After Chief Wang was done with his follow-up, he tossed his walking stick aside and left. He also insisted on those around him not supporting him by the arm.
Even though he was retired, he filled his downtime with plenty of meaningful activities and did not want to waste any time at all.
Wang Hui was reluctant to part with Ling Ran. She shot a few more glances at him before she left with her grandfather.
They left the patient Chief Wang brought along with him, Chen Kaiji, in the hospital. Just as they treated Chief Wang, the hospital leaders took special care of him. Chen Kaiji bent his waist a little as he sat down, and he was panting so loudly that he looked like he had just come out of a battle.
“I only know how to perform meniscoplasty.” Ling Ran glanced at the patient. The patient appeared to be in so much pain that Ling Ran reckoned many other components of his body were damaged too.
Ling Ran had mastered Perfect Level Knee Arthroscopic Meniscoplasty, and even if someone’s meniscus was shattered, he would be able to repair it to a functional level. But when it came to knee arthroscopy alone, he was only at Specialist Level. He was only slightly better than attending physicians in relation to knee arthroscopy, and he could totally suggest that the patient receive treatment in another hospital.
For Ling Ran, the value of his Specialist Level Knee Arthroscopy lay in the fact that if the patient had other diseases related to the knee joint, he could operate on the patient while he focused on performing knee arthroscopy.
Chen Kaiji forced a smile and said, “My meniscus is damaged. I’ve consulted a doctor about this before.”
“All right then. We’ll conduct some scans for you first.” Ling Ran immediately decided.
Chen Kaiji said unwillingly, “Do you want to take a look at my previous scans? They were taken just three months ago.”
Ling Ran had encountered similar issues numerous times. Every time that happened, Ling Ran would treat the situation very seriously. He adjusted his posture by straightening his body, and he asked as he looked at the patient, “Are you planning to receive meniscoplasty?”
“About that… I’m thinking about receiving surgery.”
“Since you intend to receive surgery, I can’t just make a decision based on scans that were taken three months ago,” Ling Ran answered, enunciating each word clearly.
“You guys can conduct scans once I decide to receive surgery, right?” The patient immediately became defensive.
When the hospital leaders next to them saw that an argument could happen, they immediately came forward and said, “Section Chief Chen, don’t be anxious. Doctor Ling was just concerned about your health. About that, why don’t you want to have your knee scanned?”
Chen Kaiji became even more unhappy when he heard the title they used to address him. He snorted and said, “Radiation is bad for health.”
“Then, can we conduct an MRI scan on your knee?” One of the hospital leaders advised Chen Kaiji in a kindly manner. Chen Kaiji was a retired cadre, and his position before that was not high to begin with, which was why he did not really have much power. Nonetheless, he was, after all, a patient who had been brought there by Chief Wang, and the hospital leaders had to treat him with respect.
Chen Kaiji hesitated for a few seconds and said, “MRI scans are too time-consuming, I don’t like them.”
“Actually, it doesn’t take that long. We can give you priority so that you don’t need to wait.” One of the nine associate hospital directors of Yun Hua Hospital stepped forward. He passed his business card to Chen Kaiji with a smile and said, “This is my business card. If you have any requests, you can dial the number on it straight away. My phone is always on.”
The other associate hospital directors who did not manage to seize their chance looked scornfully at the associate hospital director who passed Chen Kaiji his business card. They stepped back in an orderly fashion. Chen Kaiji was only a retired old cadre anyway, and they could not be bothered to scramble with the associate hospital director to get in Chen Kaiji’s good books.
“Ah, you’re Zhang Lianfeng, huh? Associate Hospital Director Zhang?” Chen Kaiji, who was sitting in a wheelchair, looked at the business card. He ruffled his own hair, which was covered with white strands, and said with a nod, “I didn’t bring my business card. Let’s add each other on WeChat.”
Associate Hospital Director Zhang Lianfeng, who was fifty-five that year, was a little dumbfounded. He subconsciously whipped out his phone and scanned the WeChat QR code of the retired old cadre facing him.
“Is ‘I Can Still Do Whatever I Want’ you?” When Associate Hospital Director Zhang saw the other party’s ID, he became even more dumbfounded.
Chen Kaiji proudly raised his head, revealing his wrinkly neck.
“All right, you, whatever your name is, bring Section Chief Chen for an MRI scan. Do stay with him throughout the entire process.” Zhang Lianfeng realized that he had just gotten into Chen Kaiji’s good books without any effort, and he gave up on trying to make sense of what just happened.
The junior resident doctor whose name no one remembered even after he had worked there for quite some time was already used to other people not remembering his name. He flashed an obedient smile, which was essential to the operation of a public general hospital, at Chen Kaiji. Then, he pushed Chen Kaiji to the MRI room.
All the hospital leaders heaved a sigh of relief. They simply gave a few orders before they quickly fled the scene.
Huo Congjun pursed his lips and turned to look at Ling Ran. He then looked at the other doctors present. In the end, he decided on Zuo Cidian. He waved his hand to call Zuo Cidian over and said, “Section Chief Chen looks like a pretty difficult person to deal with. Please keep a watchful eye on him on Ling Ran’s behalf so that no trouble arises.”
“Sure, I’ll definitely do that.” Zuo Cidian looked extremely encouraged. Now that the department… no, center director had entrusted him with a task, Zuo Cidian felt like his career had been elevated to the next level.
Zuo Cidian turned and was about to discuss the matter with Ling Ran when he saw that Ling Ran had spread out a few MRI scans on the table and was reading them.
After a while, Chen Kaiji, who just had his knee scanned, was pushed back into the room. He still looked like he was in a lot of agony due to the pain in his knee.
“There’s knee effusion and inflammation…” Ling Ran only took a short while to come to a conclusion. “It’s an indication for meniscoplasty, but you can also opt for a meniscectomy….”
Ling Ran started to explain the two procedures to Chen Kaiji.
After Chen Kaiji listened earnestly, he asked doubtfully, “I’ve heard from others that you only carry out meniscoplasty?”
“I’m more skilled at meniscoplasty.” Ling Ran paused for a moment and said, “If you prefer a meniscectomy, I can recommend other doctors for you. But based on your condition, I recommend that you receive meniscoplasty.”
Ling Ran had participated in a few medical conferences and was already qualified to make recommendations of that sort.
Chen Kaiji sized Ling Ran up and said in a half-joking manner, “Is it really based on my condition instead of your preference?”
Ling Ran had no intention to refute him. He merely smiled calmly.
By now, he had already met a lot of patients and encountered all kinds of situations. In addition, Ling Ran could still put the experience he accumulated through being part of society for the past twenty-two years. He knew that in that situation, he should compose himself and let the other party say whatever he wanted.
In short, a smile solved everything.
Chen Kaiji did not smile though. He whipped out his phone again and said, “I’ll have to ask your superior about it then.”
Ling Ran nodded and gestured for the patient after Chen Kaiji to come forward.
“Wait, admit me into the hospital first.” Chen Kaiji paused for a moment and said, “I retired as an active leader of a division and deserve to be treated like a leader of a county!”
Zuo Cidian had been lying in wait beside them. When he heard that, he went forward and said to Chen Kaiji with a smile, “Section Chief Chen, I’ll take you to the observation room first, and I will try my best to arrange the best room for you, is that all right?”
“How’s the best room like? I want a suite or at least a single room.” As Chen Kaiji spoke, he picked up his phone again and said, “Wait, let me inform my children.”
He then unlocked his phone and took a selfie before he lowered his head to send a message.
Zuo Cidian took over the role of pushing Chen Kaiji’s wheelchair from the resident doctor, who looked so ordinary that no one remembered his name. “We are an Emergency Medical Center, and we’ll have to bring you to the observation room first. There are neither suites nor single rooms in our center,” Zuo Cidian said.
“Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to stay in anything other than a single room? Do you want me to share a room with a group of laborers?” Chen Kaiji slammed the armrest of his wheelchair.
Zuo Cidian smiled. “This is how our Emergency Medical Center works. Do you want to be transferred to the Orthopedics Department and see if they have a suitable room for you?”
Chen Kaiji shook his head. “That won’t do, I want Doctor Ling to operate on me.”
“Our Emergency Medical Center really doesn’t have suites or single rooms.” Zuo Cidian flashed a humble smile. “There’s nothing we can do about it.”
“I get it. I’ll think of a solution myself.” Chen Kaiji pursed his lips scornfully before he started to comb through his phone contacts.
