This doctor is already middle-aged, and he's only just started practicing medicine.

Chapter 95 Tian Zhuang's Progress!
"Fifth Brother, what brings you here? It shouldn't be your shift in the ward today, right?" Around noon, Lu Cheng saw Tian Zhuang as he walked out of the ward and back to his office.

Zhang Tiesheng and Du Daihua are on duty today, while Lu Cheng and Zeng Huanqi are on standby for surgery. Tian Zhuang is not on duty.

Tian Zhuang has a long face and a pointed head. He touched the dimple on his chin and said, "Brother Lu, I wanted to ask how to practice after suturing the pressure band according to the video you sent."

Tian Zhuang's communication style remains straightforward and direct, without any polite formalities or pleasantries; his main focus is efficiency and directness.

"The rest of the time we practiced on pig's trotters," Lu Cheng said.

Tian Zhuang thought for a moment before looking at Lu Cheng and saying, "Brother Lu, do we have to go and buy these pig's trotters ourselves?"

The tourniquet was brought back by Tian Zhuang from the department. Nowadays, tourniquets are all disposable and are not recycled.

After use, simply disinfect it yourself, and it becomes a good suture material.

“Right? Go to the market and you can choose to buy the hind leg; the tendons will be thicker.” Lu Cheng suggested.

Tian Zhuang then asked, "Brother Lu, do you have any unwanted practice materials, like tweezers or something..."

“No, Tian Zhuang, this isn’t for lending out,” Lu Cheng said.

When practicing basic suturing skills, a simple needle holder and tweezers are sufficient.

However, when it comes to tendon suturing techniques, it is necessary to buy microscopic instruments or ophthalmic instruments, and Tian Zhuang has already borrowed them from Lu Cheng several times.

Tian Zhuang asked, puzzled, "Why not lend someone?"

"Fifth Brother, if I lend it to you today, what will I do if I want to use it myself tomorrow?" Lu Cheng asked.

"I'll give it back to you?" Tian Zhuang replied.

"I lent it to you this morning, but I want to use it again this afternoon?" Lu Cheng continued.

"I can return it to you."

"What if you're on duty?" Lu Cheng quickened his pace.

Even the slow-witted Tian Zhuang could tell that the usually amiable Lu Cheng was somewhat angry.

Tian Zhuang said, "Brother Lu, I just think those things are too expensive, a set costs several thousand yuan, so I was thinking of borrowing them from you, or just in case you have spares."

Lu Cheng emphasized, "There are no spares, buy your own, Fifth Brother!"

Lu Cheng had never heard of anyone borrowing equipment from a private training room; this was something that only happened with Tian Zhuang.

Tian Zhuang then suggested, "Brother Lu, can I use your place? I won't take it with me; I'll come right back after I'm done."

"Are you having some kind of trouble? Where's your money?" Lu Cheng asked Tian Zhuang directly.

Tian Zhuang's performance and salary are not low, how could he not even be able to come up with more than three thousand yuan?

It all depends on whether Tian Zhuang is willing to give it up.

When Lu Cheng brought up money directly, Tian Zhuang fell silent and never mentioned borrowing equipment or practicing at Lu Cheng's house again.

"Brother Lu, thank you for the materials and specific guidance you sent me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to improve so quickly." Tian Zhuang rarely thanked Lu Cheng.

"It's nothing, it's all part of my job!"

"Are you having lunch here with us?" Lu Cheng asked.

Tian Zhuang shook his head: "No need, no need. I have a meal at home, so we don't need to eat out. Eating out is too expensive."

Perhaps it was through verbal instruction or by constant exposure, but Tian Zhuang asked again, "Brother Lu, should I treat you to a meal?"

Holy crap, is there any way to just ask directly?

Lu Cheng shook his head and said frankly, "It's not necessary. I'm not a teacher, much less a superior like Professor Chen."

"Then thank you, Brother Lu." Tian Zhuang really didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he turned around and left the office.

It seems that every topic related to money makes Tian Zhuang sensitive.

His purpose in coming was simply to ask if he needed to buy pig's trotters, if he could borrow the equipment, and to thank Lu Cheng. After Tian Zhuang left, Lu Cheng hesitated for a while, then calmed himself down and sat down to chat with Mu Nanshu, sharing, "I've really met a wonderful person with a pure heart..."

"Phew!~"

"Brother Lu, are you free at noon? My name is Xiaomi, and I'm chubby and fair-skinned. I'm in the lounge. When are you going to come and eat me up?"

Zhang Tiesheng walked out of the lounge, pinching his own voice to make a funny face, first simulating a WeChat message notification before the second half.

“Brother Zhang, I’m coming right now…” Lu Cheng, who had just sat down, stood up.

Zhang Tiesheng's expression suddenly turned serious, his eyes slightly restrained: "Just now, didn't Tian Zhuang seem to be talking about how he's mastered the basics of tendon suturing?"

"Brother Zhang, did you hear that?" Lu Cheng asked in surprise.

Having received the answer, Zhang Tiesheng left first, stroking his chin in bewilderment: "I didn't think Tian Zhuang had any particularly great talent, so how did he improve so quickly?"

Zhang Tiesheng also considered whether he should practice suturing techniques and try to master tendon suturing.

But after Lu Cheng told him that it would take at least six months of hard work, Zhang Tiesheng gave up.

On the other hand, Tian Zhuang, who was at a lower level than him, practiced hard for two months and reached the entry-level skill level, and was able to start operating immediately.

……

Lu Cheng and Zhang Tiesheng ordered clay pot rice, one with cured pork and dried tofu strips, and the other with beef and radish strips.

These are all very easy and delicious dishes to eat with rice.

After Lu Cheng had eaten nearly half his fill, he suddenly asked, "Brother Zhang, why do you guys always say that if anyone manages to squeeze money out of Fifth Brother, you'll make up for it fiftyfold?"

Zhang Tiesheng shoveled rice into his mouth, and while the action wasn't exactly elegant, the way he chewed the food was quite graceful.

After chewing slowly for a while, he said, "Xiao Lu, don't you know the reason? Why don't we let you teach Fifth Brother how to suture tendons?"

"But let me tell you about Xiao Lu. Every family has its own problems. He can't fill the hole in Fifth Brother's family."

“He has two older brothers who are not married yet. It’s only because he’s honest that he wouldn’t willingly let himself be exploited.”

Lu Cheng put down his chopsticks: "Huh? There's such a saying?"

Zhang Tiesheng said, "Let me tell you, Tian Zhuang's salary and performance bonuses are all handed over to the government. He only gets a little bit of food allowance and pocket money each month."

"According to him, his mother said that eating at home is cheap, affordable, and healthy. However, I often see his brother going in and out of KTVs and hotels."

Lu Cheng suddenly realized, and after finishing his curiosity, he asked, "Brother Zhang, want some gossip... Brother Zeng told me privately yesterday that you performed poorly on your college entrance exam because of a 'heartbreak'..."

"Otherwise, he would at least be a prospect for Tsinghua or Peking University, and then he went to Hengshui University? Is that true?"

"Who is it? So charming!"

Heartbroken and underperforming, a promising student from Tsinghua and Peking Universities ended up at Hengnan University – a stark contrast to his previous situation.

Zhang Tiesheng immediately became embarrassed: "Why does Zeng Huanqi tell you everything...?"

Thinking back to his outrageous behavior back then, Zhang Tiesheng felt incredibly foolish.

Moreover, it wasn't just Zhang Tiesheng's poor performance that was flamboyant; he also didn't retake the exam, but instead followed his "goddess" to Hengshi to study clinical medicine at Hengnan University.

"I heard he went to Hengshi with a broken bone?" Lu Cheng's eyes widened, and he solemnly expressed his 'admiration' for Zhang Tiesheng back then.

A boy's deep affection is as endearing as a girl's blushing.

What was Zhang Tiesheng's family background? His family members were all knowledgeable and wouldn't tolerate his misbehavior.

But since the young man continued his reckless behavior even after his bone was fractured, the elders dared not continue. They couldn't very well kill him...

Zhang Tiesheng became shy and embarrassed.

(End of this chapter)