Chapter 186: Winning An Award, Returning Home!
Mu Nanshu lowered her head, her tone suddenly becoming a little wronged: “I dare not anymore.”
Actually, Mu Nanshu’s tone wasn’t exactly wronged, but rather low, dispirited, and lost…
Lu Cheng put down his chopsticks and decisively took Mu Nanshu’s hand to get up: “Let’s go, we’ll send the luggage first.”
Mu Nanshu silently let Lu Cheng lead her out the door, her eyes vacant as he held her hand.
Giving advice, Mu Nanshu had truly done it before.
But she had also regretted it.
“After so many years, you still haven’t gotten over it?” After walking for hundreds of meters, Lu Cheng asked comfortingly.
Mu Nanshu just rubbed her eyes, her expression turning a little pale.
“The ancients said, ‘When Heaven is about to confer a great office on anyone, it first exercises his heart with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil…’ “
“This saying isn’t necessarily true, but we can use it to comfort ourselves. I actually think it’s quite fitting.”
“Because I am a lucky one.”
Hearing this, Mu Nanshu looked up in confusion: “You’re a lucky one?”
“For my sake, Huashan Hospital rejected you, and Zhongnan Hospital targeted you. You’re still lucky?”
“There was no targeting,” Lu Cheng refuted.
“There was!”
“I’m not a child anymore, I can find out clearly myself.” Mu Nanshu stood firm in her opinion.
“I’ve discovered that some of your words cannot be completely trusted, at least not without reservation.”
“I don’t know, there was no such thing,” Lu Cheng replied.
“Don’t dwell on the past. Don’t you think I’m lucky enough? You’re an overseas returnee with a Doctorate! An Associate Researcher at Xiehe Hospital.”
“I, a mere Attending Physician at Long County People’s Hospital, we were just acquaintances, but I met a kindred spirit.”
“Aren’t I lucky?”
“These things would be called melodramatic if written into a novel.”
Actually, Lu Cheng was saying the opposite of what he meant. According to his expected scenario, he had even thought that if he met Mu Nanshu again and she ridiculed him a few times, that would be the epitome.
Fortunately, Mu Nanshu did not.
While Mu Nanshu was inquiring about Lu Cheng, she had also secretly asked Mu Leng about Lu Cheng’s affairs abroad. Although she didn’t know everything, she did know that Lu Cheng had a very tough time during his period abroad.
She wholeheartedly focused on her own work, and no one knew what she was doing.
Seeing Mu Nanshu remain silent, Lu Cheng continued: “As I am now, before even starting my career, I’ve independently created a Tendon Suturing Technique and a Spleen Suturing Technique. My starting point is higher than yours, right?”
“Am I not lucky, Bookworm?”
“Touch your conscience?”
“You just said yourself that my Research Project and Technique are very useful for an Associate Professor. For an Attending Physician like me, isn’t the benefit even greater?”
“Aren’t I lucky??”
“Then you were just lying to me.” Lu Cheng wouldn’t coax people directly, but the social graces he had learned from reality were more persuasive than sweet talk.
“What are you talking about?”
“Come to think of it, you are quite lucky, but this is also your strength. If not for those past events, you might be a Professor by now.”
“Take Professor Lan Hualuo from your Zhongnan Hospital, for example. He became a Senior Professional at under thirty-four.”
“Your initial Research Project starting point is even higher than his!” Mu Nanshu said.
“But I haven’t officially stepped out of this starting point yet, so let’s not say such things.”
“What was that?” Lu Cheng pondered for a moment, then suddenly said.
“Xie Yuan’an said that Han Luoning improved and independently created a Nerve Suturing Technique, right?”
Mu Nanshu nodded: “Yes, the Hand Surgery department at Xiehe Hospital has always been a strong department in peripheral nerve treatment. Han Luoning has great talent.”
“Professor Zhong values him greatly.”
Lu Cheng said nonchalantly: “Bookworm, isn’t it just a Nerve Suturing Technique?”
“There are so many Tendon Suturing Techniques, besides the modified Kessler, there are Tsuge, Tang method, and Tajima.”
“The waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves before, right…”
Mu Nanshu let out an “Ah.”
“You said, if the front wave and the back wave appear at the same time, who would have more authority?” Lu Cheng suddenly asked.
Mu Nanshu: “…”
Mu Nanshu understood Lu Cheng’s meaning: “You’re not joking with me, are you?”
“Bookworm, how could I possibly joke with you? When it comes to independently creating techniques, I’m serious, alright?”
“Of course not now.”
“When I do a Research Project, I need so much preparation. That Doctor Han and Professor Zhong would have no reason not to prepare.”
“And during the time they are preparing, I think it will be enough.”
Lu Cheng spoke with considerable confidence.
It’s nothing. Lu Cheng has a cheat. And with the precedent of two independently created techniques, Lu Cheng didn’t believe that if he really decided to spend Skill Points, he couldn’t come up with a modified or innovative version of the Nerve Suturing Technique.
“Why are you doing so much? Can you handle it?” Mu Nanshu asked.
“Whether I can handle it or not is irrelevant. The main thing is to achieve a clear mind.”
“Bookworm, I am not the Lu Cheng of many years ago. The competition now is not determined by a single hospital, but by the industry.”
“The larger the scope, the fairer it is relatively.”
“I can choose not to do this Research Project, but I cannot fail to produce the prototype of this Research Project.”
“Don’t look at me with that expression. Professor Chen Song was so angry before, but he didn’t know I could come up with the Spleen Suturing Technique, did he?” Lu Cheng’s tone finally carried a hint of eccentricity.
In reality, since Lu Cheng obtained the Panel, he had never felt inferior.
Not feeling inferior didn’t mean he had to be hyper, arrogant!
Mu Nanshu didn’t want to dwell on this topic, so she asked: “Then what are your plans for the future, will you be going into Hand Surgery or the Emergency Department?”
Lu Cheng’s right hand tightened slightly as he held Mu Nanshu’s hand, and he said softly: “Bookworm, I will definitely be in the Emergency Department, but my techniques can go into other specialty departments.”
“If you are willing to help me, and you are sure that your help will be beneficial, I will definitely let you help me continuously, and ensure you remain beneficial.”
“At this point, I have already accumulated a little bit of preliminary groundwork, and you have seen it. Please allow me to sell my future.”
“Well, it’s a bit far from the hotel. Let’s go drop off our luggage first, then order some coffee, and I’ll show you my achievement Panel.”
“Honestly, if I achieve good results and can’t share them with you, the joy is reduced by half.”
“Don’t you think, after you’ve passed, it’s very interesting to watch others strive for results? You just love watching.”
“It’s like learning to drive.”
Hearing this, Mu Nanshu immediately felt that Lu Cheng was a bit mischievous. And this kind of mischievousness perfectly fit the general public’s thinking.
After getting their driver’s licenses, how many people didn’t enjoy watching others take their driving tests???
Some even psychopathic ones, after passing their exams, would specifically search online for the preparation live streams of their ‘Junior Brothers and Sisters.’
No other reason, they just passed, they love to watch, they like to watch.
This includes, but is not limited to, postgraduate entrance exams, doctoral entrance exams, university entrance exams, establishment exams, and civil service exams.
…
Lu Cheng did as he said.
He and Mu Nanshu ordered two iced coffees at the hotel, then confidently held Mu Nanshu’s hand and went up to the competition floor, strolling through each venue.
On the display screen, for fairness, Lu Cheng’s names and scores, prominently displayed in two tracks, remained.
Tendon Suturing Venue: 【 Lu Cheng 049: 2mm gap tensile strength: 40 points. Rupture tensile strength: 40 points. Tendon toughness: 20 points. Total score: 100 points. 】
Spleen Suturing Venue: 【 Lu Cheng 142: 117 points. 】
At the Spleen Suturing venue, Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu stood at the very front of the spectator area. Lu Cheng explained the competition rules to Mu Nanshu: “My luck was quite good. Didn’t you buy me a lot of Pig Spleen before?”
“Coincidentally, this competition’s Solid Organ Suturing also uses Pig Spleen. There are six spleens in total, at different levels of injury…”
Lu Cheng hung up his participation tag, although it did not have his name on it.
But Lu Cheng’s score was so exaggerated that others in the Parenchymal Organ Suturing venue couldn’t help but look him up.
They must have seen photos.
Therefore, seeing Lu Cheng holding a girl’s hand and swaggering through the front of the spectator area was bound to cause surprise.
Firstly, they were surprised by Lu Cheng’s youth, and secondly, they were surprised that Lu Cheng had actually won first place and brought his wife or girlfriend to show off.
This behavior could be considered excessive, or it could be considered normal.
If you win first place, can’t you bring your family to appreciate it?
Who made that rule?
At least Lu Cheng wasn’t making noise.
“Hello Doctor Lu!” Someone Lu Cheng didn’t recognize politely greeted him after confirming that Lu Cheng’s score was real.
“Hello…” Lu Cheng responded politely and enthusiastically.
“Doctor Lu, you’re really amazing. Can we add WeChat? So we can communicate with each other in the future.”
“Of course, Teacher. My name is Lu Cheng. I’ll scan you.” Lu Cheng readily took out his mobile phone.
Lu Cheng didn’t feel he had done anything inappropriate. He hadn’t ‘cheated’ to get first place.
Actually, he had cheated, but this cheat was undetectable, so it wasn’t considered cheating.
If it wasn’t opened, it wasn’t opened!
Finally, after Lu Cheng had confidently stayed in the spectator area for over twenty minutes, a middle-aged man approached in this direction.
The person who arrived had a standard receding hairline with a slightly pointed top of his head: “Are you Doctor Lu? Hello, hello…”
“Hello, Teacher.” Lu Cheng politely turned to respond.
“You can call me Huang Gengwen. I’m from the Hepatobiliary Surgery department.” Huang Gengwen wore glasses and had a very large mouth.
Lu Cheng observed him carefully. The line of his mouth was indeed wide, making him look like a toad, but his face shape was pointed, giving him a unique look.
“Hello Teacher Huang, my name is Lu Cheng. Lu from ‘ear east,’ Cheng from ‘success’.” Lu Cheng said.
Lu Cheng then saw Huang Gengwen look at Mu Nanshu: “This is my wife, Mu Nanshu, and she’s also a colleague.”
Huang Gengwen then extended his hand: “Hello Doctor Mu.”
“Hello Professor Huang.” Mu Nanshu shook hands with Huang Gengwen generously.
“Doctor Lu, congratulations! Your score is truly outstanding. I couldn’t believe it when I first heard it.”
“A true hero emerging from youth,” Huang Gengwen said, half-jokingly, half-shocked.
His mouth was slightly open, like a bottomless pit carved onto a small head.
While Huang Gengwen was chatting with Lu Cheng, Professor Cao Qianwei, who was hosting the stage, stared intently.
But he was the host of the venue and couldn’t leave.
“Teacher Huang, you flatter me. I have a certain element of luck in achieving this score. If this competition wasn’t about Spleen Suturing, I wouldn’t have achieved this score,” Lu Cheng said with slight humility.
“Doctor Lu, are you not planning to play around with your scores anymore?” Huang Gengwen asked politely.
“Teacher Huang, the scores are already set, so I won’t be chasing them. I’m just waiting to receive my award. I should at least get an Award Certificate.” Tong Yuan’an told Lu Cheng not to mention prize money, but didn’t say anything about Award Certificates.
This is a provincial-level competition, and it can add many points when applying for professional title.
“An Award Certificate is guaranteed, Doctor Lu. If you’re not too busy, shall we go down for some tea together?”
“You don’t have to worry about your scores and Award Certificates here. With Professor Cao overseeing things, your Award Certificate is probably already stamped,” Huang Gengwen invited.
“Thank you for the invitation, Teacher Huang. My wife just arrived, and I’m taking her for a casual look around, so it’s not very convenient. If there’s another opportunity, I will definitely seek your guidance,” Lu Cheng replied flawlessly.
The refusal was clear, and he had found a reason.
“That’s truly a shame. Our destinies haven’t aligned,” Huang Gengwen clearly had also looked up Lu Cheng and learned some information about him from the Hand Surgery side.
Regardless of any internal changes at Xiehe Hospital, Lu Cheng’s current label was still related to Xiehe Hospital.
Xiehe Hospital is better than Xiangya Hospital. If Lu Cheng insisted on this point, Huang Gengwen couldn’t say much more.
Director Cao Qianwei from the Second Hospital had approached Lu Cheng yesterday and was also rejected. Seeing Huang Gengwen rejected today made him feel much more comfortable.
This proved that Lu Cheng’s “attack” was indiscriminate, not targeted at him, Cao Qianwei.
…
After Huang Gengwen left, Lu Cheng noticed an exceptionally burly and sturdy young man approaching. His physique naturally exuded an aura of pressure on Lu Cheng.
Lu Cheng initially didn’t intend to pay attention, but the man walked directly towards him.
“Director Song, Doctor Lu is here. You made us search quite a bit.” The voice of the 1.95-meter-tall, burly man was another pleasing broadcast-like tone.
This was not the timbre of Xiang Daihong that Lu Cheng had heard yesterday.
“Hello Doctor Lu… I heard you’re from Long County People’s Hospital? I’m from Zhou People’s Hospital’s General Surgery department, my name is Song Xin.”
“This is Xiang Daihong, from our hospital’s Orthopedics department. You and Doctor Lu should be from the same hometown,” Song Xin introduced himself.
Song Xin was only 1.6 meters tall with a lean and sturdy build, a normal physique for Xiang Province. Standing next to Xiang Daihong, he seemed incongruous.
Song Xin looked like a child.
“Doctor Song, Director Xiang,” Lu Cheng said quickly.
Upon hearing this, Xiang Daihong quickly explained: “Lu Cheng, this Director Song is the Director of our General Surgery and Hepatobiliary Surgery departments. I’m just a junior Attending Physician.”
“Director Song.” Lu Cheng quickly corrected himself.
Song Xin waved his hand: “It’s alright, we’re all from the same hometown.”
“However, your fellow townsman, Doctor Lu, is too formidable! Achieving such a score is simply incredible.”
“But Doctor Lu, why did you go to Long County People’s Hospital and not come to our hospital?” Song Xin asked with a forced smile.
Lu Cheng forced a fawning smile: “Director Song, the entry threshold for Zhou People’s Hospital is too high. I applied too.”
“But I was brushed aside after just going through the motions. That was many years ago.”
Song Xin had only been making polite conversation, but he didn’t expect Lu Cheng to have actually applied to Xiangzhou People’s Hospital, which was awkward.
Fortunately, Song Xin knew Lu Cheng used to be an Orthopedic Doctor. He looked at Xiang Daihong: “Director Xiang, is there such a thing?”
Xiang Daihong’s Adam’s apple bobbed: “Director Song, Director Li from our Orthopedics department is the Big Boss.”
What the hell, I’m just an Attending Physician, what authority do I have over people? Even if Lu Cheng was rejected a hundred times, it has nothing to do with me, Xiang Daihong.
Song Xin had hit a hard nail right from the start, making it difficult to continue the conversation: “Doctor Lu, perhaps there was some misunderstanding before. Come, come, let’s add WeChat. We’ll have more opportunities to contact each other in the future.”
“Okay, Director Song, I’ll scan you.” Lu Cheng did not refuse. He might need to interact with him if he went to Xiangzhou People’s Hospital later.
Lu Cheng knew that with his current academic qualifications, to jump directly to a top hospital, he would have to go through the Deputy Senior process.
And during the process of advancing to Deputy Senior, staying in Long County was not ideal. In Long County, he couldn’t conduct research projects, which was not conducive to long-term development.
Lu Cheng then took Mu Nanshu to the vascular competition venue and was surprised to find that the first place in the vascular competition was not one of the Deputy Senior doctors he had met before.
Instead, it was Attending Physician Hu Yi from Xiangya Hospital.
Tong Yuan’an hadn’t even mentioned this Hu Yi to Lu Cheng, but Hu Yi had quietly secured first place with an excellent score of 98 points.
Second place went to Associate Professor Wei Jianwen from the Second Hospital…
Lu Cheng’s score was pushed back one place, to tenth place.
This competition had three first-place awards, six second-place awards, and ten third-place awards.
Lu Cheng could only obtain a third-place award in the Vascular Surgery track.
“Well, the Vascular Suturing track is the most mainstream track in microsurgery competitions. It’s usually a specialty for Hand Surgeons and Vascular Surgeons.”
“Overall, in microsurgical operations, Hand Surgery is a bit more meticulous than Vascular Surgery.”
“Because general vascular surgery doesn’t involve fine vascular suturing,” Lu Cheng explained to Mu Nanshu.
“Mm,” Mu Nanshu nodded, looking at the names on the rankings, she also appeared quite happy.
“There are more people in this venue than in other tracks, much more than in the solid organ venue. Even so, getting a third-place award in this setting is already quite good.”
“Do you know all the people on this leaderboard?”
Lu Cheng shook his head: “I know some. Professor Tong recommended them, but I’m not very familiar.”
“The night before yesterday, after I went to see Professor Tong, these teachers had already left.”
As Lu Cheng was speaking, the previous batch of contestants who had completed their scores posted new heights.
Lu Cheng’s ranking dropped another spot, as an Attending Physician named Xue Daoming from Xiangya Third Hospital took his tenth place. Lu Cheng moved to eleventh.
However, it was still a third-place award, and Lu Cheng decided not to pursue better scores anymore.
It wasn’t until noon that Lu Cheng received an invitation call from his Senior Brother Zhang Boyuan, who basically asked him to have a meal.
He also mentioned that Professor Xiang Dongshan would also be attending.
Lu Cheng thought about it for a moment and agreed. However, Lu Cheng proactively told Zhang Boyuan that he might bring a family member and that if Director Xiang was unwilling, he would dine with Senior Brother Zhang Boyuan alone.
“That should be fine!” Zhang Boyuan agreed casually.
…
The award ceremony went smoothly; it was like walking a runway. First place teams, second place teams, and third place teams.
Although the number of participants varied for each track, the prize money for first place was the same: 35,000 for first place, 15,000 for second place, and 5,000 for third place.
The difference was quite large, but many participants didn’t do this for money; the honor was rare.
After receiving his award, Lu Cheng left the venue.
This kind of salon-style competition did not arrange for all award-winning contestants to give acceptance speeches. Only a few invited acquaintances who had won were asked to speak.
The prize money was to be handled later, not disbursed in cash on the spot, which was understandable.
The organizers would contact the participants’ respective institutions and transfer the funds to them, and then the institutions would disburse them to the individuals.
After receiving his Award Certificate, Lu Cheng checked out of the hotel and settled his bill!~
Although the money could be settled by Tong Yuan’an’s institution, Lu Cheng’s participation was considered official business, and he could claim reimbursement upon his return, so he didn’t fuss over these minor issues.
After informing Professor Tong Yuan’an of the situation via WeChat, Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu went to have dinner with Zhang Boyuan.
During the meal, Mu Nanshu initially acted like a quiet family member. However, once Professor Xiang Dongshan began to get to the point, Mu Nanshu remained silent no longer.
…
At 7:30 PM, at Shashi Jintai Square station, Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu were in the waiting hall together.
Lu Cheng looked at Mu Nanshu, who was crossing her legs, wearing tight jeans that accentuated the curves of her legs, with a hint of flesh showing.
Lu Cheng didn’t ask Mu Nanshu the specific reason why she had rendered Xiang Dongshan somewhat speechless during dinner, only saying: “I never imagined you were so good at arguing.”
“I was just stating the facts. This wasn’t an argument.”
“Director Xiang was here to negotiate terms. Since it’s a negotiation, there naturally needs to be a back-and-forth.”
“Job seeking is a two-way street. You’re not without options.”
Mu Nanshu continued: “Besides, it’s clear that your Senior Brother isn’t doing very well right now.”
“I think your Senior Brother is genuinely good to you, perhaps empathizing.”
Lu Cheng nodded: “Senior Brother Zhang isn’t doing as well as he could. He told me that if possible, I should choose a unit with fairer competition.”
“It’s cruel, but at least it can maintain a fairer dimension.”
As Lu Cheng was speaking, his phone rang again.
Mu Nanshu said: “It’s a business call, answer it yourself.”
Since the competition ended, hospitals from various prefectures and Shashi City’s Health Commission, as well as hospitals directly under the Provincial Health Commission, had contacted Lu Cheng, essentially asking if he had plans to change his unit.
Lu Cheng had indeed thought about changing units, but not too far away.
The reason Lu Cheng chose Zhou People’s Hospital was that his personnel relationship was in Zhou City. An internal transfer would not be considered a new hire.
It would also be easier to resign later.
“Thank you for your kind offer, Teacher Liu. I already have plans. If there’s an opportunity in the future, I will definitely consider learning from Director Liu.” Lu Cheng’s words were of course beautifully crafted.
Hypocrisy has always been an inherent label of adults!~
“Doctor Lu, then I look forward to that day.” Director Liu knew Lu Cheng was being polite and could only go along with it.
“Then I thank you again for your magnanimity, Director Liu. I’m about to go through ticket inspection, so let’s chat again next time…”
Lu Cheng wasn’t lying; he and Mu Nanshu really needed to go through ticket inspection to return.
Long County is Lu Cheng’s current true base of operations.
