Chapter 617: Unexpected Proposals and Hidden Agendas

When it comes to sentencing, robbing a hundred bucks versus thirty grand makes a world of difference.

If that family really wanted to go toe-to-toe with Zhou Can, he absolutely had the power to make sure their son spent eight to ten years behind bars.

Sure enough, his Aunt was instantly cowed by his intimidation.

With people like that, the best Zhou Can could do was protect Su Qianqian and keep her as far away as possible.

Fortunately, though Su Qianqian was kind-hearted, it didn’t mean she was a pushover. Her mind was clear as a mirror—she knew exactly who genuinely cared about her and who was just pretending.

After all, she owed it to her uncle and aunt for taking her in when she was young and had nowhere else to go. Because of them, she got to go to school and work for a better life. Out of gratitude, she just wanted to repay their kindness.

[A time-tested novel app, rivaling the best classics—used by all the veteran bookworms: huanyuanapp.org]

But human greed truly knows no bounds.

Even after raking in a three hundred thousand yuan bride price, her aunt’s family was still unsatisfied. Driven by pure greed, they wanted Zhou Can to pay out fifty million and planned to control Su Qianqian, using her as their personal cash cow long-term.

When it comes to money and profit, human greed and darkness show themselves in full.

These kinds of people running into someone like Zhou Can—that’s just their rotten luck.

In the end, they didn’t get a single penny.

In life, you only get so many chances. Now that things had soured for good, if her uncle and aunt tried squeezing any more out of Su Qianqian, Zhou Can would never allow it.

And by now, Su Qianqian herself had no reason left to care.

The next morning, Zhou Can arrived at the hospital, excited to see if the test results for that boy were in yet.

No sooner had he stepped in than Head Nurse Niu Lan called out to him.

“Director Zhou! Director Zhou!”

He looked back at her—she was carrying a black LV handbag and dressed in a sharp black suit.

She was clearly trying to highlight her curvy figure.

Was she trying to look younger?

She had to be over forty, and compared to Director Xueyan and Director Tang Fei, she didn’t stand out much in looks or aura.

But her skin was in great shape—fair and supple.

If she could afford an LV handbag, she definitely wasn’t struggling financially. After all, a luxury bag isn’t a necessity. Not many families with just fifty thousand in savings would splurge three grand or more on a purse.

Especially for a nurse—there was no business need for fancy outings.

Zhou Can didn’t know her annual income exactly, but at her level, she had to be making at least twenty thousand a month.

Emergency both staff and workload had skyrocketed these past two years under Zhou Can’s leadership.

As the head nurse at the Emergency Department’s nurse station, she certainly rode the wave and benefitted.

“Morning, Chief Niu! What can I do for you?”

Zhou Can wasn’t particularly close with Director Niu Lan—they were just ordinary colleagues.

“Mind if we talk in my office for a moment?”

Director Niu glanced around at the bustling hallway. This clearly wasn’t a place for serious talk.

“Sure!”

With a polite gesture, Zhou Can followed her into her office.

Back when the Emergency Department was still finding its footing, only Director Lou and she had their own offices. Even Deputy Director Han Changqing didn’t have that privilege.

That said a lot about her status in the department.

Zhou Can and she weren’t exactly close, so calling him in for a private chat had to mean something important.

What could it be about?

Zhou Can didn’t rush her—he patiently waited for her to speak first.

That kind of calm composure only comes from facing enough high-stakes situations and having real strength to back it up.

Most people think leaders naturally exude authority. Just standing in front of one can make your heart race.

But that sense of authority isn’t innate.

It’s earned, by holding power and sitting high up for long enough. Most leaders started as nobodies and worked their way up step by step.

The process hones both skill and confidence.

Now, when everyday doctors and nurses faced Zhou Can, they couldn’t help but feel a hint of awe. That’s real authority.

“You’re young and accomplished, Director Zhou! Don’t feel nervous around me—please, have a seat!”

She sized him up and smiled warmly.

Clearly, his poised demeanor left a good impression—he really did live up to his reputation.

He’d earned her respect.

She flipped the water dispenser’s switch and apologized with a smile. “I wanted to make you some tea, but the water’ll take a while to boil. I know you’re busy, so let’s get straight to the point.”

She sat up straighter and her expression grew more serious.

“Originally, this was something Deputy Director Ye was supposed to discuss with you, but it’d be awkward for him. So, he asked me to give you the inside scoop instead.”

Just that one sentence revealed a lot.

Zhou Can was genuinely shocked—he’d heard plenty of rumors that most head nurses had powerful hospital leaders backing them. He’d always thought it was just tabloid gossip, but maybe the higher-ups had more going on than he realized.

A lot of young nurses were willing to sleep with leaders just for a chance to move up.

Being a leader’s lover wasn’t as simple as just spending the night—you needed emotional intelligence, smarts, and talent to really get noticed.

Especially in a big hospital like this, there was never a shortage of people.

Ten nursing slots attracted over a thousand applicants—nothing unusual there.

“What are you thinking? I’m just distant cousins with Deputy Director Ye, that’s all.” Head Nurse Niu Lan caught the misinterpretation in Zhou Can’s eyes and shot him a look, quickly clarifying things.

Distant cousins might as well be strangers.

Family ties like that just aren’t strong.

She made it clear up front she was passing on a message for Deputy Director Ye—clearly intentional, to show who had her back.

These days, Zhou Can already had significant standing and was rising fast.

Sooner or later, she’d need him too.

Getting in his good graces now laid the groundwork for future favors.

Nowadays, if you want to give someone a gift, you at least need a mutual connection or you’ll never even get through the door—let alone have them accept it.

Who would dare accept something from a complete stranger?

Deputy Director Ye and Zhou Can had always had a good relationship—Ye had helped him grow.

Now that he knew she was one of Ye’s people, Zhou Can would feel obliged to look out for her in return.

Of course, it was a good thing she wanted to get closer on her own initiative.

A tree only grows lush and tall if its roots are deep.

Zhou Can welcomed connections with reliable colleagues like Niu Lan—he was weaving a massive, invisible web within the hospital. Everyone in it would gain, and their positions would be even stronger.

Big shots who can rally a crowd—half their power comes from these networks.

“So you’re Deputy Director Ye’s cousin? Why didn’t you say so sooner? He’s always treated me like family and done me a lot of good. Since you’re his relative, of course I’ll help however I can if you need anything.”

Zhou Can knew exactly what to say.

She must have found these words reassuring.

“No wonder Deputy Director Ye always praises you for being reliable and trustworthy—turns out it’s all true.” She ran a hand through her permed hair and continued, “From reliable sources: Director Zhu should be retiring this month. The hospital pharmacy has always been a point of interest for several higher-ups. There’s concern that Tuyu Hospital’s influence is growing too strong, so they’re likely bringing in a new director from outside. The plan is to spin off the pharmacy into an independent company—one that partners directly with Tuyu Hospital.”

Everything she shared was more explosive than the last.

Zhou Can already knew Director Zhu was retiring.

He just hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

And as for the hospital pharmacy, its roots ran deep—stretching back to the Qing Dynasty under Emperor Jiaqing.

Everyone knew Emperor Jiaqing was obsessed with alchemy and neglected state affairs.

Special institutions for herbal medicine popped up all over the country.

When epidemics later ravaged the land and Jiaqing died, those institutions were shut down. Without imperial support, herbalists had to fend for themselves.

Some adapted to the times and became traditional medicine shops.

But their scale was nothing like today’s ordinary local shops. They had entire systems for growing, preparing, and processing herbs, drawing on centuries of accumulated know-how.

They were steeped in heritage.

Tuyu Hospital’s pharmacy department had always focused on drug research and development.

Mainly refining traditional medicine, sometimes supplemented by ancient formulas.

Never underestimate doctors’ patriotism.

Back when traditional medicine was declining, many people grieved. Tuyu Hospital’s pharmacy preserved at least a thread of that legacy.

That’s why the leaders paid special attention to the pharmacy.

A change in leadership can mean everything changes.

If the new director isn’t from within the hospital and comes from somewhere else, who could tell what their policies would be?

The pharmacy was a research department, eating up plenty of funding every year.

If the new director decided to shut it down, what then?

Or if they switched directions and stopped research altogether?

Generations had poured their hopes and dreams into this place—would it all go down the drain?

Right now, traditional medicine’s market share in China was pitifully small.

If the new director only cared about results, the pharmacy would be first on the chopping block.

“Deputy Director Ye knows you’re well-off, and all the leaders trust your character. That’s why he asked me—would you be willing to invest in taking over the pharmacy and turning it into an independent research and sales center? It could help preserve and develop our country’s traditional medicine techniques.”

The request honestly left Zhou Can a bit surprised.

Truth was, he didn’t care for running companies.

His favorite thing was treating patients—seeing them recover and leave the hospital always filled him with pride.

“Director Ye has high hopes for me, but this just isn’t where my interests lie.”

Zhou Can really didn’t want to take this on.

If he failed, losing his fortunes was nothing—but letting down the leaders and all those who’d worked so hard would make him a real villain in everyone’s eyes.

“There’s no rush. I’m just relaying the message—letting you know both the current situation and the hopes of leadership.”

She hadn’t expected Zhou Can to refuse so quickly.

He almost didn’t hesitate at all.

“Honestly, I’m not cut out for the business world. If I ruin things, I’ll disappoint everyone. Please let Director Ye know—I really can’t do this.”

Zhou Can refused again, this time leaving no room for argument.

“Alright, I’ll let him know. Still, the leaders think highly of you and really hope you’ll take this on. Chances are, they’ll approach you again.”

Head Nurse Niu didn’t push the issue. She was just a messenger, after all.

Leaving her office, Zhou Can changed into his white coat and started his rounds.

Jiang Wei was already waiting right on time.

“Boss, here’s the somatosensory evoked potential test for that kid with the high spinal injury. The problem’s in the first pair of spinal nerves.”

She’d grabbed the results for Zhou Can already.

She also knew that this was the case Zhou Can most wanted to crack right now.

He perked up, took the file, and checked it closely, grinning, “Not bad! You figured out the report so easily.”

“Hey, I did my time abroad and trained at a top hospital, you know—I had to pick up a thing or two!”

Jiang Wei joked back, smiling.

“True enough. So, are you and Lin Jinzhi serious about each other?”

Zhou Can asked offhandedly.

“You already know about that? I just felt bad for Lin Xinuan’s kid, and Lin Jinzhi was the one who pursued me. Honestly, with my background, his government job isn’t a selling point. We’re just giving things a try. So far, it feels good.”

She spoke openly and candidly about her relationship.

Unlike many women in China who get all shy and secretive about love.

Abroad, things are much more open—and the divorce rate is sky-high.

It could be as trivial as a toothbrush being out of place, and people would divorce over it. They didn’t care if it was the third marriage, fourth, or the fourteenth.

As long as you were good enough and the chemistry was there, that was all that mattered.

There’s another difference. In China, if Man A kissed Man B’s wife right in front of him, Man B would go ballistic. But abroad, Man A might get angry, but he had no right to interfere in her personal business.

If things didn’t work out, they’d just break up.

“Since you’re not just in it for the title of Mrs. Director, that’s fine. But dating a divorced guy with a kid takes real preparation. I’d advise you to think carefully. Still, if you can accept that and you two really get along, I think it’s great. At least dating an older man means better care.”

Zhou Can gave her sincere advice.

“Thanks for looking out for me, Boss. I’ll be careful.”

She nodded.

The two of them headed into the inpatient wing to make their rounds. Every single bed needed a check.

Zhou Can focused especially on the boy with the spinal injury. Clearly, the gray matter in his spinal cord was damaged, and now, with the somatosensory test pinpointing trouble with the first nerve pair, they’d finally made a real breakthrough.

Spinal cord injuries came in different grades.

The worst was necrosis.

If it came to that, there’d be no hope left.