Chapter 46: The Lifeline of a Miracle

“The one who played the key role wasn’t Du Leng at all! It was our own Dr. Zhou Can from the Emergency Department,” Ye Tingting blurted out, as fiery as a little chili pepper, revealing the truth.

Director Xie nearly wanted to offer her a bow.

Finally, he wouldn’t have to explain the matter in person.

Director Zhu’s smile froze and he asked in disbelief, “What exactly happened?” His gaze immediately fixed on Director Xie.

No leader appreciates a subordinate who resorts to deception.

Director Xie was at his wit’s end.

Even from his high position in the Surgical Department, beads of cold sweat ran down his back.

At this point, it wasn’t about saving face but about personal credibility.

Despite the embarrassment, he had to stand up and clarify everything.

“Director Zhu, I must explain. When multiple department heads and experts from the Surgical, Internal Medicine, and Obstetrics Departments rushed into the resuscitation room, they immediately conducted a joint consultation on the pregnant woman. Relying on the advanced diagnostic techniques he learned overseas, Du Leng promptly diagnosed that the pregnant woman’s brainstem was being compressed by an intracranial arterial aneurysm. This diagnosis largely aligned with Director Yin Hua’s initial assessment. In fact, Du Leng’s conclusion was even more precise.”

After Director Xie’s explanation, Director Zhu’s expression softened.

The atmosphere no longer felt so icy.

“Then why did the nurse say that Dr. Zhou Can from the Emergency Department was the crucial one?”

He asked.

“We were considering surgery to remove the intracranial aneurysm from the pregnant woman. However, since the aneurysm was located near the brainstem, the surgical risks were extremely high. Even Director Wu Baihe was clear that there wasn’t even a fifty percent chance of success.”

At this point, the pregnant woman and her parents truly grasped the danger of the moment.

“It was Dr. Zhou Can who noticed something off. From the poorly drawn eyebrows of the pregnant woman, he deduced that her vision might be impaired. Further reasoning led him to boldly speculate that she had mistaken her medication before leaving home—resulting in a dangerous spike in her blood pressure.”

Director Xie’s tone was complicated as he recounted the diagnosis.

He was, quite astonishingly, wholeheartedly praising a doctor from a rival department.

He wasn’t trying to heap praise on Zhou Can; he simply had no choice.

With so many witnesses, no one could deny Dr. Zhou Can’s contribution.

“Oh, I remember clearly—when that medicine went down, I thought the taste was off. I assumed it was just pregnancy affecting my sense of taste. I was so careless. It turned out I had likely swallowed an anti-inflammatory pill that was packaged with the antihypertensive drugs.”

The pregnant woman scolded herself in regret.

“You poor thing, if your vision was failing, why didn’t you tell us?”

Her mother reproached her.

Yet the look in her eyes was full of compassion.

“I just thought my vision was blurry after waking up, and it would clear soon. I didn’t pay much attention. I never imagined it could nearly cost me my life. Thank goodness the baby inside is fine.”

The pregnant woman gently caressed her belly, her face bright with relief.

“I must say, Dr. Zhou Can was truly remarkable. I was unconscious and couldn’t even recall what happened, nor did I realize I had taken the wrong medication. Had it not been for him piecing together the clues, the consequences could have been disastrous. Mom, Dad, you must thank him on my behalf.”

It wasn’t until she heard the detailed account of the diagnosis that the pregnant woman fully appreciated the painstaking effort the doctors made to determine her condition.

A doctor of such caliber deserved immense gratitude.

“It’s all set. Once you’re discharged, we’ll thank Dr. Zhou Can together. For now, just lie back and rest—understand?” The two elders gazed at their daughter with tender concern.

“Weren’t you just saying that my daughter had an intracranial arterial aneurysm that needed surgical removal? Now that she’s awake, please, doctors, see if there’s any way to avoid surgery. Whether there’s only a fifty or even a ninety percent chance of success, the risk feels too high.”

The pregnant woman’s father was particularly preoccupied with this matter.

It was reassuring that his daughter had awakened, yet the aneurysm still required surgery, a prospect that was deeply worrisome.

He was unwilling to let her face any risk.

Especially after the ordeal of being rescued, he cherished the bond between father and daughter even more.

“Ahem… After Dr. Zhou Can and our joint diagnosis, we discovered that it was only a transient aneurysm caused by elevated intracranial pressure. After a course of blood pressure-lowering treatments, we just completed another checkup on your daughter. Fortunately, that temporary aneurysm has vanished.”

Director Tan, showing a trace of conscience, had, though pressured to collectively credit the other departments, still made sure to mention Zhou Can’s name.

At least his contributions weren’t entirely overlooked.

It would have been unthinkable to tell the family that none of the experts or department heads could reach a diagnosis—and that it was a resident who ultimately figured it out.

If that were the case, Director Zhu’s reputation would have taken an even worse hit.

For any hospital, its reputation is its banner.

Nothing is more important.

Sometimes, when doctors make a mistake and it turns into bad press, the hospital will go to great lengths to cover it up.

And why is that?

It’s all to protect the hospital’s reputation.

Once a hospital’s name is tarnished, even a top-tier institution can see its business plunge dramatically in a very short time, with its competitive edge severely diminished.

At that point, it’s not just one person’s livelihood at stake,

but the livelihoods of everyone on board.

“So that’s how it went… Will my daughter still be in danger?”

Both the family and the pregnant woman heaved a sigh of relief.

They hadn’t probed too deeply into the transition from a projected surgery to recovery.

For patients, as long as the illness can be cured, the process isn’t that important.

It’s the outcome that matters.

“As long as blood pressure is controlled, there’s generally little danger.”

Director Tan too exhaled in relief, glad that the misdiagnosis incident had finally passed.

In all his years of practice, he had faced endless setbacks. But moments as humbling as today only happened in his youth. Ever since he made his name, misdiagnoses had become virtually non-existent.

When the cause couldn’t be determined, he’d rather tell patients and their families that nothing definitive had been found,

and advise them to seek a second opinion or simply wait and observe.

“Is Dr. Zhou Can still here?”

When the pregnant woman’s father learned that his daughter was out of danger, his anxiety finally lifted.

Next, it was time to properly thank the doctor who had saved their life.

“This is Dr. Zhou Can from the Emergency Department,”

Director Lou introduced him with unmistakable pride.

In an instant, the usually unassuming Dr. Zhou became the center of attention; he had become the brightest star of the resuscitation room.

The director, the pregnant woman, and her family all scrutinized him.

“What a young fellow!”

The pregnant woman’s father marveled.

He had assumed that a doctor with such diagnostic prowess would sport a white beard.

Seeing Zhou Can so young was, indeed, surprising.

“Not only is Dr. Zhou young, but he’s also remarkably diligent and incredibly kind!”

The pregnant woman’s mother approached at that moment.

With a gratefully beaming smile, she looked at Zhou Can.

“Do you two know each other?”

The old man asked in astonishment.

“Yes, indeed!”

The elderly lady nodded repeatedly.

“When our daughter was being resuscitated, I waited outside. The initial rescue wasn’t going smoothly until this very doctor came out to inquire about our daughter’s medical history. At first, I wasn’t very fond of him. But he didn’t hold it against me—instead, after asking, he reassured me and even urged me to sit down and rest. Dr. Zhou truly embodies compassion and skill!”

After all, the heart is made of flesh.

Hearing that Zhou Can was the savior of her daughter, the old lady felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.

Her gaze softened as she looked at Zhou Can, as if it could melt anyone’s heart.

“Dr. Zhou, thank you for saving my daughter!”

With utmost sincerity, the elderly lady bowed deeply to him.

In his fluster, Zhou Can quickly reached out to steady her.

“Auntie, there’s no need for that. I’m a doctor—it’s my duty to save your daughter. Honestly, after hearing about your son-in-law’s heroic deeds, I resolved to spare no effort to save both your daughter and the baby she was carrying. Thankfully, fortune favored us, and with the joint efforts of the entire medical team, your daughter was saved.”

Dr. Zhou did not claim the credit for himself; he shared it with all the medical staff on duty.

This only cemented the high regard in which he was held among his colleagues.

Even Director Xie’s gaze toward Zhou Can had softened considerably.

A timeless saying goes: “One who reaps together, stays together.”

Those who try to hog all the credit will never go far.