Medical Center. Buffet Area.
"Is it really that over the top?"
Leeds couldn't believe it. "Flushed so red you'd think she had a fever?"
"Not even exaggerating," came the reply.
Christina teased, "When she saw Dr. Shepter, she only had to fan herself a little to cool down. But the moment she laid eyes on Adam, fanning didn't help at all. She turned so red it was like her face was practically bleeding, her breathing went rapid, and she nearly passed out from dizziness."
"Adam isn't Michael Jackson!"
George was at a loss for words. "Do people really faint just from looking at him?"
"You're okay with fans swooning over Michael Jackson's performances, but you can't accept a female patient getting all red, feverish, and dizzy because Adam is too handsome and utterly irresistible?"
Christina, still in disbelief, replied, "They're all a little crazy anyway."
"Watch it—or you'll get it," someone warned.
Adam interrupted, "Alright, enough of these pointless topics. Meredith, did you bring Dr. Grey's videotapes and medical notes?"
"I brought a few tapes."
Meredith frowned. "Are you sure this will work?"
"Worth a shot."
Adam's brow furrowed. "Only a few tapes? Just videotapes? No medical notes?"
"We'll start with a few tapes and see."
Meredith's eyes flickered. "Too many would be too much to lug around."
"Hmm?"
Adam raised an eyebrow. Something about Meredith just didn't sit right. Was she trying to hide these precious surgical tapes so as not to "aid the enemy"? And what about the medical notes? Adam couldn't believe that the legendary Dr. Alice Grey would have left behind not even a single note.
Not only did Meredith skirt around the issue of the notes, she wouldn't even bring them up. Clearly, something bigger was going on. But then again, Adam could understand. If Meredith really had any intention of "aiding the enemy," then the medical notes would be far more valuable than the tapes.
Why? Because the tapes are just curated copies of the surgeries Dr. Grey performed all over—the originals are safely stored in hospitals. With a little effort, anyone could get their hands on them. But the medical notes? Those were Dr. Grey's private summaries, filled with her insights on various procedures and her visionary ideas for groundbreaking surgeries.
If the right person—say, Adam—got hold of those notes, studied them inside and out, and built upon those pioneering ideas, he could very well create an entirely new series of procedures bearing his name, making headlines worldwide and forging his own legend. Knowing Adam, he'd probably keep that kind of treasure under lock and key.
Still, understanding doesn't change the fact that this trend can't be allowed to continue! Adam narrowed his eyes as a host of ideas for making Meredith willingly hand over those notes flashed through his mind. Meanwhile, a guilty Meredith lowered her gaze, unwilling to meet his eyes. She hadn't even anticipated this angle.
"Aiding the enemy?" she thought. She wasn't as fiercely ambitious as Christina—she'd never planned on competing with Adam. The reason she was so vague and reluctant was that last night, while rummaging through the stack of surgical tapes and medical notes her mom had piled up at home, she uncovered a shocking secret.
Her mother… had a lover.
Well, "had a lover" might be an understatement—she wasn't entirely sure why the word "also" would even apply. But that wasn't the main point. The real shock was that her dad's departure back then wasn't entirely his fault. And the so-called fourth party in their family drama turned out to be none other than Head of Surgery Richard!
Her mom's medical notes even casually detailed the intimate cigarette breaks between her and Richard—details so scandalous that even she, known for literally losing her pants when she got totally wasted, couldn't help but blush. And more often than not, it was her mom who made the first move. How could she possibly let such a family disgrace become public? If someone who knew her saw her mom's notes, what terrible assumptions might they make—like, "a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix…"?
But those unsettling thoughts were quickly pushed aside.
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"Director…" Meredith murmured, thinking of her once-respected uncle—now tarnished by this revelation—until she nearly felt sick.
"Adam, are you really planning to take these surgical tapes to consult with Dr. Grey?"
Leeds reminded him, "But she has Alzheimer's. Even if she remembers the medicine, one misstatement from her could lead you astray—and that's dangerous."
"Yeah," George agreed. "That would be irresponsible to the patients. How dare you!"
"It's fine," Adam said with a laugh. "I can figure things out on my own. But you do have a point—so for the sake of patient safety, you guys can just sit this one out. After all, how dare you!"
George and Leeds went silent for a moment before Christina burst into laughter. "These are the precious Director's Audio Track version surgical tapes! Are you sure you don't want to watch them together?"
Adam gave her an appreciative look. The analogy of a "Director's Audio Track version" was pretty clever. In American movies, the producer usually calls the shots—most directors don't even have the final say on the edit. And we all know how crucial editing is. The same film, with a different edit, can convey an entirely opposite message. The version shown in theaters reflects the producer's vision, which often leaves directors fuming because it doesn't capture the deep meaning they intended.
To make a buck, many companies, after the theatrical run, are willing to let the director release their own director's cut or even a director's audio commentary version—then hype it up and sell the tapes like crazy. After all, if it were identical to the theatrical version, why should anyone who's already seen it pay extra to buy it? And there are even those unscrupulous companies that tack on a few extra seconds, or even minutes, of previously cut scenes, boldly claiming that the viewing experience is entirely different—releasing it in theaters all over again just to make a quick buck.
Just like in The Big Bang Theory—whether it's the theatrical version with a few extra seconds or the director's cut, or even the director's audio commentary version—if the movie company dares to sell it, Sheldon and the gang wouldn't miss out for the world. They'd happily spend the money, watch or buy it, then write reviews online and discuss it with other fans. It's all part of the ritual. And why not? They're that passionate.
Now, back to the surgical tapes. These recordings are captured live, with no editing whatsoever. But different doctors watching them can come away with completely different interpretations—some deep, some shallow. It's like having countless theatrical versions edited by producers of varying skill; the final result entirely depends on the editor's ability.
When the lead surgeon on these tapes is Dr. Alice Grey—and if she were there giving live commentary—it'd be nothing short of a director's audio commentary version. For doctors who are truly passionate about medicine, who have ambition and drive, such a version of these precious tapes would be absolutely priceless. It sets the benchmark: even the least skilled, if they earnestly follow along and learn, won't fall too far behind.