Chapter 404: A Fortunate Encounter with Herb Gatherers

These two had bags stuffed with an unbelievable variety of medicinal herbs.

“Deer antler, caterpillar fungus… and something that honestly looks like mouse droppings.”

“Is this Five Spirit Fat?”

Zhou Can grabbed a handful of the mouse-dropping-lookalike herbs and held them up to his nose. Thankfully, back when he focused on pharmacological differentiation, he crammed a lot of herbal knowledge. Especially after seeing how genuinely effective and impressive traditional medicine could be, he’d grown much more interested in Chinese medicinal herbs.

Right now, that knowledge finally came in handy.

“Sharp eyes! You’re absolutely right, that’s Five Spirit Fat!”

The shorter man looked at Zhou Can with newfound respect, now fully convinced he was a real doctor.

Five Spirit Fat is the dried dung of flying squirrels and orange-footed dormice.

It can be collected all year, but spring and fall are peak times.

Once gathered, the feces are sifted to remove sand, dirt, and other impurities, then sorted by shape into blocks or granules. Used raw, it promotes blood circulation, relieves pain, and treats everything from abdominal pain to menstrual blockages or postpartum pain. For snake or insect bites, it’s also a potent external remedy.

Because the uses are so wide-ranging, pickers often process and sell this herb after collection.

“Are you sure you want to buy all of it?”

The short man looked over uncertainly.

Normally, herbs like these end up sold to different buyers—dealers wanting ingredients for many kinds of medicine.

It’s like butchers—one might sell fish, another pork.

The same goes for Chinese herbs.

Every medicine dealer specializes in certain products.

Take caterpillar fungus as an example. The quality varies wildly and there’s a ton of fake stuff. If you haven’t spent a decade hustling in this industry, it’s easy to get burned.

“Yeah, if the price is right, I’ll buy everything.”

Zhou Can nodded, totally serious.

“I could get about 27,000 for my bag from a medicine dealer.” The short man glanced at the taller guy and they chatted in their dialect. “His bag’s worth 29,000. If you’re taking both, it’s rare to find such a straightforward buyer. We can knock off a bit for you.”

Nearly sixty thousand for just these two bags—herbal medicine is worth way more than you’d think.

But that kind of money was nothing to Zhou Can.

If he genuinely got leads on the Rainbow Toad, he’d gladly pay ten times as much.

“I’ll take the lot. Name your price!” Zhou Can decided without much hesitation.

This was the fastest way to get in their good graces.

After all, in the adult world, nothing forges a connection quite like self-interest. Even two long-estranged neighbors would drop by with a gift if you could land their son a 20,000-a-month job.

The two men exchanged a few more words in their dialect.

A moment later, the short man said, “I’ll let you have my bag for 24,000, and his for 25,000. Buyers like you are rare—think of it as making new friends.”

That was a hefty discount—you could tell they genuinely meant it.

The sooner they sold the goods, the sooner they could head home.

Otherwise, just paying for the hotel and daily expenses would eat up their profits. When you’re at the mercy of buyers who love to bargain, you might end up making the same anyway.

“Deal!”

Zhou Can made the purchase right then and there, no fuss at all.

“Can you help me move the bags out to my car? Also, can I pay you by WeChat or Alipay transfer?” Mobile payments really have made life so much simpler.

Especially WeChat transfers—the combo of social and payment features makes it even easier.

“No problem, no problem!”

The short man beamed, nodding eagerly.

The taller man didn’t really speak Mandarin, but he understood enough to realize the deal was done and was all smiles too.

As they passed the front bar together, Zhou Can turned to the cashier. “How much for their table’s meal?”

“A total of 516 yuan. Would you like to pay cash or card?”

“I’ll just scan to pay on WeChat.”

Zhou Can simply scanned the QR code and footed their bill.

Those two could really eat—over five hundred for one meal, mostly meat.

“Thank you, thank you!”

The short guy kept repeating his thanks, while the taller one grinned gratefully at Zhou Can.

By settling their check, Zhou Can had clearly won their favor.

After handling their bill, he paid for his own table too.

Then, he led the two outside to his Mercedes.

That car cost several hundred thousand, easily—a perfect way to show off a bit of wealth in moments like this.

Zhou Can wanted to leave a deep impression: someone with money and confidence, a big player.

Once the herbs were loaded in the trunk, Zhou Can started the transfer.

He also took the chance to add them on WeChat and swap phone numbers.

“If you ever need wild herbs, Zhou, just give us a ring.”

No way would they let such a generous buyer slip through their fingers.

“Of course! No problem.”

Zhou Can agreed without a second thought.

“Actually, I do need some rare wild herbs. If you can get them, I’m offering top dollar.”

“Oh? Which ones are you after?”

Now that got the short guy’s attention.

With 24,000 newly in his account, he couldn’t be happier.

“Let me show you two pictures.”

Zhou Can pulled out photos of the Rainbow Toad and the Mayapple from his phone for them to see.

The tall man pointed at the Mayapple and rattled off something Zhou Can couldn’t understand in his dialect, so he turned to the short man.

“My buddy says Mayapple is rare in our snowlands, but you can still find some. What age do you need, and how much are you offering?”

“I’m looking for those with purple on the back of the leaves. Age doesn’t really matter; over three years is best. For younger plants, they must be fresh and alive.”

For Zhou Can, getting his hands on a Purple-backed Mayapple would be an absolute stroke of luck.

Worst case, if they’re too young, he could always ask botany or forestry experts to help cultivate them.

Special herbs like these won’t survive if you try just replanting them somewhere else.

“My friend says he’s never seen any purple-backed ones.”

The short guy acted as translator between them.

Zhou Can could tell the tall man was the genuine wildcrafter, while the shorter one might have bought his wares from local Tibetans.

“If you find any, just let me know. I’ll pay top price.” He turned to the tall man. “For Purple-backed Mayapple over three years old, I’ll pay 100,000 each—just for you.”

Money really can make anything happen.

For regular folks, 100,000 yuan is a huge temptation.

“Are you serious?”

Hearing that, the short man literally started to breathe faster.

He was clearly the first one tempted.

Money truly is a magical thing.

It can’t do absolutely everything, but it sure can make a lot possible.

“If I promise, I mean it. As soon as you find one, you’ll have the money right away!”

Zhou Can nodded seriously.

The tall man clearly caught the gist, nodded excitedly, and began talking rapidly—he seemed eager to help find it too.

Now there was finally a glimmer of hope.

Of course, Zhou Can couldn’t rely completely on these two. He still needed to visit Cao Zhengguo later and try to connect with Rui Enterprises.

“What about the Rainbow Toad? Think you can find one?”

He shot the question to both of them.

“The tall one kept shaking his head and waving—it’s impossible.” That animal’s been extinct for decades; it was rare even before then.

Thirty-some years on, it’s practically mythical.

“No way to find a live one, but maybe a dried specimen?”

The short man asked hopefully.

“Honestly, dried would work too. I’m helping someone track it down, so if you get anything, bring it for me to see—the price is just as high.”

Zhou Can wasn’t sure if dried was good enough.

He figured he’d just deal with it if he actually found one.

“How much are you offering? Some temples might still have a preserved specimen. I could ask for you.”

Temples here hold high status, and many safeguard priceless relics—including species that have gone extinct.

This was definitely a solid lead.

“Same price—100,000. Is that acceptable?” Zhou Can asked.

Some things are literally priceless.

To most, worthless. To someone needing it to save a life, it’s worth a fortune.

“I’ll check when I get home, then reach out, Mr. Zhou.”

The short man held up his phone, signaling he’d call when he got news.

“Great! You can contact me any time if something comes up.”

Zhou Can felt as if fate itself was helping him out. Here he was, racking his brain for leads on these two core medicines, only to bump into wildcrafters from the frontier, right here in a Sichuan restaurant.

Fortunately, with some spending and a clever approach, he’d won their trust.

This fifty-thousand yuan was money well spent.

After saying goodbye to the two wildcrafters, Zhou Can headed back into the restaurant.

“I just saw you buy their whole batch. Are you in the herb business now?” Qiao Yu joked.

“Helping a friend out. Meeting wildcrafters from the snowlands here was pure luck.”

Zhou Can summed it up in a single line.

After finishing the meal, he looked at the group. “You guys getting a ride back, or what’s the plan?”

“I live in a dorm near the hospital—I’ll just take a bus home.” Luo Shishen glanced at the two women, then quickly looked away from Qiao Yu.

He knew all too well Qiao Yu wouldn’t want him playing the gentleman.

After spending a month in the operating room with Zhou Can, it was obvious Qiao Yu and Zhou Can had something going on. Remembering the first day he joined and his attempts to chase Qiao Yu, he still felt embarrassed.

Honestly, most male doctors have mistresses—it’s an open secret at any hospital.

Many have married more than once.

They start by marrying their college classmates, then later wedding a nurse or young trainee. By their forties, they’ve usually climbed up to attending physician, with decent pay and status. At that point, it’s not rare to find them marrying a nurse or a young trainee again.

Then, when they hit their fifties or sixties and are close to retiring, motivation fades and they stop bothering.

Even if Zhou Can was really with Qiao Yu, no one in the hospital would find it strange.

Word was Director Lou in Tuyu’s Emergency Department was on his third marriage, while Deputy Director Han was on his fifth—each one topping the last.

No one really knew about Dr. Xu, though—he kept his private life to himself.

The culture at Tuyu Hospital was still pretty good though, thanks to oversight from the disciplinary committee.

Some hospitals—especially private ones—are just decadent. Young trainee nurses will sit right on the director’s lap in front of everyone.

And it’s totally by their own choice!

Can you believe it?

Even if a department head is friendly, there’s no way any normal professional would do something so inappropriate.

Luo Shishen turned to Ma Xiaolan. “Where do you live? It’s so late—want me to give you a ride?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I’ll just grab a taxi.”

Ma Xiaolan had high standards—there’s no way she’d be interested in someone like Luo Shishen, an intern with nothing to his name.

She waved down a cab and slipped inside.

“Goodnight, Dr. Zhou. Goodnight, Qiao Yu!”

She didn’t even say goodbye to Luo Shishen—a small detail, but telling of her practical nature.

“Stay safe!”

As their unofficial leader, Zhou Can made sure to show some concern.

“Will do! See you tomorrow!”

Ma Xiaolan had patched things up with Qiao Yu and successfully joined the surgery team—you could see she was genuinely happy.

That’s just how things are in the workplace.

A small breakthrough with a coworker can make your whole day.

But big excitement comes from achievements, awards, promotions, and raises. Progress in medicine can be just as rewarding.

Work doesn’t just teach us how to get along—it forces us to improve and stay competitive.

At home, people lounge in pajamas—guys skip shaving, girls skip makeup or even tying their hair. Totally normal. But at work, everyone’s shirt collars are spotless, beards gone, hair done perfectly.

Nobody wants to slip up and become the butt of the office joke.

Especially for women—looks and image get even more attention.

“Qiao Yu, Luo Shishen, let me give you a ride to the dorm.” Zhou Can figured it was close anyway, so why not drop them off?

“Won’t that mess up your plans to go home?” Qiao Yu asked, knowing Zhou Can had a girlfriend.

“It’s just three or four kilometers—only a few minutes. I haven’t been there in a while anyway, and I want to visit a friend.”

Zhou Can had snagged a trove of herbs.

Those caterpillar fungi were a real prize—he figured he’d share some with Jin Mingxi.

Friendships need regular care to stay strong.

Old friends can pick up as if no time has passed after ten years, but that’s all—just good conversation. When something comes up, it’s the ones you talk to often who spring to mind.

That’s just human nature.

Imagine, ten years with zero contact—could you even bring yourself to call and borrow money?

It’d be awkward for anyone.

“Qiao, why don’t you take the front seat?” Luo Shishen made a classic rookie mistake by overthinking the social rules.

Most of the time, it’s wiser to read the room and keep quiet.

“No way! That’s Dr. Zhou’s wife’s spot.”

Qiao Yu looked uncomfortable for a couple seconds before quickly refusing.

“Just get in, Dr. Luo. Stop making things complicated!” Zhou Can honestly wanted to kick him sometimes. What was he thinking?

The ride was silent, tension thick in the air.

Luckily, it was a short trip and they arrived quickly.

Most interns and trainees at Tuyu Hospital lived in this staff dorm.

As soon as he parked, Qiao Yu hopped out first.

“Thanks for dinner and the ride home, Dr. Zhou. See you tomorrow.”

She gave a little wave, but looked a bit guilty when she met Zhou Can’s eyes.

Some things are better left unspoken.

She was probably cursing out Luo Shishen in her head.

“See you!”

Zhou Can waved goodbye.

Luo Shishen unbuckled and went inside after saying his own quick goodbye.

The dorms were single-sex—not mixed. Still, adults often brought girlfriends or boyfriends to stay over. No one minded.

But with so many roommates, most people thought better of it.

Zhou Can got out, picked up some caterpillar fungus, and headed for the dorm he once shared with Jin Mingxi.

It was a good chance to ask an old friend about how things were going in Cardiothoracic Surgery.