Chapter 314: Hearts Aligned, Ambitions Unshaken

“Ha, you really are something else. Always so independent. While other doctors are scrambling for fame, you practically run from it,” Su Qianqian chuckled on the other end of the call.

“I just know myself, alright? That’s called self-awareness—you get it?”

Zhou Can figured out who he was early on. He knew his place and never let greedy dreams cloud his judgment.

Even when he first started dating Su Qianqian, it was the last thing on his mind.

He always worried his girlfriend was too pretty—plus, she worked in entertainment. He thought he’d never be able to keep her. It wasn’t until she hit rock bottom that he fell head over heels.

Nowadays, though, Zhou Can’s talent was enough to stand beside such a stunning woman—and their relationship remained strong as ever.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it! You just like keeping a low profile! Anyway, I’ve got something to tell you!”

“What’s up?”

“President Hu from Changhua Group called again. He’s offering to poach me with a massive salary—the deal’s honestly super tempting.”

Her tone grew a little more serious.

“And? What do you think?”

Zhou Can narrowed his eyes. When money’s on the table, you really see what someone’s made of.

“Maybe I should come see you right now!”

Maybe Su Qianqian was worried about someone eavesdropping, so phone calls weren’t enough.

“Alright. I’ll send you my location. Be careful out there.”

They weren’t married yet, nor had they shared a bed, but when it came to feelings, they truly were like husband and wife.

Anything major—they always discussed together.

Half an hour later, Su Qianqian pulled into the hotel parking lot where Zhou Can was staying.

Zhou Can walked straight over.

“Boss!”

Wei Fang was always a character—she used to call him Dr. Zhou, but today she went with “Boss.”

To be fair, he was the one who paid her salary after all.

“I’ve got something to talk over with the boss’s wife. You keep an eye out for us, alright?”

Zhou Can played along, teasing Su Qianqian, who was sitting inside the car.

“You’re terrible!”

Su Qianqian huffed, feigning annoyance, but she couldn’t hide the joy on her face.

She reached over and opened the back door herself.

Zhou Can slid in beside her.

He closed the door behind him. With a car like this—a BMW worth hundreds of thousands—the soundproofing was impressive. The car instantly became their private little world.

Wei Fang stood watch nearby, ever loyal.

Zhou Can shot her a quick glance. She was getting more professional by the day.

“Alright, boss’s wife. We can talk business now!”

“You’re impossible.”

Su Qianqian shot him a sideways look.

Then her bright, clear eyes fixed on Zhou Can.

“Hu Haikun made me an offer. If I agree to work for him, he’ll give me 10% of Jin Yu Interactive stock, and for three years, I’ll get 60% of everything I earn—be it gigs or albums.”

That deal was beyond tempting.

Usually, agencies take the lion’s share—about 60%—leaving 20% for their artists.

Hu Haikun wasn’t just offering her a piece of the company, he was willing to give her most of her earnings for three years. No wonder she was tempted.

“So did you take it?”

Zhou Can asked, watching her closely.

“No. I just told him I’d think it over,” she said, shaking her head.

“People like Hu Haikun—big sharks like that—you never turn them down outright, even if you don’t want the deal,” she explained.

Su Qianqian added after a pause.

It’s tough surviving in the workplace. Showbiz is even crueler.

Say the wrong thing, you’ll offend someone important. At best, you lose resources. At worst, you’re blacklisted. Someone like Hu Haikun is not someone a single actress could ever afford to provoke.

“But what are you really thinking?” Zhou Can pressed her.

“From a business standpoint, I’m honestly tempted. But emotionally, there’s just no way. Jin Yu Interactive is a company you and Mr. Li built together—you’re pretty much my boss too. It’s not about the money, not even if they gave me the whole company. What matters to me most is you. With you here, my world is full of color. Without you, I can’t even imagine my life!”

Zhou Can was genuinely touched by her words.

She was famous now, and made good money, but she’d never lost herself chasing wealth.

To her, their relationship meant more than anything.

With a wife like this, what more could a man possibly ask for?

“I didn’t come from much. I’ve known poverty since I was little. But these past couple years, I’ve earned more than enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life. I’ve thought it through; if the industry ever turns too nasty, I’ll just walk away. Once my kidney is healed, I want to marry you, settle down, and maybe focus on music when I’m free.”

She must have been thinking about this a lot lately.

The toxic work environment woke her up to just how risky things could get. She didn’t want to get swept up in it.

The life Su Qianqian dreamed of—Zhou Can was always at the center of it.

Clearly, Zhou Can had become her anchor, her safe haven.

“Didn’t you say you wanted a big villa? Truth is, what we’ve earned so far isn’t nearly enough for that!”

Zhou Can gently took her hand. Their eyes met, hearts completely open and honest.

Only lovers could look at each other the way they did—affection overflowing.

“Plans are meant to change, you know! I adjusted mine for you. As long as we’re together—even if we’re just renting—I’m happy. Honestly, the whole celebrity thing isn’t even for me. I just want to curl up in your arms and be your girl, spoiled and adored.”

With that, she really did snuggle right into his embrace.

A dreamy smile played across her face as she remembered those days gone by.

“I’ll never forget my darkest, lowest night—just sitting on the couch, falling asleep in your arms. From that moment, my heart, my body—everything about me belonged to you.”

Su Qianqian’s smile was shy and radiant all at once.

“Ha, so you’re easy to win over, huh? Just one night with me and you’re all mine for good! But Qianqian, you told me the life you want—do you know what we men dream of?”

Zhou Can held her close, both of them glowing with happiness.

“What’s that?”

She looked up at him, her beautiful clear eyes wide.

If you want to know if a woman is pure, you only have to look in her eyes.

When her eyes are clear, so is her heart.

Otherwise, her soul may not be dirty, but her mind is tangled with too many thoughts.

Remember, a dark heart can never carry a bright smile.

If a woman’s heart is pure and kind, her eyes are as dazzling and deep as the sea—you can’t help but want to keep looking.

That’s what made Su Qianqian so rare—stunning beauty, and eyes like a fairy.

“What I want is simple. I want my parents healthy, my wife and kids happy. I want peace and harmony at home. You’re wise and gentle, so I know you’ll get along with my family. And I just know any child you raise will be kind and smart. All I want is to give you the life you dream of.”

“You want a villa? I’ll save up for one. You want a rich lady’s life? I’ll do my best to make it happen. You want to be a star? I’ll clear every obstacle for you.”

There was a bold edge to Zhou Can’s words.

You need the confidence to say something like that—and the means to back it up.

Now, his finances were solid and his medical career was taking off. That gave him a real sense of security.

“Can, I love you. Being your woman is the greatest blessing and luck of my life.” She hugged him tight around the waist.

“Qianqian, how’d your meeting with Hu Wei go the other day?”

Zhou Can’s question caught her off guard.

“All smoke and mirrors. Lately, he’s been pestering me, calling and messaging all the time for Hu Haikun. He’s honestly super annoying.”

Su Qianqian’s voice dripped with annoyance as she explained.

“Next time he calls or messages, just agree to meet. I’ll handle the rest.”

Zhou Can had Wei Fang slip the medicine to him days ago, and now he wanted to see the results.

After all, any plan with real impact takes time.

“Wait—you want me to agree?”

Su Qianqian couldn’t believe her ears. She stared at him, stunned.

“Yeah, agree. If Hu Haikun’s ready to offer you part of the company, it means he’s already got his eyes on Jin Yu Interactive,” Zhou Can said with a nod.

“But isn’t Li your close friend? Won’t this ruin things between you two?” Her concern was genuine.

In Su Qianqian’s mind, Zhou Can was never the type to trade friendship for money.

So his suggestion really shocked her.

It was like she was meeting a whole new side of him.

“Don’t worry about all that. If you trust me, just do what I say—the less you know, the better. That’s all I can tell you.”

Zhou Can looked into her eyes as he spoke.

“I trust you. Even if you covered my eyes and I couldn’t tell if you were an angel or a demon, I’d still follow you,” she said. She was hopelessly in love—she’d do anything for him.

Her trust in Zhou Can was absolute.

Even when it came to a standoff between Zhou Can and Li, she sided with Zhou Can without hesitation.

Just then, Su Qianqian’s phone started to vibrate.

She checked the screen.

“Another call from Hu Wei!”

“Take it. Do what I told you. Tonight I’ve got the time—I’ll finally meet this traitor from Jin Yu Interactive face-to-face.”

A flash of cold light passed through Zhou Can’s eyes.

……

In a secluded teahouse, only two people sat inside—the elegant Zhou Can and a baby-faced, handsome young man.

That guy with the shifty gaze? That was Hu Wei.

He was a male entertainer.

He’d just met with Su Qianqian. Now only Zhou Can and he remained, sipping tea together. The two seemed like old friends reunited after years apart.

It was an odd scene.

But this was, in fact, their first meeting.

Hu Wei didn’t even know Zhou Can’s real name.

Yet he acted chummy, warm, and talkative.

After chatting for quite a while, they finally went their separate ways.

Back at the hotel, Zhou Can was still reeling with shock—and, if he was honest, a little excitement.

That medicine had worked like a charm.

It looked like his bold promises to sweep obstacles out of Su Qianqian’s way were about to come true.

……

The next day, he acted as if nothing had happened, heading back to his consultations at Xinxiang Maternity and Child Hospital.

Business was even better than before—more patients lined up to see him.

He saw a total of 49 patients. All but two families trusted his care—the other 47 cases went smoothly.

When there’s a big enough crowd, you’ll run into all kinds.

Some patients—and family members—were even more suspicious and guarded than Cao Cao himself.

When Zhou Can got someone like this, there wasn’t much he could do except give his expert advice. Whether they took it or not was their business.

By the end of the day, Dr. Zhang from Orthopedics hadn’t sought him out.

That probably meant they still hadn’t figured out a surgical plan for the little boy with malformed hands.

Dr. Zhang’s experience and surgical skills were limited. He was likely scouring references and seeking help from colleagues.

Tomorrow would be the seventh and final day of the expert consultations.

If there was still no plan for surgery by then, Zhou Can knew he’d have to talk to the boy’s family himself. He couldn’t just watch someone fall through the cracks.

Meanwhile, things looked worse for Du Leng by the day.

He and Zhou Can couldn’t have been more different.

At first, Du Leng’s foreign credentials made him a hit with patients and families.

But his weak diagnostic and treatment abilities quickly became apparent. Gradually, he lost their trust.

Families and patients weren’t stupid.

Some seemed downright shrewd.

During their visits, they’d compare all the experts and pick the best one they could find.

Du Leng was the type who talked big but couldn’t deliver. When it came to tough cases, he was at a loss.

Now and then, he’d even misdiagnose someone and make a fool of himself.

So it was no surprise that fewer and fewer came to see him.

This downward spiral happened in just seven days. Imagine if it went on longer—well, forget it.

If Dr. Du stuck around, his practice would only get quieter.

While Du Leng’s numbers dropped, Zhou Can was on the rise—going from two patients a day to nearly fifty.

In terms of volume, he now led the pack by a mile.

Dr. Zhang only lost out because of appointment quotas—thirty slots max a day. Sometimes if a patient was critical or had traveled far, they’d bend the rules a little.

No one said it out loud, but the clear contrast stung Du Leng.

Watching a rival he once looked down on surge past him—feeling defeated and having his pride smashed—it was a tough pill to swallow.

On the seventh day, Zhou Can continued his rounds.

He showed up early, checking on patients he’d treated. Some had already recovered and gone home, while others were clearly improving and would be discharged soon.

That sense of accomplishment was overwhelming.

This is why he’d chosen medicine—to ease others’ suffering.

After rounds, he headed to the main clinic. A wave of pride and purpose washed over him—his line at consultation desk ten was already the longest, easily seen from afar.

At a glance, at least fifty or sixty people were waiting.

Longer than any other expert’s queue.

The only problem? Most of his patients were kids. With so many children lining up, even Director Dai from Pediatrics was a bit embarrassed.

Dr. Zhou was more like a pediatrics specialist than she was.

But even though most patients were children, Zhou Can noticed things were changing—and was glad for it.

On day five, nearly all his patients were kids with minor injuries or sprains. Now, the cases were more diverse.

Just a quick glance and you’d spot things like rickets or persistent cough.

It was a good thing—more variety meant more to learn.

“Everyone, please stay in line and don’t crowd. I’ll call you up one by one. If you’re further back, you can rest in the waiting area while you wait,”

Ji You worked hard to keep order.

With this many people, it was easy for things to get tense.

She was a quick study. She’d been shy at first about directing people—but now? Her commanding energy was on full display.

Most folks only respected someone who looked tough.

If a nurse acted timid, nobody paid attention. But Ji You’s no-nonsense approach kept everyone in line.

Zhou Can flashed her an approving look and started treating patients.

One by one he handled cases. Everything ran smoothly.

At that moment, a middle-aged man came over to Zhou Can carrying a child. Behind him was a well-dressed woman in her thirties, face powdered thickly with dramatic makeup.

Her clothes? Not the sort an average person could afford.

They were clearly well-off.

The man had a powerful presence. The woman looked every bit the politician’s wife—her eyebrows penciled into thin black lines, gaze sharp as blades.

“Dr. Zhou, my kid twisted his ankle and it hurts pretty badly. Could you take a look?”

The man cut right to the front of the line.

People in line behind him seethed with anger.

But no one dared say a word.

“Sorry, but please take your child and wait at the end of the line.”

Ji You said politely.

When line-cutters showed up, Zhou Can didn’t even need to step in—she was quick to send them back.

The man ignored Ji You and looked straight at Zhou Can. “This boy is Director Yang’s son, you know. He’s your overseer here—so can you give us a break?” Even though he sounded gentle, his words carried weight.