Chapter 731: Chapter 730: Luck and Fortune

On Sunday at noon, Shu Lei and Liu Xia, in their role as Yan Feifan’s parents, hosted a meal for Yu Yopeng and his wife, Su Ru, at Luo’s Private Kitchen. Yan Feifan, Yan Ziruo, and Yu Suye were there to keep them company.

At nearly four in the afternoon, Yan Feifan and Yu Suye saw Yu Yopeng and Su Ru off at Binhai International Airport.

At six in the evening, back at Luo’s Private Kitchen, the Yan siblings and Yu Suye hosted a dinner for their youngest aunt’s family and friends.

Monday arrived in the blink of an eye. As Yan Feifan faced the new work week, he felt a sense of relief that his life was finally getting back to normal.

A little after eight in the morning, he brought Pan Jichuan to the office of the Director of Cardiac Surgery.

As soon as they walked in, Yan Feifan heard a piece of good news from Mr. Liang.

"Feifan, the dual-surgeon heart transplant research you’re heading has been designated a key project by the Municipal Health Commission and the hospital. It was officially approved and funded in early September."

"Early September?"

Yan Feifan couldn’t help but point out, "Sir, it’s already the end of September!"

Liang Zhao Kui chuckled. "I’m well aware of what date it is."

"But a project like ours has to be officially established *before* it can yield research results, wouldn’t you agree?"

He tossed a few documents to Yan Feifan. "These are our project proposal, approval forms, and so on. You’re the project lead, so go ahead and sign them."

Yan Feifan flipped to the signature page of the project proposal. He saw that Liang Zhao Kui, Gu Lin, and the other three of the cardiac surgery department’s five top surgeons had already signed. He was the only one left.

And the application date was listed as August 27th.

As Yan Feifan signed his name, he muttered, "This is blatant forgery!"

Jian Zhaokui chuckled. "It’s just drafting a few documents and signing a few names for one point eight million in research funds. If you ask me, I wish we had this kind of ’forgery’ every day."

After a short pause, Liang Zhao Kui said slowly, "Feifan, the Municipal Health Commission and the hospital allocate a significant amount of research funding each year, but truly influential research findings don’t happen every year."

"This dual-surgeon heart transplant procedure of yours is one of the most influential medical achievements of the year, both nationally and internationally."

"It’s a major feather in their cap, so of course they’re going to claim it as their own."

"In any case, we don’t lose out at all. In fact, we gain some substantial benefits. So why wouldn’t we go along with it?"

’It still felt like the money was burning a hole in his pocket. He couldn’t accept it with a completely clear conscience,’ Yan Feifan thought, though he understood the logic.

Jian Zhaokui added, "After deducting the actual costs incurred by our cardiac surgery department, such as for specimens, all of this research funding will be transferred to your lab."

Yan Feifan knew better than to think he could monopolize all the benefits.

He chuckled. "My esteemed teachers have worked hard on this. I can’t possibly take all the benefits for myself."

"Sir, you know as well as I do that I’m not hurting for money."

Jian Zhaokui nodded in satisfaction. "It’s the thought that counts. It’s not like the rest of us are hurting for money, either."

"Just keep performing well and achieving more results for the cardiac surgery department. That’s all the satisfaction we need."

"Sir, I won’t let you down!"

Yan Feifan made his declaration, handed the signed documents back to Mr. Liang, and asked, "So, Sir, what’s on the agenda for today?"

"Are we still practicing to perfect the dual-surgeon procedure?"

Liang Zhao Kui smiled. "A few of us practiced and familiarized ourselves with it over the weekend. We’re feeling pretty confident. All we need now is a real-world case."

"However, a live case is a matter of waiting for the right opportunity. It might be this week, or it might be next."

"Statistically speaking, the cardiac surgery department gets a heart transplant case every ten to fifteen days or so."

"As for your work today..."

Jian Zhaokui pointed to the office next door. "Go find Dr. Gu. He has a fairly complex ventricular septal defect repair scheduled for today. You’ll be his assistant."

He added, "While it isn’t a particularly difficult major surgery, it’s the most common procedure we perform in cardiac surgery."

"It’s one you need to become familiar with and master..."

Yan Feifan led Pan Jichuan to the office of Dr. Gu Lin next door. He found him listening to a report from two students who had been on the night shift, detailing the recovery of several post-operative patients.

After listening, Gu Lin said nothing, merely giving a wave of his hand.

The two students understood this was their dismissal. Their night’s work was officially over, and they could go home and sleep.

After they left, Gu Lin got up as well. "Let’s go. We’ll check on the child who’s having surgery today."

As he spoke, he tossed a physical copy of the patient’s chart to Yan Feifan.

Yan Feifan looked over the chart as he, along with five other students and assistants, followed Dr. Gu Lin out of the office.

Coincidentally, Dr. Deng Chunming was also leading a group of people out of the office across the hall, a look of excitement on his face.

Gu Lin’s eyes met Deng Chunming’s. He heard the other man gloat, "Mr. Gu, my friend! This morning I heard two magpies chirping—a good omen. And guess what?"

"Just now, not even five minutes ago, I got the call. A donor heart is available for one of my patients."

"The donor is at Huashan Hospital. They’re sending it over shortly."

Seeing Gu Lin grinding his teeth in frustration, Deng Chunming felt even more smug. "Haha! This time, the heavens are smiling down on me. Luck is finally on my side."

"Eat your heart out, Mr. Gu!"

Deng Chunming then turned his gaze to Yan Feifan and gestured to him. "Yan, forget about following Mr. Gu today. Come with me and Mr. Zhang and witness this historic moment."

Before Yan Feifan could even open his mouth, Gu Lin’s face hardened. He said grimly, "As scheduled, Yan is supposed to be observing and learning about ventricular septal defect repair with me today."

"Isn’t that right, Yan?"

Feeling Dr. Gu’s sharp gaze on him, Yan Feifan obediently replied, "Mr. Gu, that is the arrangement."

Deng Chunming shot Gu Lin a contemptuous look, then shouted toward the office diagonally across the hall, "Mr. Zhang! Zhang Shi’an! Are you ready yet?"

"Stop dawdling and get out here!"

Yan Feifan followed the very grumpy Gu Lin to a three-patient room on the sixth floor, where they met the patient for today’s surgery.

He was a seven-year-old boy.

Gu Lin softened his expression and personally conducted the boy’s pre-operative examination.

During the examination, the little boy suddenly spoke up timidly. "Doctor, can I have Dr. Zhou Xian do my surgery?"

"I heard he’s the best at..."

"Tao, don’t talk nonsense!"

The boy’s father, his expression changing drastically, sharply cut his son off. He then said apologetically, "Dr. Gu, he’s just a child talking nonsense. Please don’t be upset."

"We know you’re a renowned cardiac specialist at the Affiliated Hospital. A surgery like this is child’s play for you."

Gu Lin looked at the boy’s worried parents, then swept his gaze over the other two patients and their families in the room, who were sneaking glances in their direction.

"I know. You’ve all heard things like, ’For a septal defect repair, you want Zhou Xian.’"

Gu Lin announced in a clear voice, "I can tell you—and I am legally accountable for this statement—that when it comes to atrioventricular septal defect repair, Dr. Zhou Xian doesn’t even rank in the top five in our cardiac surgery department."

"That’s because the top surgeons are busy with far more complex and difficult procedures, like heart transplants, correction of cardiac deformities, and aortic arch replacements. We normally wouldn’t even accept a case as straightforward as an atrioventricular septal defect repair."

Gu Lin looked at the child’s parents. "In fact, your son’s surgery was originally scheduled to be performed by a resident I trained. I wouldn’t have taken over if I weren’t using it for a teaching demonstration today."

The boy’s father nodded repeatedly. "Dr. Gu, we’re aware of that. Dr. Go told us as much."

"Dr. Go also said that you, Dr. Gu, are one of the five giants of cardiac surgery, a top-tier cardiac expert in the country."

"We’re very fortunate to have you performing the surgery!"

Gu Lin grunted in satisfaction. He left a student behind to prep the boy for surgery, then led Yan Feifan and the others toward the surgical wing on the fourth floor...

At that very moment, an ambulance with Beijing license plates pulled slowly into the Affiliated Hospital’s driveway.

Inside the ambulance, an exhausted Lv Xing, her fatigue from the long night evident, tightly gripped the hand of the comatose, middle-aged man lying on the gurney.

"Dad, we’re here. We’ve arrived at Bin University Affiliated Hospital."

"Meeting Mr. Yan... it felt like fate was guiding me. I’m sure he can wake you up..."

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