The Surgeon’s Studio

“What?”

“It’s not esophageal cancer?”

“F*ck! That’s impossible!”

All of them were astonished. How could the diagnosis have been wrong when everything had pointed toward esophageal carcinoma?

“Anyway, the tissue sample has been sent for histopathology, so it can’t be considered a loss yet.” Red Stethoscope was shameless. “Let’s go to Gui Street for Chinese-style spicy crawfish.”

The mention of that food made Su Yun’s expression sink immediately.

Zheng Ren was exhilarated and slightly regretful at the same time. Had it not been for the misunderstanding in the emergency department, he would have surely returned to the restaurant to see Su Yun being demolished by Chang Yue. How glorious a sight that must have been.

From Su Yun’s expression, Zheng Ren knew how much damage he had received that day.

Critical hit +10086.

A taxi they had hailed online arrived after a brief chat.

As for the destination… It was still Da Dong.

It was the evening rush hour now, so it took nearly two hours for them to travel from Fourth Ring to Dongsi Shitiao Station.

Zheng Ren began to regret his decision as well. If these guys had not insisted on his participation, he would surely have gained one skill point from reading his book.

Upon reaching South Fujikura, the lobby manager, who seemed to be familiar with these people, enthusiastically welcomed their arrival.

In the private dining room, Su Yun unrestrainedly ordered lots of food, including three plates of foie gras. Red Stethoscope’s complexion…

Became darker…

And darker…

Everyone was seated after Su Yun was done ordering. Then, he started introducing them one by one.

Red Stethoscope’s real name was Fang Lin, a doctoral student just like the others, and all of them had known Su Yun since their postgraduate days.

Zheng Ren seemed to remember that Su Yun had been in the postgraduate program at Union Medical College Hospital, so how would he have known all these people?

He knew Su Yun all too well, so he decided to keep these questions to himself despite his doubts. Otherwise, he would only receive harsh, mean answers.

“I’d like to propose a toast to Boss Zheng,” Fang Lin said politely after requesting two bottles of Laphroaig.

Zheng Ren refused the offer. “That’s too kind of you, but I can’t drink.”

“Forget about him. He can’t drink, so I’ll drink with you.” Su Yun knew his role and smoothed things over. “He’ll be in big trouble if he can’t attend the conference at the institute tomorrow morning.”

“Oh!” Fang Lin slapped his thigh and said, “Brother Yun, I heard Little Sun of the urology department saying that he has been studying prostate artery embolization recently, and saw your name on that list. That’s why I said Sea City wasn’t a suitable place for a talented man like you.”

Su Yun smiled and brushed the black bangs framing his forehead aside, saying, “In terms of beauty, the snow will melt and the frost will thaw were I in Siberia.”

“…” Everyone was flabbergasted despite their familiarity.

“But I’m actually tagging along with my boss for this research project,” said Su Yun while stealing a look at Zheng Ren.

“Huh? Who invited Boss Zheng?” Fang Lin was unconvinced.

“Professor Pei Yingjie from a hepatobiliary hospital in Sorcery Capital.”

Fang Lin and the rest stared at each other in disbelief.

Professor Pei Yingjie was a popular candidate for a research fellow and a famous professor in the medical world!

Zheng Ren’s age, while not completely childlike, did not seem close to that of an expert who would be invited to attend research. However, not only would questioning him be particularly impolite, they were also unfamiliar with the young man. Thus, they remained silent.

Zheng Ren did not mind them either. He was actually staring at the empty table and recalling the anatomy of the prostate using the bottle of Laphroaig. It seemed like he was the only one with such extraordinary imagination.

He had a feeling that he could skillfully dissect a prostate like a butcher dismembering an ox after the System had poured three thousand prostate anatomical dissections into his mind.

Fang Lin broke the awkward silence. “Boss Zheng’s diagnostic ability is amazing. When I returned just now, Boss Gu was actually preparing to perform esophagoscopy with a tissue biopsy.”

“Your boss is very good,” answered Zheng Ren naturally.

The atmosphere once again became lifeless.

His boss was very good? Was Zheng Ren actually praising himself? It was good enough that others complimented him, but what the hell was this self-aggrandizing?

Fortunately, the roast duck and other dishes arrived. Su Yun then began indulging in food and drink with Fang Lin and his gang, throwing the boring Boss Zheng aside.

The group had plenty of gossip on everything that had happened over the last two years. Despite Su Yun’s sharp tongue, Zheng Ren noticed that they were actually unwilling to see Su Yun leave and were constantly persuading him to return.

Su Yun merely downed his drink without any response.

The Laphroaig, smelling like iodine, was consumed one glass after another. Fang Lin and the rest were lightweights and could not compete with Su Yun.

Su Yun remained unsatisfied even after finishing a whole bottle by himself.

“I wish Chang Yue was here,” said Zheng Ren after noticing his dissatisfaction.

Su Yun’s facial muscles twitched uncontrollably as he glared at Zheng Ren.

“Brother Zhao has been yearning for a reunion drink with you. We are no match for you in that.” Fang Lin and the rest had quickly surrendered when they started to feel tipsy. It seemed like they had been repeatedly trounced in previous drinking contests.

It was rare that alcoholics knew their limitations. Zheng Ren presumed that Su Yun occupied the same spot in their minds as Chang Yue did in Su Yun’s.

“Where is Old Zhao?”

“He was instructed to perform an elephant trunk surgery by my boss this afternoon,” Fang Lin said, “He initially scheduled fewer surgeries today on purpose just to have a drink with you, but we hadn’t expected an emergency case of aortic dissection. I think he’s still in the operating theater now.”

Su Yun glanced at Zheng Ren and asked, “Was the patient sent via an air ambulance?”

“Huh? How did you know?” Fang Lin was getting tipsy after two glasses of Laphroaig, but his thought process was still present.

“Let me tell you, I’ve seen air ambulances deployed less than five times, and one for a case of aortic dissection is even more extraordinary. That patient was really lucky to have survived until hospital admission, and I even heard that he was initially diagnosed on a plane,” he said excitedly.

Every doctor’s blood would course with excitement whenever such gossip was discussed over alcohol.

“That’s right. There was a case of sudden cardiac death on Flight D last year. We later found out that he probably had had an aortic dissection which completely ruptured afterward. He wasn’t as lucky as the patient we received today,” another man said, “It’s really unusual for an air ambulance to stand by at the airport and pick up the patient. This is the first time I’ve heard such a thing.”

Zheng Ren took a cherry-shaped piece of foie gras and munched on it.

He was not interested in the roast duck and other dishes, but the foie gras was genuinely delicious. A layer of fruit jam was smeared on its outside which removed most of its greasy mouthfeel.

As for its texture, Zheng Ren was unable to decipher it and only knew that it tasted wonderful.

He also turned a deaf ear to the discussion.

“What’s the matter with the girl today? Let’s talk about her.” Upon noticing Zhang Ren’s lack of interest, Su Yun changed the topic from the aortic dissection to the girl they had seen earlier.

“When she began her weight loss program in June, she started experiencing chest pains aggravated by food consumption. They initially considered it a minor illness, probably gastroesophageal reflux disease, so they simply prescribed medication without a thorough investigation.” Fang Lin’s heart still fluttered with fear as he spoke about the girl’s condition.

After all, the esophageal tuberculosis had been misdiagnosed as advanced esophageal cancer with multiorgan metastases… And although everyone on the scene was a doctor and they perfectly understood that the PET-CT scan did not have one-hundred-percent accuracy,

It was still a misdiagnosis. Apart from the family, a doctor was the next person sincerely hoping for the patient’s recovery.