System Came When the Doctor was Thirty

Lu Cheng’s expression was somewhat stiff; mainly because Tong Yuan’an’s explanation was too broad.

Though it’s true that Hua Country and Japan are neighboring ’friendly countries,’ that’s just a slogan that must be declared, considering it’s already the 21st century.

The actual relations and attitudes, though...

You could put it this way: if there’s a chance to outdo them, even in something as trivial as urinating farther, countless people would rush ahead. It’s something ingrained deep within.

”Teacher Tong, is this Tajima Suturing Technique really useful?” Lu Cheng didn’t respond directly but countered, looking straight into Tong Yuan’an’s eyes.

Academic competition is perfectly normal, but if you want to surpass others and have Lu Cheng learn this technique and apply it to patients, what if it ends up harming someone?

”According to reports, the Tajima Method combined with carbon fiber reinforced sutures has reduced professional athletes’ return to the field to six months. Other traditional suturing techniques require at least nine months, especially in Achilles tendon repairs.”

Tong Yuan’an licked his lips after speaking, ”Dislike it as much as you want, but we have to acknowledge that this suturing technique has its advantages.”

”If it wasn’t genuinely impressive, we wouldn’t bother engaging with such trivialities.”

”But the stronghold Tang Jinbo established in tendon suturing shouldn’t be abandoned lightly.”

”And this therapeutic effect, apparently, even the ’Modified Tang Method’ can’t achieve yet...”

The world is evolving, and technology is too. The Tang Method might have shone brightly, redefining tendon suturing in the No Man’s Land, but that’s outdated now.

Hua Country’s history is unparalleled, yet it doesn’t change its relative weakness in technological innovation. One can’t forever dwell on history.

Truthfully, Japan’s medical technology is quite decent.

Lu Cheng felt relieved, ”Alright, I can learn it...”

If the Tajima Suturing Technique is indeed more effective than the Modified Tang Method, learning it would directly benefit the people of Hua Country, especially the patients in Long County.

Lu Cheng isn’t concerned with the ”national origin” of technology when it comes to learning it!

Of course, after he spoke, Lu Cheng slightly lowered his head, looking sincerely at Tong Yuan’an, and flatteringly said, ”Just that, Teacher Tong, can I also learn your hospital’s suturing technique?”

”Why do you want to learn so much?”

”Your hospital can make do with a set of the Modified Tang Method.” Tong Yuan’an replied.

”Isn’t it that one should learn whatever one can? What do you think, Teacher Tong? Or perhaps after you finish your project, I could learn then.” Lu Cheng proposed.

Lu Cheng will always appreciate more good techniques.

Because he’s genuinely experienced the hardship of learning complex techniques.

Tong Yuan’an nodded solemnly, ”Lu Cheng, it’s not that I don’t want to teach you; it’s just that projects need to be taken seriously.”

”If you simultaneously master two techniques with similar proficiency, no one can tell if you’ve ’national contempt,’ deliberately favoring one over another, you know?”

”That’s not right; you can dislike a technique, but you shouldn’t criticize it for the sake of criticism.”

”Your Teacher Chen hasn’t encountered such conceptual battles, so he naively asked me why we don’t learn it.”

”You, please speak properly...” Chen Song said, feeling wronged after being reprimanded by Tong Yuan’an.

”You asked such an amateurish question, and you’re blaming me?” Tong Yuan’an teased.

Chen Song fell silent because he hadn’t experienced a rivalry between two technical concepts.

This conceptual battle is just saying, ’My treatment works, yours works too, but whose concept is better will be settled through results.’

”So, Xiao Lu, my requirement for you is that you must excel, excel to the extreme, and master the skills to perfection.”

”The technique may originate from a friendly country, but the patients receiving it are our Hua Country’s patients,” Tong Yuan’an emphasized.

”Understood, Teacher Tong, I’ll do my best.” Lu Cheng earnestly nodded, keeping these words in his heart.

Tong Yuan’an was right. The technology might come from abroad, but the direct recipients of the technique would be locals, and in Long County, it could even be his own friends or family.

”That’s all I have to say. Chen Song, I’ve conveyed my purpose, and I plan to stay longer in Long County...” Tong Yuan’an threw a teasing glance at Chen Song.

The implication was that Chen Song stayed three months for promotion; Tong Yuan’an would stay longer for his project. After Chen Song left, they’d talk about who takes over Xiao Lu.

Chen Song fell into silence.

Tong Yuan’an was his friend, his college classmate, and roommate. Their relationship was close, so Tong Yuan’an spoke candidly.

When Chen Song is around, I’ll refrain from bickering, but once you’re gone, I’ll take over Xiao Lu.

Chen Song, with a reserved expression, retorted, ”When the time comes, it comes. We’ll talk about it then!~”

”Let’s not discuss this now; eat up already. Can’t these delicacies keep your mouth shut?”

Tong Yuan’an chuckled, flesh quivering, ”Aren’t you the one who wanted me to speak? If I don’t, I’m arrogant; if I do, you’re unhappy; at least I’m happy.”

”Have a drink,” Chen Song proposed.

...

”You can normally perform the Modified Tang Method, but before treating patients, you must make it clear that the current Modified Tang Method’s suturing of the Zone Two flexor tendons isn’t an absolute cure.”

”There’s still only about an eighty-five percent success rate; the remaining fifteen percent may still require a second surgery due to potential surgery failure.”

”This probability isn’t unique to your hospital; it’s universal. Though the No Man’s Land tendons have been defined as repairable, the success rate hasn’t reached ninety percent yet.”

”As for learning the Tajima Suturing Technique, you need to further practice the Tsuge Suturing Technique. Once you’ve reached a certain skill level, I’ll teach you. Biting off more than you can chew isn’t effective.”

”By the way, send me a progress update on your suture skill basics. I can offer you some tips based on your foundational skill level...” Lu Cheng recalled Professor Tong Yuan’an’s words as he walked down Yuelu Avenue after sending Chen Song and Tong Yuan’an back to the ’dormitory.’

He felt at peace.

The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, with a gentle warm breeze; it wasn’t cold at all.

How could it be cold in the middle of summer?

Instead of taking a taxi, Lu Cheng continued to walk, relaxing his arms like a young man, occasionally twisting his neck, sometimes swaying his hips, moving with great pleasure.

With Deputy Chief Physician Xiang Dahong’s stint in rural areas postponed, leaving aside Professor Tong Yuan’an, Lu Cheng had now become the leading surgeon for tendon rupture cases in Long County.

The skills reside within him; no one could take them away.

This feeling was really nice...

Midway, Lu Cheng received a call, saying, ”Brother Zhang, I just had some drinks and can’t perform. You should transfer the patient.”

”Yes, indeed!” Lu Cheng responded without any guilt.

Doctors are human too, with the same rights to live, eat, and socialize. They have their own personal gatherings as well.

Lu Cheng already dedicates most of his time to the hospital, so having drinks with teachers isn’t wrong.

After all, without Lu Cheng before, patients were always transferred. Even though Lu Cheng can do tendon suturing, he can’t be on duty all the time, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year; there must be a downtime...

To always offer routine tendon suturing, more people need to learn it.

The individual mastery of skills and the regional mastery gradually develop, having much in common.