Chapter 313 - Good things take time (2/2)

Superintendent Ouyang gave him a sidelong glance and expressionlessly took the water. After sipping on it, she said, “This is the final time. I definitely won’t ever get involved in your stupid affairs again.”

“Okay, okay, okay! I’ll definitely never make you angry again.” Well, Zhang Fan was only saying such a thing. He wasn’t a local from the border province, so he didn’t know that many people here. Who aside from Superintendent Ouyang could he ask for help with such a matter?”

“Are you still in contact with Professor Li Jinjing from Dee University in Raptor City?” Superintendent Ouyang asked as she put down her cup.

“Yes, I still talk to him. He’s applied for a hepatic portal vein system research project, so he’s often been discussing this matter with me over the phone.”

“Oh! How is it, is it very difficult?”

“They’ve failed many times already. Director Li wants me to go visit him in Raptor City.”

“Don’t go. You’ll be in higher demand if you make him come to you. When he comes, add Chasu City Hospital into the research project as well. It’s so difficult for a lower-level hospital to apply for a research project, but it’s as easy as playing around for a professor at a high-level provincial hospital. Adding ourselves into the research project will also improve our hospital’s research capabilities.”

“Yes, alright, Superintendent, I understand. Then, about my hand and foot surgery hospital…” Zhang Fan became anxious because Superintendent Ouyang had changed the topic. He was still too young and naïve!

“This is an easy matter. Adamantly refuse to go to Raptor City so that Professor Li personally comes to Chasu City. The hand and foot surgery hospital’s matter will also be resolved. Professor Li’s not in a big hurry yet, so we don’t need to be in a hurry, either.” Superintendent Ouyang smiled as she said this. Right now, she seemed far more like a crooked merchant than a superintendent.

“Oh, alright. I’ll be going back to work then.” Zhang Fan didn’t ask what he should do, as he really understood Superintendent Ouyang by now. As long as she had agreed to help him, he wouldn’t need to worry about anything.

“Go now. Chasu City Chinese Medicine Hospital has also established a microsurgery department!” Superintendent Ouyang said something seemingly randomly as Zhang Fan was leaving.

“What could she have meant by that?” Zhang Fan didn’t really understand as he walked back to orthopedic department #1. Still, he didn’t need to worry too much about this, as he could simply leave it to Batu, who would surely understand what Superintendent Ouyang had meant.

Back at orthopedic department #1, Jiang Nini was the only member of Zhang Fan’s medical team who was present.

“Little Jiang, where are the others?” Jiang Nini was really beautiful, but Zhang Fan had gotten used to being able to look at her directly after seeing her often enough.

Jiang Nini got up and smiled as she explained to Zhang Fan, “Doctor Wang and Doctor Xue had a bet, but Xue Fei lost in the end. Doctor Wang dragged him away as he had to treat the others to a meal of horsemeat.”

“Ha! He’s so dumb, yet he still loves to bet and gamble. How come you didn’t go with everyone?” Zhang Fan asked as he flipped through medical reports.

“I was waiting for you!” Jiang Nini walked several steps closer to him.

“Oh, you should go and have a free meal, otherwise it will be over.” Zhang Fan put down the medical report and gently tilted his body so that he wouldn’t touch her as he walked past to go to the changing room. He felt that it would be better for him to pretend not to notice her romantic interest in him. Zhang Fan was no idiot, so of course he noticed her interest, but he felt that he should be aware of such things and remain loyal.

Xue Fei was dejectedly forced to the restaurant by Wang Yanan and the others. Horsemeat was a specialty of Chasu City. There weren’t many opportunities remaining to eat horsemeat, as the weather was getting hotter. In the border province, killing cows for meat wasn’t that rare, but normally only one horse would be slaughtered per year for each family. In 2010, half a kilogram of beef would cost around 30 yuan, but half a kilogram of horsemeat would typically cost anywhere from 80 to 100 yuan.

“Hey! How come you’re here? Didn’t you go out for a meal?” Xue Fei wanted to die when he saw Zhang Fan—Zhang Fan was far too big of an eater.

“I heard that you were treating everyone to a meal, so of course I would come.” Zhang Fan and Jiang Nini entered the horsemeat restaurant together. Was Xue Fei stingy? He was willing to bet several thousand yuan in one go and lose it all to the middle-aged women that he usually played with. Was he generous? He was unwilling to spend much on meals when he was treating others. This time, Wang Yanan finally captured him because he lost a gamble to her. Everyone was really happy about this, except for Xue Fei himself.

“It’s your fault for bullying me. I’m definitely going to eat until you go bankrupt today. Zhang Fan, eat as much as you want,” Wang Yanan exclaimed angrily.

“Alright, let me tell you all that my limit is 500 yuan. I refuse to pay for anything more.”

“Where were you?” Wang Yanan asked Zhang Fan as they were eating together.

“I was arranging matters for the surgery.”

“He’s just making stuff up. Don’t look at how he seems like a fool; he’s actually quite sly. I’m the only honest man here,” Xue Fei exclaimed to Wang Yanan while pouring some tea.

“Who would believe you? It’s not like you’re a properly good person.” Well, this was just a way of establishing friendly coworker relationships over time.

“It seems to me that patient #13’s family’s financial condition isn’t that good. The surgery fee will be troublesome,” Zhang Fan commented. Patient #13 was Baiyintibu’s nephew, whose name was Bate.

“This is a major surgery. You’re going to insist on doing it, aren’t you?” Xue Fei inquired. The others, Wang Yanan included, didn’t know how much a corrective surgery would cost. China’s metal plate production technology was adequate, but metal plates for corrective surgery had high requirements to the point where even most international companies weren’t able to make them. Not only were corrective surgeries highly difficult, there were far fewer patients for such surgeries compared to bone fractures, so there wasn’t much market for correct surgery metal plates, meaning that nobody in China focused on producing them. Meanwhile, Chinese medical insurance wouldn’t pay for imported medical equipment, which was why Zhang Fan was worried about the surgery fee for the patient’s family’s sake.

“Aren’t nomads rather rich?” Wang Yanan asked rather foolishly.

“What a joke. You think most of them are rich? Most of them make just enough to get by. It’s also spring now, which is the season with the lowest prices for cows and goats. It will be quite troublesome for them. This surgery really might not be possible.”

The atmosphere had originally been rather happy since Xue Fei was treating everyone to a meal, but then became rather suppressed once the topic of work was brought up.

“I think I have an idea.” At this moment, Jiang Nini suddenly spoke up when she had only been listening from the side!