Chapter 148: Acting?!
“Mom, don’t you always say that Lu Cheng has no problem with his character and ambition? Aren’t these two points enough?”
“Your standards are truly harsh.” Mu Nanshu emphasized the word “harsh.”
Mu Nanshu’s father, Mu Leng,’s voice suddenly broke in: “How can my daughter think is her own business, why do you interfere so much?”
“We watched Xiao Lu grow up, so there’s no problem with his character. If Xiao Shu hadn’t invited Xiao Lu to develop in Magic City back then, Xiao Lu’s starting point would be uncertain.”
“Besides, if Xiao Shu can really get together with Xiao Lu, you won’t even have to bother doing background checks on your in-laws, wouldn’t that be great?”
Mu Nanshu’s mother, Yan Sangyue, glanced at Mu Leng: “It’s not that I’m afraid of anything else, I’m just afraid that after Xiao Shu marries him, her concept of spending will differ from Old Lu’s and the others, and Xiao Shu will suffer in silence…”
“Friends are friends, and spending habits are spending habits, right?”
“You don’t know Old Lu and Old Tian?” Yan Sangyue asked Mu Leng in return.
This question silenced both Mu Leng and Mu Nanshu, as they had nothing to say.
……
When Lu Cheng arrived at the Emergency Department, the night shift doctor, Zeng Huanqi, was smiling and explaining to a patient: “Sure, if you feel this condition should be treated by orthopedics, then you can request to be transferred there.”
“But I’ll tell you, if you go to orthopedics to find someone, it’s not necessarily that the surgery quality will be better than what Doctor Lu performs for you.” Zeng Huanqi’s words were clear but left room for maneuver.
“What do you mean ‘not necessarily better than Doctor Lu’s surgery quality’?” The patient was a young woman around thirty years old. She winced in pain, her brows furrowed.
“It means exactly what it says.”
“For this surgery of yours, both our hospital’s Emergency Department and Orthopedics can perform it, but our Emergency Department’s Doctor Lu does it routinely, while Orthopedics does it selectively!”
“Didn’t you also ask the on-duty doctor? They said they don’t handle this condition? That’s why I said even if you find someone in orthopedics, it’s not necessarily better than Doctor Lu’s surgery quality.”
“We are all colleagues, and I won’t belittle others to praise someone else; I will only state the facts.” Zeng Huanqi turned and saw Lu Cheng.
He then said: “Doctor Lu has arrived…”
“Doctor Lu…” The young couple looked at Lu Cheng as Zeng Huanqi spoke. After a moment of surprise, they didn’t say much.
Although Lu Cheng looked young, his demeanor had long shed its youthful immaturity; he was calm and self-possessed.
“Doctor Zeng, haven’t they signed the consent form yet?” Lu Cheng asked Zeng Huanqi with a smile as he approached.
Zeng Huanqi nodded: “The young couple are still hesitating. They said they asked a friend who said this condition falls under the purview of orthopedics… but our hospital’s orthopedics department no longer performs tendon surgeries… so they are still conflicted.”
The young woman’s husband spoke: “Doctor Lu, what is the success rate of my wife’s surgery? My friend said her condition is quite complicated.”
“If there is any slight mistake, the postoperative recovery will be very poor. Is this true?”
Lu Cheng quickly scanned the injury and determined it was a flexor tendon injury in zone three: “After a tendon rupture, it is indeed easy to develop complications.”
“For example, re-rupture and tendon adhesion, these are complications we have encountered and statistically classified as common in our clinical practice, of course, there are also some rare ones…”
The young man’s brow furrowed, and he asked cautiously: “Doctor Lu, would it be better to go to the Zhou Hospital for my wife’s condition?”
“But we are also worried that it will take a long time at the Zhou Hospital, and by the time she is transferred, the tendon might necrotize, causing delays.”
In modern society, with advanced communication, ordinary people can understand the corresponding risks by searching any symptom.
Lu Cheng replied: “If you wish to be referred to a higher-level hospital, that would certainly be better.”
“Doctor Zeng, does she have any vascular injury?” Lu Cheng asked Zeng Huanqi.
Seeing Zeng Huanqi shake his head, Lu Cheng added: “Since there is no vascular injury, it is a time-sensitive surgery. You can still make it to the Zhou People’s Hospital from Long County if you leave now.”
“Of course, if you choose to have the surgery at our hospital, you won’t have to rush around.” Lu Cheng did not only offer referral advice.
The young man smiled and continued to flatter: “Doctor Lu, you haven’t answered my question yet. Would it be better for us to go to the Zhou Hospital?”
Lu Cheng had been avoiding this question because it was difficult for him to answer directly, as it involved colleagues from another hospital.
Lu Cheng didn’t overly humble himself: “It should be about the same…”
The young woman immediately looked conflicted: “About the same? Then why is the cost so different?”
This statement revealed that they had indeed inquired about the Zhou People’s Hospital.
The young man pursed his lips and looked at Lu Cheng with a complex expression,
then took a couple of steps closer to Lu Cheng: “Doctor Lu, my wife is already quite hesitant… what I mean is actually…”
With the young man’s explanation, Lu Cheng understood the couple’s dilemma: the husband wanted to go to a better hospital, while the wife was concerned about the cost.
“The hospital level and overall technical proficiency at the Zhou Hospital are better than ours, and the fees will be higher. This is the standardized pricing for medical institutions, not set by the hospitals themselves.”
“If you wish to be referred, you should contact transportation as soon as possible and head over. Time-sensitive surgery needs to be performed quickly, as it cannot be delayed.”
Just then, Tian Zhuang, who was on duty outside, ran in.
Tian Zhuang walked in directly with a medical record book and said without reservation: “Doctor Lu, a patient has arrived at the clinic, brought by Doctor Han Rong from Internal Medicine.”
“Doctor Han Rong said they specifically came from Qianzhou, Jishi City.”
Lu Cheng was very surprised to hear this and said: “Doctor Zeng, please help write the treatment opinion. It must be a time-sensitive surgery… I’ll go out and see the situation.”
The young couple looked at each other in disbelief after hearing Tian Zhuang and Lu Cheng.
For a moment, they even suspected that Tian Zhuang and Lu Cheng were acting on Zeng Huanqi’s orders to persuade them to have the surgery in Long County.
After all, how could it be such a coincidence that just as they were considering going to the Zhou People’s Hospital, someone from Jishi City would specifically come back to Long County for surgery?
However, Tian Zhuang held a medical record book, and the cover clearly showed the imprint of the Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital.
No one would intentionally rupture their own tendon to act with Lu Cheng and Tian Zhuang and rip themselves off for over two thousand yuan, would they?
After Lu Cheng and Tian Zhuang left, the young woman asked Zeng Huanqi: “Doctor Zeng? What is this? What’s going on?”
Zeng Huanqi’s composure returned, and he said: “Let me tell you the truth, Doctor Lu Cheng in our department is indeed a doctor at our hospital, but he has a unique approach when it comes to tendon suturing.”
“They were specifically referred from Jishi City, and we have had many local patients from Long County as well.”
“Of course, the Zhou People’s Hospital is our superior hospital, and they can also perform tendon surgery very well.”
“This is absolutely true.”
Zeng Huanqi neither exaggerated nor was overly modest; he appropriately highlighted Lu Cheng’s capabilities.
“Doctor Zeng, are you saying that Doctor Lu just said his surgery quality is the same as that of the orthopedic doctors at the Zhou People’s Hospital, and it wasn’t just politeness or bragging?” The young man’s expression was somewhat astonished.
Zeng Huanqi smirked and no longer bothered to contend with the couple: “If Doctor Lu were to speak the truth, he would say he does it even better than them.”
“It’s just that we cannot boast about that. The specific levels between different hospitals are hard to compare horizontally, and we haven’t competed.”
“In any case, this is the situation, and you can make your own decision.”
“If you trust Doctor Lu, have the surgery here; if you don’t, go to the Zhou Hospital.”
“But you need to be quick. If someone outside signs the consent form and gets into the operating room first, you will have to wait.”
“Of course, no matter where you have the surgery, you cannot escape the risks involved.”
The young man asked: “Then how long will we have to wait?”
“It’s usually between one to two hours,” Zeng Huanqi replied.
The young woman said: “Don’t think about it anymore, let’s sign. After all, it’s more than a thousand yuan cheaper, and if we go there, including transportation and meals, it will be over two thousand yuan.”
The young man leaned closer to his wife and whispered to comfort her: “It’s not about the money, it’s mainly about the surgery being done well.”
“This will be more beneficial for your postoperative recovery…”
While the two were still debating, Lu Cheng had already completed the preliminary discussion and signing.
Doctor Han Rong from Internal Medicine said: “Doctor Lu, thank you for your hard work. I hope you can perform the surgery well.”
“My father was helping my brother prepare baby food when he accidentally cut his hand with a food processor. My brother is actually in orthopedics, but he doesn’t do hand surgery. My brother forcefully sent them back…”
“Doctor Han, I am truly undeserving of such praise. There might be some misunderstanding that caused your father and mother to make such a trip.”
Lu Cheng quickly replied: “If there are no other issues here, then please take your father to the Emergency Operating Room. It’s getting late, and we need to start as soon as possible.”
Lu Cheng did not know which department Han Rong’s brother was in at the Zhou People’s Hospital.
Doctor Han seriously looked at Lu Cheng and said with some gossip: “My brother said that a patient you operated on previously with multiple tendon injuries was immediately transferred to the Zhou People’s Hospital for a follow-up visit.”
“They redid the suturing in the hand surgery department there, and the result was still not good. There is a difference in function between the two sides. Now he’s in a real predicament.”
Lu Cheng was slightly taken aback and replied: “Oh, that patient later went to the Zhou Hospital for rehabilitation!~”
Nurse Deng Zhouzhou busily led them, saying: “Doctor Han, the Emergency Operating Room is this way. This situation generally requires nerve block anesthesia. Our Head Nurse has already called the operating room to notify them, and Director Tian Chao from the Emergency Anesthesiology Department is personally coming to administer the nerve block anesthesia…”
Doctor Han then turned to lead her father, saying: “Doctor Lu, I’ll go ahead first. Thank you for your hard work.”
Lu Cheng glanced in Zeng Huanqi’s direction from afar and said: “Doctor Zeng, I’ll go sterilize and prepare the drapes first. You can come after you’re done, there’s no rush.”
Zeng Huanqi nodded and began to quickly write down the treatment opinion.
Regardless of what the young couple decided, the surgery order would have to be pushed back.
It wasn’t first-come, first-served!
It was whoever signed the consent form first got into the operating room first. You couldn’t hold up everyone else just because you arrived first and were undecided.
Emergency Department, Emergency Surgery Ward.
Liang Haobo helped his wife sit down before comforting her: “Don’t overthink it. Doctor Han Rong is definitely a doctor from this hospital, and the injured person she brought is indeed her father. They even bear some resemblance.”
“I’ve already called Xiao Wei, and she’ll buy us some daily necessities later. We just need to wait patiently for the surgery.”
“They came all the way from Jishi City to Long County, so waiting for a bit won’t affect the surgery quality.”
Chen Nanlan, Liang Haobo’s wife, looked up and said: “Send another message to Xiao Wei and ask her to bring me a set of makeup remover and facial cleanser.”
“I’m not worried that Doctor Lu and the others are acting, I just find this situation hard to believe.”
“Why would a patient specifically come from Jishi City to our Long County?” Chen Nanlan’s brow furrowed, and she forced out crow’s feet.
As Chen Nanlan was speaking, an Elder Sister in bed 5 sat up: “Sister, you haven’t had surgery yet? I thought you just came out of surgery.”
Chen Nanlan and Liang Haobo turned to look and saw that the Elder Sister in bed 5 was wearing a hand brace, with her injured limb placed on her abdomen for grasping exercises.
“My wife accidentally injured her hand while cutting durian. Elder Sister, was your surgery also performed by this Doctor Lu?” Liang Haobo asked.
The Elder Sister shook her head: “No, I wish Doctor Lu had done my surgery. The day I was injured, Doctor Lu was out for studies.”
“My surgery was later performed by Professor Tong from Xiangya Hospital. Originally, I was supposed to be admitted to the Orthopedics Ward!”
“It was Professor Tong who instructed me to stay here.”
“Alas, I have bad luck. Professor Tong said my injury was quite severe, so my surgery took longer than others, and my recovery will be slower.”
“When I was first admitted, patients who had surgery performed by other Doctor Lus said that by this time, they could have already been discharged,” the Elder Sister said with some emotion.
“Elder Sister, where is Professor Tong now? You seem to have good luck?” A spark flashed in the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Liang Haobo.
The Elder Sister raised her chin: “Professor Tong is in Orthopedics. You also think I have good luck, right? I also thought I was quite lucky at first, after all, a professor from Xiangya Hospital performed my surgery.”
“But I later learned that Professor Tong said Doctor Lu had already learned his true teachings and even surpassed him. Moreover, he is young and has quicker hands and feet, possibly performing operations more precisely than himself.”
“If you have a tendon rupture in this hospital, going to Doctor Lu is definitely the right choice!”
The Elder Sister cupped her mouth and said: “Just don’t easily get taken to Orthopedics.”
“Oh… We also asked in the Orthopedics department today, and the doctor there said they don’t perform tendon suturing anymore.” Liang Haobo suddenly replied.
“They don’t? Really? They were still doing it the day before yesterday?” The Elder Sister looked bewildered.
“Why did they stop?”
Liang Haobo said: “I didn’t ask for the specific reason.”
The Elder Sister couldn’t dwell on the specifics and said with a smile: “Then just wait for Doctor Lu to perform your surgery with peace of mind. Doctor Lu’s surgical techniques are excellent, and I heard he’s as handsome as he is.”
“Okay, thank you, Sister. After my wife is out of the operating room, I’ll still need to ask you for advice.” Liang Haobo said quickly.
“Oh, no need, no need. Doctor Lu is very responsible. After your surgery, don’t be annoyed by his nagging.”
“Everyone’s recovery progress and methods are different, and you cannot learn from each other. Just listen to Doctor Lu then.”
“Or tomorrow morning, Professor Tong will come to check on me. You can ask Professor Tong as well.”
“He is a professor at Xiangya Hospital, and his techniques and skills are top-notch. He comes to check on patients every day and is very dedicated,” the Elder Sister said.
……
