Chapter 157: A Surge of Remarkable Progress

He could now confidently tackle advanced endoscopic suturing tasks or even ultra-difficult tissue suturing with ease.

He was fully confident in handling the suturing of fragile meninges, peritoneum, omentum, and even complex nerves, blood vessels, or other vital tissues.

In the past, he would have thrown in the towel when faced with such extraordinarily challenging suturing.

Zhou Can stitched one suture after another, his movements growing increasingly casual.

It was as if he were taking a leisurely stroll.

Director Wen immediately sensed Zhou Can’s tremendous progress and couldn’t hide his extreme astonishment.

“This—this is absolutely outrageous!”

“A suturing level equivalent to that of a deputy director! How on earth did he achieve this? Normally, it would take a surgeon at least over a decade to ascend from an intern level to a deputy director level.”

Yet he broke through easily. Is this even human?

Seeing Zhou Can’s progress from an attending level to deputy director level firsthand overwhelmed Director Wen, shaking him deeply.

Ultimately, all he could describe Zhou Can’s talent as simply ‘a freakishly gifted prodigy.’

【Congratulations! Your Ligature Technique has advanced to Level 5. Current Experience: 1 / Attaining the basic deputy director level.】

The second deputy director level in medical skills was achieved.

Zhou Can’s heart soared with delight.

He had long dreamed of reaching a deputy director level in medical skills, and he hadn’t expected to achieve it in less than a year of training.

He was ecstatic.

It was like living a dream.

The benefits of the experience system exceeded his wildest expectations.

His diligence and hard work, bolstered by the experience system, propelled his medical skills to rocket-like heights.

That visible progress from hard work was extremely gratifying.

It filled him with renewed vigor.

Just like with his suturing, once his ligature technique reached Level 5, it reverted to a state of natural simplicity.

When executing the ligature technique, his movements were effortless and graceful.

During knot tying, the pulling force on the tissues nearly vanished, yet he could still perform even the most complex knotting tasks.

Whether it was knotting inside a cavity, near vital organs, or on fragile tissues, he handled it all flawlessly.

Square knots, slip knots, and even the more challenging triple-wrapped knots were all executed with absolute ease.

Moreover, while an attending-level ligature allowed for competent one-handed knotting, using instruments usually proved arduous—especially during endoscopic procedures where the lack of control was even more evident.

At that moment, with the needle holder in hand, he no longer experienced that strenuous effort when tying knots.

The entire procedure flowed incredibly smoothly.

He was confident that anything he did in endoscopic surgery would be executed with high-caliber knotting—quickly and perfectly.

Even when challenged with knotting in extremely delicate, confined spaces, he felt assured he could perform well.

Isn’t Jin Mingxi supposed to practice knotting on tofu blocks every day? After months of practice and with over a decade’s worth of surgical experience, his knots still came out rather sloppy.

It wasn’t that Jin Mingxi couldn’t knot properly; the tofu’s fragility had to be taken into account.

A slightly stronger pull and the tofu would crumble before your eyes.

Ensuring the knot’s firmness and neatness while also considering the pulling force and resulting damage during manipulation was a challenge of unimaginable difficulty.

And that was just with using both hands for knotting.

If you switch to using instruments, the difficulty would surely double.

And if the instruments had to be used inside a cavity, the challenge would double yet again.

Clearly, advancing a surgeon’s operational skill is like overcoming one hurdle after another.

The higher you climb, the harder it is to improve.

It was like scaling a steep, slick cliff—the closer you get to the peak, the smoother and steeper the wall becomes.

Director Wen’s eyes were fixed on the scene in amazement.

It was even more thrilling than catching a glimpse of a young lady’s dress suddenly splitting.

“Are you serious? His knotting skills have reached deputy director level too?”

Still recovering from his earlier shock, Director Wen witnessed yet another miracle with his own eyes.

He even began to question if his mind was playing tricks on him.

One plus one equals two.

Two plus two equals four… Nine plus nine equals eighteen.

He mentally ran through some calculations, relieved to find nothing was amiss.

Then his gaze returned to Zhou Can’s surgical work.

“Yes, officially, his suturing and knotting skills are on the deputy director level. This kid’s progress is ridiculously fast—improving his skills as if he were playing a game.”

Director Wen composed himself, preparing to observe Zhou Can’s technique in greater detail.

Unfortunately, Zhou Can had already finished stitching.

“Director Wen, please take a look at the sutured wound!”

“Alright!”

Director Wen leaned in to carefully inspect the incision. The changes brought on by the marked improvement in suturing and knotting were clearly visible.

The stitches and knots at the front of the wound still reflected an attending-level skill.

But the latter few stitches were executed with such astonishing proficiency.

Nearby, Dr. Zou and Tang Li exchanged puzzled looks as they noticed Director Wen studying the wound intently.

By their standards, they could immediately see that Zhou Can’s stitching was excellent.

There was nothing wrong with it at all!

But what exactly was Director Wen researching?

“Director Wen, is there something wrong with Dr. Zhou’s stitching?”

Driven by curiosity, Tang Li asked.

“No, it’s perfect. I’m just wondering how he managed to stitch so impeccably,” Director Wen replied after a thorough investigation, failing to pinpoint Zhou Can’s secret.

He had no choice but to let it be.

Everyone’s aptitude, talent, and growth differ—each person is unique. Some growth paths can be emulated, while others cannot.

Especially with someone like Zhou Can, whose meteoric rise defies conventional logic.

“The surgery went smoothly. After about half an hour of observation following the patient’s awakening from anesthesia, if there are no issues, they can be moved back to the general ward for recovery.”

Director Wen announced.

“Dr. Zhou, if all goes well after the surgery, why don’t you drop by my office?”

With this surgery done, Director Wen had no further operations scheduled for the day.

Knowing that Zhou Can would soon be leaving the General Surgery Department filled him with a sense of reluctance, and he longed for a proper chat with him.

“Thanks to the care of you and the other senior doctors, I haven’t been saddled with too many miscellaneous tasks or ward duties. I can head to your office right now.”

Among all the trainees in the neurosurgery department, Zhou Can was probably the most free-spirited.

His duties were basically limited to ward rounds, surgeries, and consultations.

Then came the routine work of writing medical records and orders.

He was hardly ever assigned to change dressings.

As for fetching medicines, obtaining requisition forms, or accompanying patients for tests—those menial tasks he never handled.

For Zhou Can, these two months in neurosurgery were rather blissful; his benefits were no worse than those in the Emergency Department.

Following Director Wen closely, the two soon entered the office one after the other.

“Have a seat!”

Director Wen greeted him with great courtesy.

Zhou Can sat down tentatively on one side of the chair.

“Heh, there’s no need to be so cautious with me. Once you’re in front of the director, you can be deferential, but here you can relax a little.”

Having risen from humble intern days himself, Director Wen had observed every bit of Zhou Can’s performance.

He couldn’t help but smile and urge Zhou Can to loosen up.

He even brewed a cup of tea for Zhou Can, leaving him pleasantly surprised and grateful as he accepted it with repeated thanks.

“This green tea was sent to me by my son. He’s involved in medicinal herb cultivation. Knowing I love tea, he thought it would be a kind gesture to send me five outstanding green tea trees. These leaves are from the very first harvest—give them a try.”

Director Wen then sat down at the head of the office.

“Your son is into herbal cultivation?”

Zhou Can, coming from a wealthy background with access to the finest teas—even ones costing tens of thousands per tael—felt indifferent about traditional tea culture.

For tea enthusiasts, tasting tea was like savoring fine wine; a mere whiff could reveal its quality and grade.

“My stubborn boy wouldn’t listen to advice anyway. All he says is it’s his way of contributing to the revival of traditional Chinese medicine.”

Director Wen chatted casually, clearly trying to build a closer rapport with him.

After all, given their disparate statuses, it wasn’t easy to strike up a natural conversation without a common topic.

“They say like father, like son—I truly admire your son. In traditional Chinese medicine, there’s a saying: There’s no disease that can’t be cured, only herbs that haven’t been found. Nowadays, with rampant exploitation and overharvesting, many precious medicinal herbs have nearly vanished. If artificial cultivation can succeed, not only is it meaningful, but the prospects are also outstanding.”

Zhou Can offered a perspective that was refreshingly unique.

Director Wen paused briefly before breaking into a delighted smile, “You really think there’s potential in this?”

“As long as it’s done right, I’m very optimistic about the future of herbal cultivation. However, every step—from breeding and cultivation to processing the herbs into marketable medicinal products—requires high technical standards. Truly excelling in this field will demand significant investment.”

Zhou Can’s insights were remarkably in-depth, not mere flattery.

Director Wen clapped his hands in approval, “Oh my, that’s spot on! My son has encountered all these challenges. Not only are you extraordinarily gifted in surgery, but your grasp on the business side is equally impressive. It’s rare to see such a practical and well-informed young man these days.”

Their conversation flowed naturally, hitting just the right points to resonate with each other.

It immediately sparked a strong sense of affirmation.

“When my son first started out, he’d call his mother for money every few days. With my modest monthly salary, I was determined to save enough for his wedding and for my own retirement. His herbal cultivation was like a bottomless pit—endless expenses with no income. Last New Year, when he returned looking gaunt and tired, my heart ached. I asked him why his herbal project always needed more money.”

“I was worried he’d be swindled or fall for bad influences. Later, he brought us straight to his herbal cultivation base, explaining every expense and challenge. Touring the base, I felt a twinge of guilt. My son had never known hardship at home, yet managing a cultivation base in a mountainous area—pulling weeds, planting and nurturing seedlings, and processing the harvest into saleable herbal medicine—was no small feat.”

“He never wanted to spend money on hiring help, doing everything himself. He lived in a basic workshop and ate very simply. Sometimes all he had were two plain steamed buns and a jug of warm water to sustain him in the fields.”

Director Wen continued talking animatedly about his son’s dedication to herbal cultivation.

From his words, it was clear that his son had poured immense effort into cultivating medicinal herbs.

Without a dream, very few could persist through such hardships.

“Your son is truly remarkable! I think you should support him even more—there’s strength in a father-son team!”

Zhou Can understood the struggles inherent in starting a business.

Once a venture gets on track, things become much easier.

In the early stages, lack of experience and heavy investments can make everything extremely challenging.

“In the past, I was strictly against it. Now, while I may not fully support it, I’ve decided not to fuss over minor things. My spouse and I have invested almost all our savings. With the modest sales of herbal medicine, I’m still quite worried—especially since my son is already 32 and still unmarried.”

A parent’s worry is universal.

Director Wen was concerned not only about his son’s future but also about his unmarried status at 32.

No wonder Director Wen was a bit anxious.

“The low sales of herbal medicine are largely due to the decline of traditional Chinese medicine. I suspect that its revival might take decades or even over a hundred years. Perhaps your son should consider limiting his cultivation scale and diversifying the types of herbs. Personally, I believe the market for tonic and nourishing herbs has great potential. Increasing their cultivation could offset losses from more common herbs.”

“As long as the tonic herbs turn a profit, they can at least make up for potential losses from other crops, ensuring the business remains viable in the long run.”

Zhou Can offered several well-considered suggestions.

When it came to business acumen, Director Wen’s son pale in comparison to Zhou Can.

“That’s brilliant! I’m getting old and my memory isn’t what it used to be—I need to write this down. Tonight, I’ll share your advice with my son.”

Director Wen found Zhou Can’s suggestions immensely sensible.

He quickly jotted down a few notes.

After finishing, Director Wen looked up at Zhou Can, his eyes filled with great expectation.

“Dr. Zhou, your talents in endoscopic surgery and pathology diagnosis are exceptional, and your hard work is evident. I’m certain you’ll achieve great things. After your three-year training, would you be interested in developing your career in neurosurgery? The stage in neurosurgery is much bigger and perfectly suits your surgical abilities.”

He chose his words carefully, asking if Zhou Can would consider a career in neurosurgery rather than merely working there.

“I haven’t really considered that yet. After my training, I plan to return to the Emergency Department. Directors Lou and Dr. Xu in the ED have treated me very well, and I consider myself grateful. Returning to the ED feels both like fulfilling their expectations and repaying their kindness.”

Zhou Can openly expressed his honest thoughts.

This genuine conversation built tremendous trust with Director Wen.

“It seems keeping you in neurosurgery might be a challenge! I’m merely asking about your thoughts—I will always respect your choice, whether you remain in the ED or move to another department. Even if you leave Tuyu Hospital, if you encounter any neurosurgical issues, feel free to ask me anytime.”

There was a striking contrast between Director Wen and Director Xie’s narrow-mindedness.

“Thank you! Meeting a mentor like you is a true stroke of luck. I promise to call or text you during every holiday.”

Zhou Can’s words were his way of expressing eternal gratitude for the care and guidance he had received over the past two months.

“Haha, all right, all right! You make me so proud,” Director Wen burst into hearty laughter.

Just then, Director Wen’s phone rang.

“I need to take this call,” he said.

After a few sentences, Director Wen’s expression turned grave.

“I’ll round up the team immediately.”

Something must have happened.

Zhou Can’s heart tightened—wondering which patient had deteriorated?

With departures imminent, any mishap was truly disheartening.

“Dr. Zhou, come with me to the Operating Room immediately to help rescue a patient.”

Director Wen’s face was etched with seriousness as he spoke urgently.

“Alright!”

Zhou Can quickly followed him as they hurried toward the Operating Room.

“Which patient is it? Is it the one who just underwent the Trigeminal Nerve Cutting Procedure?”

“No, it’s a patient from Director Wu’s team—someone who had a tracheotomy and had been in the ICU. Suddenly, things took a turn for the worse.”

Director Wen’s brows furrowed.

Every responsible doctor, when faced with a critical patient, shares that look of grave determination.