Chapter 7: My Eyes Are the Ultimate Ruler!

Tang Zhenglong looked on in utter bewilderment, unable to fathom how Lin Nan had managed it.

Lin Nan instinctively glanced at the half of the girl's face that was visible. She had delicate features and exquisite makeup—a beauty by any standard. Her head was marked with several bruises and bloodstains, but these were merely superficial injuries and posed no serious threat.

"I... am I okay now?" Tang Wanqi still found it hard to believe.

"You're essentially safe. Now, we can easily cut the exhaust pipe off your neck with an electric saw," Lin Nan said with a nod and a smile.

The firefighter couldn't help but ask, "How did you know that the exhaust pipe could be shifted from her head down to her neck?"

"Was it just a guess? But looking at how confident you were earlier, it didn't seem like luck."

Bai Yunxiao and Li Qin also looked at Lin Nan, eager for an answer. Even the siblings, Tang Zhenglong and Tang Wanqi, gazed at Lin Nan with curiosity.

Lin Nan smiled faintly. "Through observation, I noticed that the upper diameter of this exhaust pipe is slightly larger than the lower one. Therefore, it was impossible to remove it from the top. However, because the upper opening is wider, it could be slid downward. This way, it wouldn't hurt her head or her neck, and it would be much easier to saw through."

Hearing this, Li Qin was visibly shaken. "How could you tell that the upper diameter was larger than the lower one?"

"The diameters look about the same to me," Bai Yunxiao added, examining the pipe and shaking his head. He couldn't distinguish any difference in size. Could Lin Nan truly see such a subtle discrepancy with the naked eye?

Lin Nan shook his head. "To you, they might look similar, but to me, there is a distinct difference in their diameters."

"Old Lin, what kind of eyes do you have? You can spot such a minute difference?" Li Qin exclaimed in awe. The firefighter was also stunned, looking at Lin Nan with disbelief. Who would have thought the pipe's ends were different sizes? As Lin Nan had pointed out, if the diameters were indeed uneven, the problem that had been plaguing them was solved.

Tang Zhenglong looked at Lin Nan in awe. "Doctor, you are incredible."

Tang Wanqi looked at Lin Nan with admiration as well. The doctor didn't look very old, but his skills were top-notch. She felt a surge of secret relief, thinking how lucky she was to have been brought to this hospital; had she gone elsewhere, the doctors likely wouldn't have noticed that difference, and she would have remained trapped.

Lin Nan just smiled without saying a word. His eyes were his measuring tape. In his previous life, many tasks required absolute precision—not a hair's breadth of error allowed. Over time, he had honed this ability.

Bai Yunxiao stared at Lin Nan with fascination. The young man was full of surprises. It seemed he had underestimated Lin Nan, failing to realize the many strengths he possessed.

"I'll go get the tools to cut the pipe," the firefighter said, turning to leave the examination room.

With the next steps clear, he seemed much more relaxed.

"Doctor, I still don't know your name," Tang Wanqi said excitedly.

"I'm Lin Nan," he replied with a smile.

"I'm Tang Wanqi, and this is my brother, Tang Zhenglong," she said, introducing herself and her older brother formally. Tang Zhenglong gave a sheepish grin as a greeting.

"Dr. Lin, thank you so much for this," Tang Wanqi said, moved to tears.

"It's my duty, no need for thanks," Lin Nan said, waving a hand.

"Dr. Lin, regardless, we are very grateful that you saved Wanqi," Tang Zhenglong added earnestly.

Lin Nan couldn't help but ask, "Why on earth would your sister think to put her head into an exhaust pipe? Just for fun?"

Tang Zhenglong gave a sheepish laugh, not daring to answer. Tang Wanqi shot him a glare, hummed, and slapped him on the head, making him wince in pain.

"He joked earlier that if I could fit my head into his car's exhaust pipe, he would do whatever I said from then on. I’m a competitive person, so I agreed," Tang Wanqi said, her pretty face filled with indignation. "If I had known it would lead to such serious consequences, I would have shoved his head into the exhaust pipe instead!"

Tang Zhenglong remained silent, grinning awkwardly. Lin Nan rolled his eyes, speechless. Young people these days certainly knew how to "play."

Soon, the firefighter returned with the tools. In less than three minutes, the pipe was cut away. Tang Wanqi let out a heavy sigh of relief—she was finally completely out of danger.

"I measured the diameters of the pipe ends just now, and the top is nearly two centimeters wider than the bottom. But with the naked eye, it’s impossible to tell," the firefighter said, looking at Lin Nan with respect. "Doctor, you are a miracle worker."

Lin Nan modestly waved him off. Bai Yunxiao mused internally; he hadn't expected a problem that even he found thorny to be resolved so easily by Lin Nan.

"Miss Tang, you have some bruises on your head that need to be treated immediately to prevent scarring," Lin Nan reminded her. Hearing that she might be scarred, Tang Wanqi grew anxious.

"Don't worry, these are minor issues; our nurses can handle it for you," Li Qin said reassuringly, then instructed a nurse to take Tang Wanqi to treat her wounds. After bidding a hasty farewell to Lin Nan and the others, Tang Zhenglong followed them out. The firefighter also took his leave.

"Lin Nan, you did a great job today. Keep up the good work," Bai Yunxiao said with appreciation.

"Thank you, Director Bai, I will continue to work hard," Lin Nan replied modestly.

Bai Yunxiao pondered for a moment and asked, "If the diameters of the pipe had been the same, making it impossible to slide down, would you have had a solution?"

"Yes," Lin Nan answered without hesitation.

Bai Yunxiao raised an eyebrow. "How?"

Li Qin also looked on with curiosity.

"By using a lubricant," Lin Nan explained.

"A lubricant?" Li Qin frowned. "The firefighter mentioned that the inner wall of the exhaust pipe was sandblasted. Lubricants wouldn't have been very effective."

"They would still be useful, just requiring more time," Lin Nan explained. "We could pour the lubricant slowly into the inner wall, allowing it to fully penetrate. Even though the friction coefficient of the inner wall is high, it would still increase the lubrication. Then, we would slowly nudge the pipe upward. Even if the movement was minimal, with enough time, we could eventually remove the pipe completely."

Bai Yunxiao fell into deep thought, considering the feasibility of this method. "Hmm, I think it's viable," he nodded, "but it would take too long. I estimate it would take at least a day."

Lin Nan nodded silently. In his previous life, he had encountered a similar case where the pipe's interior was actually smooth, and it had still taken him half a day to slide it off. Bai Yunxiao was indeed a seasoned deputy chief physician; his insight was sharp.

Li Qin sighed, "During the process of nudging it, the pipe would constantly rub against the wounds. That girl would certainly have suffered immensely."

"There's no choice; that's the price that would have to be paid," Lin Nan said, shrugging.

Bai Yunxiao nodded. After much thought, he truly couldn't find a better method. He then looked at Li Qin, a playful smile on his face. "Li Qin, I heard you had an alcohol allergy last night and were actually taken care of by the patient and their family in the ambulance?"

Li Qin's expression stiffened. *Oh no, this is aimed at me.*

"Director Bai, an alcohol allergy is physiological; I can't control it," Li Qin hurried to explain.

"Then why didn't you tell us sooner? Why hide it?" Bai Yunxiao's tone grew stern. "Do you realize that a medical worker with an alcohol allergy could cause a catastrophe in a critical moment? There have been such cases before."

Li Qin knew he was wrong to hide it and didn't dare to argue. "Director Bai, I was wrong. I shouldn't have kept it from you. I was just worried that if word got out, it would affect my career." Becoming a doctor had been his lifelong dream, and he didn't want any setbacks.

Seeing his sincere admission of guilt, Bai Yunxiao's expression softened. "An alcohol allergy is not a big deal. As long as you are careful, it won't affect your career at all. Tell us about such things in advance from now on."

"I understand," Li Qin nodded quickly. "Director Bai, to be honest, I have other allergies as well."

"What else are you allergic to?" Bai Yunxiao was taken aback.

"Pollen, peanuts, milk, soy products, laundry detergent, seafood, plush toys, and animals with fur," Li Qin answered honestly.

Bai Yunxiao: "..."

Lin Nan was also stunned. Li Qin was allergic to all of that? Had this guy poked an "allergy nest"?