Team Leader Hao from the inspection team was very curious about how Feng City had solved its Willow Catkin problem.

Upon hearing this, Mayor Lin proudly explained in detail to Team Leader Hao and his entourage about Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory purchasing the Willow Catkins and the spectacular sight of citizens spontaneously collecting them.

After listening, it dawned on Team Leader Hao. He remarked with admiration, "So that’s how it is. What a brilliant method. Turning waste into treasure, transforming a nuisance into a benefit, and even boosting the citizens’ income—it kills several birds with one stone. Technology changes lives, and innovation drives development. Feng City has done an outstanding job."

Next, the inspection team conducted random spot checks on Feng City’s civic improvement efforts.

Whether it was the community environment, public facilities, public awareness campaigns, or citizen conduct, Feng City had performed exceptionally well in all areas. Every metric met the standard for a National Civilized City.

The prepared documentation was also comprehensive, leaving the inspection team with nothing to criticize.

That evening, the municipal government held a grand welcome banquet for the inspection team.

At the banquet, a pleased Team Leader Hao remarked, "Mayor Lin, Feng City’s civic improvement work is fundamentally sound. You should have no problem securing the National Civilized City plaque next year."

Mayor Lin was overjoyed. He raised his glass and sincerely thanked the inspection team for their work.

After a busy day, having seen off the inspection team, Mayor Lin dragged his exhausted body home.

He habitually raised a hand to rub his forehead.

However,

the moment he did, he suddenly realized something. Despite being busy all day, he hadn’t experienced that usual splitting headache. There wasn’t the slightest bit of dizziness either. Instead, he felt refreshed and comfortable.

He was astonished. ’Could it be because of the medicine Doctor Li prescribed?’

But he couldn’t be sure.

After all, he had only taken one dose.

’Could it just be a coincidence?’

Mayor Lin kept the matter in mind.

The next morning, when Secretary Wang brought the medicine again, he was filled with anticipation.

The herbal decoction was still bitter, but this time he drank it willingly.

After finishing the medicine, Mayor Lin threw himself back into his busy work.

Another morning passed as he reviewed documents, listened to reports, and handled various affairs.

However, he was stunned to find he was still full of energy and clear-headed. He didn’t feel utterly exhausted as he usually did, needing an hour or two of rest to recover.

His doubts completely vanished, replaced by pleasant surprise and admiration.

When Secretary Wang came to his office to report on work,

Mayor Lin couldn’t suppress his delight. He smiled and said, "Xiao Wang, do you remember how the day before yesterday I said that just three doses of Doctor Li’s medicine probably wouldn’t cure my hypertension?"

Secretary Wang nodded. "Yes, Mayor Lin."

"Well, I take that back now."

Mayor Lin laughed heartily. "Look at me. I’ve been busy all morning, but don’t I seem to be in great spirits? No dizziness, no headache. This medicine from Doctor Li is simply miraculous. Just two doses, and the effect is already so obvious."

Secretary Wang was also happy for the mayor. "That’s wonderful. It means Doctor Li made the right diagnosis. His medical skills are truly brilliant."

"Brilliant doesn’t even begin to cover it. He’s a miracle worker," Mayor Lin said emotionally. "My old problems with dizziness and head pressure could only be temporarily suppressed with blood pressure medication; it never got to the root of it. I never expected that just two doses of Doctor Li’s medicine could bring about such a noticeable change."

「Another day passed.」

After finishing the third dose, Mayor Lin felt like a new man.

The symptoms of dizziness and head pressure had completely disappeared. He was full of energy, and his work efficiency had increased dramatically.

His admiration for Li Xu grew even deeper.

Since Li Xu’s prescription was so effective, he naturally had to make good on his previous promise regarding the promotion of the hemostatic cloth.

"Xiao Wang, go and notify all the major hospitals in the city today."

Mayor Lin said to Secretary Wang, "Have them procure the hemostatic cloth from Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory. Of course, you can’t use a direct administrative order to force them. Hospitals have strict procurement procedures for drugs and medical supplies, and we can’t interfere."

Secretary Wang understood immediately.

As Mayor Lin’s secretary for many years, he was well-versed in the ways of officialdom.

Although he couldn’t give a direct order, there were many workarounds.

Soon, Secretary Wang issued a document in the name of the Municipal Government Office.

The document did not directly mention Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory. Instead, under the theme of "Supporting the development of local enterprises and promoting technological innovation," it required all major hospitals to "give priority to procuring products from local pharmaceutical companies under equal conditions, especially those enterprises that have demonstrated outstanding performance in innovative research and development and social contributions."

The wording of the document was meticulous, and procedurally, it was faultless.

However, as a third-tier city, Feng City had only one pharmaceutical enterprise: Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory.

Although Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory wasn’t named, everyone knew perfectly well who the "local pharmaceutical company" was.

To ensure things were completely foolproof, after the document was issued, Secretary Wang also privately made a few calls to the presidents and heads of procurement at the major hospitals, lavishing praise on Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory, especially its hemostatic cloth.

It was all but an explicit instruction.

The leaders of the major hospitals were all astute individuals; they got the message immediately.

In the current climate, who would dare to ignore a matter that the mayor himself had put in a word for?

Besides, the document was very clear: it was "priority procurement under equal conditions," not "mandatory procurement," making it completely compliant with procedure. Thus, the major hospitals in Feng City all signed procurement contracts for the hemostatic cloth with Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory one after another.

...

「City People’s First Hospital, Department of Cardiac Surgery.」

Dr. Tang Dong had just finished a surgical procedure. He wearily walked out of the operating room and returned to his office to rest.

He took off his mask and was about to drink a glass of water when he saw several logistics staff at his office door, struggling to move boxes of new medical supplies.

He casually asked, "What are you moving there?"

A passing nurse smiled and replied, "Director Tang, this is the new hemostatic cloth the hospital procured. I heard the previous batch was almost used up."

Tang Dong nodded in understanding.

Hemostatic cloth was a common consumable in surgery with high usage, so it was normal to replenish the stock in a timely manner.

But then the nurse added gossipingly, "Director Tang, did you know? A lot of citizens have been collecting Willow Catkins recently. They’re used to produce this hemostatic cloth. Rumor has it the city administration put in a word, telling all the hospitals to procure it."

Upon hearing this, Tang Dong’s brow furrowed instantly.

Anger flushed his face.

He was a renowned expert in cardiac surgery, with a strong reputation both nationally and even internationally.

He held his own surgeries to an extremely high standard and demanded perfection in every consumable he used.

Although hemostatic cloth might seem insignificant, it played a crucial role in surgery.

"Nonsense! This is absolute nonsense!"

Dr. Tang Dong slammed his water glass down on the desk with a THUMP, startling the nurse.