Xia Tian had no idea what his colleagues were whispering about—and even if he had, he wouldn't have reacted. They were all fresh graduates, still carrying the innocence of campus life, untainted by the cunning of the real world. Every day was filled with laughter and teasing; it was simply their way.
He peeled off his sterile gloves, squeezed a bit of no-rinse disinfectant, and cleaned his hands.
Glancing at the group, he smiled."Looks like you're all in a great mood.""I've done the first suture for today. The rest are all yours."
Normally, the interns would have leapt at the opportunity. But now...
Intern No.1 looked at him in awe."Tian-ge… how on earth did you pull off that intradermal suture? Your technique is insane. I've never seen anything like it. You could work at a cosmetic surgery clinic with those hands!"
Intradermal suturing is a method typically used in plastic surgery.Its benefits? Neat, minimal scarring, and fast healing.Its downside? It's incredibly difficult.Even a seasoned surgeon with twenty years of experience might struggle to make it flawless.
For interns, it's practically impossible.
"Tian-ge's technique is god-tier. After seeing that, I'm tempted to resign.""What am I even doing here? I'm not worthy of this profession!"
On the surface, Xia Tian remained calm, but inside, he was practically glowing.Awesome!The system really worked!That 50% "Skilled Hands" boost was no joke. His hands now had the finesse of a surgeon with two decades of experience.He couldn't help but wonder—what would it be like at 100%?
Heh… probably good enough to make a living as a gigolo, just using my hands to send clients to heaven…
Pah! What gigolo?
I'm a doctor!
"Xiaobei, could you prescribe the kid some painkillers?" Xia Tian turned to his colleague. "I just remembered—it should've been your turn for the suture. You can take over the follow-up care: dressing changes, stitch removal, everything."
"Sorry about that." He patted Wang Xiaobei on the shoulder.
For interns with limited experience, every case was precious. To steal someone's patient was like stealing their girlfriend.
Even though Xia Tian and Wang Xiaobei had been classmates for years, something like this could easily turn friends into enemies.
But now…
The other interns stared at Wang Xiaobei like wolves eyeing prey. The pressure made his skin crawl, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
He swallowed hard and forced a grin."No need to apologize, we're brothers.""This one's yours—just make sure the next one's mine."
Xia Tian hesitated. After all, continuity of care mattered. A patient switching doctors midway could lead to confusion, especially with a child. But eventually, he nodded."Alright. Next one's yours."
"Got it." Wang Xiaobei nodded back, finally feeling the burning gazes retreat.
My poor heart…
"Hello, here are the painkillers and antibiotics," Xia Tian explained gently to the mother. "You can pay and pick them up on the second floor. Just a heads-up: the antibiotics can be tough on the kidneys, so don't take them for more than three days."
"I've prescribed two painkillers. If your child's in a lot of pain, give him one. If he's fine, it's best not to take them."
"Once you get the meds, you're good to go. Come back in three days for the dressing change."
He bent down and gently tousled the little boy's hair."You've got to be more careful next time, okay? Listen to your mom."
The boy's face was still red from crying, eyes still teary, but he nodded politely. With his mother by his side, he gave Xia Tian a deep bow.
"Thank you, big brother.""Thank you, Doctor Xia."
"You're welcome. Take care." Xia Tian waved as they walked away.
After they left, he immediately checked the "Virtue Bottle."
It had been empty the night before, but now, about one-third was filled—no doubt a reflection of the mother and child's gratitude.
Just a third…A bit underwhelming.
But then again, all he did was stitch up a cut. He didn't save their lives.
That old man yesterday—he had been yanked back from death's door. Compared to that, this was nothing. The difference made sense.
He finished documenting the case—by then, it was already ten o'clock.
Just then, Zhang Ming strode briskly into the ER. Standing at the door, he scanned the room and locked eyes on Xia Tian.
"Xia Tian, come with me."
It's happening!
Xia Tian's heart leapt. Suppressing his excitement, he quickly followed Zhang Ming out.
They walked into the hospital's main lobby.
A stage had been set up in the center, flanked by a crowd. The hospital director, deputy directors, heads of various departments, and senior administrators were all present.Several media outlets were there, their cameras pointed squarely at the podium.
In the director's hands was a massive ceremonial plaque—two meters long and a meter wide—with bold gold letters:
"ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND YUAN"
A reporter stepped up with a microphone."Director Jia, hello. What are your thoughts on the intern from our provincial hospital who performed an emergency thoracotomy outside a McDonald's two days ago?"
Director Jia, dressed in a white lab coat and bearing a solemn smile, spoke with commanding presence.
"As the director of this hospital, I am both proud and deeply moved. I've read all the online comments—many people question the competence of interns."
"But here's what I want to say: whether it's an intern or a senior doctor, from the moment we receive our medical license, we are all physicians."
"We have sworn the Hippocratic Oath. Saving lives is our duty."
"Some people online have gone so far as to call this intern a murderer. To those people, I have only one thing to say—bullshit!"
"He's not a murderer. He is a hero. A true hero who saved a life."
"Let us now welcome this hero—Xia Tian!"
At once, spotlights turned toward Xia Tian. Every gaze, every camera, every beam of light fell on him.
Zhang Ming gave him a push."What are you standing there for? Get up there!"
The spectacle was overwhelming—it was his first time seeing anything like this.
He felt a rush of nervous energy, but above that was something stronger: exhilaration.
Steadying his excitement, Xia Tian walked confidently onto the stage. He shook hands with Director Jia, then turned to face the media. His expression was calm, his demeanor poised.
"Thank you all for your attention these past few days.""I've read the comments—some support me, others curse me. Some say I'm unqualified, that I don't deserve to be a doctor."
"But here's my reply:"
"If I don't deserve it, then do you?"
"While you were busy shouting about qualifications and pointing fingers, I was out there saving a life."
"If it happened again, I'd do the same."
"And to those who say patients deserve to 'die with dignity'—to us doctors, that's nonsense."
"Dignity belongs to the living.""Once you're dead, there's nothing left to protect."