128: Chapter 128 The quota for this emergency skills assessment, reported to Lu Chen
The next day.
The Emergency Department was unusually quiet.
The Red Zone didn't have a massive influx of trauma patients, there were several empty observation beds in the Yellow Zone, and even the walk-ins with minor ailments in the Green Zone were down by twenty percent compared to usual.
After Lu Chen arrived for his shift and completed the handover, he handled a few routine traumas and sutured two relatively simple wounds. The pace throughout the entire morning was very steady.
Sun Ji leaned against the counter of the Nurse Station and let out a yawn.
"What's going on today? Did the sun rise from the west?"
Meng Yan didn't even look up.
"Don't be a jinx. Whenever the Emergency Department is this quiet, it's guaranteed to explode in the afternoon."
"Sister Yan, I was just saying."
"Even 'just saying' isn't allowed. This is an iron law of the Emergency Department. You've been here for three years and you still don't know that?"
Sun Ji wisely shut his mouth.
Lu Chen finished washing his hands by the treatment table, threw his gloves into the trash can, and walked back to the Nurse Station.
"Brother Lu, you only sutured two people this morning?" Sun Ji leaned in. "If this were yesterday, you'd have sutured seven or eight by this time."
"The fewer, the better. It means fewer people got hurt today."
"Your level of awareness really makes me feel ashamed of myself."
"Have you ever even felt ashamed?" Zhao Yaqin said as she passed by with her water cup, leaving the remark behind.
Sun Ji opened his mouth to speak but decided not to engage.
Lu Chen returned to the Duty Room, picked up the vascular surgery textbook he hadn't finished last night, and flipped to the Aneurysm chapter to continue studying.
The Emergency Department might be quiet for now, but he knew this silence wouldn't last long.
While there was nothing to do, it was worth reading a few more pages of theory.
...
At the same time.
Administrative Building, third floor.
Vice President Peng Zhao sat in his office with a document spread out before him.
The header of the document read: Notice of the Provincial Emergency Medicine Skills Assessment.
Section Chief He Zhongfeng stood across from the desk, bowing slightly.
"President Peng, the provincial emergency skills assessment starts in three days. Each Grade A tertiary Hospital submits two names—one at the level of Attending Physician or above, and one Resident Physician. Our spot for the Resident Physician is still vacant."
Peng Zhao didn't look up, slowly flipping a page of the document.
"What's the word from President Zeng Dayang's side?"
"President Zeng hasn't mentioned it yet, but according to past practice, the candidates for the Emergency Department are usually decided by Director Li Sen."
"Li Sen decides?"
Peng Zhao looked up, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
"For this Resident Physician spot, submit Lu Chen's name."
Section Chief He Zhongfeng understood.
"Then should I go have a word with the Medical Affairs Department?"
"No need for a 'word.' Follow the formal process. Issue a notice to the Emergency Department in the name of the Medical Affairs Department, stating that the Resident Physician spot has already been decided by the Hospital administration, and tell Director Li Sen's side to cooperate."
"Understood."
Section Chief He Zhongfeng turned to leave.
As he reached the door, Peng Zhao spoke again.
"Zhongfeng."
"President Peng."
"Don't pull any tricks this time. What happened last time left me in a very awkward position."
Section Chief He Zhongfeng's back stiffened slightly.
Regarding the incident where Section Chief He Zhongfeng and Dr. Ma Xu conspired to delay the Department of Thoracic Surgery consultation, although Peng Zhao had cleared himself of involvement on the spot, the President had already taken note of it.
That debt had not been completely wiped clean yet.
"Don't worry, President Peng. We don't need to do anything this time. Just let him go take the exam normally and perform as he usually does."
"Mm."
Section Chief He Zhongfeng left.
Peng Zhao sat alone in the office, his finger lightly tapping the desk.
He could no longer remember clearly.
Whether he was singling out this young man, Lu Chen, because he wanted to suppress President Zeng Dayang, or because the young man himself made him feel a certain sense of discomfort.
But it didn't matter.
The provincial assessment in three days would be the best litmus test.
So what if you're impressive on your own turf? What are you worth once you step outside?
What young people fear most are big scenes.
Peng Zhao was very patient.
...
Noon.
While Lu Chen was eating in the Cafeteria, Shen Xiaoning sat down across from him with her meal tray.
"Dr. Lu, I didn't cook this afternoon. The Braised Eggplant in the Cafeteria looks alright."
"Mm."
"Why do you look so drained?"
"I've been reading. The section on Aneurysm classifications is a bit mentally taxing."
Shen Xiaoning tilted her head.
"Didn't you only suture two wounds this morning? Why don't you take a break while it's quiet?"
"Reading when it's quiet and working when it's busy—there's no conflict."
"Can't you just relax a little?"
Lu Chen picked up a piece of eggplant.
"Relaxation is a luxury; I can't afford it."
Shen Xiaoning looked at him, her cheeks puffing out slightly. Ultimately, she didn't say anything more and lowered her head to eat quietly.
Halfway through the meal, she suddenly looked up again.
"Dr. Lu, what kind of dumpling filling do you like?"
Lu Chen paused his chopsticks.
"Why the sudden question?"
"Nothing, just... I want to try making dumplings."
"You even managed to burn the braised pork. Are you sure about a delicate task like making dumplings?"
Shen Xiaoning's face instantly turned red.
"That time was an accident! Didn't I get better and better after that? You said yourself that my ribs were pretty good!"
"They were indeed good."
"Then just tell me, what filling?"
"Leek and Egg."
Shen Xiaoning earnestly committed it to memory, then lowered her head to continue eating, a visible smile playing on her lips.
Lu Chen didn't notice any of this; his attention had already returned to those Aneurysm classifications in his mind.
After lunch ended, Lu Chen returned to the Red Zone.
...
1:30 PM.
A commotion could be heard coming from the direction of the emergency hall.
It wasn't the standard procedure of an ambulance arrival, but rather people walking in directly from the hall.
Just as Lu Chen stepped out of the treatment room, he saw a family of three standing in front of the Triage Desk.
There was a Middle-aged man, around fifty years old, with dark skin and deep wrinkles etched into his face.
He wore a faded old jacket and a pair of cloth shoes stained with mud.
He was clearly limping on his right leg. His pant leg was rolled up slightly, revealing clusters of bulging blue veins on his calf.
Standing beside him were a Middle-aged woman and The girl in her early twenties.
The girl's eyes were red, and she was clutching a plastic bag containing several crumpled lab results.
The Middle-aged woman's eyes were also swollen, and she kept muttering something under her breath.
The Triage Desk Nurse, Zhou Xiaoman, was trying to register their information, but the family had heavy accents, making communication difficult.
"Uncle, please speak a bit slower. Where are you feeling unwell?"
The Middle-aged man opened his mouth, struggling for a long moment.
"Leg... my leg is rotting."
As soon as he said those words, The girl beside him suddenly burst into tears.
"Nurse, my father's leg is covered in bulging veins, and the skin inside is all rotten and turning black."
"The people in our village all say this is 'Rotting leg turning into cancer,' and that he won't live for more than six months..."
The girl became more distressed as she spoke, her voice growing louder, drawing the attention of several waiting patients nearby.
The Middle-aged woman wiped her tears as she spoke.
"Even if we sell the house, we can't cure it. People said that once this disease rots to the bone, even a god can't help..."