Chapter 179: The Old Father

"I don't know what you need," Zhao Zhe said embarrassedly, "so I just brought everything in one go. You can see what you can use."

"It's fine, it's fine." Ji Xiang looked at the pile of things, called Liu Zhuren, and then called a car to take the materials home.

"Teacher Xiao Ji..." Zhao Zhe grabbed Ji Xiang.

"No, no, Teacher Zhao, just call me Xiao Ji." Ji Xiang hurriedly cut off the chatterbox Zhao Zhe.

"It's only right." Zhao Zhe's face was full of smiles. "You have a bright future ahead of you; maybe one day I'll have to invite you to help me perform surgery. You know the situation at our hospital—if there were a chance to carry out Interventional Surgery at our hospital, that would be great, but unfortunately, there's never been such an opportunity. I was just wondering..."

Zhao Zhe's words drifted further and further; if he weren't interrupted, he might have talked until the end of time.

Ji Xiang smiled. "Teacher Zhao, even if I go to Shanghai, I don't have that kind of ability. You're overthinking it."

"Sigh, isn't this just giving myself a bit of psychological comfort?" Zhao Zhe said. "I also know that having a DSA machine alone isn't enough; you also need people to perform the surgery. The cultivation of talent is passed down from generation to generation, but if the leadership doesn't value it, nothing can be done. A while ago, I heard someone say..."

"Teacher Zhao, wait, wait." Ji Xiang hurriedly stopped Zhao Zhe's topic, which was flowing like a mighty river. If he were a moment later, the topic would likely have been carried to the ends of the earth.

"Teacher Zhao, wait, wait." Ji Xiang hurriedly interrupted Zhao Zhe's torrential flow of topics; if he had been any later, he reckoned the conversation would have been carried off to the ends of the earth.

"I don't have that much ability. Going to Shanghai—I don't even know what the outcome will be myself. I just think your research has been going on for a long time and is quite reliable, so I wanted to see the opinions of the big shots in Shanghai."

"Ah? These materials of mine..." Zhao Zhe had a realization. He looked at Ji Xiang in bewilderment, as if something had overturned his worldview. "Xiao Ji... Doctor, these materials are a gift for you."

"Huh? These materials of mine..." Zhao Zhe sensed something, looking at Ji Xiang with inexplicable astonishment, as if something had subverted his worldview, "Xiao Ji... Doctor, these materials are for you."

"I've been doing this for so many years, and I treat my patients like friends and family. These materials are full of my heart and soul, just like my own children."

"What parent doesn't hope for their child to have a bright future? You know what I mean."

As Zhao Zhe spoke, his waist habitually hunched, his face full of wrinkles, and every wrinkle carried humility and fawning.

Even when giving away his life's work, Zhao Zhe remained habitually humble, as if he were an ant.

"I'm speaking from the heart. I'm just a doctor in the Urology Department, and I actually took the wrong path from the start by doing such a large-scale study. How many patients in our small place can undergo partial Kidney Resection? Plus, no one values it."

"On top of that, this conference is for the Interventional Department, which isn't my field. If the big shots in Shanghai take a liking to it, then I'll give these to you, Ji Yisheng Xiang. If results can be produced, that's best; if a paper is published, it would be best if I could be included as a fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth author."

"If I can't be included, it doesn't matter. Just seeing my own child have a bright future makes me happy. Of course, of course, it's not my child, it's yours, Ji Yisheng Xiang."

"If you can't bring them, it doesn't matter; I'm happy in my heart just seeing my own child doing well. Of course, of course, not my child, but yours, Ji Yisheng."

"Actually, I have no interest in publishing papers or scientific research anymore. It's fine to just be an old Attending Physician for the rest of my life. Look at them getting promoted—whose research isn't bought? Here, look at my phone."

Zhao Zhe said this, took out his phone, opened WeChat, and found a group.

"These are all people selling papers; it has become an industrial chain now. Yesterday, someone even posted on their Moments that a first-author spot for an SCI article was vacant and to act fast if needed."

"You tell me, what does this have to do with scientific research? The research in my imagination isn't like this, and I'm not willing to... Sigh, if I were ten years younger, I would definitely buy one. But at my age now, I might as well just let it go; it doesn't matter."

"Anyway, I have a permanent position. Being a Resident Physician or an old Attending Physician for a lifetime is just embarrassing, it doesn't affect anything else."

"But my heart and soul from these years are different. I really hope they can go to a good home... Hahaha, I'm not marrying off a daughter, I don't need a dowry; I really hope they can become world-famous."

"That's not right either, they definitely won't be world-famous. If they can get into a domestic journal, please mail me a copy. Even if my name isn't on it, it's fine. I'll look at the data on it and smile even in my dreams."

The more Zhao Zhe spoke, the more humble he became, and the more emotional he got.

He was like an old father, wanting his child to have a bright future, trying hard to curry favor with Ji Xiang.

"Teacher Zhao, look at what you're saying," Ji Xiang hurriedly said. "It has nothing to do with what you said. Let's go to my place, organize the materials, and make them into a PPT."

"Teacher Ling called me yesterday and said he would review it. If it's okay, it will be placed in the final, grand finale spot to give the report."

"Yesterday, Teacher Ling called me and said he would review it, and if it's suitable, he will place it in the final grand finale spot to present the report."

"It seems you can't be the one to give the report, because they specifically asked for me to do it," Ji Xiang said with a hint of regret. "But your name must be the first author on the paper; I'm just the one tagging along for the ride."

"Ji Yisheng Xiang, look at what you're saying." Zhao Zhe was a bit dazed, and even his chatterbox habit was cured; this was not what he had expected.

"I'm telling the truth, Teacher Zhao," Ji Xiang said seriously. "Although I performed three surgeries with Liu Zhuren, there is no long-term efficacy. Everything is rooted in your years of research to be able to draw a conclusion."

"No, no." Zhao Zhe waved his hands repeatedly, refusing firmly. "It's a conference for the Interventional Department, not the Urology Department; how could I steal the spotlight! Ji Yisheng Xiang, please don't be so polite."

"No, no." Zhao Zhe waved his hands repeatedly, refusing firmly, "It's an Interventional Surgery conference, not a Urology Department conference, how could we steal the show! Ji Yisheng, please don't be so polite."

Zhao Zhe said this, his eyes shining; he was envious to the core.

But having been worn down by life for too long, Zhao Zhe couldn't muster even a shred of jealousy.

He only had one thought—the bigger and higher the stage his child could reach, the better. As for whether he could get any benefits, Zhao Zhe no longer had the heart for it.

What Zhao Zhe worried about most was that Ji Xiang would abandon his child.

After all, this was the Interventional annual conference. The interventional surgical techniques Ji Xiang displayed had long since convinced Zhao Zhe; he knew that the data he had accumulated over the years was optional and was essentially a "chicken rib" to Ji Xiang.

After all, it was an Interventional annual meeting, and the Interventional Surgery techniques Ji Xiang displayed had long since convinced Zhao Zhe; he knew the data he had accumulated over the years was dispensable, and to Ji Xiang, it was simply like chewing on chicken bones.

At the conference, Ji Xiang could completely showcase his own exquisite surgical techniques instead of a study related to the Urology Department.

At the conference, Ji Xiang could fully demonstrate the exquisite techniques he used in surgery, rather than a study related to the Urology Department.

He was no longer an ignorant youth.

The two were polite to each other the whole way, and Zhao Zhe finally expressed his meaning through his rambling.

Arriving outside Ji Xiang's house, Zhao Zhe was stunned.

"Ji Yisheng Xiang, your home... is truly magnificent," Zhao Zhe said, sincerely moved as he looked at the large villa tucked away in the bustling city.

"Ji Yisheng, your home... is truly magnificent." Zhao Zhe looked at the large villa, tucked away in a quiet spot amidst the hustle and bustle, and sighed with sincere emotion.

"Why is there no nanny? Such a big house, who takes care of it?"

"There's a hourly worker for cleaning, and my dad handles the lawn and such himself," Ji Xiang said. "He just likes doing these little chores."

"There's a cleaning lady for the housework, and my dad handles the lawn and such himself," Ji Xiang said. "He just likes doing these little odd jobs."

(End of chapter)