helping patients get healthy and active again. So excuse him for not being super thrilled about the fact that a new doctor was showing up today. Everyone had been gossiping already about this hot-shot new staff who was coming back from some fancy shmancy stint in Germany. A new doctor that would need to be taught how things worked at Yu Qing. A new doctor who would once again think they knew better than the physio team and talk down to them all. Jiale had no idea who this new guy was, but he was gonna show him who was boss around here.
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Underwhelming. That was perhaps the best way for Jiale to describe the new doctor. What was his name again? Oh right. Dr. Chi. Chi Dayong. Not that there was anything wrong with the guy, but he was just so...boring. He was polite, soft spoken, and didn't have much to say. In fact, he seemed more interested in listening to Jiale talk about the team, about the facilities, and about patients coming in. At least that was something nice Jiale could say about the new doctor - he was an exceptional listener. You could definitely tell he was paying attention to you with the way his eyes would focus on your face. It was a refreshing change from the smug jerks with superiority complexes that would try to impress you with their credentials. Chi Dayong hadn’t mentioned Germany once in their entire conversation, and Jiale almost couldn’t believe that this plain, nondescript guy could have done something so cool as live and work in a foreign country.
After a good half hour of meeting the team and inspecting the equipment, it was time for Chi Dayong to head back to whatever it was big shot doctors were supposed to do (Dayong assured Jiale it was nothing exciting, all while Jiale laughed at the dorky photo on Dayong’s hospital badge). Jiale grinned and held his hand out for a handshake.
“Looking forward to working with you, partner. Anything you need to know, just ask me.”
Chi Dayong paused for a moment before shaking the proffered hand and smiling back, a warm and gentle smile that Jiale wasn’t really expecting.
“Thanks, Teacher Tang. I’m counting on you to show me the ropes.”
Jiale made a face at Dayong’s playful remark.
“Don’t make me sound boring and responsible. That’s your job!”
While someone else might have found that comment to be disrespectful, Dayong simply laughed and gave Jiale a mock salute.
“See you later, partner.”
As Jiale watched Chi Dayong’s retreating back, he had to admit that a little change once in a while was probably a good thing.
TBC