Chapter 42: Extension Surgery

"I'm over seventy. Once you pass seventy, you aren't detained; I don't know if that's true or not."

As he spoke, Gu Lao suddenly let out a laugh.

Everyone was bewildered.

While he was talking, his hands never stopped, completing the surgery step by step in an orderly fashion.

"More than twenty years ago, at an academic conference in Yangcheng, an Old Man who attended went out to drink and celebrate after the meeting ended, and ended up getting arrested. I guess this business about not being detained after seventy is fake."

"Boss, who are you talking about?" Zhou Jiaoshou asked, not understanding.

"Heh." Gu Lao didn't say. "The Old Man has already passed away, why be so specific. But after we found out about it back then, we were all insanely jealous. Over seventy and still able to drink and celebrate, that Spirit was truly enviable!"

"Come to think of it, if he didn't have that kind of Spirit, how do you think he managed to perform tens of thousands of surgeries in his lifetime?"

Ji Xiang didn't listen to Gu Lao's rambling gossip, but instead focused intently on the movements of his hands.

The System NPC performed surgeries better than Gu Lao, but the two were not on the same path.

One look at Gu Lao and you knew he had been immersed in the Urology Department his whole life; he was familiar with anatomical structures down to his bones.

The System NPC, however, possessed innate, powerful abilities, directly covering surgeries in departments he wasn't even particularly specialized in.

Gu Lao's surgery was worth watching; Ji Xiang watched and learned without blinking.

"Having said that, a department whose full name gets banned on the internet, heh!"

"Gu Lao, things are strict now, but it doesn't hinder us. If there's an illness, it must be treated; if there isn't, what man wouldn't want to grow 3, 5, or 10 centimeters? This is the people's beautiful demand for improving their quality of life; you mustn't have any prejudice." Li was a qualified straight man, and he followed up on Gu Lao's words.

"Plastic surgery for women is carried out very well, but for men, it's not much, which has to do with this kind of mindset." Gu Lao said, "It's just a surgery, what's the big deal? As long as you go to a regular hospital and don't look for some hole-in-the-wall private hospital, it'll be fine."

Gu Lao seemed to have forgotten something, or perhaps it was intentional; after hearing this, Li's face turned dark.

"Hahaha." Gu Lao laughed, but ignored Li's mood. "The first Extension Surgery I performed was also a case of being forced into a corner."

"Gu Lao, tell us about it."

Although Li had some complaints about Gu Lao's previous words, feeling that he was biting the hand that fed him, Li knew Gu Lao's status in the field very well and could only grit his teeth and continue to play along.

"This... is too difficult, isn't it?" Li said.

"Yes, I said it wouldn't work at the time, that the surgery couldn't be done." Gu Lao said. "Who knew the Old Man would suddenly kneel before me, tears streaming down his face. 'This son of mine is the only heir for three generations... You are young, but very responsible. We won't leave once we've come, we are willing to hand our child over to you for the experiment!'"

"You can't do this kind of surgery!" Li was very immersed in the act and quickly said, "The only heir for three generations—if the surgery went wrong, wouldn't they risk their lives against you?"

"Heh heh." Gu Lao laughed. "Back then, it was all public-funded medical care; there were no Medical Disputes. Many cases were due to medical staff not being skilled enough, leading to injury or death of the Patient."

"There were Patients who died, and the next day their Family Members would still bring firecrackers to the hospital, saying they had caused trouble for the hospital and were clearing away the bad luck."

Hearing Gu Lao talk about those things from decades ago was like hearing myths and legends; everyone stared in astonishment.

Especially Ji Xiang; his attention was even distracted for a moment.

Such reasonable Family Members are what doctors dream of today. Unfortunately, everything Gu Lao said was completely different from Ji Xiang's understanding.

The generation gap was deep; it was washed out by the torrent of the times.

However, Ji Xiang quickly refocused his attention on Gu Lao's surgery.

"And then, Gu Lao?" Li asked.

"Then I just researched it. I carried a bottle of Moutai to our Affiliated Hospital's Anatomy Teaching and Research Section, drank for three days, and bummed an Anatomical Teacher to use."

"!!!"

"After researching, I found the source of the problem. Back then, the doctor-patient relationship was good, and I was young, bold, and my mind was quite meticulous. Later, the surgery was performed, and it was a success."

"Awesome! Gu Lao!!"

Li didn't miss the opportunity to praise him.

"Two years later, the old gentleman brought his son, daughter-in-law, and held his grandson to see me."

"Your merit is immeasurable."

Li's flattery was blunt and shallow, even a bit shameless.

But when Ji Xiang heard this sentence, he didn't feel anything was wrong.

Wasn't it?

Ji Xiang had occasionally heard the System NPC talk about what the domestic medical level was like decades ago.

Gu Lao spoke lightly, saying there were no Medical Disputes at the time; that may be how he put it, but one can imagine the immense pressure he bore when performing the surgery.

Later, when the Patient's family held the child to see him and expressed their gratitude in person, saying his merit was immeasurable was truly not an exaggeration.

"But what about now? Regular channels get banned, and it's all damn advertisements! I just don't understand why we serious doctors have to hide and tuck away when doing popular science, while those advertisements that are like dog-skin plasters can run rampant." Gu Lao complained.

His grumbling was like a knife, stabbing into Li's heart one by one.

For certain reasons, it was true that Gu Lao's legitimate popular science would be reported and banned. But there were countless small advertisements of all kinds, including those for the Nan Ke Yi Yuan where Li worked.

It didn't have much to do with him anyway; the work was all done by the big boss, Li thought to himself.

Although he was very unhappy and secretly criticized Gu Lao for biting the hand that fed him, he still accompanied him with a smile on his face, showing no signs of unhappiness.

Extension Surgery—in Ji Xiang's shallow understanding of medicine, everyone held different views and opinions on this procedure.

Even the NPC in the system, the greatest of the great, said he didn't know.

So Ji Xiang didn't listen to Gu Lao's grumbling at all, but kept his eyes glued to the surgical field, watching his surgical movements.

This observation was vastly different from being taught surgery by the System NPC in the System Space.

Gu Lao's surgery was different from the System NPC's; although it was weaker, it was quite instructive.

Moreover, Ji Xiang was exposed to a brand-new surgical technique; by referencing and comparing them, he gained a bit of his own understanding.

Two hours later, the surgery ended.

Gu Lao turned to leave the table, leaving the final finishing work to Zhou Jiaoshou.

He spoke a few words to the Patient first to soothe the Patient's emotions, then turned to look for Ji Xiang.

When he saw Ji Xiang, Gu Lao was slightly startled.

Ji Xiang was like a block of wood, still staring at the surgical field, his right hand behind his back, his fingers trembling slightly, as if playing the piano.

"Doctor Xiao Ji," Gu Lao said.

Ji Xiang was silent, seemingly not hearing Gu Lao call him, and continued to stare at the surgical field without even blinking.

Mo Chenggui felt that Ji Xiang was a bit strange today, so he patted Ji Xiang on the back.

"Huh?"

"Gu Lao is calling you."

Ji Xiang came back to his senses; the Energy Value on the System Panel in the top right corner of his vision, which had barely moved before, had already dropped by half.

Emmm, what is going on?

What Ji Xiang had always been worried about in the System Space was his Endurance Value; his Energy Value had always been sufficient.

But after watching one of Gu Lao's surgeries, his Energy Value had been consumed by half.

He hurriedly stopped pondering the details; he could discuss these matters with the System NPC, who would surely be able to give him a satisfactory answer.

"Gu Lao." Ji Xiang stopped pondering and turned around with a smile.

"You were watching very intently; what were you thinking about?" Gu Lao asked.

"Your surgery was excellent, but there were a few points I didn't understand."

"Go ahead."

Ji Xiang stated the few places he didn't understand and left the operating room following Gu Lao's footsteps.

Mo Chenggui looked at the backs of Ji Xiang and Gu Lao, feeling bewildered.

Gu Lao was a titan in the industry and a top-tier scholar; to be favored by Gu Lao was simply like one's ancestral grave emitting blue smoke.

However, how could an ancestral grave just emit smoke so easily?

The coffin lid must be nailed down tight, otherwise, it wouldn't fit a materialist's understanding of this world.

But Ji Xiang's ancestral grave seemed to be cooking, with puffs of blue smoke rising one after another, endless and overwhelming.

Back when he was just a Pre-service Trainee, he was already spotted by Wang Daxiao and himself, and now that he had come out to perform surgery, he was spotted by Gu Lao again.

This person, his Luck is truly good.

Just as he was thinking this, a sudden pain struck his Radial styloid process, as if a teacher had struck him with a Hemostatic Forceps from the great beyond.

Mo Chenggui shuddered.

Gu Lao explained a few of his doubts to Ji Xiang, and Ji Xiang benefited greatly.

It seemed Gu Lao was also quite satisfied; he waved his hand, "Li."

"Eh, I'm here." Li trotted to Gu Lao's side.

"Go check on your inpatients and observation patients," Gu Lao said.

Li had a smile on his face, "Gu Lao, rest assured, we don't do that unprofessional, unorthodox stuff like Baking Therapy for postoperative patients."

As he spoke, he glanced back at Mo Chenggui.

"Professor Mo was invited to perform a Circumcision, and he brought up his requirements before we even discussed the price."

"Doctor Mo is not bad," Gu Lao praised.

"Rest assured, the era of rough development has passed; our General Manager's requirements are strict, strict, and stricter, professional, professional, and more professional."

Although Li explained it this way, Gu Lao still insisted on taking a look around.

Stubborn as a donkey.

His gaze when checking the patients was the same as Professor Mo's; Li felt some disdain in his heart but didn't show it, serving Gu Lao like a sycophant the whole time, repeatedly emphasizing his hospital's professionalism, as if he had never done that Baking Therapy for patients before.

……

……

Three hours later, Ji Xiang returned home.

"Dad, I'm back," Ji Xiang said after entering the house.

Ji Xiang's father walked out while rolling walnuts in his hands; seeing Ji Xiang looking refreshed and full of energy, he nodded with satisfaction.

"Ji Xiang, I talked to your mom; her meaning is that you should just study casually, no need to burn your life essence."

"Dad, what about your meaning?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Me?" Ji Xiang's father smiled slightly, "A man should have his own career. Medicine is a big industry; reaching the top is no worse than your grandfather's family."

Ji Xiang looked at his old man with a smile and nodded.

"But it's true that you need to take care of your health. I see you are intermittently pale; I think it's low blood sugar. I bought you some chocolate and put it in your room," Ji Xiang's father said, "If you feel something is wrong, eat a piece."

"Okay." Ji Xiang didn't explain, chatted with his father for a few sentences, then changed his clothes to take a hot shower.

While showering, Ji Xiang briefly recalled the surgery he performed today and the surgery he observed, confirming what questions he needed to ask the System NPC.

Although time was almost frozen in the system, Ji Xiang still subconsciously regarded the System NPC as a Sweeping Monk.

Being able to consult the System NPC was a huge piece of Luck, and Ji Xiang didn't want to be annoying by stuttering when he spoke.

Returning to his room, Ji Xiang lay on the bed, held his breath, and entered the System Space.

"Teacher."

Ji Xiang was already used to that hunched figure with hands behind his back; he bowed and greeted him politely.

"You're here."

"Teacher, today I observed Gu Lao's surgery."

(End of this chapter)