Chapter 433: Repercussions and Reckonings in the Emergency Department

Dr. Xu has always been someone who values relationships deeply. He’d actually had issues with Dr. Lu for a long time.

But Dr. Lu knew how to work the system. He was a master at flattery and playing the part, always keeping up appearances.

He also had a knack for playing the emotional card.

Take three years ago, for example. Because of Qiao Yu, things got tense between Dr. Xu and Zhou Can, and Dr. Xu was almost openly hostile toward Zhou Can.

Most people would’ve been too embarrassed to try mending fences with Zhou Can after that.

But Dr. Lu could bow when needed. He didn’t put on airs when it was time to swallow his pride.

He naturally went to Zhou Can to apologize and tried to patch things up between them.

In the end, Zhou Can and Dr. Lu managed to get along peacefully.

Now that Zhou Can was back in the Emergency Department, on the surface there was no direct conflict of interest with Dr. Lu. But in reality, Zhou Can’s return had already affected Dr. Lu’s standing—and even his income.

It was like a family that has only one child, and the parents pour all their love onto them.

But then comes a second child, who’s brighter and more thoughtful—outshining the first in every way.

Naturally, the attention starts shifting to the second kid.

That’s when the first child starts to feel jealous.

He can’t blame the adults, so all his resentment gets aimed at his younger sibling.

Before Zhou Can came back to the ED, Dr. Lu enjoyed all the resources and mentorship he wanted in the OR. But after Zhou Can returned, everyone in the department started centering around him.

So it was inevitable that Dr. Lu’s influence would take a hit.

Not that he could say anything about it. Deep down, he knew Zhou Can was simply better than him—he kept losing because he just couldn’t measure up.

He bottled up his bitterness because he had nowhere to vent.

And with Zhou Can’s status towering over his own, he never dared show his dissatisfaction—at least not in front of him.

That resentment simmered inside, building up with nowhere to go.

Then came the last incident—a patient’s surgery—where Zhou Can reported him, leading Dr. Xu to rip into him. It was the spark that lit the powder keg, unleashing every old grudge Dr. Lu had against Zhou Can.

In a fit of anger, he spat out some harsh words to Zhou Can.

Afterward, he stooped to petty tricks, trying to take Zhou Can down.

The saying goes, ‘Better to offend a gentleman than to cross a villain.’ It’s a lesson passed down through the ages, paid for in blood.

Zhou Can knew he hadn’t wronged Dr. Lu—but Dr. Lu clearly didn’t see it that way.

Unable to get back at Zhou Can in any other way, Dr. Lu resorted to spreading rumors just to make his life miserable.

He’d chased after Qiao Yu so many times, always rejected. That kind of humiliation had been festering for a while.

Now seeing Qiao Yu take the initiative with Zhou Can—enthusiastic and warm—made Dr. Lu burn with jealousy.

Starting the rumors and dragging Qiao Yu down too suited Dr. Lu’s twisted agenda perfectly.

Sometimes, people’s hearts are truly frightening.

With a dark expression, Dr. Xu turned to Zhou Can. “I’m going to check on the patient in the ward. Go to the OR and bring Dr. Lu here. If he’s not done with surgery, take over for him.”

“Alright.”

Zhou Can already knew that Dr. Lu was done for this time.

Even in the best-case scenario, he’d lose the right to operate and get reassigned.

After changing into scrubs, Zhou Can walked into the OR just in time to see Dr. Lu idling and chatting up a young nurse.

“Dr. Lu, there’s a problem with the patient in Bed 17 in the ward. Dr. Xu wants you to go over right away.”

“Wants me to go?”

Dr. Lu looked completely puzzled.

“That’s the patient you operated on yesterday—a superficial tumor excision on the right arm,” Zhou Can added, spelling it out.

“Is this another one of your complaints?” Dr. Lu could turn on a dime—from friendly to icy. When he didn’t want to cross you, he was as meek as a grandson, fawning and obsequious.

“Dr. Zhou, I really didn’t want to say this, but you shouldn’t be so domineering. We’re coworkers in the same department. We should be understanding and help one another, not trying to ruin each other.”

Dr. Lu truly was something else.

He had the nerve to play the victim and accuse Zhou Can of being in the wrong.

“When it comes to being ruthless, I’ll admit I can’t compare. But I’m sure you know in your heart where the real blame lies. The fact you’re still here harming patients must mean you haven’t gotten a court summons yet. I’d suggest you take this time to settle your affairs at home. And once you’re out, try being a decent person.”

With no patients in the OR, Zhou Can didn’t feel the need to hold back.

The court summons was probably arriving today. Then Dr. Lu would find out what can and can’t be done.

“You… What’s that supposed to mean? Who are you trying to scare?”

Dr. Lu’s face went pale in an instant.

With a guilty conscience, hearing Zhou Can mention the court summons and talk about ‘being a better person after you get out’ made him deeply uneasy.

“You know exactly what I mean. But if you want to play dumb, let me remind you: If you don’t want others to know, then don’t do it in the first place.”

The evidence against Dr. Lu for spreading rumors was ironclad. He just thought, after all these days, nothing would come of it.

Honestly, he was just being naïve.

“Zhou Can, what on earth are you talking about?”

Dr. Lu was panicking.

Deep down, he pretty much knew he’d been caught.

But hey, everyone clings to a bit of wishful thinking.

When he did all those shady things, Dr. Lu thought he’d covered his tracks. Registering at net cafes under someone else’s ID, wearing a mask and a hat to hide his face like some wannabe robber.

He even paid two cash-strapped family members to hand out flyers in the hospital.

Paid them in cash, too—leaving no trace in any bank records.

But he completely underestimated what detectives can do.

And honestly, the police didn’t even have to get involved. Zhou Can just spent a little cash, and someone got the whole story out easily.

The evidence was solid as a rock—Dr. Lu was the only one still clueless.

Lucky for him, this was just a minor case and the detectives didn’t get called in. If they had, even his best attempts to hide wouldn’t have worked.

“Whatever. Head to the ward. I’ve passed on the message.”

Zhou Can didn’t bother with him any longer and went straight into the inner OR.

Few things are scarier than the unknown.

He wanted Dr. Lu to squirm in that panic.

Qiao Yu was already prepping trays, getting the instruments ready, and checking the OR equipment.

“Hey, morning!”

Seeing Zhou Can walk in, Qiao Yu greeted him with a bright smile.

“Morning!”

Truth was, Zhou Can felt guilty toward her. In this round of rumors, the men weren’t the biggest victims.

The two unmarried women caught in the mess suffered the most.

Qiao Yu, at least, had managed to adjust.

Still, if Zhou Can couldn’t give her a satisfying answer about all of this, he’d really be letting her devotion down.

Not long after, Ma Xiaolan came in for her shift.

“Dr. Zhou, Dr. Xu wants to see you in his office.”

“Alright, I’ll head over now.”

Zhou Can felt a sense of dread. This meant the patient’s condition might be more serious than he’d thought. Otherwise, Dr. Xu wouldn’t have pulled him out of the OR.

No matter what, safety always comes first.

If a patient dies after surgery or is left disabled, it’s all too easy for the hospital to end up in court.

And the doctors involved inevitably suffer, too.

A lot of patients treat doctors like thieves. But, truth is, we want our patients to recover and go home healthy. There’s not a doctor or nurse here hoping your illness worsens or that you rack up complications—it doesn’t help us in any way.

But those so-called ‘model children and grandchildren’—that’s another story.

Out in the ward corridor, the patient in Bed 17 was still lying on his bed, IV stopped.

A nurse was running basic checks.

Zhou Can entered the office to see Dr. Xu looking grim while Dr. Lu hung his head. Clearly, Dr. Xu had just chewed him out.

When Dr. Lu saw Zhou Can walk in, he shot him a glare full of hatred.

“Xiao Zhou, I’ve just checked that patient. The situation is worse than I imagined. Any suggestions?” Dr. Xu’s brow was deeply furrowed.

He dreaded complications during surgery more than anything.

His status made him especially nervous.

It was like being an inmate doing time—newly sentenced, just starting your stretch. At a time like that, any normal person would try hard to behave, hoping for a reduced sentence. No one wants more trouble added to their record.

“There are really only two possibilities: post-op swelling, or maybe a blood vessel wasn’t handled properly during the surgery—or maybe the wound wasn’t cleaned well, causing a clot. If it’s swelling, catching it early means we can fix it. But if it’s a thrombosis in the arm, that’s serious. The patient could die.”

Some blood clots stay put in one spot.

Others wander, slipping through the bloodstream. If it reaches the brain, it’s a stroke. If it hits the heart, it’s a myocardial infarction. If it lands in the lungs, you get a pulmonary embolism.

No matter where it ends up, it’s always dangerous.

“Stop exaggerating things! Are you just targeting me? Getting revenge?”

Hearing there might be a fatal outcome, Dr. Lu was immediately on edge.

Coming from someone else, it wouldn’t have mattered—but from Zhou Can, those words stung.

At this point, Dr. Lu was close to snapping.

He figured Zhou Can really had discovered his dirty deeds. And now Zhou Can was hinting he’d better get ready for jail, adding to his terror.

Now his own patient was having post-op issues. When it rains, it pours.

There’s an old saying—’He who does evil will reap what he sows.’

Turns out it’s true.

As long as nothing happens, you’re fine. Once something goes wrong, everything can go wrong.

“Lu Qingyuan, we’re here to discuss the patient’s condition. You botched the surgery, you’re not taking responsibility, and you’re still yelling?” Dr. Xu had finally lost his patience.

He’d brought Zhou Can in to help figure out a solution, hoping to cover for Dr. Lu, but Dr. Lu wasn’t even grateful.

He looked ready to roll up his sleeves and brawl with Zhou Can.

“You favor him because he’s your star student.”

Dr. Lu mumbled, head lowered.

Backtalking Dr. Xu took more guts than he had.

Dr. Xu ignored him, continuing to discuss the patient with Zhou Can.

“If it really is a blood clot, this could get ugly.”

“To be safe, we should get a color Doppler immediately.”

The biggest advantage of a color Doppler over an ordinary ultrasound is that it shows how blood is flowing.

Clinically, color Doppler is commonly used for diagnosing potential clots and circulatory problems.

“I’ll go speak with the patient’s family and arrange the scan. Hold down the fort in the OR—if you’re not confident about a procedure, put it on pause until I’m back.”

Dr. Xu instructed him.

“Got it!”

But Zhou Can couldn’t stop thinking—if it really was a clot, the risk level just went through the roof.

“If possible, keep the patient as still as you can—especially his right arm.”

He offered that warning before heading out.

Clots in the limbs don’t just cause pain, swelling, and necrosis—they can also suddenly shift, bringing even greater risk.

After all, blood doesn’t stop moving in the body.

The heart keeps pumping it through the veins and arteries again and again.

If it were up to Zhou Can, he’d have had the patient’s right arm tightly bound at the shoulder—just to be safe.

But in practice, few doctors or nurses do so. Families and patients themselves rarely take kindly to such measures; it can cause disputes.

In many cases, western medicine winds up following a default treatment plan.

If you don’t know exactly what’s going on, observe and wait. Once the diagnosis is clear, jump into action.

You could call it a kind of defensive medicine.

Half an hour later, Dr. Xu contacted Zhou Can to confirm the patient’s right arm had developed a thrombus. The Emergency Department wasn’t equipped for this, so the patient was transferred to General Surgery for a second thrombectomy.

The call was just to ask Zhou Can to put in a good word.

General Surgery had already split into eight branches, leading the way in department reform and growing stronger each day.

Patients needing a second surgery always carry the risk of disputes.

Zhou Can was on good terms with many folks in General Surgery, so a phone call would mean the patient’s surgery could be arranged smoothly. Otherwise, the vascular and basic surgery teams could easily try to pass the buck.

During his three years of residency, Zhou Can had built good relationships across departments—even with chief physicians.

It was paying off at a crucial moment.

In a way, he was like a many-armed monster, with all sorts of connections to department chiefs despite his lowly title.

【Given the current climate, this site may close at any time. Please switch to the permanent huanyuanapp for access.】

For a junior doctor, that was nothing short of miraculous.

By lunchtime, he heard that the patient’s second thrombectomy went well.

After surgery, the patient was sent back to the Emergency Department’s ward for observation.

Just as expected, Dr. Lu had his surgery privileges revoked by Dr. Xu.

Word was, they were discussing where to reassign Dr. Lu within the ED.

But honestly, with an attitude like his, no matter where he goes, he’d just cause problems.

If they put him at the front desk, he’s not skilled enough—and too careless—so misdiagnosis or mistakes would be almost inevitable.

If they sent him to the resuscitation room, the ICU, the ward… there wasn’t a single post that suited him.

As for putting him in a management role? Not a chance.

So how to handle Dr. Lu was now a headache. Director Lou and Dr. Xu still remembered the years they’d worked together, so they weren’t in a hurry to kick him out.

But that problem got solved pretty quickly.

The Medical Department called Director Lou to say that Dr. Lu had broken the law and the police had just taken him from his rented apartment.

A doctor getting arrested is the end of the line—everyone in the profession knows it.

It’s just common sense in the medical field.

When Zhou Can got the news, he was a bit surprised.

He only heard about it in the coworker group chat after his shift.

The original plan was to sue Dr. Lu first, then have the court detain him after the verdict. But things had clearly changed.

Maybe Zhou Can’s legal team worried Dr. Lu would flee, or maybe Dr. Lu responded badly to the court summons, or maybe there was another reason.

Either way, taking him in early was just as well.

All Zhou Can wanted was for the law to come down hard, a public apology, and complete clarification—no financial compensation, just a harsh sentence.

Adults who mess up should pay for their mistakes.

Five days later, Zhou Can’s lawyer called: Dr. Lu got six months, and the two family members who’d handed out the flyers were also sentenced. The apology and clarification about the rumors were published in the paper.

The result left Zhou Can satisfied.

He did wish Dr. Lu had gotten three years, but understood why the sentence was lighter.

After all, it wasn’t a very serious case.

Still, with a criminal record, Dr. Lu’s medical career was over. No hospital would ever hire him again.

Zhou Can could finally breathe easy—he’d vented all that anger at last.