Chapter 65: Tensions in the Operating Room

Zhou Can hesitated slightly.

This patient clearly has an issue, but he hasn’t yet determined exactly what it is.

According to surgical safety protocols, any patient with problems should have the operation delayed.

But how was he supposed to explain this to his two senior doctors?

“What, you think my qualifications are too low? Is it that only Dr. Fu can get through to you?”

Dr. Lu, noticing Zhou Can’s prolonged silence, grew visibly irritated.

“This patient’s condition appears abnormal. I suggest we postpone the surgery, Dr. Lu,” Zhou Can said in a serious tone.

Even a seemingly simple procedure might hide unseen risks.

He was fully aware that Dr. Lu already bore a personal grudge.

At a moment like this, trying to delay the surgery was bound to be met with resistance.

He only hoped that Dr. Fu might trust him just this once.

“What do you mean?”

Dr. Lu glared at him harshly.

A petty man not only harbors darkness in his heart, but often assumes others are equally despicable.

He naturally believed that Zhou Can was obstructing the surgery out of jealousy—envy over snatching not one, but two opportunities for surgical practice.

Dr. Fu’s gaze also shifted toward Zhou Can.

“Uh… I can’t really explain it. It’s just my doctor’s intuition telling me there’s something off about this patient,” Zhou Can replied helplessly.

His clinical experience wasn’t yet sufficient.

Although he could sense something unusual about the patient, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause.

It felt like spotting a thief entering a mansion yet being unable to locate where the culprit was hiding.

Nor could he figure out what the thief intended to steal.

If Dr. Xu were here, perhaps he’d have immediately identified the issue.

“Can’t really say? Do you think this is just any place? This is an operating room! Understand?”

Dr. Lu, already assuming the worst, believed that Zhou Can was simply making trouble out of nothing—deliberately sabotaging his surgery.

Maybe to seize a chance for the operation, or to deliberately embarrass him.

His tone was already unacceptably curt.

He nearly went as far as to curse Zhou Can right at his face.

“Dr. Fu, I believe Zhou Can is merely jealous—envying me for robbing him of surgical practice opportunities. This kind of behavior is not only immature but could also have dire consequences. It must be put to an end.”

Dr. Lu’s pointed look then shifted to the patient.

And he wasn’t entirely wrong.

After all, the patient was awake, and irresponsible remarks from a doctor could easily be misinterpreted.

“Xiao Zhou, as a newcomer, you should observe, learn, and think more carefully. Watch your words. Let this be a one-time warning,” Dr. Fu said, his tone and expression notably stern.

It was essentially a severe reprimand.

Should Zhou Can dare to exaggerate or disturb the orderly proceedings of the OR again, Dr. Fu would not hesitate to kick him out.

There was even a chance he’d report him to Dr. Xu or Director Lou.

“Alright, I’ll be more careful from now on,” Zhou Can agreed, knowing his apology was imperative—if he wanted any chance to join Dr. Fu in future surgeries.

Dr. Lu’s slight smile at the corner of his lips spoke volumes of his satisfaction.

A newcomer daring to compete with an experienced colleague was completely out of line.

If he didn’t teach this rookie a lesson, he’d never know the meaning of respect.

“Xiao Zhou, take it step by step. You’re only two days in while I’ve been on the job for nearly eight years—don’t think that a bit of talent means you can suddenly surpass me. Get back to work!”

Dr. Lu’s admonishment was firm but soon ceased.

Time was short; the surgery had to proceed.

With utmost care, Zhou Can snipped open the patient’s jeans, revealing a clearly defined wound.

It was a reasonably neat, elongated cut, surrounded by blood.

However, the bleeding wasn’t excessive.

It was just seeping out slowly.

He paused—why was the blood still so vivid? Normally, once blood exits the body, it should swiftly clot and darken to a deep red.

“Xiao Zhou, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up!”

Dr. Lu barked his command.

After all, senior doctors held that authority.

A newcomer could only listen submissively and follow his superior’s orders.

Not thinking too much, Zhou Can continued cutting the bloodstained fabric down to the leg’s edge before tossing it into the trash.

Liu Xia was supposed to clean the patient’s surgical area.

But Dr. Lu intervened,

“Let Xiao Zhou handle it! Newbies must learn by starting small, or they risk getting ahead of themselves.”

Liu Xia gave Zhou Can a sympathetic look.

As an experienced nurse with plenty of life experience, she had sensed from Dr. Lu’s attitude that he harbored significant resentment toward the newcomer.

It was normal for seasoned staff to give juniors a few harsh lessons to keep them in line.

So, without a word, she stood by with a tray.

Zhou Can then grabbed a pair of forceps and clamped onto a piece of disinfectant cotton, cleaning the bloodstains around the wound.

“Ah… it hurts! It hurts…”

The antiseptic seeped into the wound, making the patient cry out in pain.

“Be more careful during disinfection. First, clean the area surrounding the wound. Once I’ve administered the anesthesia, clean the blood off the upper part of the wound,” Dr. Lu instructed as a reprimand.

It wasn’t long before the area was thoroughly cleaned.

Dr. Lu then injected the patient with anesthesia.

The wound was located on the inner thigh, 8cm above the knee.

A high-speed grinding wheel had exploded suddenly—its force almost rivaled that of a bullet.

For this injured patient, only the leg was hit, which was, in a way, a stroke of luck.

Had it struck the head, eyes, or heart, the consequences would have been far graver.

With such a superficial injury, local anesthesia would suffice.

“Can you still feel any pain?” Dr. Lu probed by pressing around the wound.

“No, it’s gone. Please, get on with the surgery!”

The patient seemed to have considerable trust in Dr. Lu’s expertise—after all, he was an eight-year veteran.

It was a reminder that sometimes, a doctor must also present himself well.

“Doctor, will this leg be affected in the long run?”

“Based on the X-rays, it looks fairly good. Whether there will be any lasting impact can only be determined after removing the foreign object and once the wound has healed.”

Dr. Lu’s answer was impeccably measured.

This was a lesson Zhou Can, as a newcomer, needed to learn.

When answering patient questions, always remain as conservative as possible—never use definitive terms.

Words like ‘definitely’, ‘absolutely’, or ‘completely’ were never uttered by seasoned doctors.

Instead, they chose flexible expressions:

‘Maybe’, ‘possibly’, ‘generally speaking’, or ‘probably’…

“Alright, I’ll now proceed to remove the foreign object. With my eight years of surgical experience, I anticipate the operation won’t be lengthy given the straightforward nature of the wound and the relatively flat foreign object.”

Dr. Lu proudly mentioned his eight years of experience once again.

He was referring to three years of residency training followed by five years as an intern doctor.

In fact, all resident doctors with a bachelor’s degree followed this progression. Those who performed well could be promoted to attending physician after five years; those who didn’t might never reach that level even after a decade.

Especially at top-tier provincial hospitals like Tuyu,

where competition was fierce and each step up in rank exponentially increased the pressure.

There were more than a few near forty-year-olds still stuck as residents.

The normal promotion procedure was that after three years as a resident, if one performed outstandingly, they could secure a training slot. After returning from further studies and serving one more year as a Chief Resident, and provided they met the department’s requirements, they could be smoothly promoted to an attending physician.

Promotion to attending wasn’t overly difficult; the true challenge lay in attaining the rank of associate senior physician.

That barrier had thwarted countless doctors.

Dr. Fu was the best example—over 45 years old, yet still a considerable distance from being promoted to associate senior physician. In all likelihood, he’d remain an attending physician until retirement.

“Xiao Zhou, stop dawdling. Hold the X-ray up so I can continuously monitor the depth and position of the embedded object.”

Dr. Lu clearly enjoyed treating his juniors like subordinates.

Yesterday, Jin Mingxi had the misfortune of being bossed around by Dr. Lu for nearly the entire morning.

Now it was Zhou Can’s turn to suffer.

But unlike Jin Mingxi, Zhou Can was certain that sooner or later, Dr. Fu would recognize his abilities and trust him. When that day came, Dr. Lu’s reign of arrogance would come to an end.

If it were Dr. Xu instead, would Dr. Lu dare bark orders at Zhou Can like this?

Suppressing his anger, Zhou Can held the X-ray steadily for Dr. Lu’s inspection.

“Lift it higher! Face the light! Can’t even handle an X-ray properly—you’re hopelessly inept!”

Dr. Lu’s curses struck like blows, each one intended to further break Zhou Can’s spirit.

Zhou Can complied obediently.

If he were to be utterly defeated, first he had to let his arrogance run wild.

He decided to let Dr. Lu enjoy his hubris a little longer.

This patient was undeniably problematic; not even Dr. Lu, with his overambitious nature, could operate on him without risking disaster.

Even if Dr. Fu were to perform the surgery himself, complications might still arise.