Chapter 95

Fang Ziye didn't know what Deng Yong had discussed with Song Yi, so naturally he couldn't go ask.

Even Song Yi's thoughts and choices, Fang Ziye could only speculate about; he couldn't know his innermost true thoughts.

But there was no doubt that, as a third-year master's student of this hospital, Fang Ziye held the home-field advantage; therefore, after Professor Qi Wenshan handed the specialty assessment scoring rubric to the doctoral assessment panel led by Professor Du Xinzhan, Teaching Director Associate Professor Tang Sai called Fang Ziye.

"Ziye, first of all, on behalf of Orthopedics, I congratulate you on your specialty plan exam results, and likewise welcome you to become a doctoral student of our hospital; but for the sake of fairness and freedom of choice, I still ask on behalf of Orthopedics: do you choose Professor Deng Yong as your doctoral supervisor?" Tang Sai's tone on the phone was very formal.

Taking the specialty plan is a special quota, not restricted by the department's original internal quotas.

Such a quota allows autonomous choice of supervisor, with treatment comparable to Luo Tingzhu's eight-year program.

Generally, for ordinary doctoral application assessments, you have to pick your supervisor in advance; the department won't give you any freedom of choice. The only two-way choice you have is to apply in advance, then come or not come.

But Fang Ziye could, while choosing whether to stay at Zhongnan Hospital for his doctorate, also have the opportunity to pick another supervisor. For instance, many professors in Hand Surgery welcomed Fang Ziye enthusiastically.

Naturally, doctoral supervisors outside Trauma Surgery and Hand Surgery were also available for Fang Ziye to choose.

"Professor Tang, Deng Yong and I already agreed on this long ago; thank you for informing me in advance, Professor Tang, now I'm at ease." After plotting for a long time, things had finally reached this step; Tang Sai, as Teaching Director, called to notify him.

Then this matter was completely settled, with no more surprises!

"Hmm, Ziye, have you thought about applying to other hospitals for doctoral assessment? I heard you seem to have signed up for an external hospital's doctoral assessment." Tang Sai was still a bit worried and asked again.

"No, Professor Tang. The places I applied to before were just registrations; I didn't go participate in the assessments later." Fang Ziye explained to put Tang Sai at ease.

While speaking, Fang Ziye happened to walk into his rental house, pushed the door open, put his phone on the foyer with one hand, and with the other started taking off his shoes and changing into his cotton slippers for home.

Today was the doctoral re-examination, so Fang Ziye hadn't scheduled experiments in the lab; likewise, he didn't plan to stay long in the training room, because in the afternoon the training room would be used for other ordinary application assessment evaluations.

"Phew—! Good."

"Otherwise if you had lost it too, Professor Deng would really be in trouble." Tang Sai exhaled like that.

Fang Ziye's phone was on speakerphone, so hearing Tang Sai's words, the slippers in Fang Ziye's hand dropped straight onto the floor.

He asked back: "Song Yi refused so early and so directly?"

"Mm-hmm. He meant he contacted Professor Deng quite early too; if the fate isn't enough, he won't force it."

"He already holds three doctoral admission offers. Six SCI papers, clinical operative capability that strong — he's not afraid of having nowhere to study." Tang Sai sighed lightly.

"We can only respect Student Song Yi's decision."

Fang Ziye had just put on his dog slippers and asked: "Professor Tang, really? What exactly does Song Yi mean? I don't seem to have understood — why must he?"

Fang Ziye was a bit puzzled.

If Song Yi chose to openly go through the normal application assessment, how would Li Yuanpei compete with him?

"That's called brilliant maneuvering — he stated his position without offending anyone. Professor Deng Yong can still choose his student according to his own wishes, and he can also choose his supervisor or even whether to come to our hospital according to his own wishes."

"Enough, not talking anymore." Tang Sai unilaterally chose to hang up.

Fang Ziye held his phone, sat on the single leather sofa seat in the living room and pondered for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh.

With capability, one can naturally be willful.

But his teacher had predicted correctly early on — if he directly competed with Li Yuanpei, the risk was huge!

Who knows when Professor Deng Yong might mutter about where his student went?

Then Fang Ziye could only be a pacesetter; because if both were just ordinary application assessments, Fang Ziye wouldn't be much more outstanding than Li Yuanpei — only a little bit, or even not noticeably so — and if Professor Deng Yong chose Li Yuanpei, Fang Ziye wouldn't even have a chance to complain.

His teacher wasn't being arrogant at all.

……

The next day, when Fang Ziye rushed to the department again, the doctoral application assessment shadowing evaluation was still in full swing.

Excluding Fang Ziye and Song Yi, the other eighty-nine people were eliminated in batches based on comprehensive scores for on-the-spot adaptability and clinical professional operation during the interview stage, leaving only forty-five people.

Forty-five people, divided into five groups of nine each, assigned to different sub-specialties; each sub-specialty had three groups, equivalent to three people per group.

To stagger the shadowing assessments, Xiong Jinhuan and Li Yuanpei from Trauma Surgery both went to Sports Medicine for shadowing assessment, scored by Sports Medicine superiors.

Those coming to Trauma Surgery for assessment included people from outside hospitals and other sub-specialty master's students from this hospital — Fang Ziye's classmates.

Only, Fang Ziye hadn't even had time to greet them when he saw Professor Li Guohua of Trauma Surgery and Professor Qi Wenshan of Joint Surgery sitting in the department's doctor's office.

With slightly gloomy expressions, they chose to sit at the two positions of the handover oval office desk, then maintained silence, holding their phones, playing on them there.

Expressions slightly grave.

The group of junior doctors currently in the office, including the doctors like Luo Tingzhu, were all trembling with fear, walking on eggshells, treading lightly and speaking in hushed tones.

Fang Ziye and the others sensing this atmosphere, how would they dare whisper? They hurriedly lined up properly by the computers, then recorded the pre-op and post-op check results of their assigned patients one by one in their notebooks.

Finished recording, they yielded the spot, not delaying a moment.

Before long, Fang Ziye's teacher Yuan Weihong appeared at the office door whistling, buttoning his collar, looking up about to holler "Brothers, good!" when he discovered two deities sitting at the office desk.

Yuan Weihong's body twitched slightly left and right like a penguin, then he hurriedly silently crab-walked in from the main entrance toward the right side.

Li Guohua and Qi Wenshan didn't notice Yuan Weihong; Yuan Weihong hid in the blind spot formed by Fang Ziye and Jie Han, and started messaging Deng Yong to inform him.

After Deng Yong replied, prompted by Yuan Weihong's notification in the small group, Associate Professor Peng Long, who was resting in the next-door deputy chief physician office, hurried to the doctor's office and very politely called out: "Professor Qi, Professor Li."

"Mm." The two merely responded.

……

Before long, Professor Deng Yong rushed over hurriedly, buttoning his collar rapidly as he approached, saying: "Teacher Qi, Master, why do you two have time to come to the department?"

Professor Qi and Professor Li didn't speak; just stood up at once after Deng Yong arrived and walked out of the office.

Professor Deng Yong immediately followed.

Yuan Weihong and Associate Professor Xie Jinyuan, who arrived later, prepared to go in and serve tea and such, but were directly sent away by Li Guohua.

At the office door, pointing at Yuan Weihong: "You guard outside the door. Whoever dares open this door, I'll hold only you responsible! Remember, anyone!"

"Even if the Dean comes, make him wait at the door."

Yuan Weihong nodded up and down, only then realizing the matter was truly serious.

Right now, Li Guohua giving no face, directly bringing Joint Surgery's Professor Qi Wenshan to kill over — something big is about to happen.

The current Dean Wang, back in his student days, was a student before Professor Li Guohua and the others; he wouldn't dare directly face the old professors when they're bristling either.

However, fortunately the old professors inside had powerful enough voices.

Yuan Weihong didn't need to open the door or approach; he could overhear everything.

"Deng Yong, who gave you the right to contact and hint to students applying for your doctoral program in advance?"

"Do you think you're something special just because you're a doctoral supervisor?"

"Clatter!"

Judging by the sound, it should be the sound of a keyboard and mouse smashing onto the floor. Then came the sound of shattering.

The one getting angry was Deng Yong's Master, Professor Li Guohua.

Yuan Weihong surmised that Deng Yong's expression should be respectful and deferential, a face full of apologetic smiles: "Master, Professor Qi, getting angry and harming your health over such a trivial matter really isn't worth it, not worth it at all."

"You two elders calm down, I'll slowly explain to you..."

"Not worth it? You think we're about to die of old age, can't wield authority anymore, so you start acting arrogant and domineering, disregarding the rules established before?"

"Fine, calm down, calm down. You can do it — go get a National Science and Technology Progress Second Prize! ~"

"Go on! When can you go? What if you can't go?" Li Guohua's voice carried an almost interrogatory tone.

"Our generation suffered losses, that's why we set down rules, hoping later generations wouldn't suffer the same losses. What do you think?"

"The person hasn't even arrived, you haven't seen the other party's capability, yet in your heart you've already picked the optimal student? Did you study trauma surgery or fortune-telling?"

"Then go tell fortunes!"

"You might as well not serve as this department's Administrative Director. If this matter is really escalated, you'll lose your professor title too. Go wherever you like! ~" Li Guohua said this without giving any face whatsoever.

Immediately after, Professor Qi Wenshan's voice rang out: "Deng Yong, I don't know if you think the department's rules are a joke?"

"Other mistakes, we can actually turn a blind eye. Even if you young people pull little tricks, it doesn't matter. But on student recruitment, no — this is a matter of principle."

"To tell the truth, this is also one of the few collective tasks we old fellows participate in."

"After the doctoral re-examination and shadowing assessment, you'll temporarily step down from the Ward Director position. Let Han Yuanxiao serve as Acting Director. You're not suitable. You're too emotional in handling affairs."

Deng Yong's voice panicked slightly: "Teacher Qi, I?"

"I didn't."

Li Guohua felt Qi Wenshan was still too polite: "Don't bother thinking. Han Yuanxiao will be the Trauma Surgery Administrative Director from now on. He has that capability and strength. You step down early!"

"This is also Professor Du Xinzhan's intention!" Li Guohua still brought up Deng Yong's most direct superior.

"A county official is no match for the current manager. We're old and useless, but don't forget — you're not yet at the point where you can stroll through the hospital at will."

Then the office fell silent.

Li Guohua pointed at Deng Yong: "You're not convinced? Go report to the Personnel Department. Go report to the Discipline Inspection Commission that Orthopedics is using power to suppress you. You can even report to the Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission. Go report to the School."

"Go on, go right now. Go call Dean Wang over. You go."

"Just say we old professors aren't human, that we're targeting you Deng Yong, that Professor Deng Yong is more awesome than an Academician, more awesome than a Nobel Prize..."

Qi Wenshan then said: "The matter is already settled. We're just here to notify you, not to discuss it with you. On this matter, your teacher Professor Li Guohua also voted in favor."

"Sort out your emotions properly. Don't bring emotions into your work."

"The student you lost isn't just eligible for the Professional Special Plan — he's qualified for the Research Plan too."

"I've also made contact. Song Yi isn't unable to stay for a PhD — he genuinely wants to return to Han City to develop."

With the conversation at this point, Professor Li Guohua and Professor Qi Wenshan pushed open the door and walked out.

Hearing the two old professors' footsteps approaching, Yuan Weihong hurriedly stood up straight. Pretending he hadn't been eavesdropping, but had been standing guard properly all along.

Actually, the hospital offices have excellent soundproofing. If Yuan Weihong's ears hadn't been pressed against the door, he wouldn't have heard what was being said inside.

"Professor Qi, Professor Li." Yuan Weihong bowed slightly, wanting to follow.

"Carry on with normal work. Handover if you need to handover, shadowing assessment if you need to shadowing assessment." Li Guohua tugged his white coat collar and strode out of Trauma Surgery, his face and mouth full of "hating iron for not becoming steel" — this student of his, his brain must have been kicked by a donkey!

To have clearly reached the Director position, then still play himself out of it.

He'd told him long ago: if it's an ordinary student, you can choose freely. But don't interfere with the Special Plan because of that. Exceptionally outstanding talents shouldn't make relatively extreme choices because of your bias.

Zhongnan Hospital has suffered many, many losses in this aspect. Many outstanding talents have been lost from the hospital due to such incidents, eventually building up their brother hospitals and pressing our hospital's specialties underfoot.

At that time, the doctoral application assessment system didn't have the High-end Cutting-edge Professional Special Plan yet — only Special Plans similar to the Onion Research Plan, just judging by papers.

The result was one person who, in just twelve years since undergraduate graduation, directly pressed all specialties in the entire Han City until they couldn't breathe.

Naturally, Zhongnan Hospital has also picked up leaks. For instance, in Internal Medicine, there's a current professor who was originally a fine seedling lost from Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Now not only has he achieved great success in money-making ventures, but his professional achievements also hurt others badly.

Yuan Weihong looked inside through the office door. Professor Deng Yong was tidying the chaotic office while wiping his forehead, a lost look in his eyes.

As if ever since he was promoted to Director rank, it had been too long since he'd been treated this way.

Later he became a Professor, Ward Director. Everyone, including other subspecialty Directors, even Orthopedics Chief Director Du Xinzhan, still treated him politely.

The old professors, in the past, would praise Deng Yong saying: "Old Professor Li, you have a worthy successor."

Except today!

Yuan Weihong gently closed the door. He didn't go in to help. Going in to view the mess on the floor wasn't to clean Deng Yong's wounds — it was to tear the wounds open and sprinkle salt on them.

For someone like Professor Deng Yong, even if injured, he would only silently lick and digest it himself. No need for subordinates to comfort him, lest he become a laughingstock.

All this, everyone in the doctors' office was unaware of.

After Yuan Weihong appeared in the doctors' office, Xie Jinyuan came up to ask: "Should be nothing serious, right?"

"Nothing. Just Professor Li and Professor Qi coming over to tell Professor Deng about the doctoral shadowing assessment rules. Old professors, they care more about student inheritance matters."

Xie Jinyuan then visibly breathed a sigh of relief: "Good that there's nothing, good that there's nothing."

"Weihong, you go handle docking with our department's nine shadowing assessment students. You personally divide them — three groups, three people each."

"Then later, me, you, and Qin Geluo — each person mentors one, conducting a three-day assessment. Final comprehensive evaluation scored systematically."

"Good!" Yuan Weihong didn't decline.

He has now gradually been designated by Professor Deng Yong as Trauma Surgery's Teaching and Research Director. Such a Teaching and Research Director differs from a Teaching Director like Tang Sai.

Yuan Weihong and Tang Sai have no jurisdiction over each other, no superior-subordinate relationship. But within the Trauma Surgery Subspecialty, all students before graduation must pass Yuan Weihong's gate before they can submit their papers outside.

Also, if the Department wants to carry out any research project, it still needs this Teaching and Research Director to review and approve it — equivalent to directly entrusting Yuan Weihong with both major sectors of research and teaching, just without a clear-face appointment.

Before long, the handover time arrived.

Fang Ziye watched Teacher Deng walk out of the Office looking radiant and spirited, his face flushed, full of heroic spirit, as if he had just received endless praise; the stone in his heart also settled down.

The handover ended, and Teacher Deng said in a rather resonant voice: "First, welcome to all students coming to our Department for the shadowing assessment. Although the time is not long — only three days — meeting is fate."

"Nine people, following different teachers. Each teacher will objectively evaluate you from multiple dimensions: your mastery of basic theoretical knowledge and its clinical connection, your understanding of research progress and the current forefront of scientific research, and so on."

"Although you may not be Master's Students of Trauma Surgery, Trauma Surgery is the foundation of all Orthopedics. Therefore, regardless of which subspecialty you belong to, you need a certain understanding of it."

"Because after you start working, the preparation you must do well is: not working in the subspecialty you yourselves studied."

"Alright, no more nonsense. Han Professor, Dong Professor, begin normal work."

"Our Group's three students..."

Yuan Weihong immediately followed with his stance: "Deng Professor, the three students for our Group's shadowing assessment, I have already arranged well."

"Okay." Deng Yong nodded, expressing satisfaction.

Xie Jinyuan then said: "Deng Professor, I have Outpatient Clinic today, so I'll take one person over first."

"Good." Deng Yong Professor still nodded.

"Then the rest, follow me together to the Surgery Access first." With a wave of his hand, Deng Yong Professor led the slightly grand procession away.

Although he may no longer hold the Ward Director position in the future, he is still a Professor, still a Chief Physician, still a Group-leading Director — just a step back.

Having made the choice, there is no need to retreat and regret; there is no regret medicine.

In the adult world, there is no turning-back choice to speak of. Even if the price of the choice is great, even if the teeth are shattered, one must swallow them raw, and still wear a smiling face.

(Chapter End)