The Godfather of Surgery

"Hello, Senior Brother!"

In the hospital corridor, every young doctor who passed by Yang Ping respectfully greeted him with a bow.

If Yang Ping took it upon himself to change a patient's dressing, pushing the dressing cart down the hall, the resident doctors would immediately step forward: "Senior Brother, let me do it! You should rest."

Director Han, who had just taken a spin through the administrative building, returned to the department at some point. Seeing Yang Ping exit a ward, he waved him over to his office.

Old Han brewed a cup of tea and handed it to Yang Ping, who was flattered and hastily accepted it with both hands. "Director, no need to be so polite."

Director Han sat down. "I've got some good news. Want to hear it ahead of time?"

"What news?" Yang Ping had no idea what was brewing.

Director Han gently and rhythmically tapped his fingers on the desk while humming a tune—something operatic, likely Beijing opera.

What sort of news could make this fifty-something man as giddy as a child?

After humming a bit from Sha Jia Bang, Director Han took a sip of Longjing tea and leisurely said, "Our hospital is setting up a Trauma Emergency Center. I just discussed it with President Xia. This center will be spearheaded by orthopedics, with participation from neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, general surgery, urology, ICU, emergency, and rehabilitation departments."

"A Trauma Emergency Center?"

"Exactly. It's a massive, interdisciplinary system tailored for severe, complex, and critical trauma cases—car accidents, high falls, major industrial accidents, things like severed limbs, multiple complex fractures, severe open wounds, and life-threatening pelvic fractures. To boost efficiency and success rates, patients will have dedicated pathways, protocols, teams, wards, and rapid transfers into surgery and post-op care. Seconds matter here!" Director Han was visibly thrilled.

"The surgical team will center around us in trauma orthopedics, particularly my group and Tian Yuan's group. ICU will create a trauma-specific unit; thoracic, general, and urology will form a thoracoabdominal trauma team; neurosurgery will set up a cranial trauma team. There've been delays in officially launching this center due to various issues, but after my persistent nudges to President Xia, the hospital committee finally made the decision." Spit flew from Director Han's mouth as he spoke, his enthusiasm overflowing.

"Emergency handles the initial admission; specialists perform surgeries; post-op, patients go to the Trauma ICU, then stabilize in general wards before rehab training. Besides routine work, we'll also take on trauma emergency surgeries. I've already upgraded your position to attending physician. For now, you're cleared to perform third-level surgeries like finger replantations. Other privileges will follow later. But in the near term, focus solely on finger replantation surgeries. I intend to make finger replantation our breakthrough area. By the way, Song Zimo has Zhang Lin under him; I'll find someone to assist you. Who would you suggest?"

Yang Ping listened silently, firming his resolve. He knew this was a rare opportunity. If he could showcase his expertise in limb replantation, he might carve a path in trauma orthopedics and the broader orthopedic field. Otherwise, he'd hit a career ceiling.

"Do you have any requests? Feel free to ask," Director Han said directly.

Yang Ping immediately thought of Xiao Wu. "Director, I do have one request. I used to have a colleague—a resident doctor I partnered with for years. He's now in the ER. Could we transfer him to our department?"

"What's his name?" Director Han asked.

"Lu Xiao Wu. He's skilled in surgery, quick-thinking, communicative, and efficient," Yang Ping praised Xiao Wu endlessly, his face heating from the flattery. For the sake of his brother's future, he would go all out.

"Hey, Old Xiong? It's Han Jianggong. About that Trauma Emergency Center we're co-developing—mm-hmm. I need to poach someone from your team: Lu Xiao Wu, from your ER." To Yang Ping's surprise, Director Han immediately dialed the phone.

The ER head, Xiong Sihai, was a Fourth Military Medical University graduate—a towering, broad-shouldered man and one of the hospital's "Three Tough Guys." Standing at 6'3", he had been pumping iron for over 20 years and was a real-life version of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

"You've got sharp eyes, Old Han, poaching my gem! Lu Xiao Wu's a gem—quick, competent, and silver-tongued. Whenever we face tough patients, he's our go-to. How'd you sniff him out?" Xiong Sihai grumbled, but his tone was laced with camaraderie.

"Cut the nonsense. You in or not?" Director Han countered.

"Fine, fine. But you owe me a drink!"

"Deal. Have him report to my office immediately. I'll handle the paperwork later. As for your drinking capacity—don't even start!" Director Han hung up with a chuckle, his desk-tapping resuming.

Soon, Lu Xiao Wu poked his grinning face into the office: "Hello, Director Han! Director Xiong told me to report."

"This guy?" Director Han glanced at the cheeky Xiao Wu.

"That's him!" Yang Ping confirmed with a nod.

Xiao Wu gave Yang Ping a subtle thumbs-up.

"Lu Xiao Wu, Yang Ping handpicked you, so work hard and don't let him down. He'll brief you on your tasks later," Director Han said, pointing a finger.

"Don't worry, Director. I'll give it my all!" Xiao Wu pounded his chest in promise.

When the Trauma Emergency Center's sign finally went up days later, it hung prominently above the ER entrance. Phone lines and processes linking the ER, specialists, Trauma ICU, and OR were ready. Supplies were stocked, and personnel mobilized.

Seeing the center's sign, Director Han couldn't stop grinning.

Yang Ping felt the pressure building. While finger replantation was his specialty, the center would handle all sorts of critical trauma. He had to sharpen his skills in other areas of trauma orthopedics—fast. After all, hand surgery was just one branch of trauma orthopedics.