Long County, at a barbecue stall that wasn't particularly bustling with business.
Lu Cheng and Chen Song sat across from each other in the corner. After Lu Cheng placed the order, he handed the menu over while opening an ice-cold beer: "Teacher Chen, see if you want to add anything more?"
"Today, it's my treat, so please don't hold back."
Lu Cheng placed the order first; after all, being in Long County, Lu Cheng was familiar with which place had good flavors and what the specialties were.
Chen Song shook the menu lightly, initially thinking to make Lu Cheng fork out for a big meal, but upon seeing what Lu Cheng ordered, instead of adding dishes, he ended up removing a few: "Treating guests is one thing, but let's not waste food."
"Wasting is the biggest disrespect to good food," Chen Song said earnestly.
Lu Cheng explained, "Teacher Chen, this must be your first time here, so I'm not familiar with your taste, and I thought you'd like to try more."
"Cheers to you, drink up."
Summer days were dull. Although Chen Song was often invited by people like Lin Qianlong in Long County for drinking gatherings, the conversations usually lacked substance.
Chen Song preferred having a private chat with Lu Cheng about professional knowledge: "You've reached a barely entry-level mastery with the Modified Kessler Technique now. You can start solving real clinical problems for patients."
"Advancing further means seeking higher surgical quality rather than just doing tendon suture surgery for the sake of practice."
"Judging by the knowledge summaries you sent, you've probably researched quite a few professional books!~"
"The Tsuge Suturing Technique and Tang Method are two classic techniques that are unavoidable in hand surgery tendon suturing. In terms of applicability, Tsuge Suturing Technique developed by Japanese doctors is even broader."
"Therefore, Tsuge Suturing Technique is the next thing you need to delve deeper into."
"One thing we must address is that while we can be patriotic, learning the valuable technique developed by Tsuge Masaru (Tsuge) is essential. Once mastered, it can better help solve patient issues."
Lu Cheng replied, "Teacher Chen, we definitely should learn any good technique."
Chen Song explained, "The flexor tendons in zones 1 and 3, and the extensor tendons in zones 2, 3, and 7, are currently best sutured using the Tsuge Suturing Technique."
"Although many domestic professors attempt to replace it with Tang Method or Modified Tang Method, there is currently no substantial evidence showing other techniques can surpass it in these tendon suturing zones."
"If there's a chance, we can also try to cover it with other suturing techniques. But for now, as beginners, we have to learn this technique..."
"For different tendon injuries, finding a suitable corresponding technique makes it less problematic."
"Regarding the pace of practicing Tsuge Suturing Technique and Tang Method, do you want to find materials yourself or shall I help you find them?" Chen Song asked Lu Cheng specifically.
Lu Cheng quickly responded, "Teacher Chen, I'll find the materials myself."
"I will trouble you to provide guidance at the right time..."
Whether a master's or a doctoral student, or a sincere and protective student, none dare to ask their mentor to find materials to feed back to them.
It's against the natural order!
Learning a technique is a personal endeavor; you can consult your mentor when you have questions and accept their guidance at the right time.
Wishing for a teacher to supervise you like a high schooler and force you to learn is absolutely impossible.
University students are adults, and adults should be responsible for their future, for every step they take.
Chen Song pondered for a while before asking, perplexed, "Lu Cheng, I see you have a strong desire to learn, and you're quite talented. Didn't you ever think about pursuing postgraduate studies?"
Lu Cheng's attitude towards learning was proper and motivated, definitely not oblivious to the idea of postgraduate studies.
Lu Cheng replied frankly, "Teacher Chen, I've definitely considered it, but I failed..."
"Failed? Why?" Chen Song pursued.
"I didn't have my own articles..." Lu Cheng laughed bitterly.
As an undergraduate from an ordinary family, even while attending Han City University, he couldn't navigate the laboratory doors or the direction of topic groups during his undergraduate years. Where would academic papers come from?
Chen Song listened and realized something was off: "Failed because you didn't have your own articles? This is uncommon. Which hospital did you apply to?"
"Huashan Hospital Orthopedics," Lu Cheng responded.
Chen Song was suddenly enlightened, with a slightly shocked tone: "Huashan Hospital? Huashan Hospital has fewer master's slots than doctoral slots; you dared to apply there?"
Huashan Hospital's orthopedics department is exceptionally strong, particularly hand surgery, arguably the best in the country. Even Jishuitan Hospital's hand surgery might not surpass it.
In such top-tier teaching hospitals, the strong departments have fewer master's slots compared to doctoral ones. Once admitted for master's, it's essentially a direct doctoral path, seemingly a master's application, but actually a direct doctoral assessment.
Lu Cheng touched his nose: "In youthful arrogance, I thought I was quite well-prepared back then."
"I didn't understand the true rules of graduate entrance exams, so I stumbled heavily."
"Why didn't you attempt a second time?" Chen Song continued.
If the first attempt failed, there's always a second chance. After making it to Huashan Hospital's master's interview, couldn't Lu Cheng easily apply to a 211 university the next year?
Lu Cheng didn't respond but instead poured Chen Song another beer.
The sound of bubbles and foam arose simultaneously, overflowing the glass's rim, trickling onto the table and forming water stains.
Lu Cheng stopped, biting his lip before smiling again, "Teacher Chen, at the end of the day, it was youthful arrogance and ignorance."
"My master's written exam score was first; when Huashan Hospital's secretariat contacted me privately about my interview failure and suggested I transfer early, I didn't quite accept it."
Chen Song candidly understood Lu Cheng's discontent: "And then?"
"Then I crashed hard. I couldn't even find an opportunity to return to my school; Han City University Zhongnan Hospital didn't lack good master's applicants and wouldn't accept transfer spots in principle."
"I thought, I'll just go for standard training. I don't believe I can't outlast those few; I insist on a professional path. Once I step up again, Teacher Chen, you know that hospitals like Huashan have professional and academic graduate student 'Cyan Cloud Ladder,' 'Exceptional Admission' standards..."
"In youth, after starting formal training, I realized the knowledge I gained during my undergraduate years was utterly useless in clinical practice."
"Compared to master's seniors, my rookie identity was immediately exposed."
"At Zhongnan Hospital, even the level of attending physicians could be regularly ridiculed by the supervising director; whereas at that time, my meager skills couldn't even make it to the operating table."
"Without patient guidance from teachers or direct seniors, no matter how hard you try, you can only barely reach the level of other master's peers. There's absolutely no way to stand out."
"Learning..." Lu Cheng bit his lip, "a teacher is crucial."
"Especially in medical technology learning, teachers are indispensable... Otherwise, you won't even know in which direction the door opens for a treatment method for an illness."
"The information and knowledge found online barely touch the threshold."
"Take, for instance, the Modified Kessler Suturing Method; if I hadn't consulted the brothers I encountered during my prior training, how would I know how to practice it?"
As Lu Cheng spoke, his tone was honest: "So, I am extremely grateful, very, very grateful that Teacher Chen, you can spare time to guide me."
"I will also absolutely cherish this opportunity." Lu Cheng's voice was one of reflection and calm, without choking...
"No longer reckless?" Chen Song didn't sympathize with Lu Cheng; instead, he shot a cold arrow.
Lu Cheng wasn't upset, knowing Chen Song's perspective differed from his own, admitting that his actions deserved such a response, with a servile expression: "Having learned the hard way, the only thing left is to heed advice..."
"You're at an age where even taking advice is a bit late."
"I don't even know how to commend your efforts."
"Was it stubbornness? Yet it didn't lead to any achievement. Medicine isn't as simple as you imagined, and technical learning is not as straightforward as studying textbooks and exam questions..."
"These surgical techniques, even in modern society, if you trace back two hundred years, were family secrets not passed down lightly."
"City-level hospital, county hospital, provincial hospital directors won't claim mastery of techniques they don't possess. Yet, you boldly..."
"Serves you right! Absolutely right!~" Chen Song cursed harshly.
In Lu Cheng's mind, a somewhat familiar yet now strange beautiful face emerged, and he laughed: "Indeed, serves me right, absolutely!"