Chapter 406 - 263: The Scalpel of Ruijin
The professor didn’t speak.
The professor didn’t move.
The professor just watched Jiang He with a gentle expression.
Jiang He felt a few goosebumps rise on his skin.
The atmosphere felt a little strange. He quickly scratched his head and said, "Professor, why aren’t you saying anything?"
Yang Xu chuckled. "It’s nothing. I just feel incredibly lucky. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you properly, have I? Jiang He, thank you."
Jiang He felt even more awkward. "What’s there to thank me for, Professor?"
Yang Xu said, "For choosing me as your professor. I really haven’t taught you much of anything. From the very first time we met at the school, you’ve been constantly redefining what I thought was possible. Remember our first meeting? You said you were going to improve the radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. My first thought at the time was, ’Where did this arrogant brat come from, talking so big?’"
Jiang He was taken aback.
He wasn’t sure why his professor was suddenly taking a trip down memory lane.
But he played along, joking, "Becoming your student was part of my grand plan all along."
"Haha, well I’m grateful for your grand plan... Later, you told me about the new bottom-up approach, which you then developed into the new posterior approach. You told me you’d be my first assistant on the operating table one day, but instead, I ended up becoming yours. Looking back, so much has happened in just six short months."
"Yeah, it has."
Yang Xu paused, then said with sudden seriousness, "In any case, Jiang He, thank you, truly, for choosing me as your professor."
Jiang He replied just as seriously, "I should be thanking you, Professor. Thank you for being willing to choose me as your student back then."
"Hm?"
Yang Xu tilted his head.
He couldn’t quite follow Jiang He’s logic.
How could he have known that the "back then" Jiang He spoke of was from a past life...
Jiang He felt that his professor was especially talkative today.
He seemed to be in high spirits, the way people are when something good has happened.
𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Deciding not to be in a hurry to leave, he sat down and said, "Professor, from the looks of it, things are going well between you and Xiaoqing?"
At the mention of this, Yang Xu couldn’t hide his joy.
"You bet. Your professor here is still quite charming. Xiaoqing was already quite fond of me before, you know? Since she hasn’t had to run to the lab every day, we’ve had time to go on dates."
"And then?"
"And then, our parents met a couple of days ago. The old folks were all quite pleased, so we’re planning to find some time in the next few days to get our marriage certificate. Also, Xiaoqing has started preparing for pregnancy."
"?"
Jiang He was stunned.
’Whoa, what’s with this pace? From making the relationship official to meeting the parents, then getting the certificate and preparing for pregnancy... isn’t that a little too fast?’
But on second thought, Jiang He understood.
At Yang Xu and Wang Xiaoqing’s age, they were considered older and unmarried.
Both sets of parents had probably been worried sick for ages.
People with one foot in the grave, hoping every day that their children would get married and start a family.
Now that they’d finally seen two people who were a good match, from similar backgrounds, and who were attracted to each other get together...
Of course they’d rush things along, right? For fear the couple might change their minds.
Besides, from a medical standpoint, Wang Xiaoqing was indeed no longer young.
If they delayed any further, she would be of advanced maternal age, and the risks of childbirth would increase exponentially.
Having a baby sooner was better for both mother and child.
Thinking of this, Jiang He asked, "In that case, will Xiaoqing still be able to stay on our project team?"
At this, the smile on Yang Xu’s face faded, and he sighed.
"That’s my biggest headache. I know Xiaoqing’s personality. She would never want to leave the team at such a critical juncture. But she was frank with me the day before yesterday. If she’s going to be preparing for pregnancy and then be pregnant, she definitely can’t be cooped up in a front-line lab all day. What do you think we should do? Is there any way to get the best of both worlds?"
Jiang He didn’t hesitate. "Then let her step back from front-line operations and handle coordination and administration. The various administrative approvals for the national-level R&D center we’re about to establish will need someone who knows the ropes and is completely trustworthy to oversee them."
Yang Xu’s eyes lit up. "That’s it! Moving to a behind-the-scenes coordination role... no chemical hazards, and she can still be involved in the work. That’s perfect, perfect!"
He glanced at his watch, then looked up at Jiang He. "Are you heading back to the school later?"
"I have to make a trip."
"Then run an errand for me. Xiaoqing should be in a class at the School of Basic Medical Sciences right now. Go tell her about the plan we just discussed and put her mind at ease. Coming from you, the head of the project, it’ll be more effective than coming from me, her husband."
"Sure, leave it to me."
After leaving the administration building, Jiang He first went to the special-needs ward.
He pushed open the door. On the hospital bed by the window, Zhang Jiaqi was munching on a peeled apple, with Gu Qingyan sitting beside her.
The mother and daughter were chatting and laughing about something.
Sunlight fell on them, and the atmosphere was surprisingly harmonious.
Hearing the door open, they both turned their heads at the same time.
"Dr. Jiang." Gu Qingyan stood up, her smile gentle and natural.
Zhang Jiaqi put down the half-eaten apple, her movements a little self-conscious.
"I’m here to check on your recovery."
Jiang He picked up the medical chart at the foot of the bed and scanned it. All her vitals were stabilizing, and her cardiopulmonary function was steadily improving.
"Looks good. We’ll keep you under observation for another two weeks, and if there are no problems, we can consider discharging you."
Zhang Jiaqi looked at Jiang He.
She suddenly spoke, her voice hesitant. "Jiang... Jiang He... Thank you."
Jiang He turned to look at her.
Zhang Jiaqi’s eyes suddenly reddened.
"I had such a rotten attitude before, I was so immature... I thought no one cared if I lived or died... But during this time, I’ve had a lot of time to think... I know what a close call it was that night, and I know what a huge risk you took to save me. I’m not trying to cry, I just... I just felt... I had to thank you in person. Thank you for not giving up on me."