Chapter 244: Chuck: House, If You Can't Do It, I'll Do It!
"He really said that?"
Dr. House, though called out by Chuck, had a gleam in his eyes and a smile playing on his lips, clearly enjoying himself. He pulled a small bottle from his pocket and popped a few painkillers into his mouth.
He had an old leg injury that was constantly painful, much like Chuck, except Chuck's condition was congenital, while his was a complication from an injury that hadn't been treated properly.
"What do you think?"
Dr. Wilson, in his white coat, rolled his eyes with a hint of embarrassment—one of the people being subtly insulted.
"True."
Dr. House finished his painkillers and nodded with a smile, "You couldn't have made that up. That's definitely his style."
"What do you say? Can we go see the patient now? Time is running out."
Dr. Wilson, in his white coat, didn't want to continue the conversation, and as a compassionate doctor, he was genuinely worried about Professor Alicia Harper's condition.
"Like I said, let him ask me!"
Dr. House put away his medicine bottle, picked up his cane, and limped out.
"Don't be like that."
Dr. Wilson in his white coat quickly followed, continuing to persuade him, "Why leave all the fun to the medical examiner?"
"That makes sense."
Dr. House smiled, "Normally, I might consider it, but the pleasure of autopsies is common, while the pleasure of Chuck asking me for help is unique. So if you don't want to leave the pleasure of autopsies to the coroner, then hurry up and call him and have him ask me."
"You know he's not going to ask you!"
Dr. Wilson in his white coat was getting frustrated.
If Chuck were willing to ask Dr. House, he would have come long ago; there would be no need for him to go through all this trouble, saying she's his cousin and making a personal appeal.
As long as Chuck was willing to speak up, Dr. House would definitely take on the case without hesitation, securing this unique request and giving Chuck no chance to back out.
But the word "unique" says it all. Before something truly unique happens, it's a state that has never existed before, and most likely won't happen now or in the future.
"Then you'd better find a way to make him ask me,"
Dr. House said firmly, shrugging. "If he doesn't care, why should I?"
"Because you're a doctor! And he isn't!"
Dr. Wilson in his white coat said seriously. "You may both be unwilling to ask each other for help, but that's your own business. Don't hurt an innocent patient over it."
"This world is full of patients. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural order of life,"
Dr. House continued limping, unmoved. "People are either sick now or on their way to getting sick. I can't save everyone, because God wouldn't allow it!
So what difference does one more or one less make? If I encounter someone interesting that I want to save, I'll save them; if I encounter someone uninteresting that I don't want to save, I won't save them. That's also God's will."
"When did you start believing in God?"
Dr. Wilson in his white coat didn't believe it at all.
"You know, when I work with those mentally taxing professionals, I not only educate them about our lives and Dr. Drake Ramoray, but also ask if they'd give doctors a discount,"
Dr. House teased in a lighthearted tone. "I also sometimes talk to God. You know me, I don't believe in God, but I can't resist their constant prayers in my presence.
Even someone as atheist as me, amidst such frequent prayers, inevitably has a moment when I can directly communicate with God—and it was in that moment that God told me to act according to my own heart and enjoy life. Are you satisfied now?"
"..."
Even though Dr. Wilson in his white coat knew what kind of person his friend was, he still found it hard to watch him speak of such things in such a refined and elegant way.
"Please! Even if it's not for Chuck's sake or your own, you have three exceptionally capable doctors working for you. Is it really okay to let them do nothing all day?"
As a leading figure in the medical field, Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital not only established a unique diagnostic department for him but also gave him three positions to recruit three outstanding attending physicians as his assistants, helping him with diagnosis and treatment.
Because of Dr. House's absolute status in the industry, there were numerous applicants for these assistant positions, and Dr. House selected three.
One was a neurologist.
One was an emergency room physician and immunology expert.
One was an intensive care physician and a renowned surgeon.
These three assistant physicians, due to Dr. House's eccentric personality, might not be the most capable among all applicants, but they were still among the best in their respective fields.
The reason they valued these positions was more because they wanted to learn from the best in the industry in order to become absolute experts like Dr. House. Therefore, even though they could easily find good jobs with their credentials, they still preferred to endure being idle and staying in Dr. House's office.
"I heard you guys are bored?"
Dr. House and his companion had already reached the main office of the diagnostic department. Dr. House used his cane to push open the glass door and winked at the two men and one woman scattered around the large conference table inside.
"No."
The handsome young white doctor, Dr. Chase, as an ICU doctor, respected Dr. House's authority and subconsciously denied it.
Hmm.
This might also be related to the fact that he got in through connections.
According to Dr. House, Dr. Chase's father kept harassing him, which forced him to choose Dr. Chase.
The beautiful Dr. Cameron, as an emergency room doctor and immunology expert, didn't respond.
But the African-American Dr. Foreman, as a neurologist, always liked to challenge his boss and demonstrate his ability and fighting spirit, so he sarcastically retorted, "Is it that obvious?"
"Very good."
Dr. House smiled, "You're following me to learn from me, so it's important to understand my feelings, and boredom is my norm."
As he spoke, he looked at his friend who had been following him, trying to persuade him.
"You can't stand being bored anymore."
At that moment, a rather striking woman, carrying a medical record and wearing high heels, walked in. Her expression was serious. "You must take this case!"
Everyone looked at Dr. House.
This woman was Dr. Cuddy, the hospital's administrator.
"If you had only said the first part, I would have been more than happy to accept."
Dr. House glanced casually at the female hospital administrator's chest, jokingly saying, "But when it comes to accepting cases, you should know that diagnosis relies on this, not this."
He pointed first to his own brain, then to the administrator's bright red lips.
"I don't have time for jokes,"
the administrator said sternly. "Professor Alicia Harper is a very prominent physics professor at Princeton University, and her husband, Professor John Harper, is also a very distinguished mathematics professor at Princeton. Not to mention, they were referred by Dr. Wolfe, which is an endorsement of our hospital. You not only have to accept the case, but you can't mess it up!"
She slammed the medical record onto Dr. House's chest. "I've already arranged for the lab to conduct expedited comprehensive toxicology screens on Professor Alicia Harper. Use this time to quickly perform other diagnoses besides toxicology. Her condition is critical, and time is limited; we can't afford to waste any more time!"
"Where is he now?"
Dr. House tossed the medical record from his chest onto his desk, completely unaffected by the female hospital administrator, and turned to his friend, Dr. Wilson.
"At a time like this, all you care about is that?"
Dr. Wilson grumbled.
"Don't use that tone!"
Dr. House retorted sharply, "Otherwise, people will really misunderstand and tease you again."
"..."
Dr. Wilson was speechless, especially seeing the knowing smirk on the beautiful Dr. Cameron's lips; he felt even worse.
"Where is he?"
Dr. House, leaning on his cane, walked toward his private exam room in the diagnostic department.
"Chuck isn't here."
Dr. Wilson couldn't take it anymore. "If you really want to know, call him now!"
"Fine."
Dr. House, seeing his friend's expression that said, 'If you're so capable, go face Chuck directly. What kind of capability is it to bully us?', stopped, took out his phone, and dialed Chuck's number. "I heard you're asking for my help?"
"Have you been taking too many pills again?"
Chuck's calm voice came from the other end of the line. "You'll die from that sooner or later."
"You're really not going to ask me?"
Dr. House glanced at the gossipy eyes of the group, pressing on this point. "Let me tell you, your beautiful professor's condition is critical. If I lack motivation and waste time, don't regret it. Anyway, for me, the fun of treatment lies in solving the puzzle. Solving it before death and solving it during an autopsy isn't that different."
"Do as you please."
Chuck said. "If you can save her, great; if you can't, drag it out. I don't care."
"Wow, so cool and tough~"
Dr. House exclaimed dramatically. "Too bad I'm not some lovesick teenage girl. Trying to provoke me won't work. I'll say it again: if you want me to go all out, just ask me."
"I'm busy right now, I'll hang up,"
Chuck said bluntly. "Since you're not confident you can save her, I'll start studying medicine while I'm at it. There should be enough time. That's all!"
With that, he hung up.
"..."
Dr. House's lips twitched. Listening to the dial tone, he shrugged at the gossipy stares as he put the phone away. "Listen to how arrogant he is. I can't save her, so he's going to start learning medicine from scratch, and in such a short time, he'll achieve what I, with decades of medical training, haven't been able to do, and he says there's enough time!"
"That's so badass,"
the beautiful Dr. Cameron couldn't help but say.
"Foreman, prepare the MRI,"
Dr. House glanced at the beautiful Dr. Cameron and instructed the African-American Dr. Foreman.
"You suspect a neurological disorder?"
The African-American neurologist, Foreman, had already begun reviewing Professor Alicia Harper's medical records and immediately switched into professional mode, starting his analysis.
"No!"
Dr. House interrupted, "I asked you to prepare the MRI for Cameron; it's obvious she needs some tests."
He then pretended to avoid Cameron's presence, 'whispering' to everyone, "She has a problem with her brain."
"I don't have a problem,"
Cameron, the beautiful doctor present, said helplessly.
"You actually believe Chuck can surpass my level in such a short time, and you say it's badass? Isn't that a problem with your brain?"
Dr. House mocked.
"There are always incredible geniuses in this world,"
the beautiful Dr. Cameron said calmly with a smile. "You are one, and Dr. Chuck Wolfe is even more so! You often say that medical diagnosis is like detective work, and Dr. Chuck Wolfe is the famous Detective Chuck!
Although there are still big differences between medicine and detective work—medicine requires more knowledge and experience—I know that Dr. Chuck Wolfe has an eidetic memory, coupled with his superhuman intelligence. If anyone could create such an almost impossible medical miracle, I believe he is definitely the most likely candidate."
"It seems you don't have a problem with your brain, but rather with your judgment,"
Dr. House nodded. "Listen to what you're saying; you haven't used your brain at all. It's just that your restless hormones are influencing your judgment. You actually think Chuck is handsome and cool."
"He is handsome and cool, otherwise so many people wouldn't be attracted to him,"
the beautiful Dr. Cameron said with a smile, without denying it.
"None of you genuinely find any charm in his expressionless face. The others are attracted to his fame, but you are different. Your reason for being attracted to him is simpler: he's disabled."
Dr. House gave her a penetrating look.
The usually calm and composed Dr. Cameron's expression changed.
"Saying that Cameron only finds Chuck handsome and cool because he's disabled? Does Cameron like damaged people? Then why doesn't Cameron like you? You're way more damaged than Chuck!"
Dr. Wilson, a true friend, almost instinctively chose to deflect and help the beautiful woman out of the awkward situation: "Stop talking nonsense—are you going to diagnose and treat Professor Alicia Harper or not? If you really can't, then leave it to Chuck. Maybe we can really witness a medical miracle."
Dr. House glanced at everyone, then teased his friend Dr. Wilson with a sarcastic tone: "You want to see? I'm not going to let you see! So that some people won't misunderstand our relationship again~"
"..."
Dr. Wilson's lips twitched, but then he looked at Dr. House's back and smiled. Chuck's move had indeed made his friend take the bait, even though he knew it was a challenge.
Over there.
Chuck hung up the phone and continued to remain hidden in the darkness. When a pair of women walked in while talking, he adjusted his decorative glasses.
"What's he doing?"
a familiar voice rang out.
"The target has been transferred to another hospital,"
another female voice replied respectfully. "To Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Dr. House there is very famous in the diagnostic field, especially skilled in treating difficult cases."
"Looks like he still cares after all."
The familiar voice carried a hint of amusement.
Pfft!
A silenced gunshot rang out in the room. Chuck emerged from the shadows, glanced at the woman lying dead on the ground, shot between the eyes, and then, expressionless, said to the beautiful woman in the oil painting who was looking at him, "Is that so?"
(End of Chapter)
[Support Goal: 500 PS → +2 Chapters]
[Support Goal: 10 Reviews → +1 Chapter]
Your review helps the story grow.
P2treon Soulforger (30+ chapters ahead)