Surgeons Episode 23 Recap
> Surgeons Recap
Lu Chenxi was initially reluctant to share a room with Zhuang Shu, finding it inappropriate. Her parents and Chen Shaocong, however, insisted. While everyone watched a documentary about whale reproduction, Lu Chenxi's parents subtly tried to bring her and Zhuang Shu closer on the sofa. When Lu Chenxi declared she would sleep on the sofa, her mother expressed concern about its comfort.
Lu Chenxi tried to prove the sofa's sturdiness by jumping on it, but it collapsed, thanks to Chen Shaocong having previously removed supporting books. With no other option, Lu Chenxi and Zhuang Shu were left to share a room. Lying awkwardly in bed, both wide awake, Lu Chenxi and Zhuang Shu conversed, initially leaning back-to-back, each holding a book to mask their awkwardness. Zhuang Shu mused if they looked like a married couple.
When Lu Chenxi expressed doubt, he mentioned seeing similar scenes in movies, hinting at other marital activities, to which Lu Chenxi playfully brushed him off. Later, Lu Chenxi asked Zhuang Shu if he had visited Professor Fu Bowen and why he hadn't invited her. Zhuang Shu explained that her presence would have made the visit more awkward for Fu Bowen. She then pressed him on his real reason for returning to China.
Zhuang Shu jokingly claimed his purpose was to remove Fu Bowen from his position and help Yang Fan become the dean. Lu Chenxi dismissed this, stating she didn't believe he was the kind of person who would align with Yang Fan for personal gain. Zhuang Shu countered that it was too early to label Yang Fan or Fu Bowen as good or bad, emphasizing that many situations aren't simply black and white, and time might reveal the truth.
Annoyed by his perspective, Lu Chenxi jokingly threatened to kick him out of bed, which she then did, lightening the mood. The next morning, Lu Chenxi woke up startled to see Zhuang Shu's face so close. Zhuang Shu, waking shortly after, teased her by saying she snored like a man.
Though appearing annoyed, Lu Chenxi quickly softened, affectionately telling Zhuang Shu to continue resting and assuring him that her mother would prepare porridge for his breakfast before she left for work. At the hospital, Lu Chenxi confronted Chen Shaocong about the broken sofa, leading to him admitting he was "requested" to eavesdrop on her snoring. Lu Chenxi mentioned her mother had already instructed her to move out of Chen Shaocong’s place.
She also fretted about leaving Zhuang Shu, who was still recovering, alone without lunch. Before leaving, Lu Chenxi's mother gave Zhuang Shu an extensive briefing on Lu Chenxi, starting with their family situation where her current husband, Mr. Dong, had treated Lu Chenxi like his own daughter, spoiling her and making her undisciplined. She advised Zhuang Shu to stand his ground when necessary.
She then spoke about Lu Chenxi's previous relationship with Xue Luan, emphasizing that Lu Chenxi was much more submissive with Zhuang Shu, which she took as a sign of genuine affection. Lu Chenxi's mother made it clear that she and Mr. Dong fully approved of Zhuang Shu, seeing him as a potential son-in-law and even offering to take care of their future children. Zhuang Shu, while polite, gently suggested it was too early for such discussions.
As they rushed off to catch their flight, Lu Chenxi's mother continued to fuss over Zhuang Shu's health, urging him to take his medicine, even though he was a doctor himself. At the hospital, Yang Zixuan encountered Chu Jun and inquired about her decision regarding the comics company. He suggested she talk to Zhuang Shu about it, whom she had drawn. Before she left, he asked her to place a magazine titled "Tumor Science" in his father's office.
Back at the hospital, Lu Chenxi had adopted a calmer, more patient approach with patients. She attended to an elderly patient, Mr. Gao, who had diabetes but had stopped taking his medication, leading to high blood sugar. Mr. Gao initially denied his condition, claiming his health was excellent and that a recent free check-up showed normal results. Lu Chenxi patiently explained the dangers of stopping medication.
She then realized that Mr. Gao, driven by vanity, had taken his medication before the free check-up to appear healthy, comparing it to young girls using photo editing software. Lu Chenxi offered to help him set a reminder on his phone, which led Mr. Gao to proudly reveal he was a retired software developer, having worked with Java programming since its early days.
Seizing the opportunity, Lu Chenxi immediately asked him if he could help Chen Shaocong build a website for his mobile consultation platform project, as Chen Shaocong lacked the technical skills and funds. Mr. Gao enthusiastically agreed to help, refusing payment and offering to write the website himself. Meanwhile, Chen Shaocong met with Director Yang Fan to present his mobile consultation platform project.
He passionately explained the high mortality rates in emergency cases due to delayed consultations and proposed an online platform, citing successful models from California and Florida. He detailed the low budget of ¥20,000 for a six-month trial period, hoping to secure national funding afterward. Yang Fan, however, expressed reservations, claiming he was still new to his acting dean position and needed more time to familiarize himself with hospital policies and budgetary allocations.
He told Chen Shaocong to leave the documents and wait for his answer, subtly dismissing the project. After Chen Shaocong left, Yang Fan casually discarded the proposal. In the staff lounge, Yang Yu commented on Zhuang Shu's persistent efforts to court Lu Chenxi, contrasting it with her own swift acceptance of Chen Shaocong after only two rides home. Lu Chenxi, however, dismissed Zhuang Shu's actions as mere politeness, asserting that he was equally kind to everyone, regardless of their nature.
She confided in Yang Yu, expressing her insecurities about lacking "womanly charm," being prone to trouble, and her recent demotion to the ER, feeling unworthy of Zhuang Shu. She was simply grateful he didn't find her annoying and hadn't considered a deeper relationship. Yang Yu warned her that many other women in the hospital were interested in Zhuang Shu and that if she didn't act quickly, he might find someone else and take them back to the States.
Lu Chenxi's immediate and possessive response, "He dares? ! I am the first one to come," betrayed her true feelings for him. After getting Lu Chenxi’s address from Chen Shaocong, Director Zhong visited Zhuang Shu, who was still on sick leave, bringing him food that Lu Chenxi had asked his wife to prepare. Director Zhong jokingly referred to Zhuang Shu as a "son-in-law," hinting at his approval of a relationship with Lu Chenxi.
Zhuang Shu then revealed he had visited Fu Bowen, but Fu Bowen denied any wrongdoing. Director Zhong admitted he expected this, noting that it involved Fu Bowen's and Dean Xiu's reputations and potential legal liabilities, making an easy admission unlikely. He then shifted the conversation back to Lu Chenxi, asking Zhuang Shu about his feelings for her. Zhuang Shu confessed his strong affection, admitting he might be falling in love with her.
Director Zhong was delighted, seeing their union as a way for both families, who suffered due to past events, to find happiness and move beyond the past. However, Zhuang Shu expressed deep concern. He described his mother's case as a "ball of fire" in his heart, fearing he might burn Lu Chenxi if she got too close, or that she might extinguish his drive for justice.
He worried about not uncovering the truth and the potential consequences if Lu Chenxi learned his true identity, fearing she wouldn't forgive him and that her family would also suffer. Director Zhong encouraged him to be open with Lu Chenxi, believing she would understand. Yang Zixuan returned home and excitedly suggested taking Yang Fan out for a celebratory seafood dinner, having received two years of research funding from NIH for his investigation.
Yang Fan had already seen the "Tumor Science" magazine that Chu Jun placed in his office, containing Yang Zixuan's article. Yang Zixuan then outlined his next step: investigating why the chemotherapy drugs from Pioneer Medical Treatment Corporation had a significantly higher usage rate compared to other companies among malignant thoracic tumor patients in Jialin City.
Yang Fan acknowledged it was a good idea but dismissed it, urging Yang Zixuan to return to the States to pursue his PhD first, believing the Chinese market was too complex for his "idealistic brain." Yang Zixuan argued that securing funding was harder than getting a PhD and questioned why he should give up such a good opportunity. However, Yang Fan remained firm, insisting that his Westernized education made him unsuitable for Chinese research topics and demanding he obtain his PhD by next year.
