Chapter 637: The Fall of the Pharmaceutical Division

Dr. Huang is currently under administrative detention for assault.

There are only two ways to see him.

Either bring his family along, or have a lawyer arrange the visit.

Zhou Can is the one who delivered Dr. Huang to the authorities. His family probably despises Zhou Can by now, so the only way to meet Dr. Huang is through a lawyer.

The next day, Zhou Can saw a haggard Dr. Huang at the detention center. He looked unkempt, as if he’d aged twenty years overnight.

In the visiting room, Dr. Huang stared at Zhou Can in surprise, probably never thinking he would come.

“Do you know why I’m here?”

“To bail me out?”

A glimmer of hope flashed through Dr. Huang’s eyes.

“You know Lou Wei, don’t you?”

At the mention of that woman, Dr. Huang’s body trembled. His face grew ashen and hopeless. He pressed his lips together, refusing to speak, eyes completely devoid of any will to live.

The drastic change in Dr. Huang’s demeanor just from hearing the woman’s name made Zhou Can even more curious.

Did he really force Lou Wei to be his mistress for those years?

He might have suspected that, if he hadn’t noticed the connection between Lou Wei and Minister Xia.

Minister Xia is the ultimate boss of the Pharmaceutical Division, while Dr. Huang is just middle management.

As a man, Zhou Can understood men all too well.

Minister Xia would never let Dr. Huang lay a hand on his woman.

Zhou Can spent half the night thinking this through. There’s only one possibility: Minister Xia and Lou Wei want to cover up the truth.

“What if I told you the woman you hurt wants you dead—would you believe it?”

Zhou Can asked calmly.

Dr. Huang just nodded slightly and stayed silent.

“She’s handed over piles of evidence of your crimes. Enough to lock you up for life. At your age, you might never see the outside world again. Every asset you own will be seized, and if that’s not enough, your family might have to work off your debts for you.”

Zhou Can continued.

Dr. Huang started to shake uncontrollably, unable to say a word.

“If you really did hurt her for years, then even the firing squad wouldn’t be excessive. But if you’re just someone’s scapegoat, then that’s a terrible injustice.”

Zhou Can pressed harder.

Dr. Huang’s mood shifted instantly. He jerked his head up, eyes bloodshot and glaring at Zhou Can.

“What if I said I want to help you—would you believe that?”

Zhou Can met his fierce gaze without backing down. His eyes stayed honest.

“Why help me?”

Dr. Huang’s voice was hoarse and dry.

“Because I don’t want to see you turned into a fall guy, and I don’t want your family or kids forced to suffer for the rest of their lives. You have your crimes to pay for—but they’re innocent.”

Zhou Can said earnestly.

“You could fool a three-year-old with talk like that. I don’t buy it.”

Dr. Huang wasn’t convinced at all.

“I’m telling the truth. Where I stand, I don’t need to lie or trick you for anything. Sure, some of it’s about your family’s safety. But I also have my own interests. I want the real criminals in the Pharmaceutical Division brought to justice, and your help is crucial for that. I don’t believe you actually did anything to Lou Wei. You’ve got the desire but not the guts.”

Zhou Can’s words stung Dr. Huang’s pride.

But they were the truth.

“How can you be so sure I never harmed Lou Wei?”

“Call it intuition. If you’re willing to help, I can’t promise everything, but I can guarantee your family won’t be dragged in. Your sentence will be reduced as much as possible. You know my influence—I can make that happen.”

Zhou Can got straight to the point.

Dr. Huang dropped his head in silence. Zhou Can didn’t pressure him.

After a long pause, Dr. Huang finally looked up and said, “What do you want from me?”

“You asking that means you already believe me. Tell me everything you know, and hand over any evidence you’ve gathered,” Zhou Can said.

“I haven’t collected much, but I do know a few things. If you can bail me out, I’ll tell you.”

“If that’s how it’s going to be, then we have nothing to discuss. I’m not counting on you alone for a breakthrough. I could easily find a woman named Chen—that would do the trick too. It’s just that I trust your abilities more. Look, throughout history, the most corrupt officials are often the most competent. Working with you is a smoother road.”

At this moment, Zhou Can was playing a game of psychological warfare.

The ‘Chen’ he mentioned was actually Chen Xiaoying, named in the anonymous letter.

With his sharp instincts, he figured this woman would be a key figure too.

Leaving out her full name added an air of mystery, making Dr. Huang think Zhou Can already held plenty of cards.

Truthfully, Zhou Can chose Dr. Huang as his entry point only because he uncovered the true relationship between Lou Wei and Minister Xia. Zhou Can aimed for a quick, decisive takedown—straight to the head of the enemy.

The change in Dr. Huang’s expression was obvious.

Zhou Can kept probing.

“If I’ve come to you, then trust me, I’ve got most of the picture already. Let’s be blunt. You never touched Lou Wei, but you’ve ended up as the convenient scapegoat and public ‘other man.’ Knowing how shrewd you are, there’s no way you didn’t keep some dirt on them. They’ve got evidence on you, but I bet you secretly compiled plenty on them too. That’s why they want you dead—only a corpse keeps secrets.”

Zhou Can paused, then continued.

“Don’t think the arrangements you made before your arrest are safe. If those records are in your family’s hands, it’ll only put them in danger. Lou Wei and her backers are far more dangerous than you realize. I’m the only one who can save you and protect your family right now. And every minute we stall, the risk to your family grows.”

“If they’re coming after you, you think they’ll spare your loved ones?”

That all but confirmed Zhou Can’s guess—Dr. Huang collected evidence on the others and left it with his family.

When it matters most, the only people you can truly trust are family.

No friend can be relied on.

Someone as ruthless as Dr. Huang wouldn’t have any real friends anyway.

Silence again.

This time, the silence didn’t last long before Dr. Huang looked up. “I’ll help you—as long as you keep your promise and keep my family safe, and try to lighten my sentence.”

“A wise man adapts. You’ll thank yourself for this later. But we need to act fast, because I worry they’ll target your family soon. Once you show sincerity, I’ll protect them until every last culprit is behind bars. As for your sentence, whistleblowing is still a way to make amends. I’ve got a top legal team behind me, and right here is a gold-medal lawyer.”

Zhou Can nodded toward the lawyer waiting nearby with his briefcase.

“Let’s hope so.”

Right now, Dr. Huang felt utterly powerless. All his so-called clever schemes seemed like a child’s play in front of Zhou Can and Minister Xia.

……

Two days later, a swarm of police arrived at the Pharmaceutical Division. Minister Xia was arrested on the spot.

That included Lou Wei too.

As they were taken away, who knows what was going through their minds.

They never imagined that Zhou Can—always in the hospital, tirelessly operating and saving lives—had been feinting with one hand while making his real move unseen.

Quietly, he gathered all the evidence and brought them down at once.

Lou Wei took the initiative to accuse Dr. Huang, thinking herself clever, assuming Zhou Can was clueless about the Pharmaceutical Division and could be led around.

She never guessed an old photo on the wall would reveal the real opening Zhou Can needed.

Even without that photo, Zhou Can wouldn’t have taken her words at face value.

From their very first interaction, he’d sensed that she was anything but simple.

As for Chen Xiaoying, named in the anonymous tip, she was an accountant in the division—guilty of actual crimes and closely tied to Minister Xia.

She was like a second layer in Minister Xia’s defense net.

If something went wrong, she could take the fall as another scapegoat.

You had to admit, Minister Xia was a formidable figure—he was a master at using people and had laid out his ‘sacrificial pawns’ to safeguard himself.

Even if caught, only those pawns would be exposed, letting him walk away untouched.

Unfortunately for him, Zhou Can wasn’t one to play by the usual rules.

After sweeping the board, Zhou Can took Mr. Li’s advice and promoted a group of overlooked talents from within the division, while bringing in new management. The Pharmaceutical Division now fell completely under his control.

Gone were the old days of chaos and suspicion.

Once upon a time, the division looked dead on the surface but was teeming with secret currents underneath. No matter how much money was poured in, it vanished.

With this opportunity, the Pharmaceutical Division name was scrapped for good and rebranded as Han Soul Pharmaceuticals.

Zhou Can became chairman of the company—just as both hospital and department leaders wanted. They trusted him completely, treating him as one of their own.

After wrapping up late in the Cardiothoracic Surgery OR, Zhou Can lit the lamp in his new office to work overtime.

Even with a professional manager running things, many critical decisions still needed his final say and signature.

The key choices always landed on his desk.

Everyone below just handed him several options to pick from.

The hardest part was setting things up. Once he’d laid the foundation, the rest could be handed off.

Knock knock knock!

Someone tapped at his door.

“Come in!”

An elderly man in his sixties stepped in, his hair and beard white, his build lean, but his spirits high.

He was one of the chief engineers in the R&D department.

In other words, a leading figure in pharmaceutical research.

“Mr. Ye, welcome! Have a seat!”

Zhou Can quickly set aside his work, stood up to greet him, and poured tea with genuine warmth.

Now that he was the boss, he finally understood why every time he sought out the director or a chief, they always treated him so politely.

Because top talent demands respect.

“Chairman, you’re young and capable. With decisive moves, you swept away the dark hands in the Pharmaceutical Division—truly impressive!”

Old Mr. Ye praised Zhou Can with a smile.

Earning the respect of these R&D experts was no easy task.

They lived for their craft and had no patience for flattery.

“Haha, you’re making me blush! Honestly, I know the old employees like you who care about the division have done so much. You gave me so many important leads—without your support, I couldn’t have made such a clean sweep.”

Zhou Can had no tolerance for underhandedness.

In the end, he ditched Mr. Li’s slow-boil approach.

Instead, he acted decisively, taking down all the serious offenders. For those guilty only of minor infractions, he went easy.

Some were demoted or given warnings.

He left not a single pest in any key position.

This did disrupt normal operation somewhat, but only temporarily.

Within a week, things would be back on track.

The world keeps turning no matter who leaves.

The same goes for Han Soul Pharmaceuticals.

“We were willing to step up because we’ve seen your integrity. That time, when you stood up for Cheng Xiaolu at the technical center and went above and beyond for her—you stuck up for the underdog and helped the little guys. It meant a lot to us. Plus, you chose a great company name. Han Soul—it captures the soul of our people, our heritage. It shows you’re patriotic and value tradition.”

Mr. Ye was obviously very satisfied with Zhou Can.

“Haha, trust a scholar to see meaning even where I just picked a name on a whim! I’m not that lofty. Still, as citizens of Huaxia, most of us just want our country strong and alive for generations to come.”

Patriotism and love for one’s heritage are just natural.

Humanity started as tribes, after all.

In the earliest days, facing enemies and hardship in a primitive world, unity was the only hope for survival.

“I came so late tonight to tell you—even though we’ve removed many people, most were management. The true technical expertise is still in the hands of us R&D folks. We’re all behind you, looking forward to a new era for the division—one worthy of the name Han Soul Pharmaceuticals. Wherever you point the way, we’ll follow and fight to develop breakthrough drugs that help real patients.”

Mr. Ye spoke with deep seriousness.

As a founding leader in pharma R&D, he had incredible prestige and uncompromising integrity.

He was born for making medicine.

Especially in the areas of nodules, blood and energy tonics, and mental health, he was a true authority.

His late-night visit was to show his support.

Every researcher stood ready to follow Zhou Can’s lead.

A real sense of unity.

“Thank you and all the R&D team for trusting me. Let everyone know—right now, just focus on the research and build a solid foundation. We’ll set ambitious goals in due time. And I’ll let you in on my vision: Han Soul Pharmaceuticals isn’t just here to serve Tuyu Hospital. Our sights are set nationwide—even worldwide. Why is it that our traditional Chinese medicine is becoming so respected abroad? I want us to make every formula a classic, every product a blessing for patients everywhere.”

“I believe, one day, the world will recognize and celebrate Chinese medicine once again.”

Even Zhou Can’s girlfriend had once been resigned to dialysis and a kidney transplant—until she got better with a Chinese herbal formula.

That’s what cured her.

Zhou Can believed that, with enough research, traditional medicines could work wonders.

It could complement modern drugs.

It could be a signature of Huaxia’s medical legacy.

Chinese martial arts once shocked the world—sadly, it faded away.

Why did that happen?

Because, back in those shameful years, the true masters rose to challenge invaders’ guns with just their fists and courage. How could flesh and bone stand against bullets?

By late Ming times, martial arts were still popular. By the end of the Qing, they fell out of favor. Now, it’s the era of Western kickboxing.

True kung fu masters are rare these days.

He’d never let traditional medicine disappear like that. As long as Zhou Can had the power, he’d work to bring it to the world.