Chapter 555: A Wise Wife Keeps Troubles at Bay: The Overlooked True Chief

Zhou Can’s brow furrowed slightly, though he held his tongue.

If Su Qianqian agreed, he wouldn’t stand in her way. Instead, he’d respect her words and actions.

“Sorry about this, but Zhou Can and I have a rule. We don’t bring work home. Our home is a shared sanctuary, a place to unwind after a tiring day. So, I hope you understand.”

Su Qianqian’s emotional intelligence shone through. Noticing Zhou Can’s subtle frown, she declined outright.

Moreover, her reason for refusing Jiang Wei was remarkably tactful.

Keeping work and home separate is a principle many successful people strive for or steadfastly maintain.

The more accomplished someone is, the greater the pressure they bear, and the more exhausted their heart becomes.

After a long day, returning to a relaxing environment at home is a slice of freedom they crave deep down.

“Haha, just teasing you, Sis-in-law! Your perspective is so admirable!”

Jiang Wei laughed it off with a smile.

“By the way, I need to join Dr. Zhou for an outpatient surgery soon. I’ll grab a bite at the cafeteria first. I won’t keep you two any longer. See you!”

“Bye-bye!”

Su Qianqian waved in response.

As Jiang Wei walked away, Su Qianqian turned her gaze to Zhou Can, watching him eat.

“Honey, do you have to go out for surgery tonight?”

“Yeah, I’m heading to First Hospital for an esophageal fistula surgery. Might be home a bit late.”

Zhou Can had already mentioned in a WeChat message earlier that he had a surgery tonight and would be back late.

“Just you and Jiang Wei going?”

Su Qianqian pressed further.

“Yes, just the two of us. Are you worried I might get up to no good out there?”

Zhou Can knew that heading out late at night with a young, attractive female colleague could easily spark wild thoughts in Su Qianqian’s mind.

“I trust you’re not that kind of man. I’m more concerned about your safety. A couple of days ago, I read a news story about a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who healed many people without a license. He got reported and arrested for illegal practice. Your surgical skills are top-notch, but your rank is low, and your reputation is growing. Fame brings trouble, so you need to be cautious.”

Su Qianqian was once a top-tier actress, wildly popular online.

Later, health issues forced her to step back from most of her career.

She understood all too well the hidden risks that come with fame.

Even the smallest mistakes could be blown out of proportion.

Celebrities and ordinary folks live in entirely different worlds. Maintaining a polished, perfect image in public means always being on guard against sneaky photos and exposés.

“That’s a good reminder.”

Zhou Can hadn’t considered this angle. After all, Jiang Wei was a nurse under him, and over the past two months, her performance had been stellar.

She was diligent and trustworthy.

He had a lot of faith in Jiang Wei.

However, since he hadn’t dealt with First Hospital before, a bit of caution wouldn’t hurt.

Zhou Can decided to bring along an Associate Chief Physician, just in case.

“I need to head out for a surgery tonight. Looking for a young doctor at Associate Chief Physician level or above to join me. Anyone interested?”

Zhou Can sent the message directly to the Cardiothoracic Surgery group chat.

Esophageal fistula surgery can fall under Thoracic Surgery or General Surgery. If a hospital like Tuyu subdivides General Surgery into Gastrointestinal Surgery, it would belong there.

In terms of influence and号召力, Zhou Can’s strongest pull was in Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Emergency Department.

Since this was a precaution, Zhou Can didn’t want Jiang Wei to know about bringing someone else along.

When guarding against others, adults often act discreetly to avoid being noticed. If something happens, it serves as protection.

If all goes well, everyone’s happy, and it doesn’t strain relationships.

There was another reason to seek help from Cardiothoracic Surgery.

It had the highest number of young doctors with senior and associate senior titles.

“Dr. Zhou, can I have a chance to work with you?”

Barely three seconds after sending the message, someone privately messaged Zhou Can.

“Meet me at the Emergency Hall in half an hour.”

“Got it, I’ll be there!”

The other party sounded thrilled. Working alongside Zhou Can on an outpatient surgery was something many aspired to.

Once he secured someone, Zhou Can quickly deleted the group message.

Otherwise, he’d likely be flooded with private messages soon after.

Given the chance, most doctors in Cardiothoracic Surgery would jump at the opportunity to join Zhou Can on a case.

“No need to rush. Go eat first. Your health comes first.”

Zhou Can sent a follow-up message.

“Thanks for your concern, Dr. Zhou. I’m touched!”

This doctor, named Zhong Ming, was quite young at just thirty-eight. Currently an Associate Chief Physician, he was on the list of those lured away by Third Hospital to jump ship.

Thanks to Zhou Can’s efforts and collaboration with others, they returned to Tuyu Hospital.

Naturally, they felt immense gratitude toward Zhou Can.

Whenever something came up, Zhou Can could rally nearly everyone in Cardiothoracic Surgery with a single call. Even when Dr. Hu Kan was alive, his influence might not have been this strong.

The reason? During Cardiothoracic Surgery’s toughest times, Zhou Can repeatedly turned the tide, pouring his all into saving the department.

He was also incredibly kind to the doctors and nurses in the department.

Many had benefited from his guidance and generosity.

People’s hearts aren’t made of stone. They genuinely admired and appreciated him.

On top of that, Zhou Can’s medical skills were undeniable, becoming a source of pride for Cardiothoracic Surgery. Many even saw him as one of their own, conveniently forgetting he was technically an Emergency Department doctor.

It was an interesting phenomenon.

It spoke volumes about Zhou Can’s extraordinary standing in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

That live-streamed surgery last time cemented his legendary status, making him an idol in many people’s eyes. Especially for the young doctors in the department, every time they stumbled across a video of that surgery, their blood would boil, and they couldn’t help but hit the like button.

Zhou Can had also earned immense honor for Cardiothoracic Surgery.

“Dr. Zhong, can I ask a favor of you?”

“Please don’t say ‘favor.’ Just tell me what you need. If I can do it, I’ll go through fire and water without hesitation.”

“When we head out for the surgery later, try not to reveal your true identity. Just say you’re a colleague who heard about a challenging case and wanted to come learn.”

Zhou Can gave him a heads-up to avoid the other party learning the truth.

“No problem at all. I was already hoping to learn surgical techniques from you.”

Zhong Ming agreed readily.

With the matter settled, Zhou Can finished his meal and went to check on patients, as usual.

Halfway through rounds, Jiang Wei returned from eating and joined him. She was pretty quick.

Zhou Can now relied heavily on her for postoperative and nutritional care of patients.

Thanks to her help, many patients’ recovery times were significantly shortened, benefiting both the patients and the department.

“We’ve checked all the beds. Let’s head to First Hospital now.”

Zhou Can told her.

“Alright!”

Jiang Wei nodded happily.

As they walked toward the Emergency Hall, Zhou Can casually mentioned, “While I was eating earlier, a colleague heard I was heading out for surgery and insisted on tagging along to learn. Look, he’s been waiting over there.”

Jiang Wei paused, glanced at Zhong Ming, then smiled. “As long as you’re okay with him joining, I’ve got no objections. An extra pair of hands is always helpful. He looks so young. Which department is he from?”

“Cardiothoracic Surgery.”

“No wonder he wants to come along and learn. Esophageal fistula falls under Thoracic Surgery.”

As they reached Zhong Ming, Zhou Can made the introductions.

“This is my surgical nurse, Jiang Wei, a top talent with a doctorate from a prestigious overseas university. And this is Zhong Ming, a colleague I met while working in Cardiothoracic Surgery.”

Jiang Wei smiled and greeted him first.

“Dr. Zhong, nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you too! I’m just tagging along to learn. I won’t be in the way, right?”

The moment Zhong Ming said that, he realized it sounded off.

Jiang Wei’s cheeks flushed slightly as she lifted a delicate hand to tuck her hair behind her ears.

“Dr. Zhou is a married man. That comment could easily be misunderstood!”

She stole a quick glance at Zhou Can.

But Zhou Can remained unfazed, his expression clear and calm. His regard for Jiang Wei was purely professional, with no hint of romantic thoughts.

When you’re upright, you don’t fear a crooked shadow.

Besides, based on instinct, Jiang Wei had high standards and a proud demeanor. She likely didn’t see Zhou Can in that light.

At least not right now.

Even though she quit her job to work under Zhou Can and showed admiration and cooperation at work, that was purely driven by career ambition.

“Sorry, I didn’t phrase that well. Good thing Dr. Zhou’s wife isn’t here.”

Zhong Ming’s response was pretty clumsy.

Many who bury themselves in professional knowledge are like this. High expertise often comes with low emotional intelligence since they pour all their energy into mastering their craft.

“It’s getting late. Let’s hurry over there. Jiang Wei, are you driving yourself or riding with me?”

Zhou Can shifted the topic, instantly dissolving the awkward atmosphere.

“I… don’t own a car. I’ll hitch a ride with you.”

Her annual income was substantial, so buying a car shouldn’t be an issue. But considering her age and short work history, she might have invested her earnings in a house.

Compared to a car for commuting, a house is a true necessity.

Especially for women, a house provides security to face any pressure—a haven to rest after a grueling day of work.

“Alright, let’s head to the underground garage together.”

Zhou Can led the two to the underground garage to pick up the car.

“Wow, I didn’t realize you were this well-off, boss! A Mercedes!”

When Jiang Wei saw Zhou Can’s Mercedes, a flicker of envy flashed in her eyes.

Eyes are windows to the soul, and they rarely lie.

From her envious look, Zhou Can could tell her financial situation wasn’t as rosy as he’d imagined.

But it made sense. They were all just regular employees with limited annual incomes.

Even if she earned half a million a year previously, over three or four years, that’s about two million at most. After taxes, it’d be even less.

With an income over half a million, taxes take a hefty chunk.

She’d likely be left with around three hundred fifty or sixty thousand.

Subtract mortgage payments and daily expenses, and there’d be even less remaining.

Judging by her usual attention to quality in clothing and cosmetics, those purchases probably weren’t cheap.

So Zhou Can figured her financial state was much tighter than expected.

“Just a car to get around. Hop in!”

After saying that, Zhou Can turned to Zhong Ming.

“Guys sit in the front. Take the passenger seat.”

“Got it!”

Zhong Ming opened the passenger door and slid in. Truth be told, Zhou Can simply didn’t want Jiang Wei in the passenger seat.

A man’s passenger seat is usually reserved for his wife.

…

First Hospital was quite a distance from Tuyu. It took over half an hour of driving to get there.

In the car, Jiang Wei kept herself busy on her phone, likely already in touch with an old classmate.

As soon as they got out of the car, a young woman in a white coat came over to greet them.

Even the parking spot had been arranged by her.

“Thanks for your hard work tonight! You must be Dr. Zhou. I’ve heard so much about you!”

The woman was quite attractive with an impressive presence.

She extended a fair hand to shake Zhou Can’s.

Zhou Can gave it a gentlemanly, brief touch before letting go.

Lingering on a handshake with a woman or taking advantage is something only sleazy types do.

“I’m Song Qian. It’s a pleasure to meet an outstanding young doctor like you.”

Her welcome focused entirely on Zhou Can, almost ignoring Zhong Ming trailing behind him.

Jiang Wei had likely already told her about a doctor tagging along to learn.

Naturally, in her eyes, anyone shadowing Zhou Can for surgical experience was just an ordinary junior doctor. She didn’t bother investing much time or warmth in greeting him.

“Thank you for your trust and for inviting us to perform this surgery. How’s the patient doing right now?”

Zhou Can didn’t linger on pleasantries.

After the greeting, he got straight to the point.

“The patient has completed all preoperative checks and preparations as per your instructions. If everything looks good to you, we can proceed with the surgery. This way, please!”

Song Qian led the way ahead.

“This patient is a key case for Gastrointestinal Surgery. The hospital leaders have put the responsibility on me, and the clinical departments are under immense pressure. We had no choice but to call in outside help. Thankfully, Weiwei knows you. Otherwise, I doubt I could’ve convinced you to come.”

She spoke with gratitude, flashing a smile at Jiang Wei.

“My boss rarely does outpatient cases. It took a lot of persuading before he agreed! Old classmate, you owe me a nice meal as a reward.”

Jiang Wei grinned, claiming her credit.

“No problem. Whenever you’re free, I’ll treat you.”

Song Qian agreed with a hearty laugh.

The four soon arrived at the Operating Room. During this time, no other hospital leaders or department heads came to greet them. Song Qian handled the reception entirely on her own.

In terms of formality, it was rather bare-bones.

But Zhou Can didn’t mind. He was here to save a life, after all.

Pushing open the door to the Operating Room, he led the trio inside.

After changing into surgical scrubs, the four entered the inner operating theater.

Seven or eight medical staff were gathered around the operating table, waiting for Zhou Can’s arrival.