The Enhanced Doctor
Chapter 37 - 037 got taken advantage of again

Chapter 37: 037 got taken advantage of again

"Did Lily tell you we’ve reached a diagnosis?" Shi Lei asked after Liu Banxia returned to the emergency room.

Liu Banxia nodded. "Even as a doctor, it upsets me. The baby is only three months old."

"That’s normal; don’t dwell on it. I’m actually quite curious, how did you find out?" Shi Lei asked.

"I had just gotten home and bought a couple of items for dinner, thinking of grabbing a couple of beers to unwind. Uncle Jiang runs a small shop right at our building’s entrance. I saw the baby smile, and it felt wrong, so I asked a few more questions," Liu Banxia said with a wry smile.

"You just went over to buy a couple of beers?" Shi Lei asked, incredulous.

"Exactly. I didn’t notice at first. It was only when I went inside that it struck me. The baby was so young, yet his smile was incredibly joyful—it wasn’t normal," Liu Banxia nodded.

"Ah... those two beers were worth their weight in gold," Shi Lei sighed.

Liu Banxia looked hesitant, as if he wanted to ask something but didn’t quite dare.

"Speak your mind," Shi Lei glared at him.

"Boss, don’t you think Director Xiao is a bit too cold? The impression I got was that he didn’t want to take on this surgery," Liu Banxia said directly, voicing his doubts and recounting what had just happened.

Shi Lei glanced at him. "What about you? What would you do?"

"Of course, I would perform the surgery; it’s a life, after all. The symptoms of spasmodic laughter are already severe. If it progresses further, there might not even be a chance to operate," Liu Banxia replied without hesitation.

"Then what do you think our job as doctors is?" Shi Lei asked another question.

"What do doctors do? Treat the sick and save lives, of course!" Liu Banxia blurted out.

"One last question then: when deciding whether to operate, should the decision primarily rest with the patient and their family, or with us doctors?" Shi Lei said calmly.

Liu Banxia faltered, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes regarding Director Xiao’s earlier stance.

"Considering the patient is a three-month-old baby, what are the chances of surgical success? How high is the risk of post-operative complications? And what impact would this have on the family’s future life?" Shi Lei asked with a gentle smile.

"Sometimes, it’s not that we doctors are heartless. We simply want the patient and their family to make a judgment that aligns as closely as possible with their own psychological expectations."

"If we only speak of the good outcomes, we’re essentially inducing them, giving them false hope. You need to remember this in the future: maintain a certain boundary when interacting with patients. Crossing it can cloud your judgment and potentially endanger their lives."

"Director Xiao merely stated the most probable outcomes, leaving the decision to the family. The success rate is just a statistic. For each patient, there are really only two possibilities: success or failure."

"I don’t know whether to call you lucky or unlucky. In just these past two days, you’ve experienced things that some doctors might not see in a year or two. Mull it over. Or, go visit the NICU and see the baby you delivered. He’s very healthy."

Liu Banxia rubbed his face. "I’m still too naive; I hadn’t considered any of this. Thanks, Boss. I’ll go see the baby now."

With that, Liu Banxia hurried towards the locker room. It wasn’t a place one could just casually enter; wearing his scrubs would grant him easier access. He’d absorbed too much negativity today and desperately needed a dose of positivity.

This was his first time here. As he rounded the corner, he froze. Why is Liang Xiaolin here too?

He was a mischievous sort. He tiptoed to Liang Xiaolin’s left, then reached out and poked her right shoulder. _{freew\ebno\vel..(c)om}

It was a common prank, and Liang Xiaolin fell for it. When she realized it was Liu Banxia, her face tensed, and her eyes widened in a glare.

For some reason, whenever he saw her like this, Liu Banxia always felt an inexplicable urge to pinch her nose and tweak her cheeks.

"Staring at me like that again? Keep staring, and I’ll drink you up," Liu Banxia said with a grin, referencing the Wang Zai Milk commercial.

"Drink what up?" Liang Xiaolin, caught off guard, blurted out.

"You’ve never seen the Wang Zai Milk ad?" Liu Banxia was genuinely surprised.

"Childish," Liang Xiaolin huffed, turning her attention back to the babies.

Truth be told, standing outside and looking at the tiny babies lying there filled him with a sense of wonder. Not all the babies here were truly sick. Some were premature, kept here for observation for their health, usually for a day or two.

"Which one is the baby we delivered?" Liu Banxia asked after watching for a while.

Liang Xiaolin hesitated for a moment. "This row, fourth from the left. The baby’s organs aren’t fully developed yet, but he has stabilized after treatment."

"You’ve been here to see him several times?" Liu Banxia asked, surprised.

"Of course. Not everyone is like you," Liang Xiaolin retorted, glaring at him again.

Liu Banxia touched his nose. This girl’s temper is so peculiar, he thought. Can’t she ever speak pleasantly?

"Oh... Dr. Liang, is this your boyfriend? He’s from our hospital too, isn’t he? So handsome!" At that moment, a nurse working there drifted by, dropped the comment, and then drifted away.

Watching the nurse retreat, Liang Xiaolin opened her mouth, wanting to shout that she barely knew this guy. But this was the neonatal intensive care unit, so she held her tongue.

But the girl was frustrated. Why am I tangled up with this oaf again? Just like that day in the emergency room, she stubbornly glared at Liu Banxia.

No wonder Zhou Li always said Liu Banxia’s romantic radar was off. In such situations, a normal person would show some gentlemanly tact, say a few words to ease the tension. But not him. Not only was his romantic sense offline, but his general emotional intelligence seemed to have packed up and left too. He’d completely forgotten that Liang Xiaolin had influential connections. His expression was rather smug. "So, am I the one losing out here?"

Liang Xiaolin had always considered herself a demure girl, but now, her anger flared. Forget etiquette and upbringing! His words are too much! Slapping him would be going too far, but a small kick should be acceptable, right?

The kick, as it landed, felt incredibly satisfying. She’d forgotten about the stitches in her waist, though. The sudden movement tugged at her wound, making her falter.

Liu Banxia was no ordinary person now; he was agile, his reactions swift. A small hop backward, and he easily dodged the kick. Before he could gloat, Liang Xiaolin, having missed and her balance compromised by her injury, stumbled towards him.

Because of his hop, he was slightly bent over. Liang Xiaolin’s back of the head collided squarely with his chin. The impact made him wince, and he instinctively reached out.

As he did, he found himself steadily holding Liang Xiaolin in his arms.

The girl felt utterly wronged. He’s taken advantage of me again, she thought miserably, and I stumbled right into his trap!