System Came When the Doctor was Thirty

Lu Cheng sent a lot of voice messages, and after Du Hua’an listened to each one, he replied: ”Thank you, Director Lu. As long as I haven’t learned it wrong, it’s fine.”

Lu Cheng thought for a moment, then said: ”Among you guys, you have the best talent.”

”I watched your operation when you were on duty, so I’m even more certain of this.”

”The reason I paired you with He Dongsheng is because your personalities match better!”

”Liu Nongqiu is too unruly, you can’t control him. Zhang Zixu is too slippery, following you will only make you overthink.”

”Therefore, Dai Linfang needs to tackle Liu Nongqiu, and as for Zhang Zixu, Brother Chen Fang needs to skillfully manage him.”

”The fact that you took the initiative to message me shows that you want to learn.”

”Here’s the deal, you’re not on duty today. If you have free time at night, come to a place, I’ll wait for you there...”

”Thank you, Director Lu, I’ll be there on time.” Du Hua’an replied cautiously as usual.

...

After doing all this, Lu Cheng put down his phone.

Not long after, Chen Fang came over with Zhang Zixu to take over the shift.

You could hear Zhang Zixu and Liu Nongqiu chatting, with a hint of complaint: ”Brother Liu, didn’t you say that when I take over the shift, I get to order breakfast?”

Liu Nongqiu wasn’t afraid of Zhang Zixu’s slyness: ”It’s all the same.”

”Brother Xu, do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences? Let me know, I’ll remember.”

It seemed like someone in Zhang Zixu’s family had taught him human relations. He quickly said: ”I have no dietary restrictions, I’ll eat anything. What I mean is…”

Liu Nongqiu said: ”Then that’s settled, it’s just a matter of a few breakfasts.”

”Just don’t tell Director Lu about this, or he might give me money.”

”Once you are at a place, everyone is a brother. Being so distant is overly frivolous; after all, it’s merely a few bowls of noodles, lifelong brothers...”

Chen Fang reacted with a couple of tut-tut laughs: ”Lu Cheng, this batch of young people is tougher than we were back in the day.”

Lu Cheng nodded: ”Now that short videos have developed, there are plenty of resources if you’re willing to learn.”

”Today’s young people are slicker than we were.”

As they were speaking, Professor Qu Daowen arrived earlier than expected for some reason.

Lu Cheng and Chen Fang quickly stood up to welcome him. Lu Cheng just gave a look, and Chen Fang brought over Dai Linfang’s breakfast. ”Professor Qu, you came at the right time, we ordered an extra bowl of noodles.”

”Professor Qu, why didn’t you sleep a bit longer?” Lu Cheng also asked.

”Couldn’t sleep.” Qu Daowen sat down and opened the wrapper.

On the upper bunk in the lounge, Dai Linfang saw Qu Daowen attacking his breakfast, took a glance, and quickly pretended to sleep, not daring to speak…

”Xiao Lu, I couldn’t sleep. Your two Suturing Techniques, I’ve been pondering them every day, still feel like I’m too old, a bit rusty.” Qu Daowen’s big nose expanded as he sighed, taking up more of his face.

”Professor Qu, you couldn’t sleep because of that?”

”Then it’s really my fault.” Lu Cheng quickly smiled apologetically.

”It’s not your fault, it’s my own late realization. If I had started ten years earlier, I might have learned it by now.” Qu Daowen shook his head.

”Unfortunately, time waits for no one.”

Approaching fifty, Qu Daowen, after all, has aged.

As one grows older, in addition to a decline in physical ability, the pace of learning new things also slows down.

The majority at Qu Daowen’s age wouldn’t choose to learn something new; instead, they’d further consolidate their existing skills and knowledge base.

”Professor Qu, no rush, take it slow.” Lu Cheng said.

Qu Daowen glanced at Lu Cheng: ”You can afford to take it slow, money doesn’t allow it.”

”Xiao Dong is almost getting it, yet my money is still flowing out fast.”

”This really is Xiangzhou earning for Xiangzhou, not a penny to take back home, right?”

Lu Cheng hurriedly adjusted his posture: ”Professor Qu, it’s already quite affordable. In our project group, we’re just trying to recuperate some costs with a small base...”

”No profits here, the expenses are negative each month.”

Lu Cheng didn’t even need to look at the project’s funding, knowing that daily negatives were huge, often ranging in the thousands or even tens of thousands.

There’s output, but the money spent can’t just be recouped with a few animal models sold.

Otherwise, plenty of companies and nations’ research funds could self-balance out, without needing annual allocations.

”I’m not saying you’re expensive, I’m saying my current investment is too much. I’m considering whether to switch to a younger person.” Qu Daowen said: ”People should accept aging, rather than thinking they can learn things at any cost because of seniority.”

”And the key thing is I haven’t learned it.”

Lu Cheng replied: ”Professor Qu, overdoing it is as bad as falling short. If there hasn’t been progress, it’s okay to pause.”

”When well-rested, learning new things, one’s condition will be better too.”

”I haven’t held back, Professor Dong can vouch for me.”

”Chen Fang can also vouch for me.”

Qu Daowen said: ”If you dare hold back, at your age of teaching, I’d be ready to criticize you.”

”...”

After work, in the car, ignition, turn signal.

A well-rested Lu Cheng completed all this with exceptional ease.

Lu Cheng first went home, took a shower, and then headed straight to the lab.

Dai Linfang arrived at the parking lot around the same time as Lu Cheng, and as they got out of the car and walked together, said: ”We should probably share a car to get here, that way we could save on commuting costs.”

”How about next time, I ride with you?”

Lu Cheng replied: ”Next time will we even get to sleep at night? Can you guarantee that?”

”Are you a fortune teller?”

After Lu Cheng rebuffed him with a remark, he returned to the main topic: ”Brother Dai, do you currently have any specific needs for papers?”