Director Huang finished speaking, picked up the thermometer and examined it carefully. Then he picked up his pen and wrote the examination results on the medical record, and also issued a treatment order. He then instructed the middle-aged female nurse, "Xiao Liu, the patient still has a slight fever, which indicates inflammation in his wound. He still needs to be given anti-inflammatory injections tonight. Tomorrow morning, we will arrange for a blood draw to test his routine blood count. I have already prescribed the anti-inflammatory injection. You go to the pharmacy to get the medicine and administer it to him immediately."
Nurse Liu agreed, took the medical record and treatment order from Director Huang, and left.
Director Huang then handed Jia Yao another slip of paper and said, "Tomorrow morning, take him to the radiology department to have an X-ray of his leg."
Jia Yao nodded with admiration and quickly reached out to take the slip.
Chen Lan saw Jia Yao's reaction and had some thoughts.
Seeing Director Huang preparing to leave, Chen Lan quickly spoke up, "Director Huang, please wait. I'd like to ask you something."
Director Huang, who was about to leave the ward, stopped immediately upon hearing Chen Lan's words and asked, "Young woman, feel free to ask whatever you need."
Chen Lan then directly asked, "Director Huang, I just wanted to ask if you are willing to take on an apprentice? Someone who would be your disciple and not ask for any wages, like the master-disciple relationship of the past, purely to learn medicine from you."
Jia Yao looked at Director Huang expectantly as Chen Lan spoke.
Director Huang looked at Chen Lan, then at Jia Yao. Seeing Jia Yao's eager expression, and knowing that Jia Yao was indeed a rare talent in medicine, coupled with his over ten years of medical foundation, he would likely learn quickly. Director Huang couldn't help but be tempted. Moreover, it would be excellent to have such a strong successor to his medical skills, which would bring him prestige among his peers.
After some thought, he said, "Young woman, I can't make this decision on my own. How about this! I'll speak with the院长 (Dean) first tomorrow morning. Jia Yao, you wait for me in the ward. If there are no issues, you can come with me to and from work every day. How much you can learn will depend on your own fortune."
Chen Lan and Jia Yao, mother and son, heard Director Huang's words and knew that he had agreed. Chen Lan immediately said happily, "Thank you, Director Huang! Don't worry, I understand the rules of apprenticeship. We will follow all the old customs for the apprenticeship ceremony!"
Jia Yao also happily shouted, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"
Director Huang smiled and waved his hands, "Young woman, that's not necessary. We are in a new society now, all of us raised under the red flag. We can just have a few colleagues from the hospital act as witnesses. Please don't make this public yet. After I speak with the Dean tomorrow, we can announce it then."
Chen Lan and Jia Yao, mother and son, were overjoyed to hear Director Huang's arrangement and readily agreed! Jia Xing was also happy for his elder brother.
With Director Huang personally taking the initiative, and as a key figure in the hospital's medical practice, his request to take on an apprentice was readily approved by the Dean.
The Dean thought that he was gaining a free laborer who didn't require any salary or benefits, and it was a good deed to Director Huang. It was a win-win situation he couldn't afford to miss.
Everything was progressing in a positive direction. Three days later, on a morning, Director Huang performed orthopedic surgery on Wei Dang. The surgery was very successful, and Jia Yao observed the entire procedure by his master, Director Huang's side.
After the surgery, back in the ward, Chen Lan anxiously asked Jia Yao, "Jia Yao, how is it?"
Jia Yao happily replied, "Mother, the surgery was very successful, and I have also benefited greatly."
Director Huang also stated that Wei Dang's surgery was very successful and that after a few more days of anti-inflammatory injections, he could go home to recuperate.
Regarding the formal apprenticeship ceremony, Director Huang said there was no rush. He said he would arrange it after Jia Yao could successfully perform an operation on his own, explaining that this would prove the apprentice had learned true skills from him, qualifying him to be Jia Yao's master. Only then would it be appropriate to hold the apprenticeship ceremony.
Chen Lan was truly impressed by Director Huang's demeanor and way of handling things. She had never imagined that the master-disciple relationship in this era could be so pure, devoid of personal gain, and completely selfless.
The master genuinely taught wholeheartedly and without reservation, without any fear of the apprentice surpassing them.
Chen Lan could only sigh again at her good fortune, encountering mostly simple and kind people. Perhaps, as Xu Mingxuan had said, by treating others with kindness, she would receive kindness in return.
Leopard and Mountain Cat finally waited for Xu Mingxuan, who was home on leave for the weekend. The three former comrades-in-arms embraced tightly, their eyes a little red. Naturally, there were endless things for reunited friends to talk about.
Chen Lan and Jia Hui, mother and daughter, were busy at home. Jia He helped the mother and daughter. Jia Xing accompanied Wei Dang at the hospital. The mother and daughter were frying, stir-frying, and stewing, bringing out their best culinary skills to prepare a table full of dishes to entertain their comrades.
Chen Lan and Xu Mingxuan, husband and wife, also made a special trip to the hospital. One was for Xu Mingxuan to visit Wei Dang, and the other was to invite Director Huang to their home for dinner. However, by chance, Director Huang and Jia Yao were in the operating room performing surgery.
Xu Mingxuan spoke with Wei Dang for a while, telling him the truth about his parents taking refuge in the valley. He suggested that Wei Dang go to the valley to recuperate after his leg healed, and he could also reunite with his parents there.
Unexpectedly, Wei Dang, such a strong man who hadn't shed a tear despite his severe leg injury, had his eyes red upon hearing the news of his parents' safety. He was so moved and grateful that he couldn't speak, only gripping Xu Mingxuan's hand tightly.
Xu Mingxuan smiled knowingly and patted his arm, "Wei Dang, don't think about anything else. Rest well in the hospital and make sure you appear before your parents in good health."
Wei Dang, with red eyes, nodded. He finally managed to utter a sentence, "Uncle Mingxuan, thank you. You and Auntie are good people."
Seeing that the atmosphere in the ward was becoming solemn and oppressive, Chen Lan quickly interjected, "I'm not doing anything good; I'm a bad person who doesn't do bad things."