System Came When the Doctor was Thirty

”Is that really necessary?”

As he walked out of the office, a man in a police uniform looked at Dai Linfang, his expression rather puzzled.

Dai Linfang was unexpectedly polite: ”Brother, are you talking to me?”

”This is just a small matter, why make it so stiff and ugly? Director Xie is only worried about his father’s condition.”

”Why do you have to be like this? So unfeeling?” The man in uniform was also middle‑aged; he hadn’t spoken while they were in the office.

After Dai Linfang and Lu Cheng left the office, he was called out as well.

Dai Linfang squeezed his own eyes: ”Brother, if we go by what you just said, then my trainee was just properly doing his job.”

”He followed the rules, and now he’s been beaten into the operating room—who exactly did he offend?”

”So who was the one being unfeeling first?”

Dai Linfang really liked arguing things out, especially when he happened to have nothing else to do.

Idle anyway is still idle.

The middle‑aged cop seemed to know that Director Xie well; he pressed his lips together: ”How can the situations be the same?”

”If Director Xie gets dealt with, it’s not just that his promotion track is gone, he might even get double dismissal.”

Dai Linfang let out a dry laugh: ”You don’t usually watch the news, do you?”

”Huh?” The middle‑aged cop froze for a moment.

”Then you don’t watch much, or you don’t pay attention to what happens in our line of work. You think there haven’t been plenty of doctors beaten so badly they were forced to switch careers?” Dai Linfang shot back.

The middle‑aged cop pressed on: ”And in our line of work, you think there aren’t plenty who get beaten to the point of being ruined?”

Dai Linfang: ”You make your living off public security.”

”We make a living by treating the sick and saving lives! We live off our skills.”

”When we try to reason with people, you lot won’t reason.”

”The minute we force you to start talking reason, you feel uncomfortable? I’m not wronging him.”

”If he’s not convinced, he can report upward!”

”And keep up the moral blackmail, huh?” Dai Linfang’s reply was chilly.

The middle‑aged uniformed man stared deeply at Dai Linfang for quite a while, then didn’t say another word.

Different positions mean different perspectives.

Dai Linfang had to get to work, and continued, ”Criminal is criminal, civil is civil. The surgery fees, hospitalization, convalescence costs, lost wages, etc.—make sure the people inside settle those.”

”So you don’t end up facing another lawsuit later.”

”Don’t get used to sitting high and mighty for too long, then the moment one foot touches the ground you act like you’re the one who’s so damn wronged.”

”Who exactly are you?” The middle‑aged uniform wanted to probe his background.

The mindset of people in this country is, if something goes beyond their authority, they start looking for someone to fix it, to get the best possible advantage.

”A Hua Country Person.”

”I’m going on duty.” Dai Linfang strode off, catching up with Lu Cheng’s back.

Lu Cheng hadn’t said a word the whole way. When they got to the office, Liu Nongqiu was already seriously on duty.

There were no patients at the moment. Seeing Lu Cheng, Liu Nongqiu said, ”Director Lu, He Dongsheng just called me. Du Hua’an’s nasal bone is fractured, and the right side of his face has soft‑tissue contusions.”

”Over in ENT, some people are trying to talk Du Hua’an into letting it go.”

Lu Cheng nodded, not surprised: ”What’s Du Hua’an himself saying?”

Liu Nongqiu said, ”Du Hua’an hasn’t taken a stance. He wants to hear your opinion, Director Lu.”

Dai Linfang had already caught up: ”And we’re supposed to just let them screw him over?”

”If they want to play hardball, then we go hard. Don’t be hard one minute and soft the next—people will look down on you!”

”I’ll call Du Hua’an.”

Lu Cheng advised, ”Dai Linfang, watch your wording. You are you, Du Hua’an is Du Hua’an.”

Dai Linfang sighed, waved his hand, and headed inside: ”I know!”

After watching Dai Linfang leave, Liu Nongqiu asked Lu Cheng somewhat nervously, ”Director Lu, is Brother Du’s incident really just going to be written off like this?”

The impact of this incident on Liu Nongqiu was huge.

Du Hua’an is a full staff doctor at this hospital; he got beaten, and now he’s supposed to let it go.

Then what does that make him, a ’temp worker’?

Lu Cheng said, ”This mainly depends on what Du Hua’an himself thinks. He’ll weigh it up.”

”Our department will definitely stand firmly on his side.”

Liu Nongqiu followed up, ”Director Lu, is this considered a new track for our promotions and raises?”

Lu Cheng fell silent, and could only reassure him: ”Don’t overthink it. Just do your job for now and wait to see how it unfolds.”

”Have you had breakfast yet?”

Liu Nongqiu said, ”I’ve already had it sent up. Director Lu, you and Brother Dai eat first, I’ll eat later.”

Lu Cheng nodded and turned into the office.

Lu Cheng and Dai Linfang had only been in the office for a short while.

After finishing rounds, Xiang Dahong from Hand Surgery, who was fairly familiar with Lu Cheng, also came over to the Emergency Department.

When he pushed the door open, Lu Cheng and Dai Linfang were sitting across from each other, talking about what had happened that morning.

Lu Cheng looked at Xiang Dahong: ”Director Xiang, isn’t today your surgery day? How come you’re here so early?”

When Lu Cheng was on duty, Xiang Dahong would occasionally drop by to ”self‑serve” a meal, but he didn’t usually come over on surgery days.

Xiang Dahong’s expression was tangled for a moment before he shifted into a smile: ”I heard there was a conflict over here at the Trauma Center. I even got a phone call about it, so I came right away to ask what’s going on.”

”How’s the injured little brother doing now?”

Lu Cheng could more or less guess why Xiang Dahong was here: ”Nasal bone fracture, surgery done, he’s in the ward. He’ll need to apply for sick leave.”

”So Director Xiang already knows about this—word’s traveled pretty far, huh?”

Xiang Dahong chuckled sheepishly: ”An acquaintance called and asked me to come and check in. He’s an old leader of mine, and an old friend. I couldn’t really turn him down.”

Dai Linfang said bluntly, ”Director Xiang, best if you don’t get involved in this one.”

Xiang Dahong tested the waters: ”Dr. Dai, I also heard people say that you’re the one hanging onto this and refusing to let it go?”