Chapter 180: The Unseen Weight of Reputation

“You—You’re absolutely outrageous! How did such an irresponsible doctor even get hired at a prestigious hospital like Tuyu? I swear, if I let you get away with this, I’ll consider it my failure.”

The woman was so furious she was literally trembling, and she really did pull out her phone to make a call.

Her mother-in-law looked just as angry, clearly wanting Zhou Can to get a lesson.

Only her father-in-law seemed to actually know how to read a room. He had way more life experience than the two women and noticed how Zhou Can stood his ground, unfazed.

He quickly shot his daughter-in-law a sharp look, signaling her to stop.

Unfortunately, she was too worked up to care.

“Hello, Director Xue? This is Chen Jinyue’s daughter-in-law. I’d like to report something…”

Blinded by anger, she actually made the complaint to Director Xue right there.

She went straight to the top, determined to take her grievances to Director Xue herself.

Judging by the way things happened, it was her father-in-law who personally knew Director Xue.

The call didn’t last long.

When the elegant woman put her phone down, her face looked even worse.

Clearly, things hadn’t gone her way.

“So, what did Director Xue say?”

Her mother-in-law rushed to ask.

“She said we should speak to the attending or the primary physician.” At this point, the woman’s arrogance—and any sense of superiority—completely vanished.

That’s what you call life giving you a wake-up call.

She was definitely feeling it now.

In her mind, Zhou Can was just a trainee, and they supposedly knew Director Xue personally. Getting rid of a trainee should’ve been as easy as snapping her fingers, right?

Turns out reality had its own rules about laying low.

Just then, Dr. Zhao walked over.

Probably coming to change a patient’s dressing.

The woman’s eyes lit up—she was about to complain to Dr. Zhao too.

After all, last time Dr. Zhao was pretty helpful when she complained.

But as soon as Dr. Zhao spotted Zhou Can, his attitude did a complete one-eighty from the cold indifference he’d shown yesterday. He broke into a big smile and greeted Zhou Can first.

“How’s it going working under Director Xue’s team, Dr. Zhou? Getting settled?”

“Pretty good!”

Zhou Can answered with a grin.

“Glad to hear it. Following Director Xue is way better than being stuck with ward management all day. I barely got a minute’s rest this morning. I just finished lunch and already have to go change dressings for the patient in bed 20. It’s all busywork—there’s not much to learn from it.”

It was obvious Dr. Zhao honestly envied Zhou Can.

After witnessing Zhou Can’s skills yesterday, their dynamic completely shifted today. Dr. Zhao’s whole demeanor was dripping with flattery.

That’s adults—pragmatic to the core.

“Keep busy!”

Zhou Can nodded and headed to the doctor’s office without another word.

The elegant woman swallowed her complaint entirely.

She’d noticed every bit of Dr. Zhao’s new deferential attitude toward Zhou Can.

In just a single day, Dr. Zhao and Zhou Can’s positions had clearly flipped.

She’d have to be crazy to try complaining to Dr. Zhao about Zhou Can now.

She wondered deep down—what in the world happened yesterday?

How did that trainee’s status skyrocket like this overnight?

Watching Zhou Can walk away, she realized she’d lost her chance to bully him.

“Dr. Zhao, you’re just who I needed! My husband’s chest is in agony. Could you prescribe some more painkillers?”

She pleaded with Dr. Zhao.

“Didn’t I just order those this morning? For your husband’s safety, painkillers can’t be given back-to-back. It’s normal for wounds to hurt once the anesthesia wears off after surgery. Think about it—skin, tissue, muscles all cut open and sewn back up. Of course there’s pain during recovery.”

Dr. Zhao’s answer matched exactly what the nurses said.

Whether it’s doctors or nurses, they’re all highly trained. As long as a patient’s request is reasonable, they’ll try to help.

“Just hang in there! The pain will ease bit by bit. The more you fear it, the worse it’ll get—so keep your willpower strong.”

With that, Dr. Zhao moved to bed 20 to change dressings.

He didn’t think much of the situation.

And so, another day dragged on.

By the next morning, when Zhou Can arrived for work, the department felt tense and heavy.

“Huh? Why haven’t I seen Director Xue or Deputy Director Lu today?”

The absence made Zhou Can uneasy.

“A patient had an emergency!”

Dr. Long lowered his voice in a whisper.

“Wait—it was one of our group’s patients?” Zhou Can had checked on a few high-risk patients who needed intensive care.

Who had run into trouble?

Could it be that patient from yesterday’s aortic aneurysm clipping surgery?

“Not one of ours—it’s a patient from Director Le’s team. I heard it’s a chest and arm muscle tear case that needed suturing. This morning, the patient spiked a persistent fever and now has pyosepsis. Every senior doctor in the department is consulting on the case. If they can’t figure it out, they may have to call in an internal medicine expert.”

Dr. Long was clearly worried about it.

If every department head was involved, the patient’s condition had to be dire.

Zhou Can paused, a little stunned.

Sure enough, the patient in bed 19 had developed complications.

There were warning signs yesterday.

The patient kept complaining of chest pain and was agitated—definitely not just being dramatic.

Any kind of tissue necrosis from lack of blood flow causes severe, unbearable pain.

Just then, a nurse hurried in.

“Dr. Zhou, Dr. Zhou—the conference room just called. You’re needed for a consult right away.” She didn’t get it; with so many consultants around, why did they specifically want a trainee?

“Alright, I’ll head over now!”

Zhou Can answered as he got up and walked out.

He was the only one who understood why.

The day before yesterday, he’d warned Dr. Zhao and Dr. Duan in the operating room about overusing electrocoagulation and risking tissue necrosis.

But nobody listened to a junior voice.

“Did they call for me?” Dr. Long asked the nurse.

“No, they only requested Dr. Zhou for the consult.”

She shook her head.

Dr. Long couldn’t help feeling a little down. As an attending, he was being outshined by a trainee.

It’s not like he wasn’t capable—but Zhou Can was simply exceptional, and he’d been the first to spot the risk. That’s why they wanted him in on this.

Zhou Can hurried straight to the cardiothoracic surgery conference room.

Morning meetings and consults usually happened here.

Hospitals don’t have unlimited space—each department only gets one or two large rooms for meetings.

Any spare rooms get turned into wards for extra patient beds.

In top hospitals, beds are always in high demand.

“Knock knock knock!”

Zhou Can knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

A deep, authoritative voice answered from inside.

He opened the door and saw the heavyweights of cardiothoracic surgery gathered, every face grim.

A screen on the wall displayed the latest test reports for the patient in bed 19.

Dr. Duan and Dr. Zhao’s faces were white as sheets, and their expressions were riddled with fear and regret.

If only they’d listened to Zhou Can’s warning earlier, or been more cautious when the patient complained yesterday, maybe things wouldn’t be this bad.

At the head of the table sat Dr. Hu Kan, whom Zhou Can had only seen from afar before.

He looked as steady as a monk in meditation—no sign of emotion on his face.

From the moment Zhou Can entered, he felt countless eyes sizing him up.

Everyone here was a major figure in the department.

Some were leading experts in cardiovascular medicine; others had remarkable achievements in thoracic surgery.

Each had undeniable talent and surgical prowess.

“Have a seat, Dr. Zhou.”

The nurse by the door showed him to an empty spot at the far end of the table.

She probably handled things like pouring tea for everyone and keeping communications running during these meetings.

“Dr. Zhou, do you remember the patient in bed 19 who had the chest wall muscle suturing surgery two days ago?”

“Yes, I do.”

Zhou Can’s answer was direct.

“People involved in the operation said that just before the skin was stitched up, you warned the lead surgeons about the risk of large areas of tissue necrosis. Can you walk us through what happened?”

Zhou Can didn’t mind being questioned now.

Meanwhile, Dr. Zhao and Dr. Duan were so ashamed they hung their heads, unable to meet anyone’s eyes.

Frankly, they were too embarrassed.

“Sure!”

Zhou Can nodded.

He started describing what happened in the OR.

“During the surgery, when Dr. Duan opened up the chest muscle flap, the bleeding was pretty heavy. A significant artery was cut. Dr. Zhao used electrocoagulation to stop the bleeding, but maybe applied it a bit too long. From where I stood below the table, I noticed the tissue turned slightly off-color. Kind of like pork that’s been over-boiled—shiny, a bit grayish-white.”

“I did feel worried about necrosis, so I warned both Dr. Duan and Dr. Zhao.”

Zhou Can told the story objectively, sticking to the facts around the case.

He never brought up how Dr. Zhao punished him by making him clean the OR out of anger.

That way, he spared Dr. Zhao’s reputation and character.

He also didn’t mention that after his warning, Dr. Duan checked over things, declared there was no problem, and then handed off the skin closure to Dr. Zhao.

Sometimes protecting others earns you more than you expect.

By saving face for Dr. Zhao and Dr. Duan, they might not say it, but they were surely grateful.

“The patient developed a high fever and pyosepsis on the third day post-op. Where do you think the problem lies?”

Dr. Hu Kan’s gaze shifted to Zhou Can.

It was the first thing he’d said since Zhou Can arrived.

“I think there’s a high risk of muscle flap necrosis.”

Zhou Can gave his assessment.

“What’s your proposed treatment plan?”

Dr. Hu pressed on.

For some reason, when he spoke, it carried an intimidating weight.

“Um… With all the department heads here, is it really my place to suggest a plan?” Zhou Can snuck a glance—there were at least seven or eight department directors at the table.

The strength of the cardiothoracic department was truly something.

“Don’t worry—speak your mind. I’ve long heard about your reputation, and now I finally get to see what kind of trainee Dr. Xu has taken under his wing.”

Like most of the big names, Dr. Hu Kan preferred open confrontation to backroom plotting.

He was always direct about his intentions.

Powerless people use deceit because they have to. The powerful can win openly.

Bigshots hate scheming—society’s gotten too advanced for that.

Once you’re in the real inner circle, no one appreciates manipulative games. You’ll only get isolated.

It’s just embarrassing, honestly.

That’s why they prefer aboveboard tactics—no tricks, straight to the point.

With Dr. Hu inviting him so openly, Zhou Can couldn’t keep dodging.

“If it were me, I’d reopen the wound, clean out the infection, and then re-suture. At the same time, I’d give anti-infection treatment and full supportive care to stop the sepsis from escalating, especially guarding against renal failure. If necessary, start extracorporeal kidney support. Infection control, organ and life support, and immune adjustment—do those all together.”

Sepsis develops fast and is extremely dangerous.

Early and targeted treatment is vital.

There are three main fronts: first, find the root cause and clear the infection, then use antibiotics to fight it.

Second is life support.

That covers resuscitation, ventilation, kidney replacement, and so on.

The third front is adjusting the immune system.

The human immune system is the truest weapon against illness—no surgery or drug or device can match it.

Even the latest cancer drugs work by targeting or activating immunity—like T-cell activation, for example.

“If this patient’s life is hanging by a thread, are you willing to take over treatment yourself?”

Dr. Hu’s gaze grew even brighter after Zhou Can’s reply.

Even his usually calm face showed a hint of interest.

“Absolutely! Saving lives comes before everything else for a doctor. If the patient is in critical danger, it’s my duty to give my all.”

Zhou Can answered without hesitation.

“Aren’t you worried what’ll happen if things go wrong and you can’t save them?”

Dr. Hu’s relentless questions were clearly a test, and even the slowest person in the room would realize it.

He was sizing up every facet of Zhou Can’s skill and character.

“I’m only human. Of course there’s some worry. But as long as I do everything I can, even if the patient can’t be saved, I believe the family will understand. As for my reputation? That sort of empty glory is nothing to me.”

Skill is the only thing Zhou Can truly treasures—never the spotlight.

In fact, he prefers to keep a low profile, quietly healing his patients. There’s less stress and more freedom that way.

“You’re an interesting one. You’ve already outshone Dr. Xu. If he’d learned to let go of fame sooner, things might not have gone south for him. I hope you’ll go farther than he ever did.”

Dr. Hu’s magnanimity left Zhou Can quietly impressed.

Dr. Xu and Dr. Hu had been bitter rivals for years. Now Dr. Xu had fallen from grace and was stuck in the emergency department, while Dr. Hu’s influence had only grown.

Yet here he was, refusing to kick a competitor while he was down.

That’s real respect.

“Whether you finish your training here or come for advanced study later, as long as I’m still head of this department, your abilities will be matched by the opportunities I can give you. We’ll make sure you get the best guidance and support.”

Saying this out loud, Dr. Hu was basically telling all the other senior doctors to look after Zhou Can.

He was inviting the whole department to mentor and support him.

That’s true generosity and love for the profession.

It’s like helping a rival raise their own successor.

Not everyone could show that kind of heart.

“Thank you—thank you all!”

Zhou Can got up and bowed to the roomful of big names.

He knew how to play it. With that gesture, everyone quietly accepted him.

From now on, Zhou Can would get the best training possible.

“The patient in bed 19—starting now, you’re in charge of their care. Dr. Duan, Dr. Zhao, you two will assist.” Dr. Hu’s words shocked everyone again.

This was life and death—no time for games.

The patient’s condition was severe enough that usually only an experienced director would take over.

Most people expected Dr. Hu would do it himself.

Passing it to a trainee was shocking.

“Director Hu, you can’t! Even if you want to train Zhou Can, you should start him off on minor cases or stable patients. If this one gets worse… what then?”

A forty-something male doctor quickly objected.

“Relax—seriously, let me worry about it. I spent years competing with Dr. Xu and know the man inside out. His disciple is no pushover. You can see it in his eyes—he’s got what it takes.”

Dr. Hu pressed on, settling the matter then and there.

“Zhou, don’t hold back—do what you think is right. I’m certain you won’t put your teacher to shame.”

“Thank you for trusting me. I promise to do everything I can. And if there’s anything beyond my ability, I’ll ask the department heads for help.”

Zhou Can truly hadn’t expected Dr. Hu to give him such responsibility.

The patient was already in a mess because of a botched surgery. Any normal chief would have kept a tight grip on the case.

But here he was, handing it to Zhou Can.

It seemed reckless on the surface, but ran much deeper.

The ‘Steadiest Scalpel’ would never make a rash decision.

It showed that Dr. Hu’s mindset had reached a level most people never dream of.