Path of Medicine With a System
chapter-167

Physical education teacher Wang Yongyong asked many of his friends and learned quite a bit about knee surgery. He also learned some about Zhang Fan as well. Although Zhang Fan was still a young doctor, he was quite famous in Chasu City Hospital. Wang Yongyong also made a trip to go visit Guli. Wang Yongyong was a former professional athlete and could tell that Guli didn’t seem to suffer any negative side effects from her previous major knee injury. Her knee joint was quite flexible and sturdy even after the surgery.

Wang Yongyong thus made up his mind to ask Zhang Fan to perform knee surgery on him. Sports medicine surgeries would always be more difficult than regular surgeries as they needed to be more precise. Although Wang Yongyong figured it might be better for him to go to a bigger city for this surgery, that would be more expensive. He had retired from being a professional basketball player early in his career, which was why he hadn’t made much money from that. He had also spent quite a bit of money on cultivating connections so that he could land his job as a physical education teacher.

Personal fitness was becoming ever more popular. However, it was because of the pain in his knee that Wang Yongyong had been unable to work any side jobs for extra income. His son was growing up and his parents were growing old. He needed money for many things. His apartment was also a little too small for his family now, yet the housing prices had risen severely over the past few years. He was under significant pressure. He wouldn’t be able to handle things much longer without extra income from a side job.

He asked one of his former basketball teammates who had previously undergone a similar surgery in Suzhou. His teammate told him that hiring the expert doctor already would cost a bit more than 30,000 yuan, and that he would also have to wait his turn. Although Wang Yongyong didn’t know just how good Zhang Fan was, he figured that Zhang Fan wouldn’t be too shabby after seeing Guli’s healthy knee. Wang Yongyong knew that normally, with a severe knee injury like Guli’s, the person would usually be forced to retire from professional sports. Yet, Guli was still able to continue high-level training even today.

Zhang Fan just returned to Shao Hua’s place and didn’t even have the time to get changed yet when he received a call from Wu Yanchao. “Doctor Zhang, are you working today?”

“Teacher Wu! I’m resting today. What’s up?” Zhang Fan took the call while changing his clothes. Shao Hua’s mother had already brought him a cup of water. Zhang Fan had to work in surgery for far too long every day, so he didn’t dare to drink much water because he didn’t want to have to go to the bathroom in the middle of performing surgery. Over time, he got into the habit of drinking very little water, so his lips were always dry and cracked. Shao Hua then started supervising Zhang Fan’s water intake. Sometimes, when Shao Hua was busy studying accounting, her mother would help supervise Zhang Fan’s water intake.

“It’s like this. My senior would like to invite you to a meal. He’s already reserved the restaurant. Please, we ask that you must attend,” Wu Yanchao told him.

“There’s really no need to be so polite with me. Feel free to say anything directly to me. There’s no need for such formalities. It’s not like we just met each other. You should know how I am!” Zhang Fan said as he took a big gulp of water. The water temperature was just perfect. He had to drink all the water because Shao Hua’s mother was standing right in front of him and waiting.

“It’s nothing so formal, as it’s just an ordinary meal. Since the restaurant’s already been reserved, and it’s just a regular restaurant, just think of it as a meeting between us friends.” Wu Yanchao kept insisting that Zhang Fan come. Wu Yanchao and Wang Yongyong had already been in working society for many years. Although they couldn’t afford money gifts, they still wanted to express their intentions.

There was no helping it. Zhang Fan would have to go, otherwise he wouldn’t be giving them face with how direct they were being with inviting him. Well, he figured he might as well go since he knew them already and they seemed to be alright. “Okay then, which restaurant? I’ll definitely arrive there for dinner tonight. I just returned from another city and need to rest a little while,” Zhang Fan said.

“Okay, sure thing, no rush! There’s no hurry! It’s still early now. Please rest up how you like,” Wu Yanchao replied. Wang Yongyong was currently next to him and heard Zhang Fan’s reply. Wang Yongyong became really happy as one meal wouldn’t cost him that much money! Still, being able to invite a doctor out for a meal meant this was friendship.

“What? You need to go out again?” Shao Hua’s mother asked out of concern. Shao Hua’s father also glanced over in this direction while wearing reading glasses.

“A physical education teacher wants to treat me to a meal. He probably wants me to perform surgery on him.”

“Then go ahead. It’s good for you to know more teachers. They’ll be able to take good care of your children once you and Shao Hua have children!” Shao Hua’s mother exclaimed.

“Oh! Haha.” Zhang Fan didn’t know what he should reply with.

“Zhang Fan, don’t give me any more smokes in the future. The ones you give me don’t taste good. Mine taste better. You’ve been out and busy for the whole day. Hurry and come have some rest on the sofa.”

Shao Hua’s father knew that the smokes Zhang Fan gave him were expensive, but he was unable to complain about the price, so he could only find an excuse.

“It’s already quite good that you have free smokes already. Stop complaining to Zhang Fan. He’s been busy all day!” Shao Hua’s mother didn’t know about the price of the smokes, so she scolded her husband.

“Go away! Go make dinner or something. You don’t understand us men’s business.”

Shao Hua was currently studying in her bedroom. She walked out when she heard Zhang Fan’s voice. “Are you going out for a meal? You don’t like restaurant food, so how about eating some here first?” Shao Hua said as she took Zhang Fan’s jacket and hung it up.

“That’s ridiculous. Eating before going out to a meal? That will make others feel like their food is bad! Sigh, it’s just that Little Zhang’s alcohol tolerance is quite worrisome. You always get drunk before any serious discussion.” Shao Hua’s father had been a farm worker while young. Back then, he could easily down one pint of alcohol. At his current age, he could even down half a pint of alcohol when happy. However, his alcohol tolerance was the only thing he could brag about!

“How about you go with Zhang Fan then! What generation is it now? Still talking about alcohol tolerance?” Shao Hua interrupted her father. Her father didn’t talk back, although he hmphed. He then picked up a newspaper with an unknown date and flipped through it.

“I’ve heard that American ginseng can help improve the immune system. I’m truly worried that your body won’t be able to handle how much work you’re doing. How about I go to the pharmacy to buy some American ginseng for you tomorrow?” Shao Hua sat down on the sofa’s arm and gave Zhang Fan a head massage as he rested on the small one-person sofa.

Zhang Fan was getting slightly tired as well. He had driven for four hundred kilometers today, to and from Chark City, along with performing several surgeries. On his drive back, he also had to concentrate and be on guard against Li Qiong, so he was indeed fatigued.

Although Zhang Fan didn’t open his eyes when he heard Shao Hua say this, he smiled. “There’s no use. Even the best supplements are still medicines. Every medicine is 30% poison. There’s no need to eat such things. As long as I get a shower and sleep well, I’ll be lively again tomorrow.”

Although Shao Hua’s father was flipping through his newspaper, his ears were still paying close attention to their conversation. Older people were often quite interested in their own children’s matters.

“Eat some deer antlers. I have an old friend who’s raising deer on the farm. I’ve heard that those deer antlers are especially effective. Those deer are half wild and half raised. You probably can’t buy such real products in the pharmacies,” Shao Hua’s father said while putting down his newspaper and taking off his reading glasses.

“What do you think?” Shao Hua didn’t understand such things, so she asked Zhang Fan.

Zhang Fan had to sit up and reply to Shao Hua’s father. “Sir, no need about the deer antlers. It’s fine for the elderly to eat some, but I still don’t need them for the time being.” [Author’s note: In China, it’s believed that deer antlers have a similar effect to Viagra.]

It would become a joke all around town if Shao Hua’s father seriously spoke to his friend saying that he wanted to buy deer antlers for his future son-in-law!

“I suppose so. Rest well then. I’ll go get some eggs for you at the farm tomorrow from the hens. You really must be tired today. Sigh! You almost drive as much as our farm’s truck driver. But, even he would drive a few hundred kilometers per day at most. He would refuse to drive any more than that. Not only do you need to drive, you also need to perform surgery.” Zhang Fan was forced to listen to Shao Hua’s father making conversation.

“Hurry and come peel some garlic while I make some fish soup. Hurry over so that Shao Hua and Zhang Fan can have some rest. What are you prattling about? How can a truck driver possibly compare to Zhang Fan!” Shao Hua’s mother was unable to take listening to this anymore, so she shouted for her husband from the kitchen.

“You need help with food for just a few people? You’re getting worse in your old age!” Shao Hua’s father complained unhappily. Last time, when the farm’s secretary asked for his help, Zhang Fan had taken care of it on the very next day. Shao Hua’s father now really loved to chat with Zhang Fan about the old times. Zhang Fan would never talk back and always seemed like he was interested. This made Shao Hua’s father really want to talk.

Shao Hua or Shao Hua’s mother would always impatiently leave or talk back to him.

Shao Hua pulled Zhang Fan down and continued massaging his head. Actually, she was just massaging and squeezing randomly without any actual knowledge of how to perform massages. Although Zhang Fan had his eyes closed, he knew that Shao Hua was looking directly at him! He reached his arm out and gently put it around Shao Hua’s waist. A few minutes later, he fell asleep!

Shao Hua gently got up and covered his body with a small blanket. She checked the time and saw that there was still plenty of time until dinner, so she secretly went to the kitchen.

“He’s asleep?” Shao Hua’s mother secretly asked while peeking at Zhang Fan on the sofa.

“Yeah. He instantly fell asleep. He must be really tired today.”

“Of course he would be tired. He had to drive several hundred kilometers as well as perform surgery. You should try and convince him to work less. Right now, he’s still young so he doesn’t feel anything, but he’ll really suffer in the future when he’s older.”

“Yeah. I’ll talk to him sometime about it.”

“What are you talking about! You two know nothing!” Shao Hua’s father complained while peeling garlic. “Old Wang’s son in our district is also working at the hospital, you know? Before, he would always ignore me, but now he always gives me a smoke and greets me upon seeing me. That’s why, understand? That’s Zhang Fan gaining face at the hospital! Someone smart enough to have so much face at the hospital needs you women to remind him? What a joke!”

“Do you care about face or do you only care about the smokes!” Shao Hua’s mother glared at him.

“You know nothing! Men achieve everything through hard work. Have you ever seen any successful person who didn’t work hard? Still, it’s important to remind Little Zhang to watch out for his body!” Shao Hua’s father was purely bored.

“Just go out and have a walk!” Shao Hua’s mother chased her husband out. “Your father is nagging more and more as he gets older. You and Zhang Fan still haven’t had sex yet, right?”

“Mom!” Shao Hua squealed out of embarrassment.

“Sigh! My daughter is getting older and will get married soon! How about you two hurry and get your marriage license? Look at him, he’s always so busy. It must be hard for him to be by himself in Chasu City.”

“He’s training himself!” Shao Hua didn’t dare to mention anything else. She was worried that her parents would worry. She really understood Zhang Fan now after such a long period of going out with him. Although he seemed ordinary, he had quite a prideful heart filled with ambition.

Ever since the previous dinner with all his friends, Shao Hua would occasionally contact Zhang Fan’s alumni Su Jing or Wang Yanan and the others for small gatherings. Shao Hua was slowly learning about Zhang Fan’s accomplishments at the hospital

Right now, she was working hard as well. Loving someone didn’t mean only counting on the other to give everything. Rather, it should be about mutual support. The prerequisite for this was that she couldn’t be too far behind him. Otherwise, she would become a burden. A marriage of pity would be quite sad!

Zhang Fan slept for about half an hour before he woke up and checked the time. There was still plenty of time until dinner. He got up and washed his face. He could already smell the fish soup from the kitchen!