This doctor is already middle-aged, and he's only just started practicing medicine.

Chapter 161 A New Emperor, A New Court
“Director Xiang, I think the emergency department is quite good,” Lu Cheng replied.

As they were talking, the waiter started serving the dishes—small hot pots.

I lit three small pots with an alcohol stove.

One pot is a soup pot with stir-fried black pine mushrooms and cured pork, and the other is a dry pot with stir-fried beef and dried tofu strips.

It also includes side dishes such as shredded potatoes, cabbage, and pickled cowpeas.

It costs eighty yuan per person, and the side dishes are free.

The rice is truly cooked in a traditional "dingguan" pot, using an old-fashioned rice cooker with raw water. Once the lid is lifted, the aroma of the rice is irresistible, something that an electric rice cooker cannot match.

The aroma of the crispy rice crust, shoveled by the waiter, is something that even the most trendy rice crusts can't match.

About two minutes later, Xiang Kuihua pushed a glass of wine towards Lu Cheng. It wasn't Moutai, but a famous liquor from Xiangxi.

"Come on, have a bite," Xiang Kuihua invited first, his face beaming with smiles.

One doesn't hit a smiling face, and Lu Cheng and Xiang Kuihua weren't exactly sworn enemies, so Lu Cheng agreed.

Xiang Kuihua said, "Xiao Lu, I actually understand you very well. During your time in our orthopedics department, you really didn't receive any preferential treatment."

"Your current skills were all learned from outside, we..."

"But ultimately, it's because we don't have enough patients in our department. You can't teach your apprentice everything and starve yourself."

"But that was before. Now, our orthopedics department is quite different."

“You’ll have better career prospects if you come back to our orthopedics department.”

Lu Cheng replied, "Director Xiang, I have never worked in hand surgery; all I've ever dealt with are emergency cases."

"I haven't studied hand surgery techniques like flap transplantation, so I definitely can't do it."

"The only emergency cases I can wait for at the hand surgery department are hand surgery-related ones, such as tendon injuries or limb replantation. I might as well wait in the emergency department."

Lu Cheng was earnestly explaining the situation to Xiang Kuihua, but the key information Xiang Kuihua extracted was that Lu Cheng could perform limb replantation surgery.

Xiang Kuihua's tone was particularly formal: "In other words, you really are qualified to perform limb replantation surgery."

Whether a hospital can independently perform limb replantation surgery is always the most standard way to assess the maturity of a hand surgery department.

If you can't even perform limb replantation, don't claim your hospital has a hand surgery department; that's common knowledge in orthopedics.

"I know a little bit," Lu Cheng replied.

Xiang Kuihua laughed heartily: "Then our only master's degree holder in orthopedics has really become a joke."

Peng Kun has a master's degree in sports medicine, but he messed up even the meniscus suture. He wanted to study hand surgery, but because he was too impatient, the hospital suspended his surgical privileges.

Lu Cheng has now overtaken Peng Kun by taking a shortcut, cutting off all his future development paths...

Lu Cheng shook his head slightly, disagreeing with Xiang Kuihua's idea: "Young Master Kun still has the talent to learn; he can learn slowly."

"Who are you going to learn from? Are you willing to carry this time bomb?" Xiang Kuihua retorted.

Lu Cheng fell silent.

Lu Cheng was originally willing to take him along, and at first he trusted Peng Kun quite a bit, since Peng Kun was obedient.

But this guy, when he was with Professor Tong Yuan'an, thought he was being clever.

Lu Cheng certainly didn't like people who tried to be clever.

Looking back at that initial meniscus suture, Peng Kun probably assumed that Tian Shan could cover for him, so he didn't even inform Tian Shan and used his father's name as the chief surgeon.

You must have found an excuse for yourself: how can you improve if you don't practice?

Seeing that Lu Cheng remained silent, Xiang Kuihua simply explained his purpose: "Little Lu, there is no hatred between us, nor any unresolved grudges."

"Although there were some misunderstandings before, I've come to see you today to clear them up!"

“I actually know that you will be going out into the world in the future.”

"Then you'll be a senior doctor at a higher-level hospital in the future. Instead of waiting until you're more mature to try and win you over, let's clear up the misunderstanding now."

"Having more friends means having more options. Maybe our department will need to develop hand surgery in the future, and we'll need you, Xiao Lu, to come down and give us some guidance."

Xiang Kuihua already knew that Lu Cheng was going to take the state's medical personnel selection exam.

Given Lu Cheng's current talent and absolute strength, Xiang Kuihua cannot contain him.

If you can't keep someone as a friend, then make friends with them.

"Director Xiang, I have never had any ill intentions towards you. My attitude has always been the same as I said at the beginning."

"I won't wallow in self-pity and hate myself for my incompetence if I don't have the skills, but if I do have them, I'd rather choose to believe in my own skills."

Lu Cheng placed his hands on his thighs, sitting in a standard posture: "Manual reduction is one of the most classic and typical treatment methods for fractures and joint dislocations."

"They have all been through the test of time."

"It is also a fundamental component of the treatment of complex fractures."

Xiang Kuihua nodded: "Yes, I know. I'm doing it now, I'm doing it now, and I'll keep doing it!"

"If I hadn't specifically and systematically learned the manual reduction technique, I wouldn't have been able to overtake Director Peng on the curve."

"My only blind spot right now is my pelvic fracture."

"I'm not here today to discuss manual reduction techniques with you."

"After all, we were colleagues. Come to think of it, we didn't have any grudges against each other before, and I didn't do anything to target you..."

"What do you think, Xiao Lu?" Xiang Kuihua looked at Lu Cheng with great kindness.

Lu Cheng replied with a smile, "Director Xiang, you certainly wouldn't target a nobody like me."

Xiang Kuihua emphasized: "Director Peng's meaning is only Director Peng's meaning, and does not represent the meaning of our orthopedics department."

"But Director Peng is Director Peng after all. He can currently influence the major decisions in orthopedics. We cannot make any decisions without his consent."

“But we have made all these statements clear to you. Director Peng is just Director Peng.”

……

As Lu Cheng watched Xiang Kuihua leave, he felt a deep sense of emotion.

There is an old Chinese saying: "A new emperor brings a new court."

Peng Haibo has not yet stepped down from his position as director, and it seems that the officials below him have their own agendas.

Of course, Lu Cheng didn't plan to associate with that lousy place in orthopedics; the emergency room was fine enough for him.

Having drunk alcohol, Lu Cheng was unable to drive the car away, so he sent a message to Mu Nanshu.

After finding out Mu Nanshu's location, Lu Cheng took a taxi in that direction.

Mu Nanshu was having dinner with Mu Leng and Yan Sangyue. Although Lu Cheng had already eaten, he joined them at the invitation of Uncle Mu and Aunt Yan.

"Uncle and Aunt, I'm sorry, a former colleague invited me over for a drink. There was a misunderstanding between us, so I went over and chatted for a bit," Lu Cheng explained after taking his seat.

Mu Leng quickly said, "It's alright, you've come at just the right time, the dishes were just served!"

"You've already had one round of drinks, can you have some more?"

"We only had one drink, mainly to talk. We can have some more with Uncle Mu." Lu Cheng smiled and put on his coat.

Lu Cheng's portion was a pound, and he had only eaten two ounces, leaving plenty of room for himself.

Yan Sangyue advised, "Don't drink too much, just have one to satisfy your craving."

After saying that, Yan Sangyue asked Lu Cheng, "Little Lu, I heard from Xiaoshu that you're currently working on a clinical research project. It seems like the project is quite substantial?"

Mu Nanshu chimed in, "Mom, you don't really understand either."

"This isn't about quantity, it's about innovation."

"The tendon suturing technique is a secondary innovation based on the original, but the suturing technique for solid organs is a standard original, which is something that ordinary people cannot do."

"Of course, Lu Cheng also has some shortcomings, namely that he has too little contact with scientific research and is not familiar with the basic procedures."

Lu Cheng nodded: "Yes, so I still need Xiao Shu to help me more, otherwise I won't even know which way the door opens."

Mu Leng and Yan Sangyue were not ignorant of the ways of the world. They looked at Mu Nanshu and said, "You don't know anything, how can you create anything innovative?"

Mu Nanshu rubbed his temples: "Graduate school is a learning experience, which to some extent represents a person's learning aptitude, but it does not fully reflect a person's talent."

"Talent is irrational."

Lu Cheng poured a small glass of wine into the wine glass and said with an awkward smile, "Xiao Shu, don't praise me in front of your uncle and aunt." "To be honest, I'm not exactly talented."

"My uncle and aunt know me very well."

"My talent is just average. Otherwise, how could I have gotten to where I am now?"

What outsiders can see about a person is their position, ability, and level.

So-called qualifications and talents are based on a comprehensive quantification, but there is no specific standard that makes your talents immediately apparent to others.

Mu sneered: "Xiao Lu does have talent, he's just a little unlucky."

Yan Sangyue then said, "Come on, Xiao Lu, eat, eat. Let's chat while we eat, so don't be shy."

Mu Nanshu first picked up a piece of cabbage with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, thought about it seriously for a moment, and then lowered his head and said, "Dad, do you think I can stay in Longxian for so long, and even go to Jishi to be with you in a couple of days?"

"It's basically like you can go wherever you want?"

Mu Leng said, "Isn't it for a research project? Is Jilin City the only place with a suitable laboratory?"

Mu Nanshu acknowledged Mu Leng's answer, but then asked, "It's for the research project, but why can't we bring back the previous project?"

Neither Mu Leng nor Yan Sangyue had given this question much thought. As far as they were concerned, they never expected Mu Nanshu to bring glory to his ancestors or achieve anything particularly outstanding.

If Mu Nanshu is willing, it would be nice for him to stay in Jishi with them. Of course, if Mu Nanshu is willing to settle in Hanshi, they may also retire there in the future.

Mu Leng and Yan Sangyue fell silent.

Mu Nanshu said, "That's right. Research topics are also classified in specific ways. Generally speaking, they are classified as basic and applied."

"The most important thing is the basic type, such as the various cell pathways studied in the laboratory, but the closest to clinical application, which can be used on patients immediately, is the applied type."

"Basic research projects are promising for the future and can be used in 40 or 50 years, while applied research projects are promising for the near future and can be used in clinical practice in 4 or 5 years."

“What Lu Cheng and I are doing is clinically applied research. Only a very small number of people can produce meaningful applied research in their lifetime.”

"Its future is foreseeable in the near term, and its clinical impact is very important, which is why it is highly valued."

Mu Nanshu's words were somewhat abstract, and Lu Chengdu couldn't fully understand them.

Mu Leng and Yan Sangyue, being laymen, were even more confused.

Mu Nanshu added, "In other words, because this research topic is important enough, Peking Union Medical College Hospital was willing to send me here to work on this topic with Lu Cheng."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to apply for an external transfer to do research just because I want to."

"Based on this, both Lu Cheng and I can gain a lot."

When Yan Sangyue heard that Mu Nanshu could also benefit from this, she chuckled and asked, "Is this project really that good? Better than the projects you did before?"

Mu Nanshu shook his head: "No, it's just that it's more intuitive, and after it's done, it will affect the treatment choices in clinical practice."

"To put it more simply, if I finish these two projects, I should be able to be promoted to full professor."

"As for Lu Cheng, he can at least be promoted to full professor without any problems. If he wants to study further, it would be extremely luxurious for him to graduate with a doctorate using these articles."

"They've even gained a little bit of recognition within the industry."

Mu Leng became serious, and after sharing a small drink with Lu Cheng, he asked, "What kind of fame are you referring to?"

Mu Nanshu put it more specifically: "From a long-term development perspective, if Lu Cheng wants to be promoted to professor, no one can stop him, but I am only nominally a professor. I may still lack the necessary experience to be promoted to professor through this."

He'll be faster than me!

Mu Nanshu is Mu Leng's daughter, so of course she has explained to Mu Leng what an associate professor and a professor are, how difficult it is to become a professor, and how much experience is required.

Mu Leng glanced at Lu Cheng a few times, quite surprised, her expression also uneasy.

Yan Sangyue was wondering whether Mu Nanshu's words were her daughter trying to gain more leverage for Lu Cheng, or simply stating the facts.

Lu Cheng laughed and said, "Nan Shu, aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

Mu Nanshu's expression was very serious: "This is not an exaggeration, Lu Cheng!"

"Don't you think about it carefully? Why would Associate Professors Chen Song and Tong Yuan'an from Xiangya be willing to cooperate with you?"

"If there's no win-win situation and no mutual benefit, why would they stay and work on the project with you?"

"This goes beyond the kind of affection a teacher would show to an ordinary student, doesn't it?"

“Now, your relationship has gone beyond that of a typical teacher and student. You have a cooperative relationship that can be mutually beneficial and involves interests... which is why they are essentially working for you.”

"Just like my dad said, the basic logic behind most things in society is win-win. Even maintaining a good teacher-student relationship requires an exchange of benefits."

"He provides you with research funding, you provide him with research output, and incidentally you also accumulate more research and technical expertise."

"Why do professors prefer highly qualified people? It's because these people produce better research feedback."

"In short, Lu Cheng, although you don't understand scientific research, you're so clueless that you almost crushed an associate professor with one kick."

Lu Cheng shook his head and said, "It's not that exaggerated..."

……

After the meal, Lu Chengmu and Yan Sangyue went home first.

Mu Nanshu and Lu Cheng took a walk together on the riverside promenade next to the Longcheng Bund.

Mu Nanshu didn't wear a braid or a ponytail today; her hair was loose and flowing!

After the weather turned cooler, she wore a pair of tight jeans, her two slender legs showing as she walked, tilting her head as she said, "Tomorrow I'm going to Jilin City with my parents to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"My cousin is getting married on National Day. I'll go to Jilin City first to find a suitable laboratory for my experiments. You can come over then."

Lu Cheng thought for a moment before asking, "Did Uncle Leng hear something else when he was asking around for me?"

Mu Nanshu and Mu Leng stayed in Long County for a few days, so it's impossible that they didn't mention Lu Cheng's participation in the selection exam.

The selection exam offers many more unconventional options than the state human resources and social security bureau's recruitment process.

The selection exam is an internal exam, and the results are all announced internally, making it highly manipulable.

While it is certainly possible to prove one's faith through force, it is necessary to gather inside information beforehand.

Lu Cheng's uncle, Lu Nanyong, had also been keeping an eye on this news for Lu Cheng.

Mu Nanshu nodded: "This time, there are no special quotas for the selection exam, only quotas for internal medicine and surgery."

"There are twelve surgeons in total, but Xiangzhou People's Hospital only has six, and the specialties they cover are not fixed."

"So we need to go over and inquire first."

Mu Nanshu continued, "But you don't need to worry, you should be very stable."

“No unit in a prefecture-level city would refuse someone who brings their own research project.”

Lu Cheng thought about it seriously for a moment before silently nodding: "I won't refuse your help, but you should let me know if it's necessary."

"Uncle Mu is, after all, an outsider to the system and an outsider to the profession, and you are not in our profession either."

“There are some things that Uncle Mu and you might not be able to handle. It would be better if I went there in person to handle them.”

"There is a huge difference between the ability to hear rumors and the ability to talk to someone in person."

"And this is my own business."

Lu Cheng wouldn't refuse Mu Leng's offer to pull strings for him, but it would be safer to sound out the situation beforehand.

However, the specific professional skills demonstrated cannot be replaced by others.

Ultimately, as a leader, you need both people with certain social connections and people who can actually get things done.

"That's for sure. You were able to persuade Professor Zhong from the Department of Hand Surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, so you'll definitely have to handle professional matters yourself."

"However, it would be easier if there were a middleman to act as a bridge."

“My dad has lived in Jilin for over ten years, so he knows quite a few people,” Mu Nanshu said softly, in a good mood.

Lu Cheng remained silent for a moment before asking, "Bookworm, will these topics really be useful to you?"

Mu Nanshu said, "Of course it's useful. I'll most likely pursue a research career in the future, so how could research projects and publications be useless to a pure researcher?"

"This is a clinical research project. If I have experience participating in original clinical research projects, I will have priority in leading future clinical research projects related to gastroenterology."

"I'm quite certain that these two topics will be significant and influential!"

"Especially the one you collaborated on with Professor Chen, which is original and can benefit many people."

(End of this chapter)