Chapter 24: I Believe in Him

After leaving the office, Lin Nan walked straight to a patient's room.

Inside, the young man lay pale on the hospital bed, with his coach by his side. Seeing Lin Nan enter, the coach immediately asked, "Have you reached a decision on the surgical plan?"

"Can you guarantee that the surgery won't leave any lasting complications for Xiao Liang's leg?"

Liu Jialiang, lying on the bed, endured his pain and looked at Lin Nan with eyes full of anticipation. He did not want his basketball career, which had barely begun, to come to such an abrupt end.

Lin Nan glanced at the coach and then said to Liu Jialiang, "I am giving you three options now."

"First, our department's deputy director can perform the surgery. However, post-operation, your leg function will only recover to ninety percent."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of both Liu Jialiang and the coach shifted dramatically. Liu Jialiang, in particular, turned even paler. Han Gui, the coach, wore a grim expression.

"The second option," Lin Nan continued, "is to transfer you to another hospital for treatment."

"Another hospital?" Han Gui said in a deep voice. "Linhai University Affiliated Hospital is already one of the premier medical institutions in the city. Your facilities are top-tier, so you are naturally our first choice."

Liu Jialiang quickly asked, "And the third option?"

"The third," Lin Nan paused before continuing, "is for me to perform the surgery. I am highly confident that I can restore your leg to full function post-operation, ensuring your professional career remains unaffected."

He did not tell them that he was one hundred percent certain of a full recovery. After all, everyone understands that surgery carries inherent risks; making such a bold claim would only make him seem untrustworthy. He had told Bai Yunxiao and the others that his success rate was absolute because, in his previous life, he had performed countless such surgeries without a single failure. He possessed absolute confidence in himself.

"You will perform the surgery on me?" Liu Jialiang asked in surprise.

"Yes, I will," Lin Nan nodded. "The choice is now in your hands. It is up to you to decide."

Liu Jialiang fell into silence. The deputy director could only offer a ninety-percent recovery, which clearly did not meet his expectations. For a professional basketball player like him, a ten-percent deficit was enough to end his career. He simply could not accept that.

This young doctor’s claim that he could restore him to his former self was encouraging, but the doctor’s youth gave him pause. If this had been said by a veteran physician in his forties or fifties, he would have accepted without hesitation. But this doctor...

Han Gui shared the same concern and remained silent, hesitating internally.

"Forget it, let's not take the risk. A ninety-percent recovery is not bad," Han Gui said with a helpless sigh. He still did not fully trust Lin Nan's abilities.

As the coach of the Linhai University basketball team, Liu Jialiang was his most prized player—the only one he had coached who had reached the national team. He had planned to take Liu Jialiang to the national team training camp today to prepare for the Asian Championships in three months. He had been lucky enough to escape with only minor scrapes, but Liu Jialiang had been severely injured, potentially losing his career.

"Coach, if I can only recover to ninety percent, I won't be able to play basketball anymore," Liu Jialiang said, his eyes dimming.

Han Gui sighed. "If you can't play, then you can't. To have your leg recover to ninety percent is the best outcome in this unfortunate situation. At least it won't affect your daily life."

"But—" Liu Jialiang hesitated, clearly unwilling to abandon his dreams so easily.

Seeing his hesitation, Lin Nan said, "I have reviewed your history. You started playing basketball at five. From middle school through college, you were the mainstay of your school teams. In your second year of high school, you led your team to a national championship, and in your sophomore year of college, you led your university team to the national league title."

"That is how you earned your ticket to the national team."

Hearing these words, Liu Jialiang's eyes grew complex. Han Gui sighed again. If there were any other way, he wouldn't want his most promising player to give up.

"You love basketball so much—are you really willing to give it up so easily?" Lin Nan asked, looking at Liu Jialiang earnestly.

Liu Jialiang looked at him and offered a bitter smile. "But—"

"But you think I look young, so you have no confidence in my skills?" Lin Nan had already seen through his concerns and smiled candidly.

Liu Jialiang felt awkward having his thoughts exposed.

"Every surgery is a mutual effort between doctor and patient," Lin Nan said with a faint smile. "I will take care of the patient with all my heart, and in return, I hope the patient can trust the doctor." He looked at Liu Jialiang with sincerity. "Do you trust me?"

Liu Jialiang looked into Lin Nan's eyes. He saw a profound sense of confidence. It was not a forced or blind confidence, but something that seemed to be embedded in his very bones.

Han Gui felt the risk was too great and was about to decline, but Liu Jialiang spoke first. "I accept. I want you to perform the surgery."

"Xiao Liang, this is too risky," Han Gui said anxiously. "Let's be cautious. Don't be impulsive."

Liu Jialiang shook his head. "Coach, I don't want to give up my career just like that. I've decided to take the gamble and bet on his success."

Lin Nan’s smile deepened. "Very well. I will go make the arrangements. We will begin in half an hour."

Liu Jialiang nodded.

After Lin Nan left, Han Gui couldn't help but complain, "Xiao Liang, you're being too impulsive. That doctor is far too young. I still don't think this is reliable."

Liu Jialiang shook his head. "Coach, do you know what I saw in his eyes just now?"

"What?" Han Gui asked, confused.

"Confidence!" Liu Jialiang said to himself. "Absolute confidence!"

"Even for me, I only possessed that kind of confidence when I won the national championship. That was the most confident moment of my life, but for him, it seems to be his default state."

"How could someone be that confident? I don't believe he lacks real skill."

"That is your reason for trusting him?" Han Gui frowned.

"Yes," Liu Jialiang nodded. "That is enough for me."

Han Gui took a deep breath. "Fine. Then we'll take the gamble and trust him once. I just hope he doesn't disappoint us."

Liu Jialiang nodded gently.

Back in Bai Yunxiao's office, Li Qin and Jiang Yuan were overjoyed to hear Lin Nan's words.

"You want us to serve as your first and second assistants?" Li Qin asked, pleasantly stunned. Beside him, Jiang Yuan, though usually stoic, could not hide his excitement.

"Yes, your fundamentals are solid and your professional standards are high. You are the perfect candidates to assist me," Lin Nan said with a smile.

Li Qin and Jiang Yuan exchanged a look, their excitement growing. Having been residents for only half a year, they rarely had the opportunity to participate in surgeries of this scale. Such a high-level procedure would be invaluable for their growth.

If they could complete this surgery successfully, it would be a shining entry on their resumes, helping them qualify for early promotion to attending physicians. Was Lin Nan actually planning to take them under his wing?