116 Staggering (2/2)

Pan Hua would just pretend that he had not witnessed Ling Ran's surgical skills.

He would continue to arrange surgeries for himself every day, and try to carry out as many of them as possible. He would do four surgeries a day… No, four surgeries a day was too much, but if he could ensure that he performed three surgeries every day, even the people in the Hand Surgery Department would praise him for being hardworking.

”Our department associate director has amazing surgical skills. I can't reach his level no matter how hard I try.” Young Tie often acted as Pan Hua's assistant. Sometimes, Pan Hua only carried out the most important steps in a surgery and left the rest to Young Tie. That led to Young Tie becoming more and more familiar with the M-Tang technique.

Young Tie, of course, was always able to please other people with his words.

Every time that happened, Pan Hua would flash a humble smile. ”Don't flatter me. You could even be better than me when you reach my age.”

”It's impossible. I know just by looking at your hands. It's a good thing you didn't learn how to play the piano. Or else, you would've become a world-class musician instead of a world-class doctor.

”Young Tie, you're such a sweet talker.” Pan Hua laughed out loud, and the gloominess he had been feeling for the past few days disappeared without a trace.

”Department Associate Director Pan, your hands are indeed beautiful. The moment other people see your hands, they'll ask you whether you're a pianist or a doctor.” The scrub nurse working with Department Associate Director Pan that day was older in age, and she was not stingy with her praises.

Her words made Pan Hua extremely happy. He flung away the used piece of gauze and picked up a new one with a pair of forceps before he dipped it into the antiseptic solution. He then said with a smile, ”This is something I always say: confidence is the most important thing for doctors, especially surgeons. Our reasons for some of the decisions that we make are too complicated to be clearly explained in a few words, and we're always racing against time when performing surgeries. This is why we can only make decisions on our own and bear the consequences alone. It would not be possible without confidence. Therefore, confidence is the most important attribute for a surgeon to possess.”

Young Tie said with a myriad of emotions surging in him, ”You're right. When I watch you during surgeries, I can feel the extreme decisiveness in your movements. Sometimes, when I talk to other doctors, I'd tell them about how if we were as firm as Department Associate Director Pan in making decisions, our patients' prognosis would be better even if our skills remain terrible.”

”That's the way. You should be confident in yourself,” Pan Hua said in an extremely serious tone. ”Confidence is a surgeon's greatest wealth.”

When Pan Hua said those words, a figure seemed to appear in his mind. He immediately shook his head to get rid of it.

*Buzz, buzz…*

Pan Hua's mobile phone started to vibrate.

”I'll leave the rest to you.” It was by pure coincidence that Pan Hua had reached the tail end of his surgery. He carefully checked the stitches. When he saw that there was no problem, he took off his glasses and his scrubs.

Young Tie hummed in acknowledgement and skilfully carried on with the surgery. Even though his skills were slightly inadequate when it came to carrying out an entire surgery using the M-Tang technique, Pan Hua could let him finish up the surgery without worry.

Not long after that, Young Tie's mobile phone started to ring too.

Young Tie asked a nurse next to the operating table to fish out his mobile phone from his pocket. The moment he looked at the screen, he quickly gestured the nurse to answer the call. He inched his face close to the mobile phone and asked in a soft voice, ”Department Associate Director Pan?”

”Are you done with the surgery?”

”Almost, I'll be done in a few minutes…”

”Come to the balcony when you're done.”

”Ah… oh.” Young Tie felt unsettled. He asked the nurse by the operating table to put his mobile phone back into his pocket and said, ”Miss Li, can you do me a favor? See if there's any doctor outside. Ask him to come over and help.”

Young Tie was done with closing the incision a few minutes later. He handed the patient to another doctor and exited the operating theater. He rushed straight to the balcony without bothering to take the elevator.

The balcony was not windy, and Young Tie could smell smoke. It was the Jiu Wu Zhi Zun cigarettes that Pan Hua often smoked.

When he approached Pan Hua, he saw that the floor tile next to Pan Hua's feet was already littered with cigarette butts.

”Department Associate Director Pan, what's going on?” Young Tie felt his blood run cold. 'Something major must have happened!'

”My…” Department Associate Director Pan's voice was hoarse from the cigarette smoke. He coughed a few times before he said, ”Someone chopped off my brother-in-law's hand. His right hand is badly wounded, and he's being sent to the hospital now.”

”What? Who did it?” Young Tie knew that Department Associate Director Pan often stayed in his brother-in-law's place whenever he was chased out by his wife, and his relationship with his brother-in-law was extremely good. He immediately shared Pan Hua's hatred towards the culprit.

Department Associate Director Pan extinguished the cigarette in his hand and said, ”It was a debt-related dispute. The culprit has already been captured. The most important thing now is to save his hand first.”

”Yes, we should do that. Your thought processes are so clear.”

Department Associate Director Pan's mind was filled with his older sister's cries. He shook his head again and said, ”The incident happened at a construction site in Tiger Leaping Gorge. He'll be here in two hours tops…”

”Don't worry, I'll immediately arrange an operating theater for him.” Young Tie slapped his chest again.

However, Department Associate Director Pan went silent.

Young Tie looked at him, feeling puzzled.

After a long while, Department Associate Director Pan said, ”Young Tie, how have I treated you?”

That was the standard line one would recite when one wanted someone else to show his loyalty. Young Tie's answer was exemplary. ”I'm greatly indebted to you.”

Department Associate Director Pan let out a loud sigh and said, ”My poor sister… My brother-in-law's small company was finally starting to make profit after he started it more than ten years ago. But then, this happened. Moreover, he's a designer. If his hand doesn't function well any longer, he won't be able to take in more projects in the future… Young Tie.”

”Yes.”

”When my brother-in-law arrives, receive him on my behalf.”

”All right.”

”Right now…” Department Associate Director Pan paused for a moment and said, ”Go and look for Ling Ran.”

”Huh?”

Department Associate Director Pan lit up another cigarette, letting the misty smoke cover his face. ”Don't mention my name, but think of a way to make Ling Ran take my brother-in-law in. Then, find a way to monitor the surgery on my behalf.”