Chapter 450: Chapter 449: Work Reassignment

It was lunchtime, so Liu Jin arranged the meeting between Yan Feifan and the visitors from the PLA General Hospital in the Affiliated Hospital’s private dining hall.

The dining hall was located above Employee Cafeteria No. 1. It didn’t have a public dining area, just a few elegantly decorated private rooms.

Yan Feifan had heard about this place long ago, but this was his first time eating here. He couldn’t help but look around curiously.

Liu Jin found this amusing and explained, "Feifan, this place is just where the hospital leadership hosts visiting partner organizations and has working meals with higher-ups."

"The chefs are the same ones from the cafeteria downstairs, and the dishes are the same ones you all eat there regularly."

"It’s nothing special."

Yan Feifan retorted, "Teacher, even with the same chefs and the same ingredients, can cooking in a large wok versus a small one, or cooking carelessly versus cooking with dedication, really produce the same dishes?"

Liu Jin couldn’t be bothered to argue with Yan Feifan. He pushed open the door to a private room and said to the visitors, "Assistant Wen, Mr. Qin, please!"

There were two visitors from the PLA General Hospital.

One was Major Wen Ning, the director’s assistant. She was a servicewoman who looked to be in her thirties, with a neat, short haircut.

The other was an old acquaintance of Yan Feifan’s, Qin Feng.

The four of them had just sat down in the small private room, which could seat seven or eight people, when Ren Zhen, the director of the hospital administration office who had gone to order food, came in carrying two kettles of hot water.

After a round of making and pouring tea, along with some pleasantries, Wen Ning was the first to get down to business.

"Mr. Yan, the PLA General Hospital would like to establish a long-term, stable partnership with you."

Yan Feifan met Wen Ning’s gaze without speaking, his expression telling her to continue.

Wen Ning said in a calm voice, "Just like your cooperation with Baining Hospital, we’d like you to set aside one day a week to come to the PLA General Hospital and perform two to three puncture and injection surgeries for brain or intraspinal tumors."

Yan Feifan replied crisply, "Assistant Wen, thank you for your hospital’s generous offer, but I don’t have any free time."

Wen Ning chuckled lightly. "Mr. Yan, there’s an old saying that goes, ’Time is like water in a sponge. If you squeeze hard enough, you can always get some out.’"

Yan Feifan said flatly, "No matter how hard you squeeze, a week still has seven days, and a day still has twenty-four hours. The total amount of time doesn’t increase."

Wen Ning’s expression froze for a moment. She then continued, "Mr. Yan, I’m aware that you recently established a collaboration with Johns Hopkins Hospital from the United States for one brain tumor surgery every two weeks."

"So how is it that you have no time for us?"

Wen Ning pressed on, "Mr. Yan, surely you understand that given the nature of our hospital, the majority of patients who come to us for treatment are military personnel and cadres who serve the country."

Yan Feifan took a sip of tea before replying with a neutral expression, "Assistant Wen, I can only say that you came too late."

"My time is divided into block after block—for studying, for surgery, for rest, and for my personal life."

"As a surgeon, I also have to reserve some time to handle emergencies. At the same time, I occasionally take on patients or surgeries that I find particularly interesting."

"The only regular block of free time I had has been claimed by Mr. Vega from the United States."

"You were one step too late, so all I can say is I’m sorry."

Wen Ning’s expression turned cold. "Mr. Yan, do you have some sort of issue with the PLA General Hospital?"

"We’re not asking you to serve the people for free. The compensation for this collaboration will only be higher than what Baining Hospital offers."

After a two-second pause, she added, "As far as I know, Mr. Yan, you complete three spinal tumor puncture and injection surgeries at Baining Hospital in just three to four hours..."

"Assistant Wen, forgive my interruption!"

Liu Jin cut in, interrupting her. "Assistant Wen," he asked, "is your professional background in medicine?"

Wen Ning replied in a low voice, "Mr. Liu, my background is in political work, but that doesn’t stop me from..."

Liu Jin interrupted again. "That explains it."

He turned his gaze to Qin Feng, who had been sitting quietly to the side, and asked, "Mr. Qin, how long does it generally take you to design a surgical plan for a brain tumor?"

Qin Feng first glanced at the fuming Wen Ning beside him before speaking. "It takes at least a day."

"For a complex brain tumor, it’s not unheard of to spend three to five days thinking it over."

"On average, I only perform two major brain tumor surgeries a week."

Liu Jin chuckled. "As Mr. Qin said, for complex procedures like brain and intraspinal tumors, the most difficult part is determining the surgical plan."

He continued, "Mr. Qin can only perform two brain tumor surgeries a week, but as for how many surgeries Feifan performs in a week..."

Liu Jin sighed. "I won’t go into the specifics. I’m sure that even if you haven’t done a formal investigation, you’re somewhat aware of the numbers."

"When Feifan says he has no time, it’s not just an excuse to brush you off. He is genuinely exhausted and truly has no time."

Seeing that Wen Ning was about to speak again, Liu Jin continued, "Mr. Yu of the Yu Family of Jingcheng once took Feifan’s pulse and gave him a diagnosis."

"His assessment was very serious."

"You are also in Jingcheng and have the means to contact Mr. Yu. You can verify this for yourselves."

Wen Ning opened her mouth, then immediately stood up and said, "Regarding the time surgeries take, that was due to my own lack of knowledge. I spoke without thinking and made assumptions."

"I apologize!"

After saying this, she immediately raised her hand and gave a military salute to Yan Feifan and Liu Jin.

After lowering her hand, the still-standing Wen Ning spoke again, slowly. "In the inpatient neurology department of the PLA General Hospital, we have many military science and technology personnel and soldiers of all ranks in their forties and fifties, right in their prime years of service."

"Many of them, fearing that brain tumor resection surgery will leave them mentally impaired or incoherent, are enduring all sorts of pain and discomfort, undergoing conservative treatment while racing against time to continue their work."

"We see this, and our hearts ache, but there’s nothing we can do because we are not confident we can cure them."

"I believe Mr. Qin understands this feeling best."

Qin Feng nodded slowly.

Wen Ning took a deep breath and said, "Now that you’ve appeared, Mr. Yan, with such skill and ability, we were naturally overjoyed."

She met Yan Feifan’s gaze and continued, "Mr. Yan, I was a bit too aggressive just now. Please forgive me."

"My intention was not to pressure you into working."

"We are also somewhat aware of your physical condition."

"Mr. Yan, what if we resolve it like this?"

Wen Ning’s tone shifted as she proposed, "Since you can’t increase your workload for various reasons, including your health and schedule, Mr. Yan, how about we arrange a work swap?"

"What kind of swap?" Yan Feifan was now somewhat interested.

Wen Ning smiled. "For example, what if we reduce the three spinal tumor surgeries at Baining Hospital to two, or even one?"

"But..." Yan Feifan’s jaw dropped.

Wen Ning said confidently, "Mr. Yan, as long as you don’t object to this swap, we will handle the negotiations with Baining Hospital."

"You just have to pretend you don’t know anything about it."

"Also..."

Wen Ning added, "We know that you perform one reconstructive surgery for a disabled or deformed child from the welfare institute each week."

"As for that surgery, we can have the Armed Police General Hospital take it over for you. And as compensation, they can even perform an extra one for you each week..."

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