Chapter 606: Tough Choices and Unspoken Bonds

Back when Du Leng got into a top university abroad, he must have been brimming with pride and confidence. If his family could support him studying overseas, they were definitely doing well financially.

But after a golden boy like him returned home, only to find the pay and benefits were a far cry from what he dreamed of, that gap would’ve only made his self-doubt worse.

Class reunions used to be all about catching up and reliving old bonds.

These days though, reunions have twisted into little more than showdowns of success and personal boasting.

The classmates who made it big naturally became the center of attention—even the teachers go out of their way to curry their favor.

That’s just people for you. Reality always takes center stage.

After all, being close with the successful crowd means you have someone to turn to when you really need help.

“Really, what’s the point of all this? Spend within your means! And as for your leave, I won’t approve a miscarriage leave. If there’s nothing else, head home early.”

Zhou Can denied Ma Xiaolan’s request.

He was certain—if he approved this leave, Ma Xiaolan would regret it one day.

Ma Xiaolan’s face went pale at Zhou Can’s icy attitude. She bit her lip and left, shooting him a look full of confusion, disappointment and a chill that cut deep.

She’d stood by Zhou Can for years, and never thought that—now, after getting pregnant—he’d be no different from any other boss. No warmth, no sympathy, not even approving a measly seven-day break.

When Zhou Can first formed his surgical team, Ma Xiaolan had joined in thanks to Ye Tingting’s help. She’d fought alongside him, pouring in years of hard work. Yet this was how it was ending.

That only made her feel even more desolate.

“Why didn’t you approve Xiaolan’s leave?”

Qiao Yu came in from outside and stopped Zhou Can, demanding an answer.

She was a senior member of the team and always held a special place in Zhou Can’s mind.

Zhou Can’s cold response in this case clearly baffled her—there was even a spark of anger in her eyes.

A team’s true strength doesn’t just come from shared benefits—it needs a leader with real charisma. If you treat your team like strangers, no one’s going to stay loyal for long.

“I don’t want her to regret it later.”

He only offered this faint explanation.

Frankly, he only gave an explanation because it was Qiao Yu asking. Anyone else, he probably wouldn’t have bothered.

Qiao Yu knew Zhou Can’s personality through and through.

She paused, mulling over his words. After a few seconds, she suddenly understood. But by the time she looked up, Zhou Can had already walked away, leaving behind only his tall, imposing figure.

A faint smile crept onto her lips. He was still as unconventional and fathomless as ever—impossible to see through.

……

Zhou Can was making his rounds when Du Leng stormed into the Emergency Department wards, eyes wild and voice booming—”Zhou, don’t you dare push me too far! What did you do to my wife?”

Zhou Can just looked at him in confusion. “What did I do to your wife? After her surgery I just told her to clock out and head home.”

“So why was she sobbing uncontrollably as soon as she sat in my car? Who else would upset her that much besides you?” Du Leng usually came across as calm and refined.

But now he looked like an enraged lion, and it was clear just how deeply he loved Ma Xiaolan.

Seeing his wife so heartbroken, he could only assume Zhou Can had bullied her.

No wonder he rushed over in a frenzy to confront Zhou Can.

“She was crying that hard?”

Zhou Can frowned. Arguing with Du Leng in the middle of the ward would look really bad.

“Go wait for me in the on-call room. We’ll talk once I finish my rounds.”

Du Leng’s eyes flashed with anger. His jaw clenched so hard every muscle bulged.

But in the end, he still went to the on-call room to wait.

“Don’t think you can sneak away. If you don’t give me an explanation today, I’ll take this up to the Health Bureau and make sure your life’s hell. Damn you! You’ve got so many women already and now you’re after my wife too! Have you no shame?”

With one last huff, Du Leng stormed out.

Now Zhou Can was left horribly embarrassed. The patients and families in the ward were all giving him strange looks.

“Jiang Wei, handle the remaining two beds. I need to wrap up rounds and talk to Du Leng, or who knows what a lunatic like him might do.”

He just couldn’t face all those questioning eyes any longer.

“Got it! Honestly, Dr. Du was totally out of line, yelling like that without knowing the facts. There’s nothing going on between you and Ma Xiaolan—Qiao Yu and I can both vouch for it. If they won’t listen, we’ll testify for you together.”

Jiang Wei had even sharper social skills than Qiao Yu and a richer range of experience.

She quickly smoothed things over with the patients and families, making the whole incident feel like nothing.

Soon the crowd’s suspicious looks shifted back to normal.

Zhou Can gave her a grateful nod and slipped out of the ward.

After finishing all the rounds, he headed for the on-call room.

Du Leng was still sitting there, face dark and stormy.

Someone had poured him a glass of water, which sat on the table untouched.

“Zhou, I thought you’d chicken out and not show! Why’d you bully my wife? You owe me an explanation.”

Seeing Zhou Can, Du Leng looked ready to throw punches.

“That’s ridiculous. What do I have to feel guilty about? Actually, I’ve got a request for you.”

Zhou Can’s tone was cold as ice—he had zero intention of apologizing.

In fact, with such a hard edge, he was even tougher than Du Leng.

“You… Don’t think I’ll back down just because you outrank me around here. If you don’t explain yourself, I’ll stir up a storm even if it costs me this job!”

Like most men, Du Leng just couldn’t stand the idea of his wife being wronged by another man.

He knew his standing wasn’t as high as Zhou Can’s, so if he wanted to cause a scene, he’d have to be fully prepared to risk it all.

“Make a scene if you want. If I was afraid of you, I wouldn’t be named Zhou.”

And the truth was, Zhou Can wasn’t worried about Du Leng making trouble.

He had a clear conscience—there was nothing to be afraid of.

Baseless finger-pointing from Du Leng couldn’t hurt him at all, but best to avoid drama if possible. After all, if the rumors spread, even a baseless accusation can stain your reputation.

At that point, some impact was unavoidable.

He might not face official punishment, but his image would definitely take a hit.

And that could make future promotions a lot harder.

“If you want your wife to stop crying, it’s simple—just sell your BMW. That’d be my advice to you.”

Zhou Can calmly flipped the table, making a demand of his own.

“You made me wait over forty minutes for this ‘explanation’?” Du Leng’s eyes were blazing and his face twisted in anger.

“What else did you expect? I won’t repeat myself. If you want her to stop crying, you know what to do. Sell it or don’t, that’s up to you. But let me give you this—A man is the pillar of his family. Don’t overreach. If you don’t have the means, puffing yourself up won’t change a thing.”

With that, Zhou Can ignored Du Leng’s furious glare and walked out.

He still had two big surgeries waiting for him in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

No time to waste arguing here.

……

Next day, when Ma Xiaolan came to work, it was clear her attitude toward Zhou Can was icy.

During work, she barely said a word to him.

Zhou Can, though, didn’t care.

Qiao Yu and Jiang Wei quietly noticed everything. After work, the two of them took Ma Xiaolan out for coffee.

Normally, after her shift, Jiang Wei would join Zhou Can on rounds, offering suggestions on patient care and nutrition for key cases.

That was a big part of why inpatient quality in the Emergency Department kept reaching new heights.

Four days went by just like that.

On the evening of the fifth day, past ten o’clock, Zhou Can got a message.

It was from Ma Xiaolan.

Just two simple words: “Thank you”—followed by a smiling-through-tears emoji.

These last few days, besides what was necessary for work, she’d barely spoken to him and had been extremely cold.

Now, this message out of nowhere late at night? Zhou Can found it baffling.

Clueless about her intentions, he didn’t reply.

Next morning, just as he entered the operating room, Ma Xiaolan came running in with a bright, crisp greeting—”Boss, morning!”

“Morning!”

Zhou Can nodded back, quietly marveling at how mysterious women could be.

Just days ago, she’d treated him like her mortal enemy.

Now, without warning, she’d switched right back to that warm, familiar self he knew.

This time though, along with her usual warmth, Zhou Can noticed a new kind of respect in her eyes—something hard to put into words.

He had no idea why her attitude had made a complete one-eighty, but figured it could only be a good thing. Team unity mattered more than anything.

Don’t underestimate a Attending Nurse like Ma Xiaolan. Sure, her qualifications were average and she could be replaced—but if Zhou Can’s team used her, there’d always be times they needed her.

Sometimes, even a seemingly ordinary Attending Nurse could make or break a surgery.

“Boss, I’ve decided not to go through with the abortion. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my family.”

It was Ma Xiaolan who spoke up this time.

“I didn’t do anything, so you don’t have to thank me.” Zhou Can replied, scanning the group.

He noticed right away that Qiao Yu, Jiang Wei, and the rest were all smiling.

There was a clear sense of unity running through the whole team.

Even Yang Zhi, the assistant, was grinning from ear to ear—which was a rare sight.

Clearly, everyone liked being part of such a tight-knit family.

Another busy day of surgery had just begun.

Now, Zhou Can mostly handled only the toughest level 2 and all level 3 surgeries.

Ever since he grasped the second stage of the Steady Scalpel Technique, his pace in surgery had actually slowed.

Especially during the most delicate steps—sometimes just connecting a single nerve would take him an hour or two, sometimes even longer.

At first, Dr. Xu wondered if something was off with Zhou Can.

But when he saw the nerves, key vessels, and even bone grafts Zhou Can handled turn out perfectly, he accepted the new, “slower” pace.

Still, seeing his only apprentice suddenly halt progress on the Rapid Surgical Technique and focus on the Steady Scalpel made Dr. Xu a little disappointed.

After all, every mentor hopes to see their legacy carried on.

Passing down their skills is what gives them the deepest satisfaction.

What Dr. Xu didn’t know was that Zhou Can was already walking his own path.

He was now deep into the second level of the Steady Scalpel Technique—having passed the phase where “a mountain looks like a mountain,” and now seeing the truths hidden beneath the surface.

Once he truly grasped its core, Zhou Can would break through to true mastery of the Rapid Technique as well, combining speed and stability into one lethal style.

But reaching that level? That would be incredibly, incredibly hard.

If he ever did, Zhou Can’s surgical skill would likely be among the very best in the country.

And if every aspect of his medical skills hit level seven and above by then—he’d be nearly unmatched, maybe even top-ranked in the world.

“Dr. Zhou, there’s a patient outside who came specifically to see you. I told their family you’re busy right now, and if they want your consult, they’ll have to wait and book an appointment. But the family still asked for you, saying they’ll pay any price.”

A nurse relayed the message from the operating room door.

“What’s the case?”

Zhou Can had just finished a level 3 surgery, so he handed off the last steps to Pu Dingdong.

Yang Zhi’s surgical skill had come a long way.

Day in and day out, working with Zhou Can on so many surgeries, not to mention having the first assistant role, he’d gained a lot of hands-on experience.

That gave him plenty of chances to practice.

His skill in every area had really started to show.

Pu Dingdong had also improved a lot as a surgeon, though starting from a weaker foundation meant he still trailed behind Yang Zhi a bit. But if you asked about potential, Zhou Can actually thought Pu Dingdong might have even more of it.

Hard to say exactly why, but Pu Dingdong’s progress had always been steady and reliable.

Normally, as your ability grows, each step up gets harder and takes longer.

But for Pu Dingdong, that rule just didn’t seem to apply.

He just kept growing at a steady pace, and sometimes Zhou Can wondered if Pu Dingdong might have some kind of system himself.

Of course, such things were private, and Zhou Can would never pry.

Even if you asked, no one would ever admit it.

“It’s a high fall injury, and the patient’s a little kid—not even three yet. He was playing in an arcade and fell from the top of a play castle. He was conscious at first, but after the fall, he didn’t cry or fuss. Instead, his whole body went limp, like he had no bones at all. The family was desperate and flew all the way here just to find you.”

The nurse had already gotten all the details.

By now, Zhou Can’s reputation had spread far and wide—not only was he a famous doctor in the Emergency Department, but also the deputy chief of the department, so his standing went without saying.

If every random patient got through to Zhou Can, he might let it go, but Director Lou sure wouldn’t.

“A high fall—and a child too—that’s a tough one.”

At this point, Zhou Can’s fame was such that patients sometimes flew in from other regions just to see him.