Chapter 384: A Lunch Break of Subtle Boundaries

Keep your distance from men who refuse to give up, or you might end up in real danger.

Some men, when they can’t get what they want, can turn downright dangerous. They’d rather destroy a girl than let someone else have her.

Not that Luo Shishen is that kind of guy, of course.

But there are plenty of extreme men and women in this world. It’s smart to stay away from them and avoid getting caught up in their drama.

Qiao Yu’s got this down to an art.

As long as Luo Shishen has even a shred of self-awareness, he’ll know it’s time to stop pursuing her.

“Nutrition science is really high-level nursing knowledge. It’s great you’re diving into it. If you master it, you might even fill a gap in the field here at home. The future looks promising!”

Zhou Can sincerely supported her decision to study nutrition.

“Sigh, mastering nutrition isn’t easy. What really makes it tough is that we lack top-notch mentors and good learning materials here. If I get the chance to study abroad for a few years, maybe I could make something of it. For now, though, your surgical team is just getting started. My main focus is still being the best surgical nurse I can be.”

She let out a sigh, laying out the challenges she faced.

At the same time, she made it clear to Zhou Can that she knew how to prioritize.

“I really do need you by my side right now. Without you on the surgical team, I couldn’t handle it, not even with an assistant. And about studying abroad—I’m totally on board with that. For now, just nail the basics of nutrition, and when you think you’re ready, aim for an offer from a top American university. Take it step by step; you’re young, and you’ve got a ton of opportunities waiting for you!”

Zhou Can offered some sound, practical advice.

His suggestions were down to earth and realistic.

The kind of advice that comes from someone who knows how to lay a solid foundation.

“Yeah, I’m in no rush! What about your own education? Planning to level up?”

Once the topic came up, Qiao Yu really opened up.

“Uh… Dr. Zhou, Qiao, you two keep chatting—I’m going to use the restroom real quick!”

Sitting nearby, Luo Shishen served as the third wheel and was starting to feel the awkwardness.

He didn’t have enough seniority to talk with Zhou Can.

And it wasn’t like Qiao Yu was interested in chatting with him.

Making up an excuse to leave? Smart move.

“Go ahead. When you’re done eating, remember to get back to the OR on time.”

After Zhou Can said his piece to Luo Shishen, he turned back to his conversation with Qiao Yu.

“Of course I want to continue my studies, but now’s not the right time. I haven’t figured out exactly how I’ll do it yet, but these days education is everything. My low degree has caused me endless trouble.”

With only a bachelor’s degree, Zhou Can had suffered so many setbacks he could fill a basket.

As soon as his job stabilized, he was determined to go back to school.

“Hey… how about we go study abroad together? That way we can look out for each other!”

Qiao Yu bit her lip and made the suggestion.

“Well… I haven’t really thought about that!”

No way Zhou Can could say yes—if Su Qianqian found out, who knew how she’d react.

Sure, Su Qianqian never checked up on him or snooped through his phone. But living together meant she definitely knew Qiao Yu existed.

She didn’t mind him chatting to Qiao Yu about work.

But if the two of them went abroad together… well, even if it was all innocent, no amount of explanation could clear that up.

“Just think about it, okay? Don’t worry, I know you have a girlfriend—I’m not trying to cause you any trouble. I just think, as a girl alone overseas, it’d feel a lot safer having a friend I trust nearby.”

With those words, it was clear she’d seriously considered the idea.

“I’ll give it some real thought!”

That’s all Zhou Can could promise.

Once inside the cafeteria, Zhou Can actually took Qiao Yu’s advice and grabbed three vegetarian dishes. Soon enough, she came over with her tray—also all vegetarian.

“You’re really eating vegetarian just for me?” Zhou Can asked.

“What else would I do?”

She batted her eyes and gave him a playful smile.

“Let me grab you a couple chicken legs! Keep an eye on my stuff, yeah?” Zhou Can took care of his trusted assistant—she really was too skinny.

Now that Qiao Yu was a full-fledged nurse, she was doing a lot better financially.

Still, since she was saving up to study abroad, she had to be frugal.

You could even tell from her plain, simple style.

She was just a classic beauty—elegant, understated.

Surprisingly, when Zhou Can offered her chicken legs, she didn’t refuse. Her attitude was totally different than when Luo Shishen had tried to treat her.

Back in the day, Zhou Can had often bought her milk tea or treated her to late-night snacks.

She’d always accepted his treats, and it never seemed awkward.

It’s kind of like with parents or close friends—you never stand on ceremony. Only with acquaintances or strangers do you bother being polite.

Sometimes, being overly polite is really just a way to keep your distance.

Compared to straight-up indifference, using politeness to set boundaries is much gentler and more civilized.

“Here you go!”

Zhou Can brought two big chicken legs back.

“I remember you like them a little well-cooked. I even had the cafeteria lady pick out a couple with crispy golden skin just for you.” He handed her the chicken legs.

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“Hehe, thanks! I can’t eat both by myself, so how about you take one?”

She put one on her plate and handed the other to Zhou Can.

“Honestly, I really don’t have an appetite today. You go ahead—the more you eat, the more energy you’ll have for surgery. Being my partner is tough work, you know, since I do at least twice as many surgeries as the average doctor.”

After losing his mentor, Zhou Can truly couldn’t eat much.

When someone is lost in grief, digestion grinds to a halt, and the body absorbs less. Sadness is a damaging emotion.

In ancient traditional medicine, sorrow was said to hurt both the heart and lungs. The lungs dominate breathing, while the heart drives blood flow—they work hand in hand, with lung energy powering the movement of the heart’s blood.

That’s why deep sadness can cause trouble breathing, coughing, or even coughing up blood.

Right now, Zhou Can just felt blocked up inside. Thoughts of Director Hu’s passing made his heart ache with sorrow. Luckily, focusing on work distracted him from grief.

When grief overwhelms you, redirecting your attention or getting out for some fresh air can really help.

But shutting yourself away in a tiny room just makes it worse.

Having a few true friends is never a bad idea.

At least, when something’s weighing on your mind, you have someone to talk to.

But opening up usually means sharing private stuff, so you have to pick the right person. True friends won’t use it against you, but so-called ‘drinking buddies’ just might, and if your secrets get out, it’s another wound.

It’s way too easy to be taken advantage of, not to mention, if your secrets spread, the damage is doubled.

So, choose your friends wisely.

Quality over quantity—look for upright character, then for someone who truly understands you.

But there’s a catch. Adults put interests first. Making real friends as an adult is hard; interest-based friendships are solid but not the right place for confiding your heart.

In the end, it’s all about mutual benefit.

That’s why keeping your deepest secrets to yourself becomes a required skill once you grow up.

People who can truly keep their secrets are often resilient and successful, with stable families and solid finances.

As long as life is comfortable, a wife usually won’t stray.

And a strong financial footing typically means you can give your child a decent upbringing.

Sadly, a lot of adults never learn to zip their lips or keep their secrets. Even the tiniest problems are blurted out to anyone who’ll listen.

People like that tend to lead pretty miserable lives, stuck at the bottom of society.

Some can’t even make ends meet.

“So this is where you guys are!”

Just then, Luo Shishen showed up with his lunch.

This guy was the greenest rookie in the workplace—hands down.

Why insist on joining Zhou Can and Qiao Yu’s table? Just grab your food, eat on your own, and hurry back—now that’s how you leave a good impression.

If your supervisors and the nurses are deep in conversation, anyone with a sliver of emotional intelligence wouldn’t interrupt.

But here he was, barging in—no sense of timing.

“Come on, sit down and eat. After lunch, hurry back to the OR.”

Zhou Can said.

Qiao Yu shot Luo Shishen a slightly annoyed look but stayed quiet. She ate quietly, her movements elegant.

And just like that, the vibe turned awkward.

Zhou Can focused on finishing his food.

“Huh… Qiao bought two chicken legs!” Luo Shishen had been rejected when he offered her chicken before, but now he spotted one on her plate and another in a bag.

He couldn’t help blurting it out—couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

“Mm-hmm.”

She responded curtly.

“Is the other one for Dr. Zhou?” Luo Shishen eyed the golden chicken leg, swallowing hard. “If Dr. Zhou isn’t going to eat it, don’t let it go to waste—mind selling it to me?”

He was just trying to help Qiao Yu save a little money.

Each chicken leg cost four yuan in the cafeteria. Once bought, returns weren’t allowed.

“You talk too much. Just eat already!”

Of course, Qiao Yu wasn’t about to give him her food. She had zero interest in getting entangled with Luo Shishen.

She simply put the second chicken leg onto her plate and focused on eating.

Needless to say, lunch ended up feeling a bit tense.

Zhou Can finished first.

“I’m done. You two take your time.”

He got up, dumped his leftovers in the trash, rinsed his tray, and put it in the designated return spot.

Later, cafeteria staff would collect it for a second wash and high-temperature disinfection.

As soon as Zhou Can left, Luo Shishen started up again, searching for something to say.

“Qiao, how long have you been a nurse? Since I joined the Emergency Department, I’ve been in the OR, and I’ve never seen you before!”

“I just got transferred from the ICU to the OR. I’m going to see if there’s any soup left—the rice is a little hard today.”

With that, she picked up her tray and headed straight for the serving window.

She didn’t even stop to ask—just found another table and kept eating.

She clearly wanted as little to do with Luo Shishen as possible.

……

Back in the OR, after lunch and a quick bathroom break, Zhou Can stretched out a little before getting back to work.

Since Qiao Yu and Luo Shishen hadn’t returned yet, he watched Dr. Xu’s surgery and lent a hand.

The exact number of interns in the Emergency Department OR was unclear.

Dr. Xu assigned one intern to Zhou Can and kept another. That meant at least two had been placed in the Emergency Department OR—showing its rising status.

Or maybe the OR itself had become much more important.

Either way, it was a good sign.

Back then the Emergency Department OR barely had a handful. Not a single intern to be found.

Other parts of the department were always short on hands, so they couldn’t spare any for the OR.

Now, with two interns, it meant at least four had been sent to the Emergency Department altogether, making it possible to assign a couple to the OR with confidence.

Not long after, Luo Shishen came back from lunch, clearly a little upset.

He’d probably taken Qiao Yu’s cold shoulder pretty hard.

A few minutes later, Qiao Yu returned too.

“Teacher, my team’s all here. I’m heading in for surgery!”

Zhou Can had been waiting for Qiao Yu to come back.

“Go ahead!”

Dr. Xu was more than happy to see Zhou Can take on more surgeries.

Director Lou had high hopes for Zhou Can’s surgical team.

That afternoon, Zhou Can went all out in the OR, performing surgery after surgery. His experience points soared.

He hadn’t felt this good in ages.

[You’ve successfully performed debridement! Debridement Technique experience +1. Congratulations—Debridement Technique leveled up to five: Current experience 1/ Intermediate Associate Chief Physician level. Now able to handle complex chest, abdominal, and cranial debridements, as well as high-grade cleaning for abscesses, infections, and contaminated wounds…]

Any medical skill that reaches associate chief physician level is something to be proud of.

Complex chest and abdominal debridement isn’t just about draining fluid or patching up wounds for easier suturing.

It’s for the really complicated situations—like intestinal leaks contaminating the abdominal cavity.

That kind of procedure is tough and tricky.

Same goes for advanced cancer cases with rotted, badly adhered tissue—debridement gets very challenging.

Getting Debridement Technique up to associate chief level was a huge win for Zhou Can. The Emergency Department does tons of wound care, after all.

Now he could do it even better—making wounds neater, easier to stitch, cutting recovery time and infection risks. Even surgeries would finish faster and more efficiently.

Every improvement in a surgical skill brings huge benefits all around.

Even a skill like debridement can give him an edge in major surgeries and cut down on post-op complications.