Zheng Ren pretended to be serious but was in fact absent-mindedly looking at and comparing each of the films. He had devoted his life to the medical field for more than ten years, including his time spent studying medicine, and even if he did not clearly understand the films, he at least knew how to act professionally.
A loud voice could be heard in the corridor twenty minutes later. It was unclear, so Zheng Ren had no clue what the commotion was about.
Soon, the door opened.
Elder San entered the room while holding a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy with one hand,
"I'm sorry, Doctor Zheng. This boy has developed fear of hospitals and doctors after frequent consultations," explained Elder San.
Zheng Ren was shocked at the sight of Elder San holding a constantly struggling boy with one arm behind his back and admired silently, 'No wonder those people respect Elder San so much. Look at that arm strength. He probably has a handgrip strength of a hundred kilograms.'
The boy's condition and final diagnosis were shown in the upper right corner of Zheng Ren's vision when he fixed his gaze on the boy.
Well, that was awkward.
Wealthy families were indeed chaotic.
"Elder San, you're too polite. Let the child go. It's better not to let him create a mess here," said Zheng Ren.
Behind Elder San stood a man whose expression sank immediately. "Miss, are you humiliating the young master?"
"Huh?" Bu Li hissed through her nose as she looked askew at that man with piercing eyes.
"You seized the young master directly after stating that his presence was required, then you want him to leave after taking one glance. Do you think you're fooling a monkey?" The man refused to give up. "The young master has been in a bad mood after Master Bu fell sick and even had a nosebleed this morning. If you continue humiliating the young master any further and cause his condition to deteriorate, I will definitely report this issue to Master Bu."
"Up to you." Bu Li waved her hand casually.
The man gritted his teeth, unable to do anything about her attitude. Left with no choice, he stared at Zheng Ren and asked, "You're a professor? Which hospital are you from?"
The contempt in his tone was obvious when he emphasized the word "professor".
Zheng Ren was less than thirty years old. He could not possibly be a professor.
"You flatter me." Zheng Ren was not bothered as he had developed an immunity to this sort of mocking tone after encountering various incidents in the hospital.
"You asked for the young master's presence. What have you understood so far?" asked the man fiercely.
"Have a care how you speak!" Bu Li scolded. "He is the surgeon who performed the surgery on my father!"
"Professor Ichiro Moriyu performed the surgery on Master Bu! Miss, if you don't explain yourself today, the young master and I will visit Master Bu to demand an explanation! You don't have any authority yet in the Bu family!"
Zheng Ren was experiencing a headache. A war within a wealthy family. That was boring.
"Are you sure you want to hear it?" Zheng Ren tilted his head and stared at the man with a smile on his face.
"Is there a problem?"
"Come in and close the door if you've made up your mind."
The astonished Elder San and Bu Li stared at Zheng Ren in silence.
"His condition is special. Are there any unrelated parties here?" asked Zheng Ren.
"Just spit it out!" answered the man impatiently.
"Good." Zheng Ren then pointed at the nearest MRI film on the radiographic film viewer. "There are indeed signs of nasal NK/T cell lymphoma in the films, so the diagnosis isn't wrong.
"But judging by his medical history, this diagnosis is invalid."
"Don't talk nonsense!" The man was getting impatient.
"I think the patient is using recreational drugs," said Zheng Ren.
It was a simple statement, but its effect was that of a small stone thrown into a pond, sending ripples in ever-widening circles.
The startled Elder San gave this some thought.
Bu Li gave Zheng Ren a puzzled look. How did he come to the diagnosis with a quick glance at the patient and reading the MRI films for twenty minutes?
Even senior professors in Imperial Capital and Sorcery Capital were unable to diagnose the patient with certainty. What was the source of his confidence?
"Bullsh*t!" yelled the man in exasperation. Then, he glared at Bu Li and complained, "I'll definitely report to Master Bu what happened today."
"Up to you," replied Bu Li coldly before asking, "Doctor Zheng, there aren't any needle marks on his body."
"It's mixed with glass particles. During inhalation, those particles rupture the nasal capillaries and facilitate the entrance of recreational drugs into the bloodstream. Hence, the high is further intensified."
The child in Elder San's grip stopped struggling immediately and gave Zheng Ren a horrified stare as if he had seen a ghost.
The child was very good at covering his tracks. He had not expected someone to see through his tricks so easily.
"Go to the hospital and take a blood sample for a toxicology screen. If he had a nosebleed this morning, that means the chemicals in his bloodstream haven't completely metabolized yet and can still be detected in the blood test," Zheng Ren concluded.
Zheng Ren's confidence and the terrified look on the child's face made the trio believe the explanation instantly.
That must be the truth, but who could have guessed it?
Elder San put the child down and assumed a fist-and-palm salute. "I misjudged you, Doctor Zheng. Still waters run deep."
Zheng Ren failed to grasp the hidden meaning in Elder San's words. He did not care who Elder San supported—Bu Li or the young boy—because the rivalry over a wealthy man's inheritance would definitely end up in turmoil.
After noticing that the boy had been released, the man wanted to step forward and help him, perplexed. However, his legs had been drained of energy after realizing the truth and he staggered after taking one step, almost falling to the ground.
"Doctor Zheng, you must be tired. I'll instruct someone to send you home," said Elder San lightly. Zheng Ren had no intention of staying any longer, so he agreed to his suggestion and left the room.
In front of the door stood a man dressed completely in black. He was the brute with a baseball bat in the emergency department yesterday, the one whom Elder San addressed as Little Six.
"Send Doctor Zheng home." Elder San made some arrangements. "Also, give Doctor Zheng an explanation for what happened this afternoon."
Then, Elder San assumed a fist and palm salute again to bid farewell.
"Doctor Zheng, this way, please," said Little Six politely.
"I still don't know your name yet. What's your surname?" asked Zheng Ren.
"That's very nice of you, but just call me Little Six. You're the Bu family's savior, and that means you're my savior too, so there's no need to be so polite." The smiling Little Six's tone was as humble as dust. The ferocity with which he held the baseball bat in the emergency department last time had disappeared into thin air.
As they walked out of the main entrance, Zheng Ren frowned upon seeing a traumatized man standing alone outside the door.
Chapter 51 - Discharge Against Medical Advice
The golden chain as thick as a finger dazzled against the night sky.
"Doc… Doc… Doctor Zheng, I was wrong." Black Tower had lost his usual savagery and looked incredibly pathetic after waiting for god only knew how long outside the door.
Zheng Ren ignored him and asked Little Six, "Brother Six, is this your car?"
An Audi Q7 was parked in front of the main entrance. Zheng Ren recognized this model, unlike Bu Li's high-class luxury vehicle which was beyond the knowledge of the people at the bottom of the social hierarchy—Zheng Ren included.
"You're too polite, just Little Six will do." Little Six grinned and pointed at Black Tower. "Doctor Zheng, how ar
e you planning to deal with him?"
"Deal with him?" asked Zheng Ren curiously.
Zheng Ren had never experienced this sort of underworld dispute, nor was he interested in finding out about it.
"I was instructed by Elder San to protect you. My brothers went to take a short break after seeing the huge rescue operation this afternoon and the police officers that even arrived on the scene to maintain order, but I didn't expect him to trouble you then!" Little Six was getting exasperated and the scar on his face seemed to become alive as it radiated a bloodthirsty aura.
The arrogant Black Tower merely lowered his head without any inclination to defend himself as if he had transformed into Peppa Pig in Little Six's presence.
"Oh… Have you eaten yet?" asked Zheng Ren.
"Not yet." Little Six was stunned momentarily. After realizing that Zheng Ren made no attempt to look at or even mention Black Tower, he quickly walked past Zheng Ren and opened the door to the passenger seat.
"Thank you." Zheng Ren smiled.
After Zheng Ren entered the car, Little Six walked toward Black Tower and kicked him without saying a word. Black Tower then fell to the ground instantly as if there had been a loss of structural integrity.
"You're lucky Doctor Zheng can't be bothered with you." Little Six placed his foot on Black Tower's cheek and twisted it, grating his face against the rough pavement with a sound that reminded Zheng Ren of a grinding contusion. "Hand in your company's demolition and relocation contract tomorrow, and leave Sea City once and for all."
Then, Little Six turned around and left him.
Plain and simple.
Little Six entered the car, ignited the engine and left the exquisite courtyard under the rich velvet blanket of night.
"Doctor Zheng, I'm a thug, so don't feel too disgusted at some of my actions," said Little Six with a grin. "These guys don't know which way the wind blows. They act foolishly in public and still seek to prevail over others. I'm guessing it won't take more than a few years for them to meet their doom at last."
In the alleyway hung a red slogan—crime prevention is everyone's responsibility!
Zheng Ren smiled and nodded in response.
"Doctor Zheng, where is your home?" asked Little Six.
After giving his address to Little Six, Zheng Ren thought for a while and suggested, "There's a food skewer stall at the intersection. Since you haven't had your dinner yet, why don't we stop there and fill our stomachs first?"
Little Six was slightly surprised. "I thought you had your dinner just now?"
"Escargots, foie gras with fish roe, and the meat was undercooked. I haven't had my fill yet," answered Zheng Ren truthfully.
"Hahaha!" Little Six laughed. "Doctor Zheng, you're a jolly man. I'm not used to Western food as well, and I think roadside stalls are much better than French cuisine."
It was just a simple statement, but their friendship had strengthened further.
Zheng Ren and Little Six finally satiated their hunger after consuming dozens of food skewers. He then exchanged his phone number and WeChat ID with Little Six before going back home to rest up.
Little Zhao was nowhere to be seen when Zheng Ren returned home. After washing up casually, Zheng Ren undressed and lay on the bed for a deep slumber.
His mind dragged him into the oblivion of sleep because he knew everything would be fine.
It was already six o'clock in the morning when Zheng Ren woke up from a dreamless sleep.
A cold shower invigorated him.
He went to a restaurant downstairs to have breakfast before going to the hospital via public transport.
A clamor could be heard from even the main hall when Zheng Ren reached the emergency department. Too many patients had been admitted yesterday and there were hundreds of people—patients' family members included—squeezing into the emergency department that had a total area of less than one thousand square meters. It would be strange indeed if there had been pin-drop silence in the department.
However, the noise itself soothed Zheng Ren's heart.
Only a living man had the right to be rowdy and complain about poor infrastructure.
Patients and family members greeted Zheng Ren as he walked into the emergency department corridor. The fact that these patients, who had 'Avatar'-like appearances yesterday, had lost their blue discoloration today pleased Zheng Ren even more.
He smiled and waved to the patients all the way to the duty room and changed his attire.
The emergency department was operating in an orderly manner. After Zheng Ren accompanied Old Chief Physician Pan for a ward round in the morning, Old Chief Physician Pan then went to the hospital to deal with allocation of medical staff and equipment into the emergency center.
Since their poisoning had been treated and they had recovered physically, a few patients started approaching Zheng Ren to request hospital discharge.
He provided the same explanation every single time. "Liver functions will deteriorate after acute poisoning. During the resuscitation process with methylene blue, there may be exudative inflammation which can irritate the gastrointestinal organs such as intestines, bile ducts, pancreas and so on."
In summary, patients had to remain hospitalized or stay in the emergency department for one week, and hospital discharge was possible only after their conditions had stabilized without any signs of complications.
Since their lives were no longer in peril, they changed their minds from simply receiving treatment to receiving treatment in better conditions.
It was just an inadvertent psychological request, but it troubled Zheng Ren greatly.
Numerous phone calls were made to Zheng Ren, Old Chief Physician Pan, senior consultants of each department, and even the hospital directors inquiring about the patients' conditions and requesting transfers to better sick rooms.
It was extremely difficult to request a deluxe private sick room during this sort of large-scale food poisoning incident.
Thus, after enduring the unbearable noise in the emergency department corridors for two more days, the patients, who assumed their conditions had indeed stabilized, began building up their determination to solve this problem—self-discharge.
No matter how Zheng Ren persuaded them, they always had a thousand reasons to argue with.
Zheng Ren also felt helpless with the limited infrastructure in the hospital. Some elderly men… Almost everyone had inadequate rest, and some people with cardiovascular disease even started experiencing symptoms such as arrhythmia.
Left with no choice, Zheng Ren used a standard template and made a form for discharge against medical advice—self-discharge would be allowed only after signing the doc.u.ment stating that the patient or their family member insisted on a hospital discharge against doctor's orders. The doctor had explained the possible complications clearly and the patient would be held responsible for any potential consequences that may arise from their decision.
The form dispelled some patients and family members' plan of leaving the hospital. It was just one week, anyway. It would be over soon.
However, most people decided to ignore Zheng Ren's advice and signed the doc.u.ments.
The corridor gradually emptied after some patients left the hospital.
There were no major emergency cases this fine day and Zheng Ren did only two minor wound closures without requesting Xie Yiren's assistance.
It felt good to be able to enjoy some leisure time as Zheng Ren sat in his office and stared blankly at the yellowing leaves through the window.
His lifespan would be cut short if today had been as busy as yesterday and the day before.
Every patient who had suffered nitrite poisoning had gotten out of danger due to timely resuscitation, with the silver lining being that no large-scale deaths had occurred.
Zheng Ren overheard from the nurses' gossip that a chef in the largest braised meat chain store in the city had mistaken nitrite salt for edible salt, which had caused the mass poisoning.
Was the boss arrested? How severe was the punishment? These were none of his concerns.
His mind was focused solely on the fact that he had to perform emergency hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. Since the intensive training time in the System had been inadequate, he had no choice but to perform an old-fashioned open cholecystectomy instead.
He was more proficient in open cholecystectomy since he had not practiced laparoscopic cholecystectomy yet.
Zheng Ren had his own plan in this issue. In order to prevent any potential accident happening during surgery, he needed to familiarize himself with local anatomical structures, which he could not do by simply dissecting cadavers in medical institutions.
Now that he had a good knowledge of the local anatomy of the gallbladder area, he just needed an opportunity to purchase intensive training time for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
More than twenty days of intensive training were simply not enough.
Nowadays, most people chose to perform the laparoscopic over the open option in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, and that included simple cases of pancreatic cancer and gallbladder cancer too.
Zheng Ren disagreed with this method because it was difficult to remove tumor tissue through a tiny scope. Moreover, if the surrounding tissue was contaminated with tumor cells, the patient may face an increased risk of metastasis.
However, hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies were rarely seen in the emergency department, so mastering emergency cholecystectomy was his only concern at the moment.
Zheng Ren had an urge to pour all 930 skill points and 75000 experience points from his inventory into the hepatobiliary and pancreatic skill tree.
Perhaps he would have done that a long time ago had the System not threatened him with elimination.
The threat of elimination was like the Sword of Damocles hanging above Zheng Ren's head, forcing him to be prepared all the time to face some unpredictable danger.
During his free time, Zheng Ren would revise hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery again and again so that he could familiarize himself with local anatomical structures and its surgical procedures.
The Surgeon's Studio c1-799 Page 30
