Chapter 32: On Mount Zhongnan

Sumutai is a township in Kuake County, the most remote one from the county seat. With poor infrastructure, roads blocked by snow in winter and flooded in summer, it is, for all intents and purposes, intermittently cut off from the rest of the world. The township health center is a small courtyard surrounded by grasslands. Depending on the season, the herdsmen move their livestock between summer and winter pastures.

The Sumutai Health Center sits right on the winter pasture. With the herdsmen having migrated to the summer pastures, the center is deserted. The director is the only one left to hold down the fort; the two nurses and the other doctor have all returned home to help with the seasonal sheep shearing. When Zhang Fan and Old Chen first arrived here last winter to perform surgery, the director was overjoyed—mostly because he needed to shear his own sheep. He gave them a hurried briefing and left.

Zhang Fan and Old Chen stared at each other. Lodging was not an issue, as the center had plenty of empty rooms, but food was a problem. There were hardly any households nearby, and for two kilometers, there was not a soul to be seen. "What’s the rush? We’ll go to the director’s house for dinner; I know where it is. Let’s get some sleep now. My back is rattling from that bumpy ride."

Life on the grasslands is incredibly still. Forget people; even the birds are scarce. "Old Chen, let me ask you something," Zhang Fan said, deciding to give the older man a push. "Did you pass the practical exam this year?" Old Chen looked dejected at the mention of exams. "What’s the point? I pass the practical every year, but it doesn't matter," he replied, his tone bitter.

"There’s nothing to do here. Let’s study together and quiz each other. I guarantee you’ll pass this year."

"I think I'll pass on that," Old Chen said, having long since abandoned hope. Applying for the exam every year was just a formality.

"You absolutely will pass, as long as you listen to me. Don't be such a wimp. Once you pass, no one will dare look down on you. Come on, let’s start." Zhang Fan pulled out the reference books he had bought in the city. Old Chen lacked confidence because he hadn't found the right method. Though he only held a junior college degree, he was a veteran doctor who had accumulated plenty of knowledge from years of listening and observing in the hospital. Zhang Fan began by building his confidence, starting with orthopedics.

For a month, not a single patient appeared. Aside from the director, not even a stranger walked past the gate. Zhang Fan and Old Chen were happy to be idle; with the exam approaching, having the time to study was a blessing. Over that month, they meticulously went through the entire surgical curriculum, quizzing each other, and then covered internal medicine. Zhang Fan, having graduated from a 211 university, may not have learned much else, but he was an expert at acing exams. Combining his knowledge with the reference books, he highlighted all the key points. "This will definitely be on the test this year. Remember it."

While Zhang Fan was stationed in the countryside, Li Liang and Li Hui brought some cooked food to visit him. "Look at this life! Eating hand-pulled mutton, drinking milk tea. We were worried you’d starve, so we rushed over, only to find you’re living better than we are," Li Hui said, looking at them with mock resentment.

"This mutton came from a sheep that was trampled at Muke’s place yesterday; it would have spoiled in the summer heat if we didn't eat it. Is milk tea really that scarce in Kuake County?"

"When you put it that way, I feel a bit better." Li Hui worked in a different department and was much more relaxed with Zhang Fan, but Li Liang couldn't quite be the same; Zhang Fan’s presence felt too imposing.

"Dig in, mutton and roast chicken. Let’s feast." Having gone over a month without seeing many people, Old Chen was delighted by the arrival of his colleagues. As they ate and chatted, Zhang Fan asked, "How is your studying going? If all goes well, Old Chen and I should both pass this year."

"The recent study sessions have been very productive. If I really pass, I’ll take you as my mentor—and I mean that seriously," Chen Qihua said solemnly.

"Cough, cough!" Li Liang choked, stunned by Old Chen’s words. Was this really the same cynical Old Chen he knew?

"Don't worry about that. Just passing is enough; there's no need for formal mentorship," Zhang Fan said, patting the chubby man’s back as his face turned red.

Old Chen said nothing more. Li Hui remarked, "I don't know, I don't feel confident." After catching his breath, Li Liang added, "Sorry, I inhaled some food. Brother Zhang has been studying non-stop in the department, so I’ve been following along, but I’m still not sure. Honestly, since you guys left, the department feels empty and patients aren't staying. It’s really boring."

"Time is running out. Focus on the practice questions. Let’s all aim to pass this year."

Back at the Kuake County Hospital, the peak of the harvest season brought an increase in trauma cases—sickle cuts and harvester accidents. It was the busiest time of year for the surgical department. Shi Lei, a cunning man, realized that Zou Pingshan had sent the two most capable surgeons to the countryside, so he began to scheme. Noor was incompetent, and Tursun, who had always vied with Shi Lei, felt insulted when Shi Lei was promoted to deputy director and he was kept as a mere deputy department head. The remaining staff were useless.

"Director, the hospital has shown great improvement lately. Your leadership is truly impressive. I’ve been thinking we should try to keep up with your pace. I’d like to go to the city hospital for a few days of training; could you help me arrange it? You have quite a bit of influence there." Shi Lei’s skin was thick; despite his subservient tone, he was digging a massive hole for Zou Pingshan.

Zou Pingshan, who came from an internal medicine background and had always worked in the city, was unfamiliar with the county’s internal dynamics. He felt quite proud. "As long as you’re willing to improve, the organization is more than happy to help. I’ll make the arrangements immediately; you can go tomorrow."

"You and your 'organization'! Let’s see how the 'organization' cries soon!" Shi Lei thought, smirking as he left the office.

The harvest reached its peak. Since the days were too hot, farmers harvested their wheat at night. This reversal of day and night led to fatigue and accidents. Zou Pingshan, older now, suffered from insomnia caused by years of 24-hour shifts and relied on sleeping pills. The phone rang several times before waking him. It was the hospital office, and he was furious. "What is it?"

"Director, a patient crushed by a stone roller has arrived at the emergency department. What should we do?" The officer on duty today was the head of the pharmacy department.

"Are all the surgeons dead?" Zou Pingshan snapped, livid that he was being called for a simple trauma case.

"I can't reach Noor or Tursun. Zhang Fan and Chen Qihua are in the countryside. We only have two newcomers left, and they can't handle it," said Yang Chengming, who was on duty. He couldn't manage the metatarsal fracture.

"What about Shi Lei? Isn't he a surgeon?"

"Isn't Deputy Director Shi away for training?" As the director, if his subordinates couldn't handle a case, he had to. With no other choice, he had to contact a doctor from a higher-level hospital to perform the surgery. In the past, Old Chen would have handled this or called his own contacts. But Zou Pingshan, being from internal medicine, didn't understand the unspoken rules of the surgical department. It took a massive effort to reach a doctor, who was, unsurprisingly, not happy about being called in the middle of the night.

The surgery was completed, but by the third day, the patient developed a high fever. Due to negligence, the site became infected. With only Yang Chengming and Li Liang left on duty, and Yang feeling resentful and performing poorly, the post-operative care was neglected. The patient's family was furious, and the situation spiraled out of control.