Chapter 331: A Surgeon’s Precision and a Tempting Offer

“Alright, alright, since Dr. Zhou is running the show today, he should be the one to decide where the incision goes. Director Hu, you can discuss it with him after the surgery.”

Section Chief Tang stepped in to mediate, and the effect was immediate. Hu Wanjun dropped the argument.

Yet, because of this incident, she still held some lingering dissatisfaction with Zhou Can.

Soon enough, the surgery officially began.

With endoscopic surgery, you usually need at least two ports. Three is standard, meaning three incisions. Sometimes, up to five are used.

Take laparoscopic surgery for example—it’s common to make five separate incisions.

How many incisions and where they go is always a call made by the doctor based on the situation at hand.

“Sterile cotton swab!”

Not knowing the skills of the other surgeons, Zhou Can wasn’t about to risk handing things off. If something could be done by him, he’d do it himself.

Once he chose his incision spots, he disinfected the skin again.

“Scalpel!”

Zhou Can made a point to test the instrument nurse’s skills and how well she could keep up.

Ordinary scalpel blades come in a variety of types.

Each blade serves a different purpose.

Blades numbered 10 and 20 through 24 are typically for cutting skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle, or periosteum.

Blade 11 is used for blood vessels, nerves, the GI tract, or even heart tissue.

Blade 12 comes into play for knee and ENT surgeries.

Blade 15 is for deep tissue, ophthalmology, or things like coronary artery bypass.

And scalpels themselves come in all sorts of shapes and styles.

Surgeons have to know the ins and outs of every scalpel and blade. Some nurses who don’t meet the standard can mix them up.

Luckily, this instrument nurse was up to the task. Every blade she handed over was spot-on.

Zhou Can took the scalpel. Before Director Hu Wanjun could react, he already sliced through the epidermis, the subcutaneous layer, then muscle—he’d made the first incision faster than the eye could follow.

He did it on purpose to show a bit of skill, let everyone see what he could do.

Section Chief Tang invited him to be lead surgeon on this procedure. He’d scoped out Zhou Can’s abilities, but naturally there would still be some nerves.

Now, watching Zhou Can in action, Section Chief Tang’s confidence in him surged.

“Incredible!”

A young doctor, probably here to observe, watched Zhou Can’s fluid technique and precise scalpel work with awe in his eyes.

Technical prowess always shines through in the details.

For example, if your first cut through the epidermis isn’t deep enough, you’ll have to go in again, leaving the edges jagged. Too deep and it’s amateur hour—all in one cut.

Senior surgeons who see ‘one-cut jobs’ usually lose their temper on the spot.

A single cut like that is just asking for trouble.

Every one of Zhou Can’s incisions was perfect—controlled, precise, entirely at his command. That’s the sign of true skill.

Even more impressive, by the time he got through to the chest, blood loss was still minimal.

That meant Zhou Can chose his incision points so well he steered clear of any major blood vessels.

Pulling that off takes not just a rock-solid medical foundation, but years of hard-won surgical experience.

Next, Zhou Can’s mastery of electrocoagulation was on full display. The electrocautery knife made every bleeding spot behave better than a class of kindergartners.

Wherever he touched, the bleeding stopped instantly.

In a blink, he’d finished all three ports.

Then came the main event—inserted the endoscope and tackled the lung cancer lesion with endoscopic precision.

“Uh… Is this really endoscopic surgery? How come, when it’s in his hands, it looks as easy as open surgery?” Professor Hu Wanjun knew just how tough endoscopic procedures could be.

Using an arm lever is like picking things up with chopsticks—the real tricks are learned through experience, not words.

Only doctors who have actually done endoscopic surgery know how tough it really is.

Especially with this patient—lung cancer surgery calls for part of the lung to be removed, plus a sweep for the lymph nodes. He’d even have to separate and cut away blood vessels involved and get the cancerous nodes out from beside vital organs and major vessels.

A single misstep and you’re facing a major complication.

Nick a major vessel in endoscopic surgery and it’s a disaster. Those arteries near the pericardium can be fatal if you slip.

Even Section Chief Tang, just a bystander today, was holding his breath the whole time.

Forty minutes later, Zhou Can had already cleared every lesion, lymph node, and vessel involved. Some of his trickier maneuvers left every doctor in the room in awe of his hand.

“Alright, all cancerous tissue and affected areas are clear. Director Hu, please check it over!” Zhou Can said, relaxed and at ease.

“Excellent! Absolutely excellent! I had my eyes on your every move—there’s nothing left to check. Watching you operate today, I’m completely convinced. To be honest, your skill—every cut, hemostasis, suturing, ligature—if Director Meng Chun were here, I doubt she’d do any better.”

Hu Wanjun had argued with Zhou Can about incision placement before the operation.

Now, seeing Zhou Can wrap up the procedure in just forty minutes and with such precision, she was fully convinced.

If even a chief physician like her was convinced, it went without saying that everyone else would be too.

Several young doctors and nurses watched Zhou Can with open admiration in their eyes.

In the OR, strength is what counts.

If you’ve got skill, you’ll earn others’ respect—no questions asked.

“If there’s nothing left, I’ll go ahead and close the incisions!”

Even small incisions deserve careful suturing.

“Dr. Zhou, could I close one of the wounds?”

A young doctor, maybe twenty-seven or twenty-eight, bravely asked for a shot at helping with the surgery.

Zhou Can knew just what that felt like—he’d started out as a rookie hungry for every bit of hands-on practice.

“I’ll do this one myself, but the other two are all yours!”

As he spoke, Zhou Can made quick work of suturing the incision under the armpit.

This spot is tricky to suture. Done poorly, it leaves an ugly scar that’ll affect the patient later—especially important for women who care about appearance.

“Alright, give it a try!”

Zhou Can didn’t know the young doctor’s suturing skills, so he kept his words encouraging.

The young man, delighted at the chance, stepped up to close the incision. Watching his clumsy and nervous hands, Zhou Can couldn’t help but smile.

He saw himself back when he first stitched up a patient.

“When you’re putting in the needle, picking the entry point is key. With a small incision and little tension, you can get closer to the edge. And try not to use slip knots for surface wounds…”

He offered the newcomer kind advice, helping out however he could.

Hu Wanjun, Section Chief Tang and the others saw this and found themselves holding Zhou Can in even higher regard—a surgeon with both skill and kindness.

He wasn’t just confident but also generous and ready to help others—truly the mark of a good-hearted man.

Such qualities are rare to find in someone so young.

“They can handle the cleanup. Dr. Zhou, would you like to join me in my office for a bit?” Section Chief Tang invited.

“Sure!”

Zhou Can didn’t turn down the offer.

With so many people watching, it would have been awkward to say no anyway.

Turning Section Chief Tang down in public would just put him in a tough spot.

Led by Section Chief Tang, they made their way to the office.

“Director Tian, you’re still at work so late?”

Zhou Can was surprised—Director Tian was there in the office too.

Clearly, Section Chief Tang had more in mind with his invitation.

He must have known Director Tian was here, or maybe Director Tian was the one who wanted to meet Zhou Can.

“Our Director Tian gives everything to this hospital. She’s the very definition of dedication. I’ve always looked up to her.”

Section Chief Tang unleashed a masterclass in flattery.

Even so, his words and expression seemed so natural and sincere you couldn’t help but believe he meant every word.

There’s an art to flattery—do it so well no one even notices.

Zhou Can gained a new respect for Section Chief Tang’s people skills.

It was no surprise he’d earned Director Tian’s trust and advanced his career after the last guest consultant event.

“Alas, it’s embarrassing—seems the harder I work, the worse things get at Xinxiang Maternity and Child Hospital. We’re at the brink of shutting down.”

Director Tian gave a heavy sigh.

“Dr. Zhou, Section Chief Tang, please take a seat!”

She personally got up to prepare tea for them. Section Chief Tang immediately hurried over to help.

Being served tea by the director herself—clearly today’s guest of honor was Zhou Can.

“Dr. Zhou, among all the young doctors I’ve met, you’re by far the best—whether it’s diagnosis or surgery, you excel at both. Honestly, I’ve been wanting to talk to you one-on-one for a while. Today was finally the right opportunity so I asked Section Chief Tang to invite you. Last time, there were too many people from your hospital at the guest event, and I worried that singling you out might affect you. That’s why I didn’t approach you then.”

Director Tian looked at him with utter sincerity, like she was chatting with an old friend.

No airs, no scheming.

Just pure honesty.

In truth, all senior leaders dislike backroom plotting—they prefer things out in the open.

If you try to play games with them, you’ll just end up underestimating yourself in their eyes.

“Thank you, Director Tian, for taking my concerns to heart! I really appreciate it!” Zhou Can pressed his hands together in thanks.

“No need for thanks. It’s only right not to inconvenience others. Section Chief Tang must have already invited you to join Xinxiang Maternity and Child Hospital. If you felt that wasn’t formal enough, I’ll do it here and now. Whatever terms you have, say them. If we can meet them, we’ll do our best to make it happen.”

Director Tian’s straightforwardness left Zhou Can momentarily at a loss for words.

That lung cancer surgery he’d just performed was a major deal for Xinxiang. Director Tian must have been following it closely, and, seeing his skills, she decided he was someone worth recruiting.

An ordinary young doctor might really be tempted by the offer.

But Zhou Can’s heart was calm, unmoved.

“Thank you for your generosity. Tuyu Hospital trained me and treated me well, so I have no plans to leave for the time being.” Zhou Can had always been grateful.

The competition at Tuyu Hospital was fierce, but the way they nurtured him left him deeply appreciative.

Especially after he started to shine, Tuyu put him on the priority track, giving him resources and opportunities he wouldn’t forget.

“I can understand your choice, Dr. Zhou. Our hospital looks like a mess—could go under at any time.”

There was a curious look on Director Tian’s face. To admit weakness while recruiting someone meant she surely wasn’t a fool.

Zhou Can was about to say something to ease the tension, but Director Tian waved him off.

“We know our own situation—hiding it doesn’t help. Still, I guarantee you, whatever medical reputation, status, or income you might get at Tuyu Hospital, Xinxiang Maternity and Child can do better. From the look in your eyes, I know you’re ambitious.”

“In the future, you’ll want your own medical team. Xinxiang can help you with that. However strong your team needs to be—surgical, medical, nursing, or support—we’ll help you build it.”

She spoke with absolute confidence.

Her eyes showed sincerity, her words were true.

Zhou Can was puzzled by her unwavering certainty.

The way she spoke, it sounded like Xinxiang would one day surpass Tuyu Hospital.

But how would that happen?

Xinxiang is a specialized hospital—by nature, that limits growth.

Tuyu is a large, comprehensive hospital. They treat every condition, accept all kinds of patients.

Xinxiang mostly handles maternity and pediatrics.

Their pediatrics unit is attentive, but technically, it’s nothing to write home about.

By contrast, the Provincial Children’s Hospital is genuinely top-tier.

“Dr. Zhou, are you aware of the current trends in medical development in major countries?” Director Tian asked.

“Just the basics. Like, in Japan, endoscopic and minimally invasive surgeries are becoming mainstream. They’re also investing in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas—building herbal cultivation centers, developing their own decoctions, and recruiting top TCM talent.”

To be honest, Zhou Can didn’t know much about the international medical scene.

“Hehe, you should travel abroad someday and see for yourself what advanced medicine looks like in different countries. What you mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg—a trend in technique, sure, but only a small part of the picture.”

Director Tian clearly had a worldly perspective.

Her self-assured expression showed she knew the global landscape of medicine inside and out.

“I’ll definitely go abroad someday, but probably not for a few more years. Please, Director Tian, enlighten me!”

Zhou Can was genuinely eager to learn.

“Just take Japan, for example. Their healthcare is splitting into two extremes—the poor can barely afford basic care, while the wealthy and elite get world-class service. Average doctors and nurses earn modestly, but the truly elite have broker teams and move freely between hospitals, commanding premium fees—but delivering quality too.”

Director Tian’s words gave Zhou Can a shock.

It was as if she’d opened a new window, letting him glimpse a different world.

He’d always hoped to build his own medical team—one strong enough to operate outside a hospital system and make independent decisions.

Japan’s agent-based medical model gave him a new idea to consider.

“Compared to the United States, Japan is lagging. The world’s strongest nation has built yet another model—one you’ve likely heard of: the medical center. Each one is made up of different teams that have to compete in research and technical expertise to get more funding.”

“So, in the U.S., you start seeing ‘super doctors’ emerging. And these aren’t just your standard chief physicians.”

Director Tian continued expanding Zhou Can’s horizons.