Chapter 4: Young man, I have high hopes for you

After his initial shock, anger surged from the bottom of Wang Daxiao's heart.

He was a kind-hearted person who had no intention of suppressing or making things difficult for the young doctors who had just stepped into clinical practice; he even did his utmost to fulfill his duties as an Attending Teacher—which was why he had agreed to let this group of children experience surgery up close while they were touring the hospital.

Even if it was just a minor outpatient surgery, it was still surgery!

He had to be responsible for the Patient!!

But what Wang Daxiao had never expected was that Ji Xiang's hand speed would be so fast; a hand speed that couldn't be trained even after thirty years of being single had inexplicably appeared, and in the blink of an eye, the knot was finished, catching him off guard.

He didn't have time to grab the Hemostatic Forceps, so he raised his hand and slapped the back of Ji Xiang's hand.

"Why so fast!" Wang Daxiao suppressed his anger, maintained the most basic politeness, and said unhappily, "This is surgery, are you in a rush to..."

Halfway through his sentence, Wang Daxiao swallowed the rest of the harsh words.

It was a circumcision, and the Patient was under Local Anesthesia; even if he had a thousand or ten thousand complaints about this little Standardized Training Student, he couldn't expose them in front of the Patient.

Otherwise, things might very well slide in an uncontrollable direction.

Besides, the person beside him was just a student... it was all his own fault.

"Is it fast?" Ji Xiang was startled.

But he didn't continue to argue; instead, he let go, stood to one side, honest and well-behaved.

Wang Daxiao sighed, picked up the suture scissors, and prepared to cut the knot to redo it.

Looking up at the knot, that "reckless" kid hadn't used too much force to cause a tear, which could be considered a blessing in disguise; Wang Daxiao let out a long breath.

It wasn't an important procedure to begin with, otherwise Wang Daxiao wouldn't have handed it over to a small Standardized Training Student to perform.

But just as Wang Daxiao was about to pull on the knot, his hand froze in mid-air.

This knot...

This knot...

It was tied well!

It was a standard surgical knot, not tied into a Slip Knot like many beginners would do.

Moreover, it looked to be of appropriate tightness; it was firm, yet it hadn't caused local ischemia or even tearing due to excessive tension from using too much force.

Although Tying Knots was just the most basic operation on the operating table, coming from the hands of a reserve Standardized Training Doctor who hadn't even entered the department yet, it still surprised Wang Daxiao a little.

He stared for 3 seconds, confirmed that the knot was indeed tied quite well, and turned his head to look at Ji Xiang, "Do you practice often at home?"

"I have practiced," Ji Xiang answered "honestly."

"Not bad, but..." Wang Daxiao drew out his voice, staring at Ji Xiang, "Slow down, and you'll be faster."

The surrounding Standardized Training Students hadn't figured out the situation yet; seeing Teacher Wang get angry, some were scared into taking half a step back, hiding behind others to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

But in the blink of an eye, Teacher Wang became amiable again, and seemed to be praising Ji Xiang.

"Continue," Wang Daxiao nodded and said.

Ji Xiang picked up the Needle Holder, threaded the needle, and skillfully began the Interrupted suture.

Wang Daxiao's gaze was like a torch, watching Ji Xiang suture the whole way.

Suturing...

Wang Daxiao's pupils gradually shrank, his brows locked tight, and the wrinkles on his face gradually gathered, like a chrysanthemum slowly blooming.

Ji Xiang's technique didn't look like that of a Standardized Training Doctor who had just graduated and entered clinical practice, but rather like an attending doctor who had been tempered in clinical work for several years—skillful and not lacking in delicacy.

The stitches were even, and the force used for Tying Knots was neither too much nor too little; it was just right.

Wang Daxiao held the suture scissors, and after Ji Xiang finished tying the knot, he acted like an assistant, confirming the knot was fine before cutting the Suture.

One stitch after another fell; Wang Daxiao didn't speak, and Ji Xiang was happy to finish the surgery.

After all, the System had issued him a task, and there was a reward after the task; Ji Xiang wanted to know what this so-called Basic Endurance was.

Soon the suturing was finished, and Wang Daxiao checked it again; seeing there were no problems, he began the Pressure Bandage.

After the bandaging, a crisp sound rang in Ji Xiang's ears.

【System Task: The simplest minor surgery completed, reward Basic Endurance +1.】

A line of text appeared on the System Panel at the top right of Ji Xiang's field of vision.

At the same time, a warm current descended as if pouring down from the top of his head; Ji Xiang felt warm throughout his entire body, an indescribable comfort.

Would this be the 'sage time' next? This thought appeared in Ji Xiang's mind.

When training in the System Space, Ji Xiang hadn't felt very tired, relying on a sense of novelty.

Plus, he was young and in good health, so he had performed surgery for a long time in one go.

Later, when he was kicked out by the System NPC for excessive physical exertion, Ji Xiang had still felt some regret.

This warm current flowed through his whole body, sweeping away his fatigue; the red "Blood Gauge" in the top right corner of his vision was instantly refilled, and the base value also changed from 8 to 8+1.

So that's how it is, Ji Xiang felt happy.

Although Wang Daxiao appreciated Ji Xiang, he didn't let him stay on the operating table.

For the next surgery, another Standardized Training Student was swapped in to assist him and observe the surgery up close.

This time, the Anesthesia didn't go very smoothly; after the local infiltration anesthesia at the base, the Patient still had sensation.

Wang Daxiao wasn't panicked either; it seemed that similar situations were not uncommon.

He picked up the Syringe and gave a shot directly into the head.

Just as the needle tip pierced in, the Patient let out an "Ouch!" of agony, which gave the classmates behind Ji Xiang a fright.

He subconsciously jumped back, almost knocking over the prepared medicine on the cart.

Giving an extra shot, is it that painful? Ji Xiang frowned slightly.

"Bear with it, grit your teeth and it will pass in a second."

Wang Daxiao comforted the Patient very easily.

As the anesthetic drug was pushed in, Ji Xiang noticed the Patient's face turning blue and purple, with sweat breaking out on his forehead.

It was indeed very painful, not something being faked.

However, this was only caused by the pain; the effect of the local anesthesia injected into the head was quite excellent, the medication took effect quickly, and the surgery continued.

The surgery was performed with extreme steadiness, and after a few hours, the 8 Outpatient Surgery cases were finished.

Wang Daxiao took the Standardized Training Students to check on the post-operative Patients, and seeing that there were no issues, he instructed the Patients on medication change times and precautions before sending them home.

"Go visit other departments," Wang Daxiao said to the Standardized Training Students, "The surgical process is very simple, but it is not as simple as you think."

"Teacher." A Standardized Training Student habitually raised their hand to ask a question.

"Go ahead."

"Circumcision shouldn't be difficult, I... I..."

"You've mastered it?" Wang Daxiao had already taken off his mask, a faint, ambiguous smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"I feel like I could do it myself after learning for a few more months," the Standardized Training Doctor said "humbly."

He then muttered in a low voice, seemingly saying that if Ji Xiang could do it, he could too.

Wang Daxiao did not refute his words, just smiled, and beckoned to Ji Xiang, "Ji Yisheng, accompany me for a smoke."

Amidst the envious gazes of many classmates, Ji Xiang scratched his head honestly and accompanied Wang Daxiao to the Fire Exit.

"It's getting harder and harder to smoke now; when I first started working, I could smoke anywhere in the Consultation Room." Wang Daxiao sat down on the steps, fished a pack of Ninety-Five Supreme out of his White Uniform pocket, and shook it at Ji Xiang.

"Teacher Wang, I don't smoke."

"That's true." Wang Daxiao didn't force him, and lit a cigarette for himself, "Smoking is harmful to health, but people, they always harbor wishful thinking until they reach that point, always feeling they are the exception."

After lighting the cigarette, Wang Daxiao took a satisfying puff.

Wang Daxiao inhaled the entire puff of smoke, and there was no sign of him exhaling clouds, which surprised Ji Xiang a little.

A chain-smoker like Wang Daxiao was truly extremely rare.

After a full 3 seconds, a few wisps of smoke were exhaled, and Wang Daxiao's whole body relaxed, "Having a smoke after finishing surgery is truly damn comfortable; a surge of energy shoots straight from the base of the spine to the back of the brain."

Ji Xiang didn't understand Wang Daxiao's description and just politely offered a smile.

"Surgery looks simple, but in reality, every step is like standing on the edge of an abyss or walking on thin ice. You think you can handle it in a few months? If nothing goes wrong, you really don't know your own weight."

There was no disdain in Wang Daxiao's tone, and Ji Xiang vaguely heard some unbearable past events.

"Little Ji Yisheng, do you know how much this cigarette costs?" Wang Daxiao asked, shaking the Ninety-Five Supreme in his hand with a hint of regret.

Ji Xiang shook his head.

"One hundred," Wang Daxiao said, "Doctors nowadays are not like in the past; ordinary small doctors can't afford to smoke this kind of cigarette."

"Teacher, what do you mean..."

"You just came into contact with Clinical surgery and could already do it in a decent manner; I'm happy to see that, so I'm telling you a bit more." Wang Daxiao said, puffing on his cigarette, his words slightly slurred.

His subsequent smoking movements were quite normal; there was no sign of him swallowing all the smoke in the first puff.

"Little Ji Yisheng, let me ask you, why do you want to be a Doctor?" Wang Daxiao asked.

"My mom said you can't touch gambling or drugs, but the most wealth-draining thing is starting a business, so it's better to learn a trade to keep yourself grounded." Ji Xiang said the truth.

Wang Daxiao was stunned for a moment.

He had originally expected to hear the set of things instilled by the school from this young man's mouth—high-sounding words like healing the wounded and rescuing the dying.

But Ji Xiang's mother's words...

This was definitely not the thinking of an ordinary family.

Even Wang Daxiao, who had been struggling in society for decades, could only vaguely understand what Ji Xiang meant; he certainly couldn't claim to fully grasp it.

After all, those were worldviews from two different worlds.

Wang Daxiao was momentarily speechless, and the subsequent remarks he had planned couldn't be uttered.

"Teacher Wang, please go on," Ji Xiang said politely.

"Does your family have a background?"

"I don't know the specifics either." Ji Xiang smiled.

Wang Daxiao sighed, and Ji Xiang's 1.88-meter figure seemed to become unfathomable.

"Find some time another day to go to an outside hospital with me to take a look," Wang Daxiao finally expressed his thoughts, "With multi-site practice, us folks in the Urology Department don't earn any less than others."

"Old Military Doctor, the kind on the telephone poles?" Ji Xiang asked with a smile.

Wang Daxiao was amiable, so Ji Xiang didn't hold back and started joking.

"Nonsense, those are all charlatans swindling people," Wang Daxiao said, "Performing a circumcision in the hospital is just a surgical case count; if it were at a plastic surgery hospital, the surgical fee for one operation would be enough for me to smoke several packs. It's a pity Mo doesn't do Extension Surgery; if he did, he could earn even more."

Wang Daxiao's voice grew lower as he said the last sentence, and as for who Mo was, Ji Xiang didn't care.

Looking at Ji Xiang's calm expression, Wang Daxiao could guess that this young man's family was definitely not ordinary.

It was truly a pity, Wang Daxiao sighed.

Since Ji Xiang wasn't short of money, his recruitment was meaningless.

After accompanying Wang Daxiao to finish his cigarette, Ji Xiang politely said goodbye and continued to tour the hospital.

A few hours later, he got off work and went home.

His bicycle was parked next to the Shared Bicycle; Ji Xiang greeted a burly man and rode his strange bicycle, which was covered in butterfly patterns, home.

Less than a thousand meters away from the Wanda Plaza in the city center, there was a patch of private garden-style architecture; dense trees separated the courtyard from the bustling crowd, finding tranquility amidst the noise.

Ji Xiang rode into the courtyard, put the bike in the shed, and pushed the door to enter the house.

"Dad, I'm home!" Ji Xiang said while changing his shoes.

A middle-aged man was sitting in the study, the computer screen was green, shining on his face and reflecting a green glow, like a vegetable patch.

If it were anywhere else, this would be a sign of vibrant life, but the green on the man's face was full of bad luck.

"Yo, dropped again?" Ji Xiang laughed.

"Mm." The man sat up straight and stretched, "Let's eat."

The man stood up; there was a light dusting of snow at his temples, and his expression was handsome. Ji Xiang and he were practically carved from the same mold.

"How was your first day at the hospital? When is the exam?" the man asked very calmly.

"It was alright." Ji Xiang had no heart for idle chatter with the old man; he was more interested in the System Panel in the top right corner of his field of vision.

But suddenly, Ji Xiang remembered something, and he asked, "Dad, did you feel uncomfortable after we injected the Stem Cells a few days ago? Did you have any hallucinations or anything?"

"Hm? I'm fine. Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

"No." Ji Xiang hurriedly steered the conversation elsewhere.

Extracting adipose tissue to culture Stem Cells for reinfusion—since coming of age, Ji Xiang had to have it reinfused twice a year, though he didn't know how much it cost each time.

This kind of procedure wasn't for treating illness, but for enhancing immunity; legend had it that it could also delay aging.

He had long been accustomed to this, but the appearance of the system after the Stem Cell reinfusion made it impossible for Ji Xiang not to overthink and ask a question.

After dinner, Ji Xiang didn't accompany the old man for a walk, but instead used the excuse of being tired from his first day in surgery to return to his room, lie on the bed, and carefully observe the System Panel.

(End of chapter)