Practicing Medical Skills in a Small Clinic-Chapter 87: So It Was Him

There are multiple restaurants in the Second Hospital, concentrated on the underground level.

There’s only one employee restaurant, with access control at both the entrance and exit; you must swipe a card to enter. Clearly, only internal personnel can go in to buy food.

Doctor Xu swiped his card and went inside.

Li Jingsheng was blocked outside by the access control.

This person is even more indifferent than Ou Qinglan described.

"How about just eating at the regular restaurant next door and waiting for him to come out?"

Worried that he’d leave after work, Li had rushed here without having time to eat and was now starving!

Originally, he was planning to bum a meal off Doctor Xu, but upon meeting him, hit a dead end.

Seriously speaking, arriving hungry, he intended to invite Doctor Xu for a simple meal. At the table, he could seize the moment to build a relationship, but he didn’t expect Doctor Xu to be as impenetrable as a stone.

Li Jingsheng certainly wouldn’t give up so easily.

When climbing the mountains to worship Buddha, there are devotees who bow every three steps and kneel every nine to demonstrate their sincerity to the deity.

To apprentice under Doctor Xu, sincere effort and perseverance are required to move him.

The more skilled someone is, the more eccentric their personality tends to be.

Li Jingsheng ordered food at the regular restaurant across from the employee one, sat down, and began eating. The meal was two meats and one vegetable, costing 18 yuan, which is 3 yuan more than outside fast-food places.

That’s understandable.

Those who contract the hospital’s restaurant incur expensive fees; they have to sell at higher prices than outside to make money.

Both are owned by Green Leaf Catering Company; this side is open to everyone, while the other is a cost-effective employee restaurant.

This boss is good at business.

While hospital staff enjoy the benefits, his restaurant remains steadfast, safe from being squeezed out by insider connections.

Every place with people has visible and invisible ties of interest.

Li Jingsheng ate quickly, mostly worried about Doctor Xu coming out.

And not two minutes after he polished off his plate, Doctor Xu emerged.

As Doctor Xu exited, he specifically peeked at the corridors on either side of the exit, presumably to check whether Li Jingsheng had left.

He probably never expected that Li Jingsheng, that sly fox, was sitting right across at the regular restaurant waiting for him.

The main character appeared, and Li Jingsheng immediately sidled over.

"Doctor Xu, have you thought it over?"

Li Jingsheng suddenly popped up, startling Doctor Xu.

Coldness filled his face once again.

"Thought about what? I never agreed to anything with you at all."

He replied icily.

Willingness to reply is a good sign; the real worry is he might ignore Li Jingsheng completely.

"Look, I’m full of sincerity. This isn’t a bad thing we’re talking about, but rather something beneficial for generations. Please give it some consideration!" Li Jingsheng pressed on.

Doctor Xu might also not have expected to encounter a doctor with such thick skin.

Normally, many want to learn bone-setting techniques from him, but regardless of their background, he refuses them all.

Once rejected, people usually retreat.

This young clinic doctor, however, is quite stubborn.

"I’ll state it solemnly again: I don’t take apprentices, don’t take apprentices, don’t take apprentices! If you keep pestering, I’ll call security."

He warned Li Jingsheng sternly.

Their argument quickly caught many people’s attention.

Some doctors, nurses, and aides who had just finished their meals were pausing to watch the commotion.

This scene made Doctor Xu extremely uncomfortable; he picked up his feet and left.

He just wanted to quickly shake off Li Jingsheng and leave.

The path to finding a mentor in orthopedics is harder than Li Jingsheng imagined. Having worked in a major hospital for several years, he fully understands that orthopedics is one of the strongest revenue-generating departments within surgery.

However, truly skilled doctors are as rare as phoenix feathers, and the industry barriers in this field are extremely rigid.

Without decades of dedication and effort, it’s hard for ordinary medical students to learn advanced orthopedic techniques.

Doctors like Xu, who combine traditional Chinese medicine with Western orthopedic surgery, are even rarer.

If Li Jingsheng kept following, Doctor Xu might really call security over.

Looks like he can only return empty-handed today and figure out a plan next time.

Thinking of his bet with Ou Qinglan, he realized he might have been somewhat rash. He couldn’t even get past the mentorship hurdle, let alone entice someone to work at his little clinic.

"Dr. Li, is that really you!"

Just as Li Jingsheng was reflecting, a warm greeting sounded from behind.

When he turned to look, he found it was none other than Dr. Tang Weilin, who had sneakily delivered a red envelope to his door yesterday.

"Hello, Dr. Tang!"

Walking with Tang Weilin was an old man, wearing glasses, balding, quite thin, with a certain aura of refinement on his face.

This person left a deep impression on him.

No other than the ’colleague’ who visited his clinic yesterday noon for a diagnosis. He claimed to have breathing difficulties despite having no illness and asked Li Jingsheng to prescribe medicine.

Li Jingsheng ended up prescribing ’real medicine that doesn’t treat fake diseases’.

After seeing the prescription, the old man fled as if escaping.

At the time, he thought the man was sent by Boss Zhao to sabotage, or maybe doctors from other pharmacies or clinics were here to learn from his success.

Who would’ve thought that the old man was actually a doctor from the Second Hospital.

Bear in mind, the Second Hospital is the undisputed dominant force in this area. Even the official grassroots hospitals like the Old Street of South City Health Service Station, with dozens of medical staff, barely compare to the Second Hospital.

When their eyes met, Li Jingsheng was slightly surprised, but the old man showed a hint of awkwardness.

"Hello, sir!"

Li Jingsheng displayed good composure, smilingly extending a greeting first.

"I didn’t know you knew Director Mu!"

Tang Weilin was quite astonished by Li Jingsheng knowing his superior.

So, this old man is Director Mu?

Learning the man’s true identity, Li Jingsheng suddenly understood why the old man ran to his little clinic for a ’consultation’ yesterday noon.

It’s likely that the family of a patient misdiagnosed with lung cancer began causing a stir after being correctly diagnosed with tuberculosis at a designated hospital yesterday. They probably wanted the doctor responsible to be disgraced.

Director Mu was the attending physician and must have been anxious!

So he personally came to explore Li Jingsheng’s clinic, leading to yesterday’s scene.

He might not have anticipated that Li Jingsheng’s pulmonology diagnosis was far superior, easily confirming the absence of illness. Having realized this, he fled in embarrassment.

Director Mu certainly wouldn’t want his subordinates finding out about these blunders.

Otherwise, where would his old dignity go!

"Oh, we don’t actually know each other; just thought the gentleman looked kind! Hence the greeting."

Li Jingsheng proactively helped Director Mu get out of the bind.

"I see. Let me introduce you. This is my superior, Director Mu, a famous pulmonologist at our Second Hospital. And this is Dr. Li from Sunshine Clinic."

Tang Weilin sensed a slightly awkward atmosphere.

But didn’t overthink it.

He introduced them with a smile.

"Hello, hello!"

Li Jingsheng and Director Mu shook hands in mutual understanding. Li Jingsheng never mentioned yesterday’s events.

Truly smart people see through things without exposing them.

Preserving the other party’s face equals leaving room for future interactions, while also showcasing one’s character and integrity.