78: Chapter 78 Zeng Dayang's Fighting Style: One Strike, One Kill
3:00 PM.
Administrative Building.
President Zeng Dayang's office.
Director Li Sen sat on the sofa, recounting the events from start to finish.
After hearing it all, President Zeng Dayang did not fly into a rage like Director Li Sen.
He held his teacup, his expression calm.
"Are you sure it was man-made?"
"Three coincidences happening together, do you believe in that?"
"What about evidence?"
"The evidence is that surgery adjustment form signed by Section Chief He Zhongfeng yesterday afternoon; the timing is too coincidental."
"A single surgery adjustment form doesn't prove anything. Section Chief He Zhongfeng could say it was a normal scheduling adjustment."
"Old Zeng!" Director Li Sen's voice rose. "They are playing with a patient's life! If that patient hadn't been taken over by Dr. Lu today, if someone else had replaced him, someone who couldn't perform this drainage with adhesions, and the Department of Thoracic Surgery couldn't come, do you know what the consequences would have been?"
"I know."
"You know, and yet you're still this calm?"
President Zeng Dayang set down his teacup.
"Old Li, I am different from you. You are a frontline clinician; you see the patient's life, so of course you are angry."
"But sitting in this position, I cannot just look at the anger. I have to look at how to turn this incident into our advantage."
Director Li Sen looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that this move by Vice President Peng Zhao, he thinks he is digging a pit for us, but in reality, he has sent us a great gift."
"A great gift?"
"Think about it, what did Dr. Lu do today? In a situation where the Department of Thoracic Surgery could not consult in time, he independently completed an S-grade difficulty Closed Thoracic Drainage, the patient turned from critical to safe, and even the deputy director of the Department of Thoracic Surgery gave high praise, right?"
"Right."
"What does this incident prove? It proves that the Emergency Department has the ability to independently handle complex thoracic trauma, it proves that the Emergency Department needs its own Operating Room, and it proves that the plan I am pushing is correct and necessary."
Director Li Sen was silent.
"And," President Zeng Dayang continued, "if I can verify that Section Chief He Zhongfeng deliberately adjusted the surgery schedule to cause the consultation delay, then the nature of this incident changes. This is not a simple factional struggle; this is a malicious act that uses patient safety as a bargaining chip."
"What do you plan to do?"
"First, we won't alert the enemy. Let Section Chief He Zhongfeng think we haven't discovered anything. I will have someone retrieve the Medical Affairs Department's work log and surgery schedule modification records from yesterday afternoon. All written materials will be preserved."
"And then?"
"Then we wait for the right moment to present all these things to the president at once."
Director Li Sen looked at President Zeng Dayang.
He did not like this way of playing.
It was too circuitous.
He was a doctor with over twenty years of clinical experience; he was used to being direct, efficient, and solving problems.
But he also knew that in this system, being direct did not work.
"Then, before the right moment arrives?"
"Before that, we continue to do what we must. The construction of the Operating Room cannot stop, and the training of Dr. Lu cannot stop. Just let Vice President Peng Zhao watch us move step by step."
President Zeng Dayang stood up and walked to the window.
"Old Li, remember this sentence."
"The best counterattack is not a head-on conflict with the other party, but to make yourself stronger and stronger, so strong that the other party dares not make a move again."
Director Li Sen did not speak.
After a long while, he sighed.
"I don't care how you plan, but there is a bottom line I must make clear."
"Speak."
"Dr. Lu is my person, my student. Regardless of what happens in the future, you cannot use him as a pawn."
President Zeng Dayang turned around and looked at Director Li Sen.
"Old Li, when have I ever used him as a pawn?"
"I am talking about the future."
President Zeng Dayang smiled slightly.
"Rest assured. Although I am in administration, I am not stupid enough to exhaust a talented young person to death. That is not called planning; that is called destroying one's own Great Wall."
"As long as you know."
Director Li Sen stood up.
"Alright, I'm heading back to the department. I still need to keep an eye on the patient."
"Go ahead."
When Director Li Sen reached the door, President Zeng Dayang spoke again.
"By the way, regarding Dr. Lu's case today, have him write a detailed operation report."
"A standardized one; I have a use for it."
Director Li Sen looked back at him.
"What are you doing again?"
"Nothing much, just keeping a record. In case the president asks about the necessity of an Emergency Department Operating Room in the future, I must have materials I can present."
Director Li Sen thought for a moment.
"Fine."
Then he pushed the door and went out.
President Zeng Dayang stood alone by the window.
He picked up his teacup and found that the tea had gone cold again.
But this time, he did not change it.
He was thinking about another matter.
The actions of Section Chief He Zhongfeng and Dr. Ma Xu today were indeed very stupid.
But behind the stupidity was the instruction of Vice President Peng Zhao.
Vice President Peng Zhao was not a stupid person.
The reason he used such crude methods indicated that he was anxious.
Once anxious, he would make mistakes.
Once he made mistakes, he would reveal flaws.
What President Zeng Dayang needed to do was patiently wait for him to reveal even bigger flaws.
And then, a fatal blow.
5:00 PM.
Red Zone.
Dr. Lu Chen finished the medical records for the last batch of patients of the day.
The drainage volume for Zhang Ge had dropped to below 50 milliliters per hour, and his vital signs were completely stable.
His coagulation function was also gradually correcting.
The Department of Thoracic Surgery had already arranged for further surgery tomorrow to handle the fixation of the rib fractures.
This patient could be considered completely out of life-threatening danger.
"Dr. Lu, Deputy Director Zheng just called to ask about the patient's condition."
"He said he reported your operation today to their director, and their director said he wants to find a time to invite you to do a teaching demonstration."
Nurse Meng Yan walked over and said this.
Dr. Lu Chen was stunned for a moment.
"A teaching demonstration?"
"It's just to explain the thinking and technique of your drainage operation for the adhesive thoracic cavity today to the young doctors in the Department of Thoracic Surgery."
"A Resident Physician like me giving a lecture to doctors in the Department of Thoracic Surgery?"
"They are the ones actively inviting you, what are you afraid of?"
Dr. Lu Chen thought for a moment.
"Let's see what Director Li says."
"He will definitely agree."
"Then we'll see."
After Nurse Meng Yan left, Shen Xiaoning approached.
"Dr. Lu, you were too amazing today."
"It was alright."
"What do you mean by 'alright'! I was watching from the side when you were performing that surgery just now. Although I didn't quite understand the specific operation, I could tell that Brother Wu was sweating the whole time, while you didn't break a single drop of sweat!"
"That's because the air conditioning was on in the Resuscitation Room."
"Can you be serious for once!"
"I am being very serious."
Shen Xiaoning took a deep breath.
"I'm telling you seriously, you were really handsome today."
Dr. Lu Chen looked at her.
"What kind of handsome do you mean?"
"Just, just the kind of handsome when you are performing surgery!"
"Oh, the kind of handsome that has nothing to do with my face."
"It has to do with your face too! You are handsome as well!"
After saying this, Shen Xiaoning was stunned for a second, then her face turned so red it was almost dripping blood.
"I, I'm leaving first! The bowl, put the bowl at the Nurse Station!"
She ran away again.
Sun Ji passed by and silently gave a thumbs up.
It was unknown who it was directed at.
Dr. Lu Chen shook his head and refocused his attention.
He opened the system panel in his mind.
It was time to settle the gains of the day.