On the way here,
Qiao Ying had already learned about Old Master Qin's situation from Qin Hanyue. A year ago, Old Master Qin accidentally fell down the stairs. He hit his head and suffered a cerebral hemorrhage which compressed his nerves.
The surgery itself wasn't difficult.
The problem was that they discovered Old Master Qin had been chronically poisoned. Older Ming deduced that the poison must have been administered at least half a year before his fall. By the time they found out, it was too late and the toxin had spread throughout his organs.
In addition, Old Master Qin was advanced in years.
What would have been a routine craniotomy suddenly became very tricky.
Over the past year, the Qin family had expended endless effort and money to consult practically every famous doctor in the world. But when they looked at Old Master Qin's condition, they all shook their heads. No one dared attempt the surgery.
The poison in Old Master Qin's body was like a ticking time bomb. No one could guarantee that it wouldn't "explode" during the surgery.
After Qin Hanyue exhausted all orthodox medical options to cure Old Master Qin's poisoning, he even went to consult some amateur barefoot doctors of traditional medicine.
So when Qiao Ying casually said "I don't know what exact poison it is, but it shouldn't be hard to resolve," she was undoubtedly challenging everyone's limits of tolerance.
Out of consideration for Qin Hanyue, no one voiced their criticisms aloud, but their minds had already unleashed unspeakable curses against her.
Maintaining absolute professionalism, the lead doctor said: "Little girl, this is no place for boasting."
Qiao Ying was unruffled and airily replied: "I left my medical license at home."
She made this claim solely for Qin Hanyue to hear. As long as he believed her and agreed for her to do the surgery, that was all that mattered.
Everyone else looked at her incredulously, as if saying "You expect anyone to believe that?"
She was becoming more preposterous by the second.
But Qiao Ying wasn't actually fibbing about having a medical license. It was sitting in the mansion she owned in Country M.
Qin Hanyue: "Prepare for surgery immediately and get her prepped in surgical scrubs. She will be the lead surgeon."
Everyone, including Qiao Ying, looked at him in shock.
Qiao Ying had been about to explain further, since it was his own father lying on that operating table after all. But Qin Hanyue actually trusted her just like that.
"Mr. Qin....you're not joking with us, are you?"
The doctors stared at Qin Hanyue in disbelief. If they hadn't witnessed him expend so much over this past year in Attempts to save his father, they would have suspected the son of harboring a blood feud against his own dad!
The doctor had just finished speaking when a glare from Qin Hanyue made him cower.
Qin Hanyue's mother stood up and, suspecting her elderly ears were playing tricks, asked her younger son: "Hanyue....you said you want this young girl...to perform surgery on your father?"
Fortunately Qin Hanyue held authority in the Qin household, and everyone both loved and feared him. Otherwise, if it were anyone else, the Qin family members would have lined up to slap some sense into this unfilial progeny.
To think they'd actually let a teenage girl operate on Old Master Qin....it was simply inconceivable.
Realizing they'd clearly need more time to persuade Qin Hanyue to think straight,
Qiao Ying suddenly said: "Do you know Doctor Seely from Country M?"
With that one sentence, all eyes instantly swiveled towards her again, this time lighting up eagerly, waiting for her to continue.
But as soon as the words left her mouth Qiao Ying regretted them,
especially when she felt the weight of Qin Hanyue's gaze.
Doctor Seely - the top surgeon in the world. Everyone present knew that name.
As soon as Qin Hanyue learned how serious his father's condition was, he had rushed in person to Country M to find that genius foreign neurosurgeon.
The result was that he didn't even get a chance to meet her.
Qin Hanyue spent a great amount of time and called in every favor he could, doing everything possible to track down what few leads he had on her.
Finally he discovered that this genius doctor was none other than the world's top assassin, Blood Shadow, in her other life - healing with one hand, killing with the other. Even Qin Hanyue had been shocked by this revelation.
He didn't even get to bring the doctor back before the news broke that Blood Shadow had perished at sea.
Just as several people were about to ask Qiao Ying if she personally knew Doctor Seely, or even dare speculate that she might herself be....
"I..." But under everyone's hopeful stares, Qiao Ying opened and closed her mouth before helplessly admitting: "I've heard of her."
She awkwardly rubbed her nose for two seconds.
Everyone: "......"
Qin Yan: F*ck! He actually thought she was....
Qin Yan nearly choked.
Qin Hanyue gathered his thoughts: "Doctor Seely is just a teenage girl herself. She's a genius; so is Qiao Ying."
The lead doctor truly couldn't comprehend Qin Hanyue's rationale: "There's only one Doctor Seely in the world. How could she compare to..." He glanced at Qiao Ying.
Just then Qin Yan tentatively raised his hand: "Miss Qiao previously cured Schoolmaster Zhang when he had a migraine attack that nearly caused a stroke."
Older Ming looked over at Qin Yan, then shifted his gaze to Qiao Ying: "That chronic headache of Principal Zhang's was treated by you, Miss Qiao?"
Without waiting for Qiao Ying to respond, Older Ming went on: "I should have guessed it was you, Miss Qiao."
"Last week Principal Zhang mentioned you to me. I even said we must meet someday. Never thought you'd turn out to be Miss Qiao herself."
"So that injection you asked me for was actually for your own use."
Older Ming babbled on excitedly, seemingly having lost all sense of composure: "I never imagined Miss Qiao possesses such deep attainments in Chinese medicine, yet is also versed in Western medicine and can wield a surgical scalpel."
"Older Ming, you know her?" one doctor asked.
"I do. All of you know about Principal Zhang's hereditary condition. None of you could do anything about it. I could only administer acupuncture twice a month to help relieve it a little. I saw him the other day and took his pulse - it amazed me. This young lady cured him!" Older Ming nodded towards Qiao Ying. "And Principal Zhang said Miss Qiao only needled him three times. He even claimed that if he were ten-odd years younger, there was potential for a complete cure."
"Isn't that right, Miss Qiao?" Older Ming peered at Qiao Ying.
She gave an "Mm-hmm" of affirmation: "Can we start the surgery now?"
The group of doctors didn't budge, only looking to Qin Hanyue for direction.
They hadn't witnessed anything with their own eyes, so there was no way for them to believe her claims, even if she did possess some level of skill. Chinese and Western medicine were as different as night and day. How could someone who wielded acupuncture needles be expected to lift a surgical scalpel instead? If something went wrong on the operating table - which it undoubtedly would - the consequences could implicate them as well...
Qin Hanyue stated: "I already said she will be lead surgeon for this operation. Just assist her accordingly. I will personally assume responsibility for any issues that arise."
Qin Hanyue's Mother: "Hanyue...?"
Qin Hanyue flatly directed: "Yuchen, take grandmother to rest."
Qin Yuchen: "Yes, brother..."
Overriding all dissent, Qin Hanyue sent Qiao Ying into the operating room.
Qiao Ying went to change into surgical scrubs. Older Ming accompanied her: "Miss Qiao, is there any way I can help?"
Qiao Ying: "I may need Older Ming's assistance later guarding the patient's heart meridian if my hands are full."
She took the opportunity to ask Older Ming some detailed questions about Old Master Qin's condition.
Soon, Qiao Ying reappeared at the operating room doors thoroughly suited up in surgical cap, gown, gloves and goggles.
Ignoring the complex stares from everyone else present, she headed straight for Qin Hanyue and met his eyes. His expression was impassive, but his gaze betrayed him.
Qiao Ying wondered about suggesting he change clothes himself to observe from inside, but decided that seemed a touch inhumane. So instead she came up to him and stated: "I have never failed at any surgery under my care." Having said her piece, she entered the operating room.
Inside the OR,
Qiao Ying inspected Old Master Qin's condition. His lips were purplish-black. Reaching out, she also checked the old master's pupils.
With Old Master Qin's status, he surely kept personal physicians and received regular checkups every month. Yet none of them ever detected anything until the toxins entering his internal organs caused full-blown poisoning symptoms to manifest. This was no ordinary poison.
Under the scrutinizing stares of everyone present besides Older Ming, Qiao Ying spent the next two minutes taking Old Master Qin's pulse.
The group exchanged flummoxed looks, at a complete loss for words.
The lead doctor wanted to speak up, but remembering the autocratic Qin Hanyue waiting outside, he forcibly swallowed his words back down.
Today's spectacle would definitely go down as the biggest joke of his entire medical career. He could only pray that the seething rage of that man outside wouldn't blow back onto them later.
From the pulse condition and poisoning symptoms, Qiao Ying's slender brows creased almost imperceptibly. This poison...she found it not completely unfamiliar...
Qiao Ying: "Prepare for surgery."
