System Only Gives Me Useless Gifts

28 - Empathy



Since working in the ER, Li Yun had more opportunities to gain action points by helping out the patients who needed debridement and stitches. He did not have to rely on reading textbooks.

Every 10 patients he helped out equal to 1 action point, which he could complete in a day. In comparison, reading 10 textbooks, although faster than before, still took around 10 days.

Li Yun also reduced the amount of time he would use Zuowang. Despite it being useful, it was not as useful as being in the actual emergency room. Zuowang also drained a lot of his energy, and he didn't want to spend his residency like his college and intern days where he looked like a zombie. Working the ER was like a vacation. He barely felt any fatigue.

Li Yun used Zuowang on new technology and surgical techniques as they were not readily available or taught at Qinbei Hospital.

Two weeks into the residency, most of the residents rotated into the ER. Besides the general surgery department, the residents were regularly assigned to the ER.

In the large open lobby of the ER, An Luchang followed Doctor Zhao to assist with a patient. He had been in the ER for two weeks, and was getting used to helping patients with minor problems. Unfortunately, due to him looking young, he was unable to treat any patients alone, they wouldn't let him perform a basic physical. Zhou Mi Xuan also had the same problem, on top of being a woman.

Since a lot of people came to the ER for problems like colds and headaches, most residents handled patients who did not have a true medical emergency.

As An Luchang and Doctor Zhao spoke to the patient with chronic migraine, they overheard an elderly woman talking to Mi Xuan. Although her words were kind, there was a tinge of smugness and prejudice.

"Look, young lady, I am not looking down on you because you are young or a woman," explained an elderly woman to Mi Xuan. "It's because I have a very complex illness."

The old lady took the time to stress the word "complex." Mi Xuan rolled her eyes, but the lady missed the expression as she continued to explain her illness.

"This illness is not something even a typical doctor can handle," the woman elaborated as her hands waved in an eloquent manner to call attention to herself. "You look like my granddaughter, so it feels weird to have you check up on me. Do you have a senior attending doctor available?"

"Look, you have type 2 diabetes, why are you making it out like some rare disease?" Mi Xuan bluntly said to the woman.

The elderly woman's eyes and mouth widened in shock.

Li Yun and Chief Gao were just passing by, but they couldn't believe Zhou Mi Xuan had said that out loud. If An Luchang was withdrawn and the anti-social type, Mi Xuan was quiet and blunt. When she speaks, she always manages to offend someone.

"Doctor Zhou, do you have a moment?" asked Chief Gao.

Zhou Mi Xuan nodded. Li Yun placed himself in front of the elderly woman before the woman could scold Mi Xuan.

"Hello madam, I'm Doctor Li," he introduced himself. He quickly scanned her chart. "So you experienced blurred vision after your shower?"

"Ah, yes doctor," the elderly woman replied sweetly.

Li Yun inspected her eyes.

"You have a lovely shade of amber," he commented.

She naturally smiled, thinking that she was blessed to have a handsome doctor look after her.

"May I have your hand?" asked Li Yun.

The elderly woman gave him her hand, and he placed two fingers on her wrist.

"Do you live alone?" he asked.

The elderly woman looked a bit sad and nodded. Society had become more modern, but the virtues of taking care of the elders had declined. Many middle-aged people were less willing to take care of their elderly parents.

Li Yun rested her hand down on her lap and patted her hand.

"That is a bit dangerous for you to be alone," said Li Yun. "You have been here for some time, I'm going to get you some water."

Li Yun quickly looked for a nurse and asked her to look up something for him. He then returned to the elderly lady with some water.

"Ms. Ching?" Li Yun handed the elderly woman a cup of water.

"Thank you, young man. Do you happen to have a girlfriend?"

"I do." An obvious lie, even the best lie detector would not detect it. But he did have a girlfriend before last week; he reasoned with himself as he put on a front.

"Ah, figured that a young man like you would have someone. My granddaughter just started working as a consultant for this large company. I worry that she's always too busy to visit me."

Li Yun watched her eyes carefully as she continued talking about her family.

The nurse handed him a slip, and Li Yun patiently waited for Ms. Ching to end her story.

"I am going to prescribe you medicine to help with your eyes. I also want you to call this number at least every week, and talk to the person. It's just to make sure that you don't encounter any accidents, but you can chat with the person about anything, they are usually very supportive."

The elderly woman nodded and chatted with the nurse after Li Yun left.

Li Yun handed the nurse the instructions for vitamin A pills, and the diagnosis was mild depression. Empty nester syndrome for the elderly could be dangerous. The best cure was to have family and friends around. Unfortunately, the elderly woman also had a mild case of narcissism and was likely not close to her family or friends. The only thing he could suggest was a depression hotline. After the SARS epidemic, the government had set up hotlines to help people with depression.

"Mi Xuan, I heard Chief Gao gave you probation, are you okay?" asked Yang Kang during their lunch break.

Mi Xuan nodded.

"Oh, my poor baby. It's not your fault. There is so much discrimination in the hospital. Why is it that patients are allowed to be assholes? Why can't we retaliate?"

"Oh, enough with your drama!" Lui Jing said as he ate his food from the nearby table, but he was already tired from his shift. He wanted to eat in peace.

"You're not a woman, you would not know!" Yang Kang barked back.

"You're not one either!"

"One of the patients asked me if I'm lost or if my parents are around," a baby faced resident chimed in as he sighed and drank milk.

Everyone in the cafeteria broke out laughing.

"Ah, that's not too bad," said a 2nd year resident. "It's better than actually seeing patients sometimes. Lui Jing was attacked by a patient today."

"Don't remind me!" Lui Jing's ears were still ringing from the attack. The old man attacked him for no reason.

"No wonder he's moody," Yang Kang commented.

Lui Jing threw his spoon down. He didn't want to eat and returned to the resident quarter.

Inside the resident quarter, Li Yun sat on the couch and noticed his phone going off.

Ersan: @LiYun, Beibei told me Wen Nali will go home to become a university professor in the States, did you hear about that?

Xuxu: What? Is she leaving for good? What about Li Yun?

JuDe: Just when I was starting to like her.

Xuxu: It's obviously @LiYun's fault.

JuDe: How is it his fault?

Xuxu: It's common sense that when a girl breaks it off, it's the guy's fault.

Ersan: Who's side are you on?

Xuxu: Obviously LiYun, but it's still obviously LiYun's fault. Not the first time he ignored his girlfriend.

JuDe: Why are we friends with you again?

Xuxu: The amount of b****** I had to clean up in high school and then college because of you all. @mulian agrees.

Fatty: @LiYun. Come hang out with us.

BuTao: Working long hours isn't good. @LiYun, join me at the Yide City office.

Ersan: No one wants to work for Yide City.

LiYun: Nali and I broke up a month ago, and we both thought it was for the best to remain as friends.

Xuxu: I swear, you copy and paste this message after every breakup.

JuDe: Last month!!! Why are we the last to know? I hate it when things happen offscreen.

Xuxu: Yeah, you can't blame us for lacking empathy.

Li Yun ignored them, muted his phone, and took a nap on the couch.


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