Tong Yuan'an glanced at Lu Cheng. Although he didn't speak, the resentful look and expression fully conveyed a sense of grievance.

I am a damn associate professor, how come I end up at such a disadvantage when discussing topics?

Your girlfriend?

Lu Cheng could understand Tong Yuan'an's situation at the moment, so he said, "Professor Tong, I'm not very knowledgeable about research, but I think what Xiao Shu said makes sense. When I went to Union Hospital to study before—"

"Professor Zhong also expressed a similar opinion to me."

If Lu Cheng didn't have Mu Nanshu, then it would be easy to collaborate with Tong Yuan'an, with Lu Cheng providing effort and Tong Yuan'an providing funding.

But with Mu Nanshu involved, she can bring in funds and people, and even she herself comes with research funding.

If Mu Nanshu provides money and applies for project funding, while Lu Cheng provides manpower, then what is Tong Yuan'an here for?

This statement is very direct, even somewhat mercenary, yet it's an unavoidable topic in the field of research.

It's impossible for peer institutions to snatch each other's fruits. Union Hospital, regardless of its stature, doesn't need to indulge Xiangya Hospital, and the reverse is also true.

The main point is that Lu Cheng now controls the technological core, and Tong Yuan'an can take his method back and do it himself without any issues; everyone can do their own thing.

But one thing can't be ignored, which is that Tong Yuan'an is technically Lu Cheng's teacher, having taught Lu Cheng some techniques before.

However, for Tong Yuan'an, there's another unavoidable issue: he now finds it difficult to interact with Lu Cheng as a teacher.

Teach what?

Functional reconstruction? Long County People's Hospital doesn't have that level of expertise; the anesthesiologists don't even have senior titles, it's a veto right there.

Flap transplantation? 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Lu Cheng works in the emergency department, and skin defects are scheduled conditions, not applicable to emergency surgeries.

Tong Yuan'an sighed, "Xiao Mu, you're being too harsh; it sounds completely like getting something for nothing."

"If you calculate it like this, it's me who's providing money, manpower, and effort."

Mu Nanshu said, "Teacher Tong, you've misunderstood. Currently, functional reconstruction surgery in hand surgery is an essential field for all hand surgeons, a topic mentioned but not perfected."

"Certainly, the key points involve a series of techniques related to nerve suturing, but tendon suturing is also an important component of functional reconstruction."

"Whether improving tendon suturing techniques can advance the development of functional reconstruction is still an unknown."

"This is a subject worth long-term discussion and research; Professor Tong, as a professional researcher, you wouldn't want just a superficial taste in this field, right?"

"No matter which team, if they can develop their unique features in a small aspect, they can establish themselves in the domestic and even global field."

"Even if it's just tendon suturing."

Mu Nanshu hasn't been to hand surgery, but she spent many years at Stanford University and knows clearly that the current direction of medical development is specialization.

Building a signature within a field, even if it's just excelling in tendon suturing nationwide, will continually attract patients.

"Professor Tong, don't forget that currently, regarding the revision of tendon surgery, there isn't a particularly standard conclusion globally."

"Other than standard trauma, tendon rupture also includes tendons fused, tendon contractures, and tendon disjunction manipulated by elective surgery…"

Mu Nanshu didn't talk about anything too grandiose, but her solid foundational skills shone through; after reading relevant literature for a period, she quickly found the breakthrough point.

Tendon rupture is an emergency condition, but not all tendon ruptures originate from trauma emergencies.

Tong Yuan'an's pupils suddenly flashed with brilliance, "Good... it's possible."

Currently, in the field of hand surgery, no matter how well you do digit replantation, it's just regurgitating concepts.

There are at least eighty professors nationwide excelling in limb replantation; when you talk about such things at hand surgery academic conferences, others aren't interested in listening; how good can you really be?

However, on some rare conditions, everyone tends to have different opinions, resembling a situation of competing for dominance.

So, in this scenario, to stand out, you can only venture into "niche" technologies, making niche technologies your benchmark, emblematic in the industry.

For example, the perforator flap promoted by Professor Tan from Xiangya Hospital is the foundation for Professor Tan Zhongyuan.

There's also nerve suturing advocated by some professors at Union Hospital, foundational to Union Hospital's longstanding debate with Huashan.

And the limb replantation and its derivative techniques at Modu Sixth Hospital and Huashan Hospital...

"Professor Tong, I'm not a specialist employed in hand surgery, but I did hear from Lu Cheng that the hand surgery suturing technique is essentially reconstructing life's order through suturing."

"This is the fundamental point upon which all suturing techniques must stand; given that this is the basic point, then the derivatives of suturing techniques are based on this."

"Tang suturing method already has its recommended professional learning process, then our team-developed suturing techniques should also find these elements, allowing others to learn methodically, rather than relying purely on personal talent."

"Once a surgical technique is developed, its learning path must also be developed to enable its spread."

"After it's spread, not only do patients benefit, but we benefit as well."

"Professor Tong, during the process of bringing people to, you could also apply for an educational topic based on this."