Chapter 583: A Wedding Invitation and Digital Surgery’s Dawn

But Zhou Can only had so much time and energy. Juggling Pediatrics, Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Emergency Department had already drained him. There was just no way he could take on another front.

Unless one day he could train a skilled surgical team to handle routine emergency operations, freeing himself up to tackle the tough, complex cases.

At that point, he wouldn’t even blink at running four departments at once. Heck, he could coordinate an entire department without breaking a sweat.

That was one of Zhou Can’s big ambitions.

A group of them headed to the cafeteria for lunch.

Ma Xiaolan walked along, eyes glued to her phone, clearly engrossed in a chat.

Given that blissful look on her face, anyone could tell—even with their eyes closed—that she was texting her sweetheart.

It’s funny how the world works—opposites really do attract.

Who would have thought that a playboy like Du Leng would be so thoroughly tamed by her?

With Du Leng’s usual love-them-and-leave-them attitude, the fact that he’d stayed with Ma Xiaolan for so long was hard to believe. No one really knew what secret technique she used to hold onto him.

Some women excel at pampering men, some connect on a soulful level, others are great homemakers… Whatever it is, any woman who can hold a man’s heart has at least one irresistible quality.

Ma Xiaolan was attractive enough, but she didn’t compare to absolute stunners like Su Qianqian or Yang Chan.

And when it came to charisma, she was still a step behind the likes of Jiang Wei and Su Qianqian.

Jiang Wei, for example, radiated that unique blend of competence, confidence, and intelligence that lit up the room. In Zhou Can’s eyes she was the rare woman with beauty and top-tier presence.

A person’s presence actually depends on a lot of things.

Take a street vendor, for instance. They usually carry the scent of money and come off as sharp, maybe even a little sly.

But teachers—especially those in elementary, middle, or high school—often seem cultured and dignified, there’s almost a hallowed quality about them.

The point is, all those habits and experiences slowly shape someone’s vibe. Wealth, knowledge, mindset, character—they all play a big part.

So Ma Xiaolan was high on looks, average on charisma, yet somehow managed to tie Du Leng down tight.

As they ate, a figure quickly strode over from the entrance on the second floor.

He walked straight up to Zhou Can’s table and greeted them with a bright smile, “Hey, everyone!”

It was none other than Du Leng.

It had been a while, and Du Leng looked like a new man—his attitude transformed.

He practically radiated confidence, a spark shining in his eyes.

“Hi there!”

As the team leader, Zhou Can kept things courteous with Du Leng—despite any old grudges—for Ma Xiaolan’s sake.

“I know you’re Xiaolan’s closest colleagues. Xiaolan and I are getting married next month—on the 9th, to celebrate lasting happiness. I wanted to invite you all to our wedding, if that’s okay?”

Du Leng didn’t really know Zhou Can’s team well.

So yeah, inviting them to the wedding was a bold move.

Wedding invitations mean gifts—even a token 200 yuan counts as a favor.

Most lunches cost just fifteen or thirty yuan.

Two hundred yuan could buy you lunch for a week.

Plus, attending meant making time for it.

If you weren’t close friends or family, not many people would bother.

“Wow, so soon? Congratulations, Xiaolan!”

Qiao Yu was the first to offer her blessings.

“Congratulations!”

The others chimed in right after.

Just now, Ma Xiaolan must have texted Du Leng to invite everyone personally—it showed sincerity.

She definitely remembered that Zhou Can and Du Leng had clashed in the past.

But with the last two or three years for everyone to grow, old tensions had finally eased.

Of course, with Zhou Can’s strength and vast network now, Du Leng’s PhD didn’t count for much—even as a postdoc he couldn’t hold a candle to Zhou Can.

Degrees are great, but ability and connections matter far more.

Du Leng’s contacts in the hospital weren’t great apart from Director Xie. Some hospital leaders liked him at first.

But they soon realized he was all theory, lacking practical skill. Worse, he paraded his overseas PhD like a badge, flaunting his superiority. They might’ve held their tongues, but in their hearts, they labeled him as a lost cause.

One by one, they gave up on him, and before long Du Leng was sidelined.

“The 9th next month? Where’s the wedding going to be?”

Zhou Can asked as he set down his chopsticks.

He actually stopped eating.

Talking with your mouth full is just rude—it comes off as uneducated, and makes people look down on you.

Especially those who were coddled at home and grew up smacking their lips at the table. They might not notice, and their parents, out of love, might let it slide.

But do it with colleagues, leaders or friends and it quickly becomes off-putting.

“Xiaolan and I knew you’re all busy, so we booked the Vienna Hotel right near the hospital. Xiaolan told me you’re her dearest friends—she really hopes you can join us and share our happiness. Please, if you’re free, we’d love to see you there!”

As he spoke, Du Leng took out a neat stack of invitations he’d prepared ahead of time.

He only really knew Zhou Can and Ma Xiaolan, so he let Xiaolan hand out invites to everyone else.

Each invitation had the recipient’s name written on it.

You could tell that Du Leng and Ma Xiaolan put a ton of thought into inviting everyone.

“The ceremony starts at eleven in the morning, right?”

“That’s right!”

“Alright, I’ll be sure to get approval for leave and come out to congratulate you both.”

Zhou Can immediately made it clear he’d attend.

He was the main guest after all, as the team leader. Du Leng showing up in person with the invitation was his way of showing respect.

“Thank you so much!”

Du Leng thanked Zhou Can over and over.

Zhou Can’s willingness to let bygones be bygones and attend their wedding was extremely generous.

After all, Du Leng had played some dirty tricks on Zhou Can before, pushing him around.

If Zhou Can had been narrow-minded, the two of them would’ve never spoken again.

Once Zhou Can agreed, the others followed suit, promising to come and celebrate—as long as they could get time off.

“I heard Dr. Du’s working on a digital surgery project. Things are going well, right?”

Zhou Can wasn’t the type to focus on surgery alone, ignoring everything else around him.

With Director Xie’s support, Du Leng had set up Tuyu Hospital’s very first digital operating room. Word was, they’d reached the clinical experimental stage.

Digital surgery itself was a huge trend—its concept was cutting-edge.

With AI developing rapidly, digital surgery was leaping from ideas to actual clinical practice.

If this project succeeded, the plan was to link up top-tier medical experts nationwide to perform online surgeries and diagnoses. Take Zhou Can, for instance—if he needed to help out at the Provincial People’s Hospital or Xinxiang Hospital, that was doable since they were nearby.

But if he had to go out of province—or all the way to the Imperial or Magic City—there’s no way.

Too far. Even flying would eat up most of a day.

With digital surgery, let’s say a hospital in Imperial City or anywhere else got a really tough case—the kind Zhou Can specialized in—they could invite him for online surgical support.

Zhou Can could sit right in his office at Tuyu Hospital and help a patient thousands of miles away get their operation done.

So, digital surgery really was the next big thing.

Same goes for remote diagnosis—doctors could check scans and talk face-to-face with patients online.

People shouldn’t underestimate just how much easier online consultation makes things.

For chronic illnesses, patients could simply book a remote appointment.

The doctor would order tests, patients would upload the results, and the doctor would offer a diagnosis. If hospitalization was needed, they’d arrange that; otherwise, patients could get meds delivered and take them at home.

Even surgery could be handled remotely—patients could pick a local hospital with good equipment, and the doctor would perform the procedure online.

There’s no doubt—digital surgery had enormous potential.

It’s not just about remote operations or diagnosis.

Surgery itself could be fully digitized.

It could even be more precise than human hands.

For common illnesses, computers could handle diagnosis, prescriptions, even straightforward operations.

When that day comes, healthcare layoffs might just sweep the field.

Look at self-driving cars—once people thought drivers were untouchable. Now, with autonomous vehicles spreading everywhere, it’s only a matter of time before being a driver is obsolete.

No need to know how to drive. Just tap a screen, set your destination, and your car takes you there safely.

It can even park itself.

If you finish work or errands, you don’t need to go to a dark parking garage—just press a button and your car drives itself up to meet you.

Digitalization and AI are the way of the future.

A silent revolution is already underway.

Remember when you had to stand in line at the bank just to deposit or withdraw cash? Mobile payments came along and forced banks to up their game.

Gone are the days when you had to beg for help or deal with surly bank clerks.

“Dr. Zhou, you’re interested in this too? Things are going smoothly for now. If all goes well, digital and traditional surgeries will soon work side by side here at Tuyu Hospital.”

This time, Du Leng spoke with newfound confidence.

Gone was the bluster—he sounded much more grounded.

“You know, digital healthcare is already being tested abroad. Once it’s ready, patients overseas will finally be able to afford treatment. Our country needs to seize this chance—we can’t afford to lag behind.”

It was the first time Du Leng hinted at any patriotism.

Making sure the country didn’t fall behind in digital healthcare—that was true patriotism.

“I honestly had no idea. If you manage to set up the country’s first digital clinic, that’d be an incredible achievement. Good luck.”

Zhou Can wholeheartedly supported him.

Their personal history was beside the point.

National interests had to come before personal grudges.

“Alright, I’ve got to run. We’ll look forward to seeing you all at the wedding.”

After handing out the invitations, Du Leng said his goodbyes.

He made sure to give a special farewell to Ma Xiaolan, promising to meet after work.

You could tell just by looking—they really loved each other.

……

That night at home, Zhou Can talked to Su Qianqian about Ma Xiaolan’s upcoming wedding. Hearing about it, Su Qianqian’s eyes filled with longing.

She and Zhou Can had been planning their own wedding for ages. Everything was ready.

Now, all that was left was for Zhou Can to take some time off and go to her hometown for the formal engagement.

But he’d been so busy. Even so, Su Qianqian never complained or pushed him, always understanding and supportive.

Hearing his colleague was getting married, it was clear—she wanted to become Zhou Can’s wife soon too.

There was a world of difference between being just a girlfriend and being a wife.

Even in ancient times, when men had several wives, the main wife’s status was still untouchable.

Every woman, at heart, longs for security.

Zhou Can could see what she was thinking. Letting things drag on made him feel guilty, too.

He wrapped his arms around Su Qianqian and said softly, “Qian Qian, can you give me a little more time? The Cardiothoracic Department’s been overwhelmed lately, and there can’t be any slip ups. I’ve had to help with tough cases and major operations. When Dr. Hu Kan handed Cardiothoracic Surgery to Director Xueyan and me, I promised I’d live up to it.”

“Now, Emergency Surgery has its own issues—I have to revamp things and boost quality. If I took a few days off, Dr. Xu would be under a ton of pressure, and Emergency surgeries would take a big hit. Just give me two or three months. I’ll take four days off, go to your hometown with you, and settle everything. Okay?”

He discussed it openly with her.

“I understand, and I’m willing to wait. Just focus on your work. If worst comes to worst, you can just call my uncle and aunt and explain—we’ll all understand.”

Su Qianqian pressed her cheek against his chest and leaned in close.

Finding such a wonderful girlfriend was truly Zhou Can’s good fortune. But he had given so much for her too.

Back when she was battling kidney disease, most men would have walked away from a woman facing that.