Chapter 53: A Delicate Balance in the Emergency Department

“I’m really sorry, but I actually have a thesis to write. And besides… if you have something to discuss, do it at the hospital! No need to spend extra cash, okay?”

Qiao Yu forced a smile, unwilling to offend him.

Although nurses and doctors belong to different camps, in the workplace doctors hold the reins.

Especially someone like Dr. Lu, a senior resident with a bit of informal authority.

Meanwhile, she was just a backup nurse in the Operating Room.

And to make matters worse, she was only a trainee nurse, not even an official one.

She feared Dr. Lu might lose his cool out of embarrassment and start making her work harder, so she always smiled and politely declined.

Dr. Xu had no intention of meddling in such matters.

In fact, the hospital wouldn’t get involved.

Personal relationships are no business of the institution.

She didn’t dare to be forthright—not only out of caution but also due to a harsh reality.

When disputes break out between doctors and nurses and escalate, the hospital tends to side with the doctors, since they bring in more revenue and are considered key assets.

The training period and cost for doctors far outweigh that of nurses.

A renowned doctor can uphold an entire department, while even the very best head nurse might not measure up to an attending doctor’s value.

This isn’t meant to belittle nurses; it’s just the cold, hard truth hidden beneath a veneer of equality.

After 45, most nurses either switch careers or end up in menial roles. Compare that to doctors—someone in his nineties might still be rehired like a revered elder if he’s capable.

Their social status is worlds apart.

Qiao Yu was extremely clever. To keep things smooth at work, she’d rather force a smile when dealing with Dr. Lu’s unwanted attention than burn bridges.

Dr. Lu’s two consecutive invitations, publicly rebuffed by her, seemed to have dampened his mood.

He joked, “Qiao Yu, you wouldn’t be into Dr. Zhou, would you?”

Zhou Can felt as if he’d been shot in the heart—utterly speechless.

After stealing a glance at him, Qiao Yu quickly denied, “What are you talking about? Dr. Zhou is so outstanding he probably already has a girlfriend. Stop guessing!”

Dr. Lu smirked, “No way! I even heard you ask him to treat you to bubble tea.”

While assisting Dr. Xu, he managed to eavesdrop on the whispered conversation between Zhou Can and Qiao Yu.

Dr. Lu truly had a sharp ear.

“Hehehe… I was just joking with Dr. Zhou! Oh, it’s past four—time to head out. Bye, ladies! And you, doctors, goodbye!”

Clearly unwilling to further entangle herself with Dr. Lu, Qiao Yu waved and left immediately.

Dr. Lu’s expression soured. After changing his clothes, he too left the Operating Room.

Judging by his look, he wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

“Fresh-faced Dr. Zhou is always the favorite! No female nurse has ever asked me for bubble tea before!”

After Dr. Lu departed, Jin Mingxi playfully teased Zhou Can.

The two maintained a normal coworker relationship, each holding mutual respect.

Jin Mingxi’s banter was a clear attempt to get closer.

Just as Zhou Can was about to respond, Tang Ling and another nurse piped up, “Hehe, Dr. Jin’s wish is definitely coming true. I’d love some strawberry bubble tea.”

“I prefer Pu’er Rose Bubble Tea, thanks!”

The two savvy female nurses wouldn’t miss the chance for free bubble tea.

They immediately took advantage of the opportunity from Jin Mingxi.

“Hey, come on! Aren’t you taking advantage of the situation?”

Jin Mingxi shouted in exasperation.

“We’re simply helping you fulfill your wish. No backing out, understood? Dr. Zhou, you agree, right?”

Tang Ling stifled a laugh and winked at Zhou Can.

Her wink said it all—she expected him to help make it happen.

“Yes, yes! I can vouch for it; even my teacher would confirm.”

Zhou Can nodded repeatedly.

No one else would dare pull Dr. Xu into this; Zhou Can thought his mentor’s stern demeanor made him ideal to experience a bit of youthful dynamism.

“I’m not going to meddle in your youthful affairs,” he added.

Dr. Xu, clutching his waist, got up from a round stool with evident effort.

Zhou Can quickly moved over to help him stand.

“Professor, from now on, if there’s any work I can handle, just hand it over. If I can’t, I’ll work harder until I can share your burden.”

Those words weren’t mere flattery—they were heartfelt care.

Dr. Xu, older and not as robust as the young, appreciated any help.

With Zhou Can lightening his workload, Dr. Xu could take it easier.

“I’m glad you mean that. But remember, you eat one bite at a time. Mastery of medicine isn’t overnight—don’t get cocky just because you show some talent.”

Dr. Xu’s words of caution came through even as he expressed his pleasure.

“I’ll remember your advice, Professor,” Zhou Can vowed earnestly.

He meant every word.

When he first joined the Emergency Department, his mindset had been rather impulsive—after acing the residency exam and securing first place, he got a bit arrogant.

But after yesterday’s lecture from Dr. Xu, he recognized his fault and quickly adjusted his attitude.

He now considered himself much more composed.

Just then, a triage nurse pushed open the Operating Room door and peered in, “Dr. Xu, we have another casualty. Can you stay late to suture her wound?”

“Bring her in!”

Without a second thought, Dr. Xu agreed.

“Tang Ling, thank you for staying late with Zhou Can and Jin Mingxi. Li Shuangshuang, you can clock out now!”

Another nurse cheerfully left.

Normally, a simple suture needs only two people.

Keeping Zhou Can and Jin Mingxi was meant to train the two newcomers.

The injured woman was then brought in.

A young, tall woman clad in an oversized coat and large sunglasses, wrapped up completely.

“Dressed like that—she must be a fugitive, right?”

Zhou Can muttered under his breath.

Sensing the scrutinizing glances from the doctors, the woman voluntarily removed her sunglasses.

Instantly, everyone’s eyes lit up.

Her delicate, angular face boasted perfectly arranged features; soft, arched eyebrows, eyes like autumn rivers, and wavy, slightly brown hair cascading over her shoulders.

Her blend of elegance, nobility, and allure was akin to a celestial beauty descended from a moonlit palace.

Truly, she was more graceful than jade and as genuine as blooming flowers—her brows like distant peaks, her lips as delicate as cherry blossoms.

Her beauty brightened up the entire Operating Room.

Wherever she stood, she was a breathtaking sight.

Luckily, Dr. Lu was gone; otherwise, his unattractive looks might have elicited drool.

“Excuse me, I injured my arm. Could you suture my wound?”

The woman smiled sweetly at Zhou Can.

Like the arrival of spring, his heart felt warm and tingly.

He had seen many beauties before, but never one as captivating and alluring as her.

“Of course, I can help. This is my superior, Dr. Xu, who will examine your injury first.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Zhou Can stepped aside to let his mentor take the lead.

He believed he had handled the situation gracefully without losing his composure.

He credited his resistance to the allure of beauty to Class Belle, who had known him for five years and inadvertently given him a case of ‘face blindness.’

To him, all beauties became the same.

The woman, surprised that Zhou Can wasn’t dazzled by her beauty, gave him a cautious glance.

Compared to him, Jin Mingxi’s reaction was far more subdued.

He found himself staring at the beauty, his eyes locked on her for over a minute,

frozen as if in a trance.

It’s in human nature to admire beauty.

Gazing at a stunning woman a bit too long is a man’s natural instinct.

“Miss, where exactly is the injury? Let me see.”

Dr. Xu, a seasoned veteran, maintained a calm and indifferent demeanor in the presence of such beauty.

Zhou Can couldn’t help but give a discreet thumbs-up.

The woman carefully removed her coat, revealing that the lace-edged long sleeve on her left arm was splattered with blood from a deep gash. She had applied a simple bandage herself.

For now, the bleeding had stopped.

“Is the wound deep?”

“Well, about 4cm,” she replied.

She nodded slightly.

“Help me take off the dressing so I can take a closer look,” Dr. Xu instructed Zhou Can and Tang Ling.

Once the bandage was removed, a horrifying gash was revealed—at least 0.6cm deep and roughly 4cm in length.

This was merely a superficial injury and nothing complicated—a bit of debridement and suturing would suffice.

“Any other injuries?” Dr. Xu inquired after examining the wound.

“Just a small abrasion on the back of my hand, nothing serious. I was referred here by Xu Dawei, who said that Dr. Xu’s suturing leaves no scars. Thank you for your effort,” the woman explained.

She had come specifically to have Dr. Xu suture her wound, and she even came on a referral.

Clearly, she wasn’t an ordinary person.

While suturing might seem simple and any intern could try it, achieving a scarless repair is something that few even chief physicians might promise.

Zhou Can was excited—today, he’d get to witness Dr. Xu’s scarless suturing.

“Director Xu Dawei?”

Dr. Xu looked into the woman’s eyes with a hint of surprise.