"Mm-hmm." Zhang Huayao nodded, acknowledging that her conjecture is well-known and that any surgeon would take this into consideration during surgery.
"What I mean is," Xie Wanying further added, "if Teacher Zhangâs intuition about the possibility of the patientâs heart encountering problems during surgery is correct, and my estimate that there wonât be significant bleeding is also correct, weâre left with only one conclusion. It may not be massive bleeding during the surgery that leads to an acute cardiac event for the patient."
"Wait a second." Zhang Huayao gestured for her to pause, needing to consider the logic in her words, and said, "Are you suggesting that you arenât worried about the patientâs surgery?"
"Not exactly. We always have to consider the possibility of unforeseen circumstances and have contingency plans in place for surgery," Xie Wanying explained.
In fact, her concern about the patientâs heart problem during surgery was probably the same as Teacher Zhangâs. Teacher Lu was a patient with a history of heart issues, so Teacher Zhang must have been particularly worried about major bleeding during surgery. Itâs true that significant bleeding during surgical procedures is something to be avoided at all costs.
"What kind of unexpected event do you think might occur?" Zhang Huayao asked her again, feeling that she was beating around the bush today, and with a slight smile triggered by thoughts of the latest news, he queried, "Could the âunexpected eventâ youâre referring to be Dr. Tanâs hand injury?"
Xie Wanying was startled, her right hand swiftly covering her mouth as she desperately tried to remember if she had let anything slip. Her senior teacher had repeatedly cautioned her about this. After much thought, she was fairly certain that she hadnât mentioned Teacher Tan.
How had Teacher Zhang come by the information?
Seeing her earnest and honest face, Zhang Huayao felt like laughing and said, "Isnât everyone talking about it outside?"
It would be difficult not to know; such explosive news was likely to spread throughout the entire hospital.
The news about Teacher Tan couldnât be kept under wraps. Xie Wanying felt distressed for the burden that Teacher Tan would have to bear and said, "Teacher merely has a superficial skin injury, itâs nothing serious."
"Are you trying to say that he is still capable of performing surgeries on patients?" Zhang Huayao deliberately probed her again, perhaps as a test of the loyalty between teacher and student, adding, "Dr. Xie, please could you give a professional evaluation of this matter."
As Teacher Tanâs student, it is essential to maintain a stance of professional impartiality, which is the ethos Teacher Tan passes on to his students in General Surgery Department Two. Xie Wanying provided a candid assessment of her teacher: "Teacher Tan received seven stitches on the outer side of his forearm. The injury did not affect the bones or nerves, and there is no obstruction to the movement of his hand. I donât see anything that would interfere with performing surgeries. As for the matter of pain, the patientâs surgery is scheduled for no earlier than next week. After the initial severe pain subsides, Teacherâs injury will have dramatically improved by next week and certainly wonât affect the patientâs surgery. Most importantly, Teacher Tan has the willpower to control himself well."
Such was the way of a student who genuinely and earnestly speaks up for her teacher with fairness and justice.
Surely, Tan Kelin would be touched by her words.
"Who?" Like being stirred awake by the bond of teacher and student, Teacher Lu opened her eyes and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Mom." Seeing the patient wake up, Zhang Huayao immediately stood up beside the hospital bed, looking down at his foster mother, "How do you feel now?"
"Donât worry about me," Teacher Lu told her foster son. "You should go back to Guo Zhi Hospital."
Zhang Huayao placed his hand on his foster motherâs forehead, checking her temperature: Thankfully, she had no fever.