CHAPTER 997: CHAPTER 997: EXPOSED

After saying these words, Bai Xiao prepared to cook dinner; she had some good stuff planned.

"Who here knows how to kill a chicken? We bought a chicken, let’s make chicken stew with mushrooms tonight."

Dean Lu didn’t mention he was more afraid that they would all run away after eating the simple food; it was hard enough bringing people here, and if they couldn’t stay even for two days and got scared away, he’d feel guilty.

"Old Lu, let’s not talk idle words; since we’re here, we’re not staying just a day or two. You can’t treat us with rice every day. Let us be aware of what’s there, we’ve learned about your situation, it’s really tough for you.

Everyone was eagerly holding their bowls.

"Oh, I’ll kill, I’ll kill!"

"Xiaoyu, can you kill a chicken? I bought one today, see if anyone can prepare it, we’ll eat together tonight, don’t eat now, hurry!" Bai Xiao nudged Xiaoyu, the young girl seemingly around twenty was scared witless.

The anxious appearance was heart-wrenching.

Soon, Bai Xiao was already stewing the chicken and mushrooms in the big pot.

He had been telling them that poverty wouldn’t dull their spirit, and yet... his own saliva was stirred into a roar by the rich aroma of chicken soup from the pot.

Never had the villagers had such a notion.

He firmly refused.

Dean Lu was so moved by these words his eyes reddened; these people were truly kind.

Dean Lu hurriedly shook his head; he wished for these doctors to mingle with theirs, to make connections as it could provide these doctors a chance to learn.

Doctor Zhang and the others didn’t dare kill a chicken! But not wanting to fall behind, they quickly followed her to the canteen.

The same canteen as this morning’s meal.

Bai Xiao swiftly uncovered the pot lid, and the contents underneath were brazenly revealed in broad daylight, while Dean Lu secretly lamented they’d started eating ahead to avoid the awkwardness of dining with Doctor Zhang and the others, but they just happened to come now.

They are surgeons, not executioners; there’s a big difference.

Everyone felt indigestion.

"That’s good; Xiaoyu, hurry and kill the chicken! I’ll cook when you return, we’ll eat a bit later. Dean Lu, since everyone is here, let’s have a meeting, get to know each other, and clear up misunderstandings."

Doctor Zhang smiled wryly, "Doctor Bai! Killing a chicken and performing surgery are not the same, don’t mock us. We can operate on rabbits and guinea pigs without blinking, but killing a chicken takes a bit of courage." Killing and killing are indeed different.

This place was deeply memorable for everyone; not only were the conditions rudimentary, but that meal was really indescribable.

This statement truly stumped the three grown men.

The fragrance filled the air.

She muttered, suddenly realizing.

Dean Lu’s honest face was embarrassed, "Doctor Zhang, how could it be? It’s just simple food, it’s our custom here, you’re new, afraid you wouldn’t be used to it."

In this way, we all have our rations, and each month we’re allocated standard grains. From now on, we’ll be responsible for our own meals; you don’t need to make it difficult for yourself. When the food arrives, everyone can eat together; don’t separate into two groups like some underground organization. We can bear hardships like you can; we came to heal and save people, not to enjoy. If we were here for leisure, we’d stay in the city and not come."

Sure enough, Dean Lu disagreed.

Upon entering, before they could speak, they noticed Dean Lu and Xiaoyu, along with a few guys they saw last night, holding bowls and eating around a cast iron pot.

Didn’t they know what backbone was?

"How could I! How could I! But it’s too extravagant, too extravagant!"

They couldn’t even eat a chicken during festivals.

How can you kill a chicken?

Yet he hesitated, "Doctor Zhang, you should still eat your own food; it’s bad to mix ours. Here, we have coarse grains, and yours are fine grains. Mixing them would be taking advantage of you; besides, we have big eaters here. If we eat openly, everyone would be hungry."

He Xin and Bai Xiao laughed mischievously.

"Dean Lu, you’re not being fair here, eating something good and deliberately not letting us see?"

Even now, when Doctor Zhang burped, his throat was filled with a moldy smell that wouldn’t go away.

"Doctor Bai, Doctor Bai, let’s not kill today, we don’t have a fridge here; if we kill the chicken and don’t eat it today, it’ll spoil. We can’t eat with you, it’s not appropriate, there’s no reason for you to be spending your money. This won’t do, this won’t do."

They looked at each other.

This is a special opportunity for us to foster relationships with everyone; you don’t want to isolate us from everyone, right?"

Doctor Zhang asked knowingly, seeing what they were eating, and thinking of the hardships they faced this morning, it suddenly soured his heart, feeling unworthy of their hospitality.

This is to kill a chicken.

Doctor Zhang still took the lead; his age and being a male doctor winning Dean Lu’s favor.

Compared to these potatoes and cornmeal, their moldy rice was already premium stuff.

Dean Lu was already anxious after hearing this.

He urgently stopped them.

"Dean Lu, we definitely have to kill the chicken today, it’s our first day here, and this meal is the first we’ll have together with your hospital colleagues. We’ll be working together for a year.

"You can handle a scalpel, but you’re afraid to kill a chicken!"

They didn’t provide Doctor Zhang with a superior treatment, let alone could they take advantage.

This would be too wasteful and extravagant.

Bai Xiao had no choice but to go find Xiaoyu.

At this moment, the moldy taste in his mouth also became acceptable.

There was still leftover sauerkraut and meat from this morning in the pot.

She glanced at Dean Lu.

Bai Xiao immediately saw it was cornmeal with potatoes; there was some sauerkraut in the pot, but not a hint of oil, and they were about to dig in.

They covered the potatoes and cornmeal on the table with a pot lid.

Even these simple dishes made their eyes light up, which suggested that other days they probably weren’t even sure if their meals could fill their stomachs.

Bai Xiao pushed Xiaoyu out.

Truly embarrassed!

Upon seeing them enter, Dean Lu’s face slightly changed, hurriedly hiding the food behind him, and the others with Xiaoyu scrambled to hide.

Dean Lu watched their pathetic display, feeling quite upset inside.

This isn’t... Ah!

His face flushed.

Xiaoyu and the few guys couldn’t help but swallow, helplessly, as it had been too long since they smelled something with oil.

Zhang Yishan chuckled, "Stop saying that; if you continue, you’re not treating us as your own. Potatoes and corn are abundant here; even if we have fine grains, there’s no place to take them. Besides, if fine grains are exchanged for coarse grains, they can yield quite a bit more, which is more economical."