Although he wasn't the lead surgeon, as a direct participant in the operation, Wu Changgeng would inevitably bear a portion of the responsibility.
It's no exaggeration to say that if the surgery failed and Stark died... even if the doctors' actions were flawless and it wasn't a medical malpractice case at all, once the news got out, people would still naturally assume it was due to the doctors' lack of skill.
After all, Stark was too wealthy.
Agreeing to the surgery meant his problem wasn't so severe as to be untreatable, and the success rate wouldn't be too low. And given his financial condition, it was absolutely impossible for there to be an issue with the hardware... From an observer's standpoint, after eliminating these two factors, wouldn't the only reason left be 'the doctor's skills aren't up to par'?
This was a matter of great importance, potentially even affecting his professional reputation. Therefore, after receiving Stark's invitation, Wu Changgeng spent a considerable amount of time deliberating.
While confirming his own abilities, studying Stark's condition, and checking if the medical equipment listed on the forms was complete... Wu Changgeng discovered the existence of the 'potion' during his preparations.
Even ordinary people know not to drink medicine indiscriminately, let alone a battle-hardened doctor.
Fearing that these unknown potions might cause problems and drag down the success rate of the surgery, Wu Changgeng immediately investigated information on this matter and personally called to chat with both Strange and Stark a few times.
Not many genuine potions were released through company channels; aside from the military and S.H.I.E.L.D., only a small portion flowed into the outside world, acquired by wealthy individuals with significant connections. Some intended to store them for emergencies, while others were currently suffering from injuries or illnesses and wanted to use the potions for treatment.
As the saying goes, a good horse deserves a good saddle. Since they had obtained a very effective potion, they naturally wanted to pair it with the most skilled doctor to maximize the efficiency of the treatment. Thus, relying on his unparalleled skills, Strange gained the favor of these wealthy individuals. Then, in the process of treating them, he had already understood and witnessed the actual efficacy of the genuine potions firsthand.
Compared to Strange, Stark, who had conducted hundreds, even thousands, of experiments using the genuine potion as a sample, clearly had a deeper understanding of it.
The answers from both of them were highly trustworthy. Therefore, even though he found it quite exaggerated, Wu Changgeng still accepted the claim that 'the potion is very effective'.
It was precisely because he had already accepted the efficacy of the potion in his heart that he... In fact, the reason he accepted Stark's invitation and decided to 'participate in the surgery' was not only out of curiosity about the potion's effects and a desire to verify them firsthand, but also because he harbored some expectation of using this opportunity to contact the potion's provider and introduce them to China.
Not as a businessman to negotiate procurement contracts and directly buy the medicine to bring back to China. Instead, it was as a doctor, in his professional capacity, to contact the other party and become the 'first pioneer in China to use the potion as an auxiliary for patient surgery'... The effect must first be proven at the clinical stage before it can enter the procurement phase. Unlike other industries, in the medical field, the introduction of equipment and medicines has always followed this pattern.
After all, a patient's life is singular, and anything whose effects haven't been confirmed absolutely cannot be tried casually.
In short, after the idea of introducing the potion came to mind, Wu Changgeng conducted an assessment of this task.
He hadn't thought much of it before, but upon closer consideration, he realized that this matter was quite difficult. Even a doctor like himself, whose reputation had spread overseas and was recognized by many foreign colleagues, might not necessarily be able to pull it off.
There were two reasons: first, low production, and second, too good an effect.
Let's talk about the first point.
Speaking of which, the 'rarity due to low production' isn't actually that troublesome. These days, China's economy is getting better and better, and there are more and more wealthy people. In terms of personal wealth, it's actually not inferior to those rich people in Europe and America.
Ordinary people don't have that kind of money and don't need to consider it at all. For wealthy patients who might actually use the potion, spending a few million more or less is really not a big deal.
As long as there is a will and a willingness to spend money, there is no fear of not being able to buy it.
Of course, the premise is that the circulation of the potion is not restricted and it can be purchased with money.
When mentioning 'restrictions,' one cannot help but mention the second point, which is the reason 'the effect is too good.'
The extent of its goodness isn't important; the key lies in 'I have it, you don't.'
This is quite critical. One must know that breaking through technical barriers is not an easy task; it often involves high-level power struggles. With Wu Changgeng's individual influence... not to mention playing a decisive role in this matter, he might not even be able to stir up the slightest ripple.
Now, let's shift the timeline back to the pre-operative briefing.
At this time, Wu Changgeng met Shi Xiaolei for the first time and learned of his identity as the potion provider.
He had imagined countless possibilities, but never expected that the potion he had been longing for was actually created by a fellow Chinese. Such a divine development not only surpassed Wu Changgeng's imagination but also made his heart burst with joy.
His conscientiousness as a doctor prevented him from showing it. It wasn't until the meeting ended and he returned to his temporary residence to change clothes, preparing to attend the party, that Wu Changgeng finally released his inner joy.
He had always been so mature and steady, so why was he suddenly as happy as a child? Wu Jiaqi, who shared a villa with Wu Changgeng, was startled by her teacher's sudden change.
She couldn't help but ask a few questions... It was precisely because she asked her teacher and learned of his thoughts that Wu Jiaqi actively sought out Shi Xiaolei at the subsequent party.
Her purpose was to help her teacher alleviate his worries.
To remember the saying 'when there is work, the disciple should do it' and actually put it into practice. One has to admit, Wu Jiaqi is indeed a good student who knows how to show respect to her teacher.
It's just that she was a bit impatient and her emotional intelligence was a bit low—she only thought of using the excuse 'I was stared at several times during the meeting' to strike up a conversation with Shi Xiaolei. But because of her impatience, she didn't consider what topics to discuss to build rapport after starting the conversation. Moreover, from the very beginning, Wu Jiaqi never thought that it was only their first day meeting, and they were far from familiar enough, making it unsuitable to directly bring up such a significant matter.
Fortunately, Wu Changgeng arrived in time and, by coincidence, discussed Shi Xiaolei's favorite topic, greatly improving his impression.
Otherwise... knowing there was nothing to talk about, and being together would only be awkward, who would actively approach him? It's no exaggeration to say that if Wu Changgeng hadn't arrived suddenly and allowed Wu Jiaqi and Shi Xiaolei to continue their awkward conversation, even if there was another chance to meet, Shi Xiaolei might have deliberately avoided them and chosen not to meet.