Chapter 42: Exhausted to Death; Playing It Cool Is Impossible

There is a saying in the medical industry: the most terrifying doctors are those who are energetic and saddled with mortgages. Setting aside discussions on the system, society, or pressure, the sentiment is not entirely wrong. After the meeting, everyone returned to work. Old Li had been feeling unwell lately, and Cui Pingjun was not very keen on performing surgeries. Because Cui had contributed to the department in the past, Old Gao chose to turn a blind eye to his limited skills. Thus, the workload for Zhang Fan’s team fell squarely on the shoulders of Zhang Fan and Xiao Wang.

Zhang Fan possessed a system that allowed him to recover with just a brief nap, but Xiao Wang was reaching her limit. There were still three surgeries left for the day, which would carry them well into the afternoon, and it was their turn for a twenty-four-hour shift. "While the anesthesia hasn't taken effect yet, you should lie down for a moment," Zhang Fan said in the operating room when he noticed Wang Yanan struggling to stay on her feet. Exhausted and past the point of caring about formalities, she pulled over a tray of sterile supplies and collapsed onto it. Within minutes, she was snoring softly.

"This girl is something else. She insists on surgery, but this is work for rough men. Why is a delicate young lady like her getting mixed up in this?" remarked Sister Xia Yonghong, the senior anesthesiologist, with a touch of pity.

"It’s her ambition, Sister. Didn’t you go through the same thing back in the day?" Zhang Fan said as he helped the anesthesiologist position the patient.

"Sigh! This is no job for a human. It’s gotten better these last few years with more young people, and I’m getting older now. I used to work endless shifts. One year, I was so exhausted that after sedating a patient, I passed out myself. I’ve had health issues ever since—chronic dizziness. I just want to retire." She chattered while she worked. As a college student from the worker-peasant-soldier era, she had learned most of her skills on the job after entering the hospital, enduring much hardship to reach her current position. In a technical field, if your skills aren’t up to par, it’s truly hard to get by.

Once the anesthesia was ready, Zhang Fan washed his hands and said to Wang Yonghong, "Sister, after I finish scrubbing, please wake Xiao Wang. Let her sleep a bit longer; she worked all through last night."

"Alright, go wash up."

After scrubbing and having the nurse assist with the surgical drapes, Xiao Wang was roused. "Go wash your hands quickly. Your Dr. Zhang is truly a good guy, knowing how to be considerate of you. But you—insisting on surgery, look how tired you are." Sister Xia’s words made Zhang Fan feel a bit embarrassed.

"Dr. Zhang, I heard you’re treating Xiao Yin to a meal. Is that right? Why not bring me along? Don't I deserve a treat from you too?" the surgical nurse teased while Xiao Wang was at the scrub sink. Being single, hardworking, and exceptionally skilled, Zhang Fan had become a popular figure, well-regarded by the senior doctors in the Orthopedics Department. The young nurses in the hospital worked long hours and overtime, especially in the operating room, where they might go days without seeing the sun. With limited social circles, the eligible ones naturally set their sights on the young doctors.

Zhang Fan wasn't the "pale scholar" type; he was slightly rugged and stood just over 1.8 meters tall, which was average in this border region. You couldn't perform orthopedic surgery without a sturdy physique; without strength in your hands, adjusting a bone plate would be impossible. Old Gao was already struggling with it, and Old Li was even worse off—as they aged, they lacked the physical power required for such procedures.

"Sure, let’s all go. Call anyone in the operating room who is free. I’ve bothered you all so much since I started, it’s only right. We’ll go this afternoon after the surgeries. Sister Xia, you come too." He decided to invite everyone.

"Haha, that’s for you young people; an old woman like me won't intrude. But Zhang is truly a good catch. You’re not seeing anyone, right? The nurses in our department are beautiful and tall—much better than those little vixens out in the world. Dr. Zhang, you should make your move early."

"Let’s get started," Wang Yanan finally arrived. Zhang Fan couldn't handle the old lady’s bluntness. He should have called Xia Yonghong "Auntie" given her age, but that felt awkward among colleagues, so they usually opted for "Sister" or "Dr. Xia."

The surgeries finished after two in the afternoon. Having promised to host the meal, Zhang Fan skipped the hospital canteen lunch. Wang Yanan was truly spent; she clung to Zhang Fan’s arm all the way back to the department and collapsed onto the bed in the duty room, falling asleep instantly. It was their shift today, but in the chaos of the morning, they had completely forgotten.

"Brother, emergency! Come help me cover my shift. I need to go out," he said, calling Xue Fei. Old Zhou had just finished a night shift, so he couldn't ask him to come back. It was Xue Fei’s regular shift, but with the director holding an outpatient clinic, he had slipped away early.

"You’re always finding trouble for me. Do I look like a pushover?" grumbled Xue Fei as he arrived at the department. "I had just sat down at the mahjong table!"

"Come on, consider it saving you money. You lose every day; do it for the sake of family harmony and cover my shift today." Xue Fei was from Sichuan and loved mahjong, often arguing with his wife over it. Once, his wife had even complained to Old Gao, who had given Xue Fei a stern lecture. In surgery, the master-apprentice relationship was more significant than in internal medicine. In ordinary hospital internal medicine departments, one could learn the ropes in a year or so, but not in surgery—there were subtle tricks that, without a mentor, might take a lifetime to figure out. That was why Xue Fei feared Old Gao more than the hospital president.

Not far outside the hospital was a steamed bun shop run by a Uyghur local. The skins were thin enough to see through, and they were packed with juicy, flavorful meat. It was very popular in Chasu City. In the cold weather, Zhang Fan could eat quite a few, but in the summer, they were too greasy for him. The young nurses from the operating room flocked over, seven or eight of them. Xiao Yin seemed a bit displeased that their planned meal for two had turned into a department gathering. When no one was looking, she gave Zhang Fan a hard stomp on the foot—the kind that really hurt.

As the nurses scrambled to grab seats and chopsticks, Zhang Fan found himself with nothing to do. After wiping down the table and chairs for everyone, he waited contentedly for the food. "Dr. Zhang, you graduated last year, right? I heard you used to be at Kuake County Hospital. Do you know Xu Hong? She’s in the operating room at Kuake County, a classmate of mine from nursing school." Nurses of the same age usually started working years before doctors and began probing his background. Most of them already knew a bit about Zhang Fan, as he had been quite famous in the county hospital. Those who were interested in him were naturally more attentive.

"I know her. We have a pretty good relationship."

"So, have your parents moved to Chasu City yet? I heard it’s so dry in Su Province that many people don't even wash their faces in the morning."

"Haha, no wonder Dr. Zhang is so dark; so it’s because he didn't wash his face as a kid!" Women, regardless of age, were bold in numbers, and when they were being assertive, they could tease you until you had nothing to say.

Zhang Fan didn't get angry; he knew his colleagues were just joking and not looking down on him. "It is dry, but my hometown isn't. We have the Yellow River; that’s more than enough water to wash my face."

As they talked, the buns arrived, smelling delicious. Even with so many people, they were all young women with modest appetites. At one yuan per bun, the total bill didn't even reach a hundred.

"Dr. Zhang, I’m having a birthday party this weekend. I’m taking everyone out to sing. Do you have time to come?" a young nurse invited him. When someone invites you to their birthday, how could you refuse?

"Sure, where at? I might be a little late, but I’ll definitely be there."

Back at the department, Wang Yanan hadn't woken up yet. Zhang Fan brought her some buns; there was a microwave in the department, so she could heat them up when she woke. Xue Fei sat on a chair, visibly restless and anxious to get back to his mahjong game. Seeing Zhang Fan, he didn't say a word and hurried off. This was the result of Zhang Fan’s good relationships; if he weren't well-liked, getting someone to cover his shift—let alone pulling someone away from a mahjong table—would have been a pipe dream.

In the afternoon, Zhang Fan woke Wang Yanan. "Eat something quickly; it’s already dinner time." The young girl was indeed starving. The buns had stuck together into a clump, but she didn't care; she heated them up and began eating heartily.

"Are you tired?"

"Tired. I feel like I’ve been skinned and deboned."

"While you haven't officially settled into a specialty yet, there’s still time to regret it."

"That won't be necessary. I was just unaccustomed to it at first; once I adapt, it’ll be fine."

"With that attitude, if your body can hold up, there will definitely be a place for you in surgery in the future."

"Thank you!" She was truly exhausted. Tears welled in her eyes as she held a bun in her mouth. The dream was beautiful, but the reality was truly cruel. Surgery was not a place for showing off.