Chapter 77 of 100

Chapter 77

19 min read4,735 words

Everything has its exceptions. Qin Chuan originally thought that when classmates gathered, it would be to reminisce about their parting sorrows. The time they had been apart was not long, so the gathering would surely be relaxed and harmonious. However, not everyone thought like Qin Chuan. Huang Da was one of them.

Huang Da and Qin Chuan were classmates in the five-year clinical major, and they even chose the same surgical direction later on. However, their relationship was not good. Academically, they were competitors. If it weren't for Qin Chuan's family circumstances, he might have become Huang Da's biggest rival for a guaranteed graduate school spot. Emotionally, both of them pursued Shang Wenxiu, and in the end, Qin Chuan won her heart. Huang Da harbored deep resentment towards Qin Chuan. He fell behind Qin Chuan academically and was also defeated by him in love. His entire college life was completely ruined by Qin Chuan.

When he heard that Qin Chuan did not manage to stay at the affiliated hospital of Nanya Medical University and had to go to the Tanshan City Central Hospital, Huang Da was overjoyed. He successfully secured a guaranteed graduate school spot, while Qin Chuan could only go to a city-level hospital. Although both were top-tier hospitals, they were far inferior to Nanya Hospital. Huang Da felt that he finally had a chance to feel superior after graduation. However, Huang Da was still very unhappy because he had no opportunity to show off in front of Qin Chuan. It was like wearing fine clothes at night or a lonely master feeling isolated.

Therefore, taking advantage of the National Day holiday, Huang Da strongly advocated for a gathering of nearby classmates. The other classmates also wanted to get together, so when Huang Da proposed it, no one suspected his motives.

Huang Da, along with two other classmates, Zhang Jingzhou, who stayed at Xiangya Second Hospital's neurosurgery department, and Xu Hui, who also secured a guaranteed graduate school spot.

"I just can't understand Qin Chuan. He didn't want the guaranteed graduate school spot, and in the end, he couldn't even get into the First Affiliated Hospital. I heard that when he interned at the First Affiliated Hospital, there were already rumors that the neurosurgery department wanted to keep him. But who knew the situation would take a sudden turn. I heard that his family had to go to great lengths to get him into the Tanshan City Central Hospital, and he could only go to the emergency department." Zhang Jingzhou, Qin Chuan's dorm mate and good friend, felt somewhat indignant on Qin Chuan's behalf.

"Now, it's already very difficult for undergraduate students to get into top-tier hospitals. Of course, for outstanding students like you, finding a job isn't a problem. Some people who only know how to study hard show their true colors when it comes to practical operations." Huang Da said sarcastically. Clearly, he attributed Qin Chuan's inability to stay at Nanya and his eventual placement in the emergency department of Tanshan Central Hospital to Qin Chuan's lack of practical skills.

Xu Hui had a good relationship with Qin Chuan, but he was also roommates with Huang Da and had a good relationship with him. As a result, he didn't want to take sides. He knew that Huang Da was very dissatisfied with Qin Chuan.

"There are so many Ph.D. and master's students now. It's indeed difficult for undergraduate students to get into top-tier hospitals after graduation. Sometimes, getting into a hospital isn't entirely based on ability. Ability is one aspect, but connections are also important. Now, academic credentials are also a factor. Hospitals often boast about the number of Ph.D.s and professors they have. This is very important, especially for research-oriented hospitals like Nanya. These seemingly useless statistics are also very important. In the future, it won't be easy for even master's and Ph.D. students to get into top-tier hospitals. Haven't you seen that Nanya Hospital has recently introduced several medical Ph.D.s from abroad?" Xu Hui said a lot, but it was unclear whose side he was on.

Luo Xiaofang secretly resented Qin Chuan for being unfair to Shang Wenxiu but didn't want to say anything behind his back.

Qin Chuan and the others walked in from outside. Huang Da was the first to stand up and walk to the front. When he saw Qin Chuan and Shang Wenxiu walking so close together, his anger flared up.

"We've been waiting for you for a long time. Why did you come so late?" Zhang Jingzhou greeted them warmly.

"Today, we encountered a traffic accident on the ring road. We were stuck there for a while." Qin Chuan explained.

Shang Wenxiu added, "I had to work overtime. I just finished when Qin Chuan and the others arrived."

Luo Xiaofang didn't say anything about Qin Chuan at first, but as soon as she saw him, she immediately started criticizing him. Huang Da, however, didn't say a single bad word about Qin Chuan after seeing him. He was quite cunning. He knew that if he specifically targeted Qin Chuan at this moment, it would make him look bad.

"Qin Chuan, I heard you were on the city channel recently. You seem to be doing well in the emergency department. Actually, it doesn't matter which field you work in; what matters is making a name for yourself in that field." Huang Da said.

"Working in the emergency department doesn't require much technical skill; it's all about being brave and willing to take risks. That day, any other doctor would have done the same. I was just lucky that the TV reporter was there to capture it. After the internet hype, it became news. In the emergency department, these things happen every day. The salary is not high, there's no gray income, the working hours are the longest, and it's the most tiring. It's one of the least favored departments in the hospital. As for you guys, you will definitely be the key young doctors to be cultivated after graduating with a master's degree." Qin Chuan complained about the hardships of his job to his classmates.

"Actually, you shouldn't worry. It's not like you'll be in the emergency department forever. Many doctors work in the emergency department for a while to gain experience and then return to specialized departments. Your professional foundation is solid. You should have no problem in surgery in the future." Zhang Jingzhou said.

"Actually, you guys are better off in the hospital. I, as an undergraduate, entering a research institute was a complete mistake. Our pharmaceutical research institute is different from others; it's a unit of the university, and most of the people there are university teachers. I, as an undergraduate, don't have the qualifications to teach. I can only sit in the office and serve them. My educational level is too low to secure any research projects. The students in the institute are all master's or Ph.D. students, and they don't take us, the little clerks, seriously. I regret it so much. Now I have to take the postgraduate entrance exam. If I had known this, I would have chosen the guaranteed graduate school spot." Lü Shulei also sighed bitterly.

"Don't say that. You guys who have found jobs are still complaining, as if our lives as graduate students are the easiest. Actually, our lives as graduate students are not easy either. We work hard for our supervisors. When the supervisor is in a good mood, we get something; when they're in a bad mood, we get nothing. Sometimes, I have several surgeries in a day and don't even get a boxed meal. The hardships we face are something you can't understand. Moreover, a master's degree might not be enough. Others are all Ph.D.s. I can't just quit halfway. If I did, I might as well have found a job from the beginning. Why be in this awkward position?" Xu Hui also complained.

"Well, our gathering has turned into a complaint session. It's all Qin Chuan's fault for not setting a good tone." Shang Wenxiu laughed.

"Wenxiu, I heard you're preparing for the USMLE. How's it going?" Huang Da asked.

"How did you know?" Shang Wenxiu immediately turned to look at Luo Xiaofang. Luo Xiaofang quickly started talking to Lü Shulei. It was clear that Huang Da had learned it from Luo Xiaofang.

Huang Da smiled, acknowledging it.

"I just started preparing. I plan to take Step 1 and Step 2 next year. These can be completed domestically." When she mentioned this, Shang Wenxiu's mood was a bit low. She still had some unresolved feelings in her heart. If she really passed Step 1 and Step 2, it might mean that this relationship would become a distant memory.

Luo Xiaofang, who clearly knew the reason for Shang Wenxiu's low mood, quickly changed the topic: "Classmates, let's not talk about this all the time. Let's talk about something else."

"A few days ago, I talked to the class president. He's doing well in the East Sea area. Although it's a private hospital, their benefits are much better than those at the First Affiliated Hospital. His annual salary is over 200,000 yuan. Although the gray income is less, the gray income in general hospitals is gradually decreasing. And with the current trend, the gray income will eventually disappear. At that time, public hospitals will find it hard to compete with private hospitals. I'm even considering going to a coastal city." Zhang Jingzhou said.

"Indeed, private hospitals have their advantages. They don't keep idle people. Unlike our hospital, where there are more administrative staff than medical staff. Keeping so many idle people, and the government treating the hospital as a cash cow, it's no wonder doctors' salaries are so low." Qin Chuan said.

"Qin Chuan, if you do well in the emergency department, you would be the best fit for a private hospital. The emergency department is comprehensive. Private hospitals generally don't have many difficult cases, just common diseases. You would encounter most of them in the emergency department. With your experience, you wouldn't panic when faced with difficult cases. Private hospitals would definitely love a doctor like you. If you went, you would earn a high salary like the class president." Huang Da said.

Qin Chuan shook his head: "If my parents were younger, I wouldn't have come back to Tanshan City. I'm different from you. I need stability to take care of my parents. If I can't take care of them, what's the point of a successful career? You guys work hard! I will continue to work honestly at Tanshan City Central Hospital."

"Let's eat. It's rare for us to gather like this, so let's drink well." Xu Hui held the wine bottle and poured wine into everyone's glasses.

Originally, Shang Wenxiu and Luo Xiaofang could have had drinks, but for some reason, Shang Wenxiu also took a glass and poured herself a beer: "Today, I'll try to taste what this wine is like."

"Wenxiu, what are you doing?" Luo Xiaofang frowned and asked.

"Nothing. I just want to drink." Shang Wenxiu said.

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