Li Jingsheng relentlessly practiced surgical knots.
To learn surgical knots, you first need to master single knots.
They are the basic components of surgical knots.
The feature is that they are easy to slip and untie, often used for temporary occlusion or ligature to stop bleeding. For instance, a single knot is used for temporarily blocking the cystic duct during retrograde cholecystectomy.
Permanent ligature cannot use single knots.
A square knot consists of two single knots tied in opposite directions.
However, a surgical knot is an advanced form based on a single knot, with the first loop wound twice, expanding the contact surface and increasing the friction area. As a result, when tying the second knot, it is less likely to slip and loosen, making it firm and reliable for ligating large blood vessels or suturing areas under tension.
Because tying these knots is troublesome and time-consuming, they are seldom used.
Li Jingsheng had not been able to learn surgical knots because of how intricate they were. However, at this moment, he summoned the will and determination of dripping water drilling through a rock, not resting until he mastered them.
Compared to before, his motivation to learn was much stronger.
Because now, all he needed was to reach an introductory level.
It used to take two to three years of hard practice to go from an introductory to a proficient level, which wasn't cost-effective time-wise. Now it only required 10 life points to solve it, naturally boosting his motivation.
He practiced the entire afternoon.
Except for getting up twice to use the toilet and stretching a bit, he focused intently on practicing surgical knots.
As it approached six o'clock, not a single customer came in to buy medicine the entire afternoon.
The clinic's business was utterly cold.
After a whole afternoon practicing surgical knots, Li Jingsheng hadn't completely mastered them but could barely complete them while holding forceps. Just, his skills remained slightly lacking, and he had yet to grasp certain key points.
"Sister Tang, you can get off work now! There are no customers anyways."
Li Jingsheng suggested she leave early to spend time with her daughter at home.
"Then I'm going! Thank you, boss!"
She gave Li Jingsheng a sweet smile. Whenever she received such care from her boss, she would display this grateful and radiant smile.
"If you're worried about leaving your daughter at home alone, you can bring her to the clinic tomorrow."
It wasn't the first time he'd made this suggestion, but she always worried her daughter might interfere with business at the clinic, so she'd never agreed.
"Thanks for your kind offer. She's old enough now, so there's no worry about leaving her home alone."
Tang Ping once again declined the suggestion.
Just as she always conducted herself, never overstepping any boundaries.
Li Jingsheng said no more, watching her go inside to change and quickly leave with a small handbag.
Soon the clinic was left with him alone.
If only a few more patients could come in each day.
He could only gain life points by treating patients and then use those points to improve his medical skills.
This could create a positive cycle.
A few minutes had passed when Li Jingsheng faintly heard a woman's angry voice from outside, sounding like Tang Ping.
He quickly got up and rushed outside the clinic to see what was happening.
He saw the greasy Boss Zhao arguing with Tang Ping in the street.
She looked furious, glaring at Boss Zhao.
"Sister Tang, are you okay?"
Seeing his employee being bullied, Li Jingsheng unhesitatingly stood in front of her to protect her.
Boss Zhao's face was flushed, eyes misted with drunkenness, evidently having drunk quite a bit.
At noon, Boss Zhao had mentioned attending a safety meeting organized by the department in Li Jingsheng's clinic. Judging by his appearance, it seemed like he went drinking after the meeting.
"When I was walking to that intersection, he approached me and wouldn't stop pestering. He was saying he'd give me ten thousand a month to work in his clinic. He even said I wouldn't need to do anything, just keep him company. I told him to speak respectfully, but he blocked me and insisted I agree to work at his clinic."
Tang Ping, hiding behind Li Jingsheng, was trembling.
She was clearly very frightened just now.
By now, a crowd of onlookers had gathered.
"Boss Zhao, if someone doesn't want to work for you, is it worth pestering them endlessly?"
"Get lost, it's none of your business!"
Boss Zhao reeked of alcohol, looking at Li Jingsheng with extreme disdain.
"Kid, don't think I don't know your situation. You've even sold your motorcycle; it seems you've been barely getting by, huh? The person who bought it from you happens to be an acquaintance of mine. He said you sold the bike to pay your employees' wages. Heh, you can't even pay wages and yet you pretend here?"
Li Jingsheng didn't expect Boss Zhao to know about this.
When selling his bike, he didn't anticipate that the buyer knew Boss Zhao.
It also showed how extensive Boss Zhao's connections were.
No wonder he'd been running a clinic for over twenty years; his decades of experience were indeed something Li Jingsheng couldn't compare to.
"Tang Ping, you're a divorced woman with a child, isn't it tough? This kid here can't even pay your wages, so why stay at his clinic? Are you after him?"
Boss Zhao's words were blunt and vulgar.
With malicious intent, he revealed Li Jingsheng sold his bike to pay her wages, signaling her that Sunshine Clinic might fail. But she'd already known, rendering his scheming futile.
"Please speak respectfully."
She angrily retorted.
"Heh, don't think I don't know what you young women think. Aren't you just after his youth and looks? Can good looks put food on the table? What's wrong with becoming a nurse at my place? A month for ten grand is much better than your current tough life, don't you think?"
Boss Zhao's face bore undisguised contempt.
"I'll tell you again; I simply love working at Sunshine Clinic, whether for ten grand a month or even a hundred grand, I'll never work at your place. Are you leaving? Keep pestering me and I'll call the police."
She was both embarrassed and furious.
Mainly because Boss Zhao's words were so hurtful.
She feared that after hearing them, Li Jingsheng might have some misconceptions about her.
"Alright, I'm leaving. Remember, if this kid's clinic fails, you can come to me anytime in the future. I know all about your past; other than working in small clinics, no hospital will take you."
Boss Zhao sneakily added.
Talking about her past made her face turn pale instantly.
Li Jingsheng couldn't help being curious about Tang Ping's past.
He only knew she used to work at a big hospital, but was dismissed after offending a leader. That leader seemed quite influential, as no hospital in town dared to employ her.
She never mentioned how she offended the leader, even after more than nine months of working together.
She always kept this matter deeply hidden.
Boss Zhao seemed indeed resourceful, his tone implying he'd figured out her past.
Watching Boss Zhao leave with unsteady, drunken steps, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
The crowd of onlookers also dispersed.
"Sister Tang, wait for me."
Li Jingsheng ran over to lock the glass door of the clinic, then returned smilingly to Tang Ping, "I don't have much to do anyway, let me walk you home."
Seeing her still trembling slightly from fright, Li Jingsheng decided to accompany her home.
A widow with a child, truly pitiful.
If he could help, he would.
"I must go to the market to buy some groceries; my daughter wants to eat sweet corn and diced radish with meat."
"Sure, I'll go with you."
Li Jingsheng considered whether to buy a piece of pork with skin to practice stitching techniques.
So far, he'd learned three sewing techniques, which obviously weren't enough. With time, he could learn a few more.
After all, having more skills never hurts!
With his current three techniques, he could barely manage some ordinary wounds. Improving the clinic's reputation, however, required learning more and advancing all skills to higher levels.
Vertical mattress sutures could handle deep wounds but had the major downside of leaving unsightly scars.
This was enough to scare off many beauty-conscious patients.