Chapter 38: A Cleaver Is Also A Knife
In the temporary dormitory of Professor Chen Song, located in the Zhuangyuanfu Residential Area opposite Huangcang Middle School in Long County.
Chen Song, with a cup of tea in hand and his legs crossed, leisurely asked, “How is it? Old Tong? Has it reached your standard for handling District Two flexor tendon suturing?”
Tong Yuan’an was taking a walk outside, leaning against a stone pillar at the mouth of the Xiangjiang River. The sunset painted the sky in hues of red, the river rippled with red waves, and a warm breeze blew, causing sweat to bead on his face and neck. He didn’t speak, but watched the video intently.
After about three minutes, Chen Song put down his crossed legs and said, “It’s fine, Old Tong. If there’s something, just say it. If you have something to say, just say it.”
“If it hasn’t met the standard, just give some specific pointers, and I’ll relay them to him.” Chen Song thought Tong Yuan’an didn’t know how to start.
Tong Yuan’an must have watched the video several times, as he held his mobile phone further away, the skin on his chubby face contorted, the corners of his mouth pulled outwards like a clown’s: “No, Chen Song, what kind of person did you actually encounter?”
“Is he really an emergency department doctor?”
Chen Song replied, “I’m currently doing rural work at the emergency department in Long County. If he’s not an emergency department doctor, what else could he be?”
“The video has been watched, Teacher Tong has been called, just for my sake, give a few pointers.”
Tong Yuan’an answered irrelevantly, “Then ask him, is he pursuing a doctorate?”
Tong Yuan’an’s question took a sharp turn.
“He’s an undergraduate student, he was previously in orthopedics standardized training, he doesn’t have a master’s degree, how can he pursue a doctorate?”
“If he were to pursue a master’s degree now, he could only apply for an academic master’s, and he doesn’t have much interest in academics.” Chen Song explained, wiping his receding hairline.
“Could it be that he performed well, and you took a liking to him?”
Tong Yuan’an listened to Chen Song’s explanation, his mouth twitching for a moment: “How can this guy be so strange?”
“To be honest, his current ability to handle tendons is no less than that of our hospital’s current chief resident.”
“I even suspect if the modified Tang method I learned before is fake; to advance to the current level in a month?” Tong Yuan’an rubbed his nose, almost developing allergic rhinitis.
Tong Yuan’an could only take out a piece of paper from his pocket, wipe it, and then spit a few times.
“Anyway, a month ago, Xiao Lu definitely couldn’t handle tendons. The modified Kessler was done step by step under my witness.”
“I also encountered the technique suturing of the modified Tang method back then, but it was too troublesome to learn. I heard from our colleagues that it requires both solid basic skills and improving tendon suturing technique to make progress with the modified Tang method.”
“Isn’t that nonsense? Where do I have that much time to learn all that?” Chen Song said.
“It was back then, when things got a bit tense with some of the hand surgery colleagues, and only now have things eased up. I thought they were keeping it a secret.” Chen Song reminisced about the past.
“Chen Song, if Doctor Lu truly is as you say, then he really has a high talent for hand surgery.”
“What was the point of his previous standardized training?” Tong Yuan’an scratched his scalp.
Institutional issues made him difficult.
Chen Song said, “Heh, let me tell you, if Xiao Lu hadn’t had standardized training, it wouldn’t have been our hospital’s turn to accept him. Others’ first choice was Huashan Hospital’s Orthopedics, with the first place in the written examination.”
“It’s just that Huashan Hospital’s master’s quotas are too few, and you need to bring your own paper to get in. So, he missed out.”
Tong Yuan’an asked, “Then adjustment, and try again?”
Chen Song said, “Yes, those were choices that could have been made back then, but that was back then.”
“Now, just give me a definitive answer, can he really do District Two flexor tendon suturing? Stop overthinking, okay?”
Tong Yuan’an’s eyes widened, and his chubby face contorted again: “Chen Song, what are you here to find me for?”
“Damn it, you can’t bring the person back, and you want to use him as bait again?”
“Why am I so stupid? Did I screw your grandpa? You son of a bitch!” Tong Yuan’an started cursing directly to vent his anger.
Chen Song said, “No, Tong Yuan’an, did your brain get caught in the door when you went out? Why are you scolding me? It’s not like I caused him any harm!”
“Your grandpa! You idiot, you’re a clown, I can’t be bothered to talk to you.”
“I knew running into you wouldn’t bring any good news, fuck…” Tong Yuan’an hung up the phone, still muttering curses.
Chen Song looked at Tong Yuan’an’s almost contorted face before he hung up the short video, and began to ponder.
Although Tong Yuan’an didn’t state whether Lu Cheng’s ability was sufficient or not, his current performance clearly showed he had fallen in love, but couldn’t attain it, hence the psychological issues.
That’s not right, is it just that the modified Tang method is comparable to a chief resident? Is it that surprising?
Chen Song is not a hand surgery doctor, so he cannot concretely assess the level of Lu Cheng’s current abilities.
But Chen Song wasn’t annoyed: “Brother Tong, give me a clear answer, surgery is not a child’s play.”
“He can definitely do tendon suturing, but is this talent just for tendon suturing? Don’t you think it’s a waste of talent? Damn it.”
Tong Yuan’an’s message no longer contained as many insults, but his displeasure hadn’t entirely disappeared: “This bastard, it’s leaving me in limbo, I’m really fucking uncomfortable.”
“Let me put it this way, Xiao Lu’s basic skills have reached the current level, and his tendon suturing can achieve the current standard, which is expected. It’s the usual development path for retaining staff in our hospital.”
“But at this age, to have this level with the modified Tang method is a bit beyond the curriculum.”
“You’re telling me he achieved this in a month? And you can’t bring him here? Hey, Chen Song, what kind of deep-seated hatred do I have for you in my past life? Why are you doing this to me?”
“With this learning talent… I’m fucked?”
I took off my pants, took Viagra, set the mood, you left, and now I’m losing my life for nothing?
“You continue… I didn’t expect you to have such acting talent.” Chen Song sat up straight, like an old man, appreciating Tong Yuan’an’s slightly contorted face.
“I can’t explain it clearly to an amateur like you, I’m going for a walk again. You be careful, don’t get choked to death. I’ll have to buy you a white circle and some cash for the funeral.” Tong Yuan’an retorted very fairly…
Lu Cheng was completely unaware of this. After re-sending his operation video to Chen Song, he went back to sleep.
Having woken up early today, Lu Cheng went to the wet market again and bought some vegetables and meat.
Lu Cheng cut the fatty parts of the front leg meat into standard slices, and separated the lean from the fat of the remaining pork belly, then cut it into shredded meat of equal length, width, and thickness.
The trimmed edges and corners were all chopped into mince…
Thus, the ingredients for chili-fried pork and boiled pork meatballs were prepared.
Unintentionally, Lu Cheng noticed a prompt flash on the panel:
【 Inception to （ Proficient 10/10 ）】
Lu Cheng’s mouth curved into a smile—
Well, a kitchen knife is also a knife, and a kitchen knife is even harder to control than a surgical scalpel, so it’s a case of reaching the same destination through different paths…
