Chapter 386: Reshaping the Emergency Department

“Oh? And where did you hear that little bit of news, Star Reporter Mu?”

Zhou Can feigned ignorance, playing the fool.

There was no way he’d ever leak something like this. No matter how promising he was, if the hospital found out, he’d be frozen out in an instant.

You have to know your boundaries in both life and work.

Talent alone isn’t enough. If you can’t handle people, you’ll still end up going nowhere.

“Come on, drop the act! I’ve already heard everything from your hospital’s insiders. You’re one of Dr. Hu’s chosen successors—it’s impossible you don’t know.”

Mu Qing really had done her homework. She even knew Zhou Can was one of Dr. Hu Kan’s successors.

“Even if you say that, I’m just one of his successors. Why assume I know everything? I’m back working in the Emergency Department now—I haven’t been in Cardiothoracic Surgery for a long time. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

As he finished, Zhou Can was ready to hang up.

Best not to mess with female reporters if you can avoid it.

Since their encounter at Xinxiang Maternity and Child Hospital, Mu Qing hadn’t really pestered him. She’d just call now and then or send a WeChat message.

Maintaining a business connection, that’s all.

It made sense.

A reporter needs lots of contacts and a wide network to stay in the loop.

Most adult relationships are pretty pragmatic.

Go too long without staying in touch, and connections fade. When you do need something, rushing to reconnect never really works.

Salespeople, reporters, hotel managers—jobs like that depend even more on keeping up their network and relationships.

Anyone with over ten million in the bank—or with high-quality assets—is on the bank’s permanent list for ‘concerned outreach.’

And if you’re a government official with any real power, you’ll be targeted even more.

“Hey, if you dare hang up on me, I’ll wait outside your front door all day! Try me!”

Mu Qing’s voice rose on the other end, clearly losing patience.

This wasn’t the first or second time Zhou Can had hung up on her.

“Auntie, what are you really after? I’m driving right now. Seriously, I don’t have time to chat.”

Zhou Can could only sigh. He was beyond exasperated.

Her beauty and flirtations might work on other guys, but Zhou Can was immune.

To put it bluntly, even if she asked him to meet at a hotel right now, he wouldn’t feel a single flutter.

“Just tell me Dr. Hu’s home address—I swear I won’t tell a soul.” she pushed.

“Really sorry. I wish I knew Hu Kan’s address, but I honestly have no clue. Didn’t you say you have connections at Tuyu Hospital? Maybe ask them—ah, geez, that was close, almost got in an accident! Talk later!”

He hung up before she could reply.

If Mu Qing really did want to block him at his door, there wasn’t much he could do. But she’d have to know where he lived first.

Of course, hanging up meant she’d definitely vent about him later.

Either way, Zhou Can would never leak anything about his mentor’s passing or related news to a journalist.

……

The next morning, Zhou Can showed up at the Emergency Department bright and early—seven thirty sharp.

The department had notified him by text: all doctors needed to meet in the staff office at seven thirty for a brief meeting.

A lot of folks think the doctors’ office is where clinic doctors see patients. Actually, that’s the exam room—the real office is in the back.

All the Emergency Department’s formal doctors have their own desks there. Director Lou has his very own private office.

Deputy Director Han Changqing didn’t get that kind of treatment.

In other, more well-resourced departments, senior doctors sometimes get their own private offices. It all depends on how the resources are divvied up.

Emergency is always strapped for space. Having a tiny office for Director Lou is actually a luxury.

And for good reason, too.

If the department director shared the workspace with everyone else, it’d be so uncomfortable—the feeling of an invisible mountain pressing down on you all day.

Plus, it’d make the director’s own work even harder.

Imagine if the chief needed to discuss something private—every word would be overheard.

If it was sensitive information, it would spread through the department before you could blink.

And if it was criticism for a colleague, they’d probably wish they could run away and hide.

Or if the hospital’s higher-ups visited to talk to Director Lou, it’d be even worse.

When Zhou Can entered the office, nearly all the formal doctors were there.

No interns or residents in sight.

Not because they didn’t show, but because they either weren’t invited or got kicked out.

“Zhou, from now on your seat will be next to Dr. Xu!”

Director Lou made the announcement himself.

That seat belonged to Dr. Cui from the Operating Room. Rumor had it, Dr. Cui passed the attending exam and was just waiting for the appointment letter. But since official slots were limited, there was a waitlist.

“But…” Zhou Can started to protest. Taking over someone else’s seat was a great way to stir up resentment.

Dr. Xu gave him a look that said, Don’t say another word.

“On Zhou Can’s first day back, he broke records in the OR. He’s one of the future stars of Tuyu Hospital. Having him next to me shows how much Director Lou values top talent. I fully support the decision.”

Dr. Xu clearly had Zhou Can’s best interests at heart.

Zhou Can was new and still finding his footing. His special status wasn’t yet cemented.

He was about to be promoted to Resident Doctor—the moment his standardized training results came out and he got his certificate, the hiring contract would land on his desk.

It was important to establish his status within the department.

There’s a difference between quiet influence and official rank.

Zhou Can didn’t really get the office politics, nor did he care much, so the reasoning was lost on him.

“Here in Emergency, people matter most. Dr. Zhou’s surgical skills are excellent, his diagnostic abilities outstanding. Having him beside Dr. Xu really is the perfect fit.”

Even Deputy Director Han Changqing chimed in.

Clearly, the senior staff had this all planned out.

They’d probably discussed it in advance and were ready to elevate Zhou Can.

“Just move everyone back one spot.”

There’s a hidden meaning behind office seating arrangements.

The closer you sit to the front, the higher your status.

Now Zhou Can had basically leapfrogged his way right next to Dr. Xu.

This kind of jump could have sparked envy, but his abilities and the strong backing from the seniors meant his spot was secure.

Only the mediocre avoid envy—let people be jealous if they want.

“Thank you to the department leadership for your trust! I’ll work even harder for the department and all our patients.”

Zhou Can bowed to the department leaders.

Everyone knows how to say the right things at moments like this.

And with that, he took his seat to Dr. Xu’s left.

“Let’s get started. Today I’ll announce some business adjustments, and we’re also creating a new Inpatient Room.”

That single announcement sparked quite a stir.

Until now, the Emergency Department only had temporary observation and resuscitation rooms—no inpatient ward.

Now they were finally opening one. What did that mean?

It marked the department’s expansion into actual inpatient surgery and patient management.

Setting up an inpatient ward in Emergency was no small thing. Even minor changes had to go through hospital leadership.

Even the Medical Department didn’t have the authority for this.

If Director Lou was making this announcement, what did it mean?

It meant the higher-ups had already given the green light.

Otherwise, it’d just be embarrassing to make such a claim.

“For now, we’ll have four official beds in the inpatient ward—primarily for surgical patients.”

This set the tone for the new ward.

That mattered a lot.

It determined the direction for the department’s future.

Sharp-eyed colleagues were already giving Zhou Can meaningful looks.

First, his seat in the senior row was upgraded, then a new inpatient ward was announced—one focused on surgery. Clearly, all of this centered around Zhou Can, paving the way for him and his surgical team.

“Dr. Lin Ping will manage the inpatient ward with one intern, for now. Nursing will add inpatient ward management to their duties—for now, we won’t assign a dedicated inpatient nurse.”

Director Lou could only do so much with the resources he had—he’d set up the skeleton first.

They’d add more staff and refine things as they grew.

“Adding an inpatient ward is a bold move and the right path for our department. The Nursing Department fully supports Director Lou’s wise decision!”

Head Nurse Niu Lan’s face lit up with excitement.

No mistake about it—she was thrilled.

The Emergency Department had been stuck in obscurity for years. Every official doctor and nurse had suffered discrimination and countless indignities—only they really knew.

To be honest, it was tough even walking outside—most felt inferior, even a little ashamed.

Why was that?

Because Emergency had no achievements, no research, no celebrated doctors—not a single thing to point to.

How could anyone walk tall in that situation?

Now, things were finally changing.

With Zhou Can, a future star from the hospital’s elite, leading the surgery team, Emergency could fight for its place—steadily and surely.

Head Nurse Niu Lan’s excitement came from finally seeing a ray of hope.

“I’m really not cut out for surgery, but I’ll do my absolute best managing the ward. Please leave it to me, Director Lou.”

Lin Ping had originally worked in the Emergency Department OR.

With only average ability, he was on the verge of being pushed out despite all his hard work.

If you got dropped from a desirable department, you might be reassigned to Emergency or another less desirable unit.

But if you were dropped from Emergency—especially as a Resident Doctor—there was nowhere else to go. You’d hit rock bottom.

The addition of the inpatient ward was a lifeline for Lin Ping.

He was diligent and honest, with solid character. Managing the new ward suited him perfectly.

“Let’s talk through our workflow changes: First, we’re committed to offering better and more thoughtful service. Second, clinic doctors should admit first- and second-tier surgical patients directly to Emergency OR if they meet the criteria. The exact patient load should be balanced—don’t chase numbers blindly. Dr. Xu will advise daily, so please cooperate fully.”

The daily number of surgical patients is a real balancing act.

Which cases are easier, how many to admit per day—it all matters.

“One more thing! Don’t just focus on one type of surgery—say, only gastroenterology patients. That’s not the way forward. Our goal is steady growth. Take in a variety, try to keep things balanced. You all get me, right?”

Dr. Xu chimed in again.

This was a lesson from past mistakes. When Zhou Can first started, he’d done a ton of General Surgery cases in just one month, which brought complaints from Director Xie straight to the vice president.

Expanding surgical admissions and adding the inpatient ward was already drawing attention.

If they weren’t careful and provoked protests from other departments, even the hospital leadership couldn’t help them.

“Got it, we understand!”

Dr. Fu Chachun was grinning like a fox.

He was always the wiliest of the bunch.

“Haha, admit more surgery patients, but do it quietly—don’t give the other departments reason to complain or stare. We get it.” Dr. Lu flashed a sly smile too.

Honestly, whether it’s a country or a department, you can’t fill it with straight-laced do-gooders.

You need all sorts of people.

Even ancient emperors employed infamous schemers—not out of foolishness, but because those people were needed to keep things balanced. Sometimes you need a cunning hand to get things done.

Director Lou looked pleased with everyone’s response.

“As long as we all work together, I believe Emergency will realize its dream—our income, status, and honor will rise steadily. All right, that’s it for today.”

With all the important news out of the way, the short meeting ended.

It really had lived up to its name—a quick meeting.

Stripped of all the trappings, this whole meeting was really about Zhou Can.

One person can lift an entire department—not a myth, but cold, hard fact.

“Oh, one last thing. Recently, our hospital has noticed the Provincial People’s Hospital, Third Hospital, and even Xinxiang Maternity and Child Hospital have ramped up their surgery marketing—especially in Cardiothoracic Surgery. When you see those patients, be extra careful. Explain things well and don’t let us lose cases.”

If Director Lou was emphasizing this, it meant the issue was already serious.

It was no surprise for the other big hospitals to push their surgical departments.

But for Xinxiang Maternity and Child Hospital to join in so soon—that was unexpected.

Zhou Can was pretty familiar with Xinxiang Maternity and Child. When he heard this news, he was genuinely shocked.