Four liang was the amount of alcohol Fang Ziye drank at his teacher's place for the small Teachers' Day celebration.
Yuan Weihong had brought two bottles of liquor, with eight liang remaining. Fang Ziye packed up the bottles to take back, saving them for next time.
Yuan Weihong left first, clutching his gift as he took a taxi. But he probably wasn't heading home; instead, he was likely going to see his wife and Little Seven.
Yuan Weihong's daughter was born on the seventh day of the lunar month, hence her nickname Little Seven.
After Yuan Weihong left, Jie Han's expression turned gloomy. "Senior, is the doctoral admission process at our hospital really this competitive? Even with your current publication record and professional skills, you still can't secure a spot?"
Jie Han was slightly built with fair skin, still looking somewhat childlike. When he spoke, the mole at the corner of his right eye flickered, giving him a somewhat dorky appearance.
His expression was genuinely shocked.
Jie Han was only in his third year of his master's program and didn't face the same immediate pressure for further education as Fang Ziye did. Therefore, he wasn't aware of the specific details of doctoral admissions.
But he felt that with a high-quality SCI paper in a top-tier journal, and that too an original research article, plus operational skills surpassing classmates in the same year, how could there be absolutely no opportunity to study at their own hospital?
In a situation where one's own advisor wasn't a doctoral supervisor, had things become so precarious? This made Jie Han envision his own future struggles and hardships.
"When it comes to pursuing further studies, it's all about the master-apprentice relationship. And that relationship is about fate," Fang Ziye replied, glancing sideways at his junior.
Then the two parted ways.
The next day was September 10th, a Sunday.
Sunday rounds were relatively simple and casual; Jie Han didn't even need to come to the department.
With nothing to do, and considering that Professor Deng Yong's[9] Teachers' Day gathering was in the evening...
This event was on a much grander scale.
Professor Deng Yong sat at the head of the table. Associate Professor Xie Jinyuan, who worked with Professor Deng in clinical practice, and Associate Professor Hong Zili, who worked in Professor Deng's laboratory, were both present at the gathering.
Naturally, the students of these two were also present in the super-large private room, waiting for Professor Deng to lead with three toasts before moving to the adjacent smaller room where the pure master's students had their own table...
Associate Professor Xie Jinyuan, not being a long-term fixture in the laboratory, couldn't supervise doctoral students and only had two master's students. His number of current students was equal to Yuan Weihong's. But Associate Professor Hong Zili was different.
He currently supervised three doctoral students, more than Professor Deng Yong. Two were academic doctoral students and one was a professional doctoral student, currently working with Associate Professor Hong Zili in hand surgery.
Attending Physician Qin Geluo only had one current professional master's student...
In such a vast team, even Fang Ziye couldn't get to know everyone.
But he did witness Professor Deng Yong's influence, professional prowess, and research capabilities.
...
Professor Deng Yong took the lead, first reviewing the achievements and efforts of the past year, the progress made in professional and research areas, and encouraged the department members to apply for more projects, especially the National Natural Science Foundation grants.
He continued to encourage Qin Geluo and Yuan Weihong to strive for the "Youth Thousand Talents Program"[1] as soon as possible, while his expectations for Xie Jinyuan and Hong Zili were to enter the "Young Changjiang Scholars"[2] program.
In the academic field, below academicians, there were Distinguished Young Scholars, Changjiang Scholars, Thousand Talents Plan, Excellent Young Scientists Fund (by NSFC), Young Changjiang Scholars (by MOE), Youth Thousand Talents Program (by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee), and Young Top-notch Talent of Ten Thousand Talents Program.
Publishing more papers, undertaking more projects, and focusing on practical, clinically relevant research were the main directions the research group needed to emphasize.
As for the doctoral students Sun Shaoqing and Gu Yi, as well as Associate Professor Hong Zili's doctoral students, the expectations were to study abroad if possible, enter postdoctoral mobile stations, and if capable, secure a "Youth Thousand Talents" or "Young Top-notch Talent" position...
Beyond that, they didn't really catch Professor Deng Yong's eye.
Today, Master Yuan Weihong got drunk, completely plastered.
In today's setting, Attending Physician Yuan Weihong was actually just a junior, with several seniors above him. He needed to accompany them properly, and as a leading middle-level member of the group, he had to toast those above and receive toasts from those below. There was no escape.
Of course, besides the master getting drunk, some doctoral students were drunk too.
Doctoral students, in hopes of securing a position at the hospital, naturally had to drink a fair bit.
The ones who got even more plastered were the first-year master's students, the newbies.
Being new arrivals, they had to get to know all the teachers and senior fellow students, right?
After all, this was an environment where even if Einstein showed up, he'd have to drink to socialize. A certain level of social savvy was necessary.
So the first-year master's juniors like Jie Han were all sent home by various people. Fang Ziye still had to look after his teacher and couldn't personally send Jie Han home.
On the way back, Yuan Weihong, already in a drunken haze, said, "Ziye, in today's society, competition and pressure will only increase. Not only will academic qualifications depreciate, but everything will continuously lose value."
"If you look at the whole country, you might feel like you're just an ordinary cat or dog. Looking at the whole world, in any academic field, we're just a drop in the ocean. If you don't advance, you retreat."
"That's just how it is."
"Actually, the time when you're studying is the most beautiful, the time with the least pressure..."
In his drunken state, Yuan Weihong was pouring out his troubles to Fang Ziye.
Yes, Yuan Weihong, a master's supervisor, an associate professor about to be promoted, already a full research professor in terms of research rank, was confiding his worries to Fang Ziye.
People who have seen more of the world are never willing to easily take off Kong Yiji's long gown and live an ordinary life.
In the current era, the country increasingly values ability, whether it's research ability or professional skills. But this means opportunities are spread out to more people. If you want to move up, you can only make yourself stand out.
"Master, you should rest," Fang Ziye consoled his master with slightly teary eyes.
"If you're not excellent, others will excel in your place. Now there are many opportunities for education, everyone can study."
"If you don't advance, others will. Doing your own work steadily and practically is the most hardcore thing."
"It's not to say there aren't still people who hold positions without merit, but if you look at the past of those who have truly risen, it's all bitterness and struggle. How much fame-seeking and profit-chasing is there really? In the new era, no one is a fool..."
"Sister-in-law, master is a bit drunk," Fang Ziye said to his master's wife when he sent Yuan Weihong to his doorstep.
"Thank you for your hard work, Ziye."
"This is what your teacher is giving you. You should head back now, you have to officially start work tomorrow." The master's wife handed over a bag after taking Yuan Weihong.
Fang Ziye took it and saw it was a set of quite professional books, and in the original English version too, quite expensive.
"One set for you and one for your junior. Work hard and keep at it."
"Sister-in-law won't keep you any longer, there's a drunk at home, and Little Seven..."
"Sister-in-law, do you need any help?"
"It's fine, your teacher behaves well when drunk."
Fang Ziye came out of the small residential area where his master lived and looked up at the sky. It was already nearly a waxing gibbous moon. With Teachers' Day past, the Mid-Autumn Festival for family reunions was approaching.
Chinese people have a special sentiment for family reunions, but Fang Ziye definitely couldn't go back.
Here with Professor Deng Yong, Fang Ziye could most clearly see the top of the domestic pyramid. If he were to look at this pyramid and turn back without setting foot in it, he would ultimately feel that life had been somewhat wasted.
Looking again at the books his master had given him, Fang Ziye's gaze became even calmer. He called his parents to ask about their health, then returned home and quietly began practicing again.
Although an hour doesn't add much to one's knowledge, even a mosquito, small as it is, is still meat...
Translation Notes:
[1] The Youth Thousand Talents Program is a Chinese government initiative to attract top international talent.
[2] Young Changjiang Scholars is another prestigious academic program in China.