Two days later, on a Saturday evening, in the ward.
"Mr. Jiastun, we initially thought we could remove the tumor with a simple procedure, but it's turned out to be more complicated than we expected. The tumor has infiltrated the pericardium, causing tears in the heart's external muscles," Dr. Burke explained to Mr. Jiastun, who had just woken up from surgery.
"That's a lot of complicated medical jargon," Mr. Jiastun said with a wry smile.
"It means your heart was damaged, but we managed to save you. You're going to be fine," Christina chimed in quickly.
"Dr. Burke, is that true?" Mr. Jiastun asked, looking at Dr. Burke with a mix of surprise and hope.
Dr. Burke, hands on his hips, glanced at Christina before nodding at the patient with a smile. "Yes, it is. Rest up, and you'll be out of here soon."
---
Outside the ward.
"Dr. Yang, are you in a rush?" Dr. Burke asked, turning to Christina.
"Not at all," she replied without hesitation.
"Got plans tonight?" His tone carried a hint of curiosity, his eyes narrowing slightly. "A date, maybe?"
"A date?" Christina blinked, then burst out laughing. "You really don't know anything, do you, Preston Burke?"
"So, not a date," Dr. Burke said, his expression brightening.
Lately, Christina had been noticeably distant. Outside of work, their personal interactions had dwindled to almost nothing. The memory of stolen romantic moments in a locked on-call room felt like it belonged to another lifetime. As both a man and her superior, he had his pride and hadn't pressed her about it. But tonight was Saturday, and he'd checked her schedule—she was off tomorrow. Seeing her eagerness to leave, he couldn't help but wonder, and finally, he'd asked.
Her answer relieved him. Of course, he thought. Christina, with her relentless ambition, wouldn't waste time on something as frivolous as a date. He'd overthought it.
"So, what's on your agenda tonight?" he pressed.
"You really don't know?" Christina said, genuinely surprised. "Tonight, Adam is hosting a lecture at the medical center's teaching room on Dr. Alice Grey's classic heart transplant surgery. It's open to anyone, and they're recording it live. I snagged a front-row seat."
She'd attended four of these sessions already and found them incredibly valuable. Beyond the technical insights, the idea to use them for a reputation boost had been hers. The format was straightforward: Alice Grey would narrate as they watched the video, with Adam chiming in with questions. The spotlight would stay on the two of them, but this time, Adam was opening the floor to audience questions—an opportunity to stand out.
Christina secretly hoped she could use her sharp mind to ask something brilliant, maybe even stump Adam, the so-called "teaching assistant," and steal the show. She didn't have high expectations—it was more of a private fantasy—but a girl could dream, right?
"Alice Grey?" Dr. Burke's face stiffened. "That's ridiculous! She's an Alzheimer's patient. How can she give a lecture? Who approved this nonsense at the medical center's teaching room?"
The medical center doubled as a teaching hospital, complete with a university-style lecture hall for large-scale educational events.
"Who else?" Christina shrugged. "Only the director has that kind of authority."
"Richard?" Dr. Burke's brow furrowed. "He's going along with this?"
He knew Richard, the surgical director, was an old colleague and close friend of Alice Grey. Still, he couldn't believe Richard would let personal ties override professional standards.
"You'd have to see it for yourself before calling it nonsense," Christina said, quickening her pace toward the teaching room. "I think Dr. Grey's explanations are spot-on—clear, logical, and deep."
Dr. Burke hesitated for a moment, then followed her. He had to see this for himself. What kind of miracle could a legendary cardiothoracic pioneer pull off with Alzheimer's?
---
In the teaching room.
Doctors trickled in, arriving in pairs and buzzing with excitement about the evening's lecture. By the time Dr. Burke and Christina got there, the place was packed.
"Damn it! Find your own seat," Christina snapped at Dr. Burke before darting to the front. Her reserved spot—the best in the front row—was under siege, with Meredith struggling to fend off seat-stealers.
Dr. Burke watched Christina's retreating figure and shook his head. Then his gaze shifted to the stage. Alice Grey sat there, her expression cold and composed, while Adam stood beside her, occasionally leaning in to exchange a few words.
In one corner, a high-end camera rig was being fine-tuned by a team of professionals. It looked like a Hollywood set—over-the-top and clearly backed by serious money. Quite a spectacle.
"Dr. Burke," a voice said quietly beside him.
"Dr. Shepherd," he replied, nodding as the neurosurgeon joined him at the back of the room, both taking in the scene.
"Have I missed anything?" Dr. Shepherd asked.
"You know about this too?" Dr. Burke said, surprised. "And you're fine with it?"
"You didn't hear about this big news?" Dr. Shepherd smiled. "I've always believed in miracles. Alice Grey is a legend in her own right. Even with Alzheimer's, I'm willing to bet her passion for medicine could break through the disease's grip and create a new medical miracle."
"If Alice Grey really does pull off a miracle and recovers, what do you think she'd say to you after hearing that?" Dr. Burke asked, glancing at him.
"Oh, I know," Dr. Shepherd chuckled. "She'd say, 'You're definitely not a cardiothoracic surgeon—probably a neurosurgeon. Top cardiothoracic surgeons are like God, while top neurosurgeons spend most of their time praying to Him and convincing patients to believe in miracles. That's why the best doctors pick cardiothoracic surgery.'"
Dr. Burke cracked a smile. He couldn't agree more. In the medical pecking order, cardiothoracic surgery reigned supreme over neurosurgery in their era. Dr. Shepherd had nailed it.
---
On stage.
Adam checked the time. The room was nearly full. After a quick nod to the camera crew, he announced the start of the lecture. They'd brought out a projector, and the plan was simple: play the surgery footage while Alice Grey explained, with Adam tossing in questions here and there.
At first, Dr. Burke stood with his arms crossed, a skeptical smirk on his face, convinced this was all a farce. But as Adam's questions grew sharper and more probing, the smirk vanished, replaced by a serious focus. Half an hour in, his expression shifted to one of sheer disbelief.
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