Chapter 3065: 2863 We

Besides, describing rotting meat in a pot as that vulgar analogy really is what the hospital leadership does; Sun Chao has already believed Mao Chi's words.

"A doctoral student just performed the surgery—how's the patient? All right?" Sun Chao asked.

"Professor Feng isn't at ease; he let Zheng Lao Ban take a look at the video, confirmed nothing was wrong, then left. After a few days of antibiotics, the patient is fine now. But every day many doctors come to see him, treating him as a specimen, and the patient keeps pestering Feng Jianguo with questions, which makes him a bit nervous."

Saying that, Mao Chi burst out laughing.

"You too—what's there to see about a ruptured intestine?" Sun Chao said disdainfully.

Mao Chi suddenly wiped the smile from his face and quietly stared at Sun Chao.

Director Sun Chao frowned; he knew this old friend and rival very well. Usually he wore a carefree expression, but whenever he turned serious, what he said was definitely important.

He guessed this was to advise him not to clash with Zheng Lao Ban.

"Director Sun, we know each other's backgrounds—we all know how we got our start back then." Mao Chi put on the isolation gown and said earnestly.

"Getting started…" Sun Chao surely still remembered.

About thirty years ago, only one or two hospitals in the country had opened a vascular surgery department; other hospitals lacked this specialty. Back then I trained under Old Yan, who confirmed for me that this was the path of vascular surgery.

At the time I was quite unhappy, feeling that Old Yan was bullying me for coming from the countryside, not letting me into a good department or even letting me pursue a good specialty. But after working at the unit for a while I understood Old Yan's intentions—it was painstakingly thoughtful. The field of vascular surgery was a blue ocean with essentially no competition.

Later, as vascular surgery flourished, Sun Chao hopped onto the fast track.

Later, when interventional surgery was being introduced, I didn't reject it just because it involved threading lines.

It wasn't out of nobility or superior vision; it was because I faced competition from professors who came from general surgery to vascular surgery.

I had no choice but to do it; Sun Chao was essentially forced onto Liangshan.

Mastering interventional surgery gave me the high ground in vascular surgery; after years of suppression and intrigue, I finally stood firm and became a leading figure in the country's vascular surgery field.

Mao Chi was saying that… Sun Chao isn't stupid; every director of a top‑tier tertiary hospital is a top‑student‑type person. Even now many top students can't even get into the doors of such hospitals, only able to sigh outside.

He immediately thought of the case Mao Chi had just mentioned—this guy always has a hidden meaning.

"Director Mao, you mean…?"

"Back then we were the pioneers of minimally invasive surgery in the country; frankly, we were all forced into it. Originally the academic hilltops were occupied by senior department heads, and to rise you had to have something of your own."

Sun Chao nodded in agreement; these were heartfelt words.

"Now it's different—after decades of struggle, we've become the very people we used to despise."

"…" Sun Chao was stunned, but looking back, it really was the case.

Without realizing it, I had become the kind of person I once loathed; saying it sounds a bit mocking, but from another angle it also proves my success.

Only those who succeed have the right to be disliked; failures have already been swept into the trash heap.

"Director Sun, don't blame me for meddling—we've known each other for years, and I see your complexion is off, so I just want to advise you."

"Back when we were young, what did we say when we ate and drank together? We shouted about knocking those old‑fashioned department heads flat."

Sun Chao broke into a sweat; that's the sort of thing you'd only say after drinking too much—if you said it soberly, people would take it as arrogance and disrespect toward the senior directors.

"Now we've become the old directors ourselves," Mao Chi said with feeling. "But the risks and difficulties we face are greater than those faced by the old directors of the past. Technology advances ever faster; miss a step and you fall further behind. You can't even wait for retirement, your case volume won't go up, and you'll be crushed by the junior team‑leading professors below—do you have the face to criticize them?"

Sun Chao was speechless; it was all true.

"I've only recently felt the same way," Mao Chi paused, then continued. "I've been resting lately and just returned to work. Last night I was called in to do a surgery jointly with gastroenterology. After the operation I saw Feng Jianguo still in his clothes, rushing straight into the teaching room. When I followed him in, I saw the 3D‑printed simulacra piled up like a horror‑movie set."

"Ha." Sun Chao burst out laughing. He knew Mao Chi was a bit timid and could imagine his face back then turning deathly pale and utterly grim.

"Feng Jianguo is also getting on in years, and he's close to Director Wei—I'd guess he'll be promoted to deputy chief next year and then wait for Old Wei to move to the second line. I also find it strange: he could have done nothing and just waited to become chief, but at his age he's still here busting his gut like an intern."

Mao Chi calmly recounted what he'd seen last night, without exaggeration. Yet it was precisely this manner of speaking that made Sun Chao believe him involuntarily.

"He said, seeing his student finish the surgery before the operation even started… in Professor Feng's own words, that feeling is terrifying." Mao Chi said lightly, "Watching his own student get a few pointers from Zheng Lao Ban and Doctor Su, so the student doesn't even need to step up—just imagine how that feels."

Sun Chao fell silent.

"Future surgeries will definitely keep getting smaller and finer. Opening up with a big knife isn't unheard of, but the dragon‑slaying supreme skill… sigh." Mao Chi sighed, "You know why I came rushing over, don't you? Every opportunity must be seized… let me tell you another thing."

"Huh?"

"Di Du hepatobiliary—do you have any connections?"

"None." Sun Chao shook his head.

"Zhou Chun Yong, that hepatobiliary cannon of Di Du, is cozying up to Zheng Lao Ban's thigh and is currently accepting an interview."

"An interview?" Sun Chao showed a contemptuous smile.

As a director of a top‑tier tertiary hospital, who wouldn't want to accept an interview? Normally it's a nuisance—you're swamped and can't even refuse in time—but this… no, if Mao Chi brought it up, it definitely wouldn't be a run‑of‑the‑mill interview!

"Which interview?"

"Hua Shi TV, for the thirty‑minute news segment." Mao Chi said flatly.

"..."

The thirty‑minute news! The highest‑rated show nationwide—damn, that's an interview, that's propaganda!

Sun Chao's heart gave a jolt; he almost pissed himself.

Even our hospital president can't get onto Hua Shi TV's thirty‑minute news—how is Zhou Chun Yong accepting an interview?!

He looked at Mao Chi, puzzled.

"Director Sun, I'm not joking. This guy Zhou Chun Yong really has a sharp eye—I admire him to the utmost."