DSMIS CH35

Chapter 35: Qianjin Got Barked At By Heibao

For some reason, Shen Xing remembered what Director Liu of the plastic surgery department at their hospital had said. He claimed that to determine if a man is truly handsome, you have to look at his bone structure. A full, prominent brow bone and a straight, high nasal bridge add three-dimensionality to the face, while the line of the jaw directly determines facial contours. Shen Xing could even picture the facial skeleton model Director Liu had brought to their department last time. Right now, he felt the bone structure of the face in front of him rivaled that perfectly proportioned model.

Seeing Shen Xing space out, Jiang Lin waved a hand in front of his eyes:

“Did I bump into you?”

“Ah? Ah, no.”

Shen Xing felt his heart beating very fast and his face felt a little hot. He figured he had been startled by those two kids zooming past on their bikes. He stood up straight, lowered his head to adjust his clothes, and let out a sigh of relief before turning back to Jiang Lin. He couldn’t help but say:

“When we get back to Tianjin City, I’m taking you to meet the director of our plastic surgery department.”

This baffling sentence made Jiang Lin pause:

“Is there something wrong with my face that needs fixing?”

“No, it’s to show him a real-life template for perfect bone structure. That way, he won’t have to keep carrying that skull model around everywhere.”

If Liu Fu saw Jiang Lin’s face, he’d probably want to make a mold of it to use as a template. Jiang Lin was amused. Since cars were passing by on the street, he grabbed Shen Xing’s arm and pulled him further inward. That strange sensation returned to Shen Xing—the spot where he was grabbed felt a little numb and a little itchy. He didn’t know how to describe it. Before he could dwell on it, he heard the voice of the person beside him:

“Didn’t you say last time that you wanted to buy a milk tea cup? Do you want to go in and take a look?”

Jiang Lin pointed to a Tibetan-style handicraft shop nearby. It seemed to specialize in items like pots and cups. Shen Xing turned his head, and his attention was instantly captured by a blue and green cup displayed in the window:

“Let’s go take a look.”

Perhaps out of a habit developed during their last shopping trip, the moment he walked in and saw a chair, he subconsciously pushed Jiang Lin onto it. Jiang Lin smiled but didn’t say anything, obediently sitting down. This shop truly had a massive variety of cups, unique in both style and material, all one-of-a-kind. There were cups for milk tea, coffee, and tea; cups made of Tibetan silver, pure silver, and porcelain—a dazzling array. Shen Xing still preferred the one that had caught his eye first, and he picked out another with a similar color scheme:

“Boss, how much for these two?”

“The one on the left is 149, the one on the right is 169.”

After asking, Shen Xing looked at Jiang Lin. Receiving the signal that Doctor Shen needed him to haggle, Jiang Lin went to work. In the end, they walked out with both cups for 200 yuan.

Outside the shop, Shen Xing handed one of the bags to Jiang Lin:

“Here, this is for you. When I get back, I’ll learn how to boil milk tea, and we can drink it at home.”

“Alright. I’ll ask my Tibetan colleagues for the recipe.”

The two wandered around a bit more before heading back. Shen Xing drove, and Jiang Lin sat in the passenger seat:

“Are you leaving early tomorrow morning?”

“Yeah, hitting the road exactly at eight. I’ll drop Qianjin off at your place in the morning.”

“Okay. Be safe on the road. Call me if anything happens.”

Shen Xing smiled:

“I know, you’ve said it twice already, Hero. It’s not like I’m going alone; I’ll have colleagues with me. It’ll be fine.”

Little did Doctor Shen know, he would soon be metaphorically slapped in the face by reality.

This time, the group consisted of four people in two cars. Besides Shen Xing, there was a deputy director from the Cardiology Department in his forties who was also driving. The other two were attending physicians. Since most of the villagers were elderly, and joint and spinal issues were likely to be prevalent—coupled with Shen Xing’s significant language barrier—the Orthopedics Department sent two people. Lobsang came along, riding in Shen Xing’s car. Shen Xing’s trunk was packed with commonly used medications and disposable examination supplies. These items were subsidized, meaning they would be provided to the villagers during the free clinic at a very low cost.

As they drove northwest, the altitude displayed on Shen Xing’s sports watch continued to climb. The distant snow-capped mountains drew nearer, and large and small prayer flags began to appear on the mountainsides. The colorful flags, fluttering in the wind against the blue sky, looked exceptionally vibrant. Occasionally, they could spot a few yaks. Shen Xing couldn’t help but ask:

“Are most of the villages around here Tibetan?”

Lobsang nodded:

“Yes. Most of the settlements heading northwest from the county town are Tibetan villages. My family used to live in a village up ahead, but there aren’t many people left there now. The young people moved to the county town, so it’s mostly the elderly who remain.”

Shen Xing nodded. This was likely the current reality for rural areas across the country.

Their itinerary was to visit the towns first, then the villages. They split into two teams of two: the Cardiology deputy director led one team, while he and Lobsang formed the other. So, once they reached the town, the two cars went their separate ways.

The road from the county town to the township was relatively easy to drive on, and they arrived before noon. They grabbed a quick bite to eat outside before heading to the township health center in the afternoon. The primary focus this time was to provide free physical exams for elderly residents over 50. Since it was free, the turnout was significant. Using the listening skills he had acquired recently, Shen Xing could barely understand some simple phrases, but when they started telling stories, he was lost and had to rely on Lobsang for translation.

The checkup results for most of the elderly revealed common chronic illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, cervical and lumbar spondylosis, and degenerative joint diseases. However, there were also more severe cases. That afternoon alone, they encountered four or five patients with severe joint diseases. One person had extremely severe joint effusion; their knees were swollen like two large steamed buns attached to their legs, and the pain made it impossible for them to walk. Upon seeing this, Lobsang immediately called Shen Xing over.

After ordering a few tests, Shen Xing performed an arthrocentesis (joint aspiration) to drain the fluid. He then called the family member into the office. The patient was accompanied by her husband, who couldn’t speak Mandarin, so Lobsang translated:

“He says his wife’s knees have been hurting for a long time. Previously, she would wrap boiled beans in a cloth and roll it over her knees at home, which provided some relief. But it’s gotten much worse over the past year. Her knees started bulging, and she can’t walk. They came to the hospital twice, but the township health center couldn’t perform an aspiration, so they just prescribed some medicated plasters, which didn’t help much.”

After reviewing the scans, Shen Xing had Lobsang translate: The best treatment for this level of joint damage was surgery—a knee replacement. Conservative treatment would have little effect on such advanced knee joint disease; the pain and effusion would only continue to worsen.

Shen Xing noticed the look of distress on the elderly Tibetan woman’s face and understood her question. She was asking where she could get the surgery done and how much it would cost.

This actually stumped Shen Xing. He knew where it could be done, but the cost was difficult to calculate. The inclusion of artificial knees in the medical insurance directory varied by region, and the reimbursement rate for Tibetan residents was relatively higher. He truly couldn’t give an accurate estimate off the top of his head.

In the end, he took down the patient’s phone number and promised to call her back once he had verified the details.

There were many patients that afternoon, and it was past seven o’clock when Shen Xing and Lobsang finally emerged from the health center. They declined an invitation from their colleagues at the health center, grabbed a simple bite to eat, and headed to the guesthouse arranged by the hospital. The conditions of the township guesthouse were a bit rough for Shen Xing, mainly due to the cold and dampness. This was probably inevitable for a northerner like him. However, compared to his accommodation experience on the road trip here, at least this room had air conditioning.

Shen Xing turned on the air conditioning and flipped the blankets over to warm them up before taking a shower. Dressed in thick pajamas, he grabbed his laptop and dove straight under the covers.

Opening his phone, he saw a message Jiang Lin had sent over half an hour ago, asking if he was off work yet. There was also a photo of Qianjin with his head buried in his food bowl, eagerly chowing down. Shen Xing replied directly with a video call, which was answered quickly. On the screen, Jiang Lin was sitting on the sofa, holding the rotund Samoyed in his arms. Upon seeing Shen Xing, the Samoyed’s large face immediately pressed against the screen, rubbing it as if asking to be petted, whining and whimpering. Amused, Shen Xing teased:

“Look at that massive face.”

Jiang Lin rubbed the Samoyed’s ears. Seeing that the person on screen seemed to be leaning against a bed, he asked:

“Have you reached your accommodation? How are the conditions? Was it busy today?”

“It’s a township guesthouse. It’s alright, it has air conditioning. I guess you could say it was busy. There were a lot of patients this afternoon. I haven’t been back in my room for long.”

Jiang Lin looked at Shen Xing’s hair. It had obviously just been washed and blown dry, but the ends were still a bit damp:

“Did you take a shower? The altitude is high up there, be careful of altitude sickness.”

“I’m fine. I didn’t feel anything unusual on the drive here. I can’t sleep without showering. How’s Qianjin? Is he being good?”

Hearing Shen Xing call his name, the Samoyed’s large head leaned in again. Jiang Lin smiled:

“We played fetch for a while earlier. He’s been very good.”

Shen Xing looked at the Samoyed, chatted with Jiang Lin for a bit longer, and then ended the call. He had quite a bit of research to do tonight.

Seeing Lobsang come out of the bathroom, Shen Xing spoke up while comparing the prices of several artificial joints:

“Lobsang, is the county hospital currently unable to perform joint replacement surgeries? Do patients have to go to Baoshan Hospital?”

“Our county hospital has done two cases, but both times the patients’ families hired a ‘flying knife’ (visiting surgeon). Our own doctors haven’t performed it.”

“Have you ever scrubbed in on one?”

“I scrubbed in during my fellowship, but not as the first assistant, only as the second. Director Shen, if our hospital could perform this surgery, it would be much more convenient for people like Dorje. I remember the hospital president mentioning at a meeting last year that he wanted to introduce this procedure here. Director Zhu’s current fellowship will probably focus heavily on artificial joint replacement. Many people in the surrounding villages have only ever traveled as far as the county town. Baoshan is an incredibly distant place for them. If the county hospital could do it, that would be wonderful.”

Shen Xing nodded:

“Do you happen to have the Yunnan Medical Insurance Reimbursement Directory?”

“Oh, yes, I do.”

“Send me a copy.”

Shen Xing barely did anything else that night. He compiled a list of all the artificial joints, surgical consumables, and medications required for a joint replacement surgery that were covered by the Yunnan Medical Insurance Reimbursement Directory. He categorized them, listed the prices, and calculated an approximate total cost based on the reimbursement rates. Including hospitalization fees, the out-of-pocket cost could be controlled to under 20,000 yuan. For a bilateral joint replacement, squeezing the budget could bring it down to around 30,000-plus yuan.

However, this didn’t include the travel, food, and accommodation expenses for the patient and family to go to Baoshan. With those factored in, the budget would be higher. But if the surgery were performed in the county town, it would save a significant amount.

These few days of free clinics turned out to be even busier than working at the hospital. Starting from the second day, Shen Xing felt a dull headache. He figured it was mild altitude sickness, took some Rhodiola, and didn’t think much of it. Every night, he would video call Jiang Lin to check on Qianjin and chat. However, when he returned to the guesthouse this particular evening, there was no message from Jiang Lin.

Because Jiang Lin wasn’t home right now. The incident started during their morning walk. Because the road they usually took was under construction, they switched to a quieter street. The white Samoyed, possessing a heavy dose of curiosity, sniffed around everywhere as they walked. It found something on the ground that looked like a food wrapper and opened its mouth to bite it. But before it could even get the wrapper in its mouth, it was suddenly barked at by Heibao, who was walking beside it. Not only did Heibao bark, but he also raised a front paw and batted the Samoyed across the face.

This left Qianjin—who had grown very close to Heibao recently and was even allowed to steal his small cans of food—feeling both wronged and terrified. Hearing the commotion behind him, Jiang Lin quickly stopped the car. What he saw was a fluffy ball curled up into a tight knot, back turned to Heibao, ears flattened in airplane mode from fear. It was probably feeling incredibly aggrieved. It squatted on the side of the road, a massive lump trembling with silent sobs. It took Jiang Lin a long time to coax the furball into walking again.

This time, however, Qianjin kept a wide distance from Heibao, hugging the edge of the road. It seemed as if he was afraid of Heibao, or perhaps simply ignoring him. But the road conditions were poor, dotted with puddles, and since it had rained and snowed a bit over the past two days, the puddles had turned into mud pits. A car drove up from behind and honked its horn. Already aggrieved and scared, the Samoyed stumbled and fell face-first right into a mud pit, soaking its entire coat in muddy water.

When Jiang Lin got out of the car again, he was faced with a literal “cement Samoyed.” He had to go to work soon and didn’t have time to take the white furball for a bath, so he had no choice but to wipe him down with a towel first, load him into the car, and take him home. He wiped him down again with a damp towel, intending to take him for a proper bath after work that evening.

Checking the time, Shen Xing saw it was already 8:30 PM, so he initiated a video call. It rang for a while before it was answered. On the screen, Jiang Lin was outside, and a white furball was resting on his shoulder:

“Where are you?”

“Qianjin fell into a mud pit this morning. I just took him for a bath and we’re heading out.”

Looking at the massive lump, Shen Xing felt a mix of exasperation and affection. Falling into a mud pit was definitely something this silly dog would do. Seeing that Jiang Lin had to drag him out for a bath this late made him feel bad. Noticing Jiang Lin was still carrying the Samoyed, he quickly said:

“Stop carrying him, let him walk himself. He weighs over 60 jin! Your hands can’t take that kind of strain.”

Jiang Lin felt the Samoyed rubbing against his neck, acting spoiled:

“It’s fine. He was wronged today. I’m not using my left hand. I’ll video call you again when we get home.”

Jiang Lin carried the massive furball back to the car. Even when they got home, the Samoyed was still sulking in a corner. He returned Shen Xing’s video call, thinking he might secretly feed him a small can of food after hanging up to cheer him up.

Shen Xing answered quickly. Jiang Lin pulled the furball over and explained what happened that morning:

“Heibao is trained; he won’t eat things off the ground outside. This morning, Qianjin tried to eat something by the road, and Heibao barked at him. He’s been feeling wronged all day.”

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Author’s Note:

Captain Jiang really is the doting father type. If the dog is emo, he feeds it a small can. He’s already planning to secretly feed him a small can behind Director Shen’s back.