Chapter 42: Status!
July 31st. Friday.
The morning sun was like fire, and Lu Cheng rode his electric scooter up the Yuelu Avenue, the cool breeze against him, making him feel unspeakably relaxed.
Before he had even ridden eight hundred meters, Lu Cheng’s phone rang. He pulled over and stopped, placing his right foot on the curb and shifting his weight to the right.
“Brother Zhang,” Lu Cheng called out politely.
Zhang Tiesheng’s voice was slightly strange: “Xiao Lu, you just messaged me saying that any upper limb tendon rupture can be admitted?”
“Xiao Lu, are you sure?”
“This isn’t a joke!”
Lu Cheng had naturally informed the on-duty doctor in the emergency clinic for the day: “Brother Zhang, since I told you, I’m certainly not joking.”
“As long as you explain the corresponding risks to the patient clearly and they are willing to stay and are not referred elsewhere, they can all be admitted.”
Zhang Tiesheng asked, “So, can you also admit those flexor tendon injuries in District Two that are particularly difficult to handle?”
Zhang Tiesheng was a doctor, not an outsider; he could look up information on the professional terms Lu Cheng used.
Lu Cheng’s tendon rupture surgeries were booming, and Zhang Tiesheng hadn’t completely dismissed the idea of starting them himself, but after reviewing the popular science materials, he didn’t rush to begin.
“It’s also feasible. I originally thought it would take some time for the flexor tendon in Zone Five and the extensor tendon in Zone Three, but I asked a teacher yesterday…”
“This teacher said that the information I had previously understood is outdated, and there are new understandings regarding the preferred suturing techniques for these two zones.”
“It’s also within my capability, so we can admit them…” Lu Cheng replied.
The original preferred method for distal forearm flexor tendon ruptures in Zone V was the circumferential wrapping method or Pulvertaft weaving, but the current understanding is that the tendon weaving method can also be used.
Then Lu Cheng was no longer afraid.
After all, the popular science materials Lu Cheng had learned from were written by Tong Yuan’an and others. These consensus points could be changed based on individual experience, rather than being absolute core standards.
“Mm, okay. Since you’re confident, Xiao Lu, we are confident in you too.”
“But you should also be a bit more reserved. It hasn’t even been a month yet, and you’ve already mastered surgeries that your orthopedics department couldn’t perform. Isn’t that a bit… much?” Zhang Tiesheng said jokingly, releasing his internal shock.
Lu Cheng suddenly replied, “Brother Zhang, isn’t a month thirty days for us?”
Zhang Tiesheng paused, then realized today was the 31st and July was a big month. He laughed and replied, “Xiao Lu, you’re really interesting…”
“Then I’ll report this to Director Lin and we’ll finalize it.”
“By the way, Professor Chen is on leave again today, so no difficult surgical procedures will be performed. If there’s a gallbladder removal surgery later, you’ll go with Zeng Huanqi,” Zhang Tiesheng said.
He continued to delegate more responsibility to Lu Cheng.
If Lu Cheng wanted to learn organ-preserving liver surgery, he first had to learn gallbladder removal and splenectomy.
“Okay, thanks, Brother Zhang.” Lu Cheng replied, hung up the phone, and continued on his way.
After all, it was already 7:35 AM, and there were twenty-five minutes until the official start of work.
Professor Chen was on leave, but Lu Cheng was not willing to take leave.
The speed of practicing skills at home while on leave was not as fast as him performing a simple debridement and suturing.
…
“Good morning, Doctor Lu,” said Tian Duoduo, a nurse of average height but petite build, as Lu Cheng entered the department.
“Duoduo, are you just finishing your shift or just starting?” Lu Cheng paused briefly at the nurse station.
Tian Duoduo sat “ladylike” in front of the Nursing Department computer, her curvy figure prominent as she said, “We change shifts at 7:30, I just came to take over.”
“Doctor Lu, I heard from Sister Qin that you’re still single? You don’t look like it.”
Tian Duoduo had a stunning figure, her slender parts were graspable, and her fuller parts were curvaceous. Her mask covered the lower half of her face, and her foxy eyes scanned Lu Cheng.
“Ah, it’s normal to be single these days. Girls’ standards are too high. I also feel I’m not good enough, so I haven’t rushed to find someone.”
“I’ve been on many blind dates, but there was no spark.”
“By the way, Duoduo, I’m going to stop the antibiotics for bed 4 later. Have you checked if the medication has arrived? If not, please call and cancel it for me now,” Lu Cheng checked the time.
“It’s still early now, the sterile preparation center probably hasn’t prepared it yet.”
Tian Duoduo wrote it down: “Okay, Doctor Lu.”
“Um, Doctor Lu, will you still have irregular shifts next month like you did this month?” Tian Duoduo asked meaningfully.
“Mm, yes! After all, I’m new here,” Lu Cheng pretended not to understand Tian Duoduo’s implication.
He had heard many times about Tian Duoduo, this young lady, who was curvy, fiery-tempered, came from an extraordinary family background, was currently single, but had had many boyfriends.
Lu Cheng didn’t want to rack his brain to deal with someone like that.
“That’s because you’re amazing, Doctor Lu, which is why you have so much to do.” Tian Duoduo felt a little regretful and didn’t give Lu Cheng an invitation card.
“I heard from the Head Nurse this morning that your performance this month was more than Zeng Huanqi and the others.”
“Truly amazing!” Tian Duoduo gave Lu Cheng a thumbs up.
Income was a very sensitive topic, but chief surgeon performance was something ordinary people couldn’t envy.
Lu Cheng’s high performance was mainly from his chief surgeon fees, and he was doing surgeries that others couldn’t handle, so no one dared to question it.
It had always been like this at the county hospital: if you can do it, you do it; if you can’t, don’t complain.
“It’s all hard-earned money. It hasn’t even reached five figures, so how can it be considered a lot?” Lu Cheng smiled casually and continued, “I’m going to see patients now. Duoduo, remember to call the sterile preparation center.”
…
As Lu Cheng entered the doctor’s lounge, Han Xiaoping, who was on the day shift, was looking at his payslip. However, upon seeing Lu Cheng enter, he immediately put it into his pocket.
“Brother Lu, have you had breakfast yet?” Han Xiaoping, with his square face and a smile, had a slight fawning look in his eyes.
Lu Cheng paused as he reached for his white coat: “Brother Han, what are you doing?”
Han Xiaoping was the type who never did anything without a motive and had “lying flat” written all over his face.
“I’m asking you to have breakfast together, Brother Lu. You’ve worked so hard this month, haven’t you?”
“Here, let me give you a massage…” Han Xiaoping made a move to stand up.
After Lu Cheng joined the emergency department, even with an extra person, his performance not only didn’t decrease but increased by fifteen hundred yuan.
His original performance was only five thousand nine hundred, which was an increase of over twenty-five percent.
Is this still Xiao Lu? This is more like a Godfather!
The salary at the county hospital wasn’t actually low. If you included social security, housing fund, and the money received, it was about ten thousand.
But the money received each month was the attending physician’s 2600 yuan plus fixed income and performance income.
In the regular emergency department, getting a little over eight thousand yuan in hand was already considered upper-middle class in Long County, but this month it had directly reached nearly ten thousand.
This was a tangible increase in income.
“Brother Han, stop joking. Come on, you should take me to see patients,” Lu Cheng patted away Han Xiaoping’s hand.
“Yes, sir! Teacher Lu!” Han Xiaoping instantly transformed into a “dutiful follower.”
As a member of the “lying flat” party, he had recognized reality, and the only thing he cared about was the money he received each month.
If Lu Cheng could bring him higher income, then he was his “benefactor”!
Without many skills and with average basic skills, Han Xiaoping clearly understood that he couldn’t replicate Lu Cheng’s path. He wouldn’t get opportunities for simpler surgeries like appendectomies, so he could only handle the “logistics.”
“Brother Han, in the latter half of the month, are the passive rehabilitation techniques we actively perform for patients charged for?” Lu Cheng asked, suddenly turning his head while walking.
Han Xiaoping calmly nodded: “Rehabilitation department charges are charged. It’s not embarrassing for you to personally guide it, Xiao Lu, as it’s also charged.”
“They can’t even guide tendon postoperative rehabilitation.”
Lu Cheng thoughtfully suggested, “Then Brother Han, would you like to learn systematically?”
Han Xiaoping also thought seriously and replied, “That’s a good idea…”
After saying that, Han Xiaoping quickened his pace.
Lu Cheng looked at Han Xiaoping’s profile, and a thought stirred within him—
In fact, Han Xiaoping wasn’t a born “lying flat” person; he was just a “Big Brother” whose sharp edges had been thoroughly worn down.
