Chapter 414: Through the Winter: Rekindling Hope in the Heart

You think once a colonoscopy and abdominal CT rule out colon cancer, that’s the end of it?

He’ll just start worrying about other problems in his body.

After a meal, he keeps feeling a little bloated. It’s nothing unusual, but Associate Director He can’t help but wonder if that bastard Zhou Can is right—maybe there’s really something wrong with his stomach.

Then, he’ll start doubting himself over and over again, until he questions his entire existence.

Finally, he can’t wait any longer and rushes to the hospital for a stomach exam.

After all the tests, turns out it’s nothing major. Just a mild gastric ulcer.

But that doesn’t put Associate Director He at ease.

He replays Zhou Can’s serious face and tone in his mind. There’s no way Zhou Can was talking about something this minor. It must be something big.

From then on, he’ll keep worrying about this and that, getting every possible test done from head to toe.

He won’t stop until cancer finally shows up in the results.

Living each day haunted by fear and suspicion like this, even a healthy body will eventually break under the pressure.

Zhou Can taught Associate Director He a lesson, and it felt pretty satisfying.

He did it to keep He from scheming in the workplace so much, quietly helping Director Xueyan by removing roadblocks.

He walked over to Director Xueyan’s office. Everything inside was eerily quiet.

Knock, knock, knock!

He knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

The voice sounded hoarse and dry.

Hearing it tugged painfully at his heart.

Zhou Can opened the door and looked inside. Director Xueyan seemed to have aged ten years overnight. Her hair was a mess, her face haggard, and her eyes were streaked with red.

Judging by her state, she probably hadn’t slept all night.

“Zhou Can!”

His unannounced visit left her flustered. She hurriedly tried to compose herself.

Zhou Can closed the door behind him and walked up to her.

“Sister Yan, how could you keep something so big from me? Dr. Hu Kan told me to help share your burdens if anything happened in the department. That’s my responsibility.”

Biting her lip, Director Xueyan murmured, “We failed. The surgery failed. I’ve dragged Cardiothoracic Surgery straight into the abyss. I’m a disgrace…” As she spoke, tears slid down her cheeks.

“Why are you crying?”

Zhou Can quickly grabbed two tissues from the desk and handed them over.

“First off, you’re not a disgrace. So what if a surgery failed? Even the greatest doctors have faced failure before making a name for themselves. I understand how hard this is for you. You’ve watched our department shrink while the Third Hospital and the Provincial People’s Hospital’s heart surgery division flourish. Even that hospital on the verge of bankruptcy, Xinxiang Hospital, is growing against all odds. As the department head, you’re far more anxious than anyone else.”

“You tried to change things, which is why you took the risk with a difficult surgery. Your intentions were good, and everything about the operation was by the book. So there’s no reason for you to blame yourself or feel guilty.”

Zhou Can knew comforting others wasn’t exactly his strong suit.

But seeing Director Xueyan this broken, with her confidence, determination, and willpower all shattered, he knew—

If he couldn’t help her get back on her feet, not only would Cardiothoracic Surgery collapse, but she herself might break entirely.

“I shouldn’t have been so reckless. I never should’ve taken that risk! Legally, I know I’m not at fault, but once our competitors find out, they’ll jump all over this to attack and slander our department. Under normal circumstances, it might not matter much. But now, with Dr. Hu gone less than two months, what will people think of us?”

Director Xueyan was a highly educated and intelligent woman.

She’d spent the night in her office, probably going over everything again and again.

She’d already thought through even the worst-case scenarios.

“I regret not listening to your advice, not keeping my cool. But now it’s too late.”

She closed her eyes in pain as tears flowed freely.

Zhou Can crouched down and took her hand.

Before, their relationship was close, like siblings, but they’d never been this physically close before.

He could tell she was uncomfortable and a little resistant.

She tried to pull her hand away.

“Sister Yan, do you trust me?”

He spoke with utmost seriousness.

“Of course I trust you.”

She opened her teary eyes and looked at him.

“Then let me make it clear—Cardiothoracic Surgery will absolutely survive this crisis. And you will get back on your feet soon and become the next star of the department.”

Zhou Can spoke with solemn conviction.

She just shook her head softly. No one understood the gravity of the crisis better than she did.

It wasn’t something anyone could just wish away.

Becoming a notable doctor was even harder.

The surgery she attempted this time wasn’t even the most difficult in heart surgery, and it still ended in failure. How could she call herself a star?

Quack doctors can talk themselves up all they want.

But in a reputable hospital, every true expert earns their reputation through hard-won skill and countless battles in the operating room.

All talk and no skill is just a bubble—one poke, and it bursts.

“Do you know why Dr. Hu Kan picked you as department head?”

Zhou Can asked her.

“It was a mistake!”

She replied.

Clearly, she was still mired in self-blame, regret, and doubt.

“Because Dr. Hu also believed you could become a leading doctor, that you’re fully capable of leading Cardiothoracic Surgery into a new era.” Zhou Can said this with unwavering resolve.

“I know you’re still hesitant to believe it. But let me tell you why: First, your depth of medical knowledge is already the foundation of a great doctor. You can’t deny that, can you?”

Zhou Can began gently, helping her see her strengths and rebuild her confidence step by step.

“Yeah, I guess that’s all I’ve got going for me.”

She nodded, sounding unconvinced.

Plenty of people have vast medical knowledge. Nowadays, anyone with a postgraduate degree is already an expert.

Maybe she knows a little more than most.

“You’ve also got incredible intuition. Whether it’s in diagnosing complex cases or picking up new surgical techniques, you’re more naturally gifted than anyone I’ve ever met. Without that, you never would’ve become the youngest chief physician in our department—a leader in both diagnosis and surgery.”

That was her second strength, as Zhou Can saw it.

She gave a small nod, quietly acknowledging the point.

“You have plenty of strengths! For example, when I first joined Cardiothoracic Surgery, you were only skilled in procedures for the chest. But after Dr. Hu’s accident, you started receiving focused training, and in less than three years you’ve dared to attempt advanced, level-four heart surgeries. Three years!”

Zhou Can made sure to highlight just how quickly she’d grown.

“Look at that maple on your windowsill!”

Now that he’d found a crack in her walls, Zhou Can pressed forward, pointing to the potted plant by her office window.

This was her private office, decorated however she liked.

A few potted plants sat by the window.

Most accomplished women seem to love using greenery to brighten their lives.

Flowers and plants add flavor and a sense of nature to everyday life.

Plus, green plants make for great décor.

They transform a dull space into one full of life.

“Heh… That maple was sent to me by a friend from the United States. Right now, its leaves are shedding—kinda like my situation.” She gave herself a sad, self-mocking smile.

“In autumn, this maple drops its leaves—it hurts, sure, but all winter long it rests and gathers its strength. As soon as spring arrives, it bursts again with tender green shoots, just as radiant as before.”

Zhou Can pulled out all the stops, doing his best to cheer her up.

“As long as we’re alive and breathing, there’s no reason to despair. Wins and losses are just like catching a cold—they pass. If your heart’s tired, give it a rest, and you’ll bloom again just like that maple. Knowing how to heal your own soul—that’s the hope that never dies.”

He used nature’s cycles as a metaphor for her current despair.

When he finished speaking, Zhou Can quietly held her hand to show her she wasn’t alone. Her brother was right here, standing by her side.

She wasn’t fighting this battle on her own.

Right now, there was nothing romantic in his heart, only pure sibling affection and a promise to stand by her when she needed it most.

Director Xueyan, a true scholar, slowly absorbed his words.

She tried to pull her hand back, but he held on tightly.

Time ticked by in silence.

Nearly ten minutes passed before the light returned to her eyes. Her old spark was back.

Like a lamp relit after being dark for ages.

Those ten minutes felt like centuries.

“Thank you. I think I’m okay now. I can face what’s in front of me. This winter is a test, a trial. If I can make it through this storm, nothing will ever shake my confidence again.”

She thanked Zhou Can sincerely.

“Can I get a hug?”

She looked at Zhou Can.

“Of course!”

He stood and helped her up too.

Then he wrapped her in a warm hug.

Unlike with a girlfriend, only their upper bodies touched—he kept the rest respectful.

“Alright, I know what I need to do next. Next time there’s a tough surgery, I’ll call you to help.”

Director Xueyan pulled away from him.

She brushed her hair out of her face.

“Heh, now I believe you really are okay. But let me correct you—don’t just call me for difficult surgeries, but also for tricky diagnoses. And if possible, try to arrange these in the evenings. You know I’ve just formed a new emergency surgery team, so I have to put in extra effort for a while.”

Seeing her leave the gloom behind and regain her confidence, Zhou Can couldn’t help but smile.

Nothing is more important than a person’s confidence.

“Deal! I’m honestly looking forward to seeing how strong your future surgery team becomes. Dr. Hu used to say your skills would surpass his one day.”

Their eyes met, the bond between them unmistakably deeper and closer than before.

Adversity reveals true loyalty.

It’s only through the hardest times you find out who’s genuine and who’s just pretending.

The fact that Xueyan asked for a hug—that meant she truly saw him as a brother.

But as a reserved intellectual, she was always subtle about her feelings.

“I’ll call you this evening to talk about Cardiothoracic Surgery’s development strategy, okay?”

Zhou Can still worried a little, afraid she might take a wrong turn again.

“Stop it with all the formalities! Just call me Sister Yan, or even use your usual nickname. What kind of little brother is all polite with his big sister? The more formal you are, the more distant it feels. Don’t you get that?”

With her heart opened up, the old Xueyan was back.

She even seemed wiser than before.

“Haha, that’s my bad! Sis, I’ll get going then!”

Zhou Can left with a smile.

Back at the Emergency Department, he didn’t go straight to the operating room. Instead, he knocked on the director’s office door.

“Oh, Zhou Can! Come on in, have a seat!”

Director Lou saw who it was and quickly greeted him with warmth.

Zhou Can was the Emergency Department’s top surgeon, and the department’s future rode on his shoulders. Talent like this deserved proper respect.

If they lost him, they’d have no one to blame but themselves.

“No need to sit. I just wanted to discuss a quick matter with you. Soon as we’re done, I have to get to the operating room or my teacher will have my head.”

“Haha, Dr. Xu is strict, but strict teachers make the best students. Go ahead, what’s up?”

Director Lou stopped making tea and turned his full attention to Zhou Can.

“The patient in bed 22 in the inpatient ward is struggling financially. When I did rounds last night, I saw the whole family—three of them—having instant noodles for dinner. The child wasn’t even full, let alone the adults. Could you tell the cafeteria to do them a favor? Say the hospital has a charity program that lets them eat for free. I’ll pay all their meal costs myself.”

Zhou Can had kept this in mind all along.

Grown-ups are pitiful, but kids are even more so.

If he could help, he would.

He couldn’t save everyone, but even helping one family mattered.

“Easy fix. I’ll get a meal card for them. If there’s another patient in real trouble, they can use it too. As for the meals, we’ll just cover the cost from the department’s performance bonus. You don’t need to pay out of pocket.”

Director Lou was looking out for him.

Now that Zhou Can had just become an attending physician, this month’s pay would be decent.

Still, who would turn down a little extra money?

It’s a good deed, but letting the department pay is also a way of supporting Zhou Can.

“No, no—I appreciate it, but honestly, I don’t depend on this little hospital salary. I’ll pay for their meals.”

Zhou Can knew the performance bonus was for everyone.

Dipping into it took some paperwork, too.

“Heh, if you insist. Word is you drive a Mercedes anyway.”

Director Lou chuckled and agreed.

Besides, the costs weren’t much at all.

“Alright then, I’ll get back to the OR. I’ll leave this to you.”

With everything sorted, Zhou Can went back to work in the operating room with peace of mind.