The Surgeon's Studio

Zheng Ren kept searching for polyps along the intestine with both hands despite the slight discomfort in his left arm. Once they were located, he made incisions on the intestine and separated the layers before finally removing the polyps.

Chief Wang noticed that every polyp Zheng Ren removed had a pedicle more than ten centimeters long.

Perhaps, in Zheng Ren’s opinion, a longer pedicle meant a higher risk of recurrence of intussusception, strangulation and necrosis after surgery.

Zheng Ren ignored the polyps with fewer risks of complications rather than show off his surgery skill.

Chief Wang’s impression of Zheng Ren improved further as he now understood that the man’s offer to assist came from sincere concern for the patient’s well being, not braggadocio.

‘Boss Zheng is truly a meticulous man,’ Chief Wang thought.

He then realized why Zheng Ren’s left arm movements were somewhat restricted.

Chief Wang had just asked a wounded man to take over the surgery! He started to castigate himself for his carelessness.

However, he did not have the courage to perform the surgery himself.

As Zheng Ren was still able to perform every step smoothly— the location, resection and removal of the polyps—despite the restricted mobility in his left arm, Chief Wang knew that the man was far superior to him in surgery.

‘It’s better to trouble Boss Zheng for the sake of the patient,’ he concluded.

Forty minutes later, the kidney dish had been changed out twice, and each of them was completely filled with polyps with long pedicles, resembling… a mountain of flesh.

“I’m done.” Zheng Ren put the needle holder and scissors down, and extended his palm again.

The scrub nurse did not react after a few seconds, so Su Yun lowered his head and whispered, “Boss, this is Imperial Capital. You didn’t bring your scrub nurse along.”

“…” Chief Wang overheard Su Yun and almost burst into tears.

No wonder Zheng Ren was addressed as the boss. He even had his own scrub nurse…

“Irrigation with warm normal saline, and prepare an aspirator with a suction tube,” said Zheng Ren gently.

“Boss Zheng, I’ll take over from here, you can rest now,” said Chief Wang immediately.

Zheng Ren gave it some thought and replied, “Okay, thank you.”

Su Yun glanced at the surgical field and left the operating table.

“Uh…” Chief Wang started to actually cry this time. ‘Brother Yun, I asked Boss Zheng to take a rest, but you have to help me too.’

Even though all he had to do was abdominal surgical wound closure, he still could not complete the surgery alone.

“You want me to be your assistant?” Su Yun stared at Chief Wang in disbelief.

“You, scrub up and assist me in closing the abdomen,” said Chief Wang to the resident doctor.

He was aware of the truth. ‘Brother Yun is a legend and there is no way I can ask him to help me in surgery.’

Everything else aside, the legend and his boss had extraordinary skills despite their young age.

Besides, Boss Zheng was more skillful at surgery with one hand than he could ever be with both hands…

Not only could he correctly diagnose P-J syndrome, an uncommon disease, but he also knew how to surgically treat it with a laparotomy polypectomy, an obsolete technique rarely used nowadays.

One always had to know their limitations.

Chief Wang did.

“You’ve hit the nail on the head again,” said Su Yun as he caught up with Zheng Ren in the locker room.

“You can put it that way,” replied Zheng Ren, who had developed an immunity to Su Yun’s sarcasm.

“They’ve scheduled lunch later, do you want to attend it?” asked Su Yun after glancing at his phone.

Zheng Ren was just thinking about asking Su Yun to go shopping with him for souvenirs for Xie Yiren… and the rest, but after hearing that, he hesitated and said, “No, I’ll go through the films in the CT room again. Off you go with your tasks.”

“You’re such a boring man,” Su Yun said, “Is this your first time visiting Imperial Capital?”

“I had previously transferred at Imperial Capital on the train to my university,” Zheng Ren said, “There was no direct train to Sichuan at that time.”

“It’s really difficult to imagine how studying and going through an internship in Chengdu has managed to develop your current personality.” Su Yun activated Mockery Mode. “Even the almighty Chengdu couldn’t change your blockheadedness, eh?”

“Me?” Zheng Ren carefully changed his attire and answered, “I’m not really considered a blockhead.”

“Blockheads never admit their true self, anyway.”

Their exchange was more like an argument. After that, Su Yun left immediately, stating that he had to attend a few rounds of entertainment and informing Zheng Ren to have dinner on his own.

Zheng Ren thought about it and decided it was better to wait for Chief Wang to finish his surgery first.

Since he had taken over the surgery just now, it was better to bid goodbye before taking his leave.

Half an hour later, Chief Wang walked out of the operating theater. Upon reaching the locker room, he was surprised to see Zheng Ren reading a novel on a chair in the empty room.

“Hello, Chief Wang.” Zheng Ren greeted him with a smile.

“You…”

“Su Yun has gone for dinner, so I’m waiting here to see if there is anything else to do after the surgery.” Zheng Ren smiled and said, “I’m unfamiliar with the rules here.”

“Everything is complete,” Chief Wang quickly replied with his own smile, “What are you planning to have for lunch?”

“That’s good to hear. I have to study imaging films in the CT room at noon, as I have surgery tomorrow,” said Zheng Ren.

“For scientific research? I had no idea about it earlier, but after knowing that you’re the one who saved Fang Lin, I found out that you were here to attend the research project,” replied Chief Wang.

“I’m not here to attend the research. Professor Pei has given me an opportunity to gain knowledge,” said Zheng Ren.

“You’re so humble.” Chief Wang laughed. “Your surgery skill…”

He suddenly realized that the research project was related to interventional radiology of the urology surgery department.

After witnessing Zheng Ren’s proficiency at an obsolete surgical technique, he was convinced that the man’s expertise in gastrointestinal surgery was greater than his. However, he was unsure if Zheng Ren was better than his boss.

That thought was merely self-consolation. Chief Wang was fully aware that his boss was inferior to Boss Zheng in terms of laparotomy polypectomy, at least.

Even so… What did that scientific research have to do with general surgery? There seemed to be no relation between them at all.

He was bewildered.

“If there is nothing else, I’ll take my leave.” Zheng Ren put on a polite smile. “I hope to see you again someday.”

“Boss Zheng, let’s exchange contact information.” Dazed, Chief Wang had nearly forgotten to request Zheng Ren’s WeChat ID and phone number.

Zheng Ren leisurely left the operating theater after exchanging phone numbers and added Chief Wang as a friend in WeChat.

“Chief Zheng, you’re finally out.” Feng Xuhui approached Zheng Ren as if he was Zheng Ren’s shadow under the sun.

“Yes. Manager Feng, there is no need to be so polite. You can attend to your own matters instead of worrying about me. I’ll certainly give you a call if I’m in trouble,” said Zheng Ren.

“It’s my responsibility to take care of you.” Feng Xuhui humbled himself and said sincerely, “I worry that Chief Zheng may find me annoying.”

Zheng Ren had never met such an enthusiastic sales manager before and had no idea how to deal with him. Upon noticing Feng Xuhui’s sincerity, though, he nodded in response.

“What are you going to have for lunch?” asked Feng Xuhui.

“There is a lunchroom in front of the hospital. Let’s have noodles there,” Zheng Ren said, “Lunch is on me, so don’t even think about arguing with me about it.”

Feng Xuhui thought, ‘This lunch won’t cost me as much as the meal in Da Dong, anyway.’

Even so, lunch together with Zheng Ren was undoubtedly beneficial. After rejecting his offer twice to no avail, he gladly accepted it and went straight to the lunchroom outside the hospital.