Chapter Fifteen: Duel of Masters

The snow on the roads was finally cleared, and the route from Quark County to the city was reopened. During the closure, the number of patients at Quark County Hospital had surged dramatically. To ease the pressure on the county hospital, the city dispatched a team of specialists to assist. One expert each came from cardiology, pulmonology, general surgery, orthopedics, and ultrasound departments. All of these experts held associate senior titles and were on track for promotion to full senior status. They were top talents in their respective fields at the city hospital. Among them, orthopedic specialist Gao Shijun stood out; it was widely expected that after the retirement of the longtime director, he would take over as the head of the city hospital’s primary orthopedic department.

While the arrival of these specialists didn’t stir much excitement among others, Yang Chengming was overjoyed. He had previously worked in the city’s orthopedic department and was well aware of Director Gao’s expertise. “Once there’s a surgery, you’ll see—Director Gao’s skill is leagues ahead of what we have here. Compared to him, people like Zhang Fan and Chen Qifa are no match,” Yang said enthusiastically to Li Liang.

“Chen Qifa and Zhang Fan aren’t bad either. Director Gao’s skills are undoubtedly excellent, but Zhang Fan is still a cut above us. To Zhang Fan, you and I are just amateurs getting beaten down,” Li Liang replied, not bothering to engage further as he carried the dressing tray to tend to patients.

“You... you really are a frog in a well,” Yang snapped back, frustrated, slamming his book onto the table. In truth, Zhang Fan had never mocked or clashed with Yang, but Yang simply looked down on him—whether out of jealousy or disdain, their personalities just didn’t mesh.

“Director Gao, please have some tea,” Yang said, feeling like his savior had arrived and finally hoping to prove himself. His performance at the city hospital had been decent, leaving a good impression on the department’s doctors, so Gao Shiming still remembered him.

“Chengming, how are you settling in? Getting used to things?” Gao Shijun asked politely.

“Just so-so. There aren’t many patients anyway. Mostly I just read books all day,” Yang complained, caught off guard by the casual question but unable to hide his dissatisfaction.

“Take your time, don’t rush,” Gao Shiming thought to himself, underestimating Yang’s attitude. “This guy has no sense of propriety—he’s got conflicts with the department and yet complains to me as if I’m some hospital leader.” He decided to ignore Yang and smiled as he turned to Director Nu’er, “Director Nu’er looks well. We met at the orthopedic department’s annual meeting last time. Your drinking skills stunned everyone back then, haha.”

“Ha, I’m too old for that now. Director Gao’s department has prepared some light refreshments tonight. Let’s have a few drinks and get to know the new doctors—some real promising talents,” the usually boisterous Nu’er said soberly.

After the morning meeting, under the guidance of Nu’er and Gao Shijun, the second surgical department began ward rounds. The neurosurgery ward had almost no patients. Shi Lei was eager to climb the ranks, and Tu Xun was mostly just along for the ride, so neurosurgery hadn’t really developed. In the orthopedic ward, Gao Shijun noticed many surgical patients.

He remarked to Nu’er, “Director Nu’er, your department’s doing well. Among the surrounding county hospitals, your orthopedics department has grown the most. Patient volume is high, and you’ve performed many high-quality, complex surgeries. Very impressive.”

“It’s the young doctors’ work. Our new recruit, Dr. Zhang, is quite skilled,” Nu’er responded.

“The boss’s son?” Gao Shijun internally underestimated Zhang. He knew the newcomers well; even graduate students in orthopedics could only perform simple surgeries. Undergraduates who could recognize all surgical instruments were already impressive. “Oh, really? Congratulations, then,” he said flatly.

That evening, Zhang Fan was on night shift and couldn’t attend the departmental dinner with Director Gao. Chen Qifa offered to cover for him, but Zhang Fan declined. At such gatherings, drinking was inevitable, and Zhang Fan found the drinking customs in the frontier regions quite taxing—before even eating, they had to down three drinks in a row. Usually, after three drinks, Zhang would be urged to step aside.

Coincidentally, the next morning, a retired woman from the finance bureau took a walk and slipped on ice, landing on both elbows. Both humeri were fractured at nearly identical locations with matching fracture ends. Upon learning that Gao Shijun was at the county hospital, her family came directly to find him.

“In my over twenty years of practice, I’ve never seen such perfectly symmetrical fractures. This could be worthy of a case report. Director Nu’er, will you operate on both fractures at the same time?” Although the symmetry was rare, the difficulty was not great.

“Discuss it with the younger doctors. I’m no longer taking on surgeries,” Nu’er replied. With Zhang Fan rising in the department, he no longer needed to worry. He simply picked up the instruments monthly and left the rest to others.

In the operating room, “Dr. Chen, you handle the right humerus; I’ll take the left. The fracture ends are neat—just plating, quite straightforward.” Gao was familiar with Chen Qifa, who had once been his assistant during Chen’s moonlighting visits to the county hospital.

“Director Gao, I’ll assist Dr. Zhang. You two lead the operation,” Chen offered.

“This is curious—what’s his background? The department head praises him, and the senior doctors hold him in high regard,” Gao Shijun observed Zhang Fan but kept silent.

Zhang and Chen formed one team; Gao and Yang Chengming formed another. Li Liang didn’t compete with Yang for a spot, lacking the skills to show off. After anesthesia was administered, the surgeries began. Both lead surgeons worked skillfully. Gao frequently glanced at the opposing team, uneasy since he would be held responsible if things went wrong. He hadn’t spoken before the operation because he didn’t know their capabilities, but if problems arose, he would have something to say. Humerus fractures were simple, and he wasn’t afraid.

“This isn’t right... this young man’s proficiency is exceptional, not much different from mine,” Gao thought, puzzled. “Dr. Zhang, which university did you attend for graduate school? Your technique is impressive.” This was the first time Gao spoke to Zhang, mistakenly assuming he was a graduate student. He spoke while maintaining his speed, unwilling to be outdone by a junior. After all, he was the future director of a top-tier hospital’s orthopedic department.

“Director Gao, I’m an undergraduate from Su University. I didn’t pursue a master’s degree. During my internship, my mentors let me take the lead—practice makes perfect,” Zhang gave his usual answer.

“That’s nonsense. One year of internship, even doing humerus surgeries daily, wouldn’t make you this proficient,” Gao said but didn’t press further, focusing on the operation as Zhang’s team worked swiftly.

The operating room was silent; such simultaneous surgeries by masters were unheard of in the county hospital. Everyone was curious who would finish first and who would perform better. Fixing the fractures and applying plates, Zhang’s team finished first—not because Gao was slow, but because his assistant was weak. Chen Qifa was utterly outclassed by Yang Chengming.

Though Zhang carried a hint of rivalry, his main goal was to increase his surgical count. If he could seal the case as his own, it would count toward his experience. “Dr. Zhang, impressive,” Gao admitted, shocked. Despite the assistant’s shortcomings, Gao was in his forties, an age at which surgical skills peak, while Zhang was much younger.

“I still can’t compare. If it weren’t for Dr. Chen, I wouldn’t be faster than Director Gao today,” Yang Chengming nearly cried. How could he return to the city’s orthopedic department now without embarrassing himself? This was a disaster. He wished the big guy had taken the shift. His hands trembled as Zhang and Gao finished the remaining sutures together.