114 Utmost Confidence (1/2)

Ling Ran briskly went through his latest surgery with a marked sense of urgency.

After Pan Hua returned, Ling Ran had been perpetually functioning with the thought that ”this might be my last surgery today” and gave every surgery his all.

Ling Ran's current fame was still only confined to the walls of this hospital. Besides, performing surgeries for two months, as exceptional each of them were, did not make him renowned just yet. Those hospitals that transferred patients to other hospitals would normally take this into consideration. But if the department associate director of Yun Hua's Hand Surgery Department requested for the patients from their end, it gave off a different vibe.

Ling Ran could only perform as many surgeries as possible to gain more experience.

He could clearly sense his improvement. Ling Ran had gained many new insights through each and every surgery he performed and every accident he handled.

Ling Ran only hoped that he could improve his ability and increase his understanding of flexor tendon injuries while he was still permitted to cut patients open.

Ever since he heard the news that Department Associate Director Pan had returned to China, Ling Ran basically moved into the operating theater and lived there.

On the first day of Pan Hua's return to China, Ling Ran only completed eight operations.

The next day, he raised it to an unprecedented eleven operations.

Although the surgeries on the third day were difficult, Ling Ran still finished ten cases.

A day passed by, and another. Days went by. One week passed by.

There were still many patients coming in from other hospitals. There were still many foreign patients coming in for treatment. There were always some patients who were reeling from botched surgeries or did not have the funds and instead opted for amputation.

The long-anticipated surgery-drought was nowhere in sight.

Another Monday morning arrived.

Ling Ran stretched his body after his morning run. He had the nurse help him into his scrubs, and then looked at the clock. He said, ”It is three thirty in the morning. It's a little late, but that will not affect our performance. Let us now begin. Let's strive for the minimal margin of error and speed up.”

Lu Wenbin immediately yawned. ”Doctor Ling, you are really working hard. You really don't have to work so hard, though.”

Ling Ran still remained very alert, ”No, when the pool of patients is reduced, I won't have the chance to work hard, even if I wanted to.”

Lu Wenbin had been waiting for this answer from Ling Ran. He took a breath and said, ”I say...”

”Aspiration.” Ling Ran had already performed the incision.

”Ah… Yes.” Lu Wenbin's argumentative momentum completely disappeared. He quickly bowed his head and worked hard.

”What did you want to say just now?” Ling Ran took out the tendon and got started. He was ready to chat for a few minutes with Lu Wenbin as a service.

It was impossible for Lu Wenbin to get back to his previous state. ”Well... didn't you realize that we seem to have even more patients, if anything?”

”Is there? What is the basis for that judgment?”

”The number of referred patients and outpatients have increased. I also received a phone call from the Hand Surgery Department yesterday asking if we could take in a patient with flexor tendon injury and nerve laceration,” Lu Wenbin paused and said, ”I heard that Department Associate Director Pan and the others are not doing a lot of surgeries every day, and not all are flexor tendon surgeries, so you should stop worrying about not having enough patients...”

”Why are there more referred patients and outpatients?” Ling Ran asked the root of the question.

Lu Wenbin was rendered speechless by Ling Ran's question. However, Su Jiafu, who was at a corner with his feet on a round stool and had been up all night, coughed twice and said, ”Because of Keio University Hospital's reputation. It's all because of that guy's fame, or at least the fame of the institute that spawned him. They're all here just to get diagnosed by a Japanese expert. Many patients from other provinces have come over. They have so many patients that they can't treat all of them. They had to even hand over some surgeries to the Hand Surgery Department. The other patients were sent to you.”

”They are actually short-staffed?” Ling Ran repeated.

Lu Wenbin looked up at Ling Ran's expression and could not help but said, ”Are you jealous?”

Ling Ran immediately suppressed his emotions, lowered his head, and continued being busy.

Lu Wenbin and Su Jiafu looked at each other. They found the situation funny. After all, it was rare to see Ling Ran embarrass himself, even if it was for only a little while.

Besides, after Ling Ran reduced his speed, they could have more personal time to unwind and relax.

Lu Wenbin also wanted to go to the vegetable market in Donghu. He always asked the vendors to send over more pork trotters. It would be inevitable that the good and bad ones were mixed together. It would be better to choose them himself, especially pork shank. The difference between the good and bad was marginal. He would be more at ease if he bought them himself.

Eight o'clock in the morning.

Ling Ran announced a temporary break, went to eat, and went directly to the rehabilitation room to check on the patient's condition.

Lu Wenbin had long since been used to performing ward rounds to rest his body, and Ma Yanlin had also accepted his fate. Lu Wenbin could only comfort the latter while walking. It was also a mechanism to comfort himself in the process. ”I think we can get off work early today. Old Su and I said that there are more patients recently. Ling Ran should know better and ease off.”

”Are you sure Ling Ran would listen to you?” Ma Yanlin tried to widen his eyes before he said, ”I can barely last for another day. If I have to perform surgeries for more than ten hours today again, I will die of exhaustion.”