Although not serving as the lead surgeon, Wu Changgen as a direct participant in the surgical process, inevitably bore a portion of the responsibility.
It's no exaggeration to say that if the surgery failed and Stark died... even if there was no fault in the doctors techniques and it couldn't be classified as a medical accident, once word got out people would naturally assume it was due to the doctors lack of skill.
After all, Stark was incredibly wealthy.
His agreement to undergo surgery meant his condition wasn't so severe that it couldn't be treated, and the success rate wouldn't be too low.
Given his financial resources, it was impossible that hardware issues would be the problem.
Looking from an observer perspective, after eliminating these two factors, wasn't "doctors insufficient technique" the only remaining explanation?
The matter was of great importance and could potentially affect his professional reputation.
Therefore, after receiving Stark invitation, Wu Changgen had given it considerable thought.
Confirming his own capabilities, studying Stark condition, checking whether the medical equipment listed on the forms was complete.
During his preparations, Wu Changgen discovered the existence of the "medication."
Even ordinary people know not to take medicine carelessly, let alone an experienced doctor.
Fearing these medications of unknown origin might compromise the operation and reduce the chances of success, Wu Changgen immediately investigated this aspect and personally made phone calls to discuss the matter several times with Dr. Strange and Stark himself.
There weren't many official medications released through company channels.
Apart from the military and S.H.I.E.L.D., only a small portion had made its way to the outside world, falling into the hands of well-connected wealthy individuals.
Some intended to keep it for emergencies, while others were currently suffering from injuries or illnesses and wanted to use the medication for treatment.
As the saying goes, "a good horse deserves a good saddle."
Having obtained such effective medication, one naturally wants to pair it with the best doctor to maximize treatment efficiency.
Thus, with his unparalleled skills, Dr. Strange had caught the attention of these wealthy individuals, and in the process of treating them, he had already firsthand understood and witnessed the actual efficacy of the official medication.
Compared to Dr. Strange, Stark, who had conducted hundreds or thousands of experiments using the official medication as a sample, obviously had a deeper understanding of it.
The answers from both were trustworthy.
So, despite finding it rather incredible, Wu Changgen accepted the assertion that "the medication is very effective."
It was precisely because he had internally acknowledged the medication's efficacy that.
In fact, the reason he accepted Stark invitation and decided to participate in the surgery was not only out of curiosity about the medication effects and wanting to verify it personally, but also because he harbored some expectations.
He hoped to use this opportunity to establish contact with the medication provider and introduce it to China.
Not as a businessman negotiating purchase contracts to directly buy and bring the medication back to China, but as a doctor contacting the other party to become the "pioneer of the first surgical procedure in China using the medication as an aid for patients".
It was necessary to first prove the effects in the clinical stage before moving to the procurement phase.
Unlike other industries, in the medical field, the introduction of equipment and drugs always followed this procedure.
After all, a patient has only one life, and unverified products absolutely cannot be tried randomly.
In short, after considering the idea of introducing the medication, Wu Changgen made an assessment of this task.
Without deep thought, he hadn't realized, but upon careful consideration, he discovered the difficulty of this matter was quite high.
Even a doctor like himself, who had gained recognition from many foreign colleagues, might not be able to accomplish it.
There were two reasons: first, the low production volume, and second, the medication exceptional effectiveness.
Let's discuss the first reason.
Actually, the "rarity adds value" caused by low production wasn't too troublesome.
These days, China economic condition was improving, and there were more wealthy individuals.
In terms of personal assets, they were not inferior to the wealthy in European and American countries.
Ordinary people couldn't afford it and didn't need to be considered.
For wealthy patients who might actually use the medication, spending an extra few million was not a big deal.
As long as one was willing and could afford it, obtaining it wouldn't be a problem.
Of course, this was assuming the medication circulation wasn't restricted and could be purchased with money.
Mentioning "restrictions" brings us to the second reason: the medication was "too effective."
How effective wasn't important; the key lay in "I have it, you don't."
This was quite deadly.
Breaking through technical barriers wasn't an easy task and often involved higher-level negotiations.
With Wu Changgen influence alone... forget having a decisive role in this matter; he might not even cause the slightest ripple.
Fast forward to the pre-surgery meeting.
At this point, Wu Changgen met Shi Xiaolei for the first time and learned of his identity as the medication provider.
Having imagined countless possibilities, he never anticipated that the medication he had been yearning for was actually created by a fellow Chinese compatriot.
This unexpected turn not only broke through Wu Changgen imagination but also filled his heart with joy.
His awareness as a medical professional prevented him from showing it.
Only after the meeting ended, when he returned to his temporary residence to change clothes in preparation for the party, did Wu Changgen finally release his inner joy.
Always being calm and composed, why was he suddenly as happy as a child? Wu Jiaqi, who shared the villa with Wu Changgen, was startled by her teacher sudden change.
She couldn't help but ask a few questions.
It was because she had asked her teacher and learned of his thoughts that at the subsequent party, Wu Jiaqi actively sought out Shi Xiaolei.
She wanted to help resolve her teacher concerns.
Being able to remember the principle of "disciples should labor on behalf of their master" and genuinely put it into action, Wu Jiaqi was undoubtedly a good student who knew how to respect her teacher.
But she was somewhat hasty and lacked emotional intelligence—she only thought of using the excuse that "she had been stared at several times during the meeting" to initiate conversation with Shi Xiaolei.
However, due to her impatience, she hadn't considered which topics to discuss to build rapport after starting the conversation.
Moreover, from the very beginning, Wu Jiaqi hadn't considered that this was just their first day meeting, the two parties were far from familiar enough, and it wasn't appropriate to directly bring up such a significant matter.
Fortunately, Wu Changgen arrived in time and, by coincidence, touched on Shi Xiaolei favorite topic, greatly improving his impression.
Otherwise...
Knowing there was no topic to discuss and feeling awkward being together, who would actively approach?
It's no exaggeration to say that without Wu Changgen sudden arrival, allowing Wu Jiaqi and Shi Xiaolei to continue their awkward conversation... well, even if there was another opportunity to meet, Shi Xiaolei might actively avoid them, deliberately avoiding any encounters.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist?you can read 20 chapters ahead on my P@treon [p@treon.com/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)