"Director Sun? What are you doing here?" Huang Qizhong asked, his expression displeased upon seeing Sun Xiaochuan.
Sun Xiaochuan's previous actions had indeed made Huang Qizhong look down on him.
Unaware of Huang Qizhong's mood, Sun Xiaochuan turned to Director Chen and lectured, "Director Chen, at my age, I'm considered your elder. There are some things I must tell you. As the saying goes, 'He who does not listen to the words of elders will suffer immediate consequences.'
"There's still much you need to learn in life and in your work. Don't just think about showing off. Young people should learn with humility."
Chen Mo's face turned cold. "What do you mean by that?"
Sun Xiaochuan said smugly, "Director Chen, since you don't understand, let me explain it clearly."
"Don't try to steal the spotlight from now on. If I, Sun Xiaochuan, cannot complete a surgery, and you attempt it, aren't you asking for trouble? If the injured party's family finds out about this, your entire career might be over."
As he spoke, Sun Xiaochuan even reached out and patted Chen Mo's shoulder. "So, in life, one must be low-key."
"Heh heh."
Chen Mo couldn't help but chuckle.
Huang Qizhong, standing nearby, also shook his head helplessly, his gaze towards Sun Xiaochuan filled with even more contempt.
"What do you two mean by that?" Sun Xiaochuan's expression faltered.
He couldn't understand how Chen Mo could still laugh at a time like this.
Huang Qizhong spoke up, "Director Sun, who told you the surgery failed?"
Sun Xiaochuan said with disdain, "Director Huang, it didn't fail, did it?"
Huang Qizhong nodded. "Indeed, the surgery was a complete success. Director Chen's surgical skills are no less than yours. I, on the other hand, would like to advise those who think they are elders to be humble. The younger generation always surpasses the older; if the older generation doesn't keep up, they might just be washed ashore."
"Director Huang, mind your words. I wasn't targeting you with my previous remarks!" Sun Xiaochuan glared at Huang Qizhong furiously.
Huang Qizhong was unfazed by Sun Xiaochuan's glare. "I just can't stand by and watch. If Director Chen hadn't stepped in today, that young life would have been lost. As doctors, if you have the ability to help and don't try, I don't know how you can face the title of 'doctor'!"
"And you have the audacity to point fingers at Director Chen here. You should be the one being laughed at."
"You!" Sun Xiaochuan's face flushed with anger.
"That's impossible. The patient's heart was severely damaged; they couldn't have survived! Stop trying to trick me."
Huang Qizhong shook his head helplessly.
He ignored Sun Xiaochuan and turned to Chen Mo with gratitude. "Director Chen, thank you for this."
Chen Mo waved his hand. "It's nothing; it's what I should do."
"Chen Mo." At this moment, Tian Mengyao also approached.
She had heard their conversation clearly and the tension on her face had long since vanished.
She knew Huang Qizhong wouldn't lie. If he said Chen Mo's surgery was successful, then it must be true.
However, Tian Mengyao was also shocked. She hadn't expected Chen Mo to be skilled in cardiac surgery!
"I'll head back to the emergency room now." Seeing Tian Mengyao and Chen Mo, Huang Qizhong smiled and waved goodbye.
Afterward, Chen Mo and Tian Mengyao also returned to their department.
Outside the operating room, only Sun Xiaochuan remained.
Since the patient still required the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, they needed to be observed in the intensive care unit adjacent to the operating room.
Sun Xiaochuan, completely disbelieving that Chen Mo could have succeeded, angrily pushed open the operating room door.
However, upon seeing the patient, Sun Xiaochuan was stunned.
The stable vital signs were all proof of one thing: the surgery he himself had no confidence in, Chen Mo had actually succeeded!
Sun Xiaochuan felt as if he had been dealt a ten-thousand-point blow!
His face burned as if he had been slapped hundreds of times.
He knew he had completely lost face this time!
He had boasted that there was no hope for the patient, yet a young doctor from a different specialty had saved them. Wasn't this a direct slap in the face?
Chen Mo returned to the department.
Tian Mengyao poured Chen Mo a cup of warm water.
However, her expression was displeased, and she chided Chen Mo, "You can't be so attention-seeking in the future. Putting aside offending other doctors, if something goes wrong, you'll be the primary responsible party. If your career is ruined by one surgery, how will you treat other patients in the future?"
Facing Tian Mengyao's reprimand, Chen Mo dared not retort, nodding repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes, I'll listen to you."
Tian Mengyao looked at Chen Mo angrily.
But before Tian Mengyao could continue lecturing him, Chen Mo's phone suddenly rang from his drawer.
Upon opening it, he saw dozens of missed calls, all from the same unknown landline number.
Chen Mo hesitantly answered the call.
"Hello, may I speak to Chen Mo?" a middle-aged woman's voice came through the phone.
"This is he, who is this?"
"This is Longhua Funeral Home."
"Funeral home? Why are you calling me?" Chen Mo asked, baffled. He had no dealings with funeral homes.
"Do you know He Zhongnan?"
"Old Father He? What, what happened to him?"
Hearing the name, Chen Mo's expression immediately tensed, and his emotions grew anxious.
He certainly knew the name. He Zhongnan was the director of his orphanage. He and his seven older sisters had lived there. Later, his seven sisters were adopted, and other children were gradually adopted and left, until only he and He Zhongnan remained at the orphanage.
Eventually, Director He adopted Chen Mo himself and supported his education. Chen Mo had always called He Zhongnan "Old Father He."
In his heart, Director He was his father.
"Mr. Chen, please accept my condolences. Mr. He died in a car accident on the 15th of this month."
"A Ms. Qin came earlier to handle the funeral arrangements, but she hasn't come in the past few days, and we couldn't reach her. So, we opened the deceased's phone. Moreover, his phone only had your number saved."
Boom!
Chen Mo felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his face turning ashen.
He stumbled, collapsing onto the chair behind him.
"You, what did you say? Old Father He, he, he's dead?" Chen Mo questioned disbelievingly.
"Sir, please accept my condolences."
"I'll be right there."
After speaking, Chen Mo hung up the phone.
Tian Mengyao, standing beside Chen Mo, didn't know what had happened. She saw Chen Mo rush out the door as if he had gone mad.
"Chen Mo!" Tian Mengyao quickly chased after him.
However, by the time she reached the hospital entrance, Chen Mo had already disappeared.
Longhua City, Funeral Home.
Chen Mo arrived at the funeral home at 4:30 PM.
Looking at the familiar figure lying in the ice coffin, Chen Mo trembled, and tears flowed uncontrollably.