Chapter 390: A Promise at the Farewell

After all these years, I’ve learned to face what happened with calm. If you make a mistake, you have to take responsibility. It’s just that my mistake demands a lifetime of atonement—the price is simply too high.

Dr. Xu’s voice sounded steady, but deep in his eyes there was a trace of regret.

Had that accident never happened, his whole life would’ve turned out differently.

One wrong step ruined everything. Now it takes a lifetime to make amends, leaving two families trapped in pain. Fate’s punishment for him feels unbearably harsh.

We’re all just ordinary people. When misfortune hits, all you can do is endure it in silence.

These past years, Dr. Xu gave most of his earnings to the victim’s family.

That’s truly not easy.

Legally, he never had to go that far.

But he’s always done what he could for them in his own way, and that’s something you can’t help but admire.

“You’ve always been a man of integrity, teacher. I’m sure fate will give you another chance. Maybe the time just hasn’t come yet—it’s testing your patience.”

Zhou Can tried to comfort Dr. Xu.

But inside, he thought that once his medical skills reached the sixth level—chief surgeon level—he might be able to help Dr. Xu solve this problem for good.

For now, all he could do was wait.

The car sped down the road, and both of them fell silent, lost in their own thoughts.

In the northern part of the city, at the Xiangui Funeral Home, Memorial Hall No. 2, Dr. Hu Kan’s memorial was taking place.

Right then, Dr. Hu’s children, daughters-in-law, and sons-in-law, all dressed in mourning clothes, were greeting friends, relatives, and colleagues who came to pay their respects, grief heavy on their faces.

They called it a simple funeral.

But for someone like Dr. Hu, no matter how simple, it would still be an event of considerable scale.

He had a big impact on the people around him.

People fade after they’re gone, but if you gave so much during your life, you’ll always leave a mark in many hearts.

Everyone who benefited from Dr. Hu, along with friends, relatives and workplace leaders, showed up to lay wreaths or pay their respects. Otherwise, it’d seem cold and heartless.

Zhou Can and Dr. Xu walked toward the memorial hall together.

At the entrance, Dr. Hu’s only son, dressed in mourning clothes, was greeting each visitor.

Zhou Can handed the wreath he brought to the staff. Dr. Hu’s son bowed deeply in thanks.

“My condolences.”

Zhou Can shook his hand and gave his shoulder a gentle pat.

Dr. Xu only nodded, then took the incense, stepped up to the coffin and bowed three times.

After the last bow, Dr. Xu bent so deeply his hands nearly touched his knees. He stayed like that, unable to straighten up for a long while.

His grief was written all over his face.

“Teacher, if Dr. Hu can see you from the other side, I know he’d be happy you came. Please, don’t be so sad.”

Zhou Can held Dr. Xu, steadying him.

He tried to comfort him, but inside, he felt waves of sorrow too.

Seeing Dr. Xu’s grief, the Hu family staff hurried over to help and offer their condolences.

Dr. Xu slowly approached the coffin and carefully placed the incense upright.

Looking at Dr. Hu lying in the ice casket, his cheeks trembled, the emotion spreading to his lips. His eyes had quietly filled with tears.

“Old Hu, rest in peace. I’ll make sure Zhou does everything he can to fulfill your wishes.”

At last, Dr. Xu spoke.

This was his final goodbye to Dr. Hu.

After helping Dr. Xu finish with the incense, Zhou Can took some himself, stood before the casket and bowed deeply.

“I was lucky to have your guidance and support. I never got to say all the thanks I owed you. Here and now, I promise I’ll carry on your medical legacy, and I’ll pass down your Steady Scalpel Technique, generation after generation. Director Xueyan has already taken over Cardiothoracic Surgery. Rest easy, teacher.”

As Zhou Can straightened, his eyes were red and watery.

With incense finished, Zhou Can stared at Dr. Hu in the ice coffin, sorrow swelling in his chest like a tide. After his final goodbye, he turned to leave the hall.

Dr. Hu’s son knew Zhou Can had been one of his father’s closest students and treated him with particular warmth.

“Dr. Zhou, thank you for coming to honor my father. We’ll follow his last wishes—after cremation, his ashes will be scattered in the river so his soul returns to the earth.”

“That’s a good thing. Returning to nature in the simplest way, ending one cycle—that’s exactly the homecoming he dreamed of.”

Zhou Can spoke, only then noticing how hoarse his voice had become.

But no one minded.

“After the service this morning, we’ll take the body for cremation and scatter the ashes in the river. No tombstone, no grave—there’s nothing more to notify you of after that.”

Dr. Hu’s son explained.

“Alright. Even though Dr. Hu’s gone, I’ll always be his student. Let’s stay in touch. Don’t let our bond fade away, alright?”

Zhou Can looked at him sincerely.

“Of course! My father was lucky to have a student as devoted as you. Our whole family is grateful.”

Dr. Hu’s son agreed without hesitation.

They added each other on WeChat right then—phone numbers had been exchanged long ago.

After leaving the hall, Zhou Can headed for the parking lot.

“Ha! You’re quite the actor. Swore you didn’t know about Dr. Hu’s passing, and I missed out on first-hand scoop because of it.” Mu Qing, the female reporter, came stomping over, fuming.

Zhou Can couldn’t help but look embarrassed.

Dr. Xu just glanced at Mu Qing. “You two talk. I’ll grab a cab and head back on my own.”

With that, Dr. Xu turned to leave.

“Teacher, I’ll head back to the hospital with you. Or, why don’t you wait in the car for me a couple of minutes?”

Zhou Can realized that unless he gave the reporter a few words, she’d never let him go.

“Alright.”

Dr. Xu said nothing more.

Zhou Can pressed the remote, unlocked his car, and finally looked at Mu Qing.

“Come on, I already paid you back for last time. Can you please stop pestering me?”

“No way!”

She didn’t back down at all.

“So what do you want, then?”

Zhou Can could handle thugs with one punch, but had no idea what to do with a pretty reporter like her.

Besides, she really had helped him out before.

That news story from last time was still bringing in benefits for Zhou Can—and would keep helping him in the future.

Taking someone’s help and then kicking them aside wasn’t something he could stomach.

Mu Qing also had a good sense of boundaries. She never actually disrupted his life or work.

At most, she’d pout like a girl and throw out a threat or two.

“I always thought you were just a poor doctor. Only found out that day you’re actually one of the bosses at Golden Entertainment. Driving a Mercedes, too—you hide it well!”

Mu Qing ignored the question, her eyes glued to his Mercedes.

“You need money?”

Zhou Can asked.

“Relax, I don’t care about your money! I’m just annoyed that you, being so close to Dr. Hu, pretended you knew nothing, lied to me and left me in the dark. We can move on, but I want some compensation.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

Whatever her request was, it wouldn’t be simple.

“Tell me—if I can do it, I’ll try.”

Zhou Can just wanted to wrap things up and drive off already.

“Easy. You can definitely do it. I once interviewed an orphan, a kid who’s living with his elderly grandparents. Now the child’s sick, and after tests at the county hospital, he might have aplastic leukemia. You’re a doctor and a business owner. I’ve begged plenty of others to help, but nobody would. Can you please do something for this kid?”

She made a special request of Zhou Can.

This was not a simple matter.

“Send me the child’s details later and I’ll see what I can do,” Zhou Can didn’t want to make any promises he couldn’t keep—he needed an out.

“Hey, is that all you’ve got to say? I get that treating leukemia is expensive and it’s not fair for you to pay for it all. I’ll arrange for some fundraising…”

Clearly, she’d misunderstood Zhou Can.

“It’s not about the money. I have to look at the child’s medical condition and everything else first.” Zhou Can cut her off.

“I’m telling you exactly what I know! I promise it’s all true. Boss Zhou, Doctor Zhou, can’t you show a little heart—just this once, be the hero?”

Mu Qing pleaded with him, using that sweet voice that was hard to resist.

“Just this one time—I swear!”

She raised her right hand over her head as a pledge.

“Alright, alright. I’ll do it.”

Zhou Can couldn’t say no to her.

If every orphan or person in need looked to him for rescue, he’d never agree. But helping just one, as a single act of charity, he didn’t mind.

Anyone with a sense of social responsibility would want to do their small part for charity.

“Pinky swear!”

She held out her delicate fingers.

She clearly wouldn’t let him leave without making the promise official.

“Pinky swear, hang for a hundred years, never break it!”

She sang out the rhyme as their pinkies locked—deal sealed.

“Don’t forget to send me all the child’s details. Hospital test reports, too, if you can.”

Zhou Can reminded her.

“Deal! Take care, great benefactor!”

Mu Qing, delighted by his answer, happily stepped aside to let Zhou Can drive off.

Once inside his car and a little calmer, Zhou Can realized this girl had tricked him.

She definitely knew all along that Zhou Can would attend Dr. Hu’s memorial.

The parking lot was out of the way.

Why would a reporter hang around here instead of covering the service, unless she was waiting for him?

She must’ve seen him enter the hall, then staked out the lot to intercept him and hit him with her demand.

Banking on the fact that he wouldn’t say no.

Getting played didn’t feel great, but since she was asking for help on behalf of an orphan, Zhou Can couldn’t stay upset.

He’d already agreed, and he had no intention of backing out.

A man is nothing without his word.

He wasn’t about to be like those schemers who go back on their promise as soon as your back is turned.

“Zhou, you’ve always had a clear head. As your mentor, I won’t meddle much, but remember this—a man can enjoy life, but he can’t forget his conscience.”

Dr. Xu was giving him a gentle warning: don’t go around playing with women’s feelings.

“Understood.”

Zhou Can was sharp—he knew his teacher meant he shouldn’t chase every pretty face he met.

Be faithful in love.

“No, you don’t quite get it yet. Men can be romantic, it’s just human nature. Throughout history, men uninterested in women are rare. If there are any, they’re usually quite mediocre, or else share a deep bond with their wives. You’re young and successful, come from wealth, and aren’t exactly ugly—all that means you’ll attract a lot of girls.”

Dr. Xu’s tone grew serious.

Instead of calling Zhou Can handsome, he’d said he wasn’t a ‘crooked gourd or rotten jujube’—which actually made Zhou Can want to laugh.

“If you look back at history, you’ll find that talented and wealthy men always marry beautiful young wives—it’s a man’s instinct. Take Kang Youwei, for example. Over sixty, he married an eighteen-year-old girl. He was old enough to be her grandfather! When Kang realized he was near the end, he wrote two thousand pieces of calligraphy for her. He told her that after his death, his fortune might not last, but every painting would fetch enough to keep her comfortable for life.”

“That’s a man’s responsibility. You can choose whomever you want as your partner, but don’t just play around and toss them aside. That’s plain heartless.”

Dr. Xu stopped there. He trusted Zhou Can was smart enough to understand.

“You can count on me, teacher. I won’t be that kind of guy.”

Zhou Can didn’t bother explaining he was just friends with Mu Qing—better to show his sincerity than argue.

“Good, as long as you remember that, you’ll never find yourself in trouble.”

Dr. Xu nodded in satisfaction.

Zhou Can’s face twitched—his teacher was clearly someone who’d been through it all.

Looks like Dr. Xu had been quite the charmer in his youth.

The more capable someone is, the more they attract attention when they’re young. Without even meaning to, Zhou Can had gathered a group of bright, beautiful women around him.

The young doctors and nurses at the hospital didn’t even need mentioning.

Among those closest to him, Nurse Qiao Yu, reporter Mu Qing, and even Class Monitor Yang Chan all seemed a little interested in him.

As for the star Su Qianqian, she’d been a complete surprise.

With his reputation only bound to grow, there’d surely be more impressive women drawn to him later too.

But Zhou Can was confident he’d stay devoted and true.