BXBX NOVEL Chapter 72: If I become old and ugly, will you still want me?
The medical community is known as a “world,” and every world has its own rules and sayings.
Both Chinese and Western medicine value lineage and theory.
Since ancient times, Chinese medicine has featured a multitude of schools, from the Treatise on Febrile Diseases to the Earth-supplementing school of the Jin and Yuan dynasties, the Yin-nourishing school… to the subsequent school of Warm diseases, all brimming with the development of diverse theories.
The same goes for Western medicine; since the Republic of China era, modern medicine has flourished with the influx of Western medical science, putting on a “Western medicine” coat.
Surgery, as a primary treatment method in medicine, is also filled with various thoughts and doctrines.
Therefore, having a mentor is like having someone to lead the way.
With a mentor, aside from anything else, arranging work becomes much more convenient, academic conferences can be attended endlessly, and one might even mix in a position as an association director or a participant in a National Natural Science project, which is immensely beneficial for future development. So at this moment, the question marks above Qian Liang’s head seemed particularly enchanting!
Chen Cang didn’t hesitate and chose to accept the task straight away!
By then, Qian Liang cracked a small smile, “I’ll give you three months, polish up a good paper, and I’ll send you a gift next year!”
Everyone smiled slightly, what a gift this was!
This was a gift of a bright future!
Although all four were specialists, Qian Liang’s academic status was higher; in Dongyang Province’s field of hepatobiliary surgery, he was a bona fide authority and also the deputy editor-in-chief of the “Chinese Journal of Hepatobiliary Surgery.”
His gift, naturally, wouldn’t be trifling!
Everyone understood, and so did Chen Cang, his face showing delight, “Thank you, teacher!”
[Ding! Favorability from Qian Liang +30!]
[Ding! Favorability from Liu Siqi +10!]
[Ding! Favorability from Hao Xuliang +10!]
Another wave of favorability points in hand, Chen Cang was still puzzled; what were these points really good for?
After Hao Xuliang left the office, he hurried to the dean’s office to find Qin Xiaoyuan.
“Dean Qin, I have something to tell you!”
Seeing Hao Xuliang rush in, Qin Xiaoyuan put down his pen, took off his reading glasses, and asked with a smile, “What’s the matter? You seem anxious. Have the results come out? How is it?”
Hao Xuliang caught his breath, resolved to exercise by running after returning, and said, “Dean Qin, the results are out. Chen Cang came first, a full score of too! Zhou Xiaodong from general surgery got 90, and Li Shijian from thoracic surgery got 85.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Xiaoyuan immediately became interested,
“Really? This young Chen is that impressive?”
Impressive?
Is that all he is?!
Hao Xuliang thought to himself: Current Chen Cang is hot property; you didn’t see the faces of those department heads and deans. They would have loved to give Chen Cang a score of zero and then whisk him away silently!
Hao Xuliang nodded, “Dean Qin, this young Chen isn’t just impressive; he’s talented! Our hospital must retain him. You didn’t see just now, every head of department and dean was desperate for talent, their expressions were fierce like hungry wolves. And moreover, this young Chen truly has exceptional skills!…”
After Hao Xuliang repeated the details of the competition, Qin Xiaoyuan was also slightly taken aback,
“Did Qian Liang really say that?”
Hao Xuliang: “He really did, so, Dean, you better issue a notice immediately. If we delay, things might change. If Secretary Tan is up to something, we could lose this talented individual. Chen Cang is still young and highly moldable!” Qin Xiaoyuan nodded, “Okay, you handle it. Make sure the announcement is issued today!”
Hao Xuliang nodded and departed.
Qin Xiaoyuan stared out the window, planning in his heart.
After quite some time…
He picked up the phone and dialed Li Baoshan’s number.
“Director Li, do you have time to come to the office? I have something to discuss with you.”
Competition is competition, but after the match, life goes on and work must be done. At the very least, I have to catch up on the patient records that have piled up; no one else will do it for me.
Although it’s common for doctors to procrastinate with their records, Chen Cang doesn’t have the habit of delaying. He goes to bed early, wakes up early, and completes his tasks on time. He doesn’t give people the chance to criticize him—a life lesson diligently and honestly taught by his father, Chen Dahai.
It’s already mid-August, and the time has come to submit last month’s patient records. The health insurance department is relentlessly calling one after another for reminders.
Within the emergency department’s doctors’ office, everyone is rushing to get things done.
Shi Na sighed, “Goodness, I had 91 patients discharged last month, and I still have 40 records to sort out. And I have to be on duty tonight… Sigh… After work, I’ll need to stock up on some coffee mixed with Red Bull.”
Zhang Shu, who was nearby, overheard and teased, “Na Na, even coffee and Red Bull won’t help you. I think you’d need at least some adrenal extract to keep going!”
Everyone chuckled.
Shi Na was indisputably the doctor with the most patients in emergency medicine!
Wang Qian was also organizing patient records. Hearing Shi Na’s words, he couldn’t help but say, “Teacher Shi, as a woman, you shouldn’t overwork yourself like this. You’re going to age prematurely. You need to pay attention to self-care and rest.”
Once he said that, Qin Yue gave him a stern look and said, “You’re the one who talks too much. If you finish up, come and help.”
After saying that, Qin Yue cheerfully said to Shi Na, “Teacher, don’t worry. I’m here! Tomorrow is my day off, Saturday and Sunday. I’ll stay late with you tonight and help you out!”
Actually, what Wang Qian said was true, very reasonable. Besides, emergency patients are often seriously ill, so having a high caseload is bound to be exhausting, right?
But “reason” can be subjective—everyone thinks they have valid points. Shi Na naturally had her own reasons.
Who doesn’t know that fewer patients means less stress, and it would be nice to be a carefree doctor in the endocrinology or VIP ward, right?
But every household has its own difficulties.
Others might not know, but as Shi Na’s junior doctor as well as half a student, Qin Yue naturally knew more. Shi Na was supporting seven people all by herself; how could she afford to rest?
Not even reaching five feet three inches and weighing just around too pounds, the burden Dr. Shi Na carried was no light affair.
Shi Na and her husband, who were postgraduate classmates, began working together after graduation, and her husband also had a respectable job at the East University Hospital, in the orthopedic department. They used to be the envy of others.
But just the year after Shi Na had given birth, her husband decided to study for a PhD due to dissatisfaction with his job.
Pursuing a PhD was considered a good move, and everyone supported it—Shi Na included.
But…
After three years of PhD studies and with graduation this year, he decided to go abroad for a postdoctoral fellowship, which would take another two years.
It’s easy to talk lightly about other people’s affairs, so their classmates all said Shi Na’s husband was outstanding and that Shi Na would live a good life in the future!
But only Shi Na knew the hardships she faced.
Suddenly, the weight of the entire household rested on Shi Na’s shoulders— mortgage, children, parents, husband’s tuition fees…
How much would that cost in a year?
It actually wasn’t a big deal. At worst, she wouldn’t buy new clothes for three years, or she would work overtime until eleven or midnight. If exhausted, just collapse and sleep well. At worst, draw strength from her child’s smile when tired.
What’s the worst that could happen?
No matter how tired you are today, when you get home, you still have to take care of the children, check their homework at night, get up early to cook, and then squeeze onto a bus.
Work continues the next day.
When Shi Na thought about Wang Qian’s words, her heart sank. As a woman, how could she not understand these things?
Her hair was falling out in clumps. If one day she truly became old, ugly, and haggard… would her successful husband still want her then?
But the future is far off, and life goes on into tomorrow. Without money, how can one live?
That’s why Shi Na dared not rest!
Qin Yue knew all this, which is why she stopped Wang Qian from speaking carelessly.
She was afraid that his words would upset the teacher.
An Yanjun then changed the subject, “Xiao Wang, you should learn from Chen Cang. Look at Old Chen; he’s so relaxed, never worried about his patient records. He submits the records on time at the end of the month to the medical records office. Unlike us, we always drag it out. With Xiao Chen around, Old Chen has much less to worry about!”
Chen Bingsheng chuckled and nodded in agreement.
Indeed, having Chen Cang around, he worried much less.
But now, he was more anxious than anyone.
Feeling uneasy, he truly hoped Chen Cang would pass the competition and become a permanent employee.