Chapter 155: A Game of Privileges in the Surgical Department

Like Dr. Shan in Orthopedics, Director Wen’s primary concern now is how to keep Zhou Can on board permanently.

Two months of training is simply too short.

It all passes in the blink of an eye.

When Zhou Can eventually leaves, Director Wen will surely revert to his former self.

This is a reality Director Wen is desperate to avoid. Deep down, he knows that once the two months are over, retaining Zhou Can is next to impossible.

After all, no one can stay in General Surgery forever.

By regulation, trainees must rotate through all relevant specialties – and it’s not just a token procedure.

Only after passing the training assessment will they receive a completion certificate.

If he can’t keep him now, the best option is to lure him back after the training is over.

That’s why Director Wen is treating Zhou Can increasingly well.

Not only does he offer Zhou Can numerous high-risk surgical opportunities, but he also provides extra care in daily tasks.

Other trainees are forced into night duty almost every two days.

Zhou Can, however, enjoys special privileges.

He only takes on two or three night shifts a month.

As per Director Wen’s instructions to his attendings, if Zhou Can is scheduled for a night shift, then Director Wen must have no surgeries the next morning and his night duty cannot exceed three days a month.

Just look at that – even the attending physicians don’t get such treatment.

General Surgery is unique, with four ICU wards, demanding that at least one attending be on duty every night. cascoo.net

Moreover, there aren’t many doctors in General Surgery, so attendings are on call quite often.

Besides night duty, Zhou Can also enjoys extra advantages in rounds, case writing, and changing dressings.

And whenever he faces a medical challenge in General Surgery, he can promptly consult Director Wen.

These special privileges make the other doctors green with envy.

Alas, without Zhou Can’s skills, all they can do is stew in silent jealousy.

Director Wen was reviewing orders and case files in his office when Wu Baihe arrived with Director Xie.

“Old Wen, you’re always so busy!”

Director Xie greeted him with a smile.

“Well, Director Xie, it’s a rare treat to see you! You and Director Wu coming together must mean something important. Please, sit down and tell me what’s on your mind.”

Director Wen rose to welcome the two in.

Wu Baihe, head of General Surgery, was effectively his superior. In terms of both surgical prowess and administrative rank, Wu Baihe always outshone him.

Needless to say about Director Xie.

He runs the entire Surgical Department much like a marshal.

Moreover, Director Xie’s surgical and diagnostic skills are exceptional.

Ever since he ascended to the head of Surgery, even if by some clever maneuvering, his hard work for the department has been evident to everyone.

He is undoubtedly a competent chief.

The support Director Xie receives from the surgical staff is remarkably high.

“Old Wen, we were classmates back in the day. I noticed that ever since I became head of Surgery, you rarely drop by my office. Over five years ago, when I was elected, you gave me strong support and your vote – I have never forgotten that favor. Don’t let our different positions drift us apart!”

After sitting down, Director Xie began by rekindling old ties and reminiscing.

Who would have thought that he and Director Wen were once classmates?

And judging by his tone, it appears Director Xie became head of Surgery more than five years ago.

“But you’re busy now, aren’t you! Besides, as head of Surgery, you’re even busier than I am. If we really want to reconnect, let’s plan to play chess, wander in the park, or go fishing by the lake once we retire. Haven’t you seen? Baying Lake is flourishing these days – I’m even considering buying a two-bedroom apartment there to retire with my wife!”

While Director Wen prepared tea for them, he replied with a laugh.

“I’ve visited Baying Lake – it’s genuinely splendid. Retiring there as a group sounds enticing, though property prices have nearly doubled. If we intend to buy, we must act quickly.”

Wu Baihe interjected at just the right moment.

“It’s settled then. If I don’t have a meeting this Saturday, I’ll take the time to check out the properties. I have some spare cash lying around from lost stocks – every time I see their prices, my blood pressure spikes.”

Director Xie’s remark sent the others into hearty laughter.

“Stocks are nothing but traps – whoever jumps in is bound to lose. Whenever I mention investing, my wife goes into full panic.” Director Wen clearly appeared to fear his wife.

But often, men who seem afraid of their wives aren’t truly frightened.

They’re just yielding out of love.

“Come on, have a taste of this green tea my son sent! He says there are only five bushes of this variety, and this is their first harvest this year.”

Director Wen produced the green tea his son had sent as a treat for these esteemed guests.

Director Xie picked up a cup, inhaled its fragrance, and his eyes lit up. “This tea is excellent – the brew is a vivid green, beautifully aromatic, and refreshingly smooth. Old Wen, is your son really determined to devote himself to herbal medicine? With his qualifications and your connections, wouldn’t getting him a post at Tuyu be far better?”

They say that having influential friends makes everything easier.

After all, Director Wen is a key department head at Tuyu; getting his son into the hospital wouldn’t be too challenging.

“Ah, you know how it is – sons often don’t follow in their fathers’ footsteps. My son, as you well know, is even more stubborn than I am. Once he sets his mind, no amount of persuasion works. In fact, he ended up schooling me, insisting that traditional Chinese medicine is our cultural treasure. With the growing international emphasis on it, it’s a shame that back home we’re letting our ancestral legacy slip away. Not only is he heavily involved in herbal cultivation, but he also wants me to dive into herbal research after I retire.”

Director Wen let out a deep sigh.

His tone conveyed both pride and helplessness whenever he spoke of his son.

“Haha, I see your point – sooner or later, I’ll have to support his endeavors.”

After laughing, Director Xie lowered his head to savor his tea.

Now that the pleasantries were over, it was time to get down to business.

“Director Wen, during my review of the department’s performance last month, I noticed you carried out quite a few endoscopic surgeries!”

Wu Baihe was the first to speak.

“Indeed, I performed several. I trust nothing went wrong?”

Director Wen’s expression tensed.

For a doctor, nothing is more worrisome than complications with one’s own patients.

“Not at all – no need to worry. Patients who underwent your endoscopic procedures were extremely satisfied, and the success rate was a perfect 100%. I’m truly pleased with your progress in endoscopic surgery.”

Wu Baihe laughed and waved his hand repeatedly.

“Haha, as long as nothing goes awry, it’s all good. With both of you here emphasizing the importance of endoscopic surgery, I was worried something might have happened.” Director Wen let out a huge sigh of relief.

A 100% success rate and extremely high patient satisfaction filled Director Wen with joy and pride.

Unfortunately, much of this success was due to that trainee.

Director Wen’s keen eye for talent had paid off remarkably.

It was like hitting the jackpot.

“Old Wen, I speak frankly – please don’t take offense. I remember you had no natural aptitude for endoscopic procedures, right? So how did you manage such sudden improvements?”

Director Xie was known for his impatient nature.

He was as terse as Director Lou from the Emergency Department.

He wanted answers immediately.

“Heh, if I were to tell you, you might not believe it. Last month, our General Surgery received a new batch of trainees. During one operation, I unexpectedly found that one trainee performed a device implantation procedure exceptionally well. I immediately transferred him to my team, entrusted him with major responsibilities, and focused on nurturing his talent. That kid has proven himself—he’s flawlessly handled nearly all of the critical parts of our endoscopic surgeries.”

Director Wen didn’t hold anything back.

This matter was too obvious to conceal – any investigation by the two directors would have uncovered the truth in no time.

Asking him directly was both a sign of trust and respect.

“Is the new trainee now in Neurosurgery?”

Director Xie was so shocked he could hardly keep his mouth shut.

“This can’t be! Even if someone is naturally gifted in endoscopic surgery, they still must master traditional techniques first. For a trainee to handle so many complex Level-4 procedures? It seems too incredible to be true.”

Wu Baihe’s face mirrored his shock.

Both senior surgeons were intimately familiar with the challenges of various operations.

Endoscopic surgery requires even higher standards than conventional procedures.

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes and experienced it firsthand, I wouldn’t have believed it. The kid is truly remarkable. His natural talent is beyond compare – he’s achieved what many senior surgeons in Surgery can only dream of. Given the time, I dare say he’ll elevate Tuyu to a whole new level.”

Director Wen held Zhou Can in exceedingly high regard.

In fact, that praise is a very conservative assessment.

With Zhou Can’s potential, he could one day become one of the greatest doctors in China, or even the world.

He might even emerge as a revolutionary figure in medicine.

“That trainee – you’re not saying his family name is Zhou, are you?”

Director Xie couldn’t help but picture a rebellious young man.

That day, in his chief’s office, that very trainee had taught him a stark lesson.

“Director Xie, did you do your homework before coming, or are you just that perceptive?”

Director Wen asked with a grin.

“It’s neither!”

Director Xie quickly backtracked.

“To be honest, ever since that trainee named Zhou Can joined the Emergency Department, I’ve been keeping an eye on him. Remember when Director Wu and I attended a consultation in General Surgery? He must have made quite an impression on you as well.”

When Director Xie mentioned Zhou Can, his expression and tone became exceedingly complex.

Back then, he had the privilege of choosing first among the trainees, and he had a chance to bring Zhou Can into Surgery.

Given Zhou Can’s relatively low academic background and subpar surgical ability at the time, Director Xie wasn’t particularly optimistic about him.

Instead, he decisively selected the highly qualified Du Leng.

A moment’s hesitation cost him a prodigy.

In hindsight, Director Xie did harbor some regret.

However, if he had to choose again, he’d still pick Du Leng first.

It’s like a man preferring a beautiful vase for decoration rather than marrying a talented yet unattractive woman.

After Du Leng joined Surgery, his performance was outstanding.

Especially in medical knowledge – sometimes even the senior surgeons in Surgery couldn’t match him.

In just over half a year, Du Leng had published two SCI medical papers.

Though they appeared in lower-tier journals with modest impact factors, SCI remains a top interdisciplinary journal – and that achievement is remarkable.

“So it was him! I never imagined that he not only excelled in diagnostics but that his talents for both endoscopic and conventional surgery are top-tier. For a phenomenon like this, I believe we shouldn’t be held back by his undergraduate background.”

Upon learning that the trainee was Zhou Can, Wu Baihe felt both surprised and unsurprised.

“I never cared about his academic credentials. It’s just that he’s determined to forge a path in the Emergency Department – it’s nearly impossible to lure him away!”

Director Xie wore an expression of helpless exasperation.

“Director Xie, did you actually try to poach him?”

Director Wen asked in astonishment.

“Not long ago, when the Emergency Department saw a surge in surgical cases, it didn’t affect our General Surgery much. However, the Internal Medicine and Orthopedics departments were hit hard – many Level 1 and 2 procedures were taken over and managed by the Emergency Department. I tried, behind the scenes, during his Orthopedics rotation to lure Zhou Can over with every trick, threat, and bribe imaginable, but the kid simply wouldn’t budge.”

“That aside, Director Lou of the Emergency Department somehow caught wind of it and escalated the issue to the Administration Office, which led Director Fang to reprimand me. Just mentioning it still leaves me irritated.”

Recalling these events, Director Xie could only express his frustration with a couple of choice words: it was maddening.

For a head of Surgery, having his pride dented by a trainee was unbearably embarrassing.

It was like losing one’s teeth – the thought was utterly humiliating.

“Director Xie, I believe that suppressing a trainee like this is inherently wrong. Even if you’re acting in Surgery’s best interests, attacking a trainee so harshly only incites resentment!”

Only Director Wen would dare to say such honest words.

After all, he and Director Xie were long-time classmates.

“As the saying goes, ‘Those who achieve greatness will use any means necessary; true heroes never waver from their original intent.’ I’d rather be a relentless hero working to expand Surgery than an overcautious one. Despite Surgery’s promising prospects, everything can crumble in an instant. We all know Director Lou of the Emergency Department harbors immense ambition.”

“With Zhou Can’s exceptional surgical talent, once he joins the Emergency Department, will it remain merely a diversionary unit? We could very well be the first to suffer.”

Director Xie, sitting high in his position, had a vision far beyond that of Director Wen and the others.

‘If you’re not in charge, you shouldn’t meddle in the affairs.’

In his role, he had to be responsible for Surgery’s future.

“Director Xie’s concerns aren’t unfounded. Our commitment to Surgery is undeniable, but even if the kid is exceptional, he’s still only one person – he won’t undermine our entire foundation. Even if he operates sixteen hours a day, how many surgeries can one person realistically perform? Besides, every field has its own niche; ultimately, he’d only choose one or two subspecialties in Surgery.”

Wu Baihe remained optimistic about the situation.

He didn’t oppose Director Xie’s plan to sideline Zhou Can.

Sometimes, as head of General Surgery, one must resort to unorthodox methods.

Over-caution leads nowhere.

As the saying goes, ‘The benevolent never command an army, and the righteous never engage in commerce.’

As a department head, he must be responsible for his team’s future.

From that perspective, it’s understandable that Director Wen couldn’t grasp their points of view.

After all, Director Wen was merely a doctor.

His concerns were limited to treating patients and managing his team without triggering mishaps.

That was all.

“I think we must either find a way to lure him over or continue to restrict his development. We can’t let him acquire too many genuine surgical skills in Surgery. This will limit his achievements, and eventually he might simply choose to stick with Internal Medicine, leaving us worry-free.”

That was Director Xie’s suggestion.

“However, this time we must be even more subtle. I propose we confine him to trivial tasks in the ward and allow him to merely observe Level 1 or 2 surgeries – under no circumstances should he participate in major operations.”

Director Xie controlled the entire Surgical Department.

If we truly wanted to stifle Zhou Can’s development, we could make it happen.

At the very least, we could hold him down within Surgery.

Leaders have countless ways to sideline their subordinates – sometimes hundreds of them.

“I agree! But it should be done subtly, so as not to make enemies.”

Wu Baihe was no saint.

No one can hold a department head position without a measure of ruthlessness; otherwise, they wouldn’t last long.

Nor could they keep a department in line.

“I disagree. If we can find a way to lure him to General Surgery, I’m all for it and will do everything in my power to make it happen. But I’m opposed to stifling his development. A talent like his must not be limited by petty interests.”

Director Wen stood firm in his opposition to suppressing Zhou Can.