Chapter 141: Character Issues!
The operating room had three rooms, and the rhythmic beeping of the anesthesia monitors was intermittent and regular. The anesthesiologist dared not be careless, picking up his mobile phone but not daring to play with it.
Feeling drowsy, he could only grit his teeth and stand up, walking to the operating table to distract himself and stay alert by watching the surgery.
On the operating table, things had been progressing in an orderly fashion since Professor Tong Yuan’an returned.
Tong Yuan’an was the chief surgeon, with Peng Haibo and Tian Shan as his assistants.
Perhaps seeing the surgery proceeding smoothly, Tian Shan spoke to stay alert, his words flowing like water, “Professor Tong, how is Xiao Lu doing?”
The anesthesiologist had been in the operating room the entire time, so he knew about the preceding conversation between Peng Haibo and Tian Shan. Hearing Tian Shan’s gentle and calm tone now made him roll his eyes inwardly.
“It’s alright, just average,” Tong Yuan’an replied calmly.
Tong Yuan’an wasn’t targeting Lu Cheng, but Lu Cheng’s skill level was indeed just average. Tong Yuan’an had seen far too many techniques superior to Lu Cheng’s.
Tian Shan said with implication, “This Xiao Lu is quite good at hiding things. When he was in our Orthopedics Department, he was flawless. As soon as he went to the Emergency Department, it was like he was set free.”
Tian Shan’s words caused Tong Yuan’an and Peng Haibo to each glance at him.
Zhao Hai from the Anesthesiology Department was stunned. Such words, which three parties could interpret differently, could only be spoken by someone with great skill.
At least, Zhao Hai could analyze that Tian Shan was sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight. He was conveying what Peng Haibo wanted him to say, probing whether Lu Cheng had intentionally held back his abilities before.
And he was also conveying to Professor Tong Yuan’an that Lu Cheng had been in a relatively confined situation previously.
Tian Shan said “set free,” not “flying high.”
Although there was only a one-word difference, the meaning could be quite different.
“If the past Xiao Lu was hiding something, then he must have hidden himself under a coffin, and he wouldn’t even be dug up for grave robbery.”
“Skill is of course learned bit by bit. Speed is one thing, but what does it have to do with hiding or not hiding?” Tong Yuan’an glanced at Tian Shan and then said.
“Could it be that Director Tian often plays hide-and-seek?”
Tian Shan was slightly choked up, cautiously accompanying him, and gave a silly grin like a 150-pound fatty, “Professor Tong, no, I’m just genuinely inexperienced.”
Peng Haibo’s tone was solemn, “It is Xiao Lu’s good fortune and also our county hospital’s good fortune that he has such ability and opportunity.”
“If Xiao Lu can successfully handle cases of severed limbs and fingers, then in the future, when our hospital encounters such patients, they will not have to travel for referrals.”
“We haven’t done these things before, so where could Lu Cheng have hidden them?”
“We just hadn’t thought about it, that after just one Advanced Study Class, Xiao Lu would have matured to this extent.”
Tong Yuan’an chuckled, “Director Peng’s idea is good, but it completely disregards the ten years of hard work beforehand…”
Peng Haibo was speechless for a moment, then said again, “No, Professor Tong, we have all seen Xiao Lu’s daily efforts and hard work.”
Tong Yuan’an looked up, “So it’s only good to watch, right?”
After making a biting remark, Tong Yuan’an added, “Actually, I also enjoy watching. It’s so satisfying to be able to please oneself without having to lift a finger.”
“Therefore, in this era of highly developed self-media, there are also certain drawbacks.”
Tong Yuan’an changed the subject, his logic feeling a bit stiff.
However, neither Peng Haibo nor Tian Shan pursued the logical issue; Tong Yuan’an’s willingness to shift the focus was already a sign of respect.
Peng Haibo thought Tong Yuan’an would say no more, but unexpectedly, Tong Yuan’an added, “Director Peng, you mentioned before that you would personally handle Dr. Peng Kun’s matter. Do you have any ideas?”
Peng Haibo’s assistant’s hands trembled slightly. If it weren’t for his ingrained instincts as a surgeon, that tremor would have caused him to loosen the retractor he was holding, allowing the surgical incision to snap back!
But the place where Peng Haibo was holding the retractor only wobbled slightly.
This was an internal matter for the hospital’s Orthopedics Department, and Tong Yuan’an was overstepping his bounds.
However, one thing was certain: Tong Yuan’an was responsible for cleaning up today, and the trouble ultimately fell to him, thus it was related to Tong Yuan’an.
“Professor Tong, what are your thoughts?” Peng Haibo tried his best to suppress his emotions.
Tong Yuan’an said with a half-smile, “This is your business, Director Peng. I’m not a director.”
Peng Haibo stated, “Then I will suspend Peng Kun’s practicing rights for half a month, send him back for full-time study, and deduct his performance for this month.”
Tian Shan lowered his head, sniffed, and was not surprised by the decision.
Tong Yuan’an lowered his head and continued with the tendon suturing. About fifteen seconds later, he said, “Director Peng, I plan to change wards next month.”
Peng Haibo immediately became anxious upon hearing this, “Professor Tong, if you have any concerns, we can discuss them.”
Tong Yuan’an’s voice was firm, “My idea is to change wards, nothing else.”
“There’s no need to trouble you, Director Peng, to handle it. I will submit the application to the hospital administration myself.”
Although Tian Shan was expressionless and sitting upright at this moment, his heart was already blooming with joy.
About another half an hour passed before Tong Yuan’an completed all the tendon suturing. He sighed, “To be honest, these social scum and degenerates truly harm themselves and others.”
“Let alone being ignorant, they couldn’t afford to pay compensation even if you asked them to… but what can be done?”
“There are only three types of people who come to the hospital: medical staff, patients, and non-medical personnel.”
“When someone like him has an accident and comes for treatment, even if I’m not from this hospital, I’ll be called to help treat him. This is society.”
Tong Yuan’an seemed to be lamenting his own fate, but in reality, he was giving Peng Haibo an explanation.
What was Peng Kun worth? Even if the patient seeking treatment was a murderer, what did it have to do with your Orthopedics Department?
When did the hospital start acting as a court, judging whether a person is guilty or innocent, whether they deserve legal punishment, or whether they deserve to die?
Peng Haibo wasn’t foolish. He knew that what Peng Kun had done today had crossed a line with Tong Yuan’an; he hadn’t treated the patient as a patient, but merely as material.
If Peng Kun had reported and received authorization, then failure would be a “technical issue,” an inherent risk of medicine.
But what Peng Kun had done now was a matter of character and medical ethics.
“Professor Tong, Peng Kun seriously violated medical discipline during the emergency treatment today. I will deal with it more severely!~” Peng Haibo still wanted to salvage something.
“That is your internal affair, Director Peng. I will not interfere…”
“Ah?” As the surgery neared its end, Tong Yuan’an became sleepy again. He yawned, carefully examined the surgical wound, and then put down his hands.
“Director Tian, you close it up. I’ll sit and rest for a while.”
Tian Shan quickly said, “Professor Tong, you can go back and rest. You’ve worked too hard today.”
Tong Yuan’an replied, “We’ve endured this long, so let’s finish together. I won’t be able to sleep much tonight anyway.”
Peng Haibo proactively and enthusiastically said, “Professor Tong, there are reasons for this. We can cancel tomorrow’s surgery.”
“I’ll wait for Brother Chen Song to have breakfast,” Tong Yuan’an gave a plausible reason.
Tong Yuan’an’s meticulousness made Tian Shan and Zhao Hai ponder. Tong Yuan’an was clearly afraid that Peng Haibo would make things difficult for him, perhaps by harming the patient after he left the operating room…
Although the probability of such a thing was practically zero, Tong Yuan’an still chose to stay there until the patient left the operating room.
After leaving the operating room, even if Peng Haibo had cut the patient’s neck, it would have nothing to do with Tong Yuan’an. But before the patient left the operating room, many things were still unclear.
