The Surgeon's Studio

by Stayrr

“Primum non nocere.” First, do no harm. – Hippocrates Zheng Ren—an ordinary general surgeon in a cruel medical world whose efforts went unnoticed. His struggles are real…until he is blessed with a system and gifted with skills that exceeded even the best surgeons in the world. Alone in the world with no one to depend on, Zheng Ren uses his exceptional gift to challenge the skeptici

12. 353

The Surgeon's Studio #Chapter 353: A Surgery So Successful That Sends Chills Down The Spine - Read The Surgeon's Studio Chapter 353: A Surgery So Successful That Sends Chills Down The Spine Online - All Page - Novel Next

Chapter 353: A Surgery So Successful That Sends Chills Down The Spine

Professor Tian had a great technique.

He made a skin incision, exposing the spinous process and lamina. The 2 lower vertebrae from the pathological vertebra were also fully visible.

In order to better expose the incision, he should cut both sides of the sacrospinalis adjacent to the pathological vertebra and separate them by proximal and distal retraction.

Under normal circumstances, the patient should have around 200 mL of bleeding.

The reason was that the surgeon would breach the periosteum in the process of exposing the spinous process and lamina.

However, the surgery today went surprisingly well.

The bleeding was maintained below 50 mL, the entire surgical field was exceptionally clean.

Professor Tian was very satisfied with his own technique. He felt that today's surgery would be smooth sailing, the bleeding volume might be capped under 3 liters.

The following steps would cause the bleeding to be heavier. Professor Tian's movements became slower and gentler. He carefully checked each procedure to prevent accidental hemorrhage.

He started to gouge out the spinous process and lamina that got invaded by the tumor with a rongeur.

"Crack," a small piece of bone was removed.

The lamellae were not as compact due to the tumor infiltration, producing a cracking sound like a defeated army.

Even though it was brittle, the tumor angiogenesis allowed the lamellae to receive sufficient blood supply, which would also lead to a sudden increase in bleeding.

The patient would usually bleed profusely starting from this step.

After removing a piece of the lamina, Professor Tian covered it with a dry gauze out of habit.

Strange...

Professor Tian noticed that it took a full 10 seconds for the dry gauze to be soaked in blood.

Professor Tian was skillful, but he was not as good as the Legend level. Nevertheless, he could be considered to be an orthopedic professor with a higher Master level, approaching the Grandmaster level.

He had an in-depth understanding of vertebral resection surgery.

It was still plausible to account for the minimal bleeding prior to this step to his excellent dissection skills.

However, it was not possible to have such a low amount of bleeding after removing the lamina with a rongeur.

Normally, the surgery would be continued in a pool of blood from this step onwards.

This was beyond what the aspirator could manage.

Moreover, the bleeding would cloud the surgical field and the vicious cycle continues.

Fresh frozen red blood cells had been prepared, awaiting Professor Tian's orders to start the transfusion.

This was weird. Could it be a rare tumor? Insufficient blood supply maybe?

That would not be the case either. Professor Tian could not fathom the situation in front of his eyes.

Even if there was insufficient blood supply to the tumor, the lamina should have a rich supply of blood vessels. It would never take 10 seconds to soak the gauze entirely in blood.

"Professor Tian?" Dr. Zhou noticed Professor Tian drifted away, not knowing what happened, he called him softly.

Professor Tian came to his senses from his endless speculations. He set himself on his feet and proceeded with the surgery.

He continued to chip the lamina off to expose the spinal nerve roots.

The tumor invaded the spinal canal. The dura mater was bulging without a pulse, epidural fat was absent, and the dural sac was distorted and compressed.

Professor Tian did not continue covering the gouged lamina with dry gauze because he wanted to see the extent of the bleeding.

As expected, there was very little blood, only a few millimeters.

It must be the interventional surgery!

Professor Tian quickly identified the reason behind it, but he could not accept the truth.

As a spine surgery specialist and a professor in Imperial Capital, he frequently collaborated with interventional doctors to perform a vertebral resection surgery.

Had he encountered a surgery with such minimal bleeding?

None, not even once.

With the support of interventional surgery, they were able to reduce a certain amount of bleeding. It could be related to the surgeon's technique, but not that much.

How difficult could a lumbar artery embolization be?

If there were no available interventional doctors, Professor Tian could just put on the lead apron and perform the lumbar artery embolization surgery himself.

However, no matter who did the surgery, they could only reduce the bleeding from 5 liters to 2-3 liters.

Professor Tian had never seen a volume lower than that.

Was there a better doctor in Sea City than Imperial Capital?

Impossible, definitely impossible.

Professor Tian's mind was wondering about all these things but his hands continued working.

After performing the same surgery for so many times, he could do it even with his eyes closed. At least he would not need to repeatedly recall the topographic anatomy during his first surgery.

He used the nerve dissector to search for the nerve roots from both sides of the dural sac for protection.

After that, Professor Tian started to dissect the tumor, dura mater, and lateral nerve roots. He then removed the tumor together with the surrounding vertebral arch, superior and inferior articular processes.

This particular step was the reason they performed the lumbar artery embolization prior to the vertebral resection surgery.

Life-threatening hemorrhage would occur without the embolizations.

What life-threatening hemorrhage meant?

Bleeding of unnoticeable tiny blood vessels that would drown the surgical field in red, making it impossible to find the ruptured vessel, not to mention continuing with the vertebral resection surgery.

It was good that there was no life-threatening hemorrhage.

Not only there was no life-threatening hemorrhage, there was no bleeding at all!

Of course, to say that there was no bleeding at all would be an exaggeration.

Nonetheless, the uncovered aspirator Dr. Zhou was holding was able to suction the blood cleanly, providing a great exposure of the surgical field. The exposure was so clear that Professor Tian was a little flustered.

This was not the vertebral resection surgery that he was familiar with...

Did he do something wrong?

He stopped and retraced the entire surgical procedure. There was nothing wrong!

He stared at the surgical field, the anatomical structures were so clear that they could be reference pictures in textbooks.

What the hell was going on?

Who knew that surgery this successful would be a problem.

Professor Tian was quite worried. He had never seen a surgical in such a condition since he first started out on vertebral resection surgery.

If he was in Imperial Capital, he would have asked a few of his colleagues or even his mentor to observe the surgery and check for mistakes.

But this was Sea City.

He had no choice but to continue.

The exposure and resection of the lumbar transverse process were carried out smoothly. There was still very little bleeding. Usually, it would take 30 minutes to reach this step and the bleeding volume would be around 500 mL.

This was from Professor Tian's experience.

However, in this freaking surgery, it only took him 15 minutes with 30 to 50 mL of blood loss to complete this step.

After that, Professor Tian began to expose the anterolateral vertebra. The vertebra that was invaded by the tumor was moderately enlarged, but the tumor boundary was very distinctive. It could be removed by gently peeling the surrounding tissues.

Normally, this step would bleed around 200 to 300 mL of blood and time of...

Oddly, the surgery was still smooth sailing, with only 10 percent of the usual blood loss. Judging from Dr. Zhou's aspirator, it would be safe to say that there was 20 to 30 mL of blood loss.

After Professor Tian dissected from the diseased vertebra all the way until the anterior longitudinal ligament and let Dr. Zhou retract the surrounding tissues with the Hohman retractor, the anterolateral pathway of the vertebra could be seen.

The surgery was... too successful. It went so smoothly that it made people anxious and fearful.

Was this a vertebral resection surgery?

How could the patient bleed so little? How could the surgery be this successful?

...Freaking hell!

Chapter 354: The Truth

Professor Tian closed his eyes to make sure that he is not dreaming.

These things would only happen in dreams, did he think wrongly?

Dr. Zhou was happily suctioning the blood.

He thought that Professor Tian's skills had improved significantly. All of the vertebral resection surgeries that he had participated in were all performed with massive blood loss. They would have gone through 5 units of red blood cells at this stage of surgery.

Yet, the surgery today was so clean.

Usually, suction was crucial in this step. Before the surgery, Dr. Zhou was very nervous about this. If he screwed up the suction, the professor would skin him alive.

To his surprise, the surgery today turned out to be so successful!

The weather was good, he was in a good mood, Professor Tian's skills were great!

Out of a sudden, the surgery was halted abruptly. Dr. Zhou and the scrub nurse were a little confused. She asked, "Professor Tian, are you feeling okay?"

Professor Tian was retracing the entire surgery from the very beginning, replaying in his mind scene by scene. He completely ignored the scrub nurse's concern.

Dr. Zhou and the scrub nurse were stunned.

The surgery was very successful. Why did Professor Tian close his eyes repeatedly? Was he gathering energy to break another record?

If so, let him be as the patient did not bleed much. Right then... Dr. Zhou noticed that only 40 minutes had passed since the surgery started.

Under usual circumstances, it would take at least 2 hours.

Most of the time would be spent on the search for bleeding sources.

A few minutes later, Professor Tian opened his eyes slowly.

"Rongeur," he said softly.

The scrub nurse placed a rongeur onto his hand.

Professor Tian calmly suppressed his emotions and used the sharp-edged tip to remove the tumor tissues on the vertebra. He kept the posterior part of the vertebra as a landmark to avoid damaging the spinal cord or nerve roots.

This surgery was executed so perfectly that it was textbook-worthy.

However, Professor Tian was aware that this was not because of his extraordinary skills, it was because the surgical field was extremely clean.

He resected the tumor on the vertebra carefully to protect the healthy tissues from implantation metastasis.

He gently separated the adhesions and used the dissector to push the posterior part of the vertebra forward until it collapsed. The purpose of this was to remove the tumor completely without risk damaging the spinal cord.

There were no signs of tumor infiltration in the adjacent vertebral disc. However, Professor Tian also resected the bone right up to the cartilaginous endplate and removed everything between the superior and inferior endplates to provide a secured bone graft bed.

This procedure should lose around 1 liter of blood but... there was only 100 to 150 mL of blood up until this stage.

Professor Tian was keeping track mentally, but he was already numb to the situation.

This was one freaky surgery!

Other than his skills, was the patient extremely lucky? What other possible reasons could there be?

The interventional doctor?

Impossible! No matter how great the interventional doctor was, no one could accomplish this.

Professor Tian continued the surgery according to protocol numbly.

He harvested the bone graft from the posterior iliac crest according to the length of the bone defect between the vertebrae.

Right then, the condition of surgery was back to what the professor conceived as "normal".

There was a lot of bleeding from the posterior iliac crest harvest.

He was relieved.

Dr. Zhou was stunned as everything was a breeze prior to this. He scrambled with the aspirator to suction and tried to stop the bleeding with dry gauze.

The surgery took a sharp turn.

After the bleeding had stopped, Professor Tian continued with the surgery.

Usually, the bone graft would be slightly longer than the actual bone defect by 2 to 3 mm. After the harvest, the ends would be refined by cutting with an electric bone saw and tied together using non-absorbable nylon sutures.

The bone graft would be inserted from the dural sac anterolaterally into the bone defect. Then, it could be filled with bone chips to promote reossification.

Shape-memory alloy, bone cement, one step after another.

The surgery was finished after 2 hours and 12 minutes.

Including the blood loss after the posterior iliac crest bone grafting, the total amount of blood was less than 500 mL. The surgery was unbelievably successful.

The patient was sent back to the ward after recovering from anesthesia. Dr. Zhou was smiling brightly.

The surgery was so successful that they did not touch any of the 20 units of frozen red blood cells prepared prior to surgery. He felt a little awkward not having any transfusion and gave 2 units to the patient as safety.

After all, there was 500 mL of blood loss.

"Professor Tian, your skills are getting more advanced!" Dr. Zhou raised his thumb and complimented him.

Professor Tian kept going through the surgery while he rested, trying to find out what made it so successful.

He knew that his skill was definitely out of the equation.

This meant that it was due to the interventional doctor. Even though he found it difficult to believe, it was the truth.

Professor Tian had officially become Detective Tian.

"Little Zhou, where's the interventional department? Bring me there, I want to take a look," Professor Tian said.

"We don't have an interventional department. Currently, all the interventional surgeries were being carried out by the chief resident in the emergency ward," Dr. Zhou replied.

"Only one doctor?" Professor Tian started to doubt his speculations.

"Yeah, his assistant was transferred from the ICU. Oh, I also saw a foreigner helping him with the surgery yesterday, and said that he's from Heidelberg University."

Oh, there was an external specialist present.

Professor Tian was relieved when he finally found the "truth".

At least he knew that his brain was not faulty.

"The professor did the lumbar artery embolization?" Professor Tian asked.

"No, the foreigner might not be a professor. I'm not sure about his status, he has a Chinese name, called Lil Fugui."

The conversation took a new turn. Lil Fugui?

"It is funny to hear him speak Northeastern Mandarin," Dr. Zhou could not resist his chuckle when he thought of Professor Rudolf Wagner.

"Chief Zheng from the emergency department performed the surgery while Li Fugui assisted him," Dr. Zhou said.

What nonsense was this!

Professor Tian could not figure out what really happened. All of this was beyond his comprehension.

"Let's go." Professor Tian glanced at his phone. He still had some time before flying back to Imperial Capital because the surgery was cut short.

Both of them checked on the patient once more before heading to the emergency wing.

On their way there, Professor Tian asked about the interventional surgery under the emergency department of Sea City General Hospital.

Was the doctor's level at pelvic fracture embolizations and gynecological embolizations?

That should not make his surgery so successful.

Weird.

Dr. Zhou and a doubtful Professor Tian reached the emergency ward.

"Lil Fugui, there are two surgeries tomorrow. You can come earlier to send the patient to the operating room." Zheng Ren's voice could be heard.

"Yes, boss. What surgery are they?" Professor Rudolf asked in a Northeastern accent.

"Secondary TIPS surgery to retrieve the shunt and another TIPS surgery."

"Uhm, I won't act rashly. Don't you worry, boss."

Professor Tian was stunned when he heard the Northeastern accent...

He walked into the office and saw Professor Rudolf Wagner standing beside a young doctor, talking in a very respectful manner.

This... this guy looked familiar.

F*ck!

It suddenly dawned on Professor Tian that this person was Professor Rudolf Wagner that he met twice at Heidelberg University!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 355: A Tough Pill To Swallow

"Professor Rudolf Wagner?" Professor Tian straightened his back subconsciously and lowered his stance like he was still studying at Heidelberg University back then and asked softly.

"Uhm, who the hell are you? Where'd you come from?" Professor Rudolf turned aside and asked with a mixture of a Bavarian accent when he heard someone called out his name.

"..." That was none other than Professor Rudolf Wagner!

Professor Tian was stunned. Who was he? Even if he answered, Professor Rudolf might not even know who he is.

He was a renowned professor in Imperial Capital now, but he was just an ordinary postgraduate researcher at Heidelberg University a few years ago.

He was not the top student that the entire school would be aware of.

Would Professor Rudolf Wagner recognize him? The obvious answer was impossible.

However...

What was Professor Rudolf Wagner, the world's top interventional doctor doing in Sea City? Most importantly, why was he speaking in a Northeastern accent?

Was this a sign of cosmopolitanism?

Professor Tian stood rigidly at the office door in utter silence like he used to do when he was a postgraduate.

"BrotherZhou, what happened?"

Zheng Ren greeted Dr. Zhou smilingly when he saw Dr. Zhou standing at the door in a panic.

"I... I brought Professor Tian... to look around," Dr. Zhou stuttered. He could sense the strange atmosphere.

Especially when Professor Tian asked about Professor Rudolf Wagner after they arrived. He recalled Professor Tian telling him yesterday that Professor Rudolf from Heidelberg university was the pioneer in interventional surgery.

He stole a glance at Professor Tian and saw him standing in an upright posture that was straighter than him back when he was still studying and doing ward rounds in Imperial Capital.

Stern and meticulous, with the stoic stance of Germans.

"Come in, Brother Zhou," Zheng Ren greeted enthusiastically.

Dr. Zhou moved forward a little, but Professor Tian was blocking the entrance. He could not just push him aside and walk-in, could he?

Zheng Ren was too focused on the patient's condition and just noticed that something was not right. He then looked around in confusion.

What was going on?

"Professor Rudolf Wagner, I didn't expect to see you here." Professor Tian regained his senses and took two steps forward carefully and extended his hand.

Professor Rudolf was not keen to have this stranger interrupt his discussion with Zheng Ren on the patient's condition.

Zheng Ren mentioned something rather interesting. No one in the field had thought of using liver DW-MRI as a preoperative assessment for TIPS surgery.

This was brilliant.

Zheng Ren had just started on this and Professor Rudolf Wagner's mind was already filled with the idea of a novel surgical and differential diagnostic method.

The person who dared to interrupt him must be a devil!

Professor Rudolf Wagner totally ignored the enthusiastic yet cautious handshake that Professor Tian offered.

The idea of whether this person would be embarrassed was not within the professor's consideration.

The arrogance of the professor could be clearly seen.

His attitude towards Zheng Ren was purely incidental, a beautiful accident.

His compliance was largely due to Zheng Ren's extraordinary surgical skills, not because of his good temperament.

Professor Tian did not feel embarrassed as this was exactly what he had expected.

After all, he studied at Heidelberg University and knew about the German professors' characters.

In fact, he had gotten used to it after spending a few years there.

"I'm Tian..." Before Professor Tian had the chance to finish introducing himself, Professor Rudolf Wagner interrupted him rudely.

"I don't care who you are. If you want to see me, please go and make an appointment with my assistant. My God, I'm busy!" Professor Rudolf Wagner said frustratedly, the submissiveness he had when he spoke to Zheng Ren just now disappeared entirely.

"Lil Fugui, be nice." Zheng Ren frowned.

"Yes, boss." Professor Rudolf Wagner smiled instantly and said ever so kindly as if he was a totally different person before this. "Why do you want to see me? We're really damn busy. Please say it quickly if you need anything."

"..." The tone of the scene kept changing, Professor Rudolf Wagner's role kept interchanging between the artistic, arrogant German professor and a Northeastern Chinese.

The professor was speaking in a typical accent that was rarely heard even in the People from Northeastern China. Professor Tian had a hard time accepting it.

"Professor Tian right? Have a seat." Zheng Ren stood up and shook hands with Professor Tian. he then said with a laugh, "Brother Zhou, please take a seat too. Did the surgery go well?"

When Professor Tian heard Zheng Ren ask about the surgery, he finally remembered why he came to the interventional department.

"The surgery was very successful. There was very little bleeding, that's why Professor Tian wanted to come to visit and ask about the interventional surgery," said Dr. Zhou.

"Oh, as usual. Lumbar artery embolization. I also performed embolizations on a portion of the spinal tumor," Zheng Ren said, "Did the bleeding exceed 500 mL?"

"That's the approximate volume." Dr. Zhou was surprised by Zheng Ren's estimation.

"Uhm, Professor Tian's really good," Zheng Ren said calmly.

Uhm... Dr. Zhou was dumbfounded.

Why was the chief resident of the emergency department acting as a fellow, giving direct comments on the surgical technique of an orthopedic professor from Imperial Capital?

"Almost 500 mL, you people are used to sloppy surgery huh?" Professor Rudolf Wagner said suddenly.

Instantly, Professor Tian felt as if time had traveled back to a few years back to when he was at Heidelberg University. He sprung and stood up straight in the face of the questioning by an interventional professor and said respectfully, "Professor Rudolf, the surgery was very successful. The bleeding did not exceed 500 mL. We did not use any of the prepared red blood cells. You really have the world's best embolization surgery."

"I did not perform the surgery. Also, please don't call me Rudolf. Ru Fugui please, or Lil Fugui. This is my Chinese name, I love it so much," said the professor.

Zheng Ren frowned. He was not keen on the professor becoming a chatterbox.

Even though Professor Rudolf Wagner was not bothered by how Professor Tian felt, he cared how Zheng Ren felt. When he saw Zheng Ren was slightly displeased, he straightened his back to sit straight and leaned forward like a student.

"It's good that the surgery went well. Good job, Professor Tian." Zheng Ren smiled.

Professor Tian was shocked when he noticed the subtle interaction between Professor Rudolf and Zheng Ren, thinking that he misjudged the situation.

He calmed down and looked towards Zheng Ren before asking respectfully, "Dr. Zheng, do you mind giving me the films that you used for the lumbar artery embolization?"

"Sure." Zheng Ren agreed.

He meant the films that show the key images at certain points. Zheng Ren would always print a copy when he performs an interventional surgery and gives it to the patient's family members while he briefs them about the surgery.

Since Professor Tian from Imperial Capital requested, he was willing to give him a copy. It was no big deal.

...

...

It's a new week, please vote for the recommendation list.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 356: Was The Surgeon's Last Name Zheng?

Under the murderous gaze of Professor Rudolph Wagner, Professor Tian took the hardcopy scans and escaped with his tail between his legs.

After much thought, Professor Tian still could not figure out where he had done to elicit such a negative response from Professor Rudolph Wagner.

Back in the orthopedic department, Professor Tian took some photos of the scans and forwarded them to the deputy department chief of the interventional surgery department in Imperial Capital.

Professor Tian was not adept in interpreting the image but he could tell there was minimal bleeding during the surgery.

He wanted to understand how it was done, and this required the expert opinion of an interventional surgeon.

Soon, a WeChat notification popped up on his phone.

It was a reply from the deputy department chief. Before he could read the text, a call came in.

"Who is the surgeon for this case?" the agitated voice of the deputy department chief sounded on the phone.

"An emergency department chief resident from Sea City General Hospital," Professor Tian replied.

"Impossible, the other..." The speaker's voice died down for a few seconds before asking, "Is the surgeon's last name Zheng?"

'Oh? How did the deputy department chief know?'

Question marks appeared on the head of Professor Tian.

"Yes, his name is Zheng Ren."

"Damn. Old Tian, that man is a genius. You heard of the lumbar artery embolization surgery, he came up with a novel method for that. It must be him."

"..."

'Sounds like he's quite famous.'

Professor Tian was confused, the man was just a chief resident in a prefecture-level hospital. It was such a lowly rank that Professor Tian would have to bend down with a magnifying glass to notice.

Professor Tian's mindset was not unique. As a professor in Imperial Capital, he had to perform three to five surgeries daily and on weekends, he had to travel around the country to assist in surgeries. Occasionally, he was required to attend academic seminars to boost his reputation.

Even within the field of orthopedics, he had trouble obtaining the latest news. News of interventional radiology-assisted surgeries were way beyond his reach and focus.

'Was the young man really that good?' Professor Tian frowned.

However, most rising stars were found and developed in Imperial Capital or Sorcery Capital.

"Who is this man?" Professor Tian asked.

"There's too much to say through the phone but mark my words, he's going to be a future superstar. This surgery was done perfectly!"

Professor Tian considered his friend's words.

The deputy department chief was likely busy pouring over the scans to notice the sudden silence of his friend.

Professor Tian hung up the phone in frustration. He glanced at the clock, it was almost time to head to the airport.

"Little Zhou," Professor Tian called out after a moment's thought.

"Ah? What's up, Professor Tian?" Dr. Zhou answered.

"Help me keep track of incoming patients with spinal neoplasms. If they're from the rural area, negotiate for an affordable fee but the prerequisite is Dr. Zheng has to perform the embolization surgery. If you manage to get some patients, inform me earlier and I'll fly in. I want to observe Dr. Zheng's method," Professor Tian instructed.

Without a second thought, Dr. Zhou agreed.

The ulterior motive behind Professor Tian's words was disregarded. For now, Dr. Zhou would do as the professor says.

...

In the emergency ward, Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolph Wagner were discussing pointers that could be derived from the diffusion-weighted MRI scans of the liver to aid in the TIPS surgery.

Previously, Zheng Ren had discovered the correlation in the System's training room.

There was a limit to one person's mind and strength.

With Professor Rudolph Wagner, there were more discussions and back-and-forth. He raised some doubts and contributed ideas from a different perspective.

The two men engaged in a fervent intellectual exchange. Professor Rudolph Wagner had not experienced this level of intellectual stimulation in many years.

It was not easy to develop a new differential diagnostic method from scratch.

Many of the methods today were tried and tested for years before they reached widespread adoption globally.

However, Zheng Ren managed to uncover a precise method to enable a smooth puncture and connection during the TIPS surgery in record time!

Professor Rudolph's blond hair swayed in the air as he talked, his head moving as if he was playing a passionate tune on the violin.

He was deeply engrossed in the ongoing discussion.

Similarly, Zheng Ren was caught up with the conversation at hand. Having the world class professor as his sounding board was 100 times better than musing alone in the System.

The professor's input and insights were monumental to Zheng Ren. Their discussion went on with no end in sight.

Some time passed, oblivious to both men, before a person interrupted their conversation.

"Little Zheng."

Zheng Ren was unhappy to be interrupted by anyone other than Xie Yiren.

He angled his head and saw that it was Department Chief Sun from the general surgery department.

Despite his displeasure, Zheng Ren reminded himself to be respectful toward his colleagues and elders.

He forced a smile and said, "Department Chief Sun, how can I help you?"

Department Chief Sun was aware of his interruption but he had been waiting for nearly ten minutes. The conversation between Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolph did not sound like it was ending anytime soon.

Slightly abashed, Department Chief Sun said, "Little Zheng, sorry to interrupt you."

Zheng Ren did not appreciate the time-consuming etiquette and manners presented by the department chief.

Zheng Ren quickly stood up and said courteously, "Department Sun, it's no matter. Why do you need me?"

Department Chief Sun was comforted by Zheng Ren's considerate attitude.

"Little Zheng, we had a tricky case in the clinic today. Was hoping you could have a look," Department Chief Sun said and he gestured for someone to enter the room.

Zheng Ren glanced at the person who walked in. It was a woman in her forties who had a dazed look on her face.

"She underwent a medical examination in one of the clinics and they noted some problems in her scans and referred her to me. I've never seen anything like it and was hoping you can help," Department Chief Sun said with a smile.

"I'd be honored to," Zheng Ren replied. The diagnosis panel in his vision showed the woman had peritoneal loose bodies.

It was a rare disorder that Zheng Ren barely remembered seeing throughout his medical career.

He had to take some time to dig through the recesses of his mind.

His memory had expanded significantly with the help of the System, else he would have forgotten the symptoms for the disorder.

The scans were passed over and placed onto the viewer.

The patient's lower abdominal cavity showed a 7cm oval-shaped outline located near the intestines. It was an X-ray scan which provided no information on the blood supply network.

The X-ray scan was simple and there was nothing worth a more detailed look but Zheng Ren kept up the pretense as he racked his brain for the right information.

Inflammation and impaired blood supply in the abdominal cavity could lead to the necrosis of adipose layers. The necrotized matter undergo fibrosis and calcification, forming peritoneal loose bodies that are visualized as floating objects in the abdomen.

Most people go about their lives not knowing they carried these peritoneal loose bodies, therefore the prevalence of the disorder was unclear and there were no steps for prevention.

As it was not a malignant disorder, little attention had been given to it. Zheng Ren vaguely remembered mentions of it in two published journal reports.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 357: A Goose Egg In The Belly

After peering through his memories, Zheng Ren had taken an interest in Department Chief Sun's tricky patient.

He had little knowledge about peritoneal loose bodies, so he called for the professor, "Lil Fugui, come take a look."

At the mention of his Chinese name, Professor Rudolf Wagner pulled his eyes away from the computer screen. The diffusion-weighted MRI scans were on display. "Boss, you interrupted a fantastic idea I had."

"You'll get it again." Zheng Ren pointed at the X-ray scan and asked, "Peritoneal loose bodies, what do you know about them?"

Professor Rudolf Wagner glanced at the scan, then shook his head and said, "Oh, I've little interest in that."

The golden bob shimmered in the light.

Department Chief Sun was startled at the name. Lil Fugui? The esteemed German professor had taken up a Chinese name that was very traditional.

It was very disturbing.

"Peritoneal loose bodies are benign so there is no value in treating it," Professor Rudolf Wagner said impatiently.

He would have shouted at the person who interrupted his thoughts but he had respect for Zheng Ren.

Department Chief Sun asked cautiously, "Are you sure it's peritoneal loose bodies?"

Professor Rudolf Wagner ignored him and said to Zheng Ren, "Boss, there's nothing to treat here. Leave it for years and it'll still remain unchanged in the body."

Zheng Ren had his left arm folded while his right hand cupped his cheek. He was studying the X-ray scan.

"Boss, trust me, this does not even count as a disorder. We should not waste our time on this," the professor argued.

"Professor, can you guarantee that it's benign?" Department Chief Sun asked again despite the earlier rebuff.

"Are you sure you thought through your question before asking?" Professor Rudolf Wagner spat. He tapped his fingers on the viewer that held up the X-ray scan. Just as he was going to say something more sarcastic and derogatory, Zheng Ren cut in.

"Lil Fugui, hold back."

Like a trained dog, Professor Rudolf Wagner heeded Zheng Ren's call. "Yes, boss."

"Department Chief Sun, I agree with the professor's assessment but if you're worried, an abdominal CT scan should confirm it. As for surgery, it's optional as it's a benign mass. Peritoneal loose bodies are very unlikely to cause any complications," Zheng Ren said to Department Chief Sun and the patient.

The middle-aged woman had a concerned look. "It's not a malignant tumor?"

"Based on the scan, it's unlikely," Zheng Ren said.

"Then how was the mass formed?" the woman asked. She was still unconvinced.

"There are many factors. For example, inflammation of the adipose tissue surrounding the intestines could have led to its detachment from the peritoneal wall. As the adipose tissue builds up, it appears as a floating mass," Zheng Ren said as he gestured at the scan.

"Detachment?" The disbelief in her tone was palpable.

Was the doctor saying she was overweight and her fats had fallen off? In some ways, this remark was equally devastating as the news of her possibly having cancer.

At this moment, she saw Zheng Ren as the devil.

"If we open up the abdomen, we'll see a mass similar to a goose egg with whites and yellows. But this is, without a doubt, a benign mass. We can perform the surgery if you're concerned. It'll be a very simple procedure. I don't advise laparoscopic surgery as we want to remove the whole mass. A 5cm incision is required for complete removal," Zheng Ren explained.

The patient still looked wary, perhaps due to Zheng Ren's tender age or the fact that he was quite soft-spoken.

She turned to look at Department Chief Sun.

Prior to consulting Zheng Ren, Department Chief Sun already had his suspicions. Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf Wagner's views supported his initial diagnosis.

In response to the patient's searching gaze, Department Chief Sun said reassuringly, "Let us do some additional tests to confirm the diagnosis. Then, we can discuss your options with your spouse. If it worries you, we'll proceed with the surgery."

Department Chief Sun's summary left out the details, not confirming the exact diagnosis and treatment plan.

Zheng Ren's phone rang.

It was Su Yun calling.

"Hello," Zheng Ren answered.

"That's great. The patient is stable. One more night and we should be able to remove the breathing tube," Zheng Ren said

"Alright, you keep an eye on the situation."

Department Chief Sun gestured to Zheng Ren that they were leaving. Zheng Ren waved goodbye.

The department chief and the middle-aged woman left the room.

"I'll inform the family on the patient's progression. Yang Lei and I can handle the surgery, and the professor can assist with the interventional surgery," Zheng Ren said into the phone.

"You're the key to her recovery. You carried the heaviest burden here."

"I'll treat you to dinner for this."

At that, the call ended.

In the ICU, Yang Lili's condition stabilized after intravenous and intramuscular injections of vitamin B1.

They had stopped administering the intravenous sedative and she did not show any signs of struggles like she had previously. She was able to communicate with Su Yun through simple writing.

They had the System to thank for this miracle.

As a doctor, Zheng Ren knew a vitamin deficiency would be the last thing considered when a patient was sent in with multiple stab wounds.

It would require a degree of creativity to reach such a conclusion.

This case highlighted the System's reliability when it came to diagnosis.

Zheng Ren was glad Yang Lili was recovering well.

The time they spent resuscitating and rescuing Yang Lili was more than the usual emergency rescue. They had tried their hardest to keep her in the mortal world.

The flash of steel would always stay in Zheng Ren's mind. The cruel knife had done so much damage on that cold, snowy day.

'Live on, you brave and kind soul. You have a reason to live.'

"Boss, I have some new ideas about the diffusion-weighted MRI," Professor Rudolf Wagner spoke up after he saw Zheng Ren hang up. He brought Zheng Ren back to the computer screen and pointed.

"Chief Zheng, hi," a familiar voice echoed.

Zheng Ren's brow furrowed as he turned around to look. It was a woman.

He knew it was a woman, but who was she? He knew she was familiar but could not recall the her identity.

Behind the woman was a crew carrying cameras and various equipment. Recognition flashed across Zheng Ren's face. The woman smiled and said, "Chief Zheng, I'm Tang Xiu from Sea City Metropolis Daily."

Oh! Zheng Ren remembered now.

They had met twice, once when Tang Xiu's father required an emergency rescue due to a ruptured hepatic artery. The second encounter was in Imperial Capital, when Tang Xiu came to interview him but was turned down.

Despite that, Tang Xiu successfully made a documentary about Zheng Ren's medical endeavors. His impression of her was above average.

This was their third meeting. He should be able to recognize her in the future now, he hoped.

"Hello, Lead Editor Tang." Zheng Ren stood and greeted her with a smile. He reached out for a handshake.

"Boss, we're in the middle of a medical breakthrough but this... It's rowdier than a Bavarian—" Professor Rudolf Wagner ranted.

Zheng Ren interjected, "Okay, Lil Fugui. Just give me two minutes."

The professor sighed and kept his mouth shut.

Zheng Ren shook hands with Tang Xiu. "Who are you here for today?"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 358: A Man Is Handsome When He Is Focused

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Who?

Who else was there other than Zheng Ren?

They had only met a few times but through testimonies of others, Tang Xiu had a good idea of who Zheng Ren was.

Zheng Ren was a technical man.

This was due to the fact that he either lacked social skills or refused to engage in the mundane, everyday interactions.

To him, techniques and methods were far more interesting than casual conversations.

Tang Xiu brushed her hair aside and said with a smile, "Chief Zheng, I'm here to interview you about how you rescued Yang Lili."

Zheng Ren's expression hardened. His gaze shifted and he looked like a child who had to lie to his parents.

"This here is Professor Rudolf Wagner from Heidelberg University. We're currently in the midst of a discussion. We have an important surgery tomorrow," Zheng Ren introduced the professor who was engrossed in his study.

Tang Xiu could sense the reluctance in Zheng Ren's words and actions.

"Alright, Chief Zheng. I'll come over next time when you're free?" she said with a smile.

"Sure, sure. Next time," Zheng Ren said hurriedly.

Some doctors liked the attention that came with the media, but Zheng Ren was not one of them. He found interviews to be tedious and would rather spend the time on his patients, surgeries, or discussions with Professor Rudolf Wagner.

Fame was the last thing he wanted.

The smile on Tang Xiu's face never faltered. She pulled out her phone. "Chief Zheng, let me add you on WeChat. It'll be easier to contact you."

Zheng Ren was hesitant but could not bring himself to reject Tang Xiu. The woman was nice and had helped him in the past.

They exchanged contacts. Tang Xiu's smile widened.

They shook hands again when they parted. "Till next time," the lead editor of Sea City Metropolis Daily said.

She did not wait for Zheng Ren's response before turning to leave with her crew.

When the group exited the emergency ward, the cameraman sighed. "This Dr. Zheng is a good man but is a bit of an oddball. Isn't that right, Lead Editor Tang? The interview would be for his benefit."

This was the same cameraman who had traveled to Imperial Capital with Tang Xiu. He was involved in the documentary's making and knew of Zheng Ren's good deeds.

While he did not know the full situation, he believed Chief Resident Zheng was a reliable doctor from Sea City General Hospital.

The man was a stellar doctor, but he was not a great interview subject.

He was quite a pain in the neck.

It was the first time the cameraman had encountered someone this adverse to having an interview.

Tang Xiu adjusted her glasses and smiled. "I think he's alright. Do you want a doctor who is obsessed with his image and branding, or one who is wholly-focused on treating his patients?"

The question was a no-brainer.

If a doctor spent most of his time appearing on camera... What kind of doctor was that?

The logic was sound, but the cameraman still thought Zheng Ren was eccentric.

He let out a sigh and shook his head.

...

...

Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf Wagner missed lunch. The discussion about using diffusion-weighted MRI to determine the site for the TIPS surgery was still ongoing.

Since the discovery of diffusion-weighted MRI, doctors had been using it for diagnosing and identifying strokes.

The diagnostic technique was important to determine if the stroke patient required thrombolysis treatment. Zheng Ren's idea was to use the diffusion-weighted MRI for better positioning during the TIPS surgery.

Back in the System's operating room, the trials Zheng Ren did had given him satisfactory results. He had been thinking of applying it in a real-life surgery.

However, the intellectual exchange with Professor Rudolf Wagner showed Zheng Ren the gaps in his idea. There were more things to consider.

The professor was a well of knowledge when it came to interventional radiology.

To be in the top five globally, he truly had the actual credentials to back himself up.

The professor had performed TIPS surgeries before, probably more than the common doctor in a province-level hospital had ever done in their lifetime.

TIPS surgery was regarded as a new procedure in a prefecture-level hospital like Sea City General Hospital.

The professor's countless clinical experiences made up for Zheng Ren's lack of real-life exposure. The simulation mannequins were not 100% representative of human patients.

Moreover, there was a time limit in the System's training room, which meant less attention was paid to the details. Professor Rudolf was able to contribute in that aspect.

As the afternoon gave way to night, Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf's research into the new method had almost been perfected.

The two men were jolted from their discussion when Chang Yue bid them goodbye. It was after working hours.

At the sight of the time, Zheng Ren checked his phone. There was a red dot next to Xie Yiren's icon.

He quickly tapped on the message.

[What do you want for dinner?]

[If there's no emergency case, let's have a nice dinner. We won't get to eat well tomorrow.]

[I see you're discussing a case with the professor. You look quite handsome when you're so focused.]

The few messages sent a warm and tingly sensation down Zheng Ren's spine.

Professor Rudolf was trying to get his attention with something about the work. Zheng Ren quickly swatted away the question and told him what they had planned was solid. The excited professor wanted to talk more about their discovery and Zheng Ren was the only person who understood him.

But on the other hand, Zheng Ren wanted to spend the night with Xie Yiren.

[I'm good with anything. What do you want to eat?]

Zheng Ren replied to the messages.

He thought for a moment and felt that single reply was not enough.

[I was speaking to the professor about the TIPS surgery. Tomorrow there's a second surgery to retrieve a stent and a TIPS surgery. It won't be too long, maybe about an hour or so.]

Zheng Ren sent the message. He felt much better after that.

At that moment, a bell sounded in his ears.

[Main Mission: The Crown Jewel – Second Stage

[Mission Details: Complete 10 TIPS surgeries with a 100% score.

[Mission Rewards: Interventional surgery success rate 2, 100000 experience points and 3000 radiofrequency ablation cases worth of experience.

[Mission Duration: 1 month.]

The second stage of the mission was finally here. Zheng Ren read through the mission. Ten TIPS surgeries cases were no longer a challenge to him.

Zheng Ren had managed to perform an emergency TIPS surgery, so the routine variant would pose no difficulties to him, especially with a world class assistant like Professor Rudolf Wagner.

The rewards were interesting.

3000 radiofrequency ablation cases worth of experience!

In Zheng Ren's memory, the System had never provided a single-procedure skill as a reward. The liver dissection was an exception.

Radiofrequency ablation... Zheng Ren sighed.

It was almost time for Zheng Yunxia's follow-up.

Slowly, Zheng Ren was beginning to understand how the System worked. Each skill and reward was preparing him for a future encounter.

This was not a coincidence but rather, the System's meticulous calculation or some unknown predictive powers at work.

Zheng Ren deduced the procedure would come into play in Zheng Yunxia's upcoming surgery.

He had one month to complete this second stage mission.

Getting patients with decompensated cirrhosis was the problem. In one month, the hospital could have 20 patients or none.

It was all up to Lady Luck.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 359: Acute Pulmonary Embolism

The mission was put aside for the moment. There better not have been any emergency cases today. His movie date with Xie Yiren was ruined once so today's dinner had to be perfect!

It was such a lovely thought, having dinner and going to the movies with Xie Yiren.

Zheng Ren's world turned pink for the very first time. He had been a single dog for his whole life and now, the unexpected had happened.

He tapped his feet in anticipation as he waited for a reply. The seconds passed like years. Suddenly, his phone lit up. Xie Yiren was parked downstairs in the underground parking as usual.

Zheng Ren took the elevator down to the basement. All the while, his heart was beating wildly in his chest.

Little Yiren's car was parked at her usual spot so Zheng Ren had no trouble finding it after multiple rounds of practice.

"What do you wanna eat?" Little Yiren asked hastily. She was nervous.

Zheng Ren was similarly affected. "I'm okay with anything."

Both of them had no experience with relationships. While they worked well together in the operating room, the two were an awkward mess when it came to dating.

Like a junior doctor on his first surgical assignment coupled with a junior scrub nurse on her first job, both were anxiety-ridden.

"Let's have steak then. There's an old steakhouse that's pretty good," Xie Yiren said as she fired up the Volvo. They inched out of the parking lot and headed for the exit.

Previously, Zheng Ren's meal after work would be whatever was convenient. He would then stay in his rented room and read novels to pass the time.

Now, he was in a new chapter of his life and was excited.

The familiar scent in the car made Zheng Ren intoxicated. With his head in the clouds, he told Little Yiren about his day.

Imperial Capital's Professor Tian performed a lumbar artery embolization that showed promising results.

The discussion he had with Professor Rudolf regarding the usage of diffusion-weighted MRI to pinpoint the puncture position for the TIPS surgery to treat decompensated cirrhosis.

He spoke about the trivial things that happened during the day, with no particular aim or purpose.

Little Yiren listened attentively with a smile on her face.

Perhaps this was life.

30 minutes later, they pulled into a parking spot. Zheng Ren and Little Yiren walked leisurely into the restaurant.

It was not a large restaurant and the room's lighting was warm. The space was cozy and suitable for couples on dates.

Xie Yiren's nerves had calmed down at this point.

With the menu in hand, her eyes sparkled with joy as if every dish she saw gave her tastebuds an explosion of flavors.

They ordered five of the restaurant's bestsellers. The waiter took the menus and left, leaving them alone. Their gaze met.

The warm lighting and soft background music made the scene less awkward. It was as if Zheng Ren and Xie Yiren were used to staring at each other without speaking.

There was some fun that came from their exchange of glances.

No words were spoken as they gazed into each other's eyes, their focus solely on each other.

Ten minutes later, the dishes were served. At this moment, Little Yiren broke eye contact and began feasting.

The steak was no longer as aromatic as she remembered it to be, but there was a sweet taste in her mouth as if she had eaten a lollipop.

The food tasted like food to Zheng Ren. He ate two mouthfuls, then looked up to meet Xie Yiren's eyes. They smiled at each other. Such exchanges went on throughout dinner.

This exchange felt better and more sincere than Su Yun's idea of sneaking an arm around Xie Yiren in the movies.

Their eyes met again and Zheng Ren was about to ask Xie Yiren if she fancied a walk after dinner when a shout came from the corner of the restaurant.

A girl in her teens was clutching her chest. Her face and lips were pale as she gasped for air.

The boy next to her was panicking and shouting.

A flashing red sign appeared in Zheng Ren's vision.

Pulmonary embolism appeared in the System's display.

While Zheng Ren was not from the cardiothoracic department, he knew about pulmonary embolisms.

Acute pulmonary embolisms could be caused by endogenous or other exogenous factors. It presented itself as a clot in the pulmonary circulation that disrupted the gaseous exchange, leading to oxygen deprivation in the body. As such, the fatality rate for pulmonary embolisms was high.

Why would such a young girl be suffering from pulmonary embolism?

There was no time to wonder. Zheng Ren quickly went over to their table.

"I'm a doctor, she needs the hospital!" Zheng Ren said politely, despite the fact that his actions were firm and demanding.

He pushed aside the panicking boy and steadied the girl. He reassured her and told her to take deep breaths to calm down.

Then, Zheng Ren got the boy to piggyback the girl as they rushed to Sea City General Hospital.

An emergency thrombolysis was effective against a pulmonary embolism. The golden opportunity to treat the problem was now.

There was no need to wait for the 120 ambulance.

Zheng Ren knew the ambulance had no medication to treat pulmonary embolism. There was no need to wait for an ambulance when they could bring the girl straight to the hospital.

Little Yiren had not managed to settle the bill before rushing out of the restaurant.

The Volvo XC60 sped down the street and stopped at the restaurant's entrance.

The boy placed the girl into the car. He was shaken by the incident.

"Inform her parents. Does she have a history of illness?" Zheng Ren asked the boy as he quickly got into the car.

"Once... Last time..." the boy stuttered.

Fear spread across his face at the mention of family.

"Recurrence?" Zheng Ren frowned.

The boy said nothing. He placed the girl's head on his lap and tried to console her, not knowing if it was safe to touch her. The helplessness was clear on his face.

Zheng Ren did not need to give any instructions as Xie Yiren tore through the streets.

It was peak traffic in the evening, so Xie Yiren put on her hazard lights and honked as she rushed them to the hospital.

Zheng Ren called up the operating room and Professor Rudolf. He asked for the girl's family's contacts and informed them to head over to Sea City General Hospital.

The trip to the restaurant took 30 minutes but the trip back only took 10.

When the red Volvo braked hard in front of the emergency department, there was a stretcher trolley ready at the entrance.

Without a word, Zheng Ren and the boy transferred the patient onto the stretcher trolley. She was sent to the emergency operating room.

The best treatment of pulmonary embolism was a catheter-directed thrombolysis.

However, it was not a common procedure in Sea City General Hospital.

The angiology department was still a part of the general surgery department and they were only familiar with treating varicose veins.

Zheng Ren was calling Feng Xuhui and Old Chief Physician Pan as he ran along the corridors. He needed the materials for the surgery.

As the patient was pushed into the operating room, Zheng Ren was out of breath.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 360: A Life-Threatening Pregnancy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The patient was pushed into the operating room. As the requested material was still on its way, the team set up a dopamine drip to regulate the patient's blood pressure and improve her condition.

Then, 5000U of low molecular weight heparin was administered intravenously to combat the coagulation factors.

The thrombosis in pulmonary embolisms often arose from veins in the lower body.

It was unknown how the girl had developed venous thrombosis, but it was likely that the clot had dislodged and traveled up the veins to cause a pulmonary embolism, inducing chest pains and breathing difficulties.

Early emergency rescue efforts could save the girl's life.

She looked to be 18 or 19, a life barely lived.

After the heparin was administered, Zheng Ren ordered Chu Yanran to sedate the patient and administer painkillers. A constant infusion of 1000U heparin per hour was set up.

It would have to work.

Zheng Ren left the patient's care to Chu Yanran while he dialed for Feng Xuhui to rush the man. He also gave Old Chief Physician Pan regular updates on the patient.

The family had yet to arrive. There was only the young boyfriend who was in shock. It was a tricky situation.

There was nothing that could be said about how successful this emergency rescue would be but if the patient died in the process, there would be a lot of trouble.

Zheng Ren got changed. His phone rang.

Feng Xuhui was here with all the necessary materials.

Sea City General Hospital was of utmost priority to the Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery. They opened up a branch nearby the hospital and Chairman Ma had decreed that Zheng Ren should be served like a prince.

To be honest, the sales volume in the whole of Sea City was not comparable to even a single hospital in Imperial Capital.

Despite that, Manager Feng was willing to rush over to the hospital in less than 20 minutes. This showcased Zheng Ren's influence over Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery.

Zheng Ren did not dilly dally. He took the materials from Manager Feng and headed straight back into the operating room.

Professor Rudolf Wagner arrived at the operating room and gave Zheng Ren a warm greeting.

Stone-faced Zheng Ren ignored the professor's greeting and quickly checked through the materials.

The professor was confused but went up to Zheng Ren.

"Boss, what do we have here?"

"Pulmonary embolism."

"That...requires an emergency procedure."

"Yes, now shut up and help," Zheng Ren snapped. The professor was a capable doctor but he talked too much, especially now when Zheng Ren was rushing to save a girl's life.

Professor Rudolf instantly sealed his lips and got down to helping Zheng Ren prepare the equipment.

Emergency thrombolysis was the first-line treatment against pulmonary embolism. A filter insertion in the inferior vena cava was also necessary in some cases of pulmonary embolism.

With the emergency medication administered, the patient's condition was better than before.

Zheng Ren wondered how a girl this young had developed a blood clot. Pulmonary embolisms usually plagued senior citizens, especially those who were bedridden. Reduced physical activity increased the chances of blood clot formation in the lower body.

A young, able-bodied teen was unlikely to develop blood clots.

Once the equipment and materials were accounted for, Professor Rudolf began disinfecting the surgical site.

Zheng Ren received a call from Old Chief Physician Pan and quickly left the operating room to meet the patient's parents.

Before he left, he instructed the professor, "Lil Fugui, once you have access, start with the thrombolysis."

Professor Rudolf mumbled an agreement.

For the professor, a thrombolytic procedure was a walk in the park. Hence, Zheng Ren was not worried. The procedure took anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour to complete.

If the effect was unsatisfactory, they would have to opt for a catheter-directed thrombolysis to remove the pulmonary embolism.

Zheng Ren got to the emergency ward in his scrubs.

Old Chief Physician Pan was aware of the patient's condition through Zheng Ren's updates. There was little he could tell the parents other than the critical condition she was in. He explained the treatment and probability of survival.

At the sight of Zheng Ren, Old Chief Physician Pan breathed out a sigh of relief.

The old doctor went up to help with the rescue. After all, the professor was a foreigner and there were protocols that he might not be familiar with. Although the professor was fluent in Mandarin, some drug names were very different after translation.

Zheng Ren greeted the parents and told them to have a seat. "The boyfriend said your daughter has had such symptoms before?"

The mention of the boyfriend instigated some angry shouts from the father. The mother wiped away tears as she tried to placate her husband.

Zheng Ren tapped his fingers on the table and said, "We're short on time. Please, speak clearly!"

The father was taken aback by Zheng Ren's sharp tone. After realizing his daughter's life was on the line, the man muttered some curses under his breath before sitting down.

"My daughter has always had a clean bill of health but when... When she got pregnant, she suffered from an elevated platelet count and that caused the venous thrombosis," the father revealed.

Pregnant? Platelets?

It was the first time Zheng Ren had heard of such a condition.

The System was able to provide a diagnosis but it would not reveal the disorder's mechanism. It was up to Zheng Ren to decipher how the puzzle pieces fit together.

"She's very headstrong. Previously, she had an incident in school and was rushed to the hospital. Who knew that she would..." the father's voice cracked as he let out a sigh. Tears streamed down his face.

"Which hospital was it?" Zheng Ren asked.

The patient's father mentioned a famous Class Three Grade A Hospital in Imperial Capital.

Zheng Ren thought for a moment before asking about the doctor who was in charge of the case. The name was given and Zheng Ren picked up his phone.

It was still early in the day to call Department Chief Kong.

There was a patient's life on the line so Zheng Ren's reasons were justified. Although a thrombolytic procedure was ongoing with Professor Rudolf at the helm, Zheng Ren figured he would rather be safe than sorry.

"Chief Kong, it's me, Little Zheng."

"Yes. There's a patient in emergency care here who has been to Imperial Capital, I need some information about her medical condition."

Department Chief Kong gladly acquiesced. Zheng Ren gave him the name of the hospital and the angiology department chief.

The patient's father watched Zheng Ren effortlessly obtain information about his daughter's admission in an Imperial Capital hospital. He trusted that his daughter was in good hands.

During the first hospital admission, the Imperial Capital doctor told them to watch out for a recurrence as it would be more severe. The doctor said only large Class Three Grade A Hospitals in Imperial Capital or Sorcery Capital would give their daughter a fighting chance against a second pulmonary embolism.

If the patient was elderly, they were unlikely to survive a second incident.

When the father heard it was the same disorder, he wanted to take a knife and have a go at her boyfriend.

There was still hope!

Zheng Ren hung up the phone. While waiting for Department Chief Kong's reply, Zheng Ren explained the surgical procedure to the parents.

Although the surgery was already ongoing, protocols were protocols.

He was a few lines in when Department Chief Kong called back.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 361: Treatment Only

"Chief Kong, have you asked them?

"Oh, oh, right. Give me a minute to write it down."

Zheng Ren grabbed a pen and a piece of A4 paper as he spoke and wrote down the treatment the patient received in Imperial Capital.

They were all experienced doctors and would not beat around the bush. Although they were rather reserved, they got to the gist of things when they did say something.

The treatment process in Imperial Capital was similar to Zheng Ren's plan: an intravenous injection of low molecular weight heparin and thrombolysis. They were worried about thromboembolism, so they placed an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter to block blood clots.

Of course, the patient would need to undergo an abortion.

Due to her unique condition, her thrombocytosis could not be reduced if her pregnancy was not terminated. It would result in the continuous production of blood clots.

Zheng Ren hung up the phone relieved when he heard that their treatment process was similar to what he expected.

He continued to talk to the patient's family members and let them sign the consent form. Zheng Ren then handed over the preoperative briefing to Yang Lei, who was on shift, before returning to the operating room.

Professor Rudolf Wagner had already put on a surgical gown. He was sitting on a white bench while he waited, bored, for the thrombolysis to complete.

The patient's vitals had gradually stabilized; the oxygen saturation in his blood rose to 90%.

This was the reason why we should visit the hospital at the onset of the disease in order to receive timely treatment. If there was a slight delay, the recovery period would not be so simple.

"Lil Fugui, how long has the thrombolysis been going on?" Zheng Ren asked.

"We administered urokinase 15 minutes ago. Looks like it's almost done," Professor Rudolf Wagner said. "Boss, the surgical tools you chose are really poor in quality."

Zheng Ren was defenseless against the professor's criticisms on Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery.

He did not have the contacts of large importing manufacturers, thus he could not access the tools right away when he needed them. Even though Changfeng's tools were lower-quality replicas, they could ship them on schedule and their prices were more affordable.

That was better than nothing.

Sea City General Hospital did not purchase these surgical tools and consumables because they did not offer this surgery, nor did they have a vascular surgery department to perform this interventional surgery.

Therefore, they had no choice but to make a temporary purchase. This was the responsible decision for both the hospital and the patient.

Regarding the tools' functionality... Zheng Ren knew that they were inferior to those manufactured by international companies.

The professor's criticisms were reasonable.

Feng Xuhui was standing in the corner of the console room. His expression dropped when he heard what the professor said.

Chief Zheng better not stop using his company's products. He had to hold onto this lifeline no matter what.

"No worries. I can manage with these." Zheng Ren laughed before leaving to change and scrub in.

Feng Xuhui felt slightly relieved when he heard Zheng Ren's words.

'However, it was not a long-term solution. He had to report to Chairman Ma in the upcoming meeting so that they wasted no time and could start improving their craft and material quality,' Feng Xuhui thought.

After administering the thrombolytic agent, urokinase, for half an hour, Zheng Ren had finished scrubbing in and went to the operating table to prepare for surgery.

The lead door closed slowly. Zheng Ren got into position with the professor as his assistant.

IVC filter placement was generally a simple procedure. The most difficult part was the pulmonary embolism during the emergency rescue, and the patient had stabilized. Therefore, Zheng Ren did not go to the System for solo training and started operating right away.

The professor performed the puncture for the catheter to administer the thrombolytic agent. Zheng Ren inserted the 9F filter delivery sheath and placed the filter through it.

The filter manufactured by Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery was a replica of the Simon Nitinol IVC filter.

The filter was shaped like a mushroom, made up of two sections: the roof-shaped head and pyramid-shaped tail.

With a unique structure like that, it had a major advantage. The Simon Nitinol IVC filter was a fourth-generation filter, a modified creation that incorporated all of the benefits of the previous models.

The mushroom-shaped structure could block blood clots which would cause pulmonary embolism from passing through the filter.

Even though Changfeng's technology was more backward and crass, the filter was made with nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy without cutting any corners.

Zheng Ren was fine with that.

He turned on the radiation when the filter entered the femoral vein and was placed in the inferior vena cava.

Zheng Ren slowly pushed the filter along the inferior vena cava until it reached the lowest renal vein and turned it on.

This was because the blood flow and blood pressure at the lowest point of the renal vein could aid with the complete resolution of blood clots.

Most importantly, the placement of the filter in this manner would preserve kidney functions and prevent the risk of subsequent complications.

Zheng Ren started the pulmonary angiography after the filter was in place.

He was relieved to find that most of the emboli in the pulmonary arteries had dissolved.

After switching off the equipment, Zheng Ren left. The professor remembered that he was responsible for applying pressure for hemostasis post-surgery. He did not make the same embarrassing mistake last time by leaving with Zheng Ren.

Zheng Ren changed out of his clothes while they performed hemostasis.

The entire surgery took less than an hour. Most of the time was used for the thrombolysis treatment for the pulmonary arteries.

This was also because they discovered it early and managed to provide timely treatment.

Zheng Ren felt that this girl was really lucky to survive two pulmonary embolism attacks.

He could not help but wonder if she would learn from this experience so that in the future...

Who knew what would happen in the future. Zheng Ren was only responsible for treating the patients' diseases. He had no right to interfere with their personal lives.

If the patient's parents had no control over their own child, who was he to intrude?

Zheng Ren removed the lead apron after leaving the operating table and stored it into the System. He then approached Old Chief Physician Pan and stood beside him.

"You brought her here?" Old Chief Physician Pan asked.

"Yep." Zheng Ren nodded. "I went out with Yiren for a meal and saw this girl suffering from an acute pulmonary embolism, so we brought her back for emergency rescue."

"She's very lucky," Old Chief Physician Pan sighed. "How did she get it at such a young age?"

"Likely from her pregnancy. Her platelet levels were elevated, resulting in the accumulation of small emboli in the lower extremity arteries. These emboli traveled into the bloodstream and lodged in the pulmonary artery," Zheng Ren replied.

Old Chief Physician Pan had encountered a case similar to this, but the surgical treatment was not as advanced back then, so they could only treat it with thrombolysis.

In fact, most of the patients passed away before they were even diagnosed with pulmonary embolism.

The advancement of medical techniques had allowed physicians to treat many diseases that were incurable in the past. Old Chief Physician Pan was deeply moved by this.

The patient was sent to ICU upon the completion of hemostasis.

Zheng Ren felt rather embarrassed. He had been sending more patients to the ICU after he was transferred to the emergency ward.

Would the ICU turn into a personal care unit for the emergency ward?

Zheng Ren communicated with the ICU doctor before leaving to tend to the patient's family members.

The patient's father looked as if he had aged so much within those few hours. His crow's feet were so deep, looking haggard and sorrowful.

A successful emergency rescue should be a joyous occasion, but what about the future?

Only heaven knows.

Chapter 362: Revealing True Emotions

Zheng Ren was briefing the patient's father on her condition, repeating some of the details such as pregnancy causing the girl's platelet levels to rise, which could be a life-threatening situation for her.

While he was talking, he sensed the sudden change in behavior from the middle-aged man.

Rage.

Resentment.

All of these emotions shot out of him like sharp blades.

What was happening?

While Zheng Ren was still in a daze, the patient's father charged toward him.

Both of them were standing rather closely. If this happened in the past, Zheng Ren would never have been able to react on time.

Nonetheless, after being in the System for such a long time, Zheng Ren's reflexes had improved unknowingly.

He leaned his body to the side by twisting his ankle, avoiding the sudden attack from the patient's father.

What was he...

However, Zheng Ren quickly realized that he was not the man's target. He was charging toward someone else behind him.

His target was the boy who ate with the girl in the restaurant.

The boy looked rather honest, probably in his twenties.

He guessed that the boy intended to eavesdrop on the conversation between Zheng Ren and the girl's father, but was discovered.

He stared at him with open-mouthed shock and was slapped by the girl's father without resisting.

Slap!

A clear sound echoed. The boy was sent flying. His body ended up colliding with the walls.

"Son of a b*tch!" The patient's father had bulging veins on his forehead, like two vicious snakes.

He lifted his leg and kicked the boy's head, delivering blow after blow without reservation. He did not avoid his vulnerable areas either, determined to hurt him with every kick.

Zheng Ren hurried over to yank the patient's father away, grabbing him by the waist.

"Brother, brother. Calm down!" Zheng Ren pulled him away forcefully.

Zheng Ren was still under thirty. Furthermore, he trained in the System, so he was physically stronger than others.

However, it took him all of his strength to restrain the patient's overweight father.

Zheng Ren could feel the man's rage deep down inside him.

"Son of a b*itch, I'm going to kill you!

"Doctor, let go of me. I don't want to live anymore. I'll kill him and serve time!"

"Brother, please don't do that. Calm down, calm down." Zheng Ren was not good with words. There was only so much he could say.

Nevertheless, at times like this, no words could convince a father when his precious daughter was hurt.

'This was what a real father should be like. Too bad the girl was a disappointment,' Zheng Ren thought.

The young boy did not use this window to run away. Instead, he walked toward the middle-aged man determinedly and gave a deep bow. He said sincerely, "Uncle..."

"Don't you f*cking call me uncle. You can call other f*ckers uncle!" The middle-aged man roared furiously.

The boy looked shaken, but he quickly mustered courage. Zheng Ren could see the determination in his eyes.

"Uncle, please hear me out. Okay?" The boy continued to bow sincerely, his back bent at the lowest angle possible for any bow.

Zheng Ren could feel the middle-aged man's resistance slowly fade in his arms and finally calmed down after a minute.

The boy was still bowing to him in tears.

True emotions were revealed.

Genuine.

Sincere.

Zheng Ren gradually released his grip. The middle-aged man stood in front of the boy in silence, breathing heavily as if he was exhausted.

The boy bowed another dozen times. Zheng Ren could feel the strain in his back just by watching him.

Finally, he stopped. His face was covered in tears, but the determined expression remained unwavering.

"Uncle, you know that Little Wan and I had been together since university," the boy said.

The middle-aged man kept quiet and continued to breathe heavily.

"I didn't expect it to turn out this way the first time. I admit that it was my fault. I'm to blame for everything. It's all my fault.

"I also know that there's no point in apologizing.

"You told us to break it off back then, but I couldn't do it. I really like Little Wan, I do. I didn't go to the South after we graduated and followed Little Wan back to Sea City.

"I've worked really hard for the past six months. I'm confident that I can support a family."

The man moved his lips as if he was about to say something, but there was no sound.

The boy seemed to be immersed in his memories and did not notice the man's actions. His head was lowered, with tears rolling down freely.

"We are preparing to get married. I know that Little Wan cannot get pregnant, so I had been very careful after what happened last time. She had told me several times to try, thinking that you won't go against us if she got pregnant.

"But I rejected her. This is a life and death issue. I can't afford to take the risk. I also told my parents about our situation. Although they were not too happy about it, they approved of our marriage.

"However... Several days ago, the condom we used broke. Little Wan just told me and threw it away before I had the chance to look at it. I was too careless to notice it. I'm sorry, I truly am sorry." The boy looked so lost. Zheng Ren guessed that this was probably why the boy was panicking in the restaurant.

Nevertheless, this boy was really something to be able to admit his wrongdoings, which differed from Zheng Ren's first impression of him.

"Uncle, it was my fault for being so reckless, but it was not intentional.

"Please believe that I would never hurt Little Wan. I want to protect her forever as you do. I already hurt her once. There won't be a next."

Then, the boy kept quiet and stared at the floor dejectedly.

It was pin-drop silence outside of the ICU.

Suddenly, the boy burst out crying on the floor.

"I really didn't know... I don't know how this happened!"

This whole incident...

Zheng Ren felt his chest clench.

The middle-aged man was still silent, but Zheng Ren could feel his tense muscles slowly relax.

At least there was no more animosity.

He did not have to witness anymore drama.

Zheng Ren let out a long sigh.

Thank goodness.

Zheng Ren wanted to comfort the boy sobbing on the floor.

However, whatever he would do or say in a situation like this seemed unnecessary

His presence alone was unnecessary.

The conversation between a father and his future son-in-law was none of his business.

Zheng Ren wanted to leave quietly, but he was still a little worried. He planned to stay a little longer and make sure they were alright before leaving.

Then, the man moved all of a sudden.

He walked over and kicked the boy gently.

"Stop crying and stand up."

The boy was stunned, not knowing how to react and continued gasping for air.

Zheng Ren felt relieved when he found that the boy's emotional intelligence was lower than his.

He walked over and helped the boy up from the ground. He then said gently, "He'll approve your marriage if you take good care of her in the future."

The boy felt a mixture of bittersweet emotions.

Lost.

Bewildered.

...

...

Thanks to Teacher Guo for providing the case and story for this.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 363: A 14.8 km Fly-in

Zheng Ren slipped away from the scene.

The girl should be fine, but his date with Xie Yiren tonight was ruined again...

Too bad. Zheng Ren took out his phone as he walked.

Xie Yiren messaged him on WeChat. She had finished packing and was waiting for Zheng Ren in the car.

The ward was very quiet. Zheng Ren scurried back to the emergency ward and changed before leaving for the basement parking lot.

Life was just a cycle of repeating events; it would get boring after a while.

It was already past ten, just when the nightlife started to get going at Imperial Capital, Sorcery Capital, Chengdu, and Shenzhen City.

However, it would be inappropriate for an emergency department chief resident with a flexible shift to go out and party at this hour.

Xie Yiren had no interest in night clubs either. She joked around with Zheng Ren on the way home.

They continued to text for a while before sleeping in their own beds not too far from each other.

Just like that, the night had passed.

The sun rose as usual and life went on.

In the morning, Zheng Ren headed to the hospital, attended the pre-shift briefing and proceeded with ward rounds.

When he arrived at the emergency ward during ward rounds, Zheng Ren noticed a peculiar patient.

The patient was an 80-year-old man: healthy, with good eyesight and hearing. The System's monitor only showed a few geriatric diagnoses; none of them were acute.

However, the old man was complaining that he was not feeling well.

Old Chief Physician Pan led the ward rounds. He mentioned a few routine checkups and treatments before leaving the others to Zheng Ren.

Since the last time he encountered the young couple who faked being ill, Zheng Ren took his time to examine and check the labs. After his diagnosis matched with the System, he told the emergency physician to put those aside for him to deal with after his surgery.

He was scheduled for two elective surgeries today: a surgery to remove a secondary stent and a TIPS surgery to treat refractory ascites.

Zheng Ren went to the gastroenterology department after he left the emergency ward.

It was the surgeon's job to check on the patients before surgery to prevent rookie mistakes.

Even though they were simple assessments, they were important.

When he reached gastroenterology, two people walked out of the chief's office: Chief Xia and a grey-haired, middle-aged man who Zheng Ren did not recognize.

"Little Zheng, let me introduce you to my classmate. His surname is Zhang, the supervisory deputy director of Secondary Hospital, in charge of clinical work," Chief Xia introduced.

"Director Zhang, nice to meet you." Zheng Ren's attitude was slightly aloof. He had a lot on his plate today, juggling between checking preoperative patients and visiting Yang Lili in the ICU. He might not even have time for lunch today, not to mention finding time to entertain the deputy director of another hospital.

Even if he had the time, he was reluctant.

Director Zhang looked at Zheng Ren, smiling, and extended his hand enthusiastically. He shook hands with Zheng Ren and said, "Chief Zheng, I'm here to observe the surgery."

"Observe?"

Zheng Ren glanced at Chief Xia perplexed.

"The Secondary Hospital[1] hasn't dabbled in TIPS surgery, but they had the most patients who require the procedure." Chief Xia chuckled and said, "The patient you just operated on was our classmate. Old Zhang heard about it and rushed over to have a look."

"Chief Zheng, can you come over to our hospital to perform a few TIPS surgeries if you're free? It'll be a fly-in job, and you can fix the price," Director Zhang said when he saw that Zheng Ren was in a hurry and his wandering eyes were not on him.

The majority of clinical physicians were like that.

When you discussed a patient's condition with them, you would have their undivided attention. However, if you spoke about something else, especially before surgery, you would be lucky if they were even standing in front of you, pretending to listen to what you were saying.

Zheng Ren's eyes lit up when he heard that he could perform TIPS surgeries.

He could not care less about the money. He was about to fly-in to Imperial Capital. He believed that Chief Kong would not let him down.

However much he would receive in payment did not affect his life.

Would Xie Yiren's parents be bothered by 18,000 yuan?

On the other hand, Zheng Ren yearned for the hefty rewards from the second stage of The Crown Jewel mission, especially with the 3,000 cases of radiofrequency ablation experience.

Zheng Ren had been pondering on how to complete the mission.

Who knew the answer fell on Director Zhang and his greying temples.

"Sure, how many patients have you got?" Zheng Ren asked.

"As many as you want," Director Zhang said smilingly.

In Director Zhang's opinion, people like Zheng Ren were the easiest to handle. A young doctor like him worked hard to improve his techniques and skills. So long as he could provide the patients, he was not worried that Zheng Ren would be disinterested in the Secondary Hospital.

The surgical fee would not be a problem. This young doctor would probably be satisfied with 1,000 to 2,000 yuan in consultation fees.

After all, it was still in the city. Did he really think that he was a fly-in doctor?

More importantly, he needed to be able to handle all the surgeries they were about to give him.

TIPS surgery was not as simple as an appendectomy, which could be performed by anybody that worked in the hospital for a couple of years. A doctor without a strong foundation or natural talent would never dare perform it.

Director Zhang thought that Zheng Ren was forced to step up during an emergency situation and he was lucky to complete that one TIPS procedure.

This was also the reason he came to observe the surgery. He wanted to see for himself that if he managed to pull through, he would be generous enough to provide him with a 'chance'.

By feeding him ample surgeries, he could also help many patients, killing two birds with one stone.

Director Zhang was busy plotting his scheme, mostly because Zheng Ren was quite young. If it was Old Chief Physician Pan in his place, he would already kneel down and beg him to come over.

It is said that those who could perform TIPS surgeries were Gods.

After exchanging a few words, Zheng Ren requested to visit the patients before surgery.

The patient who had the emergency TIPS surgery was recovering well. The hematemesis had subsided and there were no complications of hepatic encephalopathy.

When they checked her blood ammonia level that morning, it was within the normal range. Even if they failed to retrieve the second stent, the treatment effects were satisfactory.

The other patient with decompensated cirrhosis and refractory ascites, along with complications of electrolyte imbalance, was improving without any contraindications.

The patient's family members were also cooperative. Most of the hospitals, including Sea City General Hospital, had given them a death sentence due to the presentation of refractory ascites.

Unless they did TIPS surgery.

However, the exorbitant cost of TIPS surgery, on top of the need to travel outstation, had obliterated their hopes. The only thing left was to wait for death.

When Chief Xia told them that Sea City General Hospital was able to perform the surgery at the cost of a higher risk, the patient's family members agreed to do the surgery without letting them finish.

The patient would die in the end either way. At least they still had a chance if they tried.

The recovery of the hematemesis patient was especially promising, lighting the hopes of the other family members of the refractory ascites patient once again.

They had signed the forms. Zheng Ren left after seeing the patient was in good condition to receive surgery.

He bid farewell to Chief Xia, then ordered the staff in gastroenterology to the operating room while he headed to the ICU to check on Yang Lili.

[1] In most cities, the general (first) hospitals are usually community-based, offering all types of medical and surgical cases. The Secondary Hospital focuses on infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and hepatitis B.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 364: Completed In A Daze

When he entered the ICU, he could sense that the atmosphere was drastically different from yesterday.

Even the nurse's pace of changing drips was much more relaxed. Chief Qian was laughing and talking to Su Yun.

"How's Yang Lili?" Zheng Ren walked in and asked.

"We've removed her tube. Do you want to speak to her?" There was finally a smile of relief on Su Yun's face.

"That's fine. I'll not waste any more time here," Zheng Ren chuckled. "There's a TIPS surgery waiting for me."

"I'm not staying here either. I'll follow you to surgery," Su Yun said as he stood up.

Yang Lili had passed the critical stage. The removal of her tube was a sign that her condition was improving. The remaining steps were just to slowly recover.

Su Yun had not much use, even if he stayed behind.

"Have you been performing interventional surgeries alone recently?" Su Yun asked.

"I did it with Lil Fugui," Zheng Ren answered.

"No wonder. I was thinking why you looked so disinterested when I said that I'm going back to perform surgery with you. Out with the old, in with the new, huh?" Su Yun nagged at Zheng Ren while he flirted with the ICU nurses, "He used to call me 'sweetie'. Now that he's got Lil Fugui, I'm Madam Bull."

"..."

Though Su Yun acted in a plaintive tone, as if he was a desperate housewife, Zheng Ren knew that he was joking

Zheng Ren checked Yang Lili's labs from that morning silently before greeting Chief Qian. He left the ICU right after.

"Any progress with Little Yiren these few days?" Su Yun the chatterbox just could not stop talking for a minute.

"Same old. Always an emergency whenever we go out for a meal or a movie," Zheng Ren said frustratedly.

Emergency department...chief resident...was not a job for the mundane.

"Don't worry," Su Yun waved and said, "If you want to date in the future, I can take over your surgeries. They're just simple procedures. The only question is—do you dare go for it?"

Why did he sound like he was up to no good?

"You'll spend your whole life in regret if you let her go. Don't worry about Little Yiren's parents. If you love her, you'll accept the consequence, regardless of the outcome.

"Many years later, when you look back on this, you won't have any regrets, even if it didn't work out. The worst situation is that you caved in even before meeting Little Yiren's parents."

Su Yun urged Zheng Ren.

Zheng Ren remained silent on the way, digesting what Su Yun had said. Even though he was naggy and his views were...so-so, the things he said were not unreasonable.

All of these were like experience points. Take the small actions in the movie theater, for example. Without Su Yun's help, Zheng Ren would have nailed all the unforgivable mistakes.

Even when Su Yun had told him about the landmines, Zheng Ren's first attempt was nowhere near perfect.

He should listen to him. Zheng Ren remembered every word Su Yun said, planning to give it a good thought in his free time.

"Any new progress with the TIPS surgeries, boss?" Su Yun changed the topic so fast that no one could keep up with his train of thought.

They said that smart people were more likely to have non-linear thinking. That information had yet to be verified.

"Yes," Zheng Ren answered truthfully. "I started researching the diagnostic and surgical methods. Then, I confirmed with Professor Rudolf Wagner that we can solve the issue with a hepatic diffusion-weighted MRI."

"Hmm? Are you in your right mind?" Su Yun did not understand what Zheng Ren said because DW-MRI was not used for TIPS surgery.

Nevertheless, if both Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf Wagner agreed, they must have had their reasons. He just needed to sit back and watch.

Su Yun's mind churned rapidly, not about the surgery, but about which journal to publish and which reviewer to contact.

This time, both of them were quiet on their way to the emergency operating room. Su Yun was thinking about writing the TIPS surgery paper while Zheng Ren contemplated on what Su Yun had said.

The patient had been sent to the operating room. Zheng Ren put up the scans on the film viewer and checked in with the patient. After ensuring that everything was good to go, he started preparing for surgery.

Director Zhang followed and stood in the operating room. He was stunned.

Zheng Ren had a foreigner assisting him?

This Chief Zheng was someone of repute.

Professor Rudolf Wagner was busy prepping for surgery. When they were about to begin, Director Zhang approached Chief Xia and asked, "Old Xia, who's the foreigner? Why do you guys have a foreign doctor?"

"Chief Zheng said that he's Professor Rudolf Wagner from Heidelberg University. Who knows why he's here in Sea City, but let me tell you, Old Zhang: that professor can speak Mandarin fluently. His Northeastern accent is slicker than mine. You'll need to be wary when you talk about him. Don't think that he doesn't understand Mandarin," Chief Xia said with a chuckle.

This important reminder came just in time.

Director Zhang made a mental note and retracted into a corner. He took out his phone and typed in the search engine for Heidelberg University and Professor Rudolf Wagner.

A few years ago, the Secondary Hospital's director, Director Ren, led an exchange team to Heidelberg University. At that time, Director Zhang did not have the chance to go since he was not appointed as the supervisory deputy director for clinical work.

Director Zhang was aware that the university and hospital were the world's top institutions. He was searching for the professor's information.

Not long after, he was completely dumbfounded.

Initially, he still had doubts, but it all disappeared when he saw the professor's name mentioned in the introduction of Heidelberg University.

Furthermore, even Baidu Baike had the professor's picture and biography. Director Zhang was completely blown away.

All of it was true!

This was the only thought Director Zhang had.

Regarding his professionalism, Baidu Baike also mentioned Professor Rudolf Wagner being the world's best interventional professor; enough said.

What was a person like him doing in Sea City?

F*cking hell!

Something must be wrong. Director Zhang was in a daze and only regained his senses when Zheng Ren came out from the operating room.

"Very fast stent removal surgery," Chief Xia praised, even though he did not know how to perform the surgery, nor the challenges the surgeon might encounter.

What? The surgery was finished?

Director Zhang was struck by another thunderbolt.

Chief Xia did not study TIPS surgery because there was no need for a department chief of internal medicine to do that.

Director Zhang, on the other hand, was the director of clinical operations. He had ambition and goals to launch the first TIPS surgery at the Secondary Hospital.

This was also in line with the vision of the Secondary Hospital's Director, Ren Haitao.

Usually, it would not be difficult if all of them were working toward the same goal, but TIPS surgery was really different from other surgical methods.

If they manage to establish TIPS surgery with the help of other professors, he could happily retire.

That was why he knew so much about TIPS surgery.

The current trend was to place two stents in the shunt without removing them because the bleeding would be inevitable if the stent was removed from the liver.

If the stent removal resulted in a hemorrhage, it was not worth the risk.

Before this surgery, he was strongly against the idea of Zheng Ren removing the stent.

However... Chief Zheng from the emergency department finished the surgery while he was in a daze?

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 365: Don't Be Too Surprised

Director Zhang shuddered. He was not supposed to blank out.

Was the surgery done by Professor Rudolf Wagner?

That had to be the only reasonable explanation.

He lifted his head to see the professor applying pressure to stop the bleeding while Chief Zheng casually chatted with Chief Xia in the operating console room.

What...

He approached Zheng Ren and asked with a forced smile, "Chief Zheng, how did you perform the surgery? I didn't quite understand it. Can you explain it to me please?"

Not that he failed to understand what was going on; he had just missed the entire surgery.

Zheng Ren was unaware of that, but could he elaborate at Director Zhang's request?

However, the key to the stent removal post TIPS was in the coordination between Professor Rudolf Wagner and himself during the operation. This was something that was not displayed in the films, so it was difficult for him to explain in words.

"There's nothing much to talk about the surgery. The only notable point is the stent removal technique," Zheng Ren explained. "Just need to avoid a secondary hemorrhage and injuring the hepatic tissue."

Zheng Ren spoke as he pointed at the scans.

"..." Director Zhang was at a loss for words.

'Who doesn't know about this? You don't say!' He thought.

Nonetheless, Director Zhang was also from the same field. He knew that it was not Chief Zheng's intention to withhold information, but he had no idea how to describe it.

He felt a sense of deep regret. He made an unforgivable mistake blanking out and missing the whole surgery.

Director Zhang gathered himself to focus on the next TIPS surgery.

If he had doubts before, it was safe to say that Zheng Ren had his full attention now. If Zheng Ren was as good as he thought, he would satisfy him with ample surgeries!

Professor Rudolf Wagner on the other hand...

Director Zhang dared not touch him.

How could they afford the world's top professor? His surgical fee would cost at least 10,000 US dollars per procedure.

If the patients in Secondary Hospital were that rich, they could visit any hospital in the country. Why would they stay behind to die?

After 15 minutes, Professor Rudolf Wagner applied a pressure bandage on the patient and transferred the patient to the gurney with Zheng Ren's help. The patient was then sent back to the ward by the gastroenterologist.

The patient raised his hand as he left the operating room, saying, "Thank you, Dr. Zheng."

"You're welcome," Zheng Ren smiled.

This was the satisfaction of performing surgeries.

There was nothing more important to ensure that everyone is safe and sound.

After that, the patient with decompensated cirrhosis and refractory ascites was sent into the operating room.

Zheng Ren took her scans and put them up on the film viewer to check them once more before the surgery.

The professor was heavily built; he could transfer the patient easily by himself. Zheng Ren stood still, with his left arm crossed and his cheek resting on his right hand while he studied the scans.

He had spent a lot of time researching with Professor Rudolf Wagner the day before, improving the surgical method that he invented to a great extent.

He was very confident in today's surgery. This was just a routine inspection.

"Boss, what did you and the professor research?" Su Yun came to Zheng Ren all of a sudden and asked.

"Here, the T2-weighted images with two identical gradient lobes applied on either side of the slice selection gradient for the 180 RF pulse allow us to identify the route of entry," Zheng Ren said, pointing at the DW-MRI scans with his right hand.

The things he mentioned were so technical, even a clinical physician could not understand him.

Other than those specializing in neurology, not many people could read DW-MRI scans.

Not to mention that Zheng Ren was explaining the concept of the random movement of molecules (the brownian motion) and the effect of spin-echo used in magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted (MRDW) imaging.

Even if it sounded alien to others, Su Yun was still a brilliant scholar.

He thought for a moment and understood what Zheng Ren was trying to say. Without Zheng Ren's idea, Su Yun would never think of using DR-MRI to locate the puncture site.

There was nothing much left to say after the revelation.

"Interesting, how did you come up with the idea?" Su Yun's focus had always been different.

"I was wondering that we shouldn't just depend on luck all the time. The recent advancement in TIPS surgery was to create a tunnel in the portal vein branch to mark the location and proceed to label the puncture site in the hepatic vein," Zheng Ren said, "I think that's quite troublesome. We can just skip those procedures with these supplementary tests."

"It makes sense, but you need to put your theory into practice."

"We should be seeing results soon," Zheng Ren said confidently. "Don't be too surprised."

"Tsk!" Su Yun exclaimed in disdain.

Even Su Yun was entranced when he turned around to watch Professor Rudolf Wagner carry out all forms of preoperative preparation.

His boss, Zheng Ren must have had strong mental strength to have the world's top professor assist him.

Su Yun estimated that the TIPS surgery would be done within an hour.

Even when they had to overcome so many unexpected obstacles during the emergency TIPS surgery, it did not take them too long. It would be a joke if Zheng Ren needed two hours to complete an elective TIPS surgery.

Su Yun also guessed that Zheng Ren would be puncturing about three times.

This was what a world-class surgeon could deliver.

There were only a handful of surgeons who could perform the TIPS procedure. Excluding failed surgeries, it would take an average of 15 to 20 punctures before the surgeon could successfully carry out the procedure.

Three times. This was his judgement based on his estimation of Zheng Ren's skill.

Surprised? There was no such thing.

"Boss, prepare for surgery," Professor Rudolf Wagner said.

Su Yun left immediately. One should avoid being exposed to radiation as much as possible. It was not the time to be competitive.

Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf started the surgery after the lead door closed.

Su Yun stood in front of the leaded glass and observed attentively. Director Zhang was shocked when he found out that the surgeon was Chief Zheng, Zheng Ren, and not Professor Rudolf Wagner, the world's top interventional physician in Baidu Baike.

Su Yun took out his phone and started the stopwatch when the surgery began.

He was perplexed by Zheng Ren's confidence.

Su Yun reckoned that the surgery would take at least 40 minutes. Why would he be surprised?

Never!

Soon, the radiation was switched on. Everything went smoothly. Chief Xia was unable to gauge the situation, but Su Yun knew that Zheng Ren was operating with a speed that was on an entirely new level with the help of Professor Rudolf.

Was he not good enough?

Su Yun refused to admit that.

However, the reality was proving him wrong.

'Bast*rd!' Su Yun swore internally.

The puncture needle went in. Su Yun held his breath while he stared at the image on the screen.

It was not moving too fast, but it was extremely stable. It was so steady that it gave a sense of security to those who understood the surgery.

This was not an easy procedure.

It reached a point and stopped. The position seemed odd, maybe Zheng Ren planned to use this location to adjust the puncture needle.

Click.

Su Yun heard Zheng Ren pull the trigger on the puncture needle.

On the imaging screen, the puncture needle shot out and came to a halt shortly after.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 366: Everything Seemed So Surreal

It was difficult to judge from the imaging if the puncture needle had entered the portal vein branch in the liver.

However, Su Yun had a hunch that Zheng Ren had nailed it in his first attempt by working seamlessly with Professor Rudolf Wagner.

Zheng Ren's subsequent insertion of the stent graft along the guide wire proved that Su Yun's speculation was accurate.

Was it successful?

It looked rather strange. If TIPS surgery was this easy, it should not be coined as the crown jewel of interventional surgery.

The stent was in place, opening the vessel, and blood flow was restored.

Su Yun sighed internally. Even though he addressed Zheng Ren as his boss, he had never stopped trying to catch up with him.

Why did it feel like the more he chased after him, the distance between them grew further apart?

If Su Yun had not seen it with his own eyes, he would not believe that Zheng Ren conquered TIPS surgery so effortlessly.

He looked down and checked the time: 15 minutes and 26 seconds.

Su Yun quietly turned his phone off.

Split time? There was no point in noting the time. Why should he give him the chance to boast about this in the future?

Director Zhang stared intensely at the giant LED screen that was showing the ongoing operation and dared not blink.

Nevertheless...he was still at a loss when the TIPS surgery was completed.

When he was young, he studied under Professor Xu Ke at China Medical University.

Director Zhang witnessed first-hand Professor Xu Ke's research and attempt at TIPS surgery.

TIPS surgery was like nailing jelly to the wall.

Until today, Director Zhang could still remember Professor Xu Ke's isolation gown under the lead apron, drenched in sweat, and the smile on his face during his first successful surgery.

When he returned to Sea City, he was held back by trepidation whenever he wanted to establish TIPS surgery in the Secondary Hospital due to the difficulty of the method.

Had TIPS surgery evolved into a simple surgery?

Impossible.

Director Zhang rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

Everything...

...seemed so surreal.

In the operating room, Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf Wagner were placing the second removable stent.

The surgery was almost finished, but the elapsed time was less than 30 minutes.

Was this really a TIPS surgery?

Impossible!

"Old Xia... are they performing a TIPS surgery?" Director Zhang asked softly.

"You're the one involved in interventional surgery. Why are you asking me?" Chief Xia frowned, "Have you lost touch with clinical work? How can you let your operations drop so low!"

Director Zhang seemed unfazed by Chief Xia's mockery. They were old friends, this was just normal banter.

Moreover, Director Zhang did not think that he neglected his work.

TIPS surgery was his dream. He was determined to have at least one successful case before his retirement

He even took a trip to Shenyang recently to reconnect with his old contacts. If there was a need for TIPS surgery, he could invite one of the professors over to perform it.

Who knew that Sea City General Hospital had been secretly doing TIPS surgery with highly skilled surgeons!

He personally witnessed the young doctor from Sea City General Hospital perform all of the surgeries. Judging from the situation, the professor was not much help.

He must invite Chief Zheng to perform surgery at Secondary Hospital! The thought crossed Director Zhang's mind when he saw the second stent set in place.

How did he do it? Director Zhang was still perplexed, even though he had been observing the surgery the entire time.

"Chief Xia, I'm done. The surgery went well." Zheng Ren removed his sterile gloves and entered the operating console room to inform Chief Xia.

"So much faster than the first surgery," Chief Xia said.

"Yeah, I went back and summed up my past experiences. Also, this surgery is elective, it's normal to take a shorter time," Zheng Ren said nonchalantly and turned around to change.

"Lil Fugui, help me transfer the patient afterward," Zheng Ren told Professor Rudolf on his way to the changing room.

"Sure thing. I have your back, no worries," the professor answered directly.

Director Zhang was stunned again.

He had stopped speaking in the Northeastern accent that he was once so familiar with.

Hearing a German professor speaking with that accent, he thought he went back in time.

"The surgery's not too bad, right?" Chief Xia said with a laugh.

Even though Chief Xia did not perform the surgery, she was the one who invited the chief resident of Sea City General Hospital to operate the first TIPS surgery. In her opinion, she totally had bragging rights.

"Yes, more than okay. It was excellent," Director Zhang shook his head and said, "Old Xia, you discovered a treasure."

"What do you mean? That's because I have an eye for talent." Chief Xia rolled her eyes at Director Zhang.

"Yeah, yeah. You have great eyes." Suddenly Director Zhang realized something in the middle of talking. He tugged Chief Xia's lab coat sleeve and hinted with his eyes.

Hmm? Chief Xia was confused. Why did he need to speak to her in private? What was there to say when the surgery was finished?

Even though Chief Xia had questions, she still followed Director Zhang out of the console room.

In the corner of the corridor, Director Zhang looked around to see that there was nobody around before saying softly, "Old Xia, the chief resident's surgery is really amazing."

"You don't say."

"However, the better he is, the more troubled I am," Director Zhang said, "How much do I need to pay when I invite Chief Zheng for surgery?"

The situation in the Northeastern region differed from the South. In Sorcery Capital, a small facial suture would cost 3,000 to 5,000 yuan. In the Northeast, they only charged a couple of yuan for the processing fee.

The huge disparity in the fees was the major causing factor of brain drain. Physicians with adequate skills were all set to work in the South.

The surgical fee was so low, he was certain it would cover Zheng Ren's expenses.

The patient's family members would have to come up with cash.

Before this, he thought that Zheng Ren was a TIPS surgery amateur that mostly relied on luck.

,000 to 2,000 yuan should have sufficed.

Now, he knew that he was highly skilled in this surgery with a world's top professor as his assistant.

He even told the German professor to help him move the patient after surgery.

If Director Zhang was the one who invited the German professor for surgery, he would have worshipped him like a God. No one in their right mind would tell him to move the patient.

The unexpected situation had spiraled out of his control.

He wanted to hear Chief Xia's opinion on the appropriate amount for Zheng Ren's payment.

"Payment?" Chief Xia frowned. She had no prior experience on fly-in jobs. Internal medicine rarely invited professors to consult, compared to general surgery.

"Yeah, how much do you think I should pay Chief Zheng?" While speaking, it dawned on Director Zhang that he made another mistake.

"Right, if Chief Zheng's going to Secondary Hospital to perform surgery, he wouldn't bring Professor Rudolf Wagner along, would he?"

To have a German professor as an assistant...

God, Director Zhang had never dreamt of something like this.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 367: Pro Bono

"Why don't we ask him?" Department Chief Xia said with much thought. Before Director Zhang could speak, Department Chief Xia hollered down the corridor, "Chief Resident Zheng, could you come over for a bit?"

"Hold on a minute," Zheng Ren's voice sounded from the changing room.

"Ah! So hasty. What if Chief Zheng asks for a high price?" Director Zhang asked.

Director Zhang's worry was not baseless. There would be no negotiations once Zheng Ren quoted a price.

The Secondary Hospital could take it or leave it.

If the quoted amount was more than 5,000 yuan... A patient who could fork out that much cash would have gone to Provincial Capital, Imperial Capital, or Sorcery Capital for the TIPS surgery.

Director Zhang sighed.

"What's the matter, Chief Xia?" Zheng Ren walked toward them in his white coat.

"Old Zhang wants you to perform a TIPS procedure in the Secondary Hospital. How much would you charge?"

"Charge?" Zheng Ren was confused. He had not thought of that aspect.

He was not given a single penny in the past. How would he know what to charge?

Money was of little importance to a man like Zheng Ren.

He was used to his current lifestyle and more money would change little. Furthermore, an additional 10,000 yuan in his bank account would mean nothing to Xie Yiren's parents.

"We have to give you a consultation fee for your services, or else the scarcity of the skill is not reflected. It is also a respect to the medical personnel," Director Zhang said carefully. "But, the financial status of patients who visit the Secondary Hospital..."

Director Zhang subconsciously addressed Zheng Ren with deference.

"It won't be an issue," Zheng Ren said with a grin. "The money's not an issue, but the communication to the patient and family has to be done right. TIPS is a risky procedure."

Here laid the problem: oftentimes when people said it was not an issue, it meant otherwise. Director Zhang mulled over his options.

As a man part of the hospital bureaucracy for more than a decade, Director Zhang would not take Zheng Ren for his word.

With a dour face, Director Zhang offered the highest amount he deemed appropriate. "Chief Zheng, how about 5,000 yuan per surgery? Would that be alright?"

"Sure. Just send me the patient's scans and let me know if there's any contraindications. If the condition is very severe, there's no need for a fee. The Secondary Hospital is not too far away," Zheng Ren replied casually.

Director Zhang was astounded.

Was he for real?

These days, no professor would agree to perform surgery for free. What nonsense was this?

Yet, Zheng Ren was before him with a sincere smile. His kind eyes suggested he meant what he said.

"Don't worry, the patient's family might not have money, but I have some resources set aside. The hospital can offer some assistance to cover the 5,000 yuan fee. Your contribution is vital to this," Director Zhang said. He wanted to cement their deal.

Department Chief Xia smirked.

Zheng Ren chuckled and said, "Arrange as you see fit, as long as safety measures are taken care of. All the preoperative checks have to be done properly. It bears repeating that TIPS surgery is a very risky procedure; this has to be communicated to the patient's family."

Risky? Zheng Ren did not have to remind him. Director Zhang's worry and Zheng Ren's worry clearly did not overlap.

"Chief Zheng, will you be performing the surgery solo or bringing an assistant to the Secondary Hospital?" Director Zhang asked softly.

"I'll bring my assistant." Zheng Ren did not mind making use of Professor Rudolf's expertise when it came at no cost.

Director Zhang's heart skipped a beat.

With a Heidelberg University professor in tow... How much would that cost?

Zheng Ren noticed the change in expression on Director Zhang's face and quickly clarified, "It's alright. The professor's assistance won't cost anything extra."

Director Zhang was speechless.

Things were going much smoother than planned, but Director Zhang still felt uneasy about the agreement.

"Oh, can your hospital perform a diffusion-weighted MRI?" Zheng Ren asked.

"Yes, yes," Director Zhang replied, nodding.

"I will need some diffusion-weighted MRI scans of the liver. Once it's done, courier them to me so I can have a look. Apologies in advance for the trouble," Zheng Ren said. He turned to say goodbye to Department Chief Xia before leaving for the control room.

"See, Old Zhang. Matters: simplified. You've been spending too much time in administration, too much overthinking," Department Chief Xia commented.

Director Zhang gave her a bitter smile, but perhaps the old woman was right. This young doctor was quite the innocent.

Hold on, a preoperative diffusion-weighted MRI?

Why? The liver would have been viewed under a contrast-enhanced MRI or 64-slice CT scan. Why did Zheng Ren require a diffusion-weighted MRI scan? This was not a brain surgery.

By the time the question registered in Director Zhang's mind, Zheng Ren was long gone.

He decided to go in and ask Zheng Ren.

He asked Department Chief Xia for a pen and some scrap paper before hurrying into the control room. "Chief Zheng, about what you said earlier, the patient needs a diffusion-weighted MRI. What else was there?"

Director Zhang did not doubt Zheng Ren's expertise, but he wanted to understand the method.

Zheng Ren listed the preoperative procedures, "The routine blood work, ensuring brain and heart function are optimal for surgery. Then, inform the family about the risk associated with TIPS surgery; they have to be able to accept the high risk before proceeding."

Everything was as per a routine surgery except for the diffusion-weighted MRI.

Director Zhang nodded as he wrote down the instructions on the paper. Once he had everything, he folded the paper neatly and pocketed it.

The attentiveness to detail was a sign of respect for Zheng Ren.

It was improper to have a specialist repeat themselves.

Mutual respect could bridge a relationship between two parties. There was no shame in respecting someone who was of lower status than oneself.

At this point, the bleeding from the puncture wound was staunched and Professor Rudolf and the team were moving the patient onto the gurney. Once that was done, the professor removed his surgical gown and came into the control room.

"Lil Fugui, there are a few more TIPS patients in the coming days," Zheng Ren said.

"Sure. The more the better, but make sure the pre-surgery check is stringent. Let's not have any unwanted incidents in the operating room," Professor Rudolf replied in a Northeastern accent.

Director Zhang's heart swelled when he heard the familiar lilt of Northeastern Mandarin from the professor's mouth.

"Do you have any objections about the fee? It's 5,000 yuan per surgery," Zheng Ren asked.

Professor Rudolf Wagner did some calculations and converted the fee. "650 euros?"

"Around there."

"I don't need it."

"You deserve part of it," Zheng Ren said.

"Boss, I earn 15,000 to 20,000 euros per elective surgery back in Heidelberg. A referral letter cost 5000 euros. I don't need to split 650 euros with you," the professor said matter-of-factly. "This is — how do you guys say it — pro bono?[1]"

[1] The chinese word is 奉献精神 but I can't think of a more apt word than pro bono.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 368: Root Cause Investigation

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Director Zhang left with his head lowered.

If he stayed to listen to the ongoing conversation between Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf, he would be too ashamed to invite them to the Secondary Hospital for the TIPS surgery.

Department Chief Xia found nothing amiss and bid Zheng Ren goodbye before bringing the patient back to the gastroenterology department.

The patient did not have any complications after this round of surgeries. The portal hypertension had subsided. All that was left was the ascites, which required a simple abdominal tap.

In the silence, Zheng Ren watched the mission counter on the System display change from zero to one. His heart beat expectantly.

Initially, accomplishing ten TIPS surgeries in a month had seemed difficult due to the lack of patients.

However, with the help of Director Zhang from the Secondary Hospital, the limiting factor was addressed.

Zheng Ren thought of the hefty mission reward awaiting him and one-month mission duration, then smiled.

"Boss, we're going to the other place to perform how many procedures?" Professor Rudolf Wagner asked.

"I don't know, but it sounds like we'll get however many we want."

"That's great. Research requires supporting evidence—" The professor's words were cut off by another voice.

"Lil Fugui, I'm responsible for the boss's research," Su Yun said darkly, his jet-black hair ruffled with his sudden movement.

Professor Rudolf stared at Su Yun, his excitement dampened.

'The research can't be monopolized by one doctor!' the professor thought.

In the future, other surgeons would be using the Zheng-Rudolf method to perform TIPS surgery. It was what Professor Rudolf had envisioned.

"Quit fighting. We're making the rounds," Zheng Ren said.

Su Yun smiled at Zheng Ren, who had little concern about the proprietary rights of his research.

Trailing behind Zheng Ren, Su Yun and Professor Rudolf discussed under their breaths, occasionally looking up to check on Zheng Ren.

After the surgery, the first thought that came to Zheng Ren's mind was the octogenarian whom he saw in his morning rounds.

Physically, nothing was amiss, but the old man complained of pains and discomfort in different parts of his body.

Why would the old man be faking illness? His children were a filial bunch who came and stayed by his side. He was not faking it for attention.

There was no clinical indication of a disorder. Even the System did not provide a diagnosis.

Odd.

As they reached the emergency department observation unit, an idea struck Zheng Ren.

He would need Chang Yue's help. She was familiar with every patient's family and was better at unearthing information.

The flurry of thoughts in Zheng Ren's head abated as they entered the observation unit.

The old man's son was peeling an apple by the bed while he laid in bed, whistling a tune as his foot tapped to the music. The old man looked to be in peace.

Was he even sick?

Zheng Ren was sure the old man was faking sick.

He walked up to the hospital bed and said gently, "Sir, I am the chief resident in the emergency department. I'm here to check up on you. Can you tell me where you feel discomfort?"

The old man's eyes popped open and saw Zheng Ren standing before his bed. A frown appeared on his forehead, then he held an arm over his stomach and said, "Doctor, my stomach hurts."

Zheng Ren adjusted the old man's legs so that he was in a supine position. He rubbed his hands to warm them before proceeding with the physical check up.

The old man's acting was not a match for Zheng Ren's expert palpation assessment.

After a round of examination, Zheng Ren found nothing concerning.

Although his mind arrived at that conclusion, Zheng Ren hesitated to order a hospital discharge for the old man.

Arguments about the elderly taking up public resources were often seen online, made by keyboard warriors who hid behind a screen of anonymity. A man in his eighties could theoretically pass on at any moment and thus, could be said to deserve the medical care and attention.

A forceful removal could elicit an emotional outburst that would cause an unpredictable outcome... Zheng Ren would ideally want to sidestep this potential landmine.

They would move the old man to the emergency wards, just to be sure.

Leaving him in the observation unit was a risk, as patients that were wheeled in at night were usually from brawls or car accidents. The old man might experience a heart attack from all the commotion.

Zheng Ren explained their plan to the family members. There was no need to proceed with admissions just yet, but they would arrange for the old man to be under observation in the emergency wards.

Once the old man was transferred upstairs, he was infinitely grateful for the peace and quiet of the emergency wards.

Chang Yue approached Zheng Ren without prompting. "Chief Zheng, who's the patient?"

"I believe he's faking ill, but I've yet to find out why. I'm leaving the case to you; identify the root cause," Zheng Ren said.

Chang Yue stared at him. Her eyes narrowed as she said, "Root cause? And how do I do that? Why don't you teach me some techniques, O wise one?"

Zheng Ren tolerated Chang Yue's impudence. It was expected that she was not too happy about an additional task.

He patiently explained his theory to Chang Yue.

Zheng Ren's calm demeanor was a contrast to her attitude and she quickly quelled her temper. His explanation also made her curious as to why the old man was faking ill.

Was the hospital more comfortable than his own home?

Impossible.

From the records of post-surgery patients, it was clear that many would rather spend the night home than in the hospital. Patients would leave the hospital as soon as they were mobile.

Regardless of the doctors' advice or the medical insurers' warning, patients would up and leave their hospital beds as soon as they could.

However, this patient was the total opposite.

Zheng Ren only relaxed after the briefing was done.

The morning surgery was complete and Yang Lili's breathing tube was removed. In the coming few days, Zheng Ren planned to remove the inferior vena cava filter from the pulmonary embolism patient. Once that was done, there would be no time-sensitive surgeries on his schedule.

All that would be left were emergency surgeries that came in, the Secondary Hospital TIPS surgeries, and the surgeries arranged by Department Chief Kong in Imperial Capital.

Zheng Ren sat at his table and contemplated the upcoming surgeries.

Minutes later, he retrieved The Fundamentals of General Surgery and continued reading. Reading had become an integral part of Zheng Ren's daily life.

He had his phone next to the open book. His ongoing chat with Xie Yiren slowed his reading to a snail's pace.

The next thing he knew, it was lunchtime.

As Zheng Ren and Xie Yiren discussed lunch options, an unknown call came in.

"Hello?"

"Office Director Ding, hi."

"Yes, I'm at the wards."

"Alright, I'll wait for you here."

Zheng Ren hung up the call.

What did Ding Zhongtai want with him? And to call him through a private line instead of the hospital landline?

As someone who had infrequent contact with Ding Zhongtai, the phone call made Zheng Ren uneasy.

Soon, Ding Zhongtai appeared at the doorway to the office in the emergency wards. He looked around the office, spotted Zheng Ren, and waved.

Zheng Ren walked out and asked, "Office Director Ding, what happened?"

Ding Zhongtai pulled Zheng Ren to a corner. With a low and stern voice, he said, "Little Zheng, did you go ahead and find someone to settle that rear-end collision?"

Collision? Rear-end? What was that?

Zheng Ren looked confused.

"The ambulance," Ding Zhongtai clarified.

'Huh. Rear-end collision was a whole new take on the accident,' Zheng Ren thought.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 369: The Satisfaction of The System

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Huh? I don't know." Zheng Ren kept a straight face as he spoke. His innocent eyes bore into Ding Zhongtai's, betraying nothing.

"Little Zheng!" Ding Zhongtai barked sternly.

Zheng Ren's expression remained stoic. Ding Zhongtai's loudness and disapproving tone had no effect on the young doctor.

The futility of his approach made Ding Zhongtai change tack. He put on a concerned expression and sighed. "Little Zheng, I'm trying to protect you."

"Yes, yes. I know. Thank you very much, Office Director Ding," Zheng Ren said.

This conversation with Ding Zhongtai was going nowhere and Zheng Ren wanted to continue his chat with Xie Yiren. He would rather perform a surgery than be engaged in this hushed conversation with Ding Zhongtai.

"Your attitude clearly shows you do not comprehend the severity of the matter. Let me ask you again, were you responsible for calling in the Provincial Department?" Ding Zhongtai questioned.

"No. I'm sure you know I do not have the background to pull such a stunt," Zheng Ren answered truthfully.

Ding Zhongtai knew that was true.

If Zheng Ren was someone important, he would not have been threatened with termination from the Professor Moriyu incident.

However, this time around, someone had informed Ding Zhongtai that Zheng Ren was making it hard for the case to progress. They wanted Zheng Ren to step back so this Porsche case could be deflated and buried.

An immediate sentencing was undesirable and they would only accept a suspended sentencing at worst.

Ding Zhongtai had wanted to avoid treading into treacherous waters if he could.

The suspect in this case had committed a crime, and the case was under scrutiny by the province leaders. All Ding Zhongtai could say was that the driver of the Porsche was terribly unlucky.

In another time, this incident would be a trivial matter.

Zheng Ren would have been charged for driving the ambulance into the Porsche.

Ding Zhongtai studied Zheng Ren, hoping to find some clue as to what the young doctor was thinking.

He was disappointed.

Zheng Ren's eyes remained steady and unwavering.

"Little Zheng, I'm only trying to protect you. Trust me." Ding Zhongtai pondered on how he should inform the people about this as he tried to convince Zheng Ren. "Yang Lili's awake now and this horrible incident can soon come to a close. When the leaders' attention is no longer on the case, who knows what would happen."

Zheng Ren nodded absentmindedly.

Ding Zhongtai was annoyed at the flippant attitude Zheng Ren was displaying.

There really was nothing he could say to this man.

He cared little about Zheng Ren's career or life.

After Ding Zhongtai left, Zheng Ren remembered he ought to treat Chu Yanran and Chu Yanzhi to a meal.

The sisters had done him a huge favor that day.

To think he had forgotten about it... He only had himself to blame.

Zheng Ren texted in the groupchat, asking if everyone wanted to have dinner together.

Zheng Ren only cared about the money spent, and so did not participate in the restaurant selection.

Today was Chang Yue's shift and, after some discussion, everyone decided to move the dinner to tomorrow.

Having one less person meant less fun, especially since Chang Yue was Su Yun's rival when it came to drinking. Often they would be embroiled in running arguments and drinking matches.

As the texts went on, the clock struck 12.

Just as Zheng Ren was planning to leave for lunch, the emergency department called. There was a patient with acute appendicitis.

'Oh well, I guess lunch may be forfeited.'

He texted in the group chat to inform the others. If the diagnosis was confirmed, they would have to prepare for surgery.

The group chat was bombarded by lamentations and cries of injustice.

Zheng Ren ignored the bunch of drama queens and pocketed his phone. Although everyone complained about having a case during lunchtime, when push came to shove, each of them did their duty.

The patient, a middle-aged female, was wheeled into the emergency ward. The routine examinations and tests were ordered while Zheng Ren confirmed her diagnosis through the System.

The patient had to fast for a few hours before they could begin.

In the group chat, the few ladies were discussing what to order for delivery. Su Yun walked over to Zheng Ren.

There was a sly smile on Su Yun's face, which made Zheng Ren cautious. "What's up?"

Su Yun laughed and said, "The professor is quite an impressive man. We talked about research and he said we can apply for funding for the new TIPS method."

"Funding?" Zheng Ren had little knowledge about such things.

"On the outside, it's like a charity fund contributed by big companies like Boston Technologies and Medtronic. This fund aims to help develop methods and techniques relating to interventional surgery. These companies want to keep tabs on what's happening in the field and through these funds, they can curry favor with the doctors. Boss, congratulations, you're worthy of their attention!" Su Yun explained.

"Oh." The mention of money immediately dispelled whatever interest Zheng Ren initially had in the topic.

Dealing with international funds was a complicated matter that Zheng Ren would rather someone else handle as it involved foreign laws.

According to Su Yun, the funding would be from big medical device manufacturers like Boston Technologies and Medtronic. Zheng Ren believed the money would not be given without some stipulations which would work against their favor.

The money was similar to the red packets from patients; Zheng Ren would avoid them if he could.

Su Yun saw the indifference on Zheng Ren's face and said, "You probably don't know the amount, right? That's why you look so disinterested."

"How much?"

"A few million US dollars, and the whole amount would be yours. If you're in a good mood, I don't mind receiving a small share," Su Yun replied.

'Wow... That's a lot of money.'

Zheng Ren was stunned.

"And you won't have to worry about being threatened by the medical device companies. If Changfeng Microinvasive Surgery heard about this, they would amass at least a million dollars to throw into your research," Su Yun said.

"Why?"

"The prostate interventional embolization you did back in Imperial Capital was complex, but it was a niche procedure. On the other hand, TIPS surgery is an established procedure, but you made significant improvements to it. Your research will shake the world of interventional surgery."

"I see." Zheng Ren was not a big fan of fame.

He was not interested in rankings or renown. In his medical journey thus far, he only paid attention to two things: the benefits to the patient and the satisfaction of the System.

As long as a procedure could benefit the patient, Zheng Ren believed it was justified.

As for the System, Zheng Ren believed over time, he would reach the peak in every skill tree. Of course, he still had to worry about other competitors, but for now, Zheng Ren had his sights set low.

At the moment, he had to complete nine TIPS surgeries to pass the second stage of his main mission.

3000 cases worth of radiofrequency ablation experience was on the line...

Right, it was time for Zheng Yunxia's follow up.

"Chang Yue, how's Miss Zheng's progress?" Zheng Ren asked.

"She'll be coming in in three days for her check up," Chang Yue said without a moment's thought.

Although Zheng Ren could recall the patient's name, his relationship with Zheng Yunxia could be summed up as a brief coincidence. On the other hand, Chang Yue could provide the patient's appointment date without referring to the hospital's records. Chang Yue's dedication to the patients under her care was truly admirable.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 370: Land Mines Everywhere

Peace settled over the days to come.

The weekend passed in relative tranquility.

The emergency department faced little ruckus in these two days. A total of five appendices and three gall bladders were removed. The patients were admitted in the day, allowing Su Yun and Yang Lei to complete the procedures while the sun was up.

As chief resident, Zheng Ren only stood watch in the observatory room.

Su Yun was an impeccable assistant and, without Zheng Ren in the operating room, he was able to stand out. His methods were practised and his hands were steady in execution. With his surgical performance, he was on par with a department chief.

A prefecture-level hospital department chief who could perfectly complete minor surgeries.

Occasionally Zheng Ren had wondered if Su Yun had a System of his own. The man learned new things at an extraordinary speed. As a doctor from a cardiothoracic background, he operated the laparoscope with incredible precision.

How Su Yun mastered his skills had nothing to do with Zheng Ren.

Zheng Ren was grateful he could leave all the minor surgeries to Su Yun.

Recently, Zheng Ren and Xie Yiren had gotten used to the new carpool arrangement. Every day, Xie Yiren would drive Zheng Ren home and they would happily chat in the car. The awkwardness from before had subsided over time.

On Monday morning, during the morning rounds, Old Chief Physician Pan expressed his approval for the orderly manner in which the emergency department had facilitated admissions during the weekend. A brief inspection later, he went back to his own office.

When Old Chief Physician Pan left, Chang Yue called Zheng Ren over.

"Chief Zheng, that old man you brought into the wards; I think there's a problem with him," Chang Yue said.

"What's the problem?"

"I've been talking to his children and asked about their family. The old man's elder brother passed away three months ago from lung cancer. Apparently, since then, his wife has ordered him to stop smoking," Chang Yue said.

This was a family of long-living people; how enviable.

"And?"

"The old man was a chronic smoker, so quitting was obviously not easy. But the family was strict about it. I'm sure you would know a thing or two about that," Chang Yue said playfully and shot him a look. Zheng Ren was confused.

"So the old man faked being sick. He's been saying he has frequent urination and goes to the toilet once an hour. Then, he comes back from the toilet with the smell of smoke on his clothes. A cigarette an hour is pretty plausible to me," Chang Yue detailed.

Zheng Ren's brows furrowed.

No wonder the old man wanted to stay in the hospital; he was avoiding home so he could smoke his cigarettes.

"Have you told the family?" Zheng Ren asked.

"Not formally, but I think the children are giving the old man a pass on the issue," Chang Yue replied.

The old man's children were in their sixties, so their observation skills might be on the lower side.

Moreover, they had watched their father smoke for their entire lives. The smell of tobacco would not be noteworthy to them.

However, the hospital could not house the old man forever.

Zheng Ren smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

"Hm?" Chang Yue seemed to sense there was a deeper meaning to the words.

"I assume you followed the old man into the toilet every hour?" Chang Yue's expression suggested Zheng Ren made the wrong assumption.

As a doctor, it was not uncommon to go to the toilet to check on the patient's stool.

It was no one's favorite task, but for the sake of the patient, one had to do it.

Chang Yue's expression was neutral as she said, "I instructed his caretaker to notify me whenever he came back from the toilet. That's how I caught wind of the smoking."

"..."

"Now, I'm handing the case back to you." Chang Yue turned and left for the computer terminal to key in some patient details.

Regardless of her methods, Zheng Ren was grateful to have Chang Yue. Her attention to detail was paramount to solving the case.

Zheng Ren frowned as he tried to figure out his next step.

"Chang Yue, what do you think we should do?" he resorted to asking when he could not find a good solution.

"There's nothing much we can do. Just tell the family the truth."

Chang Yue's idea was not great, but at the moment, that was the only option they had.

As a unique case, Zheng Ren gave the old man special attention.

After all, he was at an age where death could take him despite a clean bill of health.

They had to make sure the old man had adequate care. A sudden death could spark a lawsuit if the family was unreasonable.

Although old age was not something they could treat, Zheng Ren refused to step on a land mine and treaded carefully.

He had to inform Old Chief Physician Pan about this ticking time bomb.

Zheng Ren exchanged a few words with Chang Yue and noted down a preliminary plan before heading to Old Chief Physician Pan's office.

His phone rang before he could reach the bottom floor.

"Hello."

"Oh, Director Zhang. Yes, yes. We're good on this end." A smile broke out on Zheng Ren's face.

"Alright, then I'll inform Old Chief Physician Pan about this. I'll take a day off to visit the Secondary Hospital. I'll update you if I have any news."

With that, Zheng Ren hung up the call.

Director Zhang from the Secondary Hospital was fully committed to the TIPS surgery collaboration. In one weekend, he was able to prepare five patients with decompensated cirrhosis for the procedure.

Five was less than desired.

Zheng Ren mulled over the ten surgeries he had to complete for the mission. Perhaps it would not be as easy as he thought.

After all, 95% of interventional surgeons have never completed a single TIPS surgery in their entire career.

'One step at a time, one surgery at a time,' Zheng Ren thought.

He arrived at Old Chief Physician Pan's office and found the door open. He peeked inside and saw a nurse sobbing in the office chair.

'What was going on?'

Old Chief Physician Pan noticed Zheng Ren and shot him a look. He spoke to the nurse in a kind voice, "Little Song, rest assured, we will handle this complaint. Zheng Ren, you'll see to this."

Zheng Ren was speechless.

He was here to inform Old Chief Physician Pan about the land mine he just encountered, but now the old chief was throwing another mine in his direction.

How frustrating. What was the complaint about?

The nurse's sobs earned her no pity from Zheng Ren. He tried to guess what her complaint was about.

"Little Song, what happened?" Zheng Ren walked over and asked.

At the question, the nurse let out a cry and the subsequent sobs were louder than before.

"I want to quit! I'm done working here!" Nurse Song shouted through the cries.

"Come now, let's talk it out. There's nothing to worry about with Old Chief Physician Pan here," Zheng Ren consoled the nurse.

After a few minutes of convincing, the nurse finally calmed down and was able to tell them about what had happened.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 371: An Awkward Predicament

Three years ago, when Zheng Ren was still young and inexperienced, an incident occured in the clinic.

A doctor prescribed an oral medication in capsule form to a patient. The patient asked about the daily dosage and left. Later, it was revealed the patient consumed the aluminium packaging along with the capsule.

Yes, both the capsule and the aluminium foil.

The patient argued that the hospital staff did not give clear instructions as to how to take the medication. He thought the aluminium packaging was edible.

The whole incident was extremely ludicrous.

Zheng Ren never found out how the incident was settled in the end.

There were only two solutions: First would be to compensate the patient and let him go wreck havoc in other hospitals. Second would be to stand firm and let the hospital's legal team do what they were paid for.

The doctor and nurse would have their salaries docked, and the hospital would have to include, 'Remind patients to not consume the aluminium packaging,' into their standard operating procedure.

Although the second option was more time-consuming, it was the proper way to address such incidents.

Today, a patient inquired about the medication dosage and Nurse Song provided the standard explanation.

She did not forget to remind the patient about the inedible aluminium foil packaging.

When she was done explaining, the patient was furious.

The patient was offended.

All he wanted was the dosage information. What did the nurse mean about the packaging?

Did she think he was retarded?

Tempers flared and the patient immediately filed a complaint against the nurse.

Regardless, Nurse Song did nothing wrong. She was abiding hospital protocol.

Zheng Ren did not know whether to laugh or cry.

What nonsense was this?

Old Chief Physician Pan was equally as frustrated. He consoled the young nurse and told her to not worry about the patient's complaint. As the department chief, he would support her and provide evidence of the hospital's standard operating procedure. If there was anyone to blame, it would be the person who wrote the procedure. They spent 20 minutes placating the nurse.

When the nurse left the room, Zheng Ren's mouth was as dry as a desert.

It was tiring, more tiring than performing two TIPS surgeries back to back.

Zheng Ren knew problems like these would crop up every now and then.

As more potent drugs hit the shelf, the list of side effects that came with them got longer.

The hospital was a public service and they interacted with people from all walks of life. Disagreements and confrontations were unavoidable.

With the nurse gone, Zheng Ren took a seat across from Old Chief Physician Pan and said, "Chief Pan, there's something I need to tell you."

"Have a drink. We're not in a rush." Old Chief Physician Pan pointed to the water dispenser.

Zheng Ren took a disposable cup and filled it with water. It took three cups of water before his thirst was quenched.

He proceeded to tell Old Chief Physician Pan about the case of the old smoker. He summarized the observations he and Chang Yue made, along with the solutions they discussed.

Old Chief Physician Pan gave his agreement. "Sure. Since we have done our best to screen for any form of illness and found nothing, I'll have a talk with the family about the patient's reluctance to go home."

The old man's youngest family member was at least 60 years old, hence it was better to have Old Chief Physician Pan do the talking. Zheng Ren and Chang Yue were simply too young to have any sway with the family.

Old Chief Physician Pan would see to the matter.

There was an art to delivering unpleasant news and having the age bonus would give them more leverage.

Now that that was settled, Zheng Ren switched topics. "Chief Pan, the Secondary Hospital has requested for me to assist them in some surgeries."

"Oh?" Old Chief Physician Pan's ears perked at the mention of surgeries. He found the drama of medical lawsuits to be quite dull and was glad for a change in topic. "Details, please. What procedure?"

"In the past week, I helped Department Chief Xia with two TIPS surgeries. During the second surgery, Director Zhang from the Secondary Hospital came over to observe. After the surgery, he approached me and invited me to his hospital to perform the TIPS procedure," Zheng Ren reported.

"The probability of success?" It was the only concern Old Chief Physician Pan had.

In Sea City General Hospital, Old Chief Physician Pan was confident he could shield Zheng Ren from any fallout should he fail his task. He had the clout and jurisdiction to perform damage control.

If something went wrong in the Secondary Hospital, Zheng Ren's small shoulders would not be able to bear the burden.

"I do not see any foreseeable problems. I managed to reduce the surgery time to an hour and Professor Rudolf Wagner would be accompanying me as my assistant. If we encounter any extreme situations, I'm sure the professor can handle it," Zheng Ren answered.

Old Chief Physician Pan thought for a few seconds, then smiled and nodded. "Go ahead then. When do you plan to leave?"

"With your approval, I will arrange something with Director Zhang," Zheng Ren said.

Old Chief Physician Pan was satisfied with Zheng Ren's answer. "I approve. Why wouldn't I? You're growing up so fast."

His words were bittersweet.

Zheng Ren's career in the emergency department was relatively short. In three months, he had gone from a junior doctor to a fly-in surgeon, outpacing a normal ten-year career progression by leaps and bounds.

"I could never have done all this if it weren't for you," Zheng Ren said sincerely.

"It has nothing to do with me," Old Chief Physician Pan replied with a smile.

Nothing more was said between the old department chief and the young chief resident. Both parties were humble and further talks would only devolve into a self-deprecation match.

As Zheng Ren was about to leave the office, Old Chief Physician Pan asked, "When is Department Chief Kong from Imperial Capital calling you over for his surgeries?"

"I have not gotten any news. I'll wait for Department Chief Kong and your arrangement," Zheng Ren said.

"Once the call comes, just let me know. The Imperial Capital surgeries are important and success is a must!" Old Chief Physician Pan sounded like a commander during wartimes.

"Yes, sir." Zheng Ren nodded and left the office.

He took a detour to check on the observation unit. After making sure there were no misdiagnoses, he went back to the emergency ward office.

When he entered, he saw a familiar face.

"Miss Zheng, you're back," Zheng Ren greeted the woman with a smile.

Zheng Yunxia saw Zheng Ren and quickly stood up to greet him. "It's nice to see you again, Chief Zheng."

"Sit, sit."

After her second surgery, Zheng Yunxia had recovered remarkably well. Her physical and mental health were restored to her pre-cancer state.

She had gotten some jobs and was working hard to earn a living.

Although Zheng Ren and Chang Yue had arranged for a huge discount for her surgery, she still had to fork out a few thousand yuan for her periodic check ups and treatments.

A few thousand yuan was a measly sum to some families, but to Zheng Yunxia, every penny had to be earned through hard work.

The follow up surgery was scheduled every 35 days. It was a short time period to earn a few thousand yuan.

Chang Yue, Xie Yiren, and the Chu sisters had offered to help, but were adamantly rejected. Zheng Yunxia believed in the saying, 'Help the starving, not the poor.' If she could get the money, she would proceed with the next cycle of surgeries. Otherwise, she would just have to live with it.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 372: The Soon-To-Be Antiquated Hepatic Lobectomy

Despite knowing the ins and outs of the case, Chang Yue asked Zheng Ren, "Chief Zheng, what are the tests to be scheduled?"

It was a show of respect to the lead surgeon.

More importantly, a second pair of eyes could help spot mistakes. It would not do if the surgery had to be stopped or postponed because of a silly mistake.

"Standard blood work, a coagulation factors test, a liver function test, an electrocardiogram, and a 64-slice CT scan should be sufficient. Call me when you're heading to the CT room, I'll get the doctor to have a look at her lungs," Zheng Ren said.

"She'll be going through another embolization?" Chang Yue asked.

Zheng Ren thought for a moment, then said, "We'll run through the checks first. If everything is good, we can perform a radiofrequency ablation."

His words caught Su Yun's attention.

"Boss, when did you learn that?" Su Yun questioned.

"I saw it once and that was enough," Zheng Ren quoted Su Yun's usual boast.

With the Internet, it was easy to get a hold of surgery footage, especially when one had contacts in larger hospitals.

Su Yun did not doubt Zheng Ren's method, but he was not impressed by the answer.

Professor Rudolf chimed in with his Northeastern Mandarin, "Boss, are you performing a radiofrequency ablation on this big sister?"

The foreign professor's local slang took Zheng Yunxia by surprise.

"Yes." Zheng Ren nodded.

Radiofrequency ablation was a minimally-invasive procedure to treat localized tumors. The procedure was preferred when treating primary liver cancer.

For tumors with a diameter of 3cm of less, radiofrequency ablation had a 70% chance of killing all the cancer cells. The treatment efficiency was on par with that of a surgical excision.

Surgical excisions involving the liver were considered major surgeries. Therefore, as surgical procedures improved alongside technological advancement, doctors aimed to reduce the incision wound and minimize damage to the patient's body.

In radiofrequency ablation, the patient was required to undergo local anesthesia. The CT scan would determine the needle's point of entry and after 15 minutes of ablation, the treatment would be complete.

The patient would feel mild pain during the procedure but, in most cases, it was bearable. An additional dose of intramuscular pain relief could be administered to patients with lower pain tolerance.

The patient can get out of bed after six hours of rest and resume normal activity on the second day. The negative effects on liver function were lesser than an interventional procedure.

Radiofrequency ablation was a way to cure liver cancer.

However, due to its strict criteria, the procedure could only be employed against certain tumors. Nonetheless, the procedure had been tried and tested many times in medical history.

The progress of clinical research brought many changes to the field of medicine and surgery. Improvements were constantly being made to treatments and procedures for the sake of patients.

In the future, hepatic lobectomy would slowly disappear from a hospital's repertoire.

The procedure would only be used in the case of severe liver trauma, but for liver cancer treatment, interventional embolization and radiofrequency ablation would be better suited for the task.

Zheng Ren spent some time thinking. There was only a simple description for Zheng Yunxia's illness in the System's display. Based on his assessment, Zheng Ren believed she would be eligible for radiofrequency ablation treatment this round.

Similar to a lobectomy, they would hope to see a stop in the spread of the metastatic carcinomatosis cirrhosis after the radiofrequency ablation. If there was no relapse, they would have successfully saved Zheng Yunxia's life.

Radiofrequency ablation...

Zheng Ren got his phone out and dialed a number.

"Director Zhang, hello.

"Yes. I have informed Chief Pan of my absence and would like to perform a few procedures in the coming few days. Are your staff free to entertain me?

"About ten or so, I'm sure the Secondary Hospital does not lack patients. We can lower the fee, but I worry about the hospital's capacity for post-surgery care and treatment...

"Okay. Yes, of course. We'll meet soon then."

The call ended.

Su Yun frowned at Zheng Ren. The man's thoughts jumped from one topic to another without any rhyme or reason.

"Lil Fugui, hang back for a while later. We'll be going to the Secondary Hospital to perform some TIPS surgeries tomorrow. They have a courier coming over with the scans," Zheng Ren said to Professor Rudolf Wagner, ignoring the odd look Su Yun was shooting him.

"Aight, sir. How many surgeries?" the professor replied.

"Around ten."

The professor gesticulated wildly.

Ten TIPS surgeries in a day would be considered unimaginable, even in Heidelberg University.

Professor Rudolf never would have thought he would witness such a feat in a small, secluded city in faraway China.

Once all the arrangements were made, Zheng Ren waited in the office for the courier to arrive.

He had a book open on his table, but his mind was occupied with the radiofrequency ablation procedure.

One of the mission rewards offered by the System was a 2 success rate for interventional surgeries. Zheng Ren had no idea what that meant and, without any explanation from the System, he could only make an educated guess.

Radiofrequency ablation was classified as an interventional surgery. Therefore, his Grandmaster rank allowed him to skip the training modules.

Once he completed the mission, the System would grant him the experience of 3,000 radiofrequency ablation procedures. That would give him a significant boost.

The increased success rate was more ambiguous. Zheng Ren tried his best to decipher what it meant.

However, at this rate, he figured he should just wait until he completed the mission and see for himself.

Half an hour later, a knock came from the office door.

Zheng Ren raised his head and saw a plump man at the door. "I'm looking for Chief Zheng."

The man had some printed radiographs tucked underneath his arm. It had to be the courier from the Secondary Hospital.

The courier arrived earlier than Zheng Ren expected. It seemed having the supervisory deputy director of the Secondary Hospital, Director Zhang, on the project made things efficient.

"I'm here," Zheng Ren called out.

The plump courier bowed. He wore a warm smile as he approached.

"Chief Zheng, Director Zhang wanted me to pass you these."

"Yes, thank you for your effort. Have a seat," Zheng Ren bade.

Professor Rudolf inched closer to Zheng Ren's table.

After two whole days of research and study, the professor had a deeper understanding of the TIPS procedure. Hence, he was the only other person who was as excited as Zheng Ren to go to the Secondary Hospital.

The courier did not sit. Instead, he kept his head bowed in respect to Zheng Ren.

The gesture went unnoticed by Zheng Ren as he took the bag and proceeded to look through the scans.

The bag contained the diffusion-weighted scans of the patients and other records and reports.

Director Zhang was generous in his sharing and Zheng Ren was grateful for that.

A brief look through one of the patient's records told him it was a case of decompensated cirrhosis with ascites.

Two months ago, the patient was admitted due to hematemesis. The hospital managed to keep him alive.

However, with symptoms such as hematemesis and ascites, the patient's life was constantly in danger.

One successful emergency rescue did not guarantee a similar result the second time around.

"Lil Fugui, what do you think?" Zheng Ren asked.

Professor Rudolf Wagner studied the scan and reports. "The patient exhibits clear indications for operative treatment. Their stable condition is optimal for surgery. Boss, we might have rushed it with the previous patient. This one is a better candidate."

The neglected courier tried his best to hold his smile.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 373: Faster Than A Rabbit

The golden-haired foreigner spoke a fluent Northeastern Mandarin, which stunned the plump courier.

What was going on?

The courier's presence was negligible to Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf. The patient's scan was as captivating as a pretty lady.

"The patient's condition is suitable. A better position for entry would be somewhere around here."

"Boss, at this position, there's a possibility we have to patch up the vessel. I suggest angling the needle 15 degrees to the right."

"No. The scan has some artifacts due to hydrography. That position won't do. Here should be adequate."

The courier could not understand a single thing the two men were saying.

Even Su Yun, who was standing behind them, could barely comprehend their ramblings.

Most surgeons had a Graduate-level understanding of radiographs. On the rare occasion, some possess Master-level knowledge.

Su Yun was an exception—he was at Master-level proficiency for both CT and MRI scans.

Nonetheless, he struggled to understand Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf's discussion.

Godd*mn!

Frustration filled Su Yun's chest.

'How does a flippin' general surgeon like you have such in-depth knowledge about MRI?'

The plump courier remained where he was.

He had thought the delivery would take an hour at most. Lunchtime was near.

He had hoped to treat Zheng Ren to lunch as a form of relationship building.

It was what the professors often expected.

Some professors even requested for services such as a foot spa or a massage.

This particular doctor was different from the usual professors.

Zheng Ren was young, too young. He looked to be under 30. This was the surgeon who could perform the challenging TIPS procedure?

Perhaps it was the foreigner who was the lead surgeon.

The courier was initially dismissive of Zheng Ren, but held back any untoward comments as he was carrying out orders from Director Zhang.

However...

He definitely did not expect this delivery to take so long.

A single scan and some supplementary information occupied Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf for an hour.

The courier was tired from standing. His legs were numb from inactivity. If he sat down now, would it be disrespectful to Chief Zheng?

A debate went on in his mind.

It was almost lunchtime. They should leave for lunch soon.

To his chagrin, Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf did not even notice the passage of time. After going through one patient's scan, the professor had filled a piece of paper with notes in German.

Then, they proceeded to look at another patient's scan.

The courier was tired and hungry. He glanced at the clock which showed it was noon now. It would not do if this kept on. Maybe he should remind them of the time.

"Chief Zheng, look at the time. Perhaps we should go have lunch?" The plump man tried to cut into Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf's discussion, a big smile on his face.

There was no response from the two men. The man's existence was unperceivable to Zheng Ren. He was utterly immersed in his analysis of the scans, only occasionally diverting his attention to debate with Professor Rudolf.

Su Yun grinned. This plump man looked to be a bureaucratic employee. To a medical doctor, the intriguing scans were more important than a meal.

A clinician would understand.

Those who worked in the wards would agree.

Su Yun watched Zheng Ren and the professor argue and guessed it was about a new methodology that neither were familiar with.

A series of connections were being drawn in his mind.

By the third scan, Su Yun could make out what Zheng Ren and the professor were working on. They did not call him a genius for nothing.

On the fourth patient, Su Yun could contribute some ideas to the discussion.

Although his ideas were constantly shot down unkindly by the professor, Su Yun did not mind.

To determine the entry point for the TIPS procedure using diffusion-weighted MRI was an ingenious approach

As the discussion went on, Su Yun was already drafting the framework for a research paper.

This would be even more promising than the previous articles.

They were advancing too fast... They had returned from Imperial Capital less than a month ago and already a new discovery was before them. The previous articles had yet to even pass peer review.

This speed...

The courier stood for two whole hours before giving in.

While no one was paying attention to him, he slinked away and found a chair to sit.

He rubbed his legs to stimulate blood flow as he pondered about his next plan.

Director Zhang did not give him any special instructions. He only said to bring the scans to Chief Zheng. The courier was aware of Sea City General Hospital's reputation.

They boasted better quality service than the Secondary Hospital, but lost out when it came to Hepatitis B and tuberculosis treatments. After all, the Secondary Hospital was a specialized healthcare center.

In this era where tuberculosis was gradually being eradicated, the Secondary Hospital was switching focus to the liver.

Hence, the courier did not believe Sea City General Hospital could offer better treatments for liver cancer, cirrhosis, or portal hypertension than the Secondary Hospital.

He doubted Sea City General Hospital was equipped to treat patients with both portal hypertension and decompensated cirrhosis. He found it hilarious that the doctors requested a diffusion-weighted MRI scan.

When he went to collect the scans, he could tell the chief of the hepatology ward had had a good laugh at the request.

He also knew the chief was unhappy about Director Zhang inviting an outsider to perform the TIPS surgery.

Hiring a fly-in surgeon was fine, but why did it have to be one from Sea City General Hospital? It was akin to plunging a knife to their pride. How would they face the people from Sea City General Hospital during the annual dinner?

The courier watched Zheng Ren and the foreign professor who were still busy with the scans. He let out a sigh.

He had to admit their zeal for work was admirable.

His lunch plans were clearly in tatters as Chief Zheng only had eyes for the scans.

While the plump man's career was mainly administrative, he had sufficient objectivity to judge a good doctor from the bad. His years in hospital administration have informed him of which doctors to avoid.

This Chief Zheng was one of the good ones.

Suddenly, someone's phone rang on the table. It gave the plump courier a shock.

"Yes?" Su Yun answered the call distractedly. His eyes were still roaming over the current scan in focus.

The speaker on the other end said something which prompted a loud "Sure!" from Su Yun. That was all he said before hanging up the phone.

"Boss, there's a multiple stab wound patient incoming. The heart just stopped! The 120 ambulance is on its way, reaching in two minutes," Su Yun announced before running out of the room.

Zheng Ren, who had to this point been so engrossed in the scans, immediately switched gears and followed Su Yun out of the room. The two doctors ran off faster than a rabbit.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 374: Reviving The Dead

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zheng Ren switched modes instantly at the news of an emergency rescue, abandoning his discussion with the professor.

The news of a patient with a stopped heart turned Zheng Ren into an athlete. He chased after Su Yun and the two doctors ran through the hospital corridors.

The elevators were too slow, so they went down the fire escape stairwell.

As they reached the first floor, they heard the sirens of the 120 ambulance approaching.

"You head to the emergency response room, I'll bring the patient," Zheng Ren shouted over the din.

Without saying a word, Su Yun changed course and ran toward the emergency response room.

The 120 ambulance pulled up in front of the emergency entrance. The stretcher trolley was already on the move.

Zheng Ren caught sight of the patient and looked at the System display in the top-right corner of his vision.

Instead of flashing a warning red, it was pale white.

'F*ck!'

Zheng Ren cursed under his breath. Was the patient dead?

Not even a diagnosis! There was no color indication of the patient's vital signs.

This was a first for Zheng Ren.

At this moment, the System notification bell chimed.

[Emergency Mission: Reviving The Dead

[Mission Details: Rescue the multiple stab wound patient undergoing cardiac arrest.

[Mission Reward: One Master-rank emergency rescue skill book and one golden chest.

[Mission Duration: Three hours.]

There was no time to read the fine print, but the issuance of a mission gave Zheng Ren hope.

It meant the patient still had a fighting chance, or else the System would not have given him a mission.

His past engagements with the System were always fair and balanced. Thus far, he had yet to encounter a mission that was impossible to complete.

A 30-year-old woman came down from the 120 ambulance.

Her hair was a mess as she ran alongside the stretcher trolley. She was shrieking and crying as the emergency response team wheeled the patient into the hospital.

At some point, Zheng Ren joined the foray. He guided the stretcher trolley to the emergency response room. Amidst the chaos, the woman, who was in heels, tripped as she tried to keep up.

No one noticed her fall.

Once the patient was inside the emergency response room, a nurse approached with a pair of scissors. The patient's clothes were removed.

One by one, the stab wounds appeared before Zheng Ren's eyes.

There was one stab wound below the left pectoral.

Time was running out! The heart would have stopped beating for at least four minutes now—brain hypoxia would have set in.

There was not enough time!

Zheng Ren put on a pair of sterile gloves and plunged one hand into the stab wound while his other hand reached out. "Scalpel!"

Su Yun had a scalpel in hand and intended on stepping up to the table when he heard the urgency in Zheng Ren's tone. He relinquished the scalpel.

Zheng Ren's fingers probed the wound and came into contact with the heart.

He suspected the patient had a pericardial tamponade!

He recklessly poured some iodophor over the patient's wound and, scalpel in hand, he cut into the patient.

"Ah!" A shriek sounded from outside the room.

Zheng Ren ignored the shout as he pushed the scalpel deeper. There was no time to perform a blunt dissection or address potential issues, like pneumothorax.

"Prep the operating room!" Zheng Ren shouted as he spread open the muscles underneath.

The gory heart sat in the chest cavity, two fists large.

Zheng Ren made a nick in the pericardium.

The sudden relief of the pent-up pressure caused a spray of red liquid, splattering the room and ceiling.

Blood was everywhere!

The patient's family, bystanders, and even the medical staff on duty were shocked as they watched the events unfold.

Zheng Ren tossed the scalpel aside and put his hand into the patient's chest cavity. With his fingers, he began to massage the heart.

With the pericardial tamponade resolved, the resistance was lessened and two squeezes were all it took to restart the heart.

At the same moment, Su Yun successfully intubated the patient and was providing breathing assistance with a ventilation bag.

"OR!" Zheng Ren kept his hand on the patient's heart, fearing the worst if he left it unattended.

Su Yun immediately pushed the stretcher trolley and called for a personnel to steer the direction. The team headed for the elevators.

As the stretcher trolley exited the emergency response room, a piercing wail was heard. The 30-year-old woman launched herself at the stretcher and began sobbing uncontrollably.

Her cries were heart-wrenching to hear and even more harrowing to watch. Her agony was on full display in the emergency department.

Despite that, Zheng Ren had no sympathy for the patient's family. The woman was slowing them down in this critical moment.

The patient's chest cavity was exposed and there was a high risk of open pneumothorax.

They could not maintain this condition for long.

"Let go!" Zheng Ren roared.

The woman was undergoing a mental breakdown as she watched the man's life slip away. She was oblivious to the world around her. Her one and only focus was her lover, who was dying by the second.

"F*ck!" Zheng Ren swore loudly.

There was no time for explanations so he kicked the woman aside and urged the team to move faster.

The bystanders stared wide-eyed at the commotion. Did this count as physical assault? Were doctors allowed to do that?

The other medical personnel were also surprised by Zheng Ren's actions. They were glad that once the patient was rushed to the operating room, they would have washed their hands of this case.

A few nurses approached the fallen woman and made sure she did not cause any further commotion. They agreed with Chief Zheng's decisiveness and found him very manly in the heat of the moment.

The stretcher trolley was wheeled into the operating room. Chu Yanran quickly set up a double-lumen endotracheal tube while Zheng Ren did a deep venous catheterization before changing into his surgical scrubs. Su Yun was already in his scrubs and in the process of washing his hands.

The team in the operating room worked efficiently and cohesively, like a fine-tuned machine. When Zheng Ren returned to the operating table after changing, the surgical drapes were laid in place and everything was ready to go.

Sterility was of a lesser concern in an emergency rescue. If there was an infection, it would have been due to the earlier open cardiac massage.

Time was of the essence.

Zheng Ren needed more time.

Time!

Time!

Time!

The ribs spreader held the patient's rib cage open and revealed the wildly beating heart. Relieving the pericardial tamponade seemed to have rejuvenated the organ.

The ventilator got to work as the double-lumen endotracheal tube was set. One lung deflated as Chu Yanran operated the equipment.

This gave Zheng Ren a better view of the heart. There was a 1cm laceration on the left anterior wall of the heart. With each heartbeat, fresh blood oozed from the open wound.

A wound of this size was salvageable. Zheng Ren sighed in relief.

He extended his arm and got a hemostatic forceps.

A deeper probe revealed the wound was approximately 2cm deep.

"A direct suture?" Zheng Ren asked.

"It would work," Su Yun replied. His surgical cap was drenched in sweat. Zheng Ren imagined his usual floppy fringe would be damp and slick against his forehead. Su Yun continued speaking, "Nothing critical. A suture will do."

The heart was not Zheng Ren's forte, but it was Su Yun's.

Su Yun was experienced in heart transplants. This emergency procedure was nothing compared to a heart transplant.

"Sew it up then. Fine sutures," Zheng Ren instructed and handed over the helm. This came as a surprise to Su Yun.

The needle holder was placed into Su Yun's hand: small needle, fine sutures, and a long needle holder.

It was the first time Su Yun received such treatment in the operating room. Even in Imperial Capital, he was never given a chance like this.

Zheng Ren relaxed. He was glad to have someone take over. It would be great if every surgery was as simple.

...

...

This surgery was based on an emergency rescue I had in 2003. The patient survived and we became friends. I kicked the patient's wife aside, but she could not even recall the event.

The scenes described actually happened. The blood splatters really reached the ceiling and we were all covered in blood.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 375: Everyone, Shut The F*ck Up!

The wound on the heart was closed with three stitches. The stitching was done perfectly. The tension was just right to hold the two parts together.

As the heart resumed its beating, the wound was no longer leaking blood.

Without the pericardial tamponade, the beating of the heart was no longer hindered.

Zheng Ren and Su Yun continued their exploration in the chest cavity. They checked the lungs for any damage.

The cardiac tamponade from the stab wound had been their number one priority.

There was a double-walled sac around the heart and the blood from the wound would be trapped in the pericardial space.

A larger wound on the heart would cause a faster bleed. As blood filled the pericardial space, the cardiac output was reduced.

The pressure buildup within the pericardium disrupts the rhythm of the heart. In a severe case, the pressure in the pericardial space overwhelms the pressure in the heart and the organ ceases function.

The simplest solution was to relieve the pressure by making an opening in the pericardium for the blood to flow out. The heart would restart once the high pressure was alleviated.

The biggest factor in this emergency procedure was time.

Time!

If they had adhered to the standard operating procedure for surgeries, by the time they were done with the pre-surgery preparations, the patient would likely be dead.

The patient's best chance of survival was an emergency pericardiotomy.

Aseptic techniques and resuscitation process flow be damned.

Even the risk of an open pneumothorax was acceptable.

The heart was no longer beating and a pneumothorax was the least of their concerns when the patient could be brain dead soon.

A simple suture could reverse the damage. In this case, the emergency procedure also provided access to the stab wound on the heart.

The pericardiotomy was a last resort procedure—a simple solution to a life-threatening condition.

...

Outside the operating room, emotions were running high.

The patient's family and friends were gathered. They flew into a fury when they saw the big footprint stamped on the patient's lover and the dejected look on her face.

The hospital rumor mill was operating at full speed. There were rumors of the patient being pronounced dead on arrival, yet the emergency doctors insisted on opening up the patient. Understandably, the family and friends did not take kindly to the news.

The sight of the bloody emergency response room was no solace to them.

"There's no need to cut him open if he was already dead!"

"Which doctor killed him?"

"Where's the doctor? Who is responsible here?"

As the news only got out a while ago, there were few family members.

However, their anger at the hospital was palpable.

They were eager to blame someone for the patient's death.

In their minds, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was the go-to procedure when it came to saving lives.

That was what the television and novels depicted.

According to the medical personnel on the 120 ambulance, the victim had died in the ambulance, and yet the hospital doctors cut him open. They were not above mutilating a dead body...

Where was the logic?

The law?

The morals?

The family's rage was fed with dramatic stories by bystanders in the emergency department.

"Yeah, when I saw the patient being wheeled in, he looked like he was dead. When the doctor cut into him, the blood spray was so high, it stained the ceiling. It looked like a bloody rain."

"It was frightening. I think I'm gonna have nightmares after this."

"And the doctor dragged the body off to God knows where. It can't be for organ-harvesting—" Someone shoved the speaker to make him shut up.

It was not something to be said in public.

Was the man searching for death?

The patient's lover was on the floor, her limp body leaning against the wall. Her sobs had subsided into a soundless shuddering of shoulders.

There were no longer tears in her eyes.

Although there were no cries or tears, the sadness she radiated was overwhelming.

The woman said nothing about what had happened. She might have already forgotten the initial incident that had caused the tragedy.

All of this enraged the family and friends of the patient.

"That doctor! Even the dead require a proper burial. What did he do to the corpse?"

"Is Sea City General Hospital involved in some shady business operations? Return the body!"

"F*ck this hospital!"

The family members surrounded the nearest nurse on duty and started shouting at her.

The uproar reached a fever pitch when someone kicked the red plastic bench. They were looking for an outlet for their anger and violence was one of them.

Fan Tianshui, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, ordered, "Everyone, shut the f*ck up!" He was the calm in the eye of the storm. Blood on the ceiling meant nothing to a man who had seen war and witnessed field doctors revive comrades in bloodier settings.

Fan Tianshui fought his way through the crowd. These civilians had little muscle to stop him.

He went to the nurse's defense, uncaring of the public's opinion.

Like a sleeping tiger who had been stirred awake, Fan Tianshui gave the crowd a menacing look. There was a moment of silence as the people took stock of him.

A young man piped up, "Where is my brother's body?"

He only said it to protect his family's reputation.

Fan Tianshui's aura was intimidating and no bystander was willing to get in his way.

"Body? Are you so eager to see him dead?" Fan Tianshui replied.

The words triggered a response somewhere else. "How dare you say that?"

Fan Tianshui side-eyed the person and they immediately shut up.

"Chief Zheng is in charge of the rescue. Your brother is in good hands. Now, all of you, please disperse." Fan Tianshui waved them away. The tension in his arms suggested he would not lose a physical fight.

Since Fan Tianshui became a security guard in the hospital, his diet had improved greatly and his body gradually recovered. While his savings remained meager, he was happy to maintain peace and order for the emergency department.

"Brother, where is the operating room?" the patient's cousin asked, voice cracking. Although there was much anger in him, he knew better than to agitate Fan Tianshui.

"Do not cause a scene here, or else we will report you to the public security bureau," Fan Tianshui warned.

He was built like a bandit from ancient times, so it was odd to hear him threaten them with the public security bureau.

"Direct family members, please follow me," Fan Tianshui ordered. He led them to the waiting area outside the emergency department operating room.

Some families of other patients, and even certain mobile patients, followed the group.

No one could resist an interesting story.

"Please mind your behavior. Chief Zheng is operating inside." Fan Tianshui stood guard at the operating room entrance, his expression stern and unflinching, as everyone waited outside.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 376: A Successful Rescue

"Boss, this emergency rescue has proven to me how experienced you really are," Su Yun joked after he sewed the heart and noted a sinus rhythm on the ECG monitor, knowing that the patient would survive.

"I could feel the pericardium with my fingers, but not the myocardium. That meant high pressure. The diagnosis was obvious." Zheng Ren retrieved the warm saline from Little Yiren and poured all of it into the patient's thoracic cavity. He then returned the empty vessel to ask for more.

"It sounds easy to open someone's chest in the emergency rescue room and give them an open-chest cardiac massage, but most people don't have the courage to do it," Su Yun said.

He was telling the truth.

Technically speaking, the patient was already dead.

Applying a continuous closed-chest cardiac massage would not bring the patient back to life. They needed to open the patient's chest to relieve the cardiac tamponade, where the bleeding could be so intense that it would shoot up the ceiling from the pent-up pressure. An operation like this would deter most doctors.

Why?

Even if they manage to revive the patient, the patient's chest was exposed to non-sterile conditions. Atelectasis, pulmonary infection, and myocarditis were common postoperative complications.

There would be a long list of complications after surgery.

If they fail to resuscitate...

Haha, congratulations. There was a 50% chance that they would be involved in a medical dispute, which could end their career right then.

"I didn't think it over too much," Zheng Ren answered simply and honestly.

His entire focus was to save the patient.

He gave his best effort no matter what.

He could not just turn his back on the oath to save lives regardless of the final outcome.

"Boss, you seem rather dreary most of the time. Why do you turn into an entirely different person when it comes to an emergency rescue?" Su Yun asked.

"There's no such thing. I'm always cool-headed and organized. Yanran, double-lumen intubation," Zheng Ren ordered Chu Yanran to intubate the patient with a double-lumen endotracheal tube as he talked to Su Yun, checking if there were any leakages in the lung.

"Are you sure about that? You kicked a doctor back in Imperial Capital when you were trying to save Fang Lin. Today you kicked the patient's family member!"

"We were running out of time and she had a death grip on the gurney. Who would be to blame if the patient dies?" Zheng Ren answered calmly.

At this point, his nerve and enthusiasm from the emergency rescue had subsided.

Zheng Ren replayed the situation in his mind. Given a second chance, he would still kick the patient's family member who was in the way.

The patient's family was grieving; she thought that the patient had died. Her good intentions were hindering the rescue.

"Aren't you worried about medical disputes?" Su Yun asked while he suctioned the excess saline from the chest with an aspirator.

There were no bubbles after carefully observing the saline in the chest cavity.

"I was before but Little Six said that he deterred all the medical dispute profiteers from Sea City General Hospital. Normal patient's family members are pretty reasonable. Furthermore, there shouldn't be a problem with Fan Tianshui around." Zheng Ren observed closely for a while more before checking the bright red System monitor in the upper corner of his eye. After seeing that there was no lung rupture, he said, "Close the chest."

Ding dong~

The mission complete notification sounded in Zheng Ren's ear at that moment.

[Emergency Mission: Reviving The Dead completed.

[Mission Details: Rescue the multiple stab wound patient undergoing cardiac arrest.

[Mission Reward: One Master-rank emergency rescue skill book and one golden chest.

[Mission Duration: 45 minutes, 2 hours 15 minutes remaining.]

The rewards were not too bad. Master-rank emergency rescue... Zheng Ren relished for a moment before returning his focus to the surgery.

"There's no technicality required for this type of surgery," Su Yun complained, "Boss, I thought today was finally my time to shine. Are you trying to steal my thoracic surgery?"

"Hmm? Didn't you suture the heart?"

"No one was around to see that," Su Yun said, "When I saw the wound, I knew that the patient was having a cardiac tamponade. I was about to cut it open and administer an open-chest cardiac massage. Who knew that you would steal that from me. Can't you just be a normal general and interventional surgeon?"

"I was in a hurry and didn't have time to think. I just did it since I know the procedures." Zheng Ren laughed. When he saw that Su Yun finished suctioning the saline from the chest cavity, he continued, "Prepare antibiotics: eight vials of Cefoperazone-Tazobactam. Do a skin test."

Infection was inevitable as the surgery was conducted in an exposed surrounding. The next step was to try reducing the extent of the infection.

After they covered the patient with warm saline gauze, Zheng Ren finally relaxed when he saw that the stats and rhythm on the monitor were stable.

"Boss, I think you should think of how to explain yourself to the patient's family member," Su Yun teased.

"There's nothing to explain. I resuscitated a dead person. What more could they want? For them to go to heaven?" Zheng Ren chuckled.

Everybody was in a good mood since the surgery was a success, brightening up the atmosphere in the operating room.

The circulating nurse administered the skin test to the patient. There was a 15-minute incubation time, so they had a free window to joke around.

They chatted for a while and 15 minutes had passed.

The skin test turned out to be negative. The circulating nurse opened eight vials of Cefoperazone-Tazobactam and poured them into a bowl. Xie Yiren then passed the bowl to Zheng Ren.

After pouring the clear antibiotics into the open cavity, Zheng Ren and Su Yun proceeded to close the chest.

It was a simple surgery with a clear, bright surgical field. Zheng Ren was rather envious that thoracic surgery had such a clear view.

So pleasing to the eyes!

They placed a closed-chest drainage system and pericardial drainage before suturing each layer and closing the chest.

Chu Yanran inflated the patient's lungs, causing the water seal chamber to bubble.

The general anesthesia had not worn off. The patient was sent to the ICU for overnight monitoring. If his condition stabilized, they could remove the tube and transfer him to the emergency ward.

"I'll go check on the patient's family members. There's so much paperwork to do." Zheng Ren turned around to leave the operating table as he removed his gloves.

"Boss, could you be more considerate?" Su Yun wailed. "If you leave, there are only two of us. Are you expecting me and Yanran to carry the patient by ourselves?"

"I'll call Lil Fugui over," Zheng Ren walked out of the operating room.

Not that Zheng Ren wanted to loaf around on the job, but the surgery was so urgent that they had skipped too many preoperative protocols.

As Su Yun had implied earlier, things would get messy post-surgery.

He searched for his phone and called Professor Rudolf Wagner to ask him to assist them in the operating room. Zheng Ren then walked out of the main entrance.

A muscular figure appeared in front of him when the door opened.

Zheng Ren was stunned for a moment, but he was quickly met with Fan Tianshui's sincere smile.

"Chief Zheng, how was the surgery?" Fan Tianshui asked.

"It's fine; the patient will be staying in the ICU," Zheng Ren continued, "Who are the patient's direct family members?"

Instantly, a group of people crowded over.

"I need someone to sign the forms and submit payment. Those who are unrelated to the patient, please step aside. Where's the patient's spouse?" Zheng Ren said loudly.

"Excuse me, who are you? Stop being so nosy and go away." A few women helped the patient's spouse over to Zheng Ren

She could not walk as her entire body had gone limp. The women tried their best to carry her to Zheng Ren.

Zheng Ren forced a smile and said hurriedly, "Help her to a chair."

After scrambling for several minutes, the patient's spouse was finally seated in a red plastic stool. Both her eyes were hollow and empty while she waited for Zheng Ren to announce the death of her husband.

"Are you the patient's spouse?" Zheng Ren asked.

There was no response from the woman, as if she did not hear Zheng Ren.

"Yes, she is. Doctor, how is Old Hai?" one of them asked anxiously.

"We managed to rescue him. He'll be monitored in the ICU for a while. If everything goes well, he can be transferred to the normal ward tomorrow."

His words struck them like thunder.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 377: Young And Audacious

The crowd gasped in shock.

However, the patient's spouse remained unresponsive, her eyes empty and lifeless.

"Hey, Feiyi. Old Hai is fine!" One of her friends shook her by the shoulders in astonishment.

The woman still had an ashen look on her face, looking afar blankly, blocking all her senses.

Zheng Ren let out a sigh; he had seen this condition before. Her unresponsiveness was the result of an innate behavior to protect ourselves from intense shock or psychological distress.

"Sigh," Zheng Ren shook his head. "What about other family members? Anyone who can sign, submit payment, and follow me to complete the paperwork?"

Once they heard his request for payment and signature, half of the crowd dispersed.

Only a few people remained, but most of them looked hesitant.

"Doctor, I'll do it," the patient's younger cousin brother came up to Zheng Ren.

"Get someone to hold the elevator. Take the patient to the ICU after they push him out.

"You, follow me." Zheng Ren led the guys into the fire escape.

"Doctor, is my cousin brother really alright?" The young man was still trying to digest the information.

He was one of the witnesses at the scene. The patient fell to the ground after being stabbed in the chest. It was obvious that he should be dead.

When he arrived at Sea City General Hospital later, the things he heard also confirmed his suspicion.

Now, this young doctor was saying that he was fine...

It was incredible.

"Yes, the patient's going to live for the time being," Zheng Ren said, "However, the patient's heart stopped beating for some time before we managed to resuscitate him. The lack of oxygen might cause irreversible brain damage. Also, the emergency rescue was carried out in a hurry due to the urgency, so the postoperative infection might be rather extensive, but other than that, he's alive now."

"..." The patient's cousin was stunned.

His body followed Zheng Ren forward, but his legs remained rooted.

He instantly lost control and rolled down the stairs.

My God... Zheng Ren was too late to grab hold of him.

"Are you okay?" Zheng Ren asked.

"Doctor, will my brother be in a coma?" Life and death situations were new to this young man. Even the experiences of a seasoned man might pale in comparison to what Zheng Ren dealt with on a daily basis.

What Zheng Ren said terrified him.

"Theoretically, the chances of him being in a coma are slim," Zheng Ren said, "Let's go. Follow me to complete the admission procedures and proceed to payment. Otherwise, if he can't get the medication he needs after surgery, he'll never wake up."

Zheng Ren sounded as if he was exaggerating, but it was not entirely untrue.

When the brain is deprived of oxygen for five to ten minutes, even if they manage to save the patient, the brain would be seriously damaged and be subjected to irreversible injury. By then, the chances of the patient going into a vegetative state would be almost 100%.

Fortunately, Zheng Ren was very decisive. If he had delayed another few minutes, the patient would have been gone.

The patient's cousin remained silent while he trailed behind Zheng Ren all the way to the emergency ward. Zheng Ren wrote down the patient's admission as the ICU so that Chang Yue would not need to fill in his medical records.

Zheng Ren told him to proceed with payment and showed him the way to the ICU. He then strode toward the ICU.

The plump courier from the Secondary Hospital subconsciously followed Zheng Ren and Su Yun the moment they dashed off.

Working so long in hospital settings had that effect on hospital staff, even if they were not clinical physicians.

When the plump courier saw the ghostly-white patient being carried out of the ambulance, he was certain that the patient was dead.

Under normal circumstances, the doctors would routinely administer a closed-chest cardiac massage for 20 minutes to comfort the patient's family members and give them some time to accept the reality before announcing the patient's death.

To his surprise, Chief Zheng studied the scans that he brought like an old pedant. He then had the audacity to perform a thoracotomy in the emergency rescue room and administer an open-chest cardiac massage!

Either this Chief Zheng was a thug.

Or he truly had great skills.

The moment the plump courier saw blood shooting out of the patient's chest, something struck his cold, numb soul that had long been used to witnessing death and its inner workings.

A cardiac tamponade!

He was aware of the patient's condition.

Could they save him?

When Zheng Ren was running and pushing the stretcher forward, the plump courier made way for them.

Instead of helping, he just watched.

Over years of clinical experience, he knew not to involve himself in such complicated matters.

It was as if he felt a kick to his own chest when he saw Zheng Ren kick the patient's devastated spouse who was unwilling to let go of the stretcher.

Stifling,

Suffocating,

Hard to breathe.

Was it possible? The plump man covered his chest as he watched Zheng Ren's back disappear around the corner in shock.

He saw the patient's family members slowly gather together.

They were all very emotional.

Fan Tianshui maintained the order.

He watched them in awe.

How did Sea City General Hospital manage to find someone like him to work for their security?

He also noticed something else—those wandering medical dispute profiteers who preyed on dissatisfied family members were nowhere to be found.

It was so quiet and peaceful. No one was trying to stir the family member's emotions and make a scene so that they could turn a profit.

This...this was so surprising.

The plump courier was rather curious, so he followed the family to the operating room.

Soon after, Zheng Ren came out to announce that they successfully rescued the patient.

He was dumbfounded, not only by Chief Zheng's TIPS surgery but the sheer courage to cut the patient's chest open in the emergency rescue room and give him an open-chest cardiac massage.

The fact that Sea City General Hospital was free from medical disputes... he guessed had something to do with Chief Zheng in some capacity.

He trailed behind Zheng Ren who was leading the family member to the emergency ward.

There were numerous thoughts running through his mind as he watched Zheng Ren's figure from behind. He believed that the TIPS surgery would be a success with this young and audacious chief resident.

The hospital was not a playground. He knew that no one could be this daring if they were not equipped with the skills.

He waited patiently for the family member to submit payment. When Zheng Ren was finally free, he walked toward him.

He lowered his back further and put on a sincere smile. "Chief Zheng, you were amazing in that emergency rescue!"

"Oh." Zheng Ren answered calmly.

When he saw that Zheng Ren had remained expressionless, the plump guy wondered to himself, 'Was his expression not genuine? Were his words not moving enough?'

Flattery usually never failed.

Why was he unmoved by his sweet-talking?

While he pondered, his smile grew wider until his eyes stretched into a thin line. He then extended his right hand and raised his thumb. "Well done!"

"Lil Fugui, how was the patient's last scan?" Zheng Ren ignored the compliments and turned around to ask, as if he did not notice the plump man at all.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 378: Unprofessionalism

"I've looked through them. He's suitable for surgery." Professor Rudolf Wagner was not bothered by the emergency rescue. All the while, he was standing in front of the film viewer and carefully studying the scans.

"Boss, can you come over here for a minute. I think that there's something wrong with your decision." The professor took a piece of paper that was fully written in German.

"What's the problem?" Zheng Ren stood up and side-stepped the plump man to walk toward the film viewer.

The professor put up one of the scans again and started discussing it with Zheng Ren.

The plump man felt conflicted.

Even though he was not pleased, his impression of Chief Zheng was renewed.

Why was he not responsive to his compliments?

It had to be his status; what else?

Did he not hear the foreigner addressing him as 'boss'?

No hospital in Sea City was affiliated with international medical schools. The only exchange students they had were those who traveled overseas.

The plump courier was sure about this.

There was hardly anyone from Provincial Capital that could host a foreign medical student, not to mention in Sea City. Moreover, this foreigner looked rather mature. It only took him one look to know that the man was a professor instead of an exchange student.

He must be somebody to make a foreign doctor call him 'boss'.

The plump courier quickly set himself straight. Besides, Zheng Ren was invited by Director Zhang. The more he got to know him, the easier he could get on Director Zhang's good side.

He had no business with Zheng Ren, but Director Zhang had the power over his career.

He observed Zheng Ren carefully so that he could report back to Director Zhang about his deeds.

He was deeply aware that he would be commending Director Zhang indirectly if he complimented Zheng Ren, which had a much better effect than blatant flattery.

It would make Director Zhang look good by discovering such an amazing talent.

If Zheng Ren was great, Director Zhang would be even greater since he was the one who scouted him.

The plump man's logic made perfect sense.

More than half an hour later, Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf Wagner finally finished discussing the scans.

They checked each scan and put them back into their respective labeled envelopes. Then, Zheng Ren laughed and told the plump man, "We're done with the scans. Everything looks good; there are no contraindications. Tell Director Zhang not to worry."

"Mhm, as long as you're satisfied." The plump guy's back was almost bent at a 90-degree angle. Zheng Ren felt tired just watching him.

"Chief Zheng, what about tomorrow's surgery?" he asked.

"It should be fine. I'll head over in the morning," Zheng Ren said, "Please handle pre-op for the patient."

"Sure, thank you so much," the plump guy said smilingly. "I wanted to treat you for a meal to thank you on behalf of Secondary Hospital's patients and their family members. Since you're rather busy today, let's do it tomorrow. Please don't reject; it's a small gesture of our appreciation."

Zheng Ren smiled and kept quiet.

After seeing him off, Zheng Ren stretched his back and stood up. He briefed Chang Yue and the others on what to do before heading to the ICU.

Zheng Ren had nothing to worry about as Su Yun was monitoring the patient in the ICU.

However, after being a doctor for so many years, he felt like something was missing if he did not visit the patient after surgery.

He would feel restless if he kept worrying about them.

"Boss, where are you going?" the professor asked.

"I'm going to visit the patient," Zheng Ren said.

"What patient?" The professor approached him. He intended to keep Zheng Ren pinned in front of the film viewer so that he could voice out his queries and discuss it with him for another three days.

Instead, his boss was going to leave right after glancing through the scans. Professor Rudolf Wagner had a hard time accepting that behavior.

"There was a patient who got stabbed. He suffered a cardiac tamponade and his heart had stopped when he arrived." Zheng Ren took his phone to call the 120 emergency doctor while he spoke.

"Hello, it's Zheng Ren.

"Yes, how long did the patient's heart stop beating?

"Okay."

Zheng Ren hung up after that.

The doctor called Zheng Ren the moment the patient's heart flatlined. The entire exchange should not have exceeded more than five minutes.

Zheng Ren was relieved when he verified the duration again.

"Boss, I think you should focus on one goal at a time." Professor Rudolf Wagner was angered by Zheng Ren's 'unprofessionalism'.

"We're still saving lives. They are the same," Zheng Ren answered nonchalantly.

"How could they be the same!" The professor said, "Do you know how many lives you'll be saving if you come up with a standard procedure?"

"I have you, don't I, Lil Fugui." Zheng Ren walked toward him. "I'll leave this mission to you."

"..." Even though the professor was naturally gifted in language, he was still not well-versed enough in Mandarin to understand what Zheng Ren truly meant when he spoke in that tone.

Zheng Ren rang the ICU's doorbell.

The surveillance monitor lit up. Suddenly, Zheng Ren sensed someone approaching him from behind.

"Doctor!"

Zheng Ren turned around in shock.

It was the patient's spouse whom he had kicked earlier.

She rushed toward Zheng Ren with wobbly steps and kneeled on the floor with a thud.

Zheng Ren shied away immediately. What the h*ll was she doing?

"Doctor, I'm begging you! You must save Old Hai!"

"You...you're welcome. Quick, help her up," Zheng Ren said with desperation while he backed himself into the corner beside the ICU entrance.

"Doctor, thank you so much!" The patient's cousin came to Zheng Ren and bowed deeply while the other family members helped the spouse to her feet.

"You're most welcome. There's no need for that. I will try my best." Zheng Ren waved his hand.

The man did not know how to respond to Zheng Ren's reply as he was still young, yet to be molded by society.

He could only thank him repeatedly.

The family members were still trying to process what just happened; it was all too sudden.

When the ICU door finally unlocked, Zheng Ren quickly opened the door and entered.

He let out a sigh when the door sealed shut, shielding him from the outer world.

"Boss, were they moved by your chivalry?" Professor Rudolf Wagner asked puzzled. "Is that lady swearing her loyalty to you?"

"..."

"Nowadays, we rarely have this medieval ceremony in my country," the professor continued.

"Lil Fugui, this has nothing to do with knights or loyalty," Zheng Ren said weakly and did not bother to elaborate further to the professor.

It would take at least a 100,000-word thesis to explain their entire history and culture.

Instead of doing that, he would rather spend his time visiting patients and chatting with Xie Yiren.

It did not matter to Zheng Ren whether the professor understood him.

After changing, he entered the ICU and saw Su Yun perching on the counter, happily chit-chatting with the nurses.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 379: Slow And Steady Wins The Race

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"How's the patient?" Zheng Ren asked as he walked toward Su Yun.

"Boss, you should know how the patient is doing just by looking at me." Su Yun blew at his fringe while the nurses watched him with shimmering eyes.

'That's true,' Zheng Ren thought to himself.

If the patient was in critical condition, Su Yun would be sitting beside the bed with a pen and paper in his hand, periodically noting down the stats of the patient.

He would then adjust the drug dosage accordingly.

Everything had to be fine if Su Yun was casually leaning on the nurses' station counter and chatting with them.

"We managed to rescue the patient in time; the heart only stopped for a short while. He's recovering well," Su Yun said. "The cerebral edema isn't too serious, so you don't have to worry.

"Also, the patient's D-dimer level is slightly elevated. If there are no other complications like a pulmonary embolism or mesenteric artery occlusion, the patient can be transferred to the emergency ward and be discharged the next day."

"..." This was Zheng Ren's first cardiac tamponade patient. He was skeptical that the patient's recovery would be so quick.

Su Yun knew what Zheng Ren was thinking just by looking at his expression.

"I've treated a patient with cardiac tamponade in Imperial Capital. The patient's condition was not as serious, or rather he received timely treatment and as a result, his heart didn't stop," Su Yun started to gossip. "It was a young guy in his early twenties. He was able to walk around the second day of surgery if he carried the drainage chamber around. On the third day, he removed the chest tube and self-discharged."

"Incredible!" Zheng Ren exclaimed.

"That has nothing to do with the surgery. The patient was physically fit," Su Yun said. "This patient isn't that old either. There shouldn't be any issues with the post-op. Little Lan, can you help me check if the report on his coagulation is here?"

A giggly young nurse responded and clicked on the patient's case file to search for the report.

"Brother Yun, it's not out yet." Her voice was as refreshing and chirpy as an oriole.

"Please text me when it's ready," Su Yun tapped on Zheng Ren's shoulders. "Let's go, boss."

Zheng Ren walked out of the ICU in silence, along with Su Yun and the professor.

Thank goodness everything went well.

Nevertheless, he could not share this information with the patient's family members.

If he did, they might be able to rejoice momentarily, but it would be difficult to explain if the patient's condition deteriorated after that.

Before Zheng Ren opened the door, he gestured a 'shh' sign to them and snuck out from the ICU discreetly when no one was looking, trying his best not to startle the patient's family members.

"You're a doctor; why are you acting like a thief?" Su Yun said disdainfully when they left the ICU and entered the fire escape.

"It's too troublesome."

"Right, Boss. I forgot to tell you something," Su Yun was about to tease Zheng Ren when he remembered all of a sudden, "Amigo Veterinary Hospital wired me the surgical fee. Twelve thousand yuan, three thousand for their surgical tools."

"Oh." Zheng Ren continued to walk, his face expressionless.

"Hey, Boss. Tell me how to split this," Su Yun said.

"You can spend it on food," Zheng Ren said. "Find a time and invite all of them for a meal."

"Sure." Su Yun could not care less about this amount of money, but he was curious why Zheng Ren was acting so indifferently.

Su Yun would have never thought that he only had himself to blame for Zheng Ren reacting this way.

Xie Yiren's parents would not care about a measly 'surgical fee' of several thousand yuan.

Zheng Ren would be performing surgery at the Secondary Hospital tomorrow.

If he managed to impress them, he could be getting at least one to two hundred thousand yuan annually. Compared to the amount Su Yun had, it would be more appropriate to spend that on social gatherings.

"Please pass the message to Yiren and Yanzhi," Zheng Ren said.

"Oh, right. There's a silk banner hanging in Amigo as an appreciation from Harry's owner," Su Yun said.

"..." Zheng Ren thought of a funny joke.

"Don't tell me that it has 'Thanks for saving my dog's life' written on it?" Zheng Ren asked attentively.

"No!" Su Yun said, "That's so cheesy. People usually write something more flattering. Also, Harry's owner was very grateful and told Little Ou to send you their regards."

"Oh. Noted with thanks," Zheng Ren replied.

"You're so boring," Su Yun laughed. "What are you doing tonight? Do you want to have dinner together?"

Zheng Ren's footsteps halted instantly. After glancing at Professor Rudolf Wagner, he approached Su Yun and said softly, "I'm going to invite Yiren for a movie tonight. Do you have any other suggestions other than what you mentioned earlier?"

"Tsk tsk." As expected, Su Yun put on a mean smile and mocked, "What you're really asking is how to get into her pants, huh?"

"..." Zheng Ren was at a loss for words.

"Listen here, young man." Su Yun wrapped his arm around Zheng Ren and whispered, "You need to access the situation. You shouldn't rush things, even if both of you have feelings for each other. Little Yiren comes from a rather distinguished family, you know that. You'll have to take it slow. Just watch a movie this time. Let's leave the rest for another day if you have the chance."

"Chance?"

"It's just a matter of time," Su Yun tapped on Zheng Ren's shoulders empathetically. "I'm thinking how nice it would be if you weren't going to Imperial Capital for interventional surgery. You could bring her along as your personal scrub nurse. Gosh, Boss, you'll be living the dream!"

Zheng Ren understood what Su Yun meant. However, interventional surgery would be exposed to radiation, so he could not request for Little Yiren to be there.

The first time she got involved in an emergency TIPS procedure was on the asphyxiation patient. It was understandable because they did not foresee any of that to happen.

Zheng Ren was also rather reluctant to involve Su Yun in interventional surgeries.

He had yet to have children and he did not own the System's special lead vest that could transform radiation into energy. Therefore, he should not be performing interventional surgery for the long-run.

As for Professor Rudolf Wagner, Zheng Ren figured he had been doing interventional surgeries throughout his life and he had no idea how long he was going to stay here, so he was not concerned about him at all.

What Su Yun said about bringing Xie Yiren to Imperial Capital to do surgeries sounded like a great idea.

Perhaps she would not be so shy in a place with fewer people who knew them.

Even the thought of it was delightful.

Should he start learning the Whipple procedure? However, the general surgery professors in Imperial Capital would have the skills of at least the Grandmaster level. He would never be able to catch up with them. On the other hand, interventional surgery was a relatively new field; his Grandmaster skills would definitely be able to impress them.

Forget it; he should just listen to Su Yun and take it slow.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 380: The Ignorant Knows No Fear

A black Mercedes MPV parked in front of the emergency building of Sea City General Hospital.

Several well-dressed folks alighted from the vehicle.

Walking in front was a mature, elegant woman in her thirties.

She took her time standing outside the emergency building and surveyed the surroundings.

It was obvious that she did not belong in Sea City. She just stared in silence.

"Chairman Lin, the person you're looking for is here?" asked a man in a suit.

"Yes," the woman answered.

The woman was the Chairman of Yimei Cosmetic Surgery, Lin Jiaojiao. The man behind her was their potential business partner, Zhou Da.

The young man driving the Porsche 911 was Zhou Da's son.

Lin Jiaojiao thought that it was a normal traffic accident, so the first thing she did was to send Lawyer Ge down to Sea City to handle the related matters.

Initially, Sea City was not the kind of city that was included in Yimei Corporation's business expansion scheme. However, Sea City got Lin Jiaojiao's attention after the incident that almost blinded her.

That incident sparked her interest in opening a branch in Sea City.

That was also another reason why she sent Lawyer Ge here. After he briefed her about the situation, she thought of Zheng Ren.

The series of events seemed coincidental, yet inevitable.

However many years had passed since Lin Jiaojiao saved lives in the hospital or how much she was profited from her beauty products, there always remained an untouchable soft spot in her heart.

When she heard that Zhou Da's son was involved in an accident wherein he obstructed the path of an ambulance, she declined the offer to work with him.

To be able to expand her business so quickly within a few years, especially as a woman, she had to be decisive.

Lin Jiaojiao was known to be strong-willed. Something like this went against her principles.

Of course, Zheng Ren played a part in that decision as well.

Otherwise, Lin Jiaojiao would not take such drastic measures to draw a line between them with diplomatic business strategies instead.

Who knew Zheng Ren was so gutsy? Lin Jiaojiao grinned.

"Chairman Lin, I don't understand why you need me to come here and personally apologize to a small doctor in Sea City?" Zhou Da's voice was deep and suffocating, like the haze in Sea City.

"Forget about the partnership," Lin Jiaojiao said. "I'm just trying to save your *ss because we worked together before. I can't let you dig your own grave just like that useless son of yours."

"Dig my own grave?" Zhou Da was furious.

Apologizing to that doctor who drove his son to safety with an ambulance was not the reason he came to Sea City.

This was just a business tactic, a chance to negotiate a partnership with Lin Jiaojiao.

However, Lin Jiaojiao had yet to show her true intentions, even after they arrived at Sea City. This made Zhou Da quite frustrated.

"Chairman Lin, you're not trying to humiliate me right?" Zhou Da said icily while he stared at the entrance of the emergency building of Sea City General Hospital.

"Humiliate?" Lin Jiaojiao laughed. "Still think that this is one of your business schemes?"

"Isn't it?" Zhou Da snickered.

With his wealth, destroying a small doctor form a third- to fourth-tier city would be child's play.

Why did Lin Jiajiao have to act all mysterious and strange?

"I've said it many times, but you're the one who refused to believe it," Lin Jiaojiao blew on her palm to warm herself. "You turned your son into a spoiled brat. You know that I was a nurse right? We're humans; it's normal to fear."

"Fear? Haha." Zhou Da sneered.

"Are you still trying to wrap your head around this?" Lin Jiaojiao said. "You're very lucky to have had such a smooth journey all these years."

"What do you mean, Chairman Lin?"

"Only the ignorant knows no fear." Lin Jiaojiao's voice was as chilly as the winter in Sea City. "If I were you... Nevermind, it's impossible to save a lost cause."

"Chairman Lin, even if we can't be partners, you should have at least the decency to be civil." Zhou Da's face dropped.

What was Lin Jiaojiao up to? She would not bring him all the way to Sea City just to 'humiliate' him if it was purely for commercial interest. She had nothing to gain from this.

Zhou Da was puzzled.

"Old Zhou, I can't really tell you everything. Ask around and you will know. I can only give you this much. Are you coming or not?"

"I'm already in Sea City; how can I miss out on this deity you hold to such high regard?" Zhou Da trailed behind Lin Jiaojiao without saying another word.

Then, they entered the emergency building, one after the other.

This was the night's busiest hour. The air reeked of disinfectant and the sounds of patients vomiting and coughing incessantly.

"Chief Zheng, I'm Lin Jiaojiao. Thanks for treating me in Imperial Capital. I have some business here in Sea City and thought to drop by for a visit.

"I'm in the lobby; are you in the emergency ward on the second floor?

"Oh, sure. I'll wait for you in front of the emergency ward."

Lin Jiaojiao hung up the phone and took the elevator.

Zhou Da was still doubtful. He had been testing the waters on their way here, but he failed to understand Lin Jiaojiao's true intention.

Was there something special about this young doctor?

Damn it! He instructed people to find out about this doctor before he left for Sea City but he had not gotten a reply!

His subordinates had been living so comfortably these few years that they had become inefficient. He had to do something when he returned.

The humiliation and anger were all just a pretense–a business tactic.

A real businessman would never be so easily angered.

If there was a profit, there would always be room for negotiation.

Zhou Da was deep in thought while he followed Lin Jiaojiao to the emergency ward entrance.

Lin Jiaojiao did not enter the ward. Instead, she just stood by the entrance and waited patiently.

A few minutes later, several people hurried over.

There were two young men and a foreigner.

"Chief Zheng, finally we meet." Lin Jiaojiao walked toward them and extended her hand, "I planned to treat you to a meal in Imperial Capital after I recovered, but Chief Kong said that you were busy. When you finally cleared your schedule, you took the first flight back to Sea City."

Zheng Ren was startled by Lin Jiaojiao's enthusiasm.

It was past 9 o'clock. Who was this woman? She had to be Lin Jiaojiao who had called him earlier, but Zheng Ren could not remember who she was.

Lin Jiaojiao was slightly embarrassed when she saw Zheng Ren look so confused. Did he not recognize her?

There was a small possibility of that being true.

"Chief Zheng, I'm Lin Jiaojiao. You performed interventional surgery on my ophthalmic artery."

"Oh, it's you." Zheng Ren pretended to realize who she was, but in fact, it was the surgery that he remembered.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 381: Health Agency

Lin Jiaojiao and Zhou Da had many years of business experience. They could sense the lack of interest under Zheng Ren's enthusiastic pretense.

However, Lin Jiaojiao was not bothered by it. She smiled and said, "Chief Zheng, tonight..."

"I'm sorry, Sister Lin, I have a prior engagement tonight," Zheng Ren rejected without any hesitation.

"It's fine." Lin Jiaojiao was very well-mannered. She was unaffected by Zheng Ren's blatant rejection and asked with a laugh, "What about tomorrow?"

"I'll be performing TIPS surgery on six to eight patients at Secondary Hospital tomorrow. I don't think I have time." Zheng Ren shrugged.

Lin Jiaojiao was surprised. She knew the difficulty of the TIPS procedure since she was a nurse in the interventional department in Imperial Capital's Class Three Grade A Hospital: one of the earliest places where TIPS surgery was first established in this country.

No wonder Chief Kong highly recommended this young man.

Was he even human to be able to perform six to eight TIPS procedures in a day?

If a doctor at his age could complete a TIPS procedure in eight hours, they would be the rising star of interventional surgery.

She suppressed her astonishment and asked with a smile, "Oh, that's too bad. I'll not bother you any further. I heard from Chief Zhang that you're going to Imperial Capital to operate a few days later; you have to let me treat you then."

"Sure, sure." Zheng Ren nodded, his impression on Sister Lin got better.

After seeing the three of them enter the emergency ward, Zhou Da snickered.

"Chairman Lin, you came all the way here just to be rejected?"

Lin Jiaojiao chuckled and turned to leave.

"Let's talk about something else. Do you know who the foreigner behind him was?" Lin Jiaojiao asked.

"No."

"Professor Rudolf Wagner from Heidelberg University, the world's pioneer in interventional surgery. If you can't find anything about Chief Zheng, follow Professor Rudolf's footsteps. Then, you'll know why I'm trying to save your *ss," Lin Jiaojiao said.

Zhou Da followed behind Lin Jiaojiao at the same pace, but his breath became heavier.

Zhou Da's phone started ringing; his assistant brought it to him with both hands.

"Hello." Zhou Da halted his footsteps and lowered his voice. He frowned when he saw Lin Jiaojiao continue walking with no intention of waiting for him.

"President Zhou, there's an update on the thing you asked for."

"Go on."

"Dr. Zheng Ren participated in prostate interventional surgery research in Imperial Capital and became a candidate for main surgeon."

'Prostate?' Zhou Da hummed lowly.

"I heard that his patients are recovering very well."

The person on the other end paused for a moment, suppressed his voice to a minimal volume, and continued.

"President Zhou, I have inside news that this Dr. Zheng will be appointed to the National Central Health Agency soon."

Erm...

He started to piece things together. Lin Jiaojiao's constant reminder not to dig his own grave kept replaying in his ears like morning bells.

Health Agency...

His mind went blank and his body went limp. He held to the wall when he was about to fall.

"President Zhou, are you okay?" His assistant rushed over and helped him up.

Zhou Da shook the assistant's hand away in disgust. He then leaned against the wall and tried to think things through.

He was not stupid. He would not be running such a huge business if he was.

Everything fell into place now that he had the key information.

After a few minutes of silence, Zhou Da stood up with a serious expression.

"President Zhou, Lawyer Wang called and said that the Young Master has something to discuss with you." The assistant held the phone in front of Zhou Da.

Zhou Da flung his hand and sent the phone flying.

Nevertheless, he quickly suppressed his anger and said indifferently, "Call Lawyer Wang back and stop the appeal."

"..." His assistant was stunned.

It was no secret that Zhou Da loved his only son very much. Why did he ask the best lawyer in Imperial Capital to stop appealing? He would be facing a three-year sentence...

This...

After Zhou Da gave the orders, he rubbed his face with both hands. As his hands left his face, he put on a kind and sincere smile before running toward where Lin Jiaojiao left.

...

...

Zheng Ren returned to the ward and performed a routine checkup. The patients were all stable.

He glanced at the time; it was 3:45 p.m.

Su Yun saw that Zheng Ren's mind was somewhere else and teased, "Chill, it'll be just like your first surgery. You've seen the anatomical structures and tissues countless times, but you're just nervous because it's your first time."

He was definitely not a professional psychologist, but his example was quite on point.

Zheng Ren took a deep breath, calmed himself, and recalled the last time they went for a movie.

He took out his phone and clicked open the app to check the showtimes.

The latest showtime for IMAX was 5:15 p.m. Zheng Ren did not care about what movie it was and texted Xie Yiren.

[Have you seen this?]

[We're going to the movies tonight? Great, I've been wanting to go for a while, but the timing's been a little rushed.]

[No worries, we can go straight after work. I'll treat you to dinner afterward.]

Zheng Ren had a genuine smile on his face.

Su Yun watched in disgust and left to chat with the professor.

[Okay, we probably won't have time for ice cream.]

[Oh, I can go get the tickets and you can go buy ice cream. Do you want popcorn and cola?]

[Oh, no thanks, I'll book the tickets then.]

Zheng Ren was delighted to read Xie Yiren's messages.

[Let me do that. You can buy the ice cream while I collect the tickets so we can save time.]

Zheng Ren switched back to the app and booked two tickets.

He clearly remembered the last time Xie Yiren bought tickets for the ninth row of the middle seats toward the right.

They were not the best seats, so he thought that it was Little Yiren's preference.

Zheng Ren chose the same seats and confirmed the purchase.

This was the first step to success. He just needed to succeed one step at a time! Zheng Ren cheered himself on.

"Relax, you don't look too good." Su Yun approached him and said. "There's nothing to worry about. Take it slow. It'll happen naturally."

"Right," Zheng Ren nodded with a serious expression, as if he was a soldier about to go to war.

Su Yun shook his head. He could sense Zheng Ren's nerves. He knew that no matter what he said right now would just make him more anxious.

"Call me if there's an emergency tonight," Su Yun told the doctor on shift.

After that, Zheng Ren was restless. He could not even sit quietly in his chair, let alone read. He kept pacing around the office and checked the time on his phone every now and then.

After he got off from work, he happily changed clothes and went to the basement parking lot without waiting for Xie Yiren's text.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 382: Just A Matter of Time

A moment later, Zheng Ren saw Xie Yiren walking with her head down.

Her hair was styled in a double ponytail today and bounced with every step she took. Zheng Ren's heart melted at the sight. She was typing on her phone as she walked.

[Basement parking, Zone D. I'm here.]

The message notification popped up on his phone.

Zheng Ren smiled and spread his arms, welcoming Xie Yiren into his embrace.

Xie Yiren pocketed her phone and looked up.

Zheng Ren was standing a few meters away with his arms open wide. Wide-eyed and red-faced, Xie Yiren looked around nervously.

When she was sure the car park was empty, she ran toward Zheng Ren and into his welcoming embrace.

Click! Click!

There was a sudden noise and lights flashed.

Zheng Ren's muscles were tense from the start as he treated the hug like a holy ritual.

The sound startled him and his flinching startled Xie Yiren.

The lovely moment was shattered, just like that.

Zheng Ren scanned their surroundings and found the culprit. It was Xie Yiren's Volvo. He could not help but resent the car at that moment.

The Volvo had intelligent sensing abilities. Whenever Xie Yiren was within range, the car would automatically start up.

Why was he startled? He had sat in that car many times before.

"Come on, or else we'll be late," Xie Yiren said with a smile, pulling away from Zheng Ren. She got into the driver's seat.

Zheng Ren sighed. If only he had held her tighter.

With a mind full of regrets, Zheng Ren climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up. The car pulled out of the basement parking.

As they cruised along the road, Xie Yiren asked, "What happened to the patient who was stabbed in the heart?"

"He's stable now. Su Yun says he should be off the ventilator tomorrow and transferred to the emergency wards."

"So soon? Wasn't his injury quite severe?" Xie Yiren was surprised by the patient's speedy recovery.

"Yeah. As long as the patient is given emergency care in time and no other complication like cerebral edema arises, it's an open and shut case. We'll still have to monitor him for possible infection," Zheng Ren replied.

"When Yanran transported the patient, the family dogpiled her. Do you know how the patient was wounded?" Xie Yiren asked with a sliver of amusement on her face.

"No, I didn't ask," Zheng Ren said, curious.

"He was attending a lunch gathering with some ex-classmates. They drank a bit," Xie Yiren began telling the story.

Xie Yiren was usually not one for gossip; that role was reserved for Chu Yanzhi. Little Yiren was only interested if food was involved.

However, a silent car ride would have been awkward, so she kept the conversation going.

She was slightly embarrassed by the hug in the car park and her face was still warm from all the blushing. Her first instinct was to rush into Zheng Ren's arms when she spotted him.

Xie Yiren could not tolerate an awkward silence throughout the journey.

"And?" Zheng Ren asked.

"When it was time to pay, they were fighting over who would pay and the patient managed to snatch the bill. One of his friends got upset and they got into a row."

Zheng Ren frowned.

It was not uncommon to see drunken brawls break out among men when they were fighting for the bill. Incidents like these were very memorable in the hospital.

There would be a few incidents a year without fail.

In this incident, the offender and the victim were extremely fortunate. If it were not for the emergency response team, two families would be ruined by this mistake.

"Yanran said when the attacker sobered up, he almost went into shock. His face was pale as a sheet. His blood pressure was probably through the roof," Xie Yiren said.

"It was a successful rescue, so everything is fine now. If no one presses charge, the police won't look into the matter. The two families can come to an agreement, maybe cover his medical expenses. They're good friends after all," Zheng Ren commented.

"Yanran says it'll cost around a few hundred thousand."

"Her estimates are right. They should be glad the patient is still alive. Otherwise, the attacker will have to go to jail."

"Zheng Ren, you're so brave," Xie Yiren complimented. She pursed her lips, a proud look on her face.

"Hm?"

"Sister Yanran said there are few doctors who would dare to perform a pericardiotomy in the emergency response room with so many witnesses around. She said most doctors would just perform the standard CPR and tell the family they had tried their best, maybe some would attempt the procedure, but only if the patient was in the operating room. By then, the window would have passed."

"I was just doing my duty."

"No. You're confident in your abilities, that's why you could do it without hesitation," Xie Yiren said.

The praise made Zheng Ren's heart flutter. It was a nice feeling, having Xie Yiren be proud of him. Zheng Ren saw how her face lit up when she spoke of his courage.

He let out a chuckle.

"Hopefully there won't be any emergency cases tonight," Xie Yiren prayed.

"Don't worry. Su Yun will cover for me if something comes in. As long as it's not a major surgery, we're safe," Zheng Ren said reassuringly.

"His surgery techniques are quite good."

"Su Yun's known as the rising star of the cardiothoracic department in Imperial Capital."

As they chatted, the car entered the basement parking of the cinema. Xie Yiren parked the car nearby the elevators and they quickly made their way upstairs.

Xie Yiren exited on the third floor to buy her ice cream while Zheng Ren went one floor up to retrieve their movie tickets.

He checked the time; the movie was just about to start.

The lights would be off when they enter the hall.

Zheng Ren's heart was racing as he recounted his plan to inconspicuously put his arm around Xie Yiren's shoulders.

Failure was not acceptable.

Just like before each surgery, Zheng Ren would review each scan and visualize the procedure. He ran through all the steps he had to make later.

It was nerve-wracking.

A few minutes, Xie Yiren came up the elevator with two ice cream cones in hand. She made a small wave to get Zheng Ren's attention.

Zheng Ren relieved her of a cone and they made their way to the IMAX theater.

As he predicted, the hall was pitch black. The floor and seats were partially illuminated by the shifting display on screen.

Everything was going according to plan. Zheng Ren tried to calm his heart as he made one cautious step after another.

"Ah!" A shriek behind Zheng Ren. Xie Yiren missed a step and fell forward.

Zheng Ren quickly caught hold of her and asked in a low voice, "Did you sprain your ankle?"

"N-no..." Xie Yiren's voice trembled. She spoke so softly, only Zheng Ren could hear.

Zheng Ren breathed a sigh of relief. He released her arm and just as he turned, a soft, warm hand clutched at his.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 383: The Stories Are A Lie

At that moment, Zheng Ren felt the blood in his body freeze.

This was out of his calculations.

Warm.

Smooth.

Soft.

Zheng Ren instinctively clutched Little Yiren's hand tight. Xie Yiren tried to tug her hand back, but Zheng Ren maintained his grip.

He took a step forward, and another, and another.

Time seemed to slow down around them; each passing second felt like a minute.

Zheng Ren could feel the pulse underneath Xie Yiren's delicate skin.

Each beat was clear and strong.

The stories were a lie.

Zheng Ren did not need to touch her radial artery to feel her pulse.

Each beat was clear and strong.

After a dozen steps, their stiff movements gave way to a newfound fluidity.

The awkwardness melted away and they moved in sync to their seats.

A problem appeared before Zheng Ren.

With one hand clutching Little Yiren's hand while the other held the ice cream cone, how was he going to deal with the armrest in between the seats?

Damn it... Zheng Ren's heart was beating wildly.

This scenario was similar to what he encountered in the System operating room. There was always something unexpected that meddled with his plans.

Panic overcame Zheng Ren and he stuffed the whole ice cream cone into his mouth.

So cold...

With his left hand, he lifted the armrest and guided Xie Yiren to the seat, ignoring the freezing pain in his mouth.

Oblivious to it all, Xie Yiren sat down and a soft sigh escaped her lips.

They were seated, shoulder to shoulder.

Their hands were intertwined.

Their arms were interlocked.

Xie Yiren's hair occasionally brushed past Zheng Ren's ear.

It was heavenly.

Zheng Ren's attention was far from the movie. It was a 2D IMAX movie today instead of 3D, which Zheng Ren was thankful for as he did not have to carry the glasses.

Zheng Ren had successfully achieved what he discussed with Su Yun; he would even say he had surpassed expectations.

As time passed, Little Yiren relaxed her tense muscles. She subconsciously inched closer to Zheng Ren and rested her head on his shoulder.

Zheng Ren inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume.

Was this contentment?

If contentment had a smell, that must be it.

If contentment had a touch, it must be the warm and soft hand resting in his palm.

Zheng Ren was in his own world as the movie played on.

He was wholly focused on his five senses and Xie Yiren's every smile and gesture.

Time passed quickly without him realizing. The ending credits of the movie rolled on screen.

Einstein's theory of special relativity with regards to time was true.

Xie Yiren nudged Zheng Ren shyly. "Hey, it's time to go."

Zheng Ren came back to reality. He glanced around and saw they were the only ones left in the hall, barring the housekeeping crew. The lights were on maximum brightness now.

Huh...

It was too soon!

Xie Yiren's hand slipped away like a fish in the ocean.

"Come on." Xie Yiren stood up and turned to leave. She avoided looking at Zheng Ren, her face slightly flushed.

Zheng Ren took a deep breath.

That counted as a success, right?

Maybe it did.

He followed Xie Yiren out of the cinema. It was peak time now and the crowd was absurd.

"What do you want for dinner?" Xie Yiren asked.

Zheng Ren's mind drew a blank.

Dinner? If he could stay in that seat with Xie Yiren forever, he would. Dinner was of miniscule importance.

Xie Yiren took in Zheng Ren's silence and smiled. "Let's go to Xiao Long Kan; the boss is my dad's friend. I gave him a suggestion when I last visited. He hired a chef from Yucheng, Chef Zhou Master Slice, and all their meats are flown in fresh."

"Sure." Zheng Ren remained uninterested on the topic of food.

Xiao Long Kan was a hotpot restaurant, but what was this Chef Zhou Master Slice? Could only a professional chef cut open the meat and innards of livestock?

Preparing food these days required professionals?

Zheng Ren's answer was no; anyone could prepare meat.

His mind was addled from the close proximity and hand-holding. He had not recovered from the assault on his senses.

Zheng Ren followed Xie Yiren in a daze. They went down to the basement parking and started their journey toward Xiao Long Kan.

Xie Yiren was looking forward to the tripe, ox aorta, and pig kidney cooked in a chilli soup base.

It was a cosy environment.

A peaceful meal.

Wonderful.

Zheng Ren paid little attention to what he put in his mouth. Whatever Xie Yiren cooked in the pot, he ate them without hesitation.

His eyes were glued to the cute expression on Xie Yiren's flushed face. A sheen of sweat made her face glow, likely due to the spiciness of the soup.

Zheng Ren only woke from his daze when a cold breeze blew past them. Dinner had concluded and they were standing outside Xiao Long Kan.

Xie Yiren was talking to him. "Remember to shower when you get home. Wash away the sweat so you can sleep well."

"Okay."

"There's milk in the fridge. Remember to drink it."

"Okay."

"What do you want to eat in the morning?" Xie Yiren asked.

Zheng Ren recalled his schedule. "Tomorrow... I have to go to the Secondary Hospital."

"You're heading there to perform a surgery?" Xie Yiren asked, then after some thought, she said, "Right, it's their loss if they don't invite you to perform your TIPS procedure."

"We're still in the midst of perfecting the method. They're a specialized hospital, so they have more patients," Zheng Ren said humbly, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Are they picking you up from the hospital? Or you're heading there on your own?" Xie Yiren asked.

Zheng Ren neglected to ask about the transportation arrangements.

He had been so engrossed in the scans earlier today that other details regarding the trip eluded him.

This question was the tip of the iceberg.

Did the Secondary Hospital have the tools? The materials? These were all questions he had no answer to.

Zheng Ren stopped in his tracks and signalled for Xie Yiren to wait. He was making a call.

"Director Zhang, it's Zheng Ren.

"Yes, I forgot to ask, does your hospital have the required equipment and materials for the surgery?

"Oh, sure. I'll help myself to them."

With that, Zheng Ren ended the call.

"So?" Xie Yiren asked, a questioning look on her face.

"They have the essentials, but worry about suitability. I'm welcomed to bring my own. Director Zhang is responsible for purchasing, so he will deal with the payment," Zheng Ren explained to Xie Yiren as he made another call.

"Manager Feng, I need 10 sets of TIPS procedure material tomorrow.

"Yes, we'll be performing the procedures in the Secondary Hospital.

"Sorry for not notifying you earlier. It escaped my mind.

"Alright, see you tomorrow at 8:00 a.m, the emergency department building entrance."

Zheng Ren hung up and let out a sigh. Planning was definitely not his strong suit.

"Good luck tomorrow!" Xie Yiren pumped her fist. The action combined with her encouragement struck him to his core. How could a person be that cute?

They parted ways with their usual wave, but after today's intimacy, there was a different feeling in the air.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 384: Changfeng Is My Choice

Zheng Ren and Xie Yiren arrived at Sea City General Hospital early the next morning.

At 7:55 a.m, Professor Rudolf Wagner walked into the emergency wards like clockwork.

Zheng Ren greeted the professor and Old Chief Physician Pan before heading downstairs.

A black BMW X5 was parked in front of the emergency department entrance.

The idle engine hummed audibly. At the sight of Zheng Ren, Feng Xuhui immediately stood from his leaning position and moved to open the car door.

Zheng Ren was unaware of the trouble Feng Xuhui had to go through to obtain the materials.

As the Northeastern factory was new, they had limited stock on hand: less than five units per model. Changfeng Microinvasive was not overly ambitious to think they could monopolize the whole Northeastern market.

When Feng Xuhui received Zheng Ren's call the night before, he nearly fainted.

The Northeastern branch of Changfeng Microinvasive did not have that many TIPS materials on hand.

However, Chairman Ma did not hesitate to utilize resources to courier 20 units of TIPS materials from Imperial Capital to Sea City. In addition, he had the foresight to order more to replenish Imperial Capital's TIPS materials.

Imperial Capital was a six-hour drive to Sea City.

At 4:00 a.m, the salesperson from Imperial Capital arrived at Sea City. Feng Xuhui breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the TIPS materials.

The salesperson left the BMW X5 to Feng Xuhui. Chairman Ma provided the car, and it was to be used to service clients in the Northeastern district.

Feng Xuhui was grateful for the amount of support Chairman Ma was extending to him.

Delivering breakfast to Zheng Ren was no longer something Feng Xuhui did, hence there was little chance to build rapport with the young doctor.

Fulfilling Zheng Ren's last minute request was the least he could do.

After all, Zheng Ren had helped his career.

Feng Xuhui was their ride to the Secondary Hospital.

Zheng Ren sat quietly in the passenger seat. Feng Xuhui began contemplating the next best step.

His benefactor was here. He could not not make conversation.

Chief Zheng was a hard man to interact with. No matter what Feng Xuhui said, he only got monosyllabic responses from the man.

In the end, Professor Rudolf Wagner who contributed to most of the conversations from the back seat; his heavy Northeastern accent was a source of amusement for Feng Xuhui.

Zheng Ren received a call from Director Zhang. Over the call, he asked if they were allowed to visit the patients before the surgery.

Permission was granted.

It was courtesy for surgeons to have a look at the patient prior to the procedure.

However, fly-in surgeons often circumvented this step as they wanted to squeeze in as many patients as they could in a day. Money was a strong motivating factor.

The patient was usually already on the operating table when the surgeon touched down at the airport.

This had nothing to do with ethics. Typically, only Class Three Grade A Hospitals could hire fly-in surgeons from Imperial Capital or Sorcery Capital, and the quality of service was enforced. The basic preparations would be done beforehand and the surgeon would have reviewed the patient's scans and charts. If they were not confident, the surgery would be cancelled.

There were always simpler procedures that needed the surgeon's attention. Death was not to be toyed with.

Of course, there were downsides to being a fly-in surgeon.

In the 2000s, an orthopedic fly-in surgeon went to Shijiazhuang for a case.

The patient had a simple fracture, but due to his old age, the bone could not heal completely. Without any warning, the family sent people to Imperial Capital to break the surgeon's leg[1].

To Zheng Ren, it was essential that he had a look at the patients before any procedures.

Although the Secondary Hospital was only 18.4km away from Sea City General Hospital, they were separate entities; it was best to minimize any chance of mistakes.

Caution was a habit that Zheng Ren had long cultivated.

It did not take long for them to arrive despite the peak hour traffic.

Traffic in Sea City was nothing compared to Imperial Capital, Sorcery Capital, or Provincial Capital.

The Infectious Disease Secondary Hospital was located slightly off the beaten path. After a 25-minute journey, Feng Xuhui drove up to the hospital lobby entrance.

There were a dozen or so doctors in white coats at the ready at the entrance. It was, without a doubt, to welcome Zheng Ren.

Feng Xuhui was surprised to see the size of the welcoming party.

These were professionals and senior management personnel.

Professor Rudolf Wagner, however, was not the least bit surprised.

He had been to many hospitals to perform surgical demonstrations and...their welcoming parties were definitely grander than this.

When the car stopped, the plump man who had delivered the scans to Imperial Capital rushed up to the passenger side and opened the door for Zheng Ren.

"Chief Zheng, you came."

The fearful sincerity on the plump man's face almost made Zheng Ren laugh out loud.

It must be uncomfortable for a man in his 40s to treat a young doctor like Zheng Ren with reverence.

"Of course. Thank you for all this," Zheng Ren said.

"Oh, it is a small matter. When I came back to the hospital, I detailed your emergency rescue yesterday to our resident cardiothoracic department chief. He says your diagnosis and rescue techniques were accurate and worthy of praise," the man said with a broad smile.

The compliment had little effect on Zheng Ren's deadpan expression, so the plump man changed tack and kept his mouth shut.

"Chief Zheng, we meet again," Director Zhang led the cavalry of doctors to greet Zheng Ren. They shook hands.

"Thank you for all this, Director Zhang." Zheng Ren smiled and continued. "From the records, the patients fit the criteria; this helps reduce the chance of failure."

"For once, I worry our equipment may not be up to par to a fly-in surgeon's standards."

"I have Changfeng's equipment and materials with me. This man here is the Northeastern District Manager from Changfeng Microinvasive, Feng Xuhui," Zheng Ren introduced and clapped Feng Xuhui on the shoulder.

The proclamations made Feng Xuhui grateful to have Zheng Ren on his side.

Director Zhang acknowledged Feng Xuhui without extending a handshake. Feng Xuhui did not take it personally. The man was the deputy director of the hospital and was many levels above Feng Xuhui's pay grade. Even if Director Zhang spat at him, he would have to maintain a courteous demeanor.

Next came the introductions to the chief of each department. Zheng Ren shook hands with all of them.

The hepatology department chief was amicable, but the interventional surgery department chief had a bone to pick with Zheng Ren.

The tension was tangible, but Zheng Ren ignored it. He made an effort to learn the department chief's name.

Cheng Lixue: the name resembled the Chinese proverb–to stand in the snow, respectfully waiting upon your master.

Judging from the department chief's expression, he was holding in his anger. If it were not for Professor Rudolf Wagner backing Zheng Ren, the department chief would have made a scene.

'The professor's a useful prop to boost our reputation,' Zheng Ren thought.

Director Zhang led them to the patients.

The first patient suffered from refractory ascites. This morning's routine check-up indicated the patient was in a favorable condition. This patient's diagnosis was less severe than the one Zheng Ren faced in Sea City General Hospital.

With Zheng Ren's go ahead, doctors transported the patient to the operating room as Zheng Ren and the team moved on to check on the next candidate.

After the eighth patient, Zheng Ren developed a deeper understanding of Director Zhang's selection criteria.

All the candidates suffered from refractory ascites and this minimized the risk of hematemesis during surgery.

It was a good call by Director Zhang. Zheng Ren was pleasantly impressed.

[1] Author's note: This is a story from a Beijing surgeon who performed a surgery on my grandpa ten years ago. – Author

Report chapter Comments