The Enhanced Doctor

Exactly what Liu Banxia said to Qi Wentai is a mystery to the Emergency Department. Even though Liu Banxia told the truth, no one believed him.

Regardless of what he said, the change in Qi Wentai is evident. He's not only become more proactive than before, but now, if a patient's symptoms are unclear, he also consults with Wang Huan or Xu Hui. This was unprecedented, as Qi Wentai used to take on cases and be responsible for them by himself.

Perhaps, in his mind, he has always regarded himself as an adversary to Liu Banxia and his allies. If others get along well with Liu Banxia, they must be part of his clique.

For the Emergency Department, the most important task currently is to deal with cases of brawls and drunk patients. With more and more college students returning, a series of issues arising from excessive drinking have all fallen to the hospital and the local police station to handle.

After several consecutive busy days, Liu Banxia and his team finally got a break. The colleges in Binhai City have officially started their new student registration, and these freshmen need some time to familiarize themselves before they start throwing parties.

Liu Banxia was feeling a bit frustrated now, staring at his attribute panel with concern. Although he had performed a couple of minor appendectomy surgeries, the rewards he received were not substantial. As he had initially assessed, such surgeries could no longer yield substantial benefits for him. He had also written a list of surgeries that he wanted to be involved in and handed it over to Zhou Shuwen, but he had to wait for Zhou Shuwen to arrange them for procedures he could participate in.

This made him feel upset. The joy of leveling up was gone, and now all he could do was grind it out.

"President Liu, have you visited the new building yet?" Wang Chao asked as he approached.

"Not yet. I haven't even been to the Anorectal Department recently. How's it looking over there?" Liu Banxia asked.

"I think it's great—definitely five-star. I never realized the hospital invested so much into it; it's extraordinary," replied Wang Chao. "I heard it's all the latest technology, with loads of high-tech equipment. They can even transmit real-time diagnostic information from the Radiology Department, and the case system will also be upgraded. Let's just say this: the technological capabilities the Emergency Department now possesses far exceed those of a second-tier hospital. As long as we can get the staffing right, it will be truly remarkable."

"You also mentioned staffing," Liu Banxia pointed out. "For the new Emergency Department to operate effectively, it seems there's a significant shortage of manpower; we're short several dozen people. The recent external recruitment doesn't look promising either, as not many skilled professionals are willing to join us."

Wang Chao nodded. "Indeed, that's the case. Skilled and experienced professionals have numerous options when changing jobs; there's no need for them to come to the Emergency Department to suffer."

"However, it seems the city is quite interested in the Second Hospital's Emergency Department upgrade. Your nitrous oxide report even caught the attention of the province, and a large-scale investigation is currently underway."

"Really? I haven't heard anything about it. I even watch the news occasionally; why haven't they reported it?" Liu Banxia asked in surprise.

"Hehe, even the mighty President Liu can be clueless sometimes," Wang Chao teased. "That kind of thing only makes the news once an operation yields results. If you start trumpeting it now, wouldn't you be tipping off those people? I expect a series of reports, mainly about the grave hazards of nitrous oxide."

"Also, I've nearly settled that matter you assigned me last time. You chose the place where you used to rent, right? That area is managed by the municipal hospital. I've completed all the necessary procedures and prepared all the materials. You just need to pick a date."

Liu Banxia patted his shoulder. "I knew I could count on you for this! Prepare some speeches as well; the TV station will be conducting interviews."

"Holy cow, President Liu, are you for real?" Wang Chao was taken aback.

"Absolutely," Liu Banxia said with a smile. "Although I don't have as wide a social circle as you, I do know a journalist from the TV station. I asked her, and she thinks it has news value. But she also said I'm being too parochial and that I should collaborate with other hospitals. If we can join forces, the impact would be even greater."

"I'm hesitating because I'm not familiar with other hospitals, and each has its own considerations. Taking the lead would be easy, but whether they would cooperate is another matter. After all, this isn't a one-off deal. We need to conduct regular outreach in the community. Inevitably, some conflicts will arise, and those aren't easy to handle."

"President Liu, I think this is a highly promising cause. You should aim higher. Think it over, and if that's not enough, expand it," advised Wang Chao.

"I'll think about it and then decide based on the situation. Regardless, this will have to wait until we move to the new building. We still have time to prepare," Liu Banxia said, nodding in agreement.

If he really pursued this cause on a larger scale, it would indeed be a commendable venture. However, expanding its scope would surely require much more energy.

It was just like when he initially assigned Wang Chao the task of liaising with various departments; he knew Wang Chao had the resources, making it efficient. If he had to do it himself, he'd probably spend all his time just running around outside.

If he really decided to go big, the more hospitals involved, the more complicated the coordination would become. He is merely a chief resident in the Emergency Department. If he were at the level of a Deputy Hospital Director with those kinds of connections, perhaps he could actually pull it off.

"Shou Tian, these need your signature. As of now, we have zero inpatients in the Emergency Department," Wang Ying said as she walked over.

"Haha, that's only for now. Once we move to the new building, don't expect such a situation," Liu Banxia replied with a smile.

"I must say, I've been feeling quite idle lately," Shi Lei also joined them. "Wait until there are more patients and more doctors. I want to see how busy you'll be then. Have you written your thesis yet? You better hurry."

"Boss, how much time do you think I have to write a thesis?" Liu Banxia replied. "I can only squeeze in some time at night to write. I don't have enough surgical cases at present, and many of them are routine, so I still need to gather more."

"Hehe, that's your problem. Who asked you to keep such a low profile in the past? If you had shown your abilities a year or two earlier, would you be as exhausted as you are now?" Shi Lei said with schadenfreude.

Liu Banxia could only manage a wry smile. It wasn't that he didn't want to work hard; he just hadn't had the opportunity. If the system had arrived a bit sooner, he wouldn't be struggling this much now.

While they were chatting, Liu Banxia's phone rang. To his surprise, it was his father.

"Dad, what made you call me?" Liu Banxia asked after answering.

"Have you forgotten? Didn't your mom call to tell you that we're also coming to Binhai City tomorrow?" Liu Qingdong, Banxia's father, asked.

Liu Banxia froze for a moment, then slapped his forehead. "You're right! I've been swamped with overtime these past few days and it completely slipped my mind. What time does your train arrive tomorrow? I need to pick you up."

"We're arriving at Binhai Station at 9:27. Will that be convenient for you? Otherwise, we'll accompany your Third Aunt to her school registration first and then take a taxi to the hospital to see you," Liu Qingdong said.

"No problem, I'll arrange things in advance. By the way, how many of you are coming?" Liu Banxia asked urgently.

"Just four of us: your mom and me, your second granduncle, and your Third Aunt. Plus a large suitcase," Liu Qingdong replied.

"Alright, I'll pick you up at the station. I'll book a hotel later and take everyone out for a meal tomorrow. Sounds good?" Liu Banxia asked.

"Okay, that's settled. Do you have enough money? If not, I can send you some," Liu Qingdong asked.

"I have enough; don't worry about anything else," Liu Banxia said. "You all should stay for a few more days. I won't even be able to come home for the Spring Festival this year. Get settled in, and ideally, stay for a week. You haven't traveled in years, so you must enjoy yourselves this time."

"We'll see when we get there. I have to go now; I'm off to have a drink," Liu Qingdong said and then hung up.

"Boss, an emergency has come up. You'll have to cover my shift tomorrow. My parents are coming over, and I need to pick them up," Liu Banxia announced.

"Alright, go ahead," Shi Lei said. "Will one day be enough? If not, take two. You've actually accumulated several days off recently anyway."

"One day will be enough. Then I'll figure out how to make sure they have a good time," Liu Banxia replied.

"President Liu, I overheard something. Do you have a relative who got into Binhai Medical College?" Wang Chao asked curiously.

"Strictly speaking, I should call her Third Aunt. She's a relative on my mother's side. She told me a while ago, but I've been so busy that I forgot," Liu Banxia explained. "Thankfully, the department isn't busy now; otherwise, I might not have been able to spare the time. I'm thinking of asking them to consider staying in Binhai City in the future. For now, they can come and get familiar with it."

"It might not work. I wanted to bring my parents here too, but they refused, no matter what," Shi Lei mentioned.

"How's the house hunting going with Brother Hui?" Liu Banxia advised. "Once you find something suitable, just go for it. Try to choose before October so you have time to get things sorted and move in this year."

"I'm getting overwhelmed by all the choices; looking at those brochures, they all seem like great houses," Shi Lei said with a wry smile. "I'm just thinking about buying a small two-bedroom place; that's enough for me. Xu Hui advised me to get it right in one go, or I'll have to deal with the hassle again later. But if I aim for a place over a hundred square meters right away, I don't have enough for the down payment."

"Don't worry about the money," Liu Banxia said. "Just pick a house you really like. I'll swallow my pride and borrow some if it comes to that. Buying a house is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Who wants to go through the hassle of moving all the time? So just make a decision you'll be happy with. Besides, you earn money quickly, so repaying it won't be an issue."

"Yes, Dr. Shi! Just listen to President Liu! When buying a house, it's important to pick one that you really like," Wang Chao also chimed in.

Wang Chao was deeply impressed. Shi Lei is truly good to Liu Banxia, and Liu Banxia reciprocates in kind. Asking someone for money is one of the most awkward things these days, yet Liu Banxia didn't hesitate at all and readily offered to shoulder that burden.