Chapter 407: Warmth and Responsibility

Leaving Cao Zhengguo’s house, Zhou Can felt a bit down.

His girlfriend’s illness lingered at the back of his mind every day it went untreated.

To Su Qianqian, he was her only support in the world. As her fiancé, he felt both duty-bound and responsible to heal her and make her the happiest woman alive.

But those two main medicinal ingredients were nearly impossible to find. Over the past half year, he’d tried everything with little result.

Some things, no matter how much money you throw at them, just can’t be bought.

Because there simply wasn’t any supply on the market.

“Who knows how long it’ll be before I can get that Rainbow Toad or Purple-backed Mayapple. Just waiting around won’t help anything. I’ll have to call Dr. Chen Guoli tomorrow and see if he has other ideas.”

As Zhou Can drove home, he ran through potential solutions in his mind.

When he got home, Su Qianqian was waiting on the sofa. Seeing him walk through the door, she jumped up to greet him, took his things, and looked every bit the gentle, caring wife.

“Those bags are heavy—don’t carry them. Let me do it!” Zhou Can insisted she not lift anything heavy.

“What’s in these two bags, anyway?”

Su Qianqian closed the door after Zhou Can came in.

“I had dinner at a Sichuan restaurant with my colleagues today and ran into two Tibetans. They had some medicinal herbs that no one was buying, so I bought them.”

Those two bags of herbs had cost tens of thousands.

He hadn’t even decided how best to use them yet.

“Oh, right. This is a gift from an important leader I visited today—he said it’s a wild ginseng root. Should be good for your health.”

Zhou Can took out a long rectangular box from his coat.

To be honest, the packaging looked pretty basic.

Earlier, Zhou Can had given Cao Zhengguo some cordyceps and deer antler. When he left, Cao Zhengguo casually grabbed this long box from his drawer and handed it over, saying it was wild ginseng—a gift in return.

Since Cao Zhengguo chose to return the favor with a gift, it was clear he didn’t see Zhou Can as just a subordinate.

He was being treated more like a friend, an important guest on the same level.

“Thank you, darling! But you work so hard every day; if anyone needs a boost, it’s both of us. How about I slice a bit off right now, make tea, and we each have some?”

Saying that, she took the box and walked towards the kitchen.

Ginseng is a precious tonic—an intense supplement.

Anyone with experience knows to split up the doses and nourish themselves slowly. You definitely don’t wolf down a whole root at once.

Overdoing it? At best, you’d get a nosebleed. At worst, you could seriously harm yourself or even die.

Wealthy families who get their hands on premium ginseng usually cut it into slices and steep just a few pieces in water, or brew it with other herbs, taking tiny amounts each time for long-term nourishment.

That’s how royals and old-money tycoons ate it in ancient times too.

“Wow, this wild ginseng’s huge! The quality is amazing. I bet it wasn’t cheap.” Su Qianqian ran out from the kitchen, marveling, ginseng in hand.

Zhou Can took it and examined it carefully under the lights, his face turning serious.

“Last time I bought you wild ginseng, I paid more than 160,000 yuan, and it still wasn’t half as big or nearly this quality. For Mr. Cao to give me something this valuable—I’ll definitely have to repay him later.”

The gift was already in their hands, so returning it wasn’t an option.

The medicine Zhou Can gave Cao Zhengguo was at most worth a couple thousand—he didn’t dare offer anything pricier the first time visiting, or it would seem like bribery.

Retired high officials like him are especially sensitive about these things.

Back then, when he received the box containing the ginseng, it looked so ordinary and cheap, he’d never suspected the root inside was of such fine quality.

Maybe Cao Zhengguo got too many gifts and never bothered looking at this one after receiving it?

Did he just assume it was normal ginseng and casually regifted it?

It seemed entirely possible.

Zhou Can’s mind was spinning.

“Don’t worry, just go ahead and slice it for tea. I’ll send him a message and let him know.”

Accepting such a valuable gift and pretending nothing happened would be incredibly bad form.

Even if you have no way to repay, at least acknowledge the favor—let them know you’ve accepted their kindness. That’s basic courtesy.

“Mr. Cao, thank you for the treasured wild ginseng. It really is too valuable for me to accept so easily.”

“It’s red ginseng, a tonic for the kidneys and blood. I don’t have a use for it, but maybe it can help your girlfriend’s condition.” Cao Zhengguo replied, making the meaning of his gift clear.

Zhou Can felt even more grateful.

“Thank you sincerely for your generosity!”

Of course he knew—people like that know everything. Since it was given, he’d accept and find a way to repay later.

That’s how human relationships work: reciprocity keeps them going.

“Honey, when I sliced the ginseng, the inside was red. Do you think that means it’s spoiled?”

Su Qianqian called from the kitchen.

“Mr. Cao said it’s red ginseng—a special kind, perfect for nourishing you.”

As he spoke, Zhou Can realized he’d accidentally let something slip.

With how sharp she was, he doubted he’d be able to keep her illness from her much longer.

“I’m going to shower first!”

He found an excuse and headed to the bathroom, sleepwear in hand.

When Zhou Can came out, Su Qianqian had already brewed the ginseng tonic.

“Come drink it while it’s hot! The red ginseng smells even richer—this tea really tastes special.”

She handed him a cup.

A lot of people can’t tell the difference between blood ginseng, normal ginseng, and red ginseng.

Blood ginseng, also known as Danshen, Red Root, or Big Red Robe, is never called red ginseng—it’s not in the same league.

Ginseng needs no introduction. Aged, high-grade roots can fetch millions.

The best ginseng, after processing, is called red ginseng. It’s even more potent, and often pricier, than regular ginseng.

Zhou Can really didn’t want to drink it. He wanted Su Qianqian to have it all.

But when he saw her caring eyes, he finally took the cup and drank.

It wasn’t anything dramatic—bitter but slightly sweet, with that earthy, herbal smell that’s unique to ginseng. They all taste like that.

Compared to ordinary tea, this red ginseng brew was richer. It left his mouth refreshed and his mind clear.

After he’d finished, Su Qianqian hugged him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Tell me honestly—is my condition getting worse?”

There it was—she was so clever, she could pick up on the tiniest clue.

“It’s not too bad, just some minor changes. I’m planning to take you to see Dr. Chen Guoli again tomorrow.”

Knowing he couldn’t hide it, Zhou Can simply came clean.

“I could tell the moment you came home. I wondered why you suddenly bought two big bags of herbs. Then I figured you must be out looking for those two rare ingredients for me. Thank you, dear, for loving me so much and always taking care of me.”

She hugged Zhou Can even more tightly.

“Of course—it’s only right. You’re my other half, loving you is loving myself.” He gently stroked her soft hair.

He could feel how much Su Qianqian trusted and depended on him.

And it only strengthened his determination to find a cure, no matter what.

……

The next morning, Zhou Can headed to work at the hospital—nothing more needed to be said.

Now that he was a mainstay in the Emergency Department Operating Room, he couldn’t just take time off anymore.

It’s tough for doctors and nurses in clinical departments to get approved for leave.

Some staff has had vacation time piling up for over twenty days. The higher-ups keep making excuses and won’t approve it. On the one hand, the hospital’s busy. On the other, the admin staff use their power to make life hard for clinical staff.

They love wielding whatever little authority they have just to hassle exhausted doctors and nurses.

Sometimes department heads make things even worse.

Zhou Can was spared most of that, partly thanks to his reputation and partly because he showed so much promise.

On top of that, Tuyu’s Emergency Department had a pretty good atmosphere. Director Lou worked tirelessly to build up the team and didn’t squeeze the staff dry like in some other departments.

Compared with other departments, the Emergency Department was seriously understaffed. If the head started making things even harder, the entire team would just quit.

Most of them had advanced degrees anyway. If things got really bad, they’d switch to another hospital.

Tuyu Hospital has a strong reputation in the medical field, so its staff are welcomed elsewhere—finding a decent new job wouldn’t be a problem.

It was another hectic day.

Every time another patient was freed from agony after surgery, Zhou Can felt real satisfaction—a sense of achievement.

After last night’s dinner, the entire surgical team had become noticeably closer.

What had been just surface-level teamwork yesterday now felt like genuine camaraderie.

Yesterday, Ma Xiaolan’s face hadn’t shown much joy.

But today, she was smiling a lot more.

She was clearly more enthusiastic at work—even when transporting patients into the operating room, she was far more cheerful.

At the end of the day, Dr. Xu announced, “All surgical nurses, I’m going to need you to stay late and check the supply room inventory. I went in today—some suture boxes are empty, others are a mess. Two packs of catheters were opened but not used. Those go down as losses. If I find out who’s so careless to waste department supplies, they’ll get a 50 yuan deduction per occurrence and have to pay for the items. Repeat offenders will be publicly criticized in the department.”

Every department has its own problems.

That’s why strong management from senior doctors is so important.

Dr. Xu might just be an attending, but his skill is obvious—he was once one of the top chief physicians in Surgery. Though he’s had some setbacks, he’s still the boss of the Emergency OR.

He has full authority over the Emergency Department Operating Room.

Even Director Lou defers to his decisions.

For example, if there’s a problem with the nurses, Director Lou has to consult Head Nurse Niu Lan before stepping in.

Nurses are managed by both the Nursing Department and the specific department.

Sounds complicated, but it’s really just layered management.

At the very top, the Deputy Director in charge of Nursing oversees the nurses.

That might be a man or woman—it’s not always a woman in that role.

Underneath are the Directors of the Nursing Department—these are the ones with real power. The deputy directors barely handle daily business, leaving it to the directors, who manage closely.

Below them are the department head nurses.

A head nurse is essentially in charge of all the nurses in a department. Niu Lan is the Emergency Department’s head nurse, so even Director Lou gives her real respect.

Below her are the regular nurse supervisors.

In larger departments, sometimes there are two head nurses. The setup is flexible—depends on hospital leadership and departmental needs.

There’s also the Nursing Management Committee made up of nurses, and they have authority too.

Usually, the committee heads are very well-connected.

It’s no secret that a lot of young and attractive nurse managers have complicated relationships with hospital leaders—even having the director’s illegitimate children.

With the director backing them, it’s no wonder they’re so powerful in the hospital.

Looking at that hierarchy, the hospital is basically a strict kingdom: rank upon rank, with the hospital director as the ultimate big boss.

But when the director gets summoned to the Health Bureau or a city meeting, suddenly he’s the little guy.

That’s power for you.

Staffing in the Emergency Department Operating Room at Tuyu Hospital was limited, so management was fairly simple.

On paper, there was only one operating room, but in practice, they had three tables going at once. Staffing had increased, but so had the potential for mistakes.

More people meant some were bound to act carelessly.

Dr. Xu rarely lost his temper, but when he did, it was truly scary.

Catheters came packed sterile in sealed bags.

Someone had opened bags but not used the catheters—and not just one. That was a serious problem, because the loss came out of department funds.

Those losses would be deducted straight from the Emergency OR’s performance bonus.

Basically, everyone’s hard-earned bonus money was being wasted—it was no wonder Dr. Xu was furious.

A couple catheters weren’t expensive, but this was about the principle—it was disgusting behavior.

When Dr. Xu was leaving, he shot a meaningful look at Ma Xiaolan.

Since Ma Xiaolan was new to the Emergency Department and hadn’t performed well, the supply room was a mess under her watch. Qiao Yu had even argued with her about it.

Given that history, it was understandable Dr. Xu suspected her.

It’s the same as someone who stole before—if something goes missing, they’re the first suspect.

“Dr. Zhou, please believe me—I didn’t do it.”

Ma Xiaolan didn’t dare argue with Dr. Xu.

She could only turn to Zhou Can for support.

“Don’t worry. If you didn’t do it, just let it go. Dr. Xu is strict, but he’d never wrongly accuse anyone.” Zhou Can knew his teacher’s personality well.

He comforted Ma Xiaolan gently.

“Qiao Yu, Xiaolan, since you both have to work late, I’ll order dinner for you. You can eat once you finish up.”

Usually, you just pay for those yourself.

Zhou Can tried to look out for his team however he could, even in small ways, so they’d feel cared for.

That kind of warmth made the surgical team even tighter.

“Boss, don’t play favorites! Order some for me too!”

Luo Shishen piped up from the side, teasing.

“Get out of here! You’re not even working late!”

Zhou Can had now accepted the nickname “Boss.”

He refused to let them call him teacher, but being the team’s boss was fine—he was, after all, the surgical team leader.

Even when Luo Shishen got scolded, he just grinned.

That little scheme of his—Zhou Can couldn’t even be bothered to expose it. But seeing him less uptight and overly proud than before was a good sign.

It’s what every new professional goes through.

Thin-skinned, afraid to speak up, afraid of rejection, feeling down after being turned down—treading too carefully with coworkers. Every new hire suffers this.

But time and experience—that toughest school called society—would teach them how to adjust.

Eventually, they’d grow up a little at a time.

A lot of students think society is cruel, but in truth, adults just do what it takes to get by. Competition for interests heats things up. If you think the world is dark, it’s because a few people break the rules and stop at nothing to get what they want.

After ordering dinner for his two nurses, Zhou Can headed to the office to review surgery records and doctor’s orders, fixing problems as he found them before heading home.

As for writing up patient histories and progress notes—now that they had Luo Shishen, the intern was supposed to handle those.

Big fish eat little fish, little fish eat shrimp.

Zhou Can had finally learned how to pass some chores down the chain.