She was hesitating about how to speak to Níng Shèn, but Níng Shèn had already turned to face her.
"You don't need to come to the company tomorrow or the day after."
Róng Xī was taken aback. "Why?"
"You were supposed to have the weekend off. Since this took up your weekend time, it's only natural to give you those rest days back," Níng Shèn explained calmly.
In the passenger seat.
Zhōu Yànqīng, who had long forgotten what holidays were, cast a resentful glance at Níng Shèn.
Boss, can you not be so biased?!
Not only do I not have to take leave, but I also get two days off.
Róng Xī's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, President Níng."
"This is your holiday to begin with." Níng Shèn took in the young girl's delighted expression. "Where are you going? I'll drive you."
"No, no need." Róng Xī quickly refused. "Just stop at the intersection ahead, and I'll take a taxi back myself."
At home, besides Róng Yù, no one knew she was interning at Ning Corporation. If her parents saw Níng Shèn driving her, it would surely cause complications.
The driver stopped the car at the intersection as Róng Xī requested. Zhōu Yànqīng got out to help her with her luggage, and Níng Shèn also got out with her.
"Yànqīng, help Xīxi get a taxi."
Zhōu Yànqīng flagged down a taxi. Níng Shèn personally saw Róng Xī into the car, watching her buckle her seatbelt.
"Don't be nervous. Your brother's surgery will go very smoothly."
He knew?
Róng Xī turned around, surprised. Níng Shèn had already closed the car door for her and stepped back, signaling the driver to go.
She turned back and looked through the car window. In the myriad of lights, the tall man was gazing in her direction from afar.
Róng Xī's heart skipped a beat. A warmth spread through her chest, melting like sugar in water.
As the taxi pulled away, Níng Shèn stood by the roadside, meticulously noting the taxi's license plate number. After watching the car merge into the traffic, he returned to the back seat and took out his phone to call Róng Yù's attending physician, Doctor Gu.
"What time is the surgery scheduled for tomorrow?"
"Ten in the morning. What's wrong?"
Níng Shèn lowered his lashes, gazing at his fingers for a moment before softly uttering four words.
"Arrange it. I'm going too."
Doctor Gu gasped, then his tone became excited.
"Finally willing to return to the operating room?"
"I'm just observing."
"Understood. You're the boss, you call the shots. Róng Yù's case is indeed quite special. There might be various unforeseen situations during the surgery. With you there, I'll have even more confidence." Doctor Gu chuckled. "Indeed, the young beauty has more influence than I do. My curiosity has reached its peak. Can you give me a hint about how exactly you and that young beauty..."
Níng Shèn raised his right hand and lightly tapped the end call button, cutting off Doctor Gu's gossiping.
He slipped his phone back into his pocket, leaned back against the seat, and relaxed.
"I'll need to rest for half the day tomorrow morning. All work will be rescheduled."
Rest?
This was the first time Zhōu Yànqīng had ever heard Níng Shèn utter such a word.
Zhōu Yànqīng turned his head. "Including the board meeting?"
Níng Shèn gazed at Róng Xī's face on the screen.
"Including."
Zhōu Yànqīng's eyebrows twitched slightly. Rescheduling work was not new for Níng Shèn. But rescheduling the weekly board meeting, held without fail every Monday, was a first in his years as an assistant. What could possibly be more important to Níng Shèn than the board meeting?
*
*
Early in the morning, everyone in the Róng Family was up before dawn. Even Róng Xī, who rarely got to rest, was awake. The second eldest son, Róng Jǐn, had flown back from abroad. Even the eldest son, currently on a mission overseas, had specifically called to inquire about the situation. After breakfast, they all drove to the hospital together. Everyone tried to appear relaxed. In reality, no one had slept well that night, including Róng Xī. They had consulted countless doctors over the past three months, and this wasn't Róng Yù's first surgery. Even the attending physician, Doctor Gu, had stated that the success rate was only fifty percent. Fifty-fifty. No one could be certain of the outcome. This was the work of top global labs, top doctors, and top operating rooms... The Róng Family understood that this was Róng Yù's last chance. If it failed again, it would mean spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Of course, as they entered the ward, everyone put on a relaxed front, as if Róng Yù was only about to undergo a minor appendectomy.
"Here... this is for you!" Róng Xī placed the dessert she had specially brought back from France on the table. "You can eat it when you wake up after surgery."
Róng Yù winked at her. "Remember to keep an eye on it for me, so second brother doesn't sneak a bite."
Róng Jǐn walked over and put his arm around Róng Xī's shoulder. "Don't think I can't hear you. What bad things are you two saying about me again?"
Róng Xī grinned mischievously. "It's a secret between me and third brother, I won't tell you."
"You little rascal!"
Róng Jǐn pinched her cheek lightly, his gaze falling on Róng Yù. A flicker of affection crossed the man's eyes behind his glasses. He reached out and patted his younger brother's back. "For Xīxi's sake, I won't argue with you." With that, he pulled his siblings into a hug. Mother Rong's eyes welled up as she watched her three children. Father Rong, embracing his wife, patted her back comfortingly. Just then, two nurses entered. "Mr. Róng Yù, it's time for your pre-operative preparations."
"Alright, shall we go out?" Father Rong gestured gently, and they all left the ward. At this moment, Doctor Gu, in his white coat, arrived at the ward entrance with his assistant. The assistant handed over the necessary "surgery confirmation forms" for the Róng Family to sign. Doctor Gu smiled kindly. "These are just routine procedures, don't be nervous. We'll do our absolute best. Alright, then we'll... see you in the operating room."
Half an hour later, Róng Yù was escorted to the operating room by his family. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head on the operating table. Two doctors entered, one after the other. Besides Doctor Gu, there was a tall man. Although the man was fully geared up like all the doctors, with only his eyes visible, Róng Yù sensed an extraordinary aura about him. This man was not among the consulting specialists Róng Yù had met before. But his intuition told him this man was no ordinary person. "Who is he?"
"He..." Doctor Gu smiled. "My special assistant. We're about to start, Mr. Róng, are you ready?"
Róng Yù took a deep breath and nodded slightly. "I'm ready."
"Good." Doctor Gu nodded. "Anesthesia."
In front of his family and all the doctors, he showed no trace of nervousness or worry. Yet, deep down, Róng Yù was more anxious than anyone. A gloved hand landed on his shoulder. Róng Yù turned his head, meeting the man's eyes. It was Doctor Gu's "special assistant." Before the anesthetic took his consciousness, Róng Yù noticed a small detail. There was a tiny red tear mole on the side of the man's left eye.
Outside the operating room.
Róng Xī, along with her parents and second brother, waited patiently and anxiously. Five hours. Three hundred minutes. Every second, every minute, was torture. Ding— With a soft chime, the red light outside the operating room finally dimmed. Seeing Doctor Gu emerge from the operating room, they all crowded around him. No one dared to speak, silently waiting for Doctor Gu to break the silence. Pulling down his mask, Doctor Gu smiled at them. "The surgery went very smoothly. You'll be able to see Mr. Róng Yù very soon."
The four of them simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. Róng Xī pursed her lips, wanting to ask, but swallowed the words before they could leave her mouth. Just then, inside the operating room, medical staff were pushing Róng Yù out. They rushed forward, following the medical staff towards the elevator. "Mom, Dad, second brother, you go ahead. I need to go to the restroom." Róng Xī stopped at the elevator doors. After the doors closed, she turned and walked back toward the operating room. She hadn't dared to ask in front of the Róng Family earlier, afraid of upsetting her parents. But without knowing the specific situation, she couldn't rest easy. After a while, the operating room door finally opened again. Doctor Gu and another male doctor, also in a white coat and mask, walked out. Seeing Róng Xī standing outside the door, they both looked surprised. "Doctor Gu."
Róng Xī stood up from her chair. She had stood up too quickly and her vision went black, feeling a bit dizzy. Worried about her brother, she hadn't eaten much breakfast. By now, all that breakfast had been digested, and her blood sugar was low. As her vision flickered, the "unfamiliar male doctor" strode forward and steadied her by the arm. A familiar scent, mixed with disinfectant, wafted to her nose. Róng Xī composed herself and instinctively looked up at him with a grateful smile. "Thank you." Her gaze met his eyes, and she paused slightly. This person... looked familiar. The male doctor released her and took a step back. Doctor Gu smiled and asked, "Miss Róng, is something wrong?" Róng Xī withdrew her gaze from the male doctor. "Doctor Gu, how is my brother's leg... really?" "The surgery was very successful. If there are no unforeseen complications, it should be a good result. Of course..." Doctor Gu smiled at her. "We'll need to perform an examination on your brother once he's awake to confirm the final outcome. You should return to the ward and wait for me there."
"Okay. Thank you." Róng Xī felt slightly reassured, nodded, and walked towards the elevator. Behind her, hurried footsteps. Róng Xī instinctively turned around, only to see the doctor who had just helped her hurrying after her. While she was still wondering, he extended his hand and stuffed something into her palm. Róng Xī looked down at her open fingers. In her palm lay a White Rabbit candy. "Thank you." The other person didn't speak, merely nodded at her and turned to walk away briskly. Her gaze lingered on the man's retreating back. Róng Xī felt a sense of familiarity. Ding— The elevator reached the floor. She stepped inside, looked at the candy in her palm, and couldn't help but shake her head slightly. It was the first time she had met a man who, like her, liked White Rabbit candy. No... It wasn't the first time. Róng Xī suddenly remembered that the time she fainted in front of Níng Shèn, Níng Shèn had also fed her a White Rabbit candy. Come to think of it, their builds were quite similar. Could the man just now be Níng Shèn? No! She quickly dismissed the thought. Níng Shèn was definitely in a meeting room right now. How could he be at the hospital? The elevator reached the floor, and Róng Xī hurried to the ward to rejoin her family. An hour later, Róng Yù slowly regained consciousness. The nurse notified Doctor Gu. A moment later, Doctor Gu entered the ward with several resident doctors. After a brief examination of Róng Yù, he pulled back the blanket, took a cotton swab from his assistant, and lightly stroked the outer edge of Róng Yù's heel. Róng Yù's leg injury had persisted for so long that the Róng Family had learned much about it. Róng Xī also knew that Doctor Gu was performing the plantar reflex test on Róng Yù. If Róng Yù had a normal reflex, it would indicate that his nervous system had resumed functioning. All eyes were fixed on Róng Yù's toes. However, his toes showed no reaction. The atmosphere in the ward turned somewhat rigid. Róng Yù lay on the pillow, unable to see his feet, but he guessed the result from everyone's reactions. He lowered his lashes, a shadow of melancholy falling over his eyes. Buzz— The phone vibrated, breaking the silence in the ward. "Excuse me, I need to take this call." Doctor Gu took his phone and walked out of the ward. Glancing at the name "Níng Shèn" on the screen, he answered the call. "How is it?" Níng Shèn asked. "No plantar reflex," Doctor Gu said with a frown. "How is that possible? The surgery was clearly very successful." "When did he wake up?" "About five minutes ago." "The anesthetic is still taking effect. Wait ten minutes, and try again." "Okay, I'll try." After hanging up, Doctor Gu returned to the ward and smiled at everyone. "Don't worry, everyone. Mr. Róng's anesthetic hasn't completely worn off yet. Let's wait ten minutes and try again." No one spoke. Róng Xī reached out and held Róng Yù's right hand. Feeling his sister's encouragement, Róng Yù raised his lashes and smiled at her. "Don't worry, third brother is fine." Doctor Gu stood at the foot of the bed, listening to the man comforting his sister. His brow furrowed deeper. He had seen many patients like Róng Yù. In most cases, it was the family members comforting the patient. This was the first time he had seen a patient comforting his family in such a situation. Even Doctor Gu felt a pang of sympathy. Such a man, how could heaven bear to inflict this upon him? He glanced at his watch, picked up a cotton swab, and said, "Come, let's try again!" He extended his right hand, dipped the cotton swab, and stroked Róng Yù's heel again. This time, he applied a little more pressure. Time seemed to stand still. Staring at her brother's toes, Róng Xī unconsciously tightened her grip on Róng Yù's fingers and held her breath. "038 Possessiveness Takes Over (1)" Róng Yù's toes trembled slightly. The movement was so subtle it was almost imperceptible if one wasn't looking closely. Doctor Gu let out a soft sigh of relief, his eyes curving into a smile. "Congratulations, Mr. Róng Yù. Your nervous system has begun to resume functioning." Róng Yù frowned slightly, meeting Doctor Gu's eyes, his voice trembling a little. "What... did you say?" The entire Róng Family stared intently at Doctor Gu, afraid they had heard incorrectly. Doctor Gu smiled. "As long as you diligently undergo rehabilitation treatment from now on, you'll be able to stand up again very soon." Róng Xī turned excitedly and threw her arms around Róng Yù's neck. "Congratulations, third brother! I knew... I knew you would get better!" Róng Yù wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders, his face beaming with unconcealed joy. "Of course! I'm this handsome, how could heaven bear to let me be crippled?" The second eldest, Róng Jǐn, playfully pushed his brother. "How dare you say you're handsome in front of me?" "If Little Xī says it, is third brother more handsome than second brother?" Róng Xī straightened up and grinned mischievously, "Both are handsome!" Listening to her three children bickering playfully, Mother Rong also broke into a smile. As she smiled, her eyes welled up. Having watched her son suffer from illness for these three months, a mother's heart ached the most. Father Rong comforting placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, discreetly gave her a handkerchief, and then turned to Doctor Gu apologetically. "I'm sorry, Doctor Gu. You've witnessed our theatrics. This time, we truly thank you." "Yes, Doctor Gu, thank you!" ... Róng Xī and the others also turned serious faces to Doctor Gu, expressing their gratitude. "You're welcome, it's my job." Doctor Gu smiled back at them, his gaze settling on Róng Yù's face. "For the next few days, you should rest well. We will formulate a rehabilitation plan as soon as possible." The surgery was only the first step in the treatment; the subsequent rehabilitation was also a crucial and indispensable part. Róng Yù nodded. "I will cooperate fully with the treatment." Seeing Doctor Gu about to leave, they all hurried to see him off. "No, no, we're all familiar with each other, no need to be so formal." Doctor Gu waved his hands, stopping them. "Remember to notify Eldest Brother. I'll see Doctor Gu off." Róng Xī grabbed her phone and hurried out, walking with Doctor Gu to the corridor turn. "Thank you so much for curing my brother this time. Please also convey to Mr. Lion, on behalf of myself and our entire Róng Family, our gratitude." If "Lion" hadn't personally devised the surgical plan for Róng Yù, the surgery probably wouldn't have gone so smoothly. Róng Xī understood this. "Don't worry, I'll definitely tell him." Doctor Gu replied with a smile. "Also..." Róng Xī pursed her lips and smiled. "To show our appreciation, I'd like to sponsor your laboratory in Asia. Who should I contact?" "This..." Doctor Gu was taken aback. "This project has just started and cannot accept public donations yet." "Is that so? Then maybe another time." After seeing Doctor Gu off, Róng Xī took out her phone, intending to notify Níng Shèn about this news. Buzz— Her phone vibrated. Her cousin, Péi Zǐyǎn, happened to call. "Has Little Yù's surgery finished? How was it?" "The surgery was very successful. He'll be able to stand up soon." "That's great." Hearing Róng Xī's answer, Péi Zǐyǎn's tone was also excited. "Thank heavens." "I have to thank you again this time, cousin." "What are you saying? It's only natural..." Péi Zǐyǎn changed the subject. "By the way, President Róng, have you considered the new equipment I mentioned to you before...?" Before he could finish, Róng Xī replied with a single word. "Buy!" "President Róng is brilliant." Péi Zǐyǎn quickly flattered him. "Then I'll arrange it now." "Wait." Róng Xī glanced around and moved to a secluded spot. "Are you aware of the recent activities of the Lion laboratory in Asia?" "What activities?" As expected, even he didn't know. Róng Xī narrowed her eyes and quickly changed the topic, ending the call. She opened her phone's web browser and tried to search for news related to Lion. Similarly, she found no information about the Lion laboratory's activities in the Asian region seeking patients for treatment. Such an event would surely have some news online. Unless... there was no such event at all.