Chapter 794: White Bamboo Rat

Ling Treatment Group had organized a group gathering today. Hence, aside from Ma Yanlin, Lu Wenbin, and the other resident doctors, the three housemen and five medical interns who were temporarily in the group and often tasked with the miscellaneous showed up too.

Among the three housemen, Qu Xiaolian was the only one who had already passed the board examination and was an authorized doctor. Hence, he had already set a foundation for himself to stay in Yun Hua Hospital or even Ling Treatment Group. He was also a little more attentive compared to the two other housemen, and right now, he was putting plenty of effort into attending to his superiors.

Zuo Cidian was very used to ordering housemen and medical interns around. Since no one was saying anything, he whispered to Zhang Anmin who was sitting beside him, “After you become an associate chief physician, you can get yourself a few underlings. Things will be a lot more convenient and comfortable for you in the future, Associate Chief Physician Zhang.”

Zhang Anmin looked around anxiously. He quickly said, “Let’s not count our chickens before they hatch…”

“Why not? The eggs are already in your pen, anyway,” Zuo Cidian said and smiled. “You don’t have to worry about other people finding out about this. Things will be fine as long as Doctor Ling agrees to our plan.”

“We don’t even know what’s on Department Director Huo’s mind yet…”

“This has nothing to do with him,” Zuo Cidian said crisply.

The moment he finished speaking, Zuo Cidian felt good.

This was the euphoria he had been yearning for ever since he was working in a town hospital. His wish finally came true today.

Zuo Cidian could not help but glance at Ling Ran. He lined up all the wrinkles on his face in an effort to smile beautifully. “Doctor Ling, do you want a fat or thin bamboo rat?”

“Go ahead and choose what you want.” Ling Ran did not seem to care. He was not particular when it came to bamboo rats.

Zuo Cidian hummed in acknowledgement. He then rose in a natural manner and said to Zhang Anmin, “Why don’t the two of us go ahead and pick a bamboo rat?”

Zhang Anmin froze for a moment. He then immediately voiced his agreement and followed Zuo Cidian.

Zuo Cidian called Boss Shao as he took large strides. All of them walked toward where the bamboo rats were kept.

Zhang Anmin watched Zuo Cidian from the back. Zuo Cidian was only of average height, was a little plump, and had a bit of an ugly stance when he walked. His back was hunched, and he really could not be considered a good looking man. However, at that moment, he gave off an extraordinarily steady aura that put Zhang Anmin at ease.

“Young Zhang, come over and choose a bamboo rat.” Zuo Cidian walked toward the cage with all the bamboo rats inside and lowered his head to look at the gray, fat and dumb-looking bamboo rats. He waved as he called out to Zhang Anmin, “You’re young, so your eyesight is better than mine. Do choose a healthy-looking bamboo rat.”

“This is the biggest one in the cage, and its fur looks lustrous.” Zhang Anmin pointed at one of the bamboo rats. Boss Shao then extended his hand into the cage and grabbed the bamboo rat out by its tail.

“Quite a good choice.” Zuo Cidian smiled.

“It’s very important to make the right choice.” Zhang Anmin immediately played along. He was not the kind of person who would usually rack his brains to come up with the right words. However, Zuo Cidian made him an offer he could hardly refuse, and his mind was automatically working hard to please Zuo Cidian.

Zuo Cidian smiled again. He started his career in a town hospital, but he did not have the habit of hiding things from other people. Right now, he did not see the need to beat around the bush with Zhang Anmin at all. So, he went straight to the point. “Just give a good thought to how you will serve Doctor Ling after you become an associate chief physician. There’s no point talking about other things.”

“That’s for sure.” After ruminating about the matter all day, Zhang Anmin had already thought about this. He quickly said, “I will definitely give priority to the Emergency Medical Center..”

“Why? Won’t you be part of the Emergency Department anymore after becoming an associate chief physician?” Zuo Cidian glanced at Zhang Anmin.

Zhang Anmin was taken aback. “No. Why would that be so? I just haven’t gotten used to the mentality yet. I’m definitely part of the Emergency Medical Center.”

“That’s right. So you don’t need to worry about who you’re going to give priority to, do you?” Zuo Cidian immediately adjusted Zhang Anmin’s mentality in a brutal manner like a true town cadre.

Zhang Anmin was used to Zuo Cidian’s style, though. Surgeons were brutes to begin with, so it did not take much for him to get used to the way Zuo Cidian did things. Truth be told, Zhang Anmin sort of liked what Zuo Cidian had said too. He enunciated each word clearly to emphasize his point as he replied, “I have always been Doctor Ling’s man. This will not change whether I become an associate chief physician or not.”

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“This was what I meant.” Zuo Cidian nodded.

“But I’m a bit worried. We’re doing things in such a blatant manner. Will it… backfire?” Zhang Anmin could be said to have been a victim to He Yuanzheng’s authority throughout the few years he had been working for him, so he was experiencing quite a lot of complicated emotions right now.

Zuo Cidian was extremely calm as he pointed at another bamboo rat. He then said, “About Department Director He, he will definitely be unhappy about it. But as long as he figures things out, he will realize that there’s nothing that he can do.”

Zhang Anmin’s expression changed. “What do you mean by that?”

“We have the funds, and we have people backing us up. He Yuanzheng won’t act barbarically.”

“Department Director He is quite a barbarian sometimes,” Zhang Anmin said in a hushed tone.

“Let him be a barbarian, then,” Zuo Cidian said nonchalantly, “Does he really think that we don’t dare to start a second Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery?”

Zhang Anmin was shocked. “Will we?”

“No,” Zuo Cidian said.

Zhang Anmin was astounded.

“But if Department Director Huo really resorts to this, it’ll be obvious where he stands. At that time, what do you think that Department Director Huo and Ling Treatment Group would do? We can’t just let him eat off our hands for free, can we?” Zuo Cidian smiled and said, “At the end of the day, things won’t change. If you were made associate chief physician, Department Director He would be unhappy as he would feel inferior. But even if you weren’t made associate chief physician, Department Director He would feel unhappy all the same as it doesn’t change the fact that he’s inferior.”

As he said this, Zuo Cidian’s expression became a little more stern. “This is how the situation’s like right now. Half of the surgeries in the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery right now are done by you and Doctor Ling, right? Without these surgeries, the staff members of the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery would probably get thirty percent less bonus than they do now. Do you think that Department Director He’s subordinates would still respect him if they were to get a pay cut?”

Zhang Anmin nodded slowly. He then quickly said, “Doctor Ling’s the one who’s doing all the work. It doesn’t have much to do with me.”

He finally understood that He Yuanzheng had actually been driven into a corner. He could not help but feel even more at ease. He also had a newfound realization about why all the chief physicians and associate chief physicians strive hard to carry out more surgeries and conduct more research. If a doctor were not skillful, especially in situations where other doctors were superior to him in all forms, he would basically be up against a wall.

“Give me a white bamboo rat too.” Zuo Cidian pointed at an adorable bamboo rat who was standing at the corner of the cage.

“White bamboo rats are more expensive. They’re 40 RMB more expensive per pound,” Boss Shao reminded him.

Zuo Cidian nodded and asked, “Why are they 40 RMB more expensive?”

“Because they’re beautiful.”

“But it’s not like we get to see the bamboo rat’s color when it’s served, right?”

Boss Shao froze for a moment. “You can take a photograph and send it to your friends. Or I can use the printer in my shop to print you a photograph. The lighting here is pretty good.”

As Boss Shao spoke, he grabbed the white bamboo rat and walked to an illuminated eave.

The bamboo rat’s white fur sparkled under the yellow lights.

Zuo Cidian was still hesitating when Zhang Anmin whipped out his phone to take a proper picture of the bamboo rat.

“Doctor Zuo.” Zhang Anmin showed the photograph to Zuo Cidian.

“Quite a nice photograph. It looks like something that would be placed in front of the bamboo rat’s coffin after it dies.” Zuo Cidian nodded and said to Boss Shao, “We have taken a photograph. You can throw the bamboo rat back into the cage.”

Boss Shao nodded. “I’ll have to trouble you guys to bandage this scratch for me later.”

As he spoke, Boss Shao threw the bamboo rat into a small cage. There was a red streak of blood on the bamboo rat’s fur.

“It scratched your hand?” Zhang Anmin glared at the white bamboo rat. “Which leg did it scratch you with? Don’t forget to grill that leg and eat it for nourishment so that your wound will heal quickly.”

“I didn’t get scratched by this one. It was the first one.” Boss Shao shook his head and defended the white bamboo rat.

“Wow, and you are able to endure the pain for such a long time?” Zhang Anmin was surprised.

“I’m used to it.” Boss Shao flashed a smile, and he looked like a boss who had been selling bamboo rats for eight months.