"What are you staring at? Go check on the patient!"
Noticing Fang Zhiyan's gaze, Zhu Zixiao scoffed and hurried over.
Fang Zhiyan shook his head.
This Zhu Zixiao must be cursed!
Every time he mentioned food or anything else, a patient would inevitably show up.
Sure, the emergency department was always busy, but couldn't he at least sit down and finish breakfast?
But there was no time now.
Fang Zhiyan tossed the steamed bun onto the table, quickly changed into his scrubs, and strode toward the gurney.
Cao Chong also rushed out from his office.
"What's the situation?"
"Dr. Cao, the patient started showing signs of abdominal pain about three hours ago. By the time we arrived, his blood pressure had dropped to 80/50 mmHg," the paramedic reported.
"What?" Cao Chong's expression darkened as he swiftly entered the resuscitation room.
Fang Zhiyan frowned as well.
With blood pressure that low, internal bleeding was almost certain. This patient was in serious trouble.
"Doctor, please, save my son! He suddenly started having terrible abdominal pain—I don't know what happened!"
A woman, likely the patient's family member, grabbed Cao Chong's arm in desperation.
Zhu Zixiao smoothly intercepted her, his tone practiced and reassuring.
"Ma'am, please stay calm. Right now, the priority is stabilizing the patient. Please step back and let us work."
With that, the patient was swiftly wheeled into the emergency resuscitation room.
Fang Zhiyan didn't follow. Instead, he stayed outside to gather more details from the family.
"Did anything happen before the abdominal pain started? Did he eat something unusual or suffer any injuries?"
A blood pressure that low almost always indicated internal bleeding, so Fang Zhiyan needed to rule out possible causes.
"An injury? Well… he fell while playing basketball at school this afternoon. Could that be it?" the woman hesitated.
"He stayed in the school clinic for a bit, but they said he was fine, so he came home."
Fang Zhiyan's expression tightened. He gave a quick nod and rushed into the resuscitation room.
Inside, Cao Chong was assessing the patient's condition.
"Establish two IV lines!"
"Start rapid fluid resuscitation!"
"Run bloodwork—CBC, type and crossmatch!"
The patient was in full-blown shock. The key now was identifying the cause and stabilizing him.
Fang Zhiyan quickly relayed his findings.
"Dr. Cao, the family mentioned the patient took a hard fall during basketball earlier. I suspect internal organ damage leading to hemorrhagic shock."
Cao Chong nodded, his expression grave.
"Get his pressure up first, then prep for a bedside CT!"
The emergency department had its own portable CT scanner for urgent cases.
"Got it!" Nurse Shen Qingyue responded promptly.
The team moved efficiently, following Cao Chong's orders.
Soon, Shen Qingyue updated them.
"Dr. Cao, the patient's blood pressure has stabilized."
"Good. Proceed with the CT."
Without hesitation, Cao Chong accompanied the patient for imaging.
Minutes later, he exhaled sharply as the scan results appeared.
"Spleen rupture."
The spleen was highly vascular and fragile. Trauma could easily cause it to rupture, leading to severe internal bleeding. Without immediate intervention, the patient could bleed out.
Zhu Zixiao paled at the diagnosis.
But after a glance at Fang Zhiyan's composed demeanor, he gritted his teeth.
Why was he so calm?
No—Zhu Zixiao couldn't afford to panic either.
Every case with an attending physician was a chance to improve.
He'd been here longer than Fang Zhiyan! How could he falter now?
Meanwhile, Fang Zhiyan remained focused.
The scan showed not only a ruptured spleen but also significant hemoperitoneum.
Without immediate surgery, the mortality risk was dangerously high.
"Dr. Cao, we need to operate now," Fang Zhiyan urged.
"Agreed." Cao Chong nodded. "Prep the OR. I'll speak with the family."
The team split into two groups, each handling their tasks.
Soon, Cao Chong returned, scrubbed in and ready.
"Zhiyan, you're assisting me."
Fang Zhiyan acknowledged with a nod.
Zhu Zixiao, however, couldn't hide his frustration.
Seriously? Fang Zhiyan had only been here a few days!
Last time, Director He had tested him by letting him take the lead on a minor procedure.
Now, Dr. Cao wasn't even pretending—this was outright mentorship.
As the two entered the OR, Cao Chong spoke casually.
"You've got Director He's attention, kid. That's rare."
"Most surgical residents spend years as assistants before they even touch a scalpel."
"But Director He's orders are clear—give you opportunities. Train you well."
"With this kind of backing, you might just become the best surgeon in our hospital."
Fang Zhiyan allowed a small smile.
Opportunities were exactly what he wanted.
The more chances he got, the better.
In this era, especially with the TCM hospital still understaffed, he had this opening.
Otherwise, he might never have gotten this far.
As they scrubbed in, Fang Zhiyan's movements were swift and precise—earning an approving nod from Cao Chong.
Inside the OR, the anesthesiologist gave a thumbs-up.
"Patient's under stable anesthesia. You're clear to proceed."
Then, he studied Fang Zhiyan with open curiosity.
This young resident was already a legend in the ER.
A few days in, and Director He had handpicked him for a lead role?
Unheard of.
For anyone else, it would've been impossible.
(For plot purposes, suspend disbelief—medical details are dramatized.)
Yet Fang Zhiyan had not only done it—he'd excelled.
No wonder Cao Chong was bringing him into another major case.
"Alright, let's begin."
Cao Chong signaled the anesthesiologist to monitor vitals while he prepped for the incision.
Fang Zhiyan methodically sterilized the area, draped the patient, and exposed the surgical field—every motion flawless.
With a satisfied glance, Cao Chong made the first cut—a right upper rectus incision, carefully dissecting through the layers until the abdominal cavity lay open before them.