Surgeons Episode 42 Recap
> Surgeons Recap
At Chen Shaocong and Yang Yu's wedding, Chu Jun was overcome with emotion and cried uncontrollably. Yang Yu tried to console her, saying, "Enough already, my little sister. Little sis, don't cry anymore. Today is a huge joyous day for me. Is it proper for you to be crying like this? My Chen Shao Cong doesn't have that much charm, right?" Chu Jun explained that she always cries at weddings because she is so touched.
Unable to calm her, Yang Yu called Yang Zi Xuan, who offered his shoulder for Chu Jun to cry on while trying to soothe her. Yang Yu remarked that Chu Jun had cried even worse at a previous wedding, despite not knowing the couple, and they were even asked to leave. Seeing Chen Shaocong and Yang Yu happily married, Chen Shaocong asked Lu Chenxi when she and Zhuang Shu would also tie the knot.
Lu Chenxi responded that their future was "probably still far and indefinite." She explained that they couldn't move forward until Zhuang Shu's mother's case was cleared. Although her parents didn't mind the past, she noted that "from the legal point of view, his mother is the one responsible for my father's death." She worried that even if their families didn't believe this, others would, and Zhuang Shu carried a heavy burden over it. Xiu Minqi unexpectedly appeared at the wedding.
Yang Yu expressed surprise that Chen Shaocong managed to invite him, but Chen Shaocong clarified he hadn't even sent an invitation. Lu Chenxi noticed Zhuang Shu's discomfort and suggested they leave, but Zhuang Shu declined, saying he would be leaving the hospital in two days and didn't want to spoil everyone's fun. Later, Xiu Minqi sought out Yang Fan and Fu Bowen, stating he had "some words that I can't say that conveniently" and asking them for a favor.
They then relayed Xiu Minqi's request to Zhuang Shu. Yang Fan explained that Xiu Minqi's daughter, Xiu Tong, had suffered from congenital heart disease for many years, and her pulmonary arterial hypertension had reached its late stage. A combined cardiac and lung transplant was the only treatment option. Fu Bowen admitted that he was originally meant to perform the surgery but was no longer able to handle such a difficult procedure due to his current condition.
Yang Fan added that Xiu Minqi had considered overseas treatment, but his family couldn't afford it, which is why he now wished for Zhuang Shu to perform the surgery. Yang Fan noted that Zhuang Shu had successful experience with a similar surgery two years prior. However, Zhuang Shu highlighted the complexity, stating that his previous assistant was a renowned US specialist and his surgical team was currently at UCLA Medical Center, making it difficult for them to arrive in time.
He also mentioned that his employment at Renhe Hospital would end after tomorrow's shift. When Yang Fan informed him of a potential donor, Zhuang Shu responded that he needed to consider all aspects carefully, given the surgery's high difficulty, and could not provide an immediate answer. He assured them he would still go to work as usual the next day.
In Xiu Tong's hospital room, Xiu Minqi informed Yang Fan that he had contacted Professor Xu from Beijing, an expert in cardiac transplants, who would return in two days. Fu Bowen, however, countered that Professor Xu might not be as proficient in combined heart and lung transplants as Zhuang Shu, stressing that Zhuang Shu remained the best option if a donor appeared the next day.
Fu Bowen passionately urged Xiu Minqi to personally speak with Zhuang Shu, confess the truth, and admit his past mistakes. He assured Xiu Minqi that even after his employment ended, Zhuang Shu would stay to perform Xiu Tong's surgery. Fu Bowen pressed, "Can you use your reputation in exchange for her life? This is a very fair ending, Professor Xiu. Just for the obsession for reputation, is it really worth it?"
Yet, Xiu Minqi stubbornly refused, proclaiming, "There isn't any dirt in my reputation. If you want to do self-blaming or repentance, that's your own business." Fu Bowen was left with no choice but to accept his stubbornness. Fu Bowen then asked Lu Chenxi to persuade Zhuang Shu to operate on Xiu Tong. Lu Chenxi understood Xiu Tong's critical condition but found it difficult to convince Zhuang Shu when Xiu Minqi himself refused to acknowledge his past actions.
She voiced her frustration, "Dean Xiu is too much. He won't even agree to this request so how am I going to convince Zhuang Shu to do Xiu Tong's surgery?" She admitted to Fu Bowen that she was unsure whether to side with the patient or the doctor, highlighting her internal conflict.
Fu Bowen revealed that the donor's condition was worsening and could die at any moment, asking Lu Chenxi if Zhuang Shu would still perform the surgery if a donor became available the next day, to which she could only say, "I am unable to say." The next morning, as Zhuang Shu and Lu Chenxi prepared for work, Lu Chenxi, sensing Zhuang Shu's low spirits over Xiu Minqi, suggested he stay home for the day.
She offered alternatives, like covering her ER shift or visiting Professor Zhong's wife, Auntie Qiao, or even his younger sister, but Zhuang Shu remained resolute, simply stating, "Go to work." Despite it being his last day at Renhe Hospital, Zhuang Shu conscientiously carried out his duties, even agreeing to write evaluation comments for the training doctors when Chu Jun requested it. That afternoon, Chen Shaocong received a phone call confirming that a donor for Xiu Tong had become available.
Xiu Minqi then instructed Yang Fan and Fu Bowen to persuade Zhuang Shu again. Appearing somewhat awkwardly in Zhuang Shu's office, Yang Fan explained that the donor would arrive soon and the surgery had to be performed within 48 hours, making Professor Xu from Beijing unavailable. He concluded, "We can only rely on you."
Fu Bowen urged Zhuang Shu to set aside past grudges, emphasizing that the "grudges of the past generation" should not be passed on to children or patients. Yang Fan also tried to appeal to Zhuang Shu's professional ethics. Zhuang Shu, however, retorted sarcastically, questioning the hospital's inconsistent trust in him.
He pointed out that they had trusted him when they invited him to teach, but then dismissed him, only to suddenly regain trust for a "patient with special status," making him apprehensive about undertaking such a difficult surgery. As Yang Fan and Fu Bowen found themselves at a loss, Xiu Minqi himself entered Zhuang Shu's office, dismissing them to prepare for the surgery.
Xiu Minqi questioned Zhuang Shu's reluctance, asking if he was "unable to do it or don't want to do it," and accusing him of refusing a patient's request as a doctor. Zhuang Shu, visibly angry, retaliated by questioning Xiu Minqi's conscience, stating, "You don't even have the basic limits of being a human. What right do you have to come here and talk about medical ethics?"
Softening his tone, Xiu Minqi then pleaded as a father, "No matter what I've done before, I'm just a patient's family now. I came here to beg you as a father to lead this surgery and save my daughter's life." In response, Zhuang Shu took out his mother Zhang Shu Mei's old work ID, placing it before Xiu Minqi. He offered a condition: "Xiu Minqi, in this room, there are only the two of us.
If you apologize to my mother now, I will be the lead surgeon of this surgery." Xiu Minqi scoffed, accusing Zhuang Shu of making a deal and placing personal grudges above professional ethics. Zhuang Shu snapped back, "A person who commit evil acts actually has the nerve to talk about professional ethics here? !" Unyielding, Xiu Minqi then insisted that as a top specialist at Renhe Hospital, Zhuang Shu should rightfully accept the work arrangement.
This pushed Zhuang Shu to his limit, and he defiantly declared, "Exactly at this moment, I am resigning from all the job that Renhe Hospital has hired me to do. I won't accept anymore work arrangements." The two parted ways in anger. In a desperate attempt to save his daughter, Xiu Minqi instructed Fu Bowen to plan the surgery. He announced, "Xiu Tong is already in respiratory failure.
Her heart, liver, and kidney functions are also showing different kinds of problems. We cannot wait anymore," before assigning Yang Fan, Lu Chenxi, and Zhang Mo Han as his assistants, promising to call Central Hospital for additional transplant experts. Xiu Minqi implored, "You can do it! You must help me this time. I can also only ask you. I believe that you can do it and that you can create a miracle." However, Fu Bowen firmly refused, stating, "Professor Xiu, don't force me. We cannot gamble with life," acknowledging his own inability to perform such a high-stakes procedure.
