Chapter 48: Rivals in the Emergency

Gao Jian looked at Zhou Can with a touch of defeat and a bitter smile, “You won this round, but I won’t give up easily.”

Director Tan looked puzzled.

He turned and asked, “Xiao Gao, what are you two up to?”

“Didn’t Zhou Can take first place in the residency exam? I just couldn’t accept it, so I challenged him to a duel in the field of medicine. I was a bit worried yesterday when he was assigned to the Emergency Department—it wasn’t fair to him. Now I’m frustrated. Genius is genius, no matter where they are placed. And today, during the consultation, I lost again to him!”

Gao Jian went on to explain the whole story.

The group couldn’t help but smile.

Gao Jian had the frank, straightforward demeanor of a true northern man.

Even after losing twice, he could still pull a comical, dejected face—showing his magnanimity. A loss was simply a matter of being outmatched, without any complaints.

“Ha, ha! I like this challenge. I support it! To improve, you have to compete!”

Director Tan surprisingly supported their contest.

Such an open-minded department head is hard to come by.

“Let’s go!”

He waved his hand and left with three Internal Medicine doctors.

The last to leave was Director Zhang Bihua from the Obstetrics Department.

She had been monitoring the fetus, and once the mother’s blood transfusion was complete and the fetus proved fine, she left accompanied by Yang Chan.

As Yang Chan passed by, Zhou Can offered her a smile.

“Thank you for helping me!”

If it weren’t for her pleading with her mentor at the crucial moment, Zhou Can would hardly have convinced the other directors.

“Don’t read too much into it. I wasn’t helping you—I was just doing what was right for the patient.”

Her petite lips pursed slightly, and with a cold tone and an expressionless face, it was clear she was still upset with Zhou Can.

Zhou Can was baffled. Wasn’t it just a misunderstanding from his comment in the class group chat last night? Did it really warrant this lingering resentment?

He had even spent a thousand dollars to smooth things over.

He had never seen her act so petty before.

The other doctors and nurses watching Zhou Can’s predicament couldn’t help but snicker.

Youth is a beautiful thing!

Everyone cherishes memories of young love—a little quarrel, some minor disputes—it’s all perfectly normal.

“Hey, isn’t it just in the group…”

“Shut up!”

She seemed to guess what Zhou Can was about to say and glared fiercely at him to stop him.

In front of the teacher and so many doctors, such blunt words were out of line.

No one even knew how to interpret it.

“Little Zhou, remember—a girl needs a bit of pampering. Don’t worry, once we’re back I’ll have a word with Yang Chan,” Director Zhang Bihua advised from experience.

“Teacher, it’s not like that!”

Yang Chan was utterly mortified.

“Hehe, got it, got it. You don’t need to explain further—the teachers understand.”

After speaking, Zhang Bihua winked at Zhou Can and left with Yang Chan.

It was her way of reminding Zhou Can not to forget her advice.

Yang Chan’s fair neck flushed bright red with embarrassment.

Her thin, red lips nearly bit themselves to the point of bleeding.

The more she dwelled on it, the worse it seemed.

If she tried to explain any further, she’d never be able to clear her name.

Fortunately, Director Zhang was a busy woman who didn’t linger, and she quickly led Yang Chan out of the resuscitation room.

“Zhou Can, I think you’re a good lad. Young people having a little spat over love is perfectly normal. Women are like water—you have to be gentle. Only gentleness can overcome hardness…”

Director Zhang’s voice faded away.

Zhou Can couldn’t help but laugh. Not only did Director Zhang teach medicine, she also gave lessons on love.

A mentor like her was truly rare.

In truth, there was nothing really between him and Yang Chan.

After five years as classmates—and even a year interning at the same hospital—they’d probably exchanged fewer than ten words.

As he gradually made a name for himself, he discovered that the chief physicians at Tuyu Hospital weren’t as formidable or aloof as they once appeared.

At least, many had become quite friendly.

After all, society works that way—those with excellence tend to find smooth sailing.

Those less capable end up facing obstacle after obstacle.

That’s the very truth everyone works hard to overcome.

By striving and growing stronger, even those who once looked down on you will greet you with a smile; even the once cold supervisor becomes kinder—and sometimes even a stubborn future mother-in-law relents…

Life becomes remarkable through hard work.

“Zhou Can, stop spacing out. The young lady has already left. Come on, join me in the Operating Room!”

Dr. Xu called out.

Clearly, after this display of initiative, Zhou Can’s standing in Dr. Xu’s eyes had risen considerably.

In the past, Dr. Xu would never joke around with him.

Every word he spoke was measured…

“Alright, let’s go!”

Zhou Can loved nothing more than gaining experience in the Operating Room.

At this stage, the Emergency Department’s Operating Room was a veritable training ground for his medical skills.

Not only were there many surgeries, but also a variety of major procedures.

After leaving the resuscitation room, even before entering the Operating Room, the two were stunned by the sight ahead.

The long corridor was lined with at least twenty to thirty patients waiting for surgery.

The Emergency Department typically handled only emergency operations.

Many procedures would normally send patients to outpatient or specialist wards.

The Emergency Department’s capacity for surgery was very limited.

With so many patients, when would they ever finish?

And more patients kept streaming in, joining the waiting queue.

Dr. Xu was clearly startled by the scene.

“Wow, have we been in the resuscitation room all along?”

“Not even an hour and a half,” someone replied.

Zhou Can glanced at the time.

Just then, a petite nurse rushed over.

“Dr. Xu, you’re finally here. These are the patients awaiting surgery.”

“How did so many surgical cases arrive at once? Our Emergency Department’s capacity is limited—we should divert them to the appropriate specialist clinics,” Dr. Xu murmured.

“It seems even the General Surgery Clinic is overwhelmed. I heard a third-tier female star’s concert collapsed, injuring many,” the nurse added helplessly.

The nurse’s helpless tone confirmed it was a public emergency.

That explained the sudden flood of surgical cases.

The Emergency Department often faces such overwhelming days several times a year.

Bus accidents, small restaurant explosions, building collapses… even icy mornings in winter can overwhelm the system.

Zhou Can remembered it all too well.

Last year, as the year-end approached, several days of light rain and a sudden temperature drop led to ice forming one night. Before 7 a.m., the hospital had already called him in for help.

Patients with various injuries began arriving non-stop from early morning.

At peak times, five or six fall-related injuries would show up at once.

Zhou Can endured one of the most unforgettable year-ends, working nonstop for twenty-four hours before collapsing against a wall in the Operating Room and falling asleep.

A concert stage collapse like this was a first.

There was bound to be a large number of injured civilians.

Besides being hit by falling stage debris, the ensuing panic could even spark stampedes.

In a cramped venue with a dense crowd, secondary injuries from a stampede would be even worse.

“Let’s go, hurry into the Operating Room,” Dr. Xu commanded.

Dr. Xu hurried into the Operating Room with Zhou Can.

Inside, they heard Dr. Lu mumble, “We’ve already done three surgeries this morning—I’m exhausted. Little Jin, stop standing around and suture this patient’s wound. I need a breather.”

Zhou Can silently thanked his luck for being with Dr. Xu in the resuscitation room during the consultation.

Had he been stuck with Dr. Lu, he’d be doomed.

That guy was both lazy and sly.

There was nothing to learn from him—only endless orders.

With so many patients outside, Dr. Xu’s mood had soured as he stormed into the Operating Room.

“Dr. Lu, you look exhausted. Completing three major surgeries today must mean they were at least high-grade procedures, right?”

Everyone could tell he was being sarcastic.

“Hehe, I’m no expert at high-grade surgeries! It’s just that if you don’t come back soon, our Emergency Department’s Operating Room will truly be overwhelmed. A concert stage collapsed, injuring many, and I wasn’t slacking. The three patients I treated had multiple, complex injuries. There are even more patients needing level-two surgeries that I can’t handle—I can only wait for your return.”

Look at that silver tongue of his.

With that answer, Dr. Xu couldn’t bring himself to criticize Dr. Lu further.

After all, Dr. Lu was a senior resident.

In rank, he was second only to an attending physician.

“Alright, focus on saving the patients! There are so many injured outside. I noticed that only a few are seriously injured—I alone can’t handle them all. Zhou Can, Dr. Jin, you each handle patients within level-one surgery. Dr. Lu, assist me, and then call in two nurses for extra help.”

Dr. Xu was as clear as day about his plan.

He directly assigned the sly, lazy Dr. Lu to assist him.

Then he let Zhou Can and Jin Mingxi each take charge of level-one surgeries.

Jin Mingxi maintained a calm expression; he’d done this type of surgery so many times.

Besides, he held an independent medical license.

Zhou Can was overjoyed.

What a great opportunity to hone his skills!

His experience points were about to skyrocket.

The sooner he leveled up his medical abilities, the sooner he could take part in more advanced surgeries.