Chapter 33: Revelry, Rumors, and Responsibilities

Cheers!

Cheers!

The other roommates joined in with shouts and cheers.

“Alright, I’ll be the first!” Zhou Can, exuberant today, hoisted his bottle and downed it in one go.

“Good!”

“That’s the spirit!”

“No wonder you’re top of the class—absolutely epic!”

The roommates burst into applause as they watched him empty a bottle of beer in one swift gulp.

“Let’s dig into the food!”

Soon, everyone began to devour the tasty dishes laid out on the table.

As they ate and drank, conversation turned to future plans. Some were preparing to apply to hospitals in their hometown cities, while others planned to pursue medical licensure before moving forward.

Gu Jie felt deeply frustrated by his recent failure.

He planned to leverage his father’s connections to secure a better hospital position and retake Tuyu Hospital’s residency recruitment exam next year.

Zhou Can, however, turned out to be the luckiest of them all.

Just like the ancient imperial exams—once you pass, your fate can change overnight.

While his roommates worried about their futures, he could devote all his energy to honing his medical skills.

……

That night, Zhou Can passed out in bed while his roommates, also heavily drunk, lost their composure; one even wept like a child over his failed residency exam.

Ever since they were young, each had believed themselves exceptional.

Only when harsh reality struck did they realize they were merely the lowest cogs in the machine, their decades of struggle often met with brutal rejection.

The deep sorrow and bitterness they felt were emotions too raw to share.

Under the influence of booze, they shed all pretenses, unleashing the pain and heartache built up inside. Crying isn’t a sign of cowardice or disgrace,

but rather the purest way a human being expresses deep sorrow.

As infants, we cry when we’re hungry, hurt, or upset. Later, we’re told to be strong and that tears are a weakness.

Thus, many adults lose the habit of crying altogether.

In his half-asleep state, Zhou Can heard his phone ring and casually dismissed it with a press.

When it rang again, he pressed it off once more.

The caller, seemingly addicted to the bother, made the phone ring again soon after.

“Who the hell is disturbing me in the middle of the night?”

In his drunken stupor, he mumbled incomprehensible curses while holding down the power button for some peace.

The next morning, Zhou Can awoke with a throbbing headache.

Sitting up, he massaged his temples and the pressure points at his neck, relieving most of the pain.

Being a doctor meant not only healing others but also quickly taking care of your own aches.

Habitually, he reached for his phone to check the time, only to find it still powered off.

He must have had a blackout from drinking too much.

After straining his memory, he recalled vaguely that someone had called him in his sleep, which he had then dismissed.

“Who calls at such a late hour?”

Could it be from the Emergency Department asking me to cover a shift?

The thought sent his heart racing.

In the world of medicine, emergencies spare no time—even at two in the morning, a doctor must rush to save lives.

Sometimes, even a few seconds’ delay could mean the loss of a life.

After powering his phone back on, he swiped to check his missed calls.

“Yang Chan!”

To his surprise, it was Yang Chan on the line.

Although their numbers had been saved for over a year, they had never spoken before.

With her usual high-spirited pride, a call at this hour could only mean one of two things: a misdial or a genuine emergency.

“Oh no, could she be in trouble with some mugger?”

Zhou Can’s heart sank. Hours had passed since her call. If she were really in danger… he dared not think of the consequences.

Blame the alcohol!

He quickly tried redialing.

The first call went unanswered.

This only made him more anxious.

Thankfully, on his second attempt, the call connected.

“Hello…”

A sleepy, slightly lethargic tone laced her voice.

It sounded as if she hadn’t fully woken up.

Knowing she was alive eased his worry a bit.

He hoped nothing too bad had happened.

“Class Monitor, what was so urgent that you called last night?”

“Zhou Can!”

The Class Monitor’s voice suddenly rose, edged with anger.

“Did you deliberately ignore my call?”

“Not at all! I only got off work at midnight, and after celebrating with my roommates, I passed out, so I missed your call. You… you weren’t in any danger, were you?”

Zhou Can explained cautiously, then asked with concern.

“You’re the one in danger!” she snapped. “It’s all your fault—the comment you posted in the class group created a huge misunderstanding. Now, everyone, including the teachers, thinks there’s something between us… Were you trying to provoke this?”

“I barely said anything in the group—just thanked the teachers and classmates. What misunderstanding?”

Zhou Can was utterly baffled.

“See for yourself! You little bastard, you’ve kept me awake all night. Go clear it up in the group chat, got it?” she demanded, as domineering as ever.

“Alright, alright, I’ll check what those idiots said to set you off. Don’t worry—I’ll fix this.”

After hanging up, Zhou Can opened the WeChat group.

Immediately, his head pounded.

He had only posted: “Studying with Yang Chan to bring honor to Class 512.”

How could these gossips stir up such trouble?

Now they insisted that he and Yang Chan were an item.

They claimed his stellar performance in Tuyu Hospital’s residency exam was thanks to the power of love.

They even said his rapid progress in medicine was entirely due to Yang Chan’s guidance.

……

The stories grew more elaborate with every teller.

Rumors can be dangerous—three people can turn a whisper into a roar.

A perfectly normal comment had twisted into a farcical matchmaking scandal.

Zhou Can was indifferent—let them talk.

But Yang Chan’s feelings were hurt; she had lost sleep over the whole affair.

Having served as Class Monitor for five years, she always maintained an impeccable reputation among her classmates.

That made her even more concerned about her image.

If Zhou Can didn’t clear things up, the strain on her might be unbearable—potentially affecting her work.

The best way to counter rumors is often no response.

Otherwise, the gossips would only fuel their fire.

In this case, silence wasn’t an option. They’d assume Zhou Can agreed, and it would only escalate the mess.

How could he get them to shut up once and for all?

Zhou Can pondered the situation calmly.

After much thought, only one plan could swiftly quash the rumors about him and Yang Chan.

In medicine, there’s a saying: fight poison with poison.

Counteract one rumor with another and the falsehood will wither away.

Once determined, he began crafting his message.

“Thank you all for your concern about my lifelong love affair. My family is modestly well-to-do, and we value a well-matched union. My family has already chosen my partner. To avoid further misunderstandings, please stop meddling and pairing me up, as it only tarnishes the Class Monitor’s reputation. For the sake of our five-year friendship, I urge you to put an end to these rumors.”

After sending the message, Zhou Can followed it up by tossing a 1,000-yuan lucky red packet into the chat.

First, he quashed the rumor, then distributed money as a goodwill gesture.

Those who received the red packet eagerly began defending him.

“Wow, I snagged an 88-yuan big red packet! Thanks, Zhan Ge. Just stop trying to set you up with someone—he already has a partner.”

“I knew it! If Zhou Can were really dating the Class Monitor, there’d be no mistaking it by now. Sorry for overreacting—it’s so embarrassing!”

“I apologize—it was just a careless joke. I’m really sorry! @Zhou Can @Yang Chan.”

The first rumor-spreader, after receiving the red packet, immediately apologized.

Thanks to Zhou Can, the farce was finally subdued.

“It’s okay, as long as we clear it up!”

Yang Chan, no doubt monitoring the chat, quickly replied to the apologizer.

Seeing that the issue was resolved, Zhou Can let out a deep sigh of relief.

He quickly got up, washed up, helped his roommates tidy the dorm, and then bid them farewell.

Upon arriving at the hospital, he first grabbed breakfast at the canteen.

Tuyu Hospital boasts a staff canteen offering inexpensive, high-quality, and varied meals. With little money, one can enjoy many delicious dishes.

That was certainly a perk.

Of course, only hospital staff can enjoy that benefit; patients and outsiders are confined to the poorer outsourced cafeteria below.

The difference in price and quality was night and day.

While eating, he looked up and spotted Yang Chan also coming in for breakfast.

Two female doctors accompanied her.

“Morning, Class Monitor!”

Zhou Can greeted her with a smile.

“Morning!”

Yang Chan’s expression remained stone-cold and her tone was sharply dismissive.

What was gotten into her?

Zhou Can wondered. Weren’t the rumors already squashed? There was no reason for her to still be upset.

For five years, he remembered her as a generous and forgiving person.

Besides her disinterest in romance, she was nearly flawless.

“Still upset about last night?”

He asked casually.

Sometimes, words said without care can be taken the wrong way.

The two female doctors exchanged a subtle, knowing glance.

A young couple together at night clearly shared a special bond.

After all, only lovers have quarrels and get upset.

They covertly sized Zhou Can up.

With his handsome looks and undeniable charm, especially his confident aura, he was even more attractive.

“Dr. Yang, who’s this? Could he be your date?”

“Hehe, let’s grab breakfast first. You all chat away!”

The two female doctors giggled as they stole glances at the pair, leaving Yang Chan behind.

“You damn Zhou Can, can’t you watch your words!” Yang Chan scolded, stamping her foot in anger.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Did I say something wrong?” Zhou Can asked innocently.

Recalling his earlier words, he realized they might have sparked an unintended implication.

“Wait for me—you both. He’s just an ordinary classmate. My future partner is from a well-matched, affluent family; I’m not interested in him at all!”

She glared fiercely at him and stormed off with the two female doctors in tow.

Zhou Can was left utterly puzzled.

Women are as enigmatic as the deep sea.

Why did her words imply she still resented my comment about matching families?

Even if her background wasn’t lavish, there was no need to be so particular!

If you can’t understand it, just let it be.

Hurriedly, he headed to the Emergency Department for work.

Yesterday had been filled with valuable medical experiences, and today was a new beginning.

There was every reason to believe that today’s achievements would be just as rewarding as yesterday’s.