Chapter 2109: Chapter 1798: Brothers (2)
When Zhang Lin heard these words, he said nothing, keeping his head down as he continued examining his files. When Little Five heard them, he chuckled twice and said, "I’m just dumb, like a clumsy bird that flies first." Then he turned away and resumed reciting his formulas.
They’re unafraid of ridicule, walking their own path, letting others say what they will.
It’s not because they have thick skin, but because they understand in their hearts that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Those who start fast don’t necessarily reach the finish line first; those who run steadily can make it to the end. They are like old oxen, moving slowly, but each step is grounded, moving forward step by step, through the dark and toward the light, eventually reaching where they want to go.
On the day of their doctoral defense, both of them were extremely nervous.
Zhang Lin stood at the defense podium, facing five professors, each one a top expert in the field. His PowerPoint had been revised more than a dozen times, optimized to the best of his ability in terms of color scheme, font, and animation effects on every page. Although his voice trembled a bit while presenting, his content was solid, with detailed data and clear logic. The chair of the defense committee asked him several questions, all of which he answered, not with the genius of drawing inferences but by honestly citing literature and giving his analysis. The chair nodded after listening and said, "The data is extensive, and the workload is heavy. It’s clear you’ve put in a lot of effort."
Little Five’s presentation wasn’t as polished as Zhang Lin’s, but his speech flowed smoothly from start to finish, without a single hitch or forgotten word, as if he were delivering a well-rehearsed comedic monologue. The professors on the defense committee laughed, but after laughing, they realized that all the necessary content was present, all the required data was included, and all the analysis was comprehensive. The chair said, "This is the most distinctive defense I’ve heard this year."
On the day the defense results were announced, both of them passed. Zhang Lin’s dissertation was rated "excellent," and Little Five’s dissertation was recommended for journal publication. They stood at the entrance of the institute, staring at the posted announcement, without saying a word.
After a long while, Zhang Lin said, "We’re doctors now."
Little Five said, "Yeah."
After another while, Little Five said, "The deputy chief physician evaluation will also be out soon."
Zhang Lin said, "Yeah."
Then they looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing. They laughed so hard that passing nurses turned to look at them and tears welled up in their eyes. It wasn’t a proud laugh, nor a relieved laugh; it was a laugh of "we finally made it," like someone who has walked a long way through the night finally seeing a glimmer of light on the horizon, not the sun, but just dawn, enough to illuminate the path ahead.
...
Zhang Lin pondered several times over Spinal Surgery, which was the focus of his doctoral research and the field he had been cultivating for years. From degenerative changes in the lumbar, cervical, and thoracic vertebrae to traumatic fractures, from conservative treatment to surgical intervention, he’s been involved in all. He’s not the kind of top expert who can perform the most complex surgeries, but his surgeries are stable, with low complication rates, good postoperative recovery, and high patient satisfaction. His surgical style is not flashy or risky; each step is grounded and reliable.
Little Five’s Trauma and Joint Surgery is also his expertise. Hip fractures, knee replacements, shoulder injuries—these are the surgeries he’s done the most over the years. Although his hands are not the most skillful, his judgment is excellent; he knows which patients are suited for which surgeries and when to do or not do them. He knows how to handle unexpected situations during surgery. His surgical style is calm and methodical, with not a single step missing or any unnecessary procedures.
The two stood on the research institute’s rooftop, feeling the breeze.
"Are you going?" Zhang Lin asked.
"What do you think?" Little Five replied.
"I want to go," Zhang Lin said, "After these years at Sanbo, I’ve learned a lot, ... I want to try holding up a department on my own."
Little Five nodded, understanding the feeling. In a top hospital like Sanbo, there are too many geniuses, and artisans are always pushed to the back. It’s not because you’re not good enough, but because others are better. It’s not unfair; it’s reality. But reality doesn’t mean you have to resign to fate. You can choose to leave, go to a place that needs you, do things in your own way, mentor others, and build a realm for artisans.
"I’ll go too," Little Five said, "I’ll manage Trauma and Joint Surgery myself. I want to try."
Zhang Lin looked at him: "Aren’t you afraid?"
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid of not doing well, afraid of people saying ’Even someone from Sanbo is just like this.’"
Little Five thought for a moment and said, "Afraid, but I have to go despite that. Professor Yang said that there are three stages to a surgeon’s growth. The first stage is learning, following others, seeing how they do it. The second stage is doing it yourself, being the chief surgeon, making independent decisions. The third stage is teaching, passing on your experience to others. After all these years at Sanbo, I’ve survived the first stage. Now it’s time for the second stage."
He paused and added, "Besides, the City People’s Hospital is not Sanbo; there aren’t as many geniuses. The doctors there, like us, are probably ordinary people. They need someone who understands them, someone who knows how ordinary people learn Surgery. That person can’t be Song Zimo or Xu Zhiliang because he’s too smart; he doesn’t understand why ordinary people can’t learn. But I understand because I’m an ordinary person."
Listening, Zhang Lin suddenly felt a pang of emotion. He remembered that night on the rooftop when Little Five said, "We’re the artisan type; it’s okay to be a bit slow and dull." All these years, Little Five was still Little Five, knowing he was slow and dull, but never stopping. He’s turned "dull" into an advantage, "slow" into a style. He knows how ordinary people learn because he’s learned it step by step himself.
"Then let’s go together," Zhang Lin extended his hand.
Little Five grasped it; their hands were rough, with slight calluses from long-term instrument handling and dry lines from repeated washing. These hands aren’t the hands of a genius, lacking natural dexterity and precision. But these hands have handled countless instruments, stitched countless sutures, flipped through countless documents, and written countless notes. They’re not beautiful, but they’re dependable.
The two of them used to always perform surgeries together, sharing the chief surgeon role. Now as Department Directors, with one Major Orthopedic divided into two, each taking half.
...
Both went to say goodbye to Yang Ping.
Yang Ping was still sitting behind that desk, a document splayed in front of him, and his teacup’s water was still cold. He looked up, glanced at them, and nodded: "Go and do well, this place will always be your support."
Zhang Lin and Little Five wanted to say something, opened their mouths, but in the end, simply said, "Professor Yang, thank you."
Yang Ping calmly said: "There is no everlasting feast under the heavens, go on."
Zhang Lin and Little Five walked out of the office, gently closing the door behind them, walking side by side.
"Are you nervous?" Zhang Lin asked.
"A little," Little Five replied, "You?"
"A little too."
"We’re Department Directors now; we need to pull ourselves together."
"Yeah, Department Directors have to pull themselves together."
They reached the elevator, and Zhang Lin pressed the button for going down. The elevator doors opened; there was no one inside. They stepped in, and the doors closed. During the descent, neither of them spoke, their shadows reflected in the metal wall.
In truth, they were reluctant to leave, but as Professor Yang said, the sky is vast and the sea wide; they must venture out to carve their own space.
The elevator reached the ground floor, and the doors opened. Sunlight streamed in through the hospital’s entrance, casting a bright path on the floor tiles. They walked out of the elevator, through the lobby, and out of the hospital doors, into a vast world.
Zhang Lin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"Let’s go," he said.
Little Five nodded, following his pace. The two walked into the sunlight, their shadows stretching long behind them on the tiled ground.
They were brothers, those who endured nights together, endured scoldings together, drank beers on the rooftop together, and practiced until their fingers trembled in the training room together. They weren’t geniuses, but they were walking the path that even geniuses tread.
