118: Chapter 118 I'd like to invite you to dinner so I can thank you properly in person.
Shen Xiaoning quickly brought the items and arranged them neatly on the nearby operating table.
The Suturing kit was opened, and the instruments were lined up.
The packaging for the 5-0 absorbable cosmetic thread was opened and placed in a sterile tray.
Lu Chen began the Debridement.
First, he used Iodophor to thoroughly disinfect the skin around the wound, then switched to Saline to flush the inside of the wound.
After flushing twice, he carefully checked for any tiny glass shards or foreign objects.
"It will be a bit uncomfortable, bear with it."
The girl nodded, but still took a sharp, soft breath.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, it's just a bit cold."
"That's normal."
After the Debridement was complete, Lu Chen began local anesthesia.
Lidocaine was slowly injected subcutaneously along both sides of the wound; the girl bit her lip but didn't make a sound.
After waiting for two minutes, the anesthesia took effect.
Lu Chen gently touched the edge of the wound with tweezers.
"Do you feel anything?"
"No."
"Good, let's start Suturing."
Lu Chen picked up the Needle Holder, clamped the curved needle, and threaded that extremely fine 5-0 absorbable cosmetic thread.
This thread's diameter was not much thicker than a hair; it wouldn't need stitch removal after Suturing, as the thread would be naturally absorbed by the body.
But precisely because it was so thin, the requirement for precision in the operation was incredibly high.
With even slightly uneven force, the thread would break.
If the angle was off by just a bit, the exit point of the needle would be asymmetrical, affecting the alignment.
Lu Chen's first stitch entered from the deep dermal layer at one end of the wound.
The needle tip traveled precisely within the dermal layer, exiting after passing through the deep dermal layer on the opposite side.
The entry depth and exit depth were perfectly consistent on both sides.
Second stitch.
Three-millimeter spacing.
Third stitch.
Three-millimeter spacing.
Fourth stitch.
Three-millimeter spacing.
The spacing error for every stitch did not exceed 0.1 millimeters.
The speed of the suture passing through the skin was uniform, and the force used to tighten the thread was precisely controlled—neither too tight nor too loose—just enough to let the edges of the wound align perfectly without flipping or curling.
Although the girl couldn't feel pain, she could feel Lu Chen's fingers moving near her shoulder.
She turned her head slightly and took a look.
Then she was stunned.
Lu Chen's hands were very steady.
Steady to an abnormal degree.
Every movement was extremely fluid, without any hesitation, adjustments, or redoing.
The angle at which the Needle Holder rotated in his hand, the arc of the suture passing through the skin, and the slight rotation of his wrist when pulling the thread were all done with uniform speed and force.
She had seen Suturing before.
She had stitches once when she scraped her knee as a child; back then, the doctor's sewing was crooked.
After the stitches were removed, a very obvious scar was left, which could still be seen today.
The operation of the young doctor before her was on an entirely different level.
Her father, who was standing nearby, was also watching.
He didn't understand medicine, but he could see that the rhythm, sense of distance, and sense of force with every stitch this doctor made were unnervingly orderly.
It was an orderliness that shouldn't come from a manual operation.
"Dr. Lu, your technique is just too amazing," the girl couldn't help but say.
"Don't move."
Lu Chen didn't even look up.
"Almost done."
He continued the operation.
Eleventh stitch.
Twelfth stitch.
The needle tip traveled through the dermal layer, in and out, in and out.
There were no pauses throughout the entire process.
Shen Xiaoning stood to the side, responsible for handing over gauze and assisting with the operation.
Her gaze moved back and forth between Lu Chen's hands and the female patient's shoulder.
Her lips were pursed a bit tightly.
Nineteenth stitch, the final stitch.
Lu Chen finished with a knot and cut the thread.
He put down the Needle Holder.
He flushed the sutured area once with Saline and then gently covered it with sterile gauze.
The entire Suturing process took less than four minutes.
Nineteen stitches of Subcuticular Continuous Suturing; the depth, spacing, and tension of every stitch were completely consistent.
The edges of the wound were aligned seamlessly.
No needle holes from the sutures could be seen on the skin surface.
"All done."
Lu Chen took off his gloves.
The girl looked down at her shoulder.
Under the gauze, she could vaguely see that thin line; the wound was closed, and the skin on both sides was perfectly joined, making it almost impossible to tell it had ever been split open.
"This... this is just too neat, isn't it?"
Her father also leaned in and took a careful look.
Then he was stunned.
"Dr. Lu, was this really sewn? It doesn't look sewn; it looks like it's already healed."
Lu Chen threw the gloves into the trash can.
"The benefit of subcuticular Suturing is that it leaves no needle holes on the surface, and the thread will be naturally absorbed by the body, so there's no need for stitch removal."
"The scar will be much lighter than with ordinary Suturing later on, but the prerequisite is that the postoperative care must be kept up."
He took a sheet of postoperative instructions from the table and handed it to the girl.
"Don't let it touch water for three days, avoid strenuous exercise and pulling your right arm for a week, and don't touch the wound with your hands."
"Regularly come in for dressing changes. If there's redness, swelling, fever, or increased discharge, come back for a follow-up immediately."
The girl listened intently, nodding repeatedly.
"Okay, okay, I've remembered it all."
Her father walked up to Lu Chen and solemnly reached out to shake his hand.
"Dr. Lu, thank you so much. If my daughter's wound had been sewn somewhere else, it would have definitely left a scar. Your skill is truly extraordinary."
"You're welcome. Just make sure to handle the postoperative care well."
The girl also stood up and smiled at Lu Chen.
She had a very pretty smile.
"Dr. Lu, my name is Gu Xueqing. Thank you so much for today."
"You're welcome. Be careful not to let it touch water."
Gu Xueqing looked at Lu Chen's face, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.
"Dr. Lu, are you free after work today?"
Lu Chen was tidying up the instruments on the operating table.
"What's the matter?"
"I want to treat you to a meal to thank you properly in person."
Lu Chen looked back.
"There's no need. This is my job."
Gu Xueqing didn't give up and took a step forward with a smile.
"It's just a meal. It won't take too long. My dad will be there too. We'll just find a random restaurant near the Hospital, and we'll leave right after eating."
Her father added,
"Yes, Dr. Lu, it's just a simple meal to express our gratitude. Please don't refuse."
Lu Chen thought about it.
It wasn't really a big deal. They were politely inviting him to dinner, and it wouldn't be good to refuse too many times.
"Then..."
"Dr. Lu."
A voice came from the doorway.
Crisp, but not very loud.
Shen Xiaoning stood by the door of the Treatment Room, holding an insulated lunch box.
"I brought you dinner. You didn't eat much at noon today."
Her tone was similar to usual, but a bit softer than normal.
Her eyes were natural when looking at Lu Chen.
But when her gaze swept over Gu Xueqing, there was something very subtle in it.
Not hostility.
But definitely not kindness.
The air was silent for about two seconds.
Gu Xueqing's gaze lingered on Shen Xiaoning for a moment.
Young, pretty, wearing a Nurse's uniform, ponytail, holding an insulated lunch box, specifically here to bring food to Lu Chen.
The way she stood next to Lu Chen was casual and natural, but it carried a silent sense of presence.
Gu Xueqing understood.
She smiled.
"It seems Dr. Lu is already being looked after."
Shen Xiaoning replied almost reflexively.
"I am Dr. Lu's partner Nurse. Bringing him food is a normal professional courtesy."
She said this too quickly.
So quickly that Sun Ji, who happened to be passing by the door, paused in his steps and took an extra look.
Lu Chen looked at Shen Xiaoning, then at Gu Xueqing.
He wasn't slow.
But he chose not to engage with that.
"Miss Gu, I'll pass on the meal. Thank you for your kindness. Just follow the postoperative instructions for care."
Gu Xueqing nodded with a smile, not pushing it.
"Alright then, Dr. Lu. I'll treat you another time when there's a chance."
She turned to Shen Xiaoning and also gave a nod.
"Thank you for taking care of Dr. Lu."
The corner of Shen Xiaoning's mouth twitched.
"You're welcome."
Three words, crisp and concise.