Surgeons Episode 13 Recap
> Surgeons Recap
Chen Shaocong visited Zhang Qian in the gynecology ward, where she was being treated for complicated pelvic inflammatory disease. He was dismayed to learn she hadn't sought help earlier, explaining that her boyfriend called her "too delicate," and she was hesitant to disclose her condition. Zhang Qian then asked Chen Shaocong to contact her ex-boyfriend, as he wouldn't answer her calls, and instruct him to seek treatment for the infection he had transmitted.
Chen Shaocong initially bristled at the idea, citing patient privacy concerns, but Zhang Qian emphasized the severity of the untreated disease and the risk of further infections. Enraged by the ex-boyfriend's promiscuity, Chen Shaocong furiously grabbed a scalpel, intending to confront the man. Yang Yu intervened, physically stopping him and warning that violence was illegal and the boyfriend's illness was already a form of punishment.
She advised Chen Shaocong to make the call, but only after getting Zhang Qian's written authorization to protect himself. Chen Shaocong then made an angry phone call to the man, demanding he get checked immediately and face the consequences if he refused. Later, Chen Shaocong tried to get Lu Chenxi and Zhuang Shu to join him for a meal, but they remained in their rooms. He complained good-naturedly about their unresponsiveness, eventually bringing food to Lu Chenxi, who finally emerged.
Zhuang Shu declined to join them. They still maintained a tense silence between them, with Lu Chenxi telling Chen Shaocong it was none of his business when he asked about their earlier argument. Meanwhile, Lu Chenxi learned from Chen Shaocong that Liu Ling, the pregnant woman her senior colleague (the "shrew") had previously tried to confront, was now suffering from an infectious chest wall abscess, as indicated by her nuclear MRI.
Feeling indignant for her senior colleague, Lu Chenxi went to examine Liu Ling, who recognized her. Without preamble, Lu Chenxi directly asked Liu Ling if she had undergone silicone breast implantation, which deeply offended the patient, who angrily threatened to file a complaint. Other hospital staff gossiped about Lu Chenxi's lecture invitation from Zhuang Shu, speculating it was a move to win her over before Dean Fu's retirement.
Zhuang Shu delivered a lecture on dissecting aortic aneurysms, using presentation slides that still bore both his and Lu Chenxi's names, a detail he noted with a slight pause. After the lecture, Chu Jun approached him, providing an update on Lin Sen's mood and seeking advice on mediastinal tumors and post-operative chest pain.
Zhuang Shu, noting his own hypoglycemia from skipping lunch, recommended Lu Chenxi's dissertation on chest pain and offered to help Chu Jun find relevant PubMed articles in his office. There, he gave Chu Jun a stack of English articles and his old English-Chinese dictionary, stressing the importance of reading original texts.
He encouraged her, acknowledging her improvement in pre-op preparation and suturing skills, assuring her that continued diligence would lead to promotion to attending physician, regardless of whether she stayed at Renhe Hospital. Chu Jun expressed her desire to become a good doctor like Lu Chenxi, to which Zhuang Shu replied that there isn't only one definition of a good doctor.
Chu Jun then offered him a bag of snacks, but Zhuang Shu politely declined, explaining he didn't enjoy junk food but accepted a mint candy for his throat, apologizing for potentially dampening her spirits. Earlier, Yang Yu accompanied Chen Shaocong to visit his ex-girlfriend Zhang Qian. After work, Chen Shaocong drove Yang Yu home. He jokingly showed her his negative gonorrhea test result, a test she had likely pressured him to take.
They discussed his past relationships, with Chen Shaocong lamenting his constant breakups despite aiming for marriage, blaming his busy schedule and low salary. Yang Yu analyzed that while he was a nice person, his lack of career planning and initiative, coupled with a sloppy attitude, failed to provide women with a sense of security, which she clarified wasn't purely financial but about a willingness to work hard.
When they reached Yang Yu's apartment, Chen Shaocong insisted on coming up to use the bathroom, feigning urinary urgency. Reluctantly, Yang Yu agreed but firmly prevented him from meeting her mother, who called out from another room. Chen Shaocong overheard Yang Yu's conversation with her mother, realizing that Yang Yu was single-handedly caring for her mother, who suffered from a leg disability. He was deeply moved by Yang Yu's strength and optimism despite her hidden struggles.
Later that evening, Liu Changhe consulted Zhuang Shu about Liu Ling, the pregnant patient. Liu Changhe described her symptoms and her agitated reaction to Lu Chenxi's questioning, explaining that the ER wanted to transfer her to Thoracic Surgery. Liu Changhe, however, was hesitant to accept her, admitting his inability to confidently diagnose her condition and doubting Lu Chenxi's assessment as an ER doctor.
Zhuang Shu sternly reminded Liu Changhe of his responsibilities as a third-line doctor, then offered to take his place for the night and reassess his future duties, implying disciplinary action for his incompetence. Zhuang Shu then went to examine Liu Ling. He courteously asked her to be honest about her medical history, emphasizing its importance for diagnosis given her pregnancy limited diagnostic tests. Liu Ling confessed to having silicone breast implants.
Zhuang Shu explained that if the infection was related to the implants, surgery would be needed, but due to her pregnancy, they could manage it with baby-safe anti-inflammatory medication, as it wasn't life-threatening, and proceed with surgery after a C-section. He also presented the option of terminating the pregnancy for immediate treatment. When Liu Ling asked for his recommendation, Zhuang Shu suggested consulting the OB Department to assess the fetus's health and development before making a decision.
However, Liu Ling vehemently resisted any fetal examinations, adamantly insisting her child was healthy and she would only consider surgery after delivering the baby via C-section. Later, Zhuang Shu reviewed Liu Ling's medical records and found no history of prenatal check-ups, raising his suspicion that she was deliberately concealing information. He instructed a colleague to contact the OB Department for her admission and schedule a multi-department consultation.
Zhuang Shu called Chen Shaocong to dinner, and Chen Shaocong suggested their favorite hot pot restaurant. To their surprise, Lu Chenxi and Xue Luan were already dining there. Chen Shaocong wanted to leave immediately, but Zhuang Shu paused. Lu Chenxi, confiding in Xue Luan, expressed regret for her past behavior, acknowledging her "senseless outbursts" and conceit, which she believed stemmed from her surgical skills and Dean Fu's protection.
She also voiced her suspicion that Zhuang Shu was deliberately targeting Dean Fu and might be colluding with Yang Fan, especially regarding rumors about Professor Fu's lung transplant. This made her worry about her ability to perform Teacher Zhu's surgery now that she and Zhuang Shu were at odds and she was assigned to the Emergency Department. Xue Luan offered to ask Zhuang Shu for her, but Lu Chenxi insisted she would beg him herself.
Xue Luan then suggested she consider leaving Renhe Hospital, offering his connections to private and international hospitals, highlighting her esophageal surgical skills and warning that with Yang Fan's impending promotion, even the ER might not be a secure position for her. Overhearing this entire conversation, Zhuang Shu, looking deeply displeased, abruptly left the restaurant with Chen Shaocong following.
Upon returning home, Lu Chenxi, intending to ask Zhuang Shu to let her be the chief surgeon for Teacher Zhu's surgery, found Zhuang Shu's room dark, implying he was asleep or unwilling to talk. She leaned against his door and, like a docile kitten, began to confess her faults, admitting that he had always taken good care of her since joining the Thoracic Surgery Department, and that her "bad habits" were her own. As she was speaking, Zhuang Shu suddenly opened the door and coldly asked, "Dr. Lu, are you doing some examination?"
