On the seventh day of the first lunar month, the weather in Binhai turned sunny, and the long-lost sun appeared.

Today is also the official end of the Spring Festival holiday, a return to work day, and it's the same for the Lin siblings.

In the morning, Lin Jie first drove the exhilarated Lin Miao to Weize Building near Henglong Plaza, and then drove to Zhujia Port clinic.

The purpose of going to Zhujia Port again was to perform a final minor surgery. This was scheduled before the New Year: to remove some metal implants from Su Xiaohui's right hand and arm.

This minor surgery was originally supposed to be done before the New Year, but first, Lin Jie was very busy at the time, and second, Su Xiaohui wanted to enjoy a good New Year, so the surgery was postponed to today.

When Lin Jie arrived at the clinic's ground floor lobby, he saw Su Xiaohui and Houzi already waiting there!

Su Xiaohui moved her right hand, which had already had the cast removed, and gratefully said, "Dr. Lin, thank you!"

"The cast was removed just a week ago, so the right hand's movement is still a bit stiff, but I am confident that with some time and exercise, it can regain the flexibility like my left hand!"

"This is an outcome I never dreamt of; I thought I could at most regain the ability to hold a cup of water or a bowl."

Lin Jie took the X-rays that Su Xiaohui had taken at the hospital from Houzi, carefully observing the bone healing, and nodded, "The recovery is quite alright. Once I remove some metal implants, after ten days of recovery, you can start physiotherapy exercises."

"Let's head to the operating room!"

This surgery was quite simple. After locally anesthetizing Su Xiaohui's right arm, Lin Jie, knowing well what he was doing, carefully incised her skin and muscle until the bone was exposed.

Lin Jie then used a bone drill, bone tweezers, an electric saw, and other tools to remove the bone nails and bone plates embedded in the bones, and then sutured the wound.

He removed a total of thirty-seven metal implants from Su Xiaohui's arm, taking nearly an hour to complete this minor surgery.

However, some small and intricate implants, like the marrow pins fixing the phalanges, would remain in Su Xiaohui's body permanently!

After the surgery was completed, Lin Jie, while wrapping Su Xiaohui's right arm with gauze, instructed: "Remember to come to the clinic regularly to have your dressing changed by Daya, and be sure not to get it wet..."

Su Xiaohui listened attentively, nodding frequently. When Lin Jie finished speaking, she said, "Dr. Lin, I know you came over specially today. My senior brother and I have prepared a banquet, wanting to thank you..."

Zhang Daya, who had been silently assisting Lin Jie all along, became anxious upon hearing this and interrupted, "No, no! My parents have been preparing since before the New Year to host Dr. Lin today."

As she spoke, she directly stepped forward, hugged Lin Jie's arm tightly, and said determinably, "Today, Dr. Lin can't go anywhere else, except to my home."

Lin Jie simply smiled, gently pulled his arm out from Zhang Daya's embrace, and said solemnly, "Today, I won't be going to Su Xiaohui and Houzi's place, nor to your home, Daya!"

"Why?" Zhang Daya, anxious, almost cried.

Lin Jie didn't expect Zhang Daya to react so emotionally, and hurriedly explained, "I am leaving the clinic to study at Binhai University, not going out of town."

"Besides, Binhai University is just an hour's drive from here. You know my home address, so meeting me won't be difficult."

He continued to explain, "Rejecting your invitations today is not out of unwillingness; it's really because I have something to attend to! I need to return to the city to meet a patient at noon, which was scheduled yesterday and can't be postponed."

Zhang Daya probed, "Dr. Lin, is it really unpostponable?"

Lin Jie shook his head, saying, "It's an appointment with two elders and truly can't be postponed. Daya, you'll still be my assistant in the future, so we'll see each other again. Why are you suddenly so agitated and even in tears, which isn't like you?"

Zhang Daya wiped her eyes and shyly said, "I don't know why either; thinking about you leaving the clinic makes me feel a bit sad."

Su Xiaohui also nodded, "During the New Year, when Da Hei and Houzi drank and ate together, they talked about you, Dr. Lin."

"They said having you at the clinic gave them a sense of reassurance. Knowing you won't be there after the New Year leaves them feeling a bit uneasy, a bit empty."

Hearing this from the two, Lin Jie also felt a bit sentimental. Having stayed at this clinic for five or six months, there were emotions attached.

After a moment of silence, he gathered himself and asked, "I didn't see Sister Shanshan. Does she have something on today?"

Zhang Daya replied, "She went abroad for study, just got off yesterday. She said she's going to a big hospital to learn about hospital management and administration, and she'll be studying for at least six months."

Lin Jie understood, knowing that Luo Shanshan was preparing herself for taking over the management of Phoenix Mountain Hospital.

Zhang Daya continued, "Sister Shanshan also told us that the clinic has hired two new doctors who will start working on the sixteenth of the first lunar month."

Lin Jie responded with an "Oh," thought for a moment, and said, "Daya, I've been thinking about training you to be my surgical nurse. But given the current state of the clinic, your opportunities for practice and learning are quite limited."

"I'm thinking of arranging something that might take up two of your weekend days. Would that be okay with you?"

Zhang Daya excitedly said, "Yes, yes! I've always wanted to further my studies but haven't found a suitable opportunity. If you can arrange it for me, it would be wonderful."

"Okay, then wait for my call!"

After bidding farewell once more to Houzi, Zhu Heping, Zhu Qiang, and others at the clinic, Lin Jie drove back to the city.

It was not just an excuse to refuse the invitations from Su Xiaohui and Zhang Daya, but he was indeed scheduled to meet Chen Shi and Tao Taqing.

The meeting not only included discussing some matters regarding the project application but also involved a face-to-face meeting with Zhuang Shilei and her family.

While driving, Lin Jie received a phone call.

"Hello, Lin Jie! This is Tian Qiuhai, your junior high school classmate!"

Lin Jie remembered who he was, indeed his junior high classmate, and replied with a smile, "Hello, Tian Qiuhai! I can recognize your voice."

"I'm so glad; I didn't expect you to still remember me."

On the phone, Tian Qiuhai said excitedly, "Your news has been everywhere these past two months! Lin Jie, you've really made it big, soaring high like a rocket. I'm so envious..."

As he listened to Tian Qiuhai's compliments, Lin Jie humored him with a few chuckles as responses.

Fortunately, Tian Qiuhai quickly got to the point, "Here's the thing, Li Ting is going to study in the United States in a few days, so we thought of having a gathering. First, to celebrate Li Ting going abroad, and second, to celebrate your achievements!"

Hearing that name again, Lin Jie's heart still ached, a vague kind of pain!

Tian Qiuhai's voice continued from the earphone, "You might not know, but Li Ting finally succeeded in losing weight and has become a stunning beauty now. Alas... It's a pity she's about to go abroad."

"You two were closest back in junior high, otherwise it could have been..."

"Sigh, let's not talk about that, it's sad! The gathering is set for tomorrow evening at six, at Hao's Restaurant on Plaza Avenue. You must come!"

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