Chapter 74: Healing Melodies and Fresh Starts

Dr. Zhou, thank you for discovering my kidney disease. I will seek treatment diligently. As a token of my gratitude, please accept my latest album—hope you won’t laugh at it! Su Qianqian!

This third-rate actress sure knows how to show her gratitude.

Looking at her handwritten thank-you letter, Zhou Can smiled knowingly.

A beautiful and talented actress with integrity—her singing surely isn’t too shabby.

He took out the CD from inside, and it exuded an air of sophistication.

It was leagues above any counterfeit disc out there.

He inserted the CD into his laptop’s optical drive, donned his Beyerdynamic headphones made in Germany, and launched the media player.

A breathtaking seascape filled the screen as gentle music began. Su Qianqian, adorned in a flowery dress and sporting a sunhat, appeared—a picture of pure, girl-next-door charm.

Soon, a captivating melody cascaded from the speakers as if it were falling from the skies.

It poured down like a majestic waterfall.

Zhou Can couldn’t help but close his eyes, absorbing the soul-soothing power of the music.

All the fatigue from a long day, the pressures of daily life, and every worry melted away under the spell of these celestial tunes.

Her soft, sweet voice seemed to seep right into Zhou Can’s heart.

It slowly cleansed his spirit.

Leaving him with an unprecedented sense of inner purity—a miraculous cleansing of all worldly burdens.

Even after the song ended, he remained lost in the enchanting sound, unwilling to break free.

After a long while, he finally opened his eyes with a gentle, serene smile.

He’d never felt such tranquility and comfort inside.

It was as if joy had permeated him from head to toe.

“No wonder Tang Ling said Su Qianqian’s songs have healing powers. It really does seem magical!”

After hearing Su Qianqian’s song, Zhou Can completely abandoned his preconceptions about actresses.

He used to think that most male and female singers were nothing more than self-indulgent whining with no artistic merit.

Especially in this age, where capital rules.

Many actresses and youthful heartthrobs flash to fame overnight after being packaged, promoted, and strategically launched by financiers.

But their artistic quality is often all show—exterior splendor masking inner decay.

Some of these mediocre tunes are simply unbearable.

Queens like Su Qianqian, who possess beauty, talent, virtue, and artistry, are exceedingly rare.

“Singing so beautifully and looking so stunning—why is she stuck as a third-rate singer?”

Zhou Can believed she had the strength to be a top-tier star.

Maybe even a diva.

He just couldn’t fathom the workings of celebrity life.

He resolved to buy more of Su Qianqian’s albums whenever he got the chance.

Half-reclining on his bed, alternating between music and a book, he found this to be a delightful indulgence.

……

The next morning, just after Zhou Can got out of bed, Jin Mingxi was already waiting for him with his shoes on.

“Zhou Can, didn’t you say we’d go for a run together? Hurry up!”

Even though he only mentioned it yesterday, Jin Mingxi took it to heart.

Jin Mingxi certainly kept his word.

“Give me five minutes, okay?”

Zhou Can hurried to use the bathroom, brushed his teeth, gulped a cup of warm water, then changed into his sneakers and headed out with Jin Mingxi.

They lived very close to the park.

Unfamiliar with the area, Jin Mingxi let Zhou Can lead him into the park for a run.

Lined with lush trees in a peaceful, vehicle-free environment, it was perfect for a morning workout.

“Hey, this place is pretty great! Way better than my run on the highway yesterday,” Jin Mingxi remarked with a smile.

He chuckled warmly.

“Back in my college days at Tuyu Medical College, I worked out here every day. How about it? Stick around a bit longer for a good start to your morning.”

Zhou Can was naturally cheerful when he met like-minded people.

He often cracked jokes along the way.

The two began jogging laps around the park.

Since they arrived early, the park wasn’t too crowded.

Only a few elderly folks practicing Tai Chi or playing a casual game could be seen.

Before they knew it, they had been running for nearly half an hour.

The park started to fill up.

A striking young woman wearing a baseball cap and a Bluetooth headset for exercise jogged steadily from the opposite direction.

By now, plenty of people were out running in the park.

With rising living standards, many had begun prioritizing their health.

While it might not be a nationwide fitness craze, in big cities you see people exercising morning and night.

When they were about seven or eight meters apart, the young woman glanced at Jin Mingxi and broke into a delighted smile.

“Hey, Jin Mingxi, is that really you?”

She greeted him with a bright smile.

Jin Mingxi gave her a once-over and quickly returned the smile.

“Haha, old classmate, Yezi.”

It turned out they had known each other since school.

Not wanting to be a third wheel, Zhou Can excused himself.

“You two chat first; I’m going to run a few more laps!”

“This is my colleague, Zhou Can. We share the same dorm,” Jin Mingxi quickly introduced him.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhou!”

The cheerful Yezi greeted Zhou Can with a warm smile.

“Hi, hi! Catch you later!”

Zhou Can waved goodbye with a smile and set off, leaving Jin Mingxi behind.

Since Yezi and Jin Mingxi were old classmates, they were about the same age. Judging by her physique and vibrant skin, she looked like a woman in her mid-twenties.

Maintaining such a fit figure and tight skin was surely thanks to her consistent exercise.

It just goes to show that if a woman manages her life well, stays disciplined with workouts, and strictly controls her diet, she can truly defy aging.

After completing three laps, Zhou Can slowed down as Jin Mingxi caught up.

The young woman had already vanished.

“Sorry about that earlier! I didn’t expect to bump into a high school classmate here,” Jin Mingxi explained cheerfully.

He took the initiative to clarify.

“I’m fine. Running solo isn’t much different from running with someone. Just curious, got any stories with her? Hehehe!”

Zhou Can casually joked in return.

Caught off guard, Jin Mingxi’s face reddened. “Not really—back in high school we sat together and got along reasonably well. I was determined to study medicine while she chose financial management. After graduation, we lost touch.”

After speaking, he sighed wistfully.

“Over a decade later, she’s become an executive at a listed company, while I’m just a resident doctor at Tuyu Hospital. Life’s twists are truly unpredictable!”

Everyone’s path in life is shaped by chance encounters.

Countless students who once trailed behind academically have gone on to become entrepreneurs, celebrities, or corporate moguls.

“We choose our own roads. If you hadn’t been so intent on securing your spot at Tuyu Hospital, you might have ended up as a deputy chief physician at the county hospital—not much lower in status, right?”

Zhou Can believed his chosen path was self-determined.

Though he could have lived a plush life as a second-generation beneficiary or taken over his family’s business, he still chose to dedicate himself to medicine.

He never wavered in his decision to become a doctor.

Since childhood, he had always viewed doctors—those who save lives—as truly heroic.

So, he resolved to become a doctor when he grew up.

Medicine wasn’t just a career; it was his passion and ambition.

After hearing this, Jin Mingxi gave a sheepish smile.

“Heh, that’s true! Dr. Zhou, you’re so young yet possess such profound insight into life—it really makes me feel inadequate.”

“Are you trying to flatter me? I was just speaking casually. But I’ve noticed that look in your eyes when you see her. Heh, are you sure you don’t have any feelings for her?”

Zhou Can grinned mischievously.