Surgery in Progress

Time passed quickly, and finally, the day of Fang Wenjing’s kidney transplant surgery arrived.

The light outside the operating room remained on, with red words scrolling across the electronic screen. Fang Zhou, Li Siming, and Su Yang sat outside, waiting anxiously.

They had gone from initial anxiety to pacing nervously, and finally, due to the long wait, they ended up sitting on the benches, watching short videos to pass the time.

Fang Zhou was the most anxious of them all.

He couldn’t even focus on his phone, his eyes fixed on the operating room door, ready to rush in and ask about the situation at any moment.

Seeing his friend’s distress, Li Siming handed him a bottle of energy drink and tried to comfort him, “It’s been four or five hours already. We probably have to wait a bit longer.”

Su Yang nodded in agreement, “Yeah, why don’t we go grab a bite to eat and come back?”

Fang Zhou had been there since early morning, never leaving the operating room door, let alone eating.

But Fang Zhou shook his head, refusing their offer.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll stay here.”

Li Siming and Su Yang exchanged glances, understanding his stubbornness.

This was his only sister; he couldn’t bear to leave her side.

“Alright, I’ll go get some food and bring it back for both of you.”

“Excuse me, are you Mr. Fang Zhou?”

Just as he finished speaking, a delivery person who had just come up by elevator asked.

Fang Zhou looked up, puzzled, “That’s me. What’s up?”

“Oh, Mr. Fang, someone ordered food for you. Please accept it.”

The delivery person handed him the ‘Mr. XX’ order and quickly left.

The three of them looked at each other in surprise.

Li Siming was the first to speak, “Well, looks like you’re not going hungry, but we might be!”

He was just joking; it was good that someone cared about Fang Zhou.

Su Yang laughed and patted Li Siming on the shoulder, teasing, “Why don’t you have your girlfriend order food for you? Then I won’t have to.”

Fang Zhou was equally confused.

“I have no idea who sent this!”

“Check if there’s a note.”

Fang Zhou looked at the long slip on the takeout box and found a note, but it wasn’t the sender’s name. It was a simple blessing: “Wishing your sister a successful surgery.”

Just a few simple words, but they conveyed the sender’s concern.

“Oh~ I’m sure it’s a girl! No guy would be this subtle!”

Li Siming teased Fang Zhou, winking, “Better not let Qin Yun find out~”

Or she’d get jealous again.

Fang Zhou scratched his head, still puzzled.

“I can’t tell who sent it!”

“Who cares who sent it? Just eat!”

Li Siming waved his hand, “You stay here and eat while you wait. Su Yang and I will go grab some food and be back soon.”

Fang Zhou was grateful they came at all and quickly said, “It’s fine, you guys go ahead. Or go home and rest if you want. I’ll be here.”

“Don’t even think about sending us back to work on our day off!”

Su Yang and Li Siming waved their hands, indicating they’d be back soon.

Fang Zhou was left alone in the hallway.

He opened the takeout box and saw the meal inside: braised beef with potatoes.

The delicious aroma wafted into his nose, making his stomach growl.

“Grumble.”

His previously calm stomach suddenly protested.

Although Fang Zhou didn’t feel like eating, he couldn’t ignore his hunger.

He opened the disposable chopsticks, placed the food beside him, and began eating absentmindedly.

Even as he chewed, his mind was blank.

Fang Zhou wasn’t in great shape. He had dark circles under his eyes from sleepless nights.

He had been busy with his sister’s surgery preparations, unable to get a good night’s sleep.

Whenever he closed his eyes and fell asleep, he had nightmares.

Not just about personal injuries, amputations, or jumping off buildings.

He also dreamed about his ex-girlfriends in various states of distress—madness, illness—none of them were good.

What terrified him most was dreaming about his sister’s surgery failing, her eyes closing forever on the operating table.

When Fang Zhou woke from that dream, he was petrified.

He was so scared that he couldn’t sleep for nights, he even staying up playing Mahjong with Qin Yun.

After three nights, Qin Yun slipped a sleeping pill into his water, and Fang Zhou finally slept without dreaming about his sister.

But the fear still weighed on him like a stone.

Qin Yun reassured him, saying it was just because he was too worried about Fang Wenjing. Once the surgery was over, everything would be fine.

“You can’t let a dream dictate your life. It’s not real.”

“If you’re worried about my skills, I brought in top-ranked surgical experts from across the country, with several assisting. You should be reassured.”

With his sister’s health deteriorating, Fang Zhou had no other choice but to agree.

He mechanically chewed his food, glanced at the operating room door, and silently prayed: If my sister can come out safely, I’ll trade anything for it.