"Oh my god, I'm starting to wonder if I should stay in the emergency department," Wang Chao said with a bitter smile.
"You? Still considering? Don't worry, I'll be very gentle with you," Liu Banxia glanced at him.
Wang Chao grimaced. Today's version of Liu Banxia was just too harsh, so strict that he barely dared to breathe.
"Stop dawdling. Follow them. If Doctor Liang misses anything, you cover for her. You must push her into the operating room. This is a make-or-break opportunity for her," Liu Banxia said.
"Okay, okay, I'm on it," Wang Chao quickly responded and followed.
"They say 'like teacher, like student,' or perhaps 'birds of a feather flock together.' You've only just started under Director Zhou, and your presence is already quite imposing," Chen Jianxin said with a smile.
"Brother Chen, this is my first time as a graduate student. What should I typically be doing?" Liu Banxia asked curiously.
"It doesn't seem like there's much specific you need to do. Look at Shi Lei; he seems to be given free rein. But whatever you do, you must understand it thoroughly. That's Director Zhou's requirement. You'll have to figure it out yourself," Chen Jianxin said with a smile.
"Actually, it's not just her students; it's the same for us. Management is quite relaxed, but you absolutely must have real skills and knowledge."
"You'll understand later. Strict teachers produce exceptional students. Hmm... just be mindful of the 'homeroom teacher's' eyes watching from the back of the classroom, so to speak."
Liu Banxia's face immediately scrunched up like a bitter melon; his earlier imposing aura vanished.
The days ahead are definitely going to be tough. I might get by this year with the small-incision appendectomy, but what about next year? Forget next year; it's debatable how long I can even get away with this small-incision appendectomy this year.
"Director Zhou is absolutely strict about who gets in and who makes it through. Plus, you're the chief resident now. If you don't manage the Emergency Department's work properly, you'll really be in for it," Chen Jianxin added, twisting the knife.
Liu Banxia felt like he'd taken over 10,000 points of damage; he'd completely forgotten about that. I have a whole host of things to worry about. From now on, I'll have to juggle advancing my skills and managing my work.
Just then, Liu Banxia's phone rang. "Wang Chao, are the CT results out yet?"
"President Liu, the films aren't out yet, but it's confirmed: a ruptured left pulmonary bulla. The OR has been booked, and we're taking him there now," Wang Chao quickly replied.
DING! Patient consultation complete.
You gained 200 experience points, and your Diagnosis Skill proficiency increased by 300 points.
"Don't forget what I told you. You have to watch her closely," Liu Banxia said.
"Who are you telling him to watch?" Liang Xiaolin's voice came through the receiver.
Liu Banxia rubbed his nose. "Isn't it because I'm worried you'll make a mistake? This case is different from my last one. That was a hemothorax, just lung suturing. This time, it's definitely a pulmonary bulla resection. You'll most likely be using a thoracoscope, so watch carefully."
"I know, you're so annoying," Liang Xiaolin said before abruptly hanging up.
"No good deed goes unpunished," Liu Banxia muttered.
"Ah, young people these days... You guys have probably finished puking, right? Hurry up and clean this mess so we can disinfect again," Chen Jianxin said before heading to the surgeon's office for a nap.
"Doctor, do you think Liangzi's current condition is related to the drinking?" one of the group asked, as they all gathered around Liu Banxia.
"Well, you could say it is. After all, if you hadn't been drinking together, this incident wouldn't have occurred, right?" Liu Banxia replied.
"But seeing how you all usually get along, I doubt you'll face overly unreasonable family members. Explain the situation clearly to them. And in the future, when you drink, know your limits."
"Regardless, you must contact his family. This isn't just a simple IV drip; he's undergoing surgery to remove a pulmonary bulla. He'll need to stay in the hospital for several days."
One of them nodded. "We've already contacted them; they should be here soon. Well... we'll see how it goes."
Liu Banxia nodded and started cleaning up with Xu Dan and the others.
This kind of situation is really unpredictable. The family's attitude will be key. Since drinking together led to this, the family has the right to demand compensation, and they'd be legally justified.
It all depends on the kind of people they are; this could become a big deal or a small one. In my opinion, though, this was completely avoidable. If you're going to drink, just drink. Why insist on getting wasted?
The emergency room was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected again, which somewhat masked the lingering smell. Just then, the lanky patient's family arrived, and his friends quickly went over to explain the situation.
"Doctor, how is my son doing?" the patient's mother asked, approaching Liu Banxia.
"He's in surgery right now. Let me take you to the waiting area," Liu Banxia said.
"But please, don't worry too much. It's a routine surgery, and it won't have a major impact on his future life. However, he will need to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation. After the surgery, someone from the team will come and explain everything to you."
"Sigh... we told him not to drink so much. And now look, he's gone and damaged his lung from drinking," the patient's father sighed.
His friends looked extremely awkward and didn't know what to say.
This isn't my concern, Liu Banxia thought. Seeing Wang Chao return, he asked him to take them. I could have asked Qi Wentai to do it, but I don't feel like talking to him.
It's still a bit concerning. I need to focus on studying general surgery techniques. Even though my current dissection skills are decent, every type of surgery has its own specific tricks.
Moreover, the surgeries I've performed so far are all routine procedures. I haven't even done a single laparoscopic surgery. I need to develop comprehensively; there's just so much knowledge to master.
Perhaps it's due to the mental enhancement, but my attitude towards learning is incredibly serious now. Previously, if you asked me to read a book, I'd struggle to concentrate. But now? That's not an issue at all.
I even wonder, if I'd had the system back in high school and enhanced my mind then, I might have graduated as the top student and given Dad something to brag about over drinks.
He was engrossed in his thoughts when a shadow fell over him. Looking up, he saw Qi Wentai standing nearby.
"Do you have a problem with me?" Qi Wentai asked.
Liu Banxia nodded seriously. "It's not a question of 'if' I have a problem with you; I most definitely do. What are you even doing loitering in the Emergency Department? You're not welcome here."
"Fine." Qi Wentai nodded and stepped aside.
Young people these days... I really don't know what goes through their heads, Liu Banxia thought, shaking his head helplessly.
Qi Wentai hadn't been drinking, yet he sounded like he was drunk. Otherwise, what kind of answer did he expect from me? It's painfully obvious.
The others witnessed their brief interaction, but it wasn't something they could interfere in. Besides, even before Liu Banxia gained his current authority, they already had a good relationship with him.