Chapter 537: A Lifeline, Cousin’s Invitation

At the moment Zhou Can is diving deep into the realm of rapid healing.

Based on the speed of human cell division and growth as well as the blood circulation around a wound, healing typically takes about one to two weeks.

That’s assuming the wound has been properly treated, kept dry, and free from infection.

Under normal circumstances, the time needed to remove stitches after surgical suturing varies depending on the wound’s location and the suturing itself, usually ranging from 4 to 12 days.

The surgery Zhou Can performed on Deputy Director Lu was minimally invasive, leaving a very small wound.

The surface cut that needed stitching was tiny, so healing to a decent extent in just three days is pretty standard.

The real challenge lies in the healing of internal wounds within the abdominal cavity.

The ruptured spleen, arterial blood vessels, and the sutured wounds after pancreatic tumor removal, along with the repair of intracranial arteries—these are the true hurdles.

Right now the patient’s external wounds are recovering well, which indirectly suggests that the internal recovery is also on track.

Think about it—if the internal wounds weren’t healing properly, the patient’s body would surely show all sorts of issues. The surface cuts wouldn’t recover this quickly either.

“By the way, I’ve got some good news to share. I reported to Director Zhu about Provincial People’s Hospital’s willingness to engage in medical exchanges with Tuyu Hospital. He took it very seriously, held a leadership meeting, and agreed to mutual learning between our hospitals to elevate medical standards across the province. Could your hospital send a representative to discuss the specifics of this exchange plan with our leaders?”

Zhou Can brought up the main topic.

Acting as a middleman between the two hospitals? He was more than happy to do it.

“No problem at all! I can call the director right now to check on this, so you’ll have an answer to take back.”

Director Xiang Fei seemed even more eager about this than Zhou Can.

It’s no surprise he’d be so invested. Tuyu Hospital has been on a remarkable upward trajectory lately, shining brighter with each passing day. The leaders at Provincial People’s Hospital were getting antsy, itching to learn a thing or two from Tuyu’s success.

With both sides keen on the idea, it was a match made in heaven.

If anything, Provincial People’s Hospital was the more desperate of the two.

Director Xiang Fei stepped out with his phone in hand.

Not long after, he returned with a smile on his face.

“Our Director Sheng has given the go-ahead. He’ll be sending the Vice-Director of Operations to Tuyu Hospital to discuss the exchange plan in detail. Once you’ve settled on a time, just let me know.”

While discussing this matter, it was clear that Director Xiang Fei kept his tone humble.

His demeanor reflected the attitude of Provincial People’s Hospital’s higher-ups.

With the matter settled, Zhou Can chatted a bit longer before standing to take his leave.

Director Xiang Fei stood to see him off, his attitude incredibly courteous.

“Please, don’t trouble yourself!”

Zhou Can didn’t dare let Director Xiang walk him all the way out.

Stepping out of the office, he quickly turned back to urge the director to return inside.

“Dr. Zhou, feel free to drop by anytime. Whether it’s for a casual chat over tea or to discuss medical insights, you’re always welcome,” Director Xiang Fei said with a warm smile.

“Sure thing. Just don’t get tired of me pestering you!”

Truth be told, Zhou Can was eager to learn critical care and emergency response knowledge from Director Xiang Fei.

Sure, during the last rescue of Deputy Director Lu, Zhou Can had easily diagnosed a deep vein thrombosis that Director Xiang missed. But that didn’t mean anything definitive.

Director Xiang’s skills weren’t lacking. In terms of experience and emergency know-how, he far surpassed Zhou Can.

Leaving Director Xiang’s office and passing by the ICU entrance, Zhou Can intended to check if the meal he’d ordered for Lu Fen had arrived. Instead, he noticed five or six men and women gathered around her.

Taking a closer look, Zhou Can realized he knew them all.

They were former colleagues from Tuyu Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Department—doctors and nurses alike—who had jumped ship to the Third Hospital. Now though, they looked worn out, their eyes lacking the old spark of confidence, their spirits visibly drained.

Not doing well, huh? Heavy pressure and shaken confidence naturally led to this kind of demeanor.

Any adult who’s struggling to make ends meet or facing setbacks at work ends up looking like this. For most grown-ups, their career—or more bluntly, their finances—is their main pillar of support.

“Brother, are you heading out?”

Lu Fen spotted Zhou Can with her sharp eyes and quickly called out to him.

She held a bag of delivered fast food in one hand and a box of strawberries in the other. Clearly, she hadn’t had a chance to eat yet, forced to entertain these visitors instead.

“Yeah, I’m heading back to work.”

Zhou Can nodded.

The group turned or looked up at him in unison.

“Dr. Zhou!”

They were visibly surprised.

Seeing Zhou Can here was unexpected enough, but hearing Lu Fen call him ‘brother’ so familiarly left them downright shocked.

“Chief Li, Chief Xing…”

Zhou Can greeted each of them with a smile.

These people were once prominent figures in Tuyu Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, holding titles like Chief Physician or Associate Chief Physician, laden with honors.

Back then, they were at the height of their glory.

Who would’ve thought that after jumping ship, everything would come to a screeching halt?

They hadn’t leapt into paradise. Instead, they’d fallen into an abyss, a personal hell. Life’s like that—nobody knows whether tomorrow or disaster will come first.

Tomorrow might bring something incredible.

Or it could plunge you into a bottomless pit.

“How are Dr. Zhou and Director Lu’s daughter siblings? We never knew you were relatives!”

Chief Li asked with burning curiosity.

“After my dad’s incident, Dr. Zhou rushed over and helped a ton, ensuring my dad survived. He’s also the person my dad trusts most, so I decided to call him my brother,” Lu Fen explained from the side.

“I see! Dr. Zhou, you’ve got a heart of gold. Even after Director Lu fell on hard times and left Tuyu, you still treat him with such kindness.”

After hearing her words, the way they looked at Zhou Can shifted noticeably.

They shared a similar fate with Director Lu, having taken the wrong path and fallen into their own pits of despair.

Many of their former Tuyu colleagues had cut ties with them, openly avoiding contact. That cold rejection made them feel the harsh realities of human nature all too keenly.

Zhou Can’s act of loyalty undoubtedly boosted their opinion of him.

“You’re here to visit Director Lu too, right? I just spoke with Director Xiang Fei from the ICU. He told me Director Lu’s recovery looks very promising. As long as no complications arise, he’s likely passed the danger of death.”

Zhou Can shared an update on Director Lu’s condition to put their minds at ease.

“Lu Fen hasn’t had lunch yet, so don’t keep her tied up. I’ve got something I’d like to discuss with you all—about returning to work at Tuyu.”

Zhou Can’s care and thoughtfulness for Lu Fen touched her deeply.

The Chief Physicians and Chief Nurses who had jumped to the Third Hospital perked up at Zhou Can’s words about returning to Tuyu. Their eyes lit up, faces brimming with excitement.

A genuine, irrepressible joy shone through them.

Trapped in despair and darkness, Zhou Can was like a ray of light breaking through, illuminating their path.

“We… can we really go back to working at Tuyu Hospital?”

Chief Li’s hands clasped tightly together, barely able to believe it.

His eyes were full of hope.

“I can only say there’s a chance, but it’ll take effort from all of you to make it happen. This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s find somewhere quieter to discuss.”

Zhou Can spoke calmly.

“Great, that’s perfect! There’s a café right across the street. How about we book a private room there to chat?” Chief Li, clearly the spokesperson of the group, suggested.

Back at Tuyu, he’d always had a certain influence.

His academic and clinical diagnostic skills were top-notch. Among the defected Chief Physicians, aside from slightly weaker surgical skills, his academic achievements and diagnostic abilities were second to none.

“Sounds like a good plan. A private room will be quieter, and we can sip some tea while we talk.”

Zhou Can nodded in agreement.

“Niece, we’ll head out now! We’ll come visit Old Lu another day.”

“Alright, thank you, uncles and aunties! Take care!”

Lu Fen waved them off.

Zhou Can and the group made their way to a private room in the teahouse, where they crowded around him as if he were their lifeline.

To think, these people were once brimming with pride and arrogance.

“I’ve heard about your struggles from Director Lu. I’m curious—do you want to return to work at Tuyu Hospital? If this is just my wishful thinking, there’s no point in pushing the matter further.”

Zhou Can tested the waters, gauging their true intentions.

“How could we not want to? Back then, I’d go home and crash into bed. Now I can’t sleep a wink, lying there wondering why I ever left a good job to end up in this miserable state. I could slap myself silly for it.”

“If I can go back to Tuyu Hospital, I’m willing to pay any price. The Third Hospital is a wolf that devours without spitting out the bones. We’re too weak to fight it. All I want now is to escape this hellhole.”

“After jumping ship, I only got one month’s base salary. Now my husband argues with me every day, scolding me for leaving. Even my son doesn’t understand me. Sometimes I think about doing what Director Lu did—ending it all by jumping.”

…

One by one, the chiefs poured out their woes, tears welling up as they recounted their pitiful situations.

The path they chose led to this, and they likely regretted it to their core.

After listening, Zhou Can had a clear sense of where they stood.

“If you’re serious about returning to Tuyu Hospital, you’ll need to make a big fuss—draw attention and concern from higher authorities. Director Lu’s jump created an opportunity for you…”

Zhou Can began strategizing with them.

They discussed for a good half-hour in the teahouse’s private room before Zhou Can had to rush back to the hospital for work.

When it came time to pay, Chief Li insisted on covering the bill, refusing to let Zhou Can touch it.

Zhou Can didn’t push back on that.

He’d brought them hope of returning to Tuyu Hospital, and they now saw him as their savior.

He’d done all he could to help.

Whether they could stir up enough waves to save themselves was now up to them.

On his way back to Tuyu Hospital, Zhou Can first called Director Zhu to report that Provincial People’s Hospital had agreed to send their Vice-Director of Operations for discussions.

Hearing that Zhou Can had brought back good news from Provincial People’s Hospital so quickly, Director Zhu sounded thrilled.

“Excellent, fantastic! Let them know we’re rolling out the welcome mat and are ready to host them anytime. We’ll arrange for Deputy Director Ye, of the same rank, to receive them.”

Reciprocity has always been a cornerstone of external relations.

Since Provincial People’s Hospital was sending a vice-director, Tuyu couldn’t just send a department chief to meet them.

Out of courtesy and respect, matching their rank with a vice-director was the right call.

As for direct talks between the head directors of both hospitals right off the bat? That’s nearly impossible.

Unless Director Zhu and the director of Provincial People’s Hospital were already close acquaintances with a solid rapport.

Clearly, they had no such connection.

Especially a couple of years back when Dr. Hu Kan passed away, Provincial People’s Hospital and other major hospitals ganged up to suppress Tuyu’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Department. That was akin to open warfare.

When two hospitals clash, resentment inevitably builds.

At the very least, there’d be some lingering bitterness among the higher-ups.

Now, with Zhou Can playing mediator, helping the two hospitals shake hands and make peace, he’d made a significant contribution to the stability and progress of medical care in the province.

Once this deal is sealed, his efforts won’t go unnoticed.

If he ever competes for key positions like vice-director or director at the hospital in the future, this achievement will be a trump card in his favor.

It’s like a fresh graduate entering the workforce. Every honor earned or proud experience gained during their studies becomes a competitive edge when job hunting.

…

Zhou Can threw himself into facilitating the medical exchange between the two hospitals, no question about it.

After finishing his shift that evening, he headed to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department to help out as usual.

His phone buzzed to life.

Pulling it out, he saw it was a call from his aunt’s daughter, Chen Shangmei.

Zhou Can had never been particularly fond of his aunt’s family.

They were incredibly snobbish and always scheming.

Dealing with people like that required constant vigilance. One slip, and they’d manipulate or use you without a second thought.

He didn’t want to answer, but his cousin was relentless, calling again moments later.

He was tempted to just block her number.

Of course, that was just a fleeting thought—he couldn’t actually do it.

With a hint of reluctance, he picked up.

“Shangmei, hey.”

The more polite Zhou Can was, the more distant he sounded.

Of course, for thick-skinned folks, this tactic rarely worked.

“Cousin, why didn’t you pick up earlier? I’ve called you a dozen times and even left messages on WeChat, but you never replied,” she complained.

“Oh, sorry about that. I’ve been working and didn’t notice.”

Zhou Can brushed it off.

Truth was, he’d seen the calls and messages—he just didn’t want to respond.

He was swamped day and night. Unimportant calls or texts? He genuinely didn’t have the energy to deal with them.

Most of the time, he just ignored them outright.

“Are you off work now?”

“Yeah. What’s up?”

Zhou Can’s tone remained cool.

“Can’t I call you just to chat? We’re family, after all! I want to treat you to dinner tonight. No refusing—I’ve already booked the restaurant.”

Her tone was a bit overbearing.

If Zhou Can were close to her, this kind of assertiveness might feel endearing or familiar.

But now? Hah, let’s not take ourselves too seriously.

“Dinner, huh? I’ve got to work overtime tonight, so I’m afraid I don’t have the time. Let’s plan for another day when I’m free.”

Zhou Can turned her down flat.