“I know my political awareness still isn’t good enough,” Song Qingsong said with a sigh. “I need to study the Chairman’s Quotations a few more times.”
Trying to recover some dignity, he looked seriously at Qin Man and Yang Xiaoyun.
“Don’t let what I said bother you. With tongues as sharp as yours, there’s no way either of you will have trouble getting married!”
“If no one marries me, I’ll just live with Xiaoman!”
Yang Xiaoyun stuck out her tongue playfully, looking far more cheerful than before.
Friends teasing each other was perfectly normal. She loved this kind of atmosphere.
In her eyes, Qin Man was wonderful in every way.
She was beautiful, capable, and quick-witted. Being friends with her simply felt comfortable.
Song Qingsong finally gave up.
“Comrade Yang Xiaoyun, enough already. Stop praising her. The entire Provincial Hospital already knows you’re close friends with Comrade Qin Man.”
Footsteps echoed from the corner of the hallway.
As if sensing something, Qin Man looked up.
Tan Zheng was walking toward them in an olive-green double-breasted military overcoat, standing tall and straight. He gave Qin Man a slight nod.
“Director Zhang, you’re back.”
Having just been gossiping, Song Qingsong felt awkward and hurriedly introduced them.
“Comrade Qin Man, this is Director Zhang from the Provincial Hospital’s Obstetrics Department.”
“Hello, Director Zhang. I’m Qin Man.”
Qin Man greeted her politely while discreetly observing her.
Director Zhang looked to be in her early fifties. Her hair was already streaked with gray, deep nasolabial folds lined her face, and a permanent frown sat between her brows, giving her a stern appearance.
“I’ve heard about you.”
Director Zhang Guizhen had returned early from Beijing because of family matters.
As soon as she arrived at the hospital, she learned that an emergency cesarean section had been performed the previous night.
After hearing Dr. Xu’s account, she remained skeptical until she personally examined the surgical incision Qin Man had closed on Tan Xiwen.
A cesarean section was no simple procedure. Closing the incision required seven layers of sutures.
Although Dr. Xu insisted Qin Man had completed the entire operation independently, Zhang Guizhen hadn’t witnessed it herself and remained cautious.
She studied Qin Man carefully before saying seriously,
“I’ve read the recommendation letter from the Tan family. Come to my office for your assessment.”
The provincial hospital had no shortage of people who got in through connections.
But Zhang Guizhen never played favorites.
If Qin Man wasn’t qualified, it wouldn’t matter whose student she was or how influential the Tan family might be. She would not accept her.
Obstetricians carried enormous responsibility.
She refused to hire someone who would simply coast through the job.
Inside the office were Director Zhang and several senior obstetricians.
The moment Qin Man entered, every pair of eyes turned toward her.
Pointing at a medical chart on the desk, Zhang Guizhen said,
“This is a woman admitted today. She’s thirty-nine weeks pregnant, and the fetus is in breech position. Tell us how you would manage this case.”
Qin Man stepped forward, picked up the chart, and read through it carefully, her brow furrowing as medical knowledge raced through her mind.
She had already researched medical practices of the 1970s using the resources in her medical space.
Not every hospital in that era was capable of performing cesarean sections.
If a breech presentation was discovered after thirty weeks, doctors generally recommended the knee-chest position.
Between thirty-two and thirty-four weeks, they might attempt an external cephalic version.
However, that procedure wasn’t entirely safe, carrying risks such as placental abruption and umbilical cord complications.
If the baby remained breech at labor, special delivery techniques had to be used—a situation carrying the greatest danger.
“Director,” Qin Man answered decisively, “I recommend a cesarean section.”
“After considering all factors, although the mother’s pelvis is normal, with a breech presentation the baby’s head would be delivered last during vaginal birth. That significantly increases the risk of head entrapment, birth trauma, and neonatal asphyxia. A cesarean section offers greater safety for both mother and child.”
Most importantly, the Provincial Hospital had the capability to perform it.
One elderly physician questioned her.
“A cesarean? Surgery carries considerable risks. Recovery takes longer, and our obstetrics ward is already short on beds. How would you handle postoperative care?”
Qin Man had anticipated the question.
“I understand the risks.”
“Provided we perform a thorough preoperative evaluation, maintain strict surgical standards, and closely monitor the patient’s recovery afterward, our doctors—who regularly receive advanced training in Beijing—are fully capable of providing appropriate postoperative care.”
“Compared to the risks of obstructed labor during vaginal delivery, a cesarean is currently the safest option for both mother and baby.”
She knew this question was merely a warm-up.
Director Zhang’s expression remained unreadable.
Neither approving nor disapproving, she immediately asked another question.
“Suppose uterine atony causes severe hemorrhaging during surgery. How would you manage it?”
Without hesitation, Qin Man replied,
“I would immediately administer uterotonic agents to stimulate uterine contractions. If that proved ineffective, I would proceed with further interventions… Above all else, the mother’s life must be protected.”
The assessment continued for nearly an hour.
One difficult question followed another.
Qin Man answered each one smoothly.
After the oral examination came the practical assessment.
By the time it ended, she was drenched in sweat once again.
Director Zhang had observed everything closely.
Keeping a straight face, she said,
“Eat more from now on. Doctors need healthy bodies before they can take care of their patients.”
Qin Man blinked in surprise.
Dr. Xu walked over, gently patted her shoulder, and laughed.
“What are you standing there for? Director Zhang means you’ve passed the assessment!”
“Really?”
Qin Man was overwhelmed with excitement.
For a moment, she didn’t know how to react.
Looking at Director Zhang, she bowed deeply.
“Thank you, Director Zhang, for giving me this opportunity.”
“You don’t need to thank me.”
Zhang Guizhen remained as businesslike as ever.
“You earned it with your own ability.”
Qin Man wasn’t discouraged by her stern manner.
“I won’t let you down, Director Zhang. I’ll prove myself through my work.”
After leaving the office, Qin Man went directly to the Personnel Department.
Everything had already been prepared for her.
A staff member patiently explained the hiring process.
“Comrade Qin Man, you’ll need to return to your hometown and have your commune issue the necessary approval documents. Obtain a household registration transfer certificate, cancel your rural registration, then return to the provincial capital and register your new household at the police station near our hospital.”
The clerk explained that only after converting her registration from rural to urban would she become part of the city’s rationing and administrative system, making her eligible for grain rations.
“You’ll begin as an intern physician. If everything goes well during the three-month probation period, you’ll become a full-time doctor.”
Intern physicians did not receive the hospital’s full benefits package.
Her daily wage would be 1.20 yuan.
The clerk added,
“However, you’ll receive surgical bonuses for operations and additional pay for night shifts.”
After asking several questions, Qin Man had a good understanding of the procedures.
The hospital was surprisingly considerate.
She had been granted ten days of leave to complete all the paperwork.
That afternoon, she received her white lab coat.
Even her name badge had already been prepared.
Bingcheng People’s Hospital
Department of Obstetrics
Intern Physician: Qin Man
At exactly five o’clock that evening, she finished work.
Song Qingsong and Yang Xiaoyun arrived with gifts to congratulate her.
Song Qingsong presented her with a fountain pen.
“Congratulations,” he said.
“By the way, I asked around. Hospital housing is in very short supply. There’s already a waiting list.”
There were temporary rooms for doctors on overnight duty, but no private dormitories.
Living there long-term would be inconvenient.
Qin Man had already learned the same thing from the Personnel Department.
Now that her job was secured, finding somewhere to live had become her next priority.
“Dr. Song,” she asked, “are there any families nearby renting out rooms?”
“My requirements are simple. I just need a small private place that can keep out the wind and rain, with enough space to cook. It doesn’t have to be large.”