Chapter 23, Section 23: Kang Fu and the Dispute "Health is important!" "You..."
"I threw up three times last night, this awful flu." Cohen complained in the group chat early Wednesday morning.
Yes, he was also infected, but his symptoms were more gastrointestinal.
Xu Aida was feeling a little better today. She suddenly remembered the girl who vomited in the bar's restroom.
She carefully recalled the events and told Liang Siyu what had happened, then asked, "Do you think we might have been infected at the bar?"
“Possibly.” He immediately searched the JHU forum and found that some students had already posted about it, and at least seven or eight people had replied, saying they had been to that small bar on Friday and Saturday.
He forwarded the forum link to Professor Brooke's secretary: "Jenna, there might be a cluster infection. Ada and Cohen also went to this bar last Friday."
After confirming the information, Jenna sent a group email in the evening, advising everyone to postpone going to that bar and asking any students who had been there and felt unwell to contact her immediately.
The following Monday, Xu Aida was basically recovered, and they returned to the lab, where they met Evan in the corridor.
He acted as if he hadn't seen them at all, his gaze fixed straight ahead, and walked right past them.
Xu Aida almost rolled her eyes. Hmph, annoying brat, what's there to be proud of?
Ebenezer was the first assist in the second half of last week's surgery, but ultimately was unable to participate.
After the cluster infection information was released, he voluntarily reported that he had also been to that small bar on Saturday.
However, he was nearing the end of the incubation period and had not yet shown any symptoms. He even requested an expedited PCR test, hoping to get a negative result before the surgery.
However, Professor Brooke did not adopt his advice. Infection control standards for primates are extremely high; even the smallest risk is intolerable.
If the PCR report arrives late or comes back positive, he cannot possibly find an assistant on Thursday night, thus delaying his scheduled surgery on Friday morning.
Just to be on the safe side, Brooke replaced the person in advance, inviting an assistant professor to assist.
Liang Siyu held the door open for Ada to enter first, then turned his head slightly to glance at Evan, only to meet a sinister gaze, thin and cold, like a probe under a microscope.
Liang Siyu subconsciously took half a step, shielding Xu Aida behind him.
Evan could have guessed that the information about the cluster infection was sent to Jenna by him, since Ada and Cohen were the first to be infected in the lab.
Although he had no idea at the time that Evan had also been to the pub, it wasn't directed at him.
Although this person still has a moral bottom line and proactively reported the risk of infection, their competitive methods are extreme and their mind is narrow-minded.
He himself wasn't afraid of anything, but what if Evan took his anger out on Ada again?
“Ned?” She turned to look at him, puzzled.
He forced a smile, pulled himself out of his thoughts, and walked into the office with her.
Despite still experiencing a slight headache and fatigue, Hsu Ai-ta was eager to return and push the project forward.
During the few days she lay in bed, she repeatedly considered Liang Siyu's career change in her previous life.
Her claims of family expectations or pressure from her mentor are merely "subjective conjectures," and there is currently no evidence to support them.
The failure of the Tense project is an objective fact. Although he said he was "not in a hurry" in his past life, what if he was just restraining himself and hiding something?
She originally just wanted to do scientific research step by step, but now she's suddenly getting a little anxious.
Today, she scheduled a seminar at 10 a.m. to interview second-year MD students and continue to advance the algorithm feedback-assisted surgical training project.
Her previous algorithm was designed for training in craniotomy of monkeys.
However, this kind of surgery is too complicated. Even top research centers like MIRA Lab only perform five or six such surgeries a year, making it unsuitable for most people.
After discussing it with Liang Siyu, they decided to return to standard procedures. Coincidentally, second-year MD students are currently learning basic clinical skills this semester.
When Liang Siyu saw Rui'an arrive, he immediately got up and followed her.
She tugged at his sleeve, but he remained unmoved and said in a low voice, "This is our project, and I should help out."
She glanced at him. Today was for collecting MD students' perceptions of difficulty; he had designed all the scoring sheets, so his presence was a complete waste of time.
Xu Aida distributed a prepared "List of Operation Items" to everyone. It was compiled by Liang Siyu, based on 7 common primary operations, and further subdivided into 19 secondary actions.
She turned on her computer: "For each operation, please give your difficulty rating, divided into three levels: 'easy,' 'medium,' and 'difficult.'"
"For medium and difficult operations, where do you feel the difficulty lies, and what type of feedback do you hope the algorithm system will provide? I'll make a simple note of that."
Ryan held the form, looked up at Liang Siyu, and waited for his senior to give his opinion first. Isha did the same.
Liang Siyu casually picked up a pencil and naturally took over the conversation: "The first three major items don't need to be discussed, right? Basic operations like knotting, sewing, and removing stitches are obviously simple."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "I think we can start with the 10th one, intradermal sutures. This is considered intermediate; it takes a lot of practice to maintain consistent tension."
Isa glanced at Ryan, and the two exchanged a helpless look, neither of them daring to speak. They wanted to say that stitching up wasn't that easy, was it?
Hsu Ai-ta was busy connecting the projector cable and didn't notice the subtle atmosphere between them. He just casually asked, "Do you agree? Starting from Article 10?"
Isa hesitated before saying, "Uh, okay."
After connecting the projector, Xu Aida found the 10th item: "For intradermal sutures with embedded sutures, what do you think are the difficulties? What aspects do you hope the algorithm will focus on reflecting?"
“Tension,” Liang Siyu replied. “The distance should be even, and when you pull it on the last time, the thread should fit snugly under the skin, but not too tightly.”
Ryan added, "I think the angle at which the needle is inserted is also quite important."
"The angle issue should have been mastered during basic sewing practice." Liang Siyu casually moved his hand, the pencil spinning between his different fingertips. "The more important thing here is to maintain the same layer so that the thread can be naturally embedded."
Ryan was speechless, staring only at the pencil in his hand.
Isa smoothed her hair and interjected, "Actually, I think continuous sutures and mattress sutures in skin suturing can also be considered intermediate?"
"Well, mattress suture, I guess that's barely acceptable. But if continuous suture is only considered moderate, then the difficulty level must be off the charts."
Liang Siyu frowned slightly. "I suggest that procedures like vascular dissection and laparoscopy are considered difficult. What do you think?"
Blood vessel separation? Can that be called difficult? It's extremely difficult! Ryan thought to himself, but he was too embarrassed to say it directly.
"Then... is there a classification between easy and medium?" Isa glanced at Xu Aida, her tone slightly inquiring.
Xu Aida looked at Liang Siyu, whose pencil was spinning wildly in his hand. She suddenly realized what was happening.
“Ned, come out for a second.” She turned to Ryan and Isa and smiled. “You can talk about the first few things first, I’ll be right back.”
Once in the hallway, she lowered her voice: "Ned, you can no longer participate in the discussion."
"Huh?" He frowned, not quite understanding.
"Didn't you notice? As soon as you opened your mouth, they became less willing to express their opinions." She tucked her hair behind her ear, trying to keep her tone calm.
The atmosphere in medical school is different from that in computer science; lower-year students clearly respect upper-year students and are hesitant to contradict them.
He dismissed it: "Those operations are actually quite simple. Their scoring criteria and practice pace are flawed. To reach a medium level of difficulty, at least..."
“It’s you who’s unreasonable, you’re the outliner!” she interrupted him, the image of that pencil fluttering like a butterfly reappearing in her mind. “Not every MD student is like you, able to do those things so easily.”
He couldn't help but retort, "It wasn't easy; I practiced a lot."
"I know, I know," she nodded quickly.
"But you have to admit, your starting point was different, right?" He's clearly a naturally gifted player.
"Our algorithm must cater to the needs of the majority of students."
He looked at her, remained silent, then reached out and took her hand: "Okay, I won't say anything, let's go back."
He agreed verbally, but felt a pang of sadness inside.
The "exclusive algorithm" that was originally designed for him has now become a practice tool for everyone, and she even feels that he is "not representative".
But she was right; second-year students were the primary users of the system.
She stopped him: "No! They'll feel uncomfortable if you just sit there. You should go back to your office first."
He stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly hugged her and said in a low voice, "Call me when it's over. You're not allowed to talk to that kid any more."
He didn't think Ryan was just trying to please her for the sake of the algorithm project.
How could it be such a coincidence that they could send her coffee beans that are only available in New York, and happen to be her favorite, just one weekend apart? The other person must have been paying attention to her all along to go to such lengths.
She coughed, amused. "Alright, from now on I'll only drink your Blue Bottle, okay?"
She discovered it yesterday; the new package contained two bags of Blue Bottle coffee beans.
He touched his nose, a little embarrassed: "Okay, I'm leaving. You go back to your interviews. Let's have lunch together."
She returned to the seminar room with a smile: "Alright, I'll only listen to you guys today. Don't you think that only three levels are a bit too few?"
Ryan and Isabella nodded vigorously.
Isa joked, "Separating blood vessels isn't difficult at all, it's hell mode."
Xu Aida laughed too. She tried to spin the pencil, and it fell onto the table with a thud. She shrugged, and all three of them laughed.
She typed on the keyboard, recording their suggestions, occasionally rubbing her throbbing temples, and slowly she felt more confident.
As the interview ended, Ryan hesitated, clutching the medicine box in his pocket, but when he met Liang Siyu's gaze at the door, he could only smile and say goodbye.
When Xu Aida returned from lunch, he yawned slightly. Liang Siyu suggested, "Let's go home. You haven't fully recovered yet."
They don't have a mandatory office schedule; as long as the project is progressing normally, that's fine. Aside from animal experiments, he can handle most of his work from home.
She wanted to write the new algorithm a little longer, but when she met his eyes, she suddenly couldn't speak.
He helped her carry her schoolbag and led her home.
They met Jenna in the hallway.
Jenna greeted her with a smile: "Ada, I heard your algorithm project is progressing well."
"Oh, thank you~ Actually, it's still in its early stages, just a small experiment." She waved her hand with a smile.
Jenna continued smiling: "Professor Brooke mentioned it at the college meeting last week, and many professors are quite interested, including Professor Will, who teaches clinical skills."
Liang Siyu's eyes flickered, and he nodded to her: "Thank you, Jenna."
Ada didn't know much about the medical school, but Liang Siyu knew that Jenna wasn't just saying it casually, so he couldn't help but tighten his grip on her hand.
As we approached the parking lot, a strong gust of wind blew against the narrow road between several buildings.
Xu Aida quickly covered her scarf tightly, but still couldn't help coughing a few times. She stopped and turned to the side, her long hair being blown into a mess.
Liang Siyu shielded her from the wind for a short while, but seeing that she couldn't stop coughing, he simply picked her up and carried her quickly through the "wind tunnel" area.
Back in the car, he handed me a thermos, checked the weather forecast, and said with a frown, "There will be strong winds tomorrow, you should work from home."
She took a sip of hot tea and shook her head: "I have an appointment with Phoebe to discuss the experiment, and I still need to collect sEMG data."
Liang Siyu was taken aback. When did she schedule the meeting? How come he didn't know?
Didn't they agree last night not to schedule too much work, and to wait until they were fully recovered?
He suppressed his emotions and lowered his voice: "You can participate in the meeting online, I will fill in the data."
She coughed lightly twice before speaking, "You weren't following up recently, so you don't know the specifics. There are some practical issues that I need to discuss with RA on-site."
She wasn't in such a hurry, but last week's flu reminded her.
If there are a few more of these minor mishaps, he might not be able to finish before he changes careers, so we can't let our guard down easily.
Looking at her stubborn expression, Liang Siyu felt a pang of heartache and a bit of annoyance. His tone unconsciously became a little harsher: "Is the project more important, or your health? Ada, you're only a sophomore, don't put the cart before the horse!"
The times she had nightmares all happened when she was physically tired or sick.
He didn't dare to directly advise her to see a psychiatrist, but at the very least, he had to ensure her physical health and reduce the frequency of her nightmares.
Xu Aida hadn't fully recovered to begin with, and the cold wind she had just experienced made her forehead throb and her throat hurt.
She knew she was gambling with a slim chance of success, and that fate was unpredictable; even the smallest detail could trigger a major upheaval.
But that's all she can do.
What else could she do? Was she really going to cry and beg him not to change careers or leave?
His words instantly brought tears to her eyes: "You don't understand anything at all! It's none of your business!"
She turned her head away, grabbed her scarf to cover her face, and tears were already streaming down her face uncontrollably.
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