The Hippocratic Crush

Third-year basic surgical trainee FAN TSE-YU is on her way to Mercy Hospital on her first day of placement, during which she gets stuck in a traffic jam caused by a car crash. Primary school boy TO TZE-LAM is injured in the crash, but is saved by final-year higher trainee in Neurosurgery CHEUNG YAT-KIN who happens to pass by. Having finished their medical studies in the Faculty of Medicine, YEUNG PUI-CHUNG and his classmates start their housemanship in Mercy Hospital. YU, CHUNG, TONG HON-PONG and HUNG MEI-SUET report for duty at the Neurosurgery Department and start to visit various wards in the company of KIN. KIN and YU are impressed with SUET’s venipuncture techniques while CHUNG is so careless that he has caused the patient to suffer a great deal all through the process. YU thinks that KIN is being too harsh with CHUNG and has a very bad impression of him. KIN asks Dr TANG LIK-HOI of the A&E Department about LAM’s latest condition and agrees to keep him in hospital overnight for observation. Neurosurgery specialist Dr CHONG BOK-MAN is however opposed to KIN’s decision. Renowned Neurosurgeon FAN TZE-NGOK comes to the hospital to see YU. KIN is actually NGOK’s student but he is nothing more than a toady in YU’s eyes. KIN needs YU to closely monitor LAM’s condition. LAM confides in YU that he is desperate to take part in the music festival. To fulfill his wish, YU tries to convince MAN to discharge the boy.

YU meets an enthusiastic nurse called HOI-KI, through whom she gets to know KIN’s mother WONG SIU-ANG, who is working at the hospital as a cleaner. Male nurse LUI SIU-YIK is outraged at being called “male mistress” and picks an argument with the patient. Matron TO KA-MAN turns up suddenly and blames YIK for amending the duty schedule and being absent from work without any permission, but YIK explains that he needs to look after his son and is left no other options. KIN asks CHUNG to do the follow-up at the admission ward but CHUNG is so lazy that he has only spent a little time inputting data into the computer, for which he gets rebuked again by KIN. KIN goes downstairs to pick up his younger brother YAT-HONG, who is paralyzed and seated in the wheelchair. The brothers get along well and their closeness is well evidenced through their causal chat along the way. YU brings SUET to a bookshop to get some reference books, during which they have a very nice chat and YU gets the feeling that the two of them will become very good friends. NGOK brings Principal CHAN CHI-TAT to the hospital for a visit, in the course of which SUET comes to discover that YU is actually the daughter of NGOK. This has come as a complete surprise to SUET.

YU learns from a few nurses that someone is urinating in the public area of the hospital, following which she sees Principal CHAN peeing somewhere nearby. While discussing Principal CHAN’s brain tumor operation, everyone believes that MAN is highly unlikely to select KIN as his first assistant. Realizing that SUET has been so aloof recently, YU tries to have a word with her in a bid to clear her misunderstanding but SUET… SUET goes to her grandmother’s birthday banquet with her parents HUNG KWOK-WAI and SZE YUK-LAN, during which her grandmother means to mention LAN’s ex-husband NGOK and gives WAI the cold shoulder. CHUNG goes to practice fencing at the gymnasium, where he meets HONG and befriends him. MAN demotes KIN as his second assistant in order to humiliate him. The news has soon spread around the hospital and everyone who knows KIN feels sympathy for him. KIN cannot put up with CHUNG any more and is going to give him one last chance. CHUNG finally decides to pull himself together and takes on the challenge laid down by KIN.

KI would like to hold a celebration party for KIN but KIN does not seem to welcome the idea at all. Believing that KI is KIN’s girlfriend, YU gives KIN a good telling-off for his poor attitude towards KI. In order to pick up the necessary clinical knowledge of different specialties, CHUNG decides to make use of his rest time and do some practice in the Orthopedics Department. A huge host of distinguished guests have come to the grand opening of NGOK’s privately-run clinic. Noticing how KIN has tried to greet the guests one by one, YU shows a look of disgust while MAN starts to dislike him more and more. HONG would like to take part in a canoe expedition, which is objected by KIN at once. But ANG gives in to HONG’s persistent requests and finally lets him go in secret. CHUNG calls HONG up and is surprised to hear that the coach is not coming to take care of the lad. Worried about HONG’s safety, CHUNG gives up his revision time and rushes to the beach to have a look. Upon his arrival, he is shocked to see that HONG is drowning. A very serious car crash takes place all of a sudden and some of the victims need to have emergency surgery at once. KAM SAI-WING, son of the business tycoon KAM SHING-CHIU, also the careless driver who has caused the accident, is sent to hospital not long after. KIN and YU have an argument over who has priority for the life-saving operation.

YU witnesses a nurse being sexually harassed by a patient. She is about to intervene but is stopped by KA-MAN. What KA-MAN says seems to have inspired YU in some way. With his relentless efforts, CHUNG’s venipuncture techniques have improved a great deal, which is highly appreciated by his patient LAM SAM. LAN has not seen SUET for a couple of days. She is so worried about SUET that she decides to pay her a visit at the hospital, where she runs into YU. YU is actually her long-lost biological daughter. LAN tries to dig up more about YU from SUET, and SUET admits that she is well aware of YU’s identity. Without any favorable impression of the FANs, SUET insists that she has nothing to do with this family. Upon receipt of the complaint by CHIU, the Hospital Chief Executive decides to hold an urgent meeting, in which MAN shifts all the blame onto KIN. YU drives KIN back to her home for dinner. Along the way, she encounters an unconscious man, who is later diagnosed as having pericardium hemorrhage. Without any other options, YU decides to give him treatment on the spot.

While entering the ward, YU hears the nurses talking about the cleaner SZETO SHAN and her stories about the hospital being haunted. CHUNG brings his colleagues to his family-run restaurant to have hot-pot. CHUNG’s sister PUI-FUN asks him who on earth is his dream girl and the lad points out that it is YU who he has been wooing. LAN means to take the first-aid course hoping that this will give her more opportunities to get closer to YU. Upon KIN’s return home, ANG announces her decision to learn driving so that she can take better care of HONG later when he goes to study abroad. KIN cannot help snickering at her and he believes that ANG is most unlikely to pass the written test in the first place. Noticing how hard ANG is preparing for the driving test, YU offers her some useful tips on how to differentiate the various road signs. NGOK goes to the community hall to pick up YU, and is shocked to see her walking along with LAN. YU is astonished to find out the real relationship between LAN and herself.

When KIN is about to remove the tumor from SHAN’s frontal lope, a vascular bubble is discovered somewhere nearby. Although the operation turns out successful, KIN has once again failed to comply with the code of practice, which has seriously offended MAN. As a punishment, KIN is not allowed to take part in any kind of surgery for six months. YU learns from NGOK how he got to know KIN, following which she gets a totally different impression of the chap. ANG who has passed the written test urges YU to recommend a good driving instructor, which gives YU a bit of a headache. KIN returns to his dormitory and spots some medical books and notes on the desk. He draws an illustration on the notebook in response to the query and walks off afterwards. SUET comes back and is thrilled to see the illustration, which has cleared her doubts regarding the cerebrovascular system. SUET discovers some blood in WAI’s urine and urges him to have a check-up at the hospital.

YIK and BEN gossip about SUET’s family background while having breakfast, which is accidentally overheard by the girl. YU asks SUET to accept the truth but SUET insists that WAI is her one and only father. PONG who catches SUET studying alone at the dormitory tries to please her in any way possible, which SUET finds very disgusting. KIN gives SUET special tutoring on Neurosurgery, which makes SUET trust him more and more. The two of them have finally become good friends. KIN discovers that his patient Uncle FOOK is experiencing an extremely high level of blood pressure during his follow-up appointment. KIN asks FOOK to stay in hospital for observation but the old chap turns him down straight away. YIK discovers that his son SIU-LUNG keeps wetting the bed. In order to look after LUNG in a better way, YIK applies for leave but is rejected and severely rebuked by KA-MAN. Filled with anger, YIK decides to hand in his resignation. YU runs into SUET in the hospital, during which SUET suggests having dinner with YU and NGOK. This has come as a real thrill to YU.

YU and CHUNG are both transferred to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department to carry on with their practicum, which is a really pleasant surprise for CHUNG. Dr CHIN HO-TAK is so impressed with YU’s calmness and decisiveness during the surgery that he tries to convince her to choose the Cardiothoracic specialty as her long-term career. CHUNG invites YU home to watch an educational movie on Cardiothoracic surgery, but it turns out that… KI asks her colleagues to sign a petition against the punishment imposed on KIN, but KIN does not feel grateful at all and denies having a romantic relationship with KI. KIN and YU have dinner together, during which they spot the people at the next table playing with miniature cars. Through their conversation, they come to realize that the both of them are seriously into miniature vehicles. They suggest having a competition between themselves and they end up having great fun with that. YU runs into ANG in the hospital, during which ANG reveals that she has injured her wrist in a driving lesson but is most reluctant to let KIN know. KIN forbids ANG to take any further driving lessons, and HONG finally plucks up the courage to point out that it is he himself who needs to learn driving.

All the doctors and nurses have gone on a cruise to chill out. CHUNG tries to show his best side to YU but YU is only interested in how to patch up her relationship with SUET all through the trip. KIN gives YU an anchor-shaped pendant, which has come as a great surprise for the girl. She is so impressed with KIN’s thoughtfulness and generosity. On her way back to the hospital, YU runs into her long-lost friend TUNG-TUNG and the two of them exchange numbers straight away. While carrying out a check-up for LAU TAI-NGAN who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, KIN discovers some unusual wounds on her arms. CHUNG and the rest of his colleagues discuss their future in a hot-pot gathering, during which YU and SUET both reveal their decision to become a neurosurgeon. CHUNG asks YU about her views on love and is thrilled to hear that she is not opposed to an intergenerational relationship. TUNG sends NGAN to hospital again. While being questioned about her wounds, NGAN gets so nervous and points the finger at TUNG all of a sudden. TUNG is at a total loss and denies the accusation at once.

KIN walks off in silence as soon as he sees CHUNG make a confession of love to YU. Unfortunately YU has no feelings for CHUNG and rejects him on the spot. YU means to wait for KIN at the restaurant preparing to express her love for him. But much to her disappointment, KIN does not seem to get her message at all. Dr LAM TAI-KWONG and the rest of the neurosurgeons sit down to discuss the upcoming brain surgery they need to carry out for NGAN, during which Dr LAM suggests putting KIN in charge of the operation. MAN has no choice but to agree with the suggestion. YU plucks up her courage to ask KIN out for dinner and KIN accepts her invitation without any hesitation. KIN runs into his ex-girlfriend YUEN-YING in the hospital. YU is on her way to meet KIN, but is shocked to see him and YING so close together. CHUNG tries to please YU as best as he can in front of KIN and NGOK, making NGOK believe that the lad is currently going out with YU. KIN sends YING back to her residence, and the whole scene has been caught by MAN.

The hospital staff start to gossip about the relationship between MAN, KIN and YING inside the common room. Having seen the wedding picture of MAN and YING, YU is a little shocked and becomes even more convinced that KIN and YING are having an affair. YING wears a face like thunder while waiting for MAN at home. MAN picks a quarrel with YING upon his return, and YING is so angry that she runs off at once. While discussing the forthcoming specialty selection, KIN advises YU to choose Cardiothoracic Surgery taking into account her character and strengths. KIN is about to carry out the brain operation for NGAN, and is warned by MAN not to make any more mistakes during the process. MAN is summoned to help with another urgent operation half way through NGAN’s surgery, leaving KIN alone to carry on with the surgical procedure. After serious consideration, KIN finally decides to ask MAN out for a word in the name of YING, hoping that the three of them can talk the problem through and find a solution as soon as possible.

SUET gets in a bad mood when she realizes that YU’s dream man is actually KIN. KIN is so puzzled that he goes to confide in BEN, but their conversation is overheard by CHUNG accidentally. TAI who has been living in the New Territories has come to the hospital to look for her grandson, although she has forgotten which department his grandson is working for. ON-TIK is transferred to the Neurosurgery Department in the rest of his practicum, but he is so careless with his work that KI and many other nurses are often required to do the remedial follow-up for him. KIN is not happy with DIK’s performance and gives him a good telling-off. MING-TAI brings TAI to the Neurosurgery Department to see DIK. TAI cannot bear to see her grandson being scolded in public and gives KIN a lecture straight away. KIN gets off work and runs into TAI again on his way back to the dormitory. KIN notices that TAI’s eyelids keep drooping for no reason all through their conversation. DIK rushes back to the hospital and is shocked to hear that TAI is diagnosed as having Myasthenia Gravis.

Following a detailed check-up, Dr HO advises that TAI’s condition is deteriorating and that she must undergo surgery to remove the thymoma. Upon receiving the bank loan approval, MING-TAI starts to pursue his long cherished dream. BEN and his flatmates return to the dormitory and are shocked to see DIK break down crying on the floor. DIK is so helpless and worried that he finally confides in his mates. The practicum will come to an end very soon and the housemen have all different goals to achieve. MING-TAI reveals to his mates his decision to set up a vehicle repair firm. KIN is welcome to join NGOK’s clinic anytime he likes, but he is most reluctant to leave behind his existing patients in Mercy Hospital. YU notices that KIN is in a bad mood, and can tell straight away that he is being caught in a dilemma between his existing patients and the offer provided by NGOK. LUNG asks YIK to bring him to the theme park but YIK turns him down at once saying that he is busy preparing for the exam.

TAI is suffering from a persistent fever but DIK is just too busy to look after her. Luckily they have got SUET and CHUNG who offer to stay with TAI and take care of her on behalf of DIK. MING-TAI becomes a little hesitant about running the vehicle repair firm after being told off by KIN. The owner of the vehicle repair firm urges MING-TAI to carry out a final site inspection so that they can proceed to the official handover, during which a vehicle repairer gets injured all of a sudden. Luckily MING-TAI is there and he manages to give the guy emergency treatment just in time. DIK pays TAI a visit at the hospital before taking the Hippocratic Oath, and TAI looks incredibly energetic all through their conversation. Looking at her well-dressed grandson, TAI shows a big smile on her face and gives DIK a few words of praise. CHUNG and his mates have all become practicing doctors. Keen to live up to TAI’s expectations, DIK pledges to fulfill his obligations as a responsible doctor no matter what. SUET is transferred to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department as a trainee, making her a new member of YU’s team. YU is thrilled to bits when she knows she will be working with SUET in the same department. KIN has finally become a qualified specialist in Neurosurgery. Foreseeing that he will leave Mercy Hospital very soon, KIN feels a little upset.

YIK gets a call from LUNG’s class teacher advising that the boy is injured and admitted to hospital. Dr TANG of the A&E Department suggests sending LUNG to the Neurosurgery Department for a detailed check-up. While eating together, YU tells SUET that NGOK is looking forward to having dinner with her again at home. Knowing that KIN will be coming too, SUET accepts the invitation right away. SUET discovers a pile of love letters from YU while looking for a compact disc inside KIN’s bedroom. The letters are nicely kept in a little box and have sparked horrendous jealousy in SUET straight away. CHUNG tells YIK that LUNG is in good condition but LUNG claims that he is still feeling unwell with a severe headache when YIK is about to leave. KA-MAN passes by the common room and is shocked to see LUNG enjoying a batch of snacks inside. HO YIU is on her way to the market but gets lost in the street all of a sudden. She feels a great sense of relief later when she runs into LAN somewhere nearby. Judging from YIU’s strange behavior, LAN believes that the old lady must have some physical problem.

SUET purposely reveals to YU her affection for KIN, which surprises YU no end. Following SUET’s confession of love, YU decides not to write any more letters to KIN. KIN, on the other hand, is going to take a step further with YU and is still looking forward to her letters. ANG goes to YIK’s apartment to do housework for him, during which KA-MAN suddenly turns up to pay LUNG a visit. It is not until then that ANG comes to realize that KA-MAN and LUNG have become such good friends. LAN accompanies YIU to the clinic for a detailed check-up and YIU is later diagnosed as having early dementia symptoms. Not wanting to cause the FANs any possible trouble, YIU renders her resignation as soon as she gets back home, which has come as a shocking surprise to NGOK and YU. ANG runs into CHING in the hospital and CHING is astonished to hear that HONG is in love with her. KIN encourages HONG to express his love to CHING. But suffering from a strong sense of inferiority, HONG finally reveals to KIN his true feelings about his handicap. KIN is heartbroken to hear HONG’s confession. Realizing how upset KIN is about HONG’s paralysis, YU decides to lend a hand.

KIN can no longer suppress his love for YU and decides to make a confession to her. Unfortunately SUET calls KIN up at the most critical moment, which has spoiled everything up. When BEN and YIK are discussing KIN’s romance inside the restaurant, the restaurant owner LEUNG FAI suddenly falls down to the ground and experiences a short period of paralysis. CHUNG learns from FAI’s medical reports that he is suffering from intervertebral disk herniation and will need to undergo surgery to have the problem fixed. But FAI becomes a little hesitant about receiving the operation when he knows that surgery will not solve his problem completely. YIK discovers that LUNG is on the phone all day. Believing that his son has got a little girlfriend, YIK becomes so worried. YU catches SUET expressing her love for KIN, following which YU becomes even more aloof from KIN. KIN would like to have a word with YU about their relationship. After rejecting KIN in a forceful way, YU suddenly feels a sharp pain in the back.

SUET runs into KIN and YU inside the hospital lift, during which she urges KIN to answer in front of YU whether he is willing to accept her love. Embarrassed and uneasy, KIN is just unsure how to react. CHUNG asks YU why she went to consult a neurosurgeon the other day. YU has no choice but to reveal to him how she was diagnosed with intramedullary tumor. YIK and KA-MAN have made up with each other all because of LUNG. YIK invites KA-MAN over to his place for dinner, during which the pair have suddenly developed erotic feelings towards each other and start kissing. YING realizes that MAN has become so aloof recently. She hates this feeling so much that she finally asks MAN for an explanation. YU goes to pick CHUNG up after work. Along the way she feels an acute pain in the back all of a sudden. SUET encounters a patient with pericardial effusion while on duty. Given the urgency, she decides to perform pericardiocentesis for the patient on the spot, but it turns out that…

Knowing that SUET has made a big mistake during the medical procedure, YU tries to intercede for her at once, but SUET does not show any gratitude and stomps off in a huff straight away. YU feels a sharp pain in the back and falls to the ground all of a sudden. Left with no other options, YU reluctantly reveals to SUET that an intramedullary tumor has been found in her spinal cord. The hospital management holds a special meeting to discuss SUET’s clinical negligence, but SUET fails to show up in the end, which infuriates the management even further. Desperate to protect her sister, YU claims that SUET has gone on leave as approved by her and Dr CHIN. SUET is going to resign and leave the medical field permanently, for which she gets a severe telling-off from BEN. Following a medical check-up for a male patient named HO, YU points out that the lad is unlikely to survive without a heart transplant. WAI goes to see YU at the hospital, during which he reveals why LAN had to leave the FANs years ago. HONG makes a sincere confession of love to CHING again, and the pair have finally become an item. CHING and HONG go to a convenience store to buy something, during which a bottle suddenly falls down from a building. HONG is so desperate to save the old couple nearby and ends up...

Dr TANG of the A&E Department points out that HONG has fractured his skull in the accident and blood clots have also been found in his brain. MAN decides to carry out an urgent brain operation for HONG and needs KIN to act as his assistant during the surgery. When MAN has just cleared all the blood clots in HONG’s brain, HONG’s intracranial pressure is found to be going up at a high speed. ANG is completely unable to accept HONG’s death. She is so worked up that she falls down in a faint within seconds. The Organ Transplant Coordinator turns up suddenly informing KIN and ANG of HONG’s registration as an organ donor. Inspired by the death of HONG, YU finally decides to reveal her physical condition to her family. Not wanting to stay at home doing nothing at all, KIN chooses to go back to work. Patient LAM KIN is diagnosed with brain cancer. CHUNG reveals the news to LAM KIN’s son KIM, who then urges his father to undergo an operation no matter what. BEN tells SUET about HONG’s demise, and SUET is deeply saddened by the news.

SUET admits making a mistake and offers a sincere apology to both Dr CHIN and the patient affected. While performing surgery with MAN in the operating theatre, KIN is suddenly so overwhelmed with feelings of grief and fear that he dare not remove the patient’s skullcap. YU has not stopped writing to KIN, which makes SUET realize that she is still in love with him. YU learns from ANG that KIN has been suffering from insomnia for days. Not wanting him to go on like this, YU is going to lend a hand. BEN runs into his first girlfriend BONNIE in the hospital, who happens to be one of his newly admitted patients. BEN gets injured while dressing the wound for BONNIE. BONNIE remorsefully reveals that she is an HIV carrier, which shocks everyone around to the core. SUET who spots BEN drinking alone at the dormitory offers him a few words of consolation. BEN opens up to SUET and starts talking about his past romance with BONNIE. YU manages to get KIN a few hours of sleep, but is rebuked by him for being too meddlesome. KIN who is on his way to HONG’s memorial service is shocked to see his late brother in the basketball court all of a sudden.

Having read the latest letter from YU, KIN comes to realize that she has got an intramedullary tumor in her spinal cord. Reluctant to waste any more time, KIN plucks up the courage to propose to YU, but is rejected. YU invites all her colleagues to a lunch gathering at the common room, during which she offers to disclose her health problem. The news that BEN has been exposed to HIV at work has soon spread across the hospital. Fearing the threat of infection, HIU-YING and the rest of the nursing staff have all been avoiding BEN. SUET finds them so disgusting, and to show her support for BEN, she means to stay close with him. Knowing that CHUNG is so worried about the disciplinary hearing result, CHING offers to keep him company all night long. Looking at the sleeping CHING, CHUNG suddenly feels a crush coming up. NGOK and Dr MAK decide to carry out the tumor removal operation for YU as soon as possible while KIN has also promised to act as NGOK’s second assistant during the surgery. KIN goes to have dinner with NGOK, YU and the rest of their family, during which YU asks to take a family photo all together so that they can capture this very moment on camera forever.

KIN and YU have finally become lovers and start dating the following day. YU is thrilled and touched to see that KIN has taken up driving again all because of her. They go to have dinner at a restaurant, in the course of which KIN discovers that he has dropped the lucky coin left by HONG. Despite KIN’s opposition, YU sneaks back to the park to look for the coin, where she suddenly loses balance and falls over. Following a detailed check-up, NGOK believes that YU needs to undergo surgery at once to have the tumor removed. Seeing YU being taken into the operating theatre, LAN and the rest of the family are all consumed with worry. While waiting for the pathological report, NGOK and KIN carry on with the surgery. NGOK is upset to learn that YU’s tumor is an astrocytoma and KIN is also enlightened to the fact that the tumor cells in YU cannot be removed completely. The two of them are soon plunged into a dark mood...