Chapter 106: Stark Contrast (First Update, Asking for Subscriptions)

The next day was Saturday, but also the first day of the New Year's holiday, December 31st.

Because of the three-day mini-break, Fang Ziye only dared sleep until past eight-ten in the morning before getting up.

After hurriedly showering and washing up, blow-drying his hair, he bought two steamed buns on the way and rushed to the department.

In the doctor's office, Qin Geluo, who was on weekend ward-round duty, was already in position, waiting only for Fang Ziye, then led Luo Tingzhu and Gu Yi, the two of them, to begin the ward round.

New Year's Day is a small holiday, so the beds that had been discharged one after another before were slowly emptied out.

Fang Ziye had two discharges, which would also be processed today.

Basically nothing special about it.

Just that, after finishing the ward round, Fang Ziye heard Li Yuanpei say: "Brother Luo, I'm heading to the training room first. The patients under my charge, I've handled them all in advance. The discharge summary and diagnosis certificate for the discharging patient are written; just need the junior trainees to help print them."

Qin Geluo looked toward Li Yuanpei at the sound. Li Yuanpei's face was covered in fatigue, his eyes slightly bloodshot; he must have been fighting hard for a long time.

Qin Geluo caught up a few steps: "Yuanpei, you must pay proper attention to rest. Working hard is good, but the body is the capital of revolution. Can't put the cart before the horse."

Qin Geluo is Teacher Deng's subordinate, so naturally knows how much Teacher Deng gave up by stepping down as ward director.

And the direct cause of all this was because Teacher Deng wanted to secure him a future staying at this hospital for a PhD.

Li Yuanpei hoped not to betray his teacher's cultivation, and had been striving ever since; and ever since the rumors started spreading, he basically hadn't left the training room.

"Brother Luo, I'm fine! I guarantee at least six hours of sleep every day, and my diet is regular too." Li Yuanpei's voice carried a hint of bleakness.

Hearing this, Fang Ziye also chased out the door. Qin Geluo saw Fang Ziye arrive and stopped walking side by side with Li Yuanpei.

Fang Ziye advised: "Yuanpei, Master's decision surely isn't to watch you ruin your body. It's care for you. And even if Teacher Deng didn't call Song Yi, Song Yi might not necessarily stay at Zhongnan."

"This just happened to walk into the gun muzzle."

Li Yuanpei is in the same cohort as me, got a PhD offer from Sun Yat-sen University Affiliated Hospital; actually there's no need to keep competing at this hospital, no need to stir into this mess.

You say Teacher Deng did right? Actually also right. Song Yi could originally take the special plan route, letting the research group have one more PhD quota, one more student.

You say Teacher Deng did wrong? Actually also not wrong!

What family background and foundation you have, you don't know yourself? Already so many students, you still want that quota, you'll give your life to graduate with certain resources?

I came here just to beg you to give me a PhD graduation? Am I, Song Yi, crazy?

Every professor, exactly how many projects, how much funding, can actually be found online, as long as you bother to look.

Giving senior brothers the chance first, that's for sure. Song Yi might be willing to wait.

Splitting the chance equally with Fang Ziye, Song Yi might also not be unable to accept. After all Fang Ziye also took the special plan, including Luo Tingzhu. Luo Tingzhu is eight-year program, right? You must take her.

But you keep pulling Li Yuanpei in to count as what?

Standing in Song Yi's perspective, he'd feel Teacher Deng's pot isn't that big, yet insists on inviting so many people to eat. Then aren't you saying I'm not your own people, have to stand at the side table, wait for your people to finish eating before I eat?

How cheap am I?

The more meticulously one experiences this matter, actually both Teacher Deng and Song Yi's choices have no fault.

If forced to say wrong, can only say Teacher Deng's group's project funding isn't fat enough. If there were a few million or even tens of millions in project funds, a dozen people could split casually, then it'd be fine.

"Industry Brother, you don't need to advise me either. I'll definitely cherish my own body."

"Just doing my utmost to rush a rush. Not saying it can make Teacher absolutely relieved, but at least can let him feel some comfort."

"Will definitely trouble you and Luo Tingzhu and other senior brothers more in the future!" Li Yuanpei's current temperament is in a state of absolute convergence.

Fang Ziye hearing this, didn't dare advise further: "Good, brothers mutual help."

Fang Ziye now has enough capital to converse directly with Li Yuanpei, because Teacher Deng is already his master, and Teacher Deng's partiality toward him surpasses that toward Li Yuanpei.

Why?

Because Teacher Deng got several hundred thousand in project funding from the hospital for Yuan Weihong's side. Is this for Yuan Weihong? No.

For Luo Tingzhu? Partly, but this is for himself.

Yuan Weihong originally had his own project funding; that's the small group's. Luo Tingzhu couldn't even dream of touching it. The funding Teacher Deng brought over, all gave to Yuan Weihong, just to let him and Luo Tingzhu split. This is a statement.

Perhaps, also Teacher Deng, feeling his handling of the Song Yi matter was improper, the result of serious calculation in his heart.

Master isn't easy. No matter which master, none are easy. Fang Ziye sees this increasingly clearly now.

Watching Li Yuanpei leave, Fang Ziye's thoughts were tangled.

As Teacher Deng's master's student, Li Yuanpei wanting to stay for a PhD has no fault at all. Even if Li Yuanpei has a way to curry favor with his own master, that's not wrong either!

Because Li Yuanpei isn't without a place to go, that's why he uses tactics.

When returning to the ward, Lan Tianluo and Jie Han, the two-person small group, had already started busying themselves.

Jie Han went straight to find the dressing cart to change dressings. Lan Tianluo was responsible for modifying medical orders. Seeing Fang Ziye come over, said: "Senior Brother, I've revised all our group's patients' medical orders once. You review them again?"

"Master said, Senior Brother you'll graduate with your master's soon. Need to get used in advance to the future attending physician's process. So for the next period, Senior Brother you only need to write medical records."

Lan Tianluo is very proactive.

Fang Ziye leaned close to Lan Tianluo's side, scrolling up and down with the mouse on the medical order interface Lan Tianluo opened for the bed, while saying: "Senior Brother will definitely treat you all to meals more in the future!"

"Mainly after my defense ends this month, for a period before April, I'll pour most of my time into the lab. Whether for your future graduations or other aspects, I'll do more preparation."

"But I'm still in the rotation plan. Not many operation chances in the department. I'll do experiments in a half-detached capacity."

Toward Lan Tianluo who is about to become his junior trainee, Fang Ziye no longer conceals.

Because his time can only be pinched and used.

The thirty-three-month standardized residency plan doesn't conclude until end of March.

And in April, Fang Ziye has to go to Enshi Central Hospital's orthopedics department for grassroots tempering experience that Professor Li Guohua found for him. During that time, even if he can take away some basic cell experiments, it won't be much.

So, after the defense completes on January 20th, the time left for Fang Ziye to do experiments isn't much.

Once entering PhD, Fang Ziye's first task is to shadow the attending physician for half a year, then go overseas for half a year, finally one year for thesis proposal plus graduation thesis writing, plus thesis manuscript completion. Time is quite insufficient.

"We all know, Senior Brother. Rest assured. Me and Han Ge have been in the department nearly half a year. Inside and out we're familiar enough. Anyway we still have Senior Brother you to ask." Lan Tianluo was polite.

Fang Ziye opened a few more cases' medical order pages, nodded.

"Fine, no need to revise further."

"Hmm, Senior Brother, then you type up the discharge summaries and diagnosis certificates for the two beds you're discharging today. I still have my own assigned beds to write up, otherwise I'd help you." Lan Tianluo explained.

"You might as well eat my meals for me too." Fang Ziye rolled his eyes, patting Lan Tianluo on the shoulder.

Lan Tianluo and him had no superior-subordinate relationship; it was all based on personal friendship. Being able to help him with some things was already good. Fang Ziye had also climbed up from a junior resident himself, and wouldn't make things difficult for other junior trainees still in the junior doctor stage.

"Sure, perfect for my diet."

……

After Fang Ziye finished handling the discharge summaries and such, he printed them out. Lan could help run them over. This month Fang Ziye could comfortably do his own things; as long as he wrote the medical records well, he could leave. The informed consent discussions and signatures, he could slowly learn to handle.

Fang Ziye didn't stand on ceremony either.

Just then he saw Luo Tingzhu walking out of the office, probably to change and leave the department. Fang Ziye followed, entering the doctors' office first to put on his own down jacket.

In January, nearing the year-end, Han City's temperature was also cold, its damp chill no less than summer's high heat.

Luo Tingzhu also put on a thick white long down jacket, its hem reaching a few centimeters below the knee joint, making her look like a white penguin.

Seeing Fang Ziye approach and walk alongside her, Luo Tingzhu dodged slightly, a bit nervous.

Fang Ziye said, "Tingzhu, thank you. The images you sent yesterday, I just found time to look at them again."

Knowledge points were still obtained, though only 6 points. But there were two images unrelated to knowledge points that made Fang Ziye's senses sharpen.

Fang Ziye wasn't an iron-straight man; otherwise he wouldn't be somewhat sensible. Although he didn't scheme in human relations, he was somewhat keen in sensing others' intentions.

It was just that Fang Ziye didn't dare believe or imagine that this was something the seemingly generous but actually exceptionally reserved Luo Tingzhu could do or directly express. He just feared he might misinterpret.

"The experiment results okay? Senior Brother." Luo Tingzhu tilted her head slightly, trying hard to steer the topic back on track, not deviating even a fraction of an angle.

"Experiment results are good. Can be used as material. But Tingzhu, what downstream path do you plan to follow up on? Or directly do the upstream and downstream pathways of LDH?" Fang Ziye asked casually.

"Should be upstream and downstream regulation, that's more steady!" Luo Tingzhu slowly let go of her nervousness.

And discussing research, even in the elevator, was appropriate.

Orthopedics was a standalone building, no fear of others overhearing; speaking up was just us insiders.

Two Joint Surgery teachers looked at Luo Tingzhu and Fang Ziye, heard their discussion, and each patted Fang Ziye's shoulder encouragingly: "Very good, keep at it."

"Orthopedics really needs pragmatic and open students like you. If needed, you can come to the 22nd floor of the research building to join our research group's group meeting discussions."

This made both Luo Tingzhu and Fang Ziye freeze slightly.

Turning to look, those two professors in their thirties or forties, they both felt not very familiar.

Mainly because Zhongnan Hospital had too many professors and associate professors.

Just in Trauma Surgery, there were three Chief Physicians and three Deputy Chief Physicians. One subspecialty counted as six. Then the whole Orthopedics thirty-odd, Bone Disease Specialty's senior titles might be even more.

Could only have a vague impression, unable to match them one by one.

Cell experiments required booking time.

Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu both went to the training room first. Fang Ziye asked, "Tingzhu, do you know what standard Li Yuanpei wants to reach?"

Inside the training room, there was actually talk of big goals and small goals.

Big goal, naturally, was to break through all items of the first training room, then all items of the second training room.

Small goals were Master's stage benchmarks, Doctoral graduation benchmarks, hospital retention pass benchmarks.

Generally, if you want to break through the doctoral-stage benchmark training room and reach hospital retention standard, basically you must break through the training room's operation pass standard by Master's graduation.

Then in first-year doctoral, break through all basic skills, leaving two years to consider specialty basic skill practice and breakthrough, step by step.

This is like, Senior Brother Yan Zhiming is a first-year doctoral student. Then this year, the optimal solution is to bring debridement, suturing, incision, and hemostasis all up to the doctoral training room pass standard, only then possibly covet the doctoral graduation pass standard.

But this is very, very hard.

For example, Senior Brother Wang Yuanqi, second-year doctoral. When he did his doctorate, he entered the hospital via the operation special plan, becoming Teacher Deng Yong's second co-supervised doctoral student, not occupying a quota.

But even with Senior Brother Wang Yuanqi's such excellent basic operation foundation, now in his second doctoral year, he still hasn't achieved absolute advantage in all basic medical operations.

Too hard. This has relatively high talent requirements.

Naturally, there are late bloomers too. Like third-year doctoral Senior Brother Dai Yinsheng, also entered doctoral admission via operation special plan. But Dai Yinsheng's current comprehensive operation level is still not as good as Sun Shaoqing who didn't take the special plan in Master's stage.

Can't just cross one step and lie flat. Still need to advance step by step.

Actually Fang Ziye's level is easy to understand. Early stage Level 1 to Level 3, skill upgrade progress needed is less than 100 points. But from Level 3 to Level 3 100/500 this most basic line, needs about 100 knowledge points to offset proficiency.

This is also the fundamental reason why training room pass is so hard.

"Never specifically stated, but definitely the higher the better."

"Senior Brother Li works very hard, but also a bit pitiful. Others can't help either. Hope he can walk out of his knot soon." Luo Tingzhu sighed softly.

"But Senior Brother Yuanpei's first small goal is to be able to pass the Master's stage benchmark training room pass standard before Master's graduation. Right now the only one barely meeting standard is incision technique." Luo Tingzhu analyzed meticulously.

"Mm. I looked and think similar. Can only repeatedly practice, cross over. Pure guidance isn't enough." Fang Ziye's incision technique was on par with Luo Tingzhu's.

From this it can be seen, Luo Tingzhu's talent is truly extremely high. Fang Ziye estimated, Luo Tingzhu probably has a chance to rush breaking through the first training room pass.

Luo Tingzhu thought a moment, slightly tidied her essential snack chest pack, tilted her head and asked: "Senior Brother, I heard you're still writing a meta-analysis. Aren't you defending soon? No need to waste this time, right?"

Luo Tingzhu suggested.

A meta-analysis is just a tool paper, no benefit to Fang Ziye. Three or four 8-point impact factor meta-analyses when job hunting can't compare to Fang Ziye's one 8-point original article.

"Mainly to practice paper writing. As Senior Brother, trainees are getting more and more excellent. Should have some pressure too."

"My Master planned for me to do research half-detached for the next few months. Naturally still need to learn some things." Fang Ziye smiled, clearly not worried about his graduation thesis at all.

The workload in this thesis, even an eight-year program student like Luo Tingzhu would absolutely have enough use. I'm just using it for Master's graduation. Honestly, really a bit of a waste.

"That's true too."

"Senior Brother Fang, yesterday Teacher Yuan talked to me. General meaning: let me and you separately submit three grant applications to provincial-level projects under the names of Teacher Yuan Weihong, me, and Professor Deng Yong."

"Provincial-level projects, city-level projects, and general projects don't overlap."

"Your side's workload and early reserves, enough?" Luo Tingzhu was truly scared by Yuan Weihong's such big talk.

Good fellow ah.

What kind of family background is this?

Apart from his own research projects, Fang Ziye had applied for a school-level project and a city-level project, and now he had to undertake the preliminary research for the bid documents of two provincial-level projects, plus the project application for Yuan Weihong's General Program Fund.

Just how much preliminary research reserve would that take?

Hearing this, Fang Ziye said guiltily, "We'll plan it together when the time comes; everyone in our small group has to participate in this matter."

"But this matter absolutely cannot be spoken of outside."

Could Fang Ziye directly explain to Luo Tingzhu the depth of the projects he was currently doing? He could not!

It wasn't that he was afraid of Luo Tingzhu knowing, but that he was afraid the walls have ears.

"Good!" Luo Tingzhu nodded lightly, then spoke no further.

Fang Ziye glanced sideways and discovered Luo Tingzhu pursing her mouth, head slightly lowered, not knowing what she was thinking about.

Fang Ziye also didn't know how to open his mouth.

Actually, what Luo Tingzhu was thinking in her heart at this moment was: could it really be catering to a collection habit?

While their thoughts were slightly in disarray, the two arrived at the Training Room, and after collecting the materials, each began practicing.

Around 2:30 in the afternoon, Fang Ziye finished practicing early, and then discovered Li Yuanpei staring blankly at Luo Tingzhu's demonstrated operational kung fu with a somewhat dazed expression, his eyes full of hardship and envy, looking desolate like an old man.

This expression moved Fang Ziye's heart involuntarily.

He was Li Yuanpei, after all...

(Chapter End)