He left the observation unit and gave a few instructions to the doctors on duty. Just as he was about to leave the department, he saw two family members pushing a small stretcher trolley into the emergency building.
On the trolley lay a thin and withered old woman in her seventies.
"What happened to her?" asked Zheng Ren as he quickly approached them.
"My grandma fell down when crossing the road a few days ago, and now she has trouble walking on her own," answered a sturdy young man in his twenties.
"Get a wheelchair over here." Zheng Ren gave an instruction to someone behind him.
Whoever—Su Yun or one of the doctors on duty—returned with it was none of his concern.
On the upper right corner of his vision floated the System panel with its words painted in green, signifying nothing wrong with the patient. Perplexed, Zheng Ren took a closer look at the old woman lying on the trolley.
Her skin was heavily wrinkled and her eyes narrowed into a slit with wet tracks vaguely visible down her sunken cheeks, presumably due to tooth loss from advancing age, making her look especially haggard.
Several layers of thin mattresses had been placed on the trolley, above which she lay, buried beneath a thick quilt.
She appeared dusty and travel-worn.
'Did they push the patient over? That's insane!' Zheng Ren thought.
"You pushed her all the way here?" asked Zheng Ren tentatively.
Another older family member answered bitterly, "My mother can't stand, and she could feel uncomfortable in a car, so we had no choice but to push her here."
'Her family members are dutiful,' Zheng Ren thought.
A general surgeon on duty arrived with a wheelchair, and several people assisted with patient transfer from the trolley.
Zheng Ren, who had doubts in his mind, suddenly released his grip on purpose and immediately made to grab onto her.
The moment he let go, the old woman stumbled toward him.
She was not in any danger as Zheng Ren was using his body to break her fall.
However, he noticed that the patient suddenly contracted her right t.h.i.g.h to support her body.
Many thoughts and differential diagnoses flashed past his mind in that instant, and he came to a conclusion after cross-referencing it with the information on the System panel.
"Where was she injured during the fall last time? Did you consult a doctor after that?" asked Zheng Ren as he pushed the wheelchair to the emergency resuscitation room.
"She was fine except for an accidental knock to her head. We went to a rural clinic for consultation afterward and were told that she was fine, but we have to be careful of potential complications such as delayed traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. Once it happens, she can end up paralyzed or even die. Two to three days later, she gradually lost her ability to walk, so we brought her to a township hospital where she underwent B-scan ultrasonography and a CT scan, but the results were normal."
Upon reaching the resuscitation room, Zheng Ren took the test results that the family had brought along and carefully read through the imaging films.
Everything looked fine.
There was no intracranial hemorrhage, fracture or abdominal visceral bleeding, but why was she paralyzed?
Zheng Ren stood in front of the radiographic film viewer and pondered, leaving the family members confused and worried.
They fought the urge to question Zheng Ren and interrupt his train of thought.
However, if they did not inquire… Sea City General Hospital was the largest hospital that they could think of. If her condition remained undiagnosed, the elderly woman could end up not being able to stand for the rest of her life.
"Is she pretending to be sick?" Su Yun stood behind Zheng Ren and asked softly.
Zheng Ren shook his head and remained silent.
"This is a rare condition called paralytic nerve plexus regression syndrome," he said grimly as he approached them.
"..."
Su Yun and the general surgeon on duty were bewildered.
What the hell was that? Why had they not heard of such a diagnosis before this?
Zheng Ren's solemn expression and confident tone fueled their doubts even further.
"Huh?" The patient's family members were stunned.
The diagnosis sounded serious.
The elderly woman was not deaf and clearly heard the diagnosis. Then, two rows of tears streamed down her cheeks.
"But you're lucky," said Zheng Ren plainly.
Chapter 147 - Old Horses
The patient's family was shocked at the sudden news.
"I have just returned from a conference in America and they had a patient with the same condition," Zheng Ren lied reassuringly, loud enough that he could be heard by the patient. "I brought back a type of medication that's very effective in treating such an illness but it's a bit pricey."
"She'll be cured?" the elder son of the patient asked immediately.
"It has a 100% cure rate," Zheng Ren replied confidently without any of his usual disclaimers.
The on-call doctor had a look of confusion. 'Hasn't Chief Resident Zheng been in the emergency department's operating room for the past few weeks? When did he fly to America? Did he mean he went to a lecture delivered by an American?
'And he has a cure that 100% works?
'That doesn't sound very scientific.'
Su Yun realized Zheng Ren's intentions after the second sentence and ignored the unfolding drama. The soft curls on his forehead bobbed as he lowered his head.
"Doctor, just tell me the price and I will get the money ready," the patient's son said.
"There's no rush," Zheng Ren said as he motioned for the son to calm down. "Your mother has been suffering from the illness for quite some time. We will administer the cure first, and then you can make the payment."
With that, Zheng Ren strode out of the emergency department rescue room.
A moment later, a nurse walked in with a 20ml syringe.
"Intravenous injection," Zheng Ren said.
The family members were brimming with hope and worry at the same time.
Their hopes were on the miracle cure working… but a negative thought nagged at the back of their minds. What if the miracle cure failed? Was she going to spend her whole life paralyzed?
"Done. She should be able to walk after five minutes," Zheng Ren said, "She should come in for a booster dose a week later, then all should be well. Come with me, I'll write a bill for you."
Zheng Ren walked out of the room without a glance back at the patient.
Su Yun, who just snapped out of a daze, said mindlessly, "There won't be any issues as long as Old Chief Physician Pan is here."
Zheng Ren only chuckled at his words.
Su Yun carried on with the questions, ignoring Zheng Ren's cue to stop talking. "You're sure it's just delusion and not a rare disease?"
"Yes. If I made a mistake, a dose of calcium gluconate won't do any harm," Zheng Ren replied.
"Really…" Su Yun made to accuse Zheng Ren of being irresponsible but changed his mind at the last second. The costs of MRIs and medical tests were beyond the means of this patient's family.
Zheng Ren was right. If it was a wrong diagnosis, they could rule out this possibility.
He went to produce the bill for the patient's son at the emergency department reception desk.
A frown was etched on the son's face, no doubt worrying about the exorbitant cost of the miracle cure.
'How much would a cure imported from America cost? Would I have to sell our houses to afford this?
'A few tiled-roofed houses should be sufficient. What else could they sell?
'This bill did not even include the dose for next week…'
The printer spat out the slip.
"Here, take this to the payment counter and collect your medication at the dispensary," Zheng Ren told him.
The man took the bill and checked it. There was a series of incomprehensible words on the bill but
his eyes zoomed in on the arabic numerals.
A look of disbelief flashed across his face when he read the numbers.
Before he could ask Zheng Ren about them, the door slammed open and an excited voice shouted, "Dad! Grandma can stand now!"
This second surprise prompted the man to rush back to the patient's room.
In his rush, his muscular body collided with the doorframe and Zheng Ren imagined the building shaking at the impact.
"Another correct diagnosis for you." Su Yun leaned against the wall like a boneless mannequin. He said jokingly, "What a lucky man."
Zheng Ren did not bother to reply to Su Yun as he could never get a word in edgewise. The System did grant him some luck points, but Su Yun did not need to know that.
The man walked out of the room, an arm supporting his mother.
The old woman was still unsteady on her feet, but it was a huge improvement from her paralysis just minutes ago.
"Doctor, thank you so much," the two family members said to Zheng Ren.
"It's alright." Zheng Ren gave them a smile.
"This…" The patient's son held out the bill. There was uncertainty on his face as he struggled with his words.
Zheng Ren was surprised.
The man decided to come clean. "Doctor, was there a mistake in the bill?"
"No. It's a complimentary dose from an international pharmaceutical company so the hospital can't charge you for it. Your family is lucky to be here right now," Zheng Ren answered light-heartedly.
"The fee…"
"It's on the house," Zheng Ren said.
Su Yun watched the kind expression on Zheng Ren's face with suspicion. He mentally calculated the cost of the intravenous injection of calcium gluconate solution.
The miracle cure was just a ruse for the benefit of the patient and her family.
They conveyed their heartfelt gratitude. Zheng Ren reminded them of the follow-up next week for the booster jab. This medication not only treated and cured, it also prevented recurrence.
As Zheng Ren watched the happy family leave for the payment counter, he felt his stomach growl.
The ward round had taken longer than expected and Zheng Ren lamented the thought of cold leftovers in the cafeteria.
"Why did you want them to come in for a follow-up?" Su Yun asked.
"The patient was deep in her delusion. I worry a single dose would be insufficient to convince her. A booster dose seemed like the best option," Zheng Ren answered.
They were both experienced doctors who knew the importance of a white lie.
Su Yun said nothing in return and Zheng Ren took his silence as acceptance.
'He's the lucky one. He's been working in the hospital for so long without anyone making an attempt on his life,' Zheng Ren thought.
Once the patient was discharged, Zheng Ren made a beeline for the cafeteria.
On his way there, his phone rang.
"Yiren? What's up?
"Oh, sure. Su Yun and I have not eaten.
"Yes, sure. Thanks for the trouble."
He hung up and turned back to the emergency department.
Su Yun called out from behind him, "What happened?"
"Chang Yue brought the free-range eggs to Yiren's house. They're making fried scallions with eggs."
"I think you mean fried eggs with scallions," Su Yun said, deadpan.
"That's what I said. Yiren says she'll bring it over and have lunch with us." Zheng Ren was fine with such an arrangement. He had very few opinions about food.
The two men walked back to the emergency department. Twenty minutes later, Xie Yiren arrived excitedly with a black lunchbox.
Chapter 148 - Homemade Soup
Xie Yiren greeted Zheng Ren and Su Yun with a wave and headed straight to the on-call room.
When Zheng Ren caught up, she was already in the process of unpacking the dishes.
The size of the lunchbox belied the amount of food it carried. It opened up to reveal three more compartments. Zheng Ren was not familiar with this manufacturer.
'How complicated,' Zheng Ren thought as he studied the lunchbox, his hunger forgotten.
The glee in Xie Yiren's eyes was unmistakable as she carefully removed each dish from the lunchbox. "The eggs Sister Yue brought were amazing. I made some stir-fry and egg drop soup. Have a taste. It's a shame they had already eaten."
The dish was split into three portions and plated. The aromatic steam swirled out when she opened the lid of the stylish stock pot.
"Come, come. Try some," Xie Yiren ushered them to eat.
She was committed to her appreciation of food.
It was a fundamental trait of a foodie. Unfortunately, Zheng Ren did not share the same passion in life.
He took off his white coat and washed his hands before taking a seat at the table. Although he was not passionate about food, it was still necessary for sustenance — he had a strong d.e.s.i.r.e to live.
The rice was cooked to perfection: soft and puffy.
The golden scrambled eggs with scallions smelled delicious. The aroma of the scallions was just enough to offset the smell of the cooking oil but not overpower the fragrant scent of the free-range eggs.
The dish was appetizing.
"Oh, impressive," Su Yun complimented. He sat down at the table and started eating.
"That's a given." Xie Yiren washed her hands before taking a seat. With a pair of chopsticks, she picked up a piece of scrambled egg and placed it into her mouth, chewing her food demurely like a proper lady.
"I whisked the eggs by hand. There is no soul in the dish if one uses an electric egg beater," Xie Yiren said proudly.
"I taste yellow rice wine in it," Su Yun said.
"Just a bit to mask the smell of the egg. There shouldn't be any taste of alcohol." Xie Yiren beamed happily. The dish was a simple one, but she had put a lot of heart into making it.
Zheng Ren devoured his portion of the egg dish together with rice.
"Casting pearls before swine. What a waste." Su Yun could not resist making a jab at Zheng Ren.
"The egg is fluffy." Xie Yiren contemplated the bite of her own creation. "I prefer less salt so I hope you guys don't mind."
"It's good." Zheng Ren's rice bowl and dish plate were already half-empty.
At his pace, he would finish both the rice and the dish at the same time.
The sight of Zheng Ren eating happily made Xie Yiren smile.
"I added some sugar to the egg. It helps to speed up cooking and retain moisture, which makes the egg fluffier. Isn't it delicious?" Xie Yiren explained.
"Em," came the short reply. Zheng Ren had finished his food and was making a move for the soup.
Watching him wolf down the food without bothering to speak was the best compliment.
"Where did you learn to cook?" Zheng Ren asked once he was finished.
"I got tired of outside food so I took it upon myself to learn how to make my own. There are many more dishes I can make. Come over when you guys have the time," Xie Yiren answered with a grin.
"Chief Resident Zheng has no time. He can't leave the emergency department so we can take his place," the sharp-tongued pretty boy cut in.
"They'll probably make you the chief resident when I'm in Imperial Capital," Zheng Ren said coolly.
"Me? A chief resident? I would quit. The chief resident is just a scapegoat. Honestly, I would have quit if it hadn't been for the chance to watch you operate in the emergency department," Su Yun said without any fear.
"Where would you go?" Xie Yiren asked.
"A veterinary hospital. Simple surgeries, plus you get to see animals everyday. A peaceful working environment compared to a hospital."
"Oh!" Stars sparkled in Xie Yiren's eyes.
"Hey!" Zheng Ren poked Su Yun with his chopstick. He did not care if Su Yun left but the man was not stealing his scrub nurse. "You can go alone. Don't try to poach Yiren."
"As if the hospital is such a good workplace," Su Yun muttered.
> "Yiren wouldn't like it there. She'd be lucky to have even one surgery a week at an animal hospital. It would be so boring for her, right?"
Xie Yiren nodded and continued eating her lunch.
"Lucky you, then." Su Yun chuckled at Xie Yiren's gleeful expression. Then, he turned to Zheng Ren. "Why are you going to Imperial Capital?"
"Remember the interventional surgeon, Professor Pei? He and a few experts came up with a new procedure. They're inviting me to try it out."
"What procedure?"
"I have no idea. I'll find out when I get there." Zheng Ren did not mind the trip. As a Master in interventional surgery, he figured he could make some minor contributions to the project.
At his age, Professor Pei was past his prime for performing surgeries. Professors like him usually left the grunt work to research students while providing the necessary guidance.
Zheng Ren did not dare consider himself better than Professor Pei but was confident of outclassing students.
"I want to go, too. I'm curious about the progress of some jerks there," Su Yun said.
A gust of cold wind blew into Zheng Ren's heart. 'Why does Su Yun want to follow me to Imperial Capital?'
"Jerks?" Xie Yiren asked.
"Yeah. Some people who aren't at my level but think they're better than me. God knows who gave them the confidence."
'Your confidence is also without reason,' Zheng Ren thought.
Halfway through their meal, Zheng Ren's phone rang.
His heart rate shot to 110 beats per minute.
"Hello.
"Yes. I'll take a look."
Zheng Ren obtained some basic information and hung up. "There is a cholecystitis patient in the emergency department that needs my attention. I'll text the both of you if surgery is required. Enjoy your meal."
He put on his white coat and left the room in a flurry.
"Such quick movements right after a meal increases the risk of appendicitis," Su Yun said as he slowly picked at his food.
Xie Yiren's eating speed picked up.
"Why are you eating so fast?"
"There might be a surgery, so I would have to make preparations," Xie Yiren said with her mouth full.
As she predicted, their phones chimed a few minutes later.
The patient had been diagnosed with acute cholecystitis and required emergency surgery. Zheng Ren informed the group to prepare for the procedure.
The Surgeon's Studio c1-799 Page 77
