71: Chapter 71 Vice President Peng's Scheme?

Evening.

The setting sun made the windows of the small building behind the Administrative Building shine brightly.

Vice President Peng Zhao's office was on the fourth floor.

This office was slightly larger than President Zeng Dayang's, and the decor was a bit more refined.

At this moment, Vice President Peng Zhao sat behind his desk with a gloomy expression.

Two people sat in front of him.

One was a Deputy Section Chief from the Medical Affairs Department, surnamed He.

The other was a young attending physician from the General Surgery Department, surnamed Ma.

"You both know about the matter regarding the Operating Room?"

Vice President Peng Zhao's voice was not loud, but every word carried pressure.

"We know, President Peng."

Deputy Section Chief He pushed up his glasses.

"The Hospital Administration is already processing the procedures. The venue is tentatively set in the old warehouse on the east side of the Emergency Department, and the equipment budget report has also been submitted."

"I know the procedures are being processed, but that's not what I'm asking."

Vice President Peng Zhao leaned back in his chair.

"I'm asking, from beginning to end, has anyone sought my opinion on this matter?"

The office went quiet.

Deputy Section Chief He and Dr. Ma exchanged a glance, neither speaking.

"No."

Vice President Peng Zhao answered his own question.

"From the proposal to approval, it took one week. President Zeng Dayang reported the plan directly to the President, who approved it on the spot. There wasn't even a formal discussion at the Hospital affairs meeting; they just issued a notice."

"This... is indeed a bit irregular."

Deputy Section Chief He said cautiously.

"Not a bit, it is completely irregular."

Vice President Peng Zhao tapped his finger on the desk.

"Logistics and administration are under my jurisdiction. Venue renovation involves infrastructure, and equipment procurement involves financial approval. If these things don't go through me, does President Zeng Dayang think he can do whatever he wants?"

"President Peng, what do you think about this..."

"I have already brought this up to the President, but the President said special cases should be handled specially. The actual needs of the Emergency Department are there, so he couldn't oppose it."

Vice President Peng Zhao's expression turned even uglier.

"The President says special cases should be handled specially, then in the future, everything can be handled specially. What's the point of having rules and regulations?"

Deputy Section Chief He dared not respond.

Dr. Ma didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

Vice President Peng Zhao stood up.

"I couldn't stop the Operating Room matter, but I cannot just swallow this insult."

He walked to the window and looked outside.

"That Lu Chen."

"Huh?"

"The Resident Physician in the Emergency Department, the young man that President Zeng Dayang has been vigorously promoting recently."

"I know, I know. It's the one who blocked the thugs at Guangfu Hospital. The video was seen all over the internet."

"What is his situation now?"

Deputy Section Chief He thought for a moment.

"Resident Physician, in the Emergency Department Red Zone. I heard his skills are very strong; he is a master of Suturing and intubation. Director Li Sen and Zhao Yaqin speak very highly of him."

"Resident Physician."

Vice President Peng Zhao repeated.

"A Resident Physician, how long has he been in the Hospital? Two months? Three months? President Zeng Dayang promoted him from an intern to a Resident Physician, fought for a spot for him to go to Guangfu Hospital for exchange, and now is pushing for the Emergency Department Operating Room."

"What do you mean..."

"My meaning is, President Zeng Dayang is laying out a plan."

Vice President Peng Zhao turned around.

"He is cultivating his own people in the Emergency Department, using the Operating Room to tie down Director Li Sen, using Lu Chen as a tool, step by step turning the Emergency Department into his own territory."

Deputy Section Chief He understood.

"Then, President Peng, what do you want to do?"

Vice President Peng Zhao did not answer immediately.

He walked back to the desk and sat down.

"A Resident Physician, no matter how strong their skills are, is still just a Resident Physician."

"What do you mean?"

"Resident Physicians have a ceiling. Whether it's acting beyond his authority or performing independent rescues, as long as he is a Resident Physician, there are many things he shouldn't be doing."

Dr. Ma interrupted at this moment.

"President Peng, are you saying we should make an issue out of his operating qualifications?"

"No rush."

Vice President Peng Zhao waved his hand.

"To make an issue, we need material. Now is not the time. Everything he is doing now is supervised by senior physicians, so we can't find any major faults."

"Then?"

"Wait."

Vice President Peng Zhao narrowed his eyes.

"Wait until the Operating Room is built, wait until he starts operating independently in the Operating Room. When that time comes, the opportunity will naturally arrive."

"President Peng is brilliant."

Deputy Section Chief He complimented him.

Vice President Peng Zhao ignored him.

"There is one more thing."

"Please go ahead."

"Help me check if there are any academic conferences or technical assessments recently, something of a higher level, preferably provincial level or above."

"What for?"

"Doesn't President Zeng Dayang like to push his people out there? Then I'll give him a chance to let his people show their faces on a bigger stage."

Deputy Section Chief He understood immediately.

"You want to let Lu Chen participate in that kind of high-level assessment?"

"Isn't he a genius? A genius should accept higher-level testing. If he passes, that's his ability. If he doesn't pass..."

Vice President Peng Zhao didn't finish.

But the meaning was already very clear.

A Resident Physician participating in that level of assessment or competition is, in itself, overstepping.

If he passes, it's just icing on the cake.

If he fails, it's a slap in the face to President Zeng Dayang.

It proves that the person he promoted is nothing special.

"And it's not just about the assessment."

Vice President Peng Zhao added.

"Think about it, if he makes a mistake on that kind of occasion, the nature of it will be different."

"He is representing our Hospital. If something goes wrong, President Zeng Dayang's reputation and Director Li Sen's reputation will both be affected."

Deputy Section Chief He nodded vigorously.

"Understood, President Peng. I'll go check right now."

"Check carefully. I want something with high value, not just some random small activity."

"Okay."

Deputy Section Chief He and Dr. Ma stood up and walked out of the office.

Vice President Peng Zhao sat alone behind his desk.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The tea was already cold.

But he didn't care.

He was thinking about things further ahead.

President Zeng Dayang's momentum lately has been too strong.

First, he secured a star doctor for the Emergency Department, then he pushed for the construction of the Operating Room, fully establishing his presence before the President.

If he lets him continue like this, his own voice in the Hospital will become smaller and smaller.

He must find an entry point to knock down his arrogant spirit.

And Lu Chen is the best breakthrough point.

Hit the snake in its seven-inch mark.

Strike a person at their weak point.

President Zeng Dayang's biggest chip right now is Lu Chen.

As long as he can prove that this chip isn't worth that price, President Zeng Dayang's layout will develop cracks.

Vice President Peng Zhao put down the teacup.

He thought about the young man's face again.

Twenty-four years old, he does look quite good, and his skills are said to be very strong.

But so what?

In this system, skills are just an admission ticket.

What really determines victory or defeat has never been skills.

...

Meanwhile.

Lu Chen knew nothing about all this.

He was sitting in the Duty Room, holding a textbook on Emergency Surgery, earnestly reading the relevant chapters on Closed Thoracic Drainage.

Although the system had already given him perfect level operating skills, his habits hadn't changed.

After learning how to do it, he still needed to figure out why it was done that way.

Should the drainage tube be inserted into the fourth or fifth intercostal space?

The anterior axillary line or the mid-axillary line?

How much drainage volume would require considering an emergency thoracotomy?

What does the fluctuation range of the water level in the water-seal bottle indicate?

The system gave him the answers to these details, but he needed to understand the logic behind them himself.

Only by understanding the logic could he make the correct judgment when facing situations that went beyond the norm.