Chapter 145 - How to run a hospital (1/2)

Zhang Fan felt reassured after he successfully helped Chen Qifa find a job. This was how people were. Relationships would improve over time.

Zhang Fan had gotten really close to Chen Qifa with time. Although Chen Qifa was rather stingy, he was still a nice person at heart. A middle-aged man like him being stingy was because he had a family and responsibilities! He was a reliable family man!

One week passed. Zhang Fan finished his one week stay in the rural area, and was rotated to the cardiothoracic surgery department when he returned.

In northwestern China, most hospitals' cardiothoracic surgery departments mostly performed basic thoracic surgeries. Heart surgeries were quite underdeveloped. Young doctors also didn't like joining the cardiothoracic surgery department. Cardiothoracic surgeries were extremely complex. Even the border province's provincial hospital was only mediocre at offering heart surgery services, so of course smaller hospitals would have it worse!

This department didn't have any development potential, which meant that people were unwilling to join it. Not only that, it would be especially difficult to get promoted in this department. In Chasu City Hospital, the cardiothoracic surgery department was one of the smallest surgical departments. There was only one director, two attending physicians, and two resident doctors in this department. There wasn't even a vice director.

The doctors in this department were quite carefree. They would steal collarbone fracture patients from orthopedic surgery departments, while the orthopedic surgery departments would steal rib fracture patients from them. However, the orthopedic surgeons wouldn't take thoracic disease patients even if such patients were offered to them! Liu Boyan was the director of the cardiothoracic surgery department. The two attending physicians under him were still incapable of independently performing thoracic surgeries, which meant that Liu Boyan basically performed every single surgery in the department personally.

Zhang Fan was now famous in the hospital. Director Liu even came up and shook Zhang Fan's hand! It was as if the two were connected at the hands! Zhang Fan had to take the hand since the director wanted to shake hands! Zhang Fan felt really awkward 1 about this!

”Doctor Zhang, you see, there's not many surgeries or patients in our department. We can't compare to orthopedic surgery, general surgery, and other such departments. For the first week, just get accustomed to our department. You can independently work by yourself. Feel free to directly take collarbone fracture or rib bone fracture surgery patients without informing me. Those ravenous wolves in the orthopedic department are so greedy! They won't even let go of chances to take rib bone fracture patients!” After Director Liu said this, he then told his other subordinate doctors about Zhang Fan, and then left to perform outpatient services. Still, the director felt that the collarbone was also part of the ribcage! Since Zhang Fan was originally from the orthopedic department to begin with, it was as if the director was indirectly cursing at him!

There were only 10 patients in the department, and all of them were almost finished with their treatment. Zhang Fan had nothing to do, so he brought out his textbooks and started studying. The two attending physicians in the cardiothoracic department were leading the other rotation doctors in changing medicine. Zhang Fan felt too awkward about offering to do such work as it would only make everyone feel awkward.

Zhang Fan didn't need to do any work in the first week apart from getting accustomed to the department. This was because Zhang Fan had performed far too excellently. Two directors had been assigned to be his surgical assistants at the superintendent's personal command. Although it was in order to help both directors save face, no ordinary person would have possibly been chosen by the superintendent in that time of crisis. This was why the doctors and nurses in the cardiothoracic department were very polite and respectful towards Zhang Fan. However, there was still a slight sense of distance between them. Zhang Fan didn't mind this, as he figured that the sense of distance would disappear once everyone got used to each other.

Later that night, Zhang Fan visited Shao Hua's home. Ever since Shao Hua had taken Jingshu and both their mothers to Shanghai, Shao Hua's mother was now treating Zhang Fan as her daughter's fiancé, although they weren't formally engaged. She would always make Zhang Fan's favorite foods. Although Shao Hua's cooking skills were currently only average, she would always make food that had an exquisite appearance! It was just that she was slow at cooking because she spent too much time focusing on the food's appearance. It would often take her more than two hours to cook a meal!

After dinner, Zhang Fan had a discussion with Shao Hua in her bedroom. Before, she wouldn't let Zhang Fan into her bedroom, but Zhang Fan was the shameless type who would constantly try to get in regardless. After a while, Shao Hua gave up and simply let him in!

”I need to talk to you about something. You see, the new apartment's renovations are done. How about you find a time to talk to your parents about moving!”

”Hmm?”

”I want to have your parents move into that apartment behind the hospital. This apartment is far too old. It's not that good of a place to live in.”

”That won't do!” Shao Hua's eyes were reddening with tears because she was so touched by Zhang Fan's offer.

”There's nothing that won't do. Your parents should enjoy themselves. That apartment has elevators unlike this place which only has stairs. It's also much closer to supermarkets and so on. The only bad part is that it's a bit farther away from your workplace. How about you learn how to drive and also get a driver's license? I don't use my car very much. At most, I just drive to other cities' hospitals to help them perform surgeries.” Zhang Fan was lying on Shao Hua's bed while talking to the ceiling rather than looking at Shao Hua.

Shao Hua gently snuggled up against Zhang Fan, and softly replied, ”Okay! But if you let my parents live in that apartment, where will you live? Besides, that apartment should have been for your parents!”

”The hospital is building new apartments for its employees soon. The superintendent has already promised one for me. Besides, your parents are my parents. It doesn't matter which set of parents lives there. I can just stay in my current apartment for the time being, and if things don't work out, I can move here. Your parents are getting older. An apartment with an elevator will be more convenient for them. Besides, that apartment is on a higher floor, which means better lighting and sunshine. Getting more sun will be good for their bodies.”

Zhang Fan had been staring at the ceiling, and hadn't been paying attention to Shao Hua. When he turned around, he saw that Shao Hua's face was covered in tears. He opened his mouth to say something, but Shao Hua suddenly kissed him! Zhang Fan touched Shao Hua's skinny waist and slowly moved his hands down.

”Cough! Cough! Cough!” Shao Hua's father sounded almost as if he was dying with his exaggerated fake coughing! Shao Hua's face was bright red as she pushed Zhang Fan out of her room. There was no helping it. Zhang Fan splayed his legs and walked like a crab, pretending that his legs were numb as he moved out of Shao Hua's room.

”Come, Zhang Fan, play some Chinese chess with me.” Shao Hua's father was unhappy because Zhang Fan had stayed in his daughter's room for too long. He wanted to bully Zhang Fan some more in Chinese chess.

After dinner, Zhang Fan went over to see how Chen Qifa's preparations for moving were. Before, Chen Qifa lived in Kuake City, so they would only occasionally talk to each other on the phone, but now, Chen Qifa was moving to Chasu City, so it would be far easier to see each other.

Shao Hua pulled her mother into her room after Zhang Fan left. She needed to first talk to her mother about moving into Zhang Fan's apartment before trying to convince her father. Otherwise, her father would worry about face and refuse.

”Mom, you know how Zhang Fan's apartment right behind the hospital is finished with its renovations? Since that apartment has elevators and ours doesn't, Zhang Fan wants you and Dad to move to that apartment.”

”How could that possibly work? That apartment is going to be the wedding home for the two of you. It would be ridiculous for your father and I to move there. Besides, Zhang Fan's parents...”

”The hospital is constructing new apartments for their employees. Zhang Fan said that there will be one for him. Since his new apartment has elevators, he said that it will be much easier for you and Dad. I'm truly happy that he feels this way. Mom, I feel so blissful right now!”