Chapter 791: What Would You Do If It Were You?

"Director Wang?" Ji Xiang frowned in thought.

This should be the meat of the drama, and also the point the system NPC wanted him to experience through Empathy. But Ji Xiang always felt Director Wang was very familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

Yet with Ji Xiang's photographic memory, he couldn't recall it at all.

"You definitely don't know, let me tell you, a few days ago when I was passing by the basketball court, I saw Director Wang and Doctor Liu from the Internal Medicine Department chatting very intimately. Looking at that, there's definitely something fishy going on."

"I reckon..."

As Shen Lang spoke, his expression turned serious, becoming increasingly solemn.

Ji Xiang didn't interrupt Shen Lang.

"Do you know what 'mixing in sand' means?" Shen Lang asked.

Ji Xiang nodded, "Find other people to come in, then pretend the matter doesn't exist. If the Emergency Department is short-staffed in the future, send someone to support, just let..."

Speaking to this point, Ji Xiang was suddenly stunned.

The previous words Ji Xiang had said very naturally, everything followed logically, but when he mentioned supporting the Emergency Department, he immediately thought of Meng Qingfei.

Meng Laoshi Meng Qingfei had a high level of skill, was humble in his conduct, and toward the Patient... it was hard to describe in a word, but there was no denying he was a very good Doctor.

One could even say Meng Qingfei was the most responsible and clear-headed Doctor Ji Xiang had ever met.

Yet, a Doctor who graduated from such a prestigious school had been languishing in the Emergency Department for so many years; now, all his youthful spirit had been ground into dust.

In an instant, Ji Xiang had some realization.

"Right!" Shen Lang slapped his thigh, "Director Wang has already started looking for people to fill the gap left by Cong Wen, and the next step will definitely be to kick Cong Wen to the Emergency Department!"

"Uh..."

"Just watch, it won't be long before Cong Wen is definitely kicked to the Emergency Department. One time I was chatting with Wang Qiang, and he said he wanted to let Cong Wen go to the Medical Affairs Department to get some training. You tell me how stupid this person is. He isn't even a director yet, just a small Doctor, and he's already so arrogant and domineering." Shen Lang lowered his voice and said mockingly.

"The Medical Affairs Department shouldn't be it, and if Cong Wen gained a foothold there, the department wouldn't be able to stand it if he came to check Medical Records and pick faults. Besides, could he say this to you? Even he himself would find it excessive to think about it, don't you think, Lang Ge?" Ji Xiang followed Shen Lang's line of thought.

"Exactly, look at what I said, Wang Qiang isn't even as good as you," Shen Lang said. "Although the Medical Affairs Department is rotten, it has the power to monitor Clinical departments. How could Director Wang arrange for Cong Wen to go to such a critical place?"

"The Emergency Department, it must be the Emergency Department. I'll go remind Cong Wen. No, that's not right, there must be other more dangerous places, for example, flood control and disaster relief in the summer or something. I heard from old Doctors that when you go to participate in flood control, there are mosquitoes everywhere, and once you get to the front line and encounter..."

As Shen Lang spoke, he stubbed out his cigarette and stood up abruptly.

"Lang Ge!" Ji Xiang called out to stop Shen Lang.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Shen Lang's anxious face, Ji Xiang's thoughts flashed like lightning as he organized his mind, then asked.

"Lang Ge, let's assume a scenario, just like the Air Embolism encountered during surgery today. The superior leader doesn't know how to treat it, but if you knew, what would you do?"

Ji Xiang felt the topic had drifted a bit, so he pulled it back himself.

Whenever he met Shen Lang, they would always talk about countless messy things, and Ji Xiang felt quite helpless.

After hearing Ji Xiang's question, Shen Lang thought for a few seconds and scratched his head helplessly.

"Xiao Ji, this question is too hard. First of all..."

Shen Lang started preparing for a long-winded speech again.

Ji Xiang interrupted Shen Lang, "Lang Ge, objective things exist. If it were you, what would you do? Keep it simple, just tell me what you would prepare to do."

Shen Lang froze, looking as if he were putting himself into the situation as Ji Xiang had said.

He became like a statue as if hit by a petrification spell, motionless, and even his breathing gradually disappeared.

He was lost in thought.

Ji Xiang wasn't in a hurry, silently waiting for Shen Lang to give him an answer.

Indeed, this question was a bit difficult.

Zhou Jiaoshou's way of handling problems was one way, and his own way of handling problems was another.

There was also the way of staying silent and resolutely not offending anyone.

As for the life or death of the Patient, it seemed to have nothing to do with his own future, and it was even less worth offending the big Director for it.

It was just that he didn't know how Shen Lang would choose.

Although Shen Lang didn't speak, Ji Xiang noticed his expressions changing constantly.

At times resolute, at times troubled, at times with a fawning smirk, at times full of anger.

After a full five minutes, Shen Lang shook his head.

"I can't do it."

"Ah?!" Ji Xiang was surprised.

This was not the Shen Lang, Lang Ge, that Ji Xiang knew.

"To gamble my whole life's future, I can't," Shen Lang sighed. "Why else would I say Cong Wen has already given up on himself? He, he looks like he has a good temper, but actually, he's just a damn stubborn donkey."

"But if you don't act, the Patient is dead for sure."

Shen Lang stopped answering Ji Xiang's question; he looked silently out the window, his mood somewhat low.

Just then, the door to the Duty Room was pushed open, and Wang Qiang walked in.

After entering, he threw several sheets of paper onto the table in the Duty Room with a "slap," and Shen Lang seemed to have his spell broken, suddenly becoming lively.

"Zhou Congwen is really damn excessive, being arrogant and domineering just because he knows a little something. This is just failing to finish a surgery; if he really knew how to perform surgery, I'm afraid he'd be flying to the heavens!" Wang Qiang started cursing the moment he entered.

"Why didn't you say that on the operating table? It's meaningless to say it in front of us now. Or, should I go call Cong Wen over?" Ji Xiang couldn't suppress the agitation in his heart and retorted directly.

"!!!" Wang Qiang stared blankly at Ji Xiang, almost spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"The Patient seems to be fine now," Shen Lang said word by word. "That means there was no problem with Cong Wen's rescue. As long as the Patient is safe, everything is fine, and everyone has less trouble. This is a good thing, Wang Qiang."

"You guys!" Wang Qiang looked angrily at Shen Lang and Ji Xiang, thinking they weren't echoing him. "The department has the department's rules, otherwise wouldn't everything be in chaos? Do you think the master really wouldn't know how to rescue an Air Embolism?"

"Hmm, I think he wouldn't. If he knew, he would have stepped in long ago and wouldn't have waited for Cong Wen to act," Ji Xiang didn't back down at all, once again blocking Wang Qiang's mouth.

"..."

"Using Deep Vein Puncture to extract air from the heart, I think it's quite miraculous," Shen Lang also added, though he didn't mention Director Wang. "Wang Qiang, don't be angry, let me tell you something."

Shen Lang's aura suddenly became lively, and he pulled Wang Qiang down to sit with a chuckle.

Without avoiding Ji Xiang, while Wang Qiang was looking completely bewildered, Shen Lang said with a chuckle, "Look at you, behind closed doors we are all brothers; I've always been counting on you to take care of me once you become a director in the future."

Hearing Shen Lang say this, Wang Qiang's expression improved significantly. He cast a glance at Ji Xiang from the corner of his eye, full of disdain and hatred.

Ji Xiang sighed in his heart.

This was as childish as words could get; it was truly hard to believe Shen Lang dared to say it, and just as hard to believe Wang Qiang dared to believe it.

"I was scared out of my wits during the surgery, so I slipped away at the time." Shen Lang didn't shy away from it, admitting his own fault first.

"Tch, you're just a coward."

"Wang Qiang, let me ask you, if something happens to a patient and they die on the operating table, what will happen in the end?" Shen Lang asked the question seriously and earnestly.

"..."

"I'm telling you, if that really happens, the Patient Family Member will be making a scene outside right now, the master will be exhausted from dealing with it, and you will be called away by the Medical Record department. And! Tonight, once the master is free, he will go through your Medical Record."

"!!!"

"I went through the Medical Record the first chance I got; let's just put it this way, who can write a Medical Record without a single flaw? If you can't write a Medical Record, can't you at least find a flaw?"

"It's not that your Medical Record is poorly written, but it would be the same no matter who wrote it."

"When the time comes, he'll just find some random flaw and push the responsibility onto you..."

Shen Lang said leisurely.

Is this sowing discord? Ji Xiang looked at Shen Lang deeply.

I didn't expect Lang Ge to have actually leveled up this skill.

Although it was a bit childish, it was enough to deal with Wang Qiang.

"Impossible!" Wang Qiang said indignantly.

"Downstairs is the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department; the Patient Family Member has been making a scene for a month. How is Shen Zhuren? Did he not push all the responsibility onto the attending Doctor? They are making a scene right under our noses every day, how can you pretend not to see it?" Shen Lang gave a chilling example.

Wang Qiang shivered.

Ji Xiang tried hard to recall what the deal with the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department was, but Shen Lang continued, "I don't get it, how can you be so muddled about something that should have been a win-win for everyone!"

"What win-win, does the earth stop spinning if he, Zhou Congwen, leaves?"

"The earth will certainly keep spinning, but the patient would definitely have died on the operating table, and after coming down, neither of us would have had a good outcome. I deserted my post, but I am not the attending Doctor, nor the surgeon, nor the First Assistant; most of the responsibility would still be yours."

"We were assigned in the same batch; we are brothers. Let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart: don't think that just because the master can take care of you in small matters, he will do the same in big ones."

"Heh."

Shen Lang spoke continuously, fanning the flames and stirring up trouble, with the sound of a commotion coming from downstairs in the background.

Ji Xiang looked down through the window and saw a group of Patient Family Members holding up banners, on which the words "disregarding human life" could vaguely be seen.

"As long as the patient is fine, that's the best outcome, really, Wang Qiang." Shen Lang said, "I've said a lot; I'm treating you like my big brother, think about it carefully."

After saying this, Shen Lang stood up, patted Wang Qiang's shoulder firmly, and then turned to leave.

Ji Xiang was blooming with joy inside.

Shen Lang was clearly leaning toward Zhou Jiaoshou, driving a wedge between Wang Qiang and Director Wang.

Although the method was childish, it was absolutely impossible for a young man in his 20s to do it flawlessly in such a rush.

Ji Xiang watched from afar as Shen Lang stopped the young Zhou Jiaoshou and whispered something.

From the expressions and movements, Ji Xiang could judge what Shen Lang was saying.

But the young Zhou Jiaoshou didn't care at all; he just smiled and comforted Shen Lang a few times.

Ji Xiang's heart stirred; this matter would still have to be asked of Zhou Jiaoshou in the end.

However, soon Ji Xiang saw a Patient Family Member beaming with joy as they came to present a silk banner.

After seeing this scene, Shen Lang's eyebrows twisted into a knot.

"What a damn nuisance." Shen Lang cursed in a low voice in a place where no one was around, "Cong Wen's luck is truly bad."

Ji Xiang watched this scene with a smile.

After work, the young Zhou Jiaoshou was changing his clothes and hurrying to go home, so Ji Xiang stopped him.

"In such a rush, is your girlfriend waiting for you?"

"Ha, that's right, I have nothing to say to you guys who don't have girlfriends." Zhou Congwen laughed.

"Cong Wen, I have something to ask you." Ji Xiang pulled Zhou Congwen to the Fire Exit.

"Ask what?" Zhou Congwen looked playful.

"You scolded the director like a dog on the operating table today, what about the future?"

Zhou Congwen looked Ji Xiang up and down, "Having offended the director to this extent, is there even a future? You don't think that just because one's technical level is high, the director will raise both hands and surrender, do you?"

"..."

Zhou Congwen's way of speaking was different from Shen Lang's.

Ji Xiang knew he was being sarcastic, but didn't know how to retort.

"The patient's condition is stable; I just checked. As Doctors, aren't we here to treat illnesses and save people? Why think so much about other things?"

"Cong Wen, you are standing on the moral high ground to relieve yourself; do you know that I am down below?" Ji Xiang asked.

Calling the Zhou Jiaoshou he had always admired "Cong Wen" felt truly strange.

"Isn't that so." Zhou Congwen looked at Ji Xiang with a smile, "Xiao Ji, you think too much."

"No, no, no, Cong Wen, I want to ask you one thing."

"Go ahead."

"When the patient suddenly developed an Air Embolism, why did you push the director aside directly?"

"Because he doesn't know how to perform emergency resuscitation; does such a simple question even need to be asked?"

"But I heard you scold him."

"All they have in their heads is that little bit of nonsense; if I don't scold him, he'll be up here to make things difficult for me the next second. That was an Air Embolism, and time is as precious as gold. The first step is to intimidate everyone present; a superior Doctor directing a rescue naturally must have the bearing of a superior Doctor," Zhou Congwen said.

That was not what Ji Xiang wanted to hear.

He stared blankly at the awe-inspiring Zhou Congwen.

Facing Zhou Jiaoshou, whose technical level crushed his own and who also stood on the moral high ground, Ji Xiang truly felt that this conversation was impossible.

"Foolish," Zhou Congwen said with disdain. "What are you thinking about?"

"Ah, you know what I'm thinking?" Ji Xiang was startled.

"Of course," Zhou Congwen said. "Are you bad-mouthing me in your heart, thinking I only know how to spout those high-sounding platitudes?"

"..."

"To stand up to a superior leader, you also need the confidence to back it up," Zhou Congwen said calmly. "I'll tell you a story."

Ji Xiang pricked up his ears.

"Listen to it as a story."

"Mm!"

"There was a research institute responsible for a part of the work for launching rockets. The leader, well, didn't know a damn thing, and was even worse than old Wang Chengfa."

"Making ten thousand yuan a month, doing all the work, that researcher was content with poverty and happy with his path. But he couldn't stand being bullied all the time, and gradually, he became resentful."

"Later, when he proposed to resign, the leader let him go without a second thought."

"He went to work for a private enterprise with an annual salary of over a million; the benefits were much better than at the research institute. Later on, the country's rocket launches failed twice in a row, and the root cause was that the people who could actually do the work at the institute had been squeezed out by the leader."

"..." Ji Xiang remembered something.

He looked at Zhou Jiaoshou, Zhou Congwen, in surprise; logically, this event hadn't happened yet at this point in time.

But how did Zhou Jiaoshou know?

However, Ji Xiang quickly found the answer for himself—this was a world of Empathy.

"We Doctors just need to focus on what's in front of us. My situation is a bit special; I suddenly encountered a difficult problem that Wang Chengfa couldn't solve, so I had to take action myself. Besides, the illness was quite difficult, and he couldn't handle it."

"Yes, yes, yes, Cong Wen, that's exactly the situation," Ji Xiang hurriedly grabbed onto Zhou Congwen's thread. "Besides confronting them head-on, is there any other way?"

"To not fail the Buddha and not fail the beloved—you're thinking of solving problems by being slick, but that basically doesn't exist. Unless your superior leader is exceptionally good to you and indulges you in everything."

"I'll teach you: first, you must ensure that your communication channels with the leaders above are clear."

"For example?"

Zhou Congwen gave Ji Xiang a fierce look.

"Of course, the Medical Affairs Department and the Medical Affairs Section. They are the Embroidered Uniform Guards of the hospital; at the very least, you need to have a good relationship with their staff."

"As for how to do it specifically, the situation varies; I'm just giving you a general idea."

Next, Zhou Congwen explained to Ji Xiang the importance of the Medical Affairs Section to Clinical Doctors.

"Is that enough? Cong Wen, what if they don't look down on us at all?" Ji Xiang felt that what Zhou Congwen said was detached from reality.

"Ha, why is your brain so muddled?"

Ji Xiang was startled.

"Where is the foundation for what we're saying?" Zhou Congwen asked, but without waiting for Ji Xiang to answer, he gave the answer. "Are there many people in Clinical practice who can successfully rescue an Air Embolism?"

Ji Xiang shook his head.

"Just like that technician I mentioned earlier; once he left, the rocket launch failed."

"If you have that kind of ability, as long as the people in the Medical Affairs Section have even a shred of professionalism, they have to protect you."

"!!!"

The image of Bai Chuzhang appeared before Ji Xiang.

"I can solve an Air Embolism—not to brag, but any Medical Affairs Section chief with even a little bit of medical common sense knows how much trouble I can help them solve."

"Most things in this world are about people helping people; since I can solve problems, should I just watch the Patient die, just to hide my light, just to save some face for Wang Chengfa?"

With one sentence, Zhou Congwen completely blew away the fog in Ji Xiang's mind.

Indeed, it was just as Zhou Congwen said.

He dared to confront Wang Chengfa, and even scold the director like a dog on the operating table; the foundation was his level of skill.

The example Zhou Congwen gave—it seems the research institute later tried to recruit people back, and talked about confidentiality agreements and the like.

It's estimated that the leader at the time approved the resignation too readily, violating the confidentiality agreement, and those "leaders" didn't dare to say much about such things.

Whether it was Zhou Congwen or Zhang Xiaoping, they both had real skills.

Of course, this kind of skill must be able to stand the test. Zhou Jiaoshou could rescue an Air Embolism, and in the absence of conditions, perform a blind Deep Vein Puncture to guide the catheter into the heart and then extract the air.

Without Zhang Xiaoping, the rocket launches did indeed fail repeatedly.

Ji Xiang suddenly understood everything clearly.

"Go back and memorize the textbooks first, then if you have the heart, come to my place."

"Go to your place?"

"I'll teach you how to grind an egg," Zhou Congwen said with a smile. "However, the prerequisite is that you first memorize all the textbooks that are as tall as you."

"Okay!" Ji Xiang said without hesitation.

Zhou Congwen was slightly startled.

He looked at Ji Xiang with curiosity.

Memorizing textbooks as tall as oneself is something that gives almost every Doctor a headache, and it's somewhat asking too much of someone.

He didn't expect Ji Xiang to agree without any hesitation.

"I'll go back and memorize them; I can't say I'll be able to recite them backward, but Cong Wen, if you find any sentence in them, I'll be able to continue reciting from there."

"Like this, will it work?"

"Good!" Zhou Congwen agreed without hesitation.

Watching Professor Zhou Congwen wave goodbye and stride away, Ji Xiang gradually became lost in thought.

There are not many people who can do this, which is why the young Professor Zhou dares to directly confront Lao Zhuren to death on the operating table.

What about himself?

As Ji Xiang thought this, a light suddenly flashed before his eyes, and he returned to the System Operating Room.

"Teacher, no!" Ji Xiang said anxiously.

"Grinding eggshells is a long-term endeavor; there is no point in you following Cong Wen to learn it," the System NPC laughed.

"I think I understand, Teacher," Ji Xiang said. "Looking at it now, my luck is actually quite good."

"Luck, it is always very important," the System NPC said calmly. "Let me tell you something."

"Teacher, please speak."

"Small matters within the department are always small matters; do whatever you want. When I was forty, I went abroad to attend the world Thoracic Surgery annual meeting. That time, I defied the world and rejected the Internal Thoracic Artery Resection surgical procedure."

"!!!"

"Although it wasn't about curing a disease or saving a life, it was about doing something at the root."

"Teacher, that's amazing."

"Heh, when your academic level reaches that point, facing top Doctors of all skin colors from across the world and countless doubts, you will know how difficult it is."

"Difficult? Shouldn't everyone be pleased?" Ji Xiang was stunned.

"Back then, I smashed everyone's rice bowl," the System NPC said calmly.

"!!!"

Ji Xiang instantly understood what the System NPC meant.

Once a surgical procedure held as a golden rule by everyone is to be rejected, then all the Patients previously treated with it become cases of incorrect treatment.

Only heaven knows how much backlash this would trigger.

When Zhou Congwen handles an Air Embolism in Emergency Rescue, he only has to face the pressure from Lao Zhuren; but what the System NPC faced was the pressure from the world's top Doctors.

This was what the System NPC wanted to tell him!

Ji Xiang understood immediately; he looked at the System NPC solemnly and nodded slowly.

"I won't go into the specifics. As a person, one must always have a bit of vigor—screw them!" the System NPC suddenly said a vulgarity.

"Damn it!" Ji Xiang clenched his fist. "Screw them!"

The System NPC watched Ji Xiang with a smile.

"I think I understand," Ji Xiang said. "Teacher, if I truly reach that day, I will certainly not let down your expectations."

"You will."

"Then I will be going now." Ji Xiang bowed deeply to the System NPC.

Leaving the System Operating Room, Ji Xiang sat in the Fire Exit and first recalled the experience of Empathy.

This experience was still centered on Shen Lang, with Professor Zhou just being a background figure.

Ji Xiang even suspected that the Empathy system was not created by Professor Zhou, but was Shen Lang's intention.

Otherwise, why would Shen Lang appear as the protagonist in so many Empathy sessions?

However, none of that was important; what was important was the System NPC's final exhortation.

Thinking back to the System NPC in those years, wielding power and influence at the World Thoracic Surgery Society, smashing everyone's rice bowls, and remaining unmoved in the face of overwhelming accusations, Ji Xiang was slightly dazed.

Truly awesome!

But just as Professor Zhou said, the foundation still lies in one's own level.

Once the level is sufficient, one must still have that youthful spirit—so what if one is a bit sharp!

"Xiao Ji, why are you here?"