Chapter 80: Blind Date

Tying knots, Ji Xiang practices every day when he gets home.

However, his method of practice is unique.

During his internship, Ji Xiang practiced tying knots by using the Number 7 Suture left over after opening packages in the operating room to tie knots on the drawer handles in the office.

Back then, all the students practiced this way, to the point that every drawer handle had surgical threads tied with knots all over them. They were dense and thick, looking as if the office desk had grown hair.

But now, his mother has had boxes upon boxes of surgical equipment and consumables sent home, so there is simply no need to pilfer the surgical threads that are opened during surgeries and are meant to be thrown away after use.

Yet, Ji Xiang still thanked Wu Zong for his kindness and took the pile of opened Number 7 Sutures.

Time passed quickly; after getting off work, Ji Xiang rode his bicycle home.

"Dad, I'm home."

Ji Xiang entered the house, just about to change his shoes, when he saw Chen sitting on the sofa in the living room, eyeing him.

A headache flared; Ji Xiang lowered his head and changed his shoes to enter the house as if he had committed a mistake.

He prepared to say a quick greeting and head upstairs, but Chen spoke directly, "Xiao Ji, you've forgotten about the matter I asked you to handle, haven't you?"

Ji Xiang looked at the ceiling and spread his hands.

"Chen, nowadays in the hospital, stone crushing surgeries basically use Laser to crush the stones first, and then the fragments are taken out bit by bit," Ji Xiang explained, biting the bullet. "I haven't encountered the large Kidney stones you want yet."

"Sigh." Chen was full of sorrow and let out a deep sigh. "That child just won't get better; finding a medicinal primer is so difficult."

"Chen, it's fine to see a doctor of traditional medicine; go to our Provincial Hospital, or go to the Guang'anmen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Imperial Capital. I remember the best traditional medicine doctor in our province previously went to Guang'anmen to serve as Vice President."

Ji Xiang's father helped Ji Xiang out of the awkward situation.

"Don't mention it, it's of no use; this is the only hope left now." Chen was also warm-hearted and particularly prone to putting herself in others' shoes; in the time it took to say a few words, her eyes were already brimming with tears.

"That child is kind-hearted; it shouldn't be like this. Last year, when participating in the Art Examination, she was directly scouted by some group or other. I thought she would have a bright future, but who knew she would contract such a strange illness."

A thought stirred in Ji Xiang's heart; he could go into the System Space and ask the System NPC for a consultation.

"Chen, what exactly is the situation?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Sigh, they say that since ancient times, beauties have had short lives. The child is kind-hearted and looks so handsome! But this fate, oh—she had surgery for Congenital Heart Disease when she was small, and now that she's grown up, she's caught this strange illness."

Chen was immersed in her own grief and couldn't pull herself out; as for what Ji Xiang was saying, she didn't hear any of it.

Ji Xiang was helpless; he changed into his slippers and didn't go back upstairs, instead sitting on the sofa opposite Chen to wait.

After a while, Chen finally finished rambling and explained the situation.

The Patient she spoke of is 18 years old this year and just finished the Art Examination. Her exam results were quite excellent, and she was even scouted by the manager of a girl group.

Everything looked perfect and smooth; a brand-new life was about to begin.

But not long after, red maculopapular rashes appeared on the Patient's lower limbs, and some of the rashes ulcerated or even rotted.

At the time, she went for hospitalization and examinations, and the conclusion was Vascular Purpura + Acute Renal Injury in the lower limbs.

Symptomatic treatment was given, but the condition did not improve.

The Family Member took the Patient to many different hospitals, but none could determine a diagnosis.

Western medicine was ineffective, so the family took her to see a traditional medicine doctor.

After there were no good solutions there either, they could only look for those wandering quack doctors.

Thus, the matter of using Urological Calculus as a medicinal primer came about.

Because Chen is not a doctor and does not know much medical common sense, she only gave a rough summary.

Ji Xiang focused his mind, entered the System Space, and told the System NPC about the matter.

Originally, Ji Xiang thought that, just like that exam, the System NPC would give him a definitive diagnosis after he finished speaking.

However, this time he was disappointed.

"The data is incomplete," the System NPC said very calmly. "Just the Vascular Purpura + Acute Renal Injury in the lower limbs alone has at least 21 conditions that could present with similar symptoms."

"Teacher, what should I do then?"

"Go take a look at the situation, then come back and tell me."

There was no mission this time, but Ji Xiang didn't mind; he asked about the key points for taking a medical history and then exited the System Space.

"Chen, is it convenient to visit the Patient's family?" Ji Xiang asked.

"What?"

"I have a teacher who is quite skilled in this type of illness. I want to go take a look, and then contact my teacher."

Chen hesitated for a moment and shook her head. "Xiao Ji, forget it."

Ji Xiang smiled; he knew where his weakness lay—he was young.

Who would trust a young Doctor?

He still remembered the day he visited the hospital before starting his Standardized Residency Training; Wang Daxiao had said similar things.

A programmer is sent out to society at 35, while for a Doctor, everything is just beginning at 35.

In the eyes of others, he still belonged to an infant in swaddling clothes and couldn't be considered a Doctor at all.

Chen said her goodbyes, and after seeing her off, Ji Xiang's father finally let out a sigh of relief.

It was visible to the naked eye that Ji Xiang's father was exhausted from dealing with Chen.

"Dad, it's not that serious, is it?" Ji Xiang said with a chuckle.

"I'm tired." Ji Xiang's father looked at Ji Xiang. "There was something else today, and I felt bad about chasing Chen away."

"Hm? What thing?"

Based on Ji Xiang's understanding of his old man, he vaguely felt that something bad was about to happen.

"A few days ago... uh... your mom said you're already an adult but haven't found a girlfriend yet, so she arranged a blind date for you."

"!!!" Ji Xiang looked at his old man helplessly and complained, "You should have told me earlier."

"Originally, it was scheduled for this weekend, but it seems the other party happens to be coming to the Provincial Capital, so it's a good chance to meet." Ji Xiang's father stared at Ji Xiang seriously, and after a few seconds of silence, he emphasized his tone and said, "Ji Xiang!"

What is the most terrifying thing in the world?

When a strict father and a kind mother use your full name.

Sure enough, Ji Xiang knew his premonition was correct.

"You never find a girlfriend, your mother is worried, and I am too. What if one day you bring a boyfriend home..."

Ji Xiang's father paused here, his gaze like the cold wind of the third nine-day period, carrying a biting chill that whistled as it lashed across Ji Xiang's face.

"Didn't you guys forbid it when I was little?" Ji Xiang looked at the sky and shrugged. "You wouldn't let me do this, you wouldn't let me do that, and now that I've just arrived at the hospital for Standardized Residency Training, you're in such a rush to find me a girlfriend."

Ji Xiang's father felt slightly ashamed, but hearing Ji Xiang answer this way, he was still somewhat happy.

"You were still young back then."

"I'm not that old now either."

"I know," Ji Xiang's father said earnestly. "As long as your orientation is normal, that's fine. I don't understand what you young people like these days."

"Don't worry, I absolutely won't bring a boyfriend home," Ji Xiang replied, patting his chest. "So can I not go today? I still have to practice surgery tonight."

"You know your mother's temper," Ji Xiang's father finally relaxed. "Just go and deal with it briefly."

Ji Xiang had also considered this; at home, his mother made the decisions on small matters, though there were usually no big ones.

A thought occurred to him, and Ji Xiang suddenly remembered something. He asked with a chuckle, "Dad, you're quite familiar with this young people's stuff."

Ji Xiang's father glanced at Ji Xiang and snorted.

"Tell me about it," Ji Xiang pressed.

"I've seen you acting strange these past few days, so I joined a few groups."

"What kind of groups?" Ji Xiang knew his old man was usually very rigid, but once he decided to do something, that level of meticulousness was comparable to a System NPC.

He should have a relatively profound understanding of the things he wanted to know before speaking to him.

"I joined a few gay dating groups."

"!!!" Ji Xiang was startled and gave a thumbs up. "Dad, awesome!"

"What kind of way is that to talk? Go wash your mouth out with soap."

"Hahaha." Ji Xiang scratched his head. "Dad, tell me, how did you join?"

"How else would I join? I faked an identity, copied some photos from the internet, and then I was in," Ji Xiang's father sighed. "I can understand it, and I don't think it's wrong. People should be allowed to like whatever they want."

"I know we have an imperial throne for me to inherit," Ji Xiang shrugged.

"In any case, I don't like either male or female dating groups; you should just honestly find a girlfriend," Ji Xiang's father ignored the point and urged Ji Xiang.

"I need to practice surgery!" Ji Xiang protested.

"That's fine, tell your mother yourself," Ji Xiang's father said.

Thinking of his mother, who spoke in a cutesy, soft voice and had maintained that affected tone for over twenty years, but could tear the house down whenever she got angry, Ji Xiang felt helpless.

Forget it, just go and deal with it; consider it buying some peace.

"Fine, I'll go, okay?" Ji Xiang said.

"Your mother will send you the address in a moment," Ji Xiang's father said. "Go quickly and come back quickly."

"Dad, who is it?"

"The daughter of a friend of your fourth uncle. She just graduated from university and studied art and dance. She doesn't have anything going on lately, so she's joining a girl group at an entertainment company under your uncle's group. The kid is just playing around, and her age is just right."

"Alright." Ji Xiang remembered that remark from Liu Zhuren.

When you're young, spend your time in the operating room; the operating room is much more fragrant than the girls.

"I'll contact my mother," Ji Xiang grumbled. "Seriously, work is so tiring, and I still have to deal with you guys after I get off."

As he spoke, Ji Xiang remembered something and asked with a grin, "Dad, that group of yours..."

Ji Xiang's father raised his leg to kick him, but Ji Xiang nimbly dodged, laughed, changed his shoes, and went out.

What on earth had he done to make his parents start worrying? Ji Xiang had been thinking about this question.

But no matter how hard he racked his brain, Ji Xiang couldn't think of an answer.

He contacted his dear mother, got the location for today's blind date, and endured the roar of the mother-dragon before hanging up the phone.

Ji Xiang helplessly watched his Spirit drop by a large margin because of his mother's roaring, and he felt a sense of emotion.

This consumed more energy than studying.

Out of respect for his dear mother and fear of her roaring, Ji Xiang still rode his bike to a top-tier Private Restaurant in the Provincial Hospital area.

This shop required a reservation a week in advance, and the food they made was on the lighter side; Ji Xiang never felt it was that good, whereas Peiyang Barbecue was more to his taste.

(End of chapter)