Chapter 1957: 1888 Practicing to Welcome Zheng Lao Ban

Make money!

These two characters are rather sensitive.

Everyone wants to make money, but no one feels comfortable saying these two characters.

A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it by proper means.

But under the current circumstances, in recent years doctors have mostly relied on gray income to get by. The past couple of years have improved somewhat, but doctors of the same level absolutely cannot compare their income with that of doctors in other countries.

Xia Hua glanced at the patient's family; the anesthesiologist understood her meaning, smiled, said nothing more, and quickly sent the patient to the ICU.

After settling the patient, Xia Hua conveyed Zheng Lao Ban's instructions to the ICU doctor, then she and the anesthesiologist left.

"Brother Huang, how does Zheng Lao Ban make money?"

"You guess." the anesthesiologist asked mysteriously.

"Salary plus bonuses—even in the capital it's high, only twenty to thirty thousand a month at most. Medicines… are basically dead now. Supplies… after the two-invoice system and zero markup next year, there's no profit left. Flying knives—now surgeons basically rely on flying knives." Xia Hua said.

"Your vision is really shallow." the anesthesiologist said proudly: "Zheng Lao Ban makes money by giving lectures!"

"Lectures?"

"The new TIPS surgery program has already held two sessions of trainees." the anesthesiologist said: "I heard this from a classmate who works in Jizhong; their intervention department head just went to study."

Xia Hua didn't understand the anesthesiologist's meaning—how much money could that be?

Seeing Xia Hua's clueless expression, the anesthesiologist felt pleased; that was exactly the effect he wanted.

When I first heard this news, I should have been even more surprised than Xia Hua.

"Let me tell you this: my classmate works at a well-known tertiary hospital in Jizhong, which has more beds than ours." the anesthesiologist said: "Their intervention department head was summoned by Director Zhou of the capital's hepatobiliary department."

Xia Hua could imagine that.

That side is close to the capital; by taking a high-speed train it's just a few hours away, and people from the capital who go out to perform flying knives don't need to fly—they can go directly by high-speed rail.

However, the capital's hepatobiliary department is a top-notch hospital; Xia Hua felt a yearning for it.

Even department heads dare not dream of ever receiving a summons from a senior director of that capital hepatobiliary hospital—just getting such a call would be impressive.

"At first he was a bit reluctant, with too much work at home he couldn't keep up. But then Director Zhou flew into a rage! He called and gave him a good scolding."

"Brother Huang, that's too exaggerated." Xia Hua looked at the anesthesiologist gossiping excitedly, helplessly interrupting him: "Is that part about being scolded just your guess?"

"Look, saying your vision is shallow is indeed true." the anesthesiologist laughed: "This is what their intervention department head said when he got back, over drinks."

"..."

"He was especially pleased, spittle flying several meters." the anesthesiologist said.

"..."

"He said, on the first day he went, he didn't yet know what was happening. Director Zhou called them all at six in the morning—guess what they were practicing?"

"What?" Xia Hua stared, still practicing?

"Practice welcoming Zheng Lao Ban!"

"..."

This time Xia Hua really felt like crying.

If Zheng Lao Ban comes, he comes—why would we need to practice?

"At first that department head wasn't happy either. But Director Zhou of the capital's hepatobiliary department said that when he went to visit Zheng Lao Ban, everyone had to stand in the hallway waiting. Guess who was the only one given a seat?"

The capital's hepatobiliary department, even the senior directors, have to stand in the hallway like junior doctors waiting for Zheng Lao Ban? That's putting on too big an act.

Xia Hua imagined that scene, felt a yearning, and was left speechless.

"At that time Zheng Lao Ban brought out a chair and only gave it to that lame medical supplies manager just now."

Xia Hua felt she must be exhausted to the point of hallucination, hearing things.

The senior director of the capital's hepatobiliary department stood aside—would that shabby little medical supplies merchant dare to sit? Zheng Lao Ban was treating a bun like it wasn't dry rations.

He swallowed hard, voice low: "This seems a bit over the top."

"His skill is there; later, supposedly Director Zhou Chun Yong, when seeing off department heads from various places, said he patted his chest and declared he was genuinely convinced."

"Ah?"

"Not even a chair, and yet he's supposedly convinced? Could it be that lame medical supplies manager is also some kind of master?"

"Director Zhou said, after looking into it, that person's leg was injured during earthquake relief… you weren't there, right?"

"No."

"Zheng Lao Ban was among the first to enter the epicenter; later the roads were still closed, he carried the injured out amid aftershocks, and began rescue efforts right at the nearest Pengxi Township Hospital."

Xia Hua remained silent.

"So many wounded—you can imagine how few supplies a township hospital has. Zheng Lao Ban made one call, and little Manager Feng opened their company's warehouse, hauling all the supplies straight over."

"On the way, rebar pierced his thigh; he drove on to Pengxi Township Hospital and went into shock."

Xia Hua had never experienced such a thing and couldn't even imagine it—but just hearing it made her eyes well up with hot tears.

"Director Zhou said, as long as Manager Feng doesn't do anything heinous, from now on the capital's hepatobiliary department will use his supplies—at least for their ward."

The anesthesiologist chuckled and said: "All this talk, and we still haven't gotten to the lecture business. Among these trainees, the domestic department heads were all shoved in by Director Zhou thanks to his connection with Zheng Lao Ban."

"..."

That's too absurd, but Xia Hua didn't say anything—there are too many unbelievable things, and she can't accept them anymore.

"Back then the majority were foreign professors, each paying a $300,000 lecture fee. It's said the second batch has risen to $500,000, and even then there's no spot left. Hearing that price, those department heads all felt welcoming Zheng Lao Ban was justified. A bow, $300,000—still in dollars—would you not be willing?"

Xia Hua continued to shed tears.

"Give two lectures, watch a few surgeries, and Zheng Lao Ban makes a little over a hundred million yuan! When they come to operate on your old man, it's a favor from Professor Gao—who would care about your three melons and two dates?" The anesthesiologist said this last, finally getting to the point.

Is it really like that?

If the anesthesiologist had said this just a few hours, or even two hours ago, Xia Hua wouldn't have believed it.

But now, Xia Hua has not a shred of doubt.

Their surgery was really badass!

Laparoscopic surgery plus interventional surgery directly 'saved' a critically ill patient who needed a second-stage surgery.

I never would have thought of this surgical approach, let alone that my initial diagnosis was wrong from the start.

Xia Hua fell silent.

"Xia, your old man has good fortune; I estimate he could live another year." the anesthesiologist said, "Anyway, don't forget to call the Anesthesiology Department and say you need an emergency consultation, in case there's no breathing on the table, you'll need emergency intubation."

"Oh, oh, I'll call when I go to the Operating Room."

Although that's a bit ominous, we're all doctors, so we're used to it.

Saying more auspicious words is no substitute for a well‑done surgery. The anesthesiologist just wanted to watch the surgery and get a bit of Zheng Lao Ban's immortal aura.

Xia Hua understood that.