Surgeons Episode 28 Recap
> Surgeons Recap
While performing a crucial part of his surgery, Zhuang Shu received an urgent phone call from Lu Chenxi, who was in the Emergency Department. She described her patient, Fang Zhiwei, whose blood pressure and oxygen levels had improved after initial repairs but were now declining again without apparent massive bleeding. Admitting that cardiac vessels were not her specialty, Lu Chenxi sought Zhuang Shu's guidance.
From his operating room, Zhuang Shu instructed her to check within the pericardium, correctly diagnosing a small tear in the superior vena cava, which caused blood accumulation and cardiac tamponade, affecting the patient's ventilation and circulation. Lu Chenxi confirmed the diagnosis, understanding that the tamponade had temporarily contained the bleeding, preventing an acute drop in blood pressure. Zhuang Shu then guided her through repairing the superior vena cava.
Both surgeries were successfully completed, and soon after, the roads to the disaster area cleared, allowing injured patients to be transported to Renhe Hospital. At Renhe, Lao Tang, a medical representative, was in Director Yang Fan's office, attempting to sell an expensive non-invasive intracranial pressure monitor. He suggested using the government's post-disaster allocation funds for the hospital to acquire the equipment.
Yang Fan sternly rejected the proposal, refusing to use disaster relief funds for such purchases and criticizing Lao Tang for his narrow, money-driven perspective. He then showed Lao Tang an article in "Oncology" magazine, authored by his son, Yang Zixuan, which highlighted that Renhe's Thoracic Surgery Department predominantly used Pioneer Medical Treatment Corporation's drugs for malignant tumors, despite them being more expensive and not significantly more effective than competitors.
Yang Fan expressed concern about the potential follow-up article that would investigate "why" these drugs were being used, and he dismissed Lao Tang's aggressive suggestion to "kill" the author. Instead, Yang Fan tasked Lao Tang with urgently procuring high-quality antibiotics and disinfectants for the hospital, leveraging Pioneer's "uncommon relationship" with Renhe. Lao Tang reluctantly agreed, promising to secure the items. Meanwhile, Yang Zixuan was volunteering at the hospital, meticulously copying medical records to analyze patient density.
His intention was to gather data on drug and antimicrobial disinfectant usage to research the allocation of disaster relief funds, using Renhe's emergency funds as a case study. He believed this was a scientific responsibility to objectively analyze expenditures. Lao Tang encountered Yang Zixuan, realizing he was the author of the "Oncology" article. Yang Zixuan, innocently seeking details for his research on Pioneer's high market share in Jialin City, discussed his findings with Lao Tang.
Lao Tang then subtly revealed to Yang Zixuan that it was his father, Yang Fan, who was behind the decision to use Pioneer's drugs. He also implied that Yang Fan had orchestrated Yang Zixuan's overseas scholarship and subsequent internship opportunities, leading Yang Zixuan to realize that his achievements might not have been purely merit-based. These revelations deeply shocked Yang Zixuan.
Zhuang Shu found Chu Jun sleeping in a break room and gently woke her, advising her to return to her dorm to avoid catching a cold. He asked about her application to a comics company, and Chu Jun was excited he remembered. She informed him that the company liked her drawings and offered a contract, but she had decided to stay at the hospital, committing herself to medicine with the goal of becoming as excellent as Lu Chenxi one day.
Zhuang Shu explained that everyone's talents differ, and while she might excel in comics, her efforts in medicine might yield only ordinary results. He encouraged her to strive for self-improvement rather than comparing herself to others. Chu Jun confessed that her primary motivation was simply to achieve excellence in Zhuang Shu's eyes, similar to how he viewed Lu Chenxi.
Zhuang Shu, however, unequivocally stated that no one could be like Lu Chenxi, emphasizing that despite her flaws, she was unique to him. Distraught, Chu Jun asked if the rumors about him and Lu Chenxi being together were true, which Zhuang Shu confirmed. Heartbroken, she questioned if his past kindness—his help, encouragement, defense against Director Yang, explanations to families, assistance with medical journals, and even a dictionary—was solely due to her status as a doctor-in-training under his guidance.
Zhuang Shu clarified that his concern for her was partly due to her experiences being similar to his lost younger sister, who was kidnapped as a child. This led to him having an "overly concerned" attitude towards her, but he affirmed there were no romantic feelings. Understanding the truth, Chu Jun thanked him and left the room in despair.
Yang Zixuan later confronted his father, Yang Fan, questioning why Pioneer's chemotherapeutic drugs, which were five times more expensive than others, were exclusively used across Renhe and its affiliated hospitals, asking if it was purely based on their effectiveness. Yang Fan avoided a direct answer. Yang Zixuan then challenged him about the connection between Renhe's drug choices and his scholarship and subsequent internship.
Yang Fan dismissed his son's concerns as "thinking too much" and advised him to reconsider his career path, eventually instructing him to go to sleep and never mention his dissertation in front of him again, despite Yang Zixuan having secured funding to continue his research into Pioneer's drug usage in Jialin City. Lu Chenxi's two patients from the disaster zone, including Fang Zhiwei, were now under observation in Renhe's ICU.
Zhuang Shu called Lu Chenxi to discuss their conditions, with Fang Zhiwei's being better but still critical, and the other patient battling a severe infection. Zhuang Shu commended Lu Chenxi's courage for operating on two patients simultaneously and breaking procedural rules in the extreme circumstances, acknowledging that in such a crisis, there was no absolute right or wrong decision. He expressed his admiration for her, regardless of the final outcome.
They also discussed Lu Chenxi's earlier argument with Yang Fan about admitting more patients amidst gas gangrene cases. Zhuang Shu playfully sided with Yang Fan, explaining that while international protocols prioritize a safe environment, China's practical realities often necessitate pushing boundaries, a lesson she would learn over time. Their conversation grew more personal, with Zhuang Shu expressing how much he missed her, and Lu Chenxi jokingly describing him as her constant companion if she were to become hospital dean.
They ended their call affectionately. The relentless work had left the hospital staff utterly exhausted, with doctors and nurses seizing any brief moment to rest on floors and against walls. Despite the fatigue, they immediately resumed work when new patients arrived. Fortunately, the feared gas gangrene infection had been effectively controlled, with no new suspected cases. Chu Jun, still reeling from Zhuang Shu's rejection, worked feverishly, visibly distraught.
She snapped at Associate Professor Zhang for suggesting she might be tired, vehemently insisting on her capacity to handle all tasks. Later, Yang Zixuan noticed her swollen eyes and exhaustion, urging her to rest and warning against making mistakes. Chu Jun, however, lashed out defensively. Her emotional state escalated when a patient from bed 8 was found to be missing from his bed, leading her to harshly reprimand a nurse for the oversight.
Yang Zixuan physically carried the agitated Chu Jun to a quiet office to calm her down. There, she tearfully questioned why, despite her efforts, she was still seen as having gained entry to Renhe through "the back door." She revealed her original intention to merely gain experience at Renhe before returning to her less prestigious former hospital.
However, she had developed feelings for Zhuang Shu—his handsomeness, warmth, and talent, and his patient mentorship had made her love Renhe and aspire to stay. Now, she was filled with self-doubt, believing she could never achieve Lu Chenxi's level of excellence. Yang Zixuan comforted her, affirming her unique strengths.
He highlighted her artistic talent, suggesting her drawings could bring joy to child patients, alleviating their pain and contributing to their physiological and psychological healing, a therapeutic approach recognized in some international hospitals. Chu Jun found some solace in his words, her confidence slightly bolstered.
