Chapter 405: An Evening of Favors and Secrets

Director Xueyan now only brings Zhou Can good news, never bad.

She keeps many difficulties to herself, not letting Zhou Can know.

He understands her thinking—she doesn’t want to affect his work in the Emergency Department. Besides, even if he knew, for most things there’s nothing he could do.

Unless something truly major happens, she won’t seek Zhou Can’s help or consult him.

Take the struggle for the Cardiothoracic Surgery head position for example—she reached out to Zhou Can on her own.

And now, with the Third Hospital moving in top cardiac experts and equipment from Japan, she’s once again panicked. She contacted Zhou Can directly to brief him.

But about the recent management situation in Cardiothoracic Surgery, day-to-day clinical work, or the state of the operating room, she’s said nothing at all to Zhou Can.

Carrying cordyceps, Zhou Can arrived at Jin Mingxi’s apartment and knocked on the door.

“Who… who is it?”

Jin Mingxi sounded like he was sleeping, but the lights inside were still on.

“It’s me!”

Zhou Can answered from outside the door.

He actually had a keycard for the dorm’s entrance, but since he hardly stayed here anymore, he chose to knock first to be polite.

“Is that you, Zhou Can?”

Jin Mingxi called out.

“Wow, you can still recognize my voice! Are you sleeping? Let me just come in with my keycard.”

As Zhou Can spoke, he started fishing out his keycard.

The card was only about the size of a bottle cap, shaped like a button, blue. Just press it to the lock, and with a beep, the magnetic door would open automatically.

Convenient and secure.

But it did have one flaw—if the power went out, you could get locked out.

Later, to address fire safety issues, the hospital installed a backup power system for all the doors.

After all, any doctor living in these high-end apartments was basically a future pillar of the hospital. If anything really happened, the loss would be huge.

“Wait a second, I’ll be right there!”

Jin Mingxi’s voice was a little flustered.

Zhou Can couldn’t help but wonder—what exactly was this guy doing inside?

He waited patiently for over three minutes before the door finally swung open from the inside.

“Come on, Lao Jin, took you forever to open up. You hiding a girl in there or something?”

He spotted Jin Mingxi’s clothes were a mess, even wearing his shirt inside-out. Clearly thrown on in a hurry.

“Cough… honestly, I didn’t expect you to drop by tonight. My classmate’s here.”

Jin Mingxi looked awkward as could be.

Zhou Can glanced past him and saw his classmate, Yezi. Her cheeks glowed red; her clothes were rumpled, hair draped loosely over her shoulders, giving her an irresistibly charming look.

“Well, looks like your classmate really is here! No worries, I picked up a big batch of Chinese herbs—lots of cordyceps, supposed to boost immunity and replenish energy. Just what you need, brew some in water when you have time.”

Seeing that Jin Mingxi had brought his female classmate back for the night, Zhou Can didn’t go in further.

He just stood at the door to talk.

Back when Su Qianqian came to visit, Jin Mingxi always made things easier for Zhou Can—either making up a work excuse or leaving on some errand.

Now, Zhou Can thought, as a married man, Mingxi really shouldn’t be crossing the line with his classmate. It wasn’t exactly moral.

But he didn’t plan to interfere.

In fact, since the guy worked so hard to bring her over, Zhou Can wouldn’t be the one to ruin the mood.

“You two carry on, I’ve got stuff to do anyway so I’ll head off. I probably won’t be coming by for a while—if I do, I’ll message you in advance, Lao Jin.”

He finished, flashing Mingxi a teasing grin.

“I’m off!”

After handing off the cordyceps, he turned to leave.

Inside, Yezi looked so embarrassed she didn’t even dare glance Zhou Can’s way.

“Thanks, man!”

Jin Mingxi called after him in gratitude.

“Get back to it!”

Zhou Can waved without turning around. His comment left Yezi blushing even harder.

Once they were alone, Jin Mingxi chuckled, trying to reassure Yezi. “Don’t worry, Zhou Can’s always like that. He’s my best friend.”

“I told you we should’ve gone to my place, but you wouldn’t listen. Now we got caught by your colleague—so embarrassing…”

Yezi’s voice drifted out in a low grumble.

Dates are risky—you can watch out for fires, thieves, and wives, but you still have to look out for colleagues.

Heading downstairs, Zhou Can could only shake his head.

He’d suspected ages ago that something might happen between Mingxi and Yezi, and sure enough, it had. Get a man and a woman together, and trouble’s bound to follow.

It made him think of himself and Qiao Yu—the two of them got pretty close because of work.

She was always supportive, practically like a perfect wife, managing everything for him at the hospital.

Sometimes, the truth is just what we let ourselves believe.

Qiao Yu was an absolute linchpin for his surgical team, holding up half the sky herself.

The team could keep going without her, but everything would slow down and tiny mistakes would crop up.

And in emergency surgery situations, only Qiao Yu could keep pace with Zhou Can step for step. Swapping her out was practically impossible.

Honestly, Zhou Can couldn’t bear to let her go. From the team’s perspective, she was totally indispensable too.

His whole surgical team was just getting off the ground. The number of surgeries they knocked out each month was impressive—not just his doing. Qiao Yu deserved at least forty percent of the credit.

Walking out of the dorm, Zhou Can considered swinging by for a gift before visiting Cao Zhengguo.

He checked his watch—almost eight.

If he waited much longer, his visit would spill into late night—rude by anyone’s standards.

Plenty of people like to turn in early.

Especially retired officials—they’re invested in their health, spending their days tending to flowers, walking birds, getting together with old friends and colleagues, maintaining a strong social circle in their golden years.

Even after retirement, many senior officials still carry lots of influence—they haven’t been entirely forgotten.

That’s all because they know how to keep their post-retirement social life strong.

He already had gifts stashed in his car.

Some of the medicinal herbs he’d bought worked for any age, perfect for gifting.

The wild, natural ones were especially thoughtful.

Sitting in his car, he decided to finally dial a number he hadn’t called in three years.

He’d already used every connection he could find to help cure his girlfriend.

After a few rings, someone picked up.

“Who’s this?”

The voice that answered was old and commanding—Zhou Can could feel the man’s authority even through the phone.

“Is this Mr. Cao Zhengguo? I’m Zhou Can, a doctor at Tuyu Hospital!”

Zhou Can was clearly nervous—his palms were sweating.

“Oh, it’s you, young man! How have you been lately?”

Cao Zhengguo obviously remembered Zhou Can.

After all, he’d saved Cao’s daughter and grandson.

“Thank you for asking, everything’s been going pretty well. It’s just that my girlfriend fell seriously ill and needs two rare medicinal herbs that have all but disappeared from the market. I’ve tracked down a lead for one of them, but even after trying everything, I can’t get in touch with the supplier. I thought you might have contacts in the health system and possibly know the right person.”

He gave a brief rundown of the situation.

“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, young man. Who exactly are you looking to connect with?”

Cao Zhengguo asked calmly after a pause.

“If possible, I’d like to visit you in person first.”

When asking for a big favor, sometimes phone calls work, but Zhou Can wanted to build a relationship that could last.

An in-person visit was an excuse—to deliver a small gift and foster good will. That was how you made lasting connections.

“That’s no problem, I’m retired and always at home. You’re welcome to come by any time—I’d be glad to have you for a chat.”

Cao Zhengguo was warm and welcoming.

After all, Zhou Can really had saved his family.

He had probably even looked into Zhou Can’s progress at the hospital, liking this up-and-comer even more.

If he were just a lifesaver, that would matter, but only so much.

But Zhou Can was more—both the man who saved their lives and a rising star. To someone like Cao, that made him much more valuable.

Imagine a beggar saves your life—most would say thanks and give some money.

A kinder person might keep an eye on the beggar, help him get home or find a job, help him off the streets.

But to really become friends and treat that beggar as an equal? That almost never happens.

The difference in status is too great.

Zhou Can and Cao Zhengguo’s relationship was about the same.

If Zhou Can were just an ordinary doctor with little potential, to an old official like Cao he simply wouldn’t matter much.

But Zhou Can worked hard—in only three years, he made it to Elite Doctor’s Hall as a promising talent at Tuyu, likely to even lead a field one day.

With that kind of value, his standing shot up.

There’d still be a gap with Chief Cao, but at least he wasn’t a ‘beggar.’

Especially since Cao Zhengguo was now retired—his own value would only keep declining.

Meanwhile, Zhou Can was on the rise—one up, one down—the gap between them was closing. They could finally sit together and talk as equals.

“Would it be convenient if I came over right now?”

“Anytime! I live at 27 Gutian Road.”

Cao Zhengguo gave his address without hesitation.

“Great, I’ll be right there. See you soon.”

As soon as Zhou Can heard the address, he realized it was almost certainly a detached villa.

You can tell a lot from an address—if it includes a building number and unit, it’s probably just an ordinary apartment. But something like a street number, that’s often a single-family house.

It’s a symbol of status and financial strength.

Truthfully, Zhou Can didn’t know much about Mr. Cao. The business card he received years ago had no title. He’d searched online but only found reference to a retired senior official in the health department.

If you can sway the appointment of a mega-hospital like Tuyu, you’re certainly not positioned low.

Gutian Road wasn’t far—just near South Suburb Park.

That area had few apartment buildings and lots of public spaces—a single park plus a wildlife reserve there took up vast acreage.

For retirement, it was a perfect spot to live.

Half an hour later, Zhou Can arrived at 27 Gutian Road.

Sure enough, it was a freestanding villa.

He’d barely parked before the main gate opened all on its own.

There were cameras installed, so anyone inside could see a visitor arriving.

That alone showed how much Cao valued his visit.

“Is that you, Zhou?”

A spry old gentleman strode quickly out of the house. His posture was straight as a rod, not bent by age at all.

“Yes, it’s me!”

“Pull your car in and park over there.”

The front yard wasn’t huge—simple in layout, but very tasteful.

Lots of senior officials prefer understated luxury for their homes.

‘A world of wonders behind closed doors’—a favorite saying of theirs.

From the outside, it looked ordinary, but step in and it was pure grandeur, sometimes unique in design. Developers catered to the tastes of elite buyers, making the front gardens modest but neat.

The backyard, though, could be astonishingly large.

Big enough for a pool, even a basketball court if you wanted.

Carrying his carefully chosen wild herbs, Zhou Can hurried over to greet Cao Zhengguo.

“Mr. Cao, it’s been three years and you still look as fit and dashing as ever! Sorry for bothering you so late.”

He shook hands with Mr. Cao.

Frankly, the man was at least in his late sixties, maybe past seventy.

He was solidly built, and his handshake was surprisingly strong.

Good thing Zhou Can kept in shape himself—otherwise most people would’ve cried out in pain shaking hands with the old man.

“Hey, you’ve got a solid grip there, young man!”

Cao gave his hand an experimental squeeze, and when he found Zhou Can could handle it, he upped the pressure.

But Zhou Can stayed calm and unfazed the whole time.

“I’ve got a habit of working out, so I’m a bit tougher than some pretty boys.”

He replied modestly.

“To find medicine for my girlfriend, I ended up buying a ton of wild herbs. I picked two that would be perfect for you—they’re great brewed like tea.”

He handed over the two herbs he’d picked out.

“I’d have been happy just chatting, no need for gifts! Still, it’s thoughtful of you.”

Mr. Cao accepted the bag without protest.

“Come on, let’s have some tea inside!”

He led Zhou Can in to the living room’s tea room.

The place was tastefully decorated.

Zhou Can immediately spotted a wall full of group photos—plenty of high-profile officials and colleagues among them, clear proof of just how wide Cao’s network ran.

A kettle bubbled on the table, sending up clouds of steam.

If Mr. Cao wasn’t in the middle of tea when Zhou Can arrived, he sure was thoughtful to prep it in advance.

Most likely, he’d boiled water on purpose to welcome his guest.

“Tell me, who is it you want to meet?”

As soon as they sat down, Mr. Cao got straight to the point.

He was even more direct than Zhou Can expected.

“I’d like to meet the head of Rui Enterprises. I need to purchase a rare herb called Purple-backed Mayapple from them. It’s a special variety they’re still cultivating and haven’t put on the market yet.”

Zhou Can explained honestly.

“The Rui family’s young woman really has been investing in endangered herbal research lately. I’m not sure if she has that particular herb, but I can connect you two. Just know up front, that’s all I can do. Qinging has a strong mind of her own—I can’t sway her decisions. Whether or not you get what you need depends on her alone.”

Clearly, Mr. Cao was very familiar with Rui Enterprises’ head.

Zhou Can realized he’d chosen the right person to turn to tonight.

“It’s already a huge favor just for you to make the introduction—I wouldn’t expect anything more.”

Zhou Can answered with solemn gratitude.

“Alright then, I’ll call her for you right now.”

With that, Mr. Cao picked up his phone, found the number, and dialed the head of Rui Enterprises right in front of Zhou Can.