Chapter 30: The Conclusion of Advanced Studies

Upon returning to Qingniao City, Zhang Fan immediately plunged back into the operating room; the news of his arrival even brought Ding Lei to tears! There were too many surgeries in general surgery needing to be performed to upgrade his skills, and with only a few days left in his advanced studies, he dedicated all his energy to orthopedics—whether it was joints or the spine. Only when there were no orthopedic cases would he turn to general surgery. Zhang Fan had brought some dried fruits, distributing them to his department and the staff in the operating room. Although the amount was modest, almost everyone received a portion.

"Zhang Fan, is the frontier really as beautiful as they say?"
"Zhang Fan, when I go on vacation this summer, will you host me?"
Many of the young nurses loved chatting with Zhang Fan during their breaks. In a large hospital, the pressure was immense, with constant assessments, training, and the burden of publishing papers. Though these vibrant young nurses might look fresh, working in a hospital for a few years often took a heavy toll on them. Zhang Fan, however, could talk to anyone as long as he wasn't in surgery. He never argued, was an excellent listener, and was tight-lipped, never gossiping about what he heard. In truth, while chatting with them, Zhang Fan was actually practicing within his system; what they said barely registered in his mind.

In his final days, the various departments familiar with Zhang Fan took turns treating him to meals, a sort of premature send-off. The nurses in the operating room, who usually looked ordinary in their scrubs and white coats, were breathtakingly beautiful once they shed their uniforms for stylish clothes. Over those six months, Zhang Fan had touched their hearts. A young doctor from the frontier, he had won them over with his actions. In their eyes, Zhang Fan was diligent, honest, decent, and a true friend.

"Drink! You must have three big glasses today!" a nurse threatened him playfully. Anyone unaware would have thought it was liquor, but it was actually fruit beer. It was all for the atmosphere, as many were on call and couldn't afford to be intoxicated.

In the trauma orthopedics department, Ding Lei held Zhang Fan’s hand with tears in his eyes: "You son of a gun, you're finally leaving. If you stayed any longer, I’d be done for. A bachelor like you is truly unstoppable!" The orthopedic doctors were all tough men. Over those six months, Zhang Fan’s exquisite surgical skills, cheerful disposition, and ascetic-like dedication to his craft had left them both shocked and full of admiration. Anyone could spend a month in the operating room, but spending half a year there was something not everyone could endure.

"Let’s have a drink. I hope Dr. Zhang will visit Qingniao City often and never forget the friends he worked and lived with," Wang Cong proposed. Zhang Fan was drunk. The impression Qingdao Medical College Hospital had left on him was profoundly positive. The mentors had shared everything they knew, the operating room had given him free rein to practice, and his relationships with colleagues were warm. It was truly comfortable. In reality, this was a unique case. First, the government's emphasis had made the hospital treat his training with great importance. Second, Zhang Fan was exceptionally talented; it wasn't easy for graduate students and doctoral candidates to call someone their teacher. Third, Zhang Fan had no conflict of interest with them. He was a visiting scholar, standing outside their internal hierarchies. That was why he felt so at ease.

During his last week, he spent almost every day drinking and getting drunk. Zhang Fan had a terrible tolerance for alcohol, but fortunately, he recovered quickly; half an hour of sleep was enough to wake up feeling fine. He had come to Qingniao City but hadn't properly explored it. He spent his final three days visiting the various tourist attractions. He couldn't go back to the hospital; the doctors and nurses were being too kind, which made him feel awkward, so he simply stayed away.

On his final day, Zhang Fan made a special trip to the Dean’s office to say goodbye. "Off you go! I hope your time at Qingdao Medical College these past six months has been rewarding. In your future work, never stop learning. Remember to apply for your postgraduate degree this year. No matter what, if you want to go far in the medical field, you must improve your academic qualifications. I won't say much more; I’m giving you a set of books. May your path be smooth!"

Zhang Fan stood at the door and bowed to the old professor. The man’s experience and magnanimity had moved him deeply. He was the second mentor on Zhang Fan’s medical journey. A truly successful doctor is, above all, a benevolent person. He had interpreted the very definition of a doctor through his words and deeds.

The train ride back was far more grueling than the trip there. It hadn't been hot when he arrived, but it was midsummer now. The green-skinned train was slow and dilapidated, filled with the stench of sweaty feet and body odor. After more than fifty hours, Zhang Fan felt dazed. Old Huang, the head of pediatrics who had traveled with him, was unfazed. The moment he stepped off the train, he said, "I've been starving for days. Let's hurry and get some fatty mutton; I’m craving a piece of the fattest sheep tail."

The capital was still several hundred kilometers from Chasu City, and there was no train connection. When Zhang Fan thought of the sleeper bus, he lost his appetite. They were all locals of the frontier and knew the capital well, so they took Zhang Fan through the streets to enjoy a meal of mutton. "We're on our home turf now; why would we take a sleeper bus? That would be a joke!" The head of internal medicine called a pharmaceutical manager.

In a short while, the drug dealer arrived in a commercial van to pick them up. He happened to be heading to Chasu City to deliver medicine, so he drove them and their cargo all the way back.

Upon returning to the hospital, the atmosphere felt tense. In the department, Yang Chengming looked at Zhang Fan with a smirk. Shi Lei was absent, while Li Liang and Old Chen were there. Before Zhang Fan could even sit down, Old Chen pulled him into the doctor's lounge. "Something big has happened. Batu has been taken away." Zhang Fan looked puzzled. "Taken away by whom?"

"They say he was placed under 'Shuanggui' (internal investigation). It seems he took bribes during the purchase of a CT scanner. Now the hospital has no head, and everyone is acting like they've lost their minds. Do you think we'll be implicated?" Old Chen’s salary wasn't high, but he earned a decent income through kickbacks from medical equipment and drugs.

"It should be fine," Zhang Fan said, and then left. With Batu in trouble, he couldn't just stand by. He went straight to Batu’s house. The place was in complete disarray, as if bandits had just raided it.

"Sister-in-law, what happened?"
"Zhang Fan, you must save Batu! A few days before this happened, he told me that if anything went wrong, I should find you, and that you would have a way." Seeing Zhang Fan, she burst into tears.

"What exactly happened? Tell me."
"It's about money. The hospital bought a CT scanner. I tried to persuade him not to take any kickbacks, but he said it was the last time. A few days later, he was taken by the county for investigation."
"How much did he take?"
"Over three hundred thousand."

Batu had been a dean for years and had some political sensitivity, but he couldn't resist his own greed. He had thought this would be his final score before transferring out of the county hospital, but he had been reported. A few days before the incident, he had told his wife that if something serious happened, his relatives wouldn't be able to help much, and they would need someone with connections in the city to intervene—that was when she should turn to Zhang Fan for help.