However, in the operating room, Eric Bennett's mask and glasses covered his face too well, and he refused to face him directly. He originally didn't want to keep tangling with Eric Bennett over this matter, but after working for half a day, he still couldn't get it out of his mind.

Dr. Sullivan was especially worried he'd have insomnia tonight, so he decided to just go all in and take a good look at whether Eric Bennett really had that mole.

In the end, risking almost getting his face ruined, he finally saw Eric Bennett's dazzling tear mole when Eric Bennett couldn't help but raise a hand to hit him.

"Damn, why are they fighting again!"

"Brother Bennett, are you okay?"

A few doctors were disturbed by the commotion and pushed the door open to come in. Sure enough, it was Dr. Bennett and Dr. Sullivan again.

The disciples of the two team leaders each stood behind their own mentor, backing them up. The atmosphere was tense, and war was about to break out.

Eric Bennett glared fiercely at Brian Sullivan, but in the end didn't make a move. "This is a hospital, I'm not fighting you here. When we're off on Saturday, let's go to the boxing gym. Whoever doesn't show up is a coward."

With that, he picked up his lunchbox and tossed it into the trash, striding away. Behind him, Brian Sullivan clicked his tongue and couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire, "Are you suffering from kidney deficiency, or did you stay up all night watching porn and overindulging? Your complexion is terrible."

With a face as dark as thunderclouds, Eric Bennett stopped in his tracks. The words "I think the one who overindulged last night was you" were swallowed back down. Suddenly, he belatedly realized something.

Brian Sullivan was acting as if he'd forgotten what happened last night.

Dr. Bennett, while reversing his car, thought coldly: Good, let him forget, forget it all.

Saves me from having to silence him.

The road home was terribly congested. As a city packed with office workers and laborers, A City's evening rush hour was famous for a reason—it could last from the first lights of evening all the way until the moon was high in the sky.

Eric Bennett was stuck in the middle of the road, unable to move forward or back, feeling as if the whole world was against him.

It's fine, Eric Bennett told himself, so what if he slept with Brian Sullivan? Just treat it as being bitten by a dog. You can't stoop to a dog's level.

After repeatedly trying to convince himself, Eric Bennett gave up struggling. Fine, he admitted, the dog bite hurt a bit, and for now, he really couldn't help stooping to Brian Sullivan's level.

Listlessly, he glanced out the car window and suddenly noticed that right next to him was that idiotic "Hell Bar" from yesterday. It was daytime now, and without the blinding lights, its sign wasn't so eye-catching.

But at this moment, a group of police officers was gathered at the entrance of "Hell Bar," whispering among themselves. Since he was stuck anyway, Eric Bennett rolled down his window and asked, "Officer, what's going on here?"

A righteous-looking police officer replied sternly, "This bar is suspected of selling fake alcohol. We're currently counting the victims."

"..." Eric Bennett: "How many years will the owner get?"

"Hard to say. The situation is pretty bad. Conservatively, at least ten years."

Good, very good. Eric Bennett thought, hope he never gets out in this lifetime.

Expressionless, he withdrew his gaze. After a moment, he slammed his head down on the steering wheel.

Fake alcohol ruins lives.

Chapter 6: Dinner Gathering

====================

Two months later.

The last slide was showing on the conference room's big screen. Brian Sullivan held a laser pointer and smiled, "That's the end of my report. Any questions?"

Director Carter gave a few comments, then said to the other attendees, "This series on post-cesarean section uterine pseudoaneurysm was very well presented by Brian Sullivan. If anyone has anything to say, feel free."

Almost tacitly, everyone's gaze converged on the figure sitting at the very front.

"Why are you all looking at me?"

Sensing the stares from all directions, Eric Bennett looked up in confusion, completely unaware of how much trauma his and Brian Sullivan's history had left on their colleagues.

"Dr. Bennett, don't you... have anything to say?" The attending physician next to Eric Bennett nudged him, hesitating.

Every time Brian Sullivan or Eric Bennett gave a report, the two of them would always dissect each other's presentations with a barrage of questions. If you didn't have a thorough grasp of the cases or literature, you couldn't withstand the other's onslaught.

So everyone had assumed today would be another long meeting.

But Eric Bennett just spun his pen, then said to Brian Sullivan, "Last Thursday, C City reported a case of pseudoaneurysm after cesarean section in a double uterus and double vagina patient. You can add that."

With that, he closed his notebook and clipped the pen onto it, clearly done talking.

Even Brian Sullivan on stage was puzzled.

Director Carter glanced at Eric Bennett, then said, "That's it for today's meeting. One more thing—everyone's been paying attention to the academic exchange conference in H Province." Her gaze shifted back and forth between Eric Bennett and Brian Sullivan, finally settling on Brian Sullivan. "Fang Yu, prepare well and bring a few people to go with me."

When the meeting ended, Director Carter was, as always, the first to leave. As soon as she was gone, the conference room instantly became lively.

The conference Director Carter mentioned was considered the top academic exchange in obstetrics and gynecology. Experts from all over the world would attend. This year, H Province was the host, and A Medical University had also received an invitation to present.

"You and Dr. Bennett have been competing for this conference for a long time, right? I remember you both applied to the director to go two months ago."