Chapter 790: Tit-for-Tat

Ji Xiang recounted the events.

The system NPC listened with a smile; after waiting for Ji Xiang to finish, he looked at Ji Xiang deeply.

"Teacher, was I a bit too sharp?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Sharp?" the system NPC muttered to himself, then suddenly looked up at Ji Xiang, "Do you want to go and try it out?"

Ji Xiang was taken aback.

The rescue had already succeeded; did he still need to experience Empathy?

This...

He was slightly puzzled, but still habitually nodded.

"It has nothing to do with technical skill. Some matters are tricky, but not in terms of diagnosis or treatment. You will encounter them sooner or later; it is a good thing to go and get a feel for it first," the system NPC said softly.

"Indeed, I have heard my father mention similar things." Ji Xiang understood the system NPC's meaning and nodded vigorously.

He had been a bit impulsive today, confronting Zhao Yuanzhang without hesitation; he figured there would be some repercussions.

Although Ji Xiang did not care much, he still humbly followed the system NPC to the adjacent Operating Room.

Light and shadow flickered, and Ji Xiang opened his eyes to find himself in an operating room.

"If you die, I'll put you in a wine jar and pickle you, pickle you until you're seasoned... how f*cking disgusting."

Ji Xiang looked in the direction of the voice and saw the Circulating Nurse sitting on a high white stool, talking to the surgeon.

"Remember to use Moutai to pickle me," the surgeon said in a muffled voice.

The surgeon was tall, and even with a cap and mask on, one could see a fierce look.

Only then did Ji Xiang see Lang Ge standing opposite, while in front of him was a familiar figure.

He looked a bit like Zhou Jiaoshou, but why would he be standing in the position of Third Assistant during surgery? Was it a Flying Knife? Or what did it mean?

Ji Xiang scratched his head; having suddenly arrived here, Ji Xiang was a bit confused.

"Master, look at you, with that constitution of yours, I reckon you'll still be hale and hearty even after I'm dead."

The First Assistant was buttering him up unscrupulously.

This kind of flattery was too low, a bit stiff, and a bit disgusting; if it were Ji Xiang, he felt he probably wouldn't say it like that.

Just as Ji Xiang was about to recall what scene he was in, his thoughts were immediately interrupted by the alarm of the Monitoring Instrument.

The Patient's oxygen saturation plummeted, and their heart rate soared.

In less than 10 seconds, the values on the Cardiac Monitor began to warn Ji Xiang that this surgery had encountered a major issue.

"Is the electrode pad not attached properly?" the surgeon asked, knitting his brows.

"It's an Air Embolism."

Standing in front of Ji Xiang, with his back to him, the Third Assistant gave the diagnosis without hesitation.

Judging by the voice, it was Zhou Jiaoshou; it was actually Zhou Jiaoshou!!! It really was Zhou Jiaoshou!!!

And it was the young Zhou Jiaoshou!

Ji Xiang was very happy.

This scene was his favorite to visit; it counted as a small perk within Empathy, and every time he encountered Zhou Jiaoshou and Lang Ge, he had plenty of time to learn surgery.

He didn't expect that even when Zhou Jiaoshou was still a Third Assistant, his diagnostic level was already this high!

Air Embolism!

Ji Xiang suddenly became spirited and looked up, but the next second he met Shen Lang's eyes and saw a trace of panic in Lang Ge's gaze.

In Ji Xiang's impression, the fearless Lang Ge was now like a frightened little rabbit, somewhat helpless.

Uh...

This was completely different from Ji Xiang's memory.

In Ji Xiang's perception, Shen Lang was the kind of fearless, reckless person. Shen Lang always had one saying on his lips: I've had Rabies.

Yet at this moment, Shen Lang looked terrified, and the next second, Ji Xiang saw Shen Lang step back half a step toward the instrument table.

The surgeon seemed to say something, and Zhou Jiaoshou used his shoulder to shove the surgeon's shoulder directly, "You don't know a damn thing!"

"!!!"

Ji Xiang was shocked beyond words.

He had thought that because of his short temper, he had confronted Zhao Yuanzhang in the operating room, causing ripples for his future path, so the system NPC wanted him to come and experience Empathy to see how others handled similar incidents.

However!

Zhou Jiaoshou, whom Ji Xiang had always worshipped, was actually more fierce and more badass than him; he started by cursing, and then used his body to shove the surgeon aside, taking the surgeon's position himself.

All of this exceeded Ji Xiang's prediction of the situation, and he stared blankly at Zhou Jiaoshou's back.

Was he arrogant and domineering?

Compared to the young Zhou Jiaoshou, he was the kind of Doctor who was harmless to humans and animals.

Zhou Jiaoshou then looked at the Anesthesia Doctor and asked, "Check if the Patient has already developed cyanosis."

Ji Xiang subconsciously wanted to take a look, but immediately felt someone pulling him from behind.

Looking back, it was actually Shen Lang; he didn't know when he had "teleported" behind him.

Shen Lang signaled to him vigorously with his eyes, his eyeballs almost popping out.

Ji Xiang was suspicious, but followed the momentum and moved a step toward Shen Lang's position.

Lang Ge was still wearing a sterile gown; what was he doing?!

Following Shen Lang's force, Ji Xiang left the operating room with him. The moment they stepped out of the door, Shen Lang let out a long breath.

"Whew."

"Lang Ge, the rescue! That's an Air Embolism!!"

"Damn it, Air Embolism, do you know how to perform a rescue?" Shen Lang said with disdain, "Hurry up and leave, didn't you see that Cong Wen was about to go crazy."

"Huh?!" Ji Xiang was stunned for a moment.

Shen Lang didn't waste any words, pulling Ji Xiang into the changing room.

This place was exactly the same as the changing room in the System Operating Room, and a sense of familiarity welled up.

So the prototype for the modeling was here! Ji Xiang curiously examined the "No Smoking" sign, as if a system NPC were sitting there smoking.

Shen Lang took off his mask, let out a long breath, and fished out a cigarette, tossing one directly to Ji Xiang.

"Xiao Ji, I'm afraid the operating room is going to turn into a bloodbath, let's hide further away." Shen Lang lit his cigarette and took a deep drag.

"Aren't you going to help..." Ji Xiang said halfway, then froze.

The timeline didn't seem to be the same.

"Help the Director? I can't." Shen Lang shook his head, "I'm not as shameless as Wang Qiang. Besides, the Director... hahahaha."

Shen Lang laughed loudly, yet Ji Xiang didn't hear any joy in his laughter; there was more self-mockery and resentment.

"You heard how the Director scolded me during the handover a few days ago—he said the work I do is just as low-class as the tea leaves I gave him for the New Year."

"!!!"

Ji Xiang looked at Shen Lang in astonishment.

What kind of situation is this!

You don't even scold people like that!

Giving the Lao Zhuren some tea leaves for the New Year is a matter of master-disciple sentiment, and it certainly isn't an expensive item. But to say directly during the morning handover that the tea leaves were low-class, just like the work he does, that is just too damn vicious.

Ji Xiang pretended to smoke and began searching for fragments in his memory.

Soon, Ji Xiang finally understood what had happened; it turned out that when Zhou Jiaoshou first started working, he was always scolded like a dog by the Lao Zhuren. Although Shen Lang was a bit better off than Zhou Jiaoshou, he wasn't much better.

Lang Ge gave the Lao Zhuren a gift for the New Year, and it was still brought up from time to time to make a point.

Is this the kind of thing to say during a handover?!

Ji Xiang, loving the house and its crow, was also filled with disgust and disdain for the Lao Zhuren.

"Cong Wen has probably given up on himself recently." Shen Lang sighed, "Ever since the patient with Renal Failure caused by trauma, he has been arguing with Director Wang. In my opinion, Cong Wen is going to get fired today."

As he spoke, Shen Lang made a gesture of drawing a knife across his throat, which gave Ji Xiang a start.

"It shouldn't be that bad."

"Sigh, how could it not be. You see Cong Wen as easygoing, but once he loses his temper... tsk tsk, didn't you see just now? Cong Wen started cursing directly—'What the hell do you know'."

"To be honest, I want to curse too, but I don't dare." Shen Lang admitted defeat directly, "If Cong Wen is right, then the patient in this surgery will definitely die. Even though we followed him into the operating room, we aren't there for the emergency rescue, so we can avoid being the scapegoat."

"What if Zhou Jiaoshou... what if Cong Wen succeeds in the rescue?"

"How is that possible? Didn't you learn about Air Embolism when you were in school? This disease is one death after another." Shen Lang looked at Ji Xiang with disdain, "A while ago, there was a patient with Amniotic Fluid Embolism in the Obstetrics Department. They rescued her for 7 hours, but she still died in the end. The Family Member is still making a scene now."

"Lang Ge, the patient might not necessarily have an Air Embolism; perhaps Cong Wen made a misdiagnosis." Ji Xiang reminded him.

He still felt that the young Shen Lang was too timid and lacked the demeanor he had in his own perception.

He didn't expect that when his Lang Ge was young, he was actually as timid as a mouse, especially when he gave the Director a gift for the New Year and it was brought up by the Director in front of everyone in the department.

The work he does is as low-class as the tea leaves he sent; this Director Wang is truly vicious.

To encounter such a malicious leader right after starting work...

Ji Xiang combined the things before him with the things he had just encountered, and it seemed somewhat interesting.

"Whether it's an Air Embolism doesn't matter." Shen Lang said to Ji Xiang while smoking, "If it is, the patient will definitely die; but whether it is or not, Cong Wen is dead for sure."

As he spoke, Shen Lang sighed deeply.

"Zhou... Cong Wen will be fine."

"I really don't know where you get your confidence from; if he doesn't die, who will?" Shen Lang looked at Ji Xiang with disdain and blew a puff of smoke at him.

"I think Cong Wen is very confident, Lang Ge, I want to go see the rescue."

"You're not allowed to go." Shen Lang grabbed Ji Xiang and said firmly, "They don't lack people for the rescue. There are three people on the operating table, plus two Anesthesia Doctors and a Circulating Nurse. There are enough hands; they don't need us. Going to watch the excitement now is just causing trouble and won't help."

"If you don't understand how to perform the rescue, standing there is useless. Especially... once the patient dies, the fact that we walked out of the operating room stepping with our right foot first will be the main reason for the patient's death."

"Damn it!" Ji Xiang cursed.

"It's true. After all these years, don't you know Director Wang yet?" Shen Lang said, "Not showing up now is the best choice."

"Lang Ge, what if Director Wang finds out you've disappeared?" Ji Xiang asked.

"First of all, his mind is currently full of how to finish off Cong Wen; he won't notice me at all. You remember that Renal Failure patient from a while ago, the one Cong Wen took to the Provincial Hospital for dialysis?"

"I remember."

"Cong Wen was indeed thinking of the patient, but Director Wang's diagnosis was negated, and he was even pointed at and scolded by Cong Wen. He must be holding a grudge and waiting to deal with Cong Wen."

"You'd want to hide, but Cong Wen delivered himself to the door. Tell me, what kind of situation is this."

Shen Lang grumbled, filled with worry.

"Then we should go take a look even more." Ji Xiang said.

"It's useless. We don't know how to treat an Air Embolism. Can we go up and point at Director Wang's nose and curse like Cong Wen?"

"Yeah." Ji Xiang nodded, "We are junior Doctors and don't know how to treat it, but you, a damn Director, don't know either. Do you have the face to criticize?"

Shen Lang was taken aback, then laughed out loud.

This time, there was a hint of a smile in his laughter, "I don't dare. If you're so badass, you go."

"I'm going to take a look."

"Come back! You're just going because I told you to? Are you stupid?" Shen Lang grabbed Ji Xiang's pants, "I'm gossipy enough, how are you even more gossipy than me? When Cong Wen cursed at you 'what the hell do you know', I knew Cong Wen was done for today."

Ji Xiang's heart stirred, and he sat down to ask seriously, "Lang Ge, if Cong Wen can solve it, but after he solves it, the Director will make things difficult for him, what do you think he should do?"

Shen Lang shook his head, "I don't know either."

"..." Ji Xiang was speechless.

"In life, there are always countless principles. But when it comes to actually using them, your mind is completely blank. Those grand principles don't apply at all. I'm talking to you for real, be serious."

"Oh, oh, oh, I'm very serious, Lang Ge." Ji Xiang put on a serious face.

"In Shanghai, that old gentleman is already seventy or eighty, yet he still insists on performing surgeries. But in our Surgery Department, it's all about how the young and strong have the advantage. At seventy or eighty, hands shake, surgical techniques can't keep up with the latest years, and eyesight is even worse. It's said that mistakes happen all the time."

"Oh?!"

Ji Xiang knew which old gentleman Shen Lang was talking about.

"Tell me, can the old gentleman's disciples and grand-disciples persuade him? They just follow him into the operating room and keep cleaning up his messes."

"Emmm, that doesn't seem right," Ji Xiang said.

"What's not right about it? The old gentleman taught them surgery in the first place. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he has saved countless lives. He's worked his whole life and still has this obsession in his heart. Can you convince the old gentleman? Tell him that what he knows is already obsolete, and not just his knowledge—even he himself is an obsolete antique."

"......"

"Is that something a person should say? Even if it's true, you can't just say it like that."

"Lang Ge, if you knew how to treat it—I'm just saying, if you knew how to treat an Air Embolism, what would you do if you were facing Lao Zhuren?" Ji Xiang asked.

Shen Lang was stunned for a moment.

He sucked on his teeth and hesitated for a long time, the expression on his face shifting between happy and depressed, as if he had experienced Empathy countless times.

Ji Xiang even suspected that this whole Empathy thing was something Shen Lang had cooked up.

"Lang Ge? Lang Ge?"

"It's useless," Shen Lang sighed. "I'm the attending Doctor. Even if I knew how to handle such a high-level rescue, one word from Lao Zhuren could chase me aside. Even if the rescue were successful... which is impossible, Lao Zhuren wouldn't know how, and he certainly wouldn't let me do the rescue."

"So we just watch the Patient die?"

"Uh, you could knock Lao Zhuren to the ground." Shen Lang's eyes suddenly lit up. In Shen Lang's gaze, Ji Xiang could read just how much appeal knocking Lao Zhuren to the ground held for him.

"Deep Vein Puncture Kit!"

A nurse's hurried voice came from the hallway.

Shen Lang was startled, and Ji Xiang pricked up his ears.

The rescue was still ongoing, and it seemed it hadn't failed.

Ji Xiang was burning with anxiety; he had only ever seen the rescue of an Air Embolism in books and had never actually encountered such a Patient.

He stood up abruptly.

This time, Shen Lang didn't stop Ji Xiang, following him on tiptoe back to the operating room.

In the operating room, Zhou Congwen took the Deep Vein Puncture Kit and immediately began the puncture.

Ji Xiang glanced over; he had thought the puncture would be a Jugular Vein Puncture, but he hadn't expected Zhou Jiaoshou to perform the puncture at the median cubital vein.

Why was that?

But before Ji Xiang could figure out the reason, the vein, which had collapsed into a thin line, was successfully punctured, and a small amount of dark red blood was drawn out, proving the puncture kit was inside the vessel.

Immediately, Ji Xiang watched as Zhou Jiaoshou fiddled with the puncture kit and began to perform Super-selection.

No imaging, and he was performing Super-selection just like that?! Only at this very moment did Ji Xiang truly understand the formidable nature of Zhou Jiaoshou, Zhou Congwen!

This was even more difficult than playing blind chess, and by more than just a little bit.

The Circulating Nurse ran over again to bring an Ice Cap to put on the Patient.

The conditions at this hospital were crude, at least two grades worse than the Second Affiliated Hospital, and the Ice Cap wasn't professional either, but having one was better than nothing.

"Another 5mg of dexamethasone, 10mg of Epinephrine."

"250ml of 20% Mannitol, full speed."

Zhou Jiaoshou was constantly giving verbal medical orders. Ji Xiang huddled in the corner, not daring to say a single word of nonsense; subconsciously, Ji Xiang even made his breathing soft.

He had used 【Superior Doctor's Gaze】 himself, but Ji Xiang's experience using it was extremely average; he wasn't the type of person to be overbearing.

Yet the Zhou Congwen before his eyes radiated a powerful sense of oppression from his very bones.

This, damn it, was a real superior Doctor!!

Ji Xiang's mindset underwent a subtle change, and it continued to change constantly.

As for Shen Lang, he hid outside the operating room, poking his head in from time to time to check the situation.

When the blood gas analysis report came back, Zhou Jiaoshou seemed to relax after looking at the results, and he turned to step down from the operating table.

"Lao Zhuren, should I write the rescue record or will you? Or should Wang Qiang do it?" Zhou Jiaoshou asked.

The rescue record!

Ji Xiang was slightly startled.

That tall, fierce-looking old director remained silent, seemingly ignoring Zhou Jiaoshou's question.

"Lao Zhuren, if your legs are weak and you've wet yourself, shall I close the chest?"

Holy shit!

Hearing Zhou Jiaoshou ask this, a chill rose from the soles of Ji Xiang's feet and shot straight to his scalp.

The Lao Zhuren that Shen Lang described was sharp-tongued and mean, yet exceptionally fierce. In any case, Lang Ge was a coward and didn't dare to go up and confront him.

But Zhou Jiaoshou was different. The rescue was over, and it was clear he had "fished" the Patient back. He was extremely biting, and with a single sentence, he made his position clear—I know you want to mess with me, so bring it on if you have the guts!

This was just too fierce!

Ji Xiang recalled his own behavior in the operating room; emmmm, he really was a gentle, shy big boy.

Zhou Jiaoshou changed his clothes but didn't leave the operating room, instead scrubbing his hands again and "watching" Lao Zhuren close the chest.

After the Patient was sent down, Ji Xiang watched him enter the locker room and wanted to follow him in to ask a few questions, but he was pulled away by Shen Lang to send the Patient down.

Back in the ward, Shen Lang collapsed directly onto the bed in the Duty Room.

"Lang Ge, you're too timid, is it really necessary?" Ji Xiang teased Shen Lang.

"You don't understand," Shen Lang said helplessly after a long while. "Cong Wen doesn't want to work here anymore."

"I think Cong Wen is doing a great job. The rescue of the Air Embolism, saving the person directly, clean and efficient. If I were the hospital leadership, I would definitely promote Zhou Jiaoshou."

Shen Lang suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Ji Xiang as if he were an idiot.

"What's wrong, Lang Ge?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Xiao Ji, you don't actually think that having high skill means you'll definitely be appreciated by the leadership, do you?"

"Isn't that the case?" Ji Xiang asked, puzzled.

In his world, because his own skill was high, Bai Chuzhang of the Medical Affairs Department was quite good to him; sometimes Ji Xiang even felt that his own old man's attitude toward him couldn't compare to Bai Chuzhang's.

"Heh, don't be silly." Shen Lang curled his lip, "I'm guessing, just guessing, don't go around blabbing about it."

"Go ahead and say it, Lang Ge." Ji Xiang sat down and pulled out a cigarette to hand to Shen Lang.

"Let's not talk about that for now." Shen Lang took a few puffs of the cigarette, regained a bit of Spirit, and suddenly lifted his shirt.

Ji Xiang was startled and jumped far away like a frightened little white rabbit.

"You saw it, right?" Shen Lang pointed to a scar on his back.

"Was this from Director Wang? That's impossible." Ji Xiang was stunned for a moment.

"When I was a kid, there were a few little thugs at the school gate." Shen Lang smiled, "They were stealing money from female students and getting handsy, so I went to help out, but ended up being pinned to the ground and beaten."

"And then?"

"They had a 'big brother' outside the school; that was the trend back then." Shen Lang started gossiping, "I suffered a loss and couldn't beat them. If it were you, what would you do?"

Countless methods appeared in Ji Xiang's mind instantly, but they were only feasible given his family background. If it were an ordinary family, Ji Xiang really wouldn't know what to do.

He shook his head very honestly.

"Our classmates were young, and I wanted to pull up the big brother behind them by the roots." Shen Lang said, "I later stole 800 yuan from home; 800 yuan in that era was enough."

"To bribe people?" Ji Xiang asked; this didn't seem like a good method.

"Of course not. They called their big brother over to block the gate to beat me up. I couldn't not leave after school, right? As a result, I got beaten up, and the money was stolen too."

"..."

"Later on, for the robbery of 800 yuan, the little thugs' big brothers were sentenced to 3 years."

Damn!

Ji Xiang re-evaluated Shen Lang.

This guy is something else!

"What I mean by saying this is, no bragging, your Lang Ge isn't a person who is timid or afraid of trouble. But!"

Shen Lang emphasized his tone.

"Director Wang has me completely subdued; no matter how he scolds me, I don't dare to talk back."

"Why?"

"First of all, Director Wang has high combat power. When he was young, he caught up with those years, led people to chase the old directors off to the farm to feed rabbits, and he did all the surgeries himself."

"Secondly, Director Wang is fierce. It's said that in his hometown, they kill foxes, and no one dares to do it; they all wait for Director Wang to go back to kill them."

"!!!" Ji Xiang was stunned for a moment, but recalling that old director's fierce and menacing face, what Shen Lang said seemed correct.

"Thirdly, we have jobs now, we have official positions, we belong to the 'shod' ones. But whether the shoes are big or small, it still depends on what the old director gives. This is the suppression from the higher-ups; there's no way around it. Even if you have heaven-defying skills, there's no way around it, believe me."

Shen Lang was complaining, and Ji Xiang was listening intently.

If one followed Shen Lang's description, there really was no possibility of breaking the situation.

As he spoke, Shen Lang suddenly sat up from the bed in the Duty Room, his eyes glowing.

"Xiao Ji, guess what Director Wang will do."