Chapter 680 - 338: Exquisite Technique! (Part 2)

He didn't even dare to respond.

He was familiar with Huang Haibo and knew that Huang was the type who loved to play dirty tricks, like recording conversations as evidence.

As for Lu Cheng, he wasn't afraid to speak his mind, whether in Kyoto or Shanghai, boldly and without hesitation!

He was a young man of the twenty-first century, a beacon of righteousness.

But would Qi Yaowen dare to respond to something like that?

"Director Lu, I heard from Director Huang that you usually know how to handle things well, so what happened now?" Qi Yaowen suddenly shifted the topic, his tone a bit conflicted.

"Director Qi, when it comes to my own affairs, I certainly have to be sensible, weighing the pros and cons."

"If it's not my own matter, why would I bother with it?"

"With that time, wouldn't it be better to think about how to improve surgical procedures, how to advance, how to refine my skills?"

"Skill enhancement doesn't just happen while you're lying there; it doesn't improve automatically."

"I'm very busy and don't want to waste my efforts on such thoughts."

"Truly!~" Lu Cheng waved his hand and cupped his hands earnestly.

"Director Qi, please spare me. I beg you, just see me as a tech-head who sticks to technology issues—never causing unnecessary trouble on unrelated matters."

"And I wouldn't dare."

Qi Yaowen licked his lips with his tongue: "Can't you even do a little favor?"

"Is Director Huang asking you for help?"

Lu Cheng replied, "Director Huang, Director Qi, if you're asking me to help with something else, I can agree, like surgery."

"Teaching some technology, I can agree to that too."

"Handling affairs is simple."

"But dealing with people, that's not my forte, and I don't want to offend anyone..."

As he spoke, Lu Cheng's phone finally rang.

It was Dai Linfang.

"Hi, Dai Linfang, what's up?" Lu Cheng answered in front of them.

He had already mentioned that he was on emergency duty today.

"Oh, alright, half an hour later, okay!"

"Has all the preoperative check data been completed? Good, after he's admitted, arrange for an in-house pre-transfusion checkup. After the blood draw, send him to the operating room directly."

"Me? I'm not in the operating room; I'm here with Director Huang." Lu Cheng added an unrelated remark before swiftly hanging up.

"Director Qi, why don't you talk about something else? I have to perform surgery later. A limb-saving case was transferred from Yong County."

Qi Yaowen's eyes turned cold as he looked at Lu Cheng; his tone also grew colder: "Director Lu, are you really not going to show any consideration?"

Huang Haibo coughed upon hearing that: "Director Qi, you should be more careful with your words!"

"That's not what you said to me before."

"This matter originally didn't involve Lu Cheng; you mishandled things and dragged him into it."

"You shouldn't speak recklessly."

Damn, can't you guys just avoid causing trouble?

Huang Haibo recently got a clearer idea of Lu Cheng's real standing in the academic community.

Previously, his surgical techniques and modifications, as well as the appreciation from professors at Xiangya Hospital, seemed like minor matters.

Was that supposed to count as academic standing?

But some things indeed constitute academic standing.

Like the projects you're involved with, the quality of your published papers, and the "techniques" everyone acknowledges!

That's no longer a trivial matter.

This affair doesn't concern Lu Cheng, but if Qi Yaowen and that Director Xie want to make it about Lu Cheng, it'll be a serious problem.

The lack of emphasis on academic atmosphere in Xiangzhou is Xiangzhou's issue, but the academic community cannot overlook academic integrity.

If Lu Cheng tells the hospital leadership about this, naturally, the hospital leadership will have a talk with him, Huang Haibo.

"Old Huang, now this issue is just something Lu Cheng mentioned." Qi Yaowen said.

Huang Haibo, who had some legal background, replied: "Then why not say it's something Du Hua'an mentioned?"

"Who's involved here?"

"First, Du Hua'an."

"Second, Du Hua'an's instructor, Dai Linfang."

"What status does Lu Cheng have?"

Qi Yaowen: "But Du Hua'an said he listens to Lu Cheng."

"Lu Cheng just expressed who he listens to right now; why don't you go find out?" Huang Haibo said.

"You're being evasive." Qi Yaowen's voice was a bit stiff.

"This isn't evasion; self-preservation, non-involvement, that's everyone's right. You can say Lu Cheng isn't helping, but you can't say he's at fault for not wanting to help."

Qi Yaowen: "It's just a matter of a word from him."

"He doesn't want to say it!"

"What does it have to do with him that he stands here so confidently?"

Lu Cheng lifted his head, spinning his phone with his right hand: "Does not bowing down mean you're opposing?"

"That's really interesting."

"It's my first time hearing such a collective punishment rationale."

Qi Yaowen pointed at Lu Cheng, moving closer: "Call now and resolve this!~"

Lu Cheng let him take the phone: "You make the call yourself; the phone's not locked."

"The numbers are noted."

"You don't need to give me any phone bill."

Qi Yaowen stood still for a few seconds with the phone in hand: "Are you calling or not?"

Lu Cheng shook his head, his voice calm: "I won't interfere, that's been my stance from the beginning!"

Qi Yaowen laughed: "Aren't you afraid of trouble?"

Lu Cheng said: "Speaking to the matter itself, I won't make the call—how big a deal could it be?"

"Can he take off my clothes?"

"Or take me away somewhere?"

"Hasn't Xiangzhou been liberated?"

Qi Yaowen: "You young man, aren't you concerned about your future?"

Lu Cheng laughed: "Hehehe... my future? That's none of his business; if I seek his help, he can't assist me either."

"This is none of your concern, Director Qi."

"Director Qi, don't tussle with me either; I'm only here for a few months. Once my time is up, I'll leave."

Qi Yaowen suspiciously looked at Huang Haibo: "What kind of personnel do you have?"

Huang Haibo explained: "Director Lu's situation is indeed a bit special. Although he's currently our hospital's employee."

"In fact, he has long been reserved by the Huazhong Union Hospital in Han City; otherwise, why do you think his abilities are so advanced?"

"With such strong abilities, how could he possibly remain long-term at our hospital?"

"Lu Cheng is only thirty-one years old!!"

"Even in Union Hospital, at his age, he might just be stepping out of school."

"Huazhong Union Hospital?"

"Reserved?" Qi Yaowen's brows furrowed instantly.

He felt that Lu Cheng's identity seemed quite complex.

Lu Cheng nonchalantly said: "Director Qi, do you have anything else? If not, I'm heading to surgery."

"And don't coerce others into doing unwilling things for your future."

"You can't force a cow to drink water, even if you push its head down."

Qi Yaowen pondered for a moment and still emphasized: "Director Lu, what's wrong with making a phone call to help?"

Lu Cheng: "Who are you?"

"Why should I call? What benefits can you offer me? Can you give me what I want?"

Qi Yaowen believed negotiations would be possible if conditions could be discussed: "What do you want?"

Seeing Qi Yaowen genuinely open to discussion, Lu Cheng casually said: "A specially appointed associate professorship, a doctoral degree conferred extraordinarily!~"

"Standing committee member of Hua Country Medical Association Orthopedic Association."

"Or a Nature paper?"

"Or, Director Qi, find me an expert who can create a model for routine animal experiments of digestive dysfunction."

"What's the last one?" Qi Yaowen didn't hear anything feasible.

Lu Cheng said: "Director Qi, if you don't understand, how can you know such people?"

"Such individuals won't come to Xiangzhou!"

"I'm off to surgery; feel free to manage yourselves, but this has nothing to do with me!"

"I absolutely won't take sides here; solve it amongst yourselves."

"The one who ties the knot should untie it; don't think of pressuring unrelated parties."

After Lu Cheng left, Qi Yaowen looked a bit dazed: "What is Lu Cheng's background exactly?"

Huang Haibo, helplessly turning his hands over, said: "I told you, this Lu Cheng is as difficult as Dai Linfang, do you believe it or not?"

"Yet you insisted you had a solution!"

Qi Yaowen squinted his eyes: "What kind of people does this Trauma Center have, really?"

"A blockhead, an overprotective busybody, and another, an academic elitist."

"Unapproachable."

Huang Haibo said: "Yes, so don't you think all your effort could have been for nothing."

"But, I've already helped. You have to deliver on what you promised."

Qi Yaowen glared at Huang Haibo: "Are you setting me up?"

Huang Haibo: "How am I setting you up? Didn't I tell you in advance that Lu Cheng and Dai Linfang are equally difficult, and you said you had ways!"

"Did I not inform you ahead of time?"

"Are you a child?"

Qi Yaowen watched Lu Cheng walk away, covering his forehead, feeling powerless and frustrated...