Chapter 49: What to Do When Provoked

Having made arrangements with Gu Lao, Ji Xiang and Wang Daxiao walked outside.

"Ji Xiang!"

The sleazy little fatty Lu Kai chased after him.

"Lu Kai, what's wrong?" Ji Xiang asked with a smile.

"Do you read The Lancet every day when you get home?"

"What else would I do?"

Lu Kai gave a lewd chuckle.

"What do you do when you get back?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Read novels. 'Little sister-in-law' stories are popular in the sinking market right now." The sleaze on Lu Kai's face intensified, and he wore a smile that every man understood.

"A sister-in-law is a sister-in-law, why add 'little' to it?" Liu Yunqing left the Emergency Rescue Room, having returned to her previous dazed state, and happened to hear Lu Kai say "little sister-in-law."

"You don't understand, adding 'little' makes it so cute. For example, Lu Xiao Kai—isn't that more intimate than being called Lu Kai, and more..."

"Defecation and urination?"

"..."

Wang Daxiao laughed out loud, "Go back, go on duty with Wu Zong."

After saying this, he pulled Ji Xiang out of the emergency entrance of the Second Affiliated Hospital.

"Doctor Xiao Ji, impressive!" Wang Daxiao said sincerely after they were outside, "Your performance today really surprised me."

"Hehe." Ji Xiang smiled and didn't continue on Wang Daxiao's topic.

With a big shot like the System NPC backing him, it would be strange if Wang Daxiao weren't surprised.

"Cavernous Body Infusion—I've worked my whole life and truly never heard of it. Today, you really opened my eyes."

"Teacher Wang, you're overpraising me." Ji Xiang felt a bit embarrassed by Wang Daxiao's words.

"Not at all, it's the truth," Wang Daxiao said. "Is Mo still taking you to do surgeries tomorrow?"

"I have to watch Gu Lao perform an Extension Surgery today, so Mo Laoshi put most of the surgeries on tomorrow."

"I'm off tomorrow and was planning to slack off, so that works out perfectly," Wang Daxiao said. "I'll come watch your surgeries tomorrow."

After agreeing, Wang Daxiao and Ji Xiang waved goodbye.

Ji Xiang found his bicycle, which was covered in butterflies.

The sky had already darkened; Ji Xiang waved at the sturdy man in the darkness and rode his bike home.

In the distance, Gu Lao and Zhou Jiaoshou watched Ji Xiang ride away on his bike. Zhou Jiaoshou said sourly, "Not a bad lad, but he's a bit effeminate. He even has butterflies printed on his bicycle; not manly at all."

"What, do men nowadays have to give birth to a child to have masculine vigor?" Gu Lao curled his lip and scolded.

"Hahaha, just a joke about 'a mother is strong,' Boss." Zhou Jiaoshou knew the boss appreciated Ji Xiang and realized he had said too much, so he laughed it off.

"Xiao Zhou, watch Doctor Xiao Ji's surgeries carefully tomorrow," Gu Lao said.

"His surgery is alright, but he's a rookie no matter what. He just got lucky knowing about Cavernous Body Infusion, Boss, you..."

"I didn't misjudge him," Gu Lao said calmly. "The stapler circumcision is indeed simple and standardized, with no real technical depth. But every time he finishes a surgery, Doctor Xiao Ji observes the areas prone to bleeding. I think his manual circumcision will be even better."

Zhou Jiaoshou's lips moved, but he didn't continue to say anything.

After returning home and greeting the old man, Ji Xiang washed up, lay on the bed, and entered the System Space.

"Teacher."

Arriving in the System Space, Ji Xiang stopped holding back and showed his joy.

Young people all like the idea of riding fine horses and wielding swords across the world.

Today, when everyone was at their wits' end, he had stepped in on colorful clouds to solve the problem, which made Ji Xiang incredibly excited.

However, having been raised with strict discipline, Ji Xiang did not act arrogant or domineering in front of others, only expressing his emotions to those closest to him.

The System NPC had unknowingly become Ji Xiang's family.

"You performed well," the System NPC said.

"Hehe, Teacher, you didn't see it—they were all scared silly," Ji Xiang said excitedly.

"That has nothing to do with it," the System NPC said calmly. "Learning an operation or a diagnosis is for the purpose of healing the sick and saving lives, not for..."

Ji Xiang froze.

In the System Space, he was actually being lectured with chicken soup by the System NPC.

One bowl of greasy, cliché chicken soup after another.

Various serious topics followed one after another, and Ji Xiang couldn't even get a word in.

His excitement quickly faded, and he watched helplessly as the Energy Value on the System Panel decreased at a visible rate.

Listening to the System NPC preach about values really consumes a lot of energy, Ji Xiang thought to himself.

But he was polite and obediently stood with his hands at his sides, standing beside the System NPC to listen to the rambling.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but when Ji Xiang's Energy Value had hit rock bottom, the System NPC finally said, "Train your surgeries well."

"Yes, Teacher."

The tail that Ji Xiang had just puffed up was tucked back in by the System NPC.

Emergency Task: The reward for "Waiting for Death" included one point of Basic Endurance; now Ji Xiang's Basic Endurance was at 8+3 points.

Every extra point of stamina meant more time to practice surgery, which meant more Experience Points.

The System NPC assisted Ji Xiang in performing the stapler circumcision, one after another, as if it would never end.

But Ji Xiang maintained a consistent rate from beginning to end, and his expression did not change; the System NPC nodded slightly.

Basic training is the most tedious, and there are not many who can endure it.

The saying goes: one minute on stage, ten years of practice off stage.

Everyone likes to stand on stage and hear the audience cheer, but how many people can endure the lonely, bitter practice that comes before it?

……

……

Ji Xiang exhausted all his Stamina and left the System Operating Room.

Although he was exhausted, he didn't rest immediately; instead, he sat at his desk and used Needle and Thread to suture a Banana Peel.

The last bit of Stamina could still provide a hundred or so Experience Points, and Ji Xiang couldn't bear to waste it.

After the last misunderstanding, Ji Xiang's father didn't come to "disturb" him, and only after feeling dizzy did Ji Xiang go to bed.

Early the next morning, after running a half-marathon and eating, Ji Xiang rode his bicycle to Nan Ke Yi Yuan.

He hadn't expected to be so busy right after starting his Standardized Residency Training at the hospital.

Being busy is a good thing; if there were no surgeries to perform after leveling up, wouldn't it be like wearing fine clothes in the dark?

Arriving at Nan Ke Yi Yuan, Ji Xiang saw Gu Lao, Zhou Jiaoshou, and Li standing at the entrance from a distance.

He put his bicycle aside and jogged over.

"Doctor Xiao Ji, good morning." Gu Lao waved his hand and said very gently.

"Good morning, Gu Lao. Good morning, Zhou Jiaoshou."

Seeing that Ji Xiang treated him like air, Li wasn't angry; instead, he pulled Ji Xiang over even more enthusiastically, "Doctor Xiao Ji, I just heard Gu Lao talking about your operation yesterday—truly, heroes emerge from the youth!"

Ji Xiang had an instinctive dislike for Li because he always projected himself as Dahai and knew that behind Li's smile lay endless indifference.

But this guy's skin was simply too thick, so thick that Ji Xiang couldn't bring himself to be cold to him.

The saying goes that one does not strike a smiling face; after all, Ji Xiang was still young and couldn't do something like turning against someone faster than flipping a book.

"The Patient's condition is stable now; a Femoral Artery Puncture was done at the 3-hour mark, and the Cavernous Body Infusion was removed after 6 hours," Gu Lao said.

Ji Xiang was startled.

After he finished the treatment for that Patient and received the System reward, he had forgotten all about it, but listening to Gu Lao, it seemed he was still concerned.

Ji Xiang felt slightly ashamed.

This is what a Doctor should do.

"Gu Lao, did you call to ask?"

"I accompanied the boss to the ICU to take a look first thing this morning," Zhou Jiaoshou said. "Doctor Xiao Ji, you should be more attentive to the Patient."

"Yes, Zhou Jiaoshou is right," Ji Xiang said sincerely, ignoring the sharpness and hostility in Zhou Jiaoshou's tone.

"It's fine, as a Standardized Training Student, even if you wanted to go to the ICU, they might not let you in," Gu Lao smiled faintly. "Doctor Xiao Ji, let's see your surgery today. I took a glance yesterday and knew you did well, but I don't know exactly how well you can do."

"Gu Lao, my Stapler Surgery is only average," Ji Xiang said truthfully.

Zhou Tianbo glanced at him, his gaze sharp.

Is this modesty? Zhou Tianbo didn't think so; he felt Ji Xiang was being coy.

While chatting, they walked into the hospital.

Mo Chenggui and Wang Daxiao had already checked the Patients, and there were no contraindications for surgery. Regarding performing surgeries at a private hospital, Mo Chenggui remained quite conservative and cautious.

They didn't even wait until 8 o'clock to start the first case.

Mo Chenggui and Wang Daxiao became the assistants, one receiving and sending off the Patient, the other preparing for the surgery.

Ji Xiang felt a bit unaccustomed to this.

After two surgeries, Gu Lao asked Zhou Jiaoshou with a smile, "Xiao Zhou, what do you think?"

"Boss." Zhou Jiaoshou became cautious.

Although it was a circumcision using a stapler, which is almost standardized—just go up and click-click-click the stapler—Ji Xiang was as steady as an old dog with loose teeth on several points where things could go wrong, checking repeatedly for fear of postoperative bleeding.

This only belongs to a small part of the surgery, but to a certain extent, it is very important.

The key is that if the Surgery Level hasn't reached a certain degree and the surgeon hasn't encountered a few Patients who left a deep impression, the surgeon simply wouldn't realize this.

Zhou Jiaoshou could understand Ji Xiang's level, but he was a bit unconvinced in his heart.

"When the last surgery comes, you go up and give Ji Xiang a hand," Gu Lao said.

Zhou Jiaoshou was speechless. He was a transplant Expert who performed Kidney Transplantation, and he was being asked to assist a Standardized Training Student with a circumcision?

However, he didn't refuse.

Watching a surgery only gives you a rough idea; for the subtle details, one still has to go on stage to feel them.

He was also curious; he had seen many guys with natural talent, and he himself was a naturally gifted existence.

But!

Zhou Tianbo had never seen a guy like Ji Xiang.

Carrying curiosity and confusion, Zhou Jiaoshou nodded.

Today there were 18 Stapler Surgery circumcisions and 3 Manual Suturing circumcisions.

After finishing 17 surgeries, Zhou Jiaoshou followed him up for the last one.

Once on stage, Zhou Jiaoshou squinted at Ji Xiang, "Doctor Xiao Ji, please enlighten me."

Ji Xiang frowned slightly; this Zhou Jiaoshou had never looked favorably upon him, and his words were always laced with thorns.

How had he offended him?

This must be what they call: the tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

Ji Xiang didn't care, then smiled slightly and began the surgery.

After disinfecting the surgical area, Ji Xiang began to separate the adhesions of the foreskin, his movements gentle and cautious.

"Doctor Xiao Ji, there's no need to be so cautious," Zhou Jiaoshou said while assisting Ji Xiang, unable to help himself. "Is it because you're not skilled enough and lack confidence?"

Ji Xiang raised an eyebrow slightly.

His gaze turned toward the idiot skill in the top right corner of his field of vision—Pressure of the Senior Doctor.

(End of this chapter)