Qian Changling felt he wasn't bragging or lying; she was already the absolute pinnacle of the industry.
Director Feng was the director of orthopedics, and hearing this piqued his interest.
"I haven't witnessed this myself yet. I wonder if Dr. Lin could take a look at a patient in our hospital?"
"Tsk," Qian Changling frowned. "Dr. Lin finally gets a day off, she's not here for manual labor. You don't even pay her a salary, so stop bossing around our people from the island."
Director Feng shook his head with a bitter smile. "You, you're getting more and more protective of your own."
Lin Zhilan glanced at her watch and got down to business. "The friend I came to visit today had polio as a child and now has lingering complications. If it's convenient for the hospital, could I take a look at his medical records and examine him?"
Director Feng paused. "You... what do you mean?"
"I want to see if acupuncture will have any effect on his muscles and nerves."
The muscles on Director Feng's face twitched. "That's highly unlikely, isn't it?"
Lin Zhilan wasn't angry. She smiled faintly, "I just want to give it a try."
Seeing this, Qian Changling pulled her aside. "Dr. Lin, how confident are you?"
"Twenty percent," Lin Zhilan said. "I'll have to see the patient first to know the specific situation."
If the nerves were completely necrotic, even God wouldn't be able to help.
Qian Changling knew she spoke conservatively. If she said twenty percent, it was at least forty or fifty.
He nodded. "If there's hope, I think you should see if you can transfer this friend of yours to our military hospital. I have a way to make it happen."
"Why?" Lin Zhilan was puzzled.
Qian Changling whispered, "Dr. Lin, do you know what you just said?"
Qian Changling had his channels and knew that the number of children who contracted polio nationwide each year in recent years was roughly between ten and twenty thousand.
In addition, including many unreported cases at the grassroots level, the actual number of cases was even higher than reported.
Among these numbers, about 1% to 2% of the children would become paralyzed, leaving them with lifelong disabilities.
This number might look small, but for a family, it was a massive tragedy.
More importantly, the technique Lin Zhilan mentioned wasn't just targeted at this single disease.
"If you're going to treat him, you have to do it back at our military hospital. Don't make a name for other hospitals."
Director Feng had just leaned in and happened to hear this exact sentence.
Originally, he didn't quite believe it, but being provoked by Qian Changling like this immediately turned his slight doubt into deep interest.
Director Feng said, "Lao Qian, that's not very fair of you, is it? We know Dr. Lin is from your island, and we don't have the power to transfer her here. Since you say Dr. Lin is so amazing, let us witness it too."
Qian Changling's face darkened. "You have no manners, why are you eavesdropping on people?"
Lin Zhilan smiled, "Stop arguing, you two. I haven't even seen the patient yet. We can talk about this later."
Director Feng hurriedly said, "If Dr. Lin is free, shall we go take a look right now?"
Lin Zhilan nodded in agreement.
The three of them walked together toward the ward. As they walked, somehow, Lin Zhilan ended up in front, with Director Feng leading the way beside her, and Qian Changling seemingly becoming her sidekick.
This drew sidelong glances from the passing doctors and nurses, who thought some top leader's family member had arrived at the hospital.
After all, Lin Zhilan's appearance was indeed too deceiving.
Especially for a doctor, the older they looked and the whiter their hair, the more professional they seemed.
Lin Zhilan definitely did not belong to this category.
She was young and beautiful, and most importantly, her medical skills were outstanding. Wouldn't you say that's exasperating?
The group arrived at the ward.
The ward was dead silent.
Only Fan Biyun was busy running around, taking care of her old mother and then her husband.
Originally, they could have called Auntie Yu for help, but Su Lang was standing by the window, and no one dared to boss Auntie Yu around.
"Zhilan."
As soon as Su Lang saw her, he immediately stood up straight.
Lin Zhilan nodded and gave him a look.
Qian Changling stepped out from behind her, "Commander Su, we meet again."
Su Lang raised the corners of his mouth. "Yes, I didn't get a chance to ask earlier. Has Manager Qian been transferred back to the capital?"
"Pfft, pfft, pfft," Qian Changling waved his hand. "It's just the New Year, I'm on holiday visiting family."
Lin Zhilan turned sideways and introduced them to Su Lang. "Su Lang, this is Director Feng. Director Feng, this is my husband, Su Lang."
Director Feng stepped forward to shake hands. "Hello, Commander Su."
Su Lang shook his hand, nodding and smiling.
Su Ding's family and Wang Gaihua were all dumbfounded.
They didn't know if they should speak up.
Lin Zhilan scanned the ward and walked to the innermost bed.
The curtain here had already been drawn by Su Lang.
Because of his physical condition, Liu Feng was a bit timid and cowardly. Drawing the curtain gave him more of a sense of security.
"Zhilan, this is...?"
Auntie Yu was a little nervous and rubbed her hands together.
She had worked in the Su household for many years and always called Fan Biyun and Deng Jing "Comrade Fan" and "Comrade Deng." Yet, Lin Zhilan had only been back for a few days, and she was already calling her "Zhilan."
"Auntie Yu, don't be nervous. We're just here to take a look at..."
"Liu Feng," Su Lang reminded from the side.
Lin Zhilan continued, "We're just here to take a look at Liu Feng's condition."
Auntie Yu nodded repeatedly and made way.
Liu Feng had taken a fall and suffered a simple closed fracture of the tibia.
It had already been reduced and fixed with a splint, waiting for the surface swelling to go down before surgery.
"You're Liu Feng, right?" Lin Zhilan said softly. "Can I lift the blanket to look at your leg?"
Liu Feng swallowed nervously and nodded slightly.
Paralysis caused by polio affects only one leg in over 90% of cases, while the other is generally completely normal.
The leg Liu Feng fractured this time happened to be the paralyzed one.
Lin Zhilan lifted the blanket to reveal the bandaged lower leg, and Director Feng rolled up Liu Feng's pant leg to expose the thigh as well.
The bandaged lower leg couldn't be seen clearly.
But his thigh was much thinner than a normal person's, and the difference compared to his other leg was stark.
The muscle atrophy was severe. The skin hung loosely over the bone, and there seemed to be no visible muscle definition.
Lin Zhilan gently pressed the muscle on the front of his thigh. The texture under her fingers was soft and lacked almost any elasticity.
"Do you feel it when I press like this?"
Liu Feng shook his head.
Lin Zhilan moved to another spot and pressed the inner thigh. "What about here?"
Liu Feng shook his head again.
Lin Zhilan then pressed just above his knee and lightly scratched it with her fingernail.
Liu Feng flinched slightly.
"You feel something here?" Lin Zhilan asked.
Liu Feng nodded and licked his dry lips. "Just a little bit, it's not obvious."
Lin Zhilan looked thoughtful.
The fractured lower leg made it hard to examine.
Lin Zhilan didn't press anymore and covered him back up with the blanket.
Auntie Yu vaguely sensed something and watched her expression nervously, wanting to ask but not daring to.
Her son had fractured his leg and had already been brought to the hospital, where elective surgery was scheduled.
But with Lin Zhilan suddenly doing this, Auntie Yu harbored some thoughts in her heart that she hardly dared to believe herself.
Director Feng couldn't hold back and asked, "Dr. Lin, how is it?"
