Surgery Godfather
Chapter 523 - 475: Five Hundred and Five Pieces_2

Chapter 523: Chapter 475: Five Hundred and Five Pieces_2

Next, the lady boss spoke a long spiel, which Takahashi translated for the group: "The plaque in front of our restaurant bears the name Jihuju, all in Chinese characters. Our ancestors, towards the tail end of Edo period, traveled widely and studied culinary arts at various locations. They once visited Jiangsu and Zhejiang in China to learn culinary skills under a Chinese master. After mastering their skills, they returned to Japan and opened Jihuju in Tokyo. The restaurant has relocated several times throughout its history, yet the plaque remains unchanged."

The waiter, with small nimble steps, placed various dim sum dishes on the table with agile and efficient movements.

A smattering of light snow began to fall outside, and the lantern exuded a hue of soft yellow, lending to a picturesque and captivating sight.

"Kobe beef, grilled with charcoal, seasoned with only salt and pepper during the grilling. It tastes even better when eaten with this special sauce. This sauce is Natsume’s secret recipe."

"Sea Bream sashimi---"

"---"

The waiter plated each dish one by one, each appearing like a piece of art.

Once all the dishes had been served, the chef emerged. Dressed in a crisp, white chef’s uniform, he gave a bashful smile and bowed to the group: "Welcome, Dr. Yang. I apologize in advance for my unremarkable culinary skills."

His Chinese was a bit stiff, but the meaning was understandable.

"This is the famous Mr. Natsume. He has been learning culinary arts from his parents since childhood. Now at sixty, he has spent more than fifty years honing his culinary skills, earning him the nickname ’the wizard of taste buds,’" explained Takahashi.

"You flatter me. Please allow me to propose a toast."

Right on cue, the lady boss handed Natsume a cup of tea which he raised for a toast.

Having done with the toast, Mr. Natsume bowed deeply and left the restaurant, saying, "I won’t disturb your meal further. Please, take your time."

A craft passed down for over a hundred years and personally pursued for fifty years by the master himself.

This dedication towards one’s profession filled Yang Ping with admiration.

Any profession, as long as one delights in it and tirelessly pursues it, one can realize their own worth.

This is possibly what is meant by the spirit of the craftsman.

In truth, the craftsmanship spirit of the Chinese is in no way inferior to that of the Japanese. The Chinese were even the teachers of the Japanese once. But in this frenzied era, everyone seems to have lost their sense of self.

Everyone wants shortcuts. Everyone aims to achieve their objectives through deceptive means.

Once the illusory glamour fades away, the truth will certainly emerge anew.

Just look at the centuries-old domestic brands in various industries such as Tongrentang, Yunnan Baiyao, Moutai, Quanjude, and so on. They are still thriving.

The success of these brands is a testament to the wisdom and hard work of our predecessors. Each of them is a painstakingly crafted masterpiece of perfection.

The ancient Chinese ceramics are inherently a form of clay play. However, the Chinese have elevated this craft to unprecedented heights, earning shiny silver coins in the process. It took Europe four hundred years to reproduce this craft.

Not to mention the Great Wall, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, the Zhaozhou Bridge, and the Grand Canal, which bear testimony to ancient Chinese engineering prowess.

They dined while chatting.

The conversation between Yang Ping, Su Nanchen, Boss Cheng, and Takahashi grew more animated when they discussed the medical condition of Ning Yu.

"Dr. Yang, the surgery this time is even more challenging than the one performed by Professor Feng!"

Takahashi was worried. After all, everyone has their limits, and the limits of surgeons were something that he knew all too well.

Even if Yang Ping’s surgical skills were god-like and his knife skills remarkably refined, the surgery would mean very little if they couldn’t locate and excise the two small tumors entirely. Moreover, the surgery would be fraught with risks.

"Our hospital, along with the Shuntiantang Hospital and several other hospitals in Japan, have held joint consultations but failed to come up with a viable plan. We also contacted Professor John Ansen from Mayo Clinic. He provided a bunch of suggestions but didn’t dare to undertake the surgery himself, stating the success rate would be very low." Takahashi’s brows furrowed.

"John Ansen?" Yang Ping queried, without saying anything further.

"Yes, he is Mitsui’s teacher. Mitsui is a young professor specializing in spinal and intracranial surgeries. He is considered a rising star in Japanese neurosurgery." Takahashi handed a bowl of rice over to Yang Ping with both hands.

The rice tasted amazing and was presented beautifully, a sight rarely seen. It looked gleaming and transparent, just like pearls.

Not only were they dealing with Ning Yu’s medical case, but also one other patient — Fujihara Kyusaku.

Although John Ansen had kept the patient’s name and other information confidential, Yang Ping had independently checked Fujihara Kyusaku’s medical records in the system space.

"Yes, what makes this case tougher than Professor Feng’s is pinpointing the exact location of the small tumors. Though medical devices can locate the tumors, they lack the subjective flexibility needed to assist us in devising a unique surgical approach. Artificial intelligence could possibly help us, but the prerequisite is a deep understanding of brain stem anatomy and extensive surgical experience. Unfortunately, even feeding it all the relevant surgical data from around the world to date wouldn’t be sufficient."

Having finished a few pieces of the steak, Yang Ping hadn’t touched the sashimi as he wasn’t accustomed to raw food.

During his rotation in the neurosurgery department, he had seen cases of patients developing brain parasites due to consuming raw food, which had left a deep impression on him.

"So, what should we do?"

Takahashi was clearly siding with Yang Ping.

"Don’t worry too much. I have spent plenty of time studying this case and have found an approach. It effectively avoids crucial areas to reach the tumor, but the path is somewhat complex."

While these few statements were made casually, to explore such a surgery route that meets all the requirements might take even a top neurosurgeon a lifetime, and they still might not be able to figure it out.

However, when these words came from Yang Ping, Takahashi couldn’t help but believe it. In his eyes, Yang Ping was a man who constantly performed miracles.

Anyone deeply connected with Yang Ping would understand that you can’t try to fathom him based on normal reasonings.

Einstein’s theory of relativity was reportedly understood initially by only two and a half people, yet that didn’t hinder its revolutionary nature.

"Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?"

Takahashi immediately instructed a nearby waiter to fetch a pen and paper.

Yang Ping drew a sketch on the paper: "Look, these nerve nuclei are like islands and reefs. The surgical approach, or our safe navigation path, is this, and our target is the tumor."

Takahashi grabbed the paper and after studying Yang Ping’s sketches, broke into a cold sweat.

Theoretically, this route was incredibly superior. But in practice, it would be extremely challenging to perform.

It’s like performing surfing in the world’s most dangerous sea – "See? You only need to pass that biggest wave". Saying it out loud seems effortless, but to pull it off can cost you your entire life.

This is a twisted surgical approach that maneuvered between nerve cells throughout the entire process. At certain points, it virtually grazed the nerve nuclei.

"How is it even possible to pull this off?"

Takahashi was still glaring at the paper.

"Takahashi-kun, don’t worry. Like our home’s Natsume, he can slice a three-kilogram fish into more than five hundred pieces. What you find to be the limit might just be the starting point for others."

The lady boss comforted Takahashi while refilling tea.

Boss Cheng picked up a slice of the raw fish fillet. It was almost transparent, thin as a cicada’s wing. When observed under the light, it was astonishingly uniform.

Such knife skills are truly remarkable.

"What splendid knife skills. Could this be Japan’s best?" Boss Cheng couldn’t help but admire.

"I wouldn’t know what rank I am, all I seek is to constantly surpass myself. My present self surpasses my past self; my future self, my present self. This is the essence of life. I haven’t been able to go beyond slicing this weight of fish into 504 pieces for quite some time, but today, I achieved 505."

Boss Natsume emerged from the kitchen, carrying a bowl of freshly made soup.