Seven Blocks of Building

Zheng Ren agreed that Su Yun was indeed attractive, but they were doctors, not models who danced down catwalks. Was beauty a prerequisite for consulting patients?

He returned to the emergency department in a flash, worrying that Yuan Li could have treated every trauma case that had arrived during his lunchtime. Since he had lost any chance of taking part in major surgeries, to be able to practice wound closure at the very least was better than nothing at all.

In the end, his worries were for nothing. The emergency surgery department was surprisingly quiet today and there was only a girl in a red shirt sitting on a plastic chair in a corridor, weeping.

It was normal to see a patient or their family members sob in a hospital. Zheng Ren had no intention of comforting the young lady, though, as he prioritized his wait for traumatic injury patients more.

He shifted his gaze to her in passing and recognized her instantly.

Upon closer inspection, he found that she was Xie Yiren, the scrub nurse present in the operating theater during his surgery yesterday.

"Yiren, what happened to you?" asked Zheng Ren.

Xie Yiren, who appeared pitiful with tear-sodden eyes, raised her head upon hearing his question.

Upon realizing that the person standing before her was Zheng Ren, Xie Yiren's crying intensified as she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. 

Zheng Ren was helpless and had no idea what to say at that moment.

He would never be able to forgive himself if he did not find out why Xie Yiren was wailing in the emergency department. Keeping his mouth shut, he started racking his brain on how to comfort the dejected woman.

"I… I applied for a transfer to the… the emergency department, but was worried… worried about the lack of surgeries," the sobbing Xie Yiren informed Zheng Ren after a while.

Zheng Ren tried to comfort her. "Working in the emergency department has its own benefits. At least you don't need to work overtime for surgery, right?"

"But… But I want to attend surgeries," replied Xie Yiren.

"What're the benefits of surgery, anyway?" asked Zheng Ren, who had completely forgotten about the fact that he yearned for surgeries too, before adding, "you don't have to work overtime in the emergency department, and you can flirt with young men, watch movies and enjoy life during your free time. Look how busy it gets in the operating theater. The working schedule isn't fixed and you often need to work overtime."

"I don't have the courage to flirt with young men," said Xie Yiren with a serious expression.

Zheng Ren was delighted to see some improvement in her mood, so he figured that it was better to keep this pure-hearted lady talking to prevent her from crying her heart out again.

"Why? It's a perfect time for you to enjoy a love life at your current age."

"I'm still young, so I'm not looking for a boyfriend just yet. I just want to work overtime in the general surgery department," replied Xie Yiren firmly.

Desire to work overtime… That responsibility seemed a little too awe-inspiring, right?

An attempt to contribute to the great renaissance of the Chinese nation? The young lady's ambition was a little too great as well.

Xie Yiren's response basically ended the whole conversation and Zheng Ren was at a loss on how to re-initiate it.

Suddenly, a thought ran through his mind and he asked, "Do you want to work overtime because you need the money?"

Zheng Ren figured that he was almost touching the core of her issue.

'She must be a poor kid too,' Zheng Ren thought and started to imagine the miserable life this young lady must have had in her youth.

"Not really, I'm actually quite well-to-do," answered Xie Yiren. The twitching in her little nose and the flaring of her alae nasi made her look cute, especially with her dorky expression.

"How much overtime pay do you get in a month?"

"I don't know. I've never checked my payroll card," replied Xia Yiren.

"Don't you spend money at all?" 

"Of course I do. I don't check the balance on my payroll card because I can't buy anything with it anyway."

"..." There seemed to be a major misunderstanding. Zheng Ren contemplated the current conversation and carefully asked, "How much pocket money do your parents usually give each month?"

"They usually travel around the globe each year and should be in Turkey right now. A supplementary credit card was given to me before their departure and I can spend as much as I possibly want with it, but they didn't specify how much pocket money they give me each month."

A critical hit! Xie Yiren dealt ten thousand damage points to Zheng Ren's health bar instantly.

"Your family runs a business?"

"Previously yes, but not anymore. My family owns seven blocks of building in Linyin Street, so the monthly rental collections are more than enough for a living."

Linyin Street was located in a central business district and there were many white-collar workers with high salaries working in the area.

Zheng Ren sighed in response. Rent collection from seven properties in Linyin Street alone would definitely be enough for anyone to live a comfortable and enjoyable life.

"Why are you even working when you already have seven houses?" asked Zheng Ren curiously since his imagination was limited from being poor at a very young age.

"Not seven houses… Seven blocks of building. Just like the Wumao Tower." Xie Yiren corrected him.

A one hundred percent critical hit! One-hit and Zheng Ren was instantly knocked out.

An eerie silence followed in the emergency department's corridor. Zheng Ren's vision became blurry and he tried to recover from the psychological shock.

"Why are you even working, then? Wouldn't it be better to travel around the world with your parents?" asked Zheng Ren after a while.

"I want to attend surgeries." This appeared to be Xie Yiren's only concern in her stubborn mind. "There won't be any surgery in the emergency department, so I guess I'll have to spend some time checking if any other hospital is hiring a scrub nurse…"

"..." What an idealistic, ambitious, and noble young lady who strove valiantly for the great renaissance of the Chinese nation.

Every glorious word that Zheng Ren could think of was bestowed upon Xie Yiren in that instant.

"Not crying anymore? I'm currently working in the emergency department and will occasionally perform some surgeries," Zheng Ren paused for a brief moment to regain his cool and continued. "Work with me until you resign for a new job."

"Most cases tend to be wound closures in the emergency department…" Xie Yiren hesitated for a while before summoning up her courage and said, with glistening eyes, "Doctor Zheng, I actually came here for you."

"For me?"

"Yes. Chief Surgeon Liu and his team need at least six to seven hours to complete a pancreaticoduodenectomy, but you did it within half an hour. My instinct told me that I will get to attend countless surgeries if I follow you."

This young lady's ambition was too great, glorious, and righteous.

Her family owned seven blocks of building and yet she wanted merely to be a scrub nurse… Was she the same as those rich folk who drove around in their Maserati?

Even though the scrub nurse did not give him an impressive impression in the operating theater yesterday, he recalled that she was able to pass him every instrument that he required throughout the operation.

She must be quite proficient in her profession.

Let her assist him in emergency surgery, then.

"Report yourself to duty first, after that…" Zheng Ren suddenly realized that a scrub nurse was absolutely unnecessary and would be a complete waste of manpower in the emergency department since there was no major surgery in this place after all.

"Are you thinking about the matron?" asked Xie Yiren kindly.

"Yes, she will be a little troublesome."

"Don't worry about her. Her brother established a company in one of my family's properties, so I made a phone call this morning and waived three years of his rental fees. The matron basically permitted our collaboration and my only responsibility is to be your scrub nurse from now on."

"..." Zheng Ren noticed that he was speechless more frequently in this one conversation with Xie Yiren than he had ever been in his lifetime.

Would this be considered a gift exchange?

Who cared, anyway? At least he could save some time by having someone assist him in surgery, even if it was just plain and simple wound closure.

The decision was made.

"Why were you crying just now?"

"I was worried about the lack of surgery in the emergency department."

Suddenly, a high-pitched squealing of car brakes from outside the building pierced their ears.

The metallic scent of blood assailed their nostrils a few seconds later as two men appeared in the hallway.

"Report yourself to the matron and prepare for the surgery," Finally, the long-awaited emergency trauma case. Zheng Ren could almost feel the breaking of numerous high-energy phosphate bonds in the ATPs within his cells, releasing energy under the stimulation of blood.

The patient's condition started to emerge on the upper-right corner of his vision when Zheng Ren shifted his gaze to him.

An incised wound on the back without injury to the internal organs. Vital signs were stable.

The patient would be placed under observation after the wound was sutured with a prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs for a few days. A simple case.

The sight of mangled flesh and the bloody mess would not petrify an experienced clinician.

Especially one like Zheng Ren, who was blessed with the System.

Zheng Ren returned to the duty room and put on his white coat.

White coats were prohibited in the cafeteria to prevent any potential outbreak of unknown microorganisms—for example, Acinetobacter baumannii, which was highly resistant to most clinically available antibiotics—from random departments. The entire hospital system would undoubtedly collapse if an outbreak started in the cafeteria.

The patient and his family members had arrived at the emergency surgery department's doorstep when Zheng Ren left his room in proper attire.

"Doctor, my brother was slashed. Please save him," The patient was supported by a young man with horror all over his face, presumably terrified by the gruesome sight before him.

"Brother Yuan, please prepare an anesthetic and the treatment fee. I'll suture this patient's wound in the meantime," instructed Zheng Ren.

Multiple trauma cases that required wound closure would arrive at the emergency department every day and Yuan Li had been mentally exhausted by repeating the same procedure. Thus, the fact that Zheng Ren volunteered to personally suture the wound greatly satisfied Yuan Li.

The simultaneous arrival of two or three trauma cases when there was only one doctor on duty was the most annoying thing that could happen in the emergency department. The question of which case to deal with first was almost as hard as completing an S-rank mission in games, which was extremely terrible indeed.

The patient was brought to the procedure room while his family members were asked to pay the treatment fee first. After that, Zheng Ren and a nurse carried the patient to the operating table.

The operating table in the emergency department was relatively simple and covered by a brown, slightly soft antimicrobial fabric.

Trauma cases in the emergency department usually consisted of minor traumatic injuries or wound contamination. Thus, the antimicrobial fabric was used for its bloodstain resistance and ease of cleaning without the risk of contaminating the patients' wounds.

The patient's shirt was cut open and the wound, approximately twenty centimeters long, appeared before Zheng Ren's eyes.

Blood continued to gush out of a few small blood vessels in his exposed wound, which soaked his shirt completely before gravity pulled it down onto the operating table.

Zheng Ren took a piece of sterile cotton to cover the wound and started his preoperative preparations.

Xie Yiren, wearing a blue-colored disposable sterile cap and a surgical mask, entered the procedure room soon after. She then started assisting Zheng Ren by preparing the instruments without a word.

Surgical tray, surgical suturing pack—scalpels, surgical scissors, needle holders, suture materials—opened, Lidocaine, normal saline…

…

…

Meanwhile, mist started accumulating above the crystal clear pond in the mysterious world buried deep within Zheng Ren's mind. The mist became thick with seven different colors flickering in it, as if there was a rainbow concealed at the heart of that odd cloud. Countless vague shadows emerged and passed out of sight almost instantaneously, resembling a mirage.

There was a shift in energy and the blurry image in the mirage started to clear.

Zheng Ren would be extremely shocked if he witnessed this scene, because whatever he was doing in the procedure room was projected within the mirage.

…

…

"0.5% Lidocaine prepared." Xie Yiren was nimble in her movement.

That was the difference between a normal nurse and a scrub nurse, who was more proficient in preoperative preparations.

Zheng Ren removed the sterile cotton on the patient's wound and said, "This is going to hurt a little, so try to endure the pain."

The patient nodded in response, but his movement was barely noticeable as he lay prone on the operating table.

The wound was irrigated with normal saline before Zheng Ren used a pair of forceps to pick up a cotton swab, soaked in iodophor solution, and wiped directly on the wound, moving outward.

Every muscle fiber on the patient's back contracted as soon as the iodophor solution touched his exposed nerve fibers.

The constant muscle trembling appeared symmetrical, as well.

"Bear with me, please. I'm disinfecting the wound," said Zheng Ren with a flat tone.

"Doctor, can you anesthetize me first?" asked the patient.

"Of course, but only a local anesthetic will be given." Zheng Ren threw the used swab after the first disinfection, picked up a new one soaked in iodophor and applied it on the patient's wound without the slightest hesitation.

The patient howled in pain instantly. "Ouch…"

"Disinfection is required before I inject the local anesthetic. Don't worry, it'll be over soon," Zheng Ren tried to comfort him.

Fortunately, iodophor solution was used in wound disinfection nowadays. If they time-traveled back to twenty years ago when iodine solution and alcohol were the main disinfectants, the pain would be much worse.

"Put on gloves," Zheng Ren instructed Xie Yiren when he noticed that the patient was able to endure the pain.

Zheng Ren put his on as well before injecting the patient with the local anesthetic.

"Needle holder with suture, size four," Zheng Ren located the damaged small blood vessel skillfully and held out his hand toward Xia Yiren.

The needle holder was placed on Zheng Ren's hand gently with its size-four suture thread resting on his little finger perfectly when he proceeded to suture the wound.

Xie Yiren had achieved a Master rank in her coordination with the surgeon in an operation.

"Surgical scissors…"

"Needle holder with suture…"

"Size one…"

The only sounds lingering in the procedure room were Zheng Ren's droning instructions and the patient's heavy breathing. However, Zheng Ren soon realized that there was absolutely no need for him to ask for anything at all as Xie Yiren would pass him every instrument he required before he could even finish his sentence.

The wound was long and deep, and Zheng Ren had to suture each layer carefully and patiently. Otherwise, any remaining cavity could end up with complications such as infections, abscess formation and many more.

This sort of wound closure was a piece of cake for Zheng Ren, who had 330 skill points in his general surgery skill. He started wondering if the System would give him any missions while his hands danced elegantly through the procedure. Perhaps a mission where a chest would be given upon completion of a surgical wound closure.

Sadly, whatever he wished for did not come true, which meant that the System's robotic, female voice had basically disappeared into thin air.

Zheng Ren was slightly dispirited but remained meticulous in suturing every damaged layer in the wound.

"Reverse cutting needle, size seven." The corresponding needle holder was then placed gently on Zheng Ren's outstretched hand.

There was a sudden loud noise outside the procedure room.

A few young men with the strong smell of alcohol barged into the procedure room, having kicked the door open.

Zheng Ren let out a silent curse.

Why did the emergency department have a shortage of doctors? This was the answer: no doctor would prefer to perform surgery or consult any patient under such stressful situations.

  "Where is my brother?"

"F*ck! Treat my brother properly. If he suffers any problems, I'll kill you myself!"

"Brother, brother, are you okay?"

The patient's followers expressed their loyalties while threatening Zheng Ren at the same time.

Zheng Ren had no idea how to react. What they should be doing was to treat the surgeon well so that he could concentrate on the operation and finish it sooner, right?

Well, perhaps these alcoholics—especially drunkards who binge-drank even in the afternoon—did not possess such reasoning after all.

"All of you, get out!" roared the patient in exasperation. He seemed rather rational and knew exactly what the most appropriate action in this situation was. He then apologized to Zheng Ren with a mix of sycophancy and anxiety. "Doctor, my brothers are immature, so please don't mind them. I'll compensate for all damages later, so please treat my wound properly…"

The drunk ruffians straightened their backs immediately after the patient reprimanded them. After scolding Zheng Ren again briefly, they finally left the procedure room and closed the door under the patient's command.

Zheng Ren sighed in response. His needle pierced the skin, came out the other side of the wound, and an instrument tie was finally and proficiently made.