"Brother Wu, why are you here? It's not your shift today, is it?" Around twelve noon, Lu Cheng saw Tian Zhuang as he walked out of the ward back to his office.

Today's duty was Zhang Tiesheng and Du Daihua, and Lu Cheng and Zeng Huanqi were on surgical standby, not Tian Zhuang.

Tian Zhuang had a typically long face and sharp features; he touched the indent on his chin and said, "Brother Lu, I wanted to ask, after practicing the pressure bandage using the video you sent, how do I continue practicing?"

Tian Zhuang's social approach is straightforward and strong, without pleasantries or warm-ups, focusing on efficiency and directness.

"Continue practicing on pig feet," Lu Cheng said.

Tian Zhuang thought for a moment and then looked at Lu Cheng, saying, "Brother Lu, do we have to buy the pig feet ourselves?"

The pressure bandage was taken by Tian Zhuang from the department; it was disposable and wouldn't be reused.

After use, sterilizing it yourself makes it good stitching material.

"Yes, go to the market and buy. You can choose the hind legs; the pig tendons tend to be thicker," Lu Cheng suggested.

Tian Zhuang asked again, "Brother Lu, do you have any unused practice materials, like tweezers?"

"No, Tian Zhuang, these are not for lending," Lu Cheng said.

The basic practice of suturing skill requires simple needle holders and tweezers.

But once you get into tendon suturing technique, you'll need to buy micro instruments or ophthalmic instruments; Tian Zhuang has borrowed them from Lu Cheng several times.

Tian Zhuang was puzzled, "Why can't they be lent?"

"Brother Wu, if I lend them to you today, what do I do if I want to use them tomorrow?" Lu Cheng asked. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"I'll return them to you?" Tian Zhuang answered.

"If I lend them to you in the morning and want them again in the afternoon?" Lu Cheng continued.

"I can return them to you as well."

"What if you're on duty?" Lu Cheng sped up his speech.

Even the slowest could hear that the usually pleasant Lu Cheng was a bit upset.

Tian Zhuang said, "Brother Lu, I just think those things are expensive, costing thousands of yuan for a set, so I thought about borrowing from you or maybe you had spares."

Lu Cheng emphasized, "No spares, buy them yourself, Brother Wu!~"

Lu Cheng hadn't heard of borrowing private training room equipment from others; it's the kind of thing that only happens with Tian Zhuang.

Tian Zhuang then suggested, "Brother Lu, can I use them at your home? I won't take them, I'll use them and then return."

"Is there a problem? Where's your money?" Lu Cheng directly asked Tian Zhuang.

Tian Zhuang's performance and salary aren't low, how could he not have three thousand yuan to spare?

It ultimately depends on whether Tian Zhuang is willing to spend.

Lu Cheng mentioned money directly, and Tian Zhuang fell silent, eventually no longer mentioning the borrowing of instruments or practicing at Lu Cheng's home.

"Brother Lu, thank you for sending the materials and giving specific guidance, otherwise, I wouldn't have progressed so fast." Tian Zhuang finally said thank you to Lu Cheng.

"No worries, it's what I should do!~"

"Are you having a boxed lunch here at noon?" Lu Cheng asked.

Tian Zhuang shook his head, "No need, no need, I have lunch prepared at home, so I don't need to eat outside; eating outside is expensive."

Maybe it's influence from teaching or subtle effects, Tian Zhuang then asked, "Brother Lu, should I treat you to a meal?"

Whoa, is this how you ask directly?

Lu Cheng shook his head and straightforwardly said, "No need, I'm not a teacher, let alone someone like Professor Chen."

"Then thank you, Brother Lu," Tian Zhuang didn't continue the topic and turned to leave the office.

It seems every money-related issue makes Tian Zhuang sensitive.

His visit was mainly to ask whether pig feet need to be purchased, if instruments can be borrowed, and to thank Lu Cheng.

After Tian Zhuang left, Lu Cheng hesitated for a while, calming himself, and sat down to chat and share with Mu Nanshu: "I've really met a genuine person here..."

"Shoo!~"

"Brother Lu, are you free at noon? My name is Xiaomi, resting in the lounge, when will you come and eat me?"

Zhang Tiesheng walked out of the lounge, pinching his voice to imitate, first mimicking a WeChat notification before delivering the latter part.

"Brother Zhang, I'm coming..." Just having sat down, Lu Cheng stood up.

Zhang Tiesheng's expression suddenly became serious, his eyes slightly uneasy, "Was Tian Zhuang just talking about entering the basic level for tendon suturing?"

"Brother Zhang, you heard that?" Lu Cheng said, surprised.

Receiving the answer, Zhang Tiesheng left first, touching his chin and pondering, "I never thought Tian Zhuang was particularly talented, how has he progressed so fast?"

Zhang Tiesheng also considered whether he should practice suturing skill as well, aiming to master tendon suturing cases.

But Lu Cheng told him it would require at least six months of hard work, which led Zhang Tiesheng to give up.

However, Tian Zhuang started from a lower level and, through two months of hard practice, reached the threshold level, soon to be able to operate.

...

Lu Cheng and Zhang Tiesheng ordered claypot rice, one with cured meat and dry tofu slices, the other with beef and radish slices.

Both are very efficient at making a meal.

Lu Cheng, nearly full, suddenly asked, "Brother Zhang, why do you all say anyone who can get money from Brother Wu, you all will compensate fifty times over?"

Zhang Tiesheng was shoveling rice into his mouth, the action not particularly elegant, but the way he chewed was quite graceful once the food was in his mouth.

After chewing slowly and carefully, he said, "Xiao Lu, don't you know the reason? Then why not teach Brother Wu tendon suturing then?"

"But let me tell you, Xiao Lu, every family has their troubles; Brother Wu's family issues aren't something he can fully address."

"He's not married, and he has two older brothers who aren't either. Otherwise... he wouldn't willingly be the family ATM."

Lu Cheng stopped his chopsticks, "Ah? Is there such a situation?"

Zhang Tiesheng said, "Let me tell you, Tian Zhuang's salary and performance all get handed in, he only gets a little for food and pocket money each month."

"According to him, his mother says eating at home is cheap, affordable, and healthy, though he has a brother I often see going in and out of KTV's and hotels."

Lu Cheng suddenly realized, after this curiosity, he then asked, "Brother Zhang, while we're gossiping... Brother Zeng privately told me yesterday that you previously performed poorly in the college entrance exam due to 'heartbreak'..."

"Otherwise, you would've been a Qingbei candidate, but ended up at Hengda University? Is there such a story?"

"Who is she? That charming?"

Heartbreak, performance failure, Qingbei candidate went to Hengnan University, a hundred point difference.

Zhang Tiesheng suddenly became embarrassed, "Why does Zeng Huanqi tell you everything..."

Recalling his youthful foolishness, Zhang Tiesheng felt infinitely stupid.

Plus, not only did Zhang Tiesheng perform poorly, but instead of retaking the exam, he followed his 'goddess' to Heng City to study clinical medicine at Hengnan University.

"Heard you went to Heng City with a fractured bone?" Lu Cheng widened his eyes, solemnly expressing 'admiration' for Zhang Tiesheng of the past.

Young passion for youth, as adorable as a girl's blush.

What about Zhang Tiesheng's family background? His family is knowledgeable but would not let him mess around.

Yet, with fractured bones, still acting foolish, several 'elderly' dared not continue to act; they wouldn't go as far as to beat someone to death...

Zhang Tiesheng shyly twisted and squirmed.