Thousand Paper Cranes

After finishing his meal, Fang Zhou didn’t see Li Siming or Su Yang return, nor did the operating room doors open. Instead, he was greeted by an unexpected visitor.

Zhang Zhiyin.

She approached Fang Zhou, holding a paper crane, and handed it to him.

“Your sister will get better.”

Fang Zhou looked up at his familiar friend and saw genuine concern in her eyes, which brought a smile to his face.

“What are you doing here? Weren’t you in Yunnan?”

Fang Zhou, Li Siming, and Zhang Zhiyin were part of a close-knit trio with a small group chat where they often chatted about various things.

A few days ago, when Li Siming asked Zhang Zhiyin if she wanted to join them for dinner, she mentioned she was in Yunnan.

So, seeing her here today was a surprise for Fang Zhou.

Zhang Zhiyin smiled and sat next to Fang Zhou, gently massaging her arm.

“Yes, I rushed back. I signed books for two days in one day.”

“My hand is sore. I wonder if anyone will treat me to dinner tonight.”

When Zhang Zhiyin spoke to Fang Zhou, she was relaxed, unlike when she was in front of her readers, always maintaining her perfect idol image.

Now, she finally had a chance to relax, and her tone naturally carried a hint of girlish charm and coquettishness, though she didn’t realize it herself.

Fang Zhou laughed and patted his chest. “No problem, leave it to me! Once my sister is out and confirmed to be okay, I’ll treat you to a seafood feast!”

To celebrate Fang Wenjing’s successful surgery, Fang Zhou planned to host a big dinner for his friends.

He shifted his attention to the paper crane in his hand, his eyes lighting up with surprise.

“This paper crane is so special!”

It was a colorful paper crane, made from various colored materials, not just a single sheet of paper like usual. It was clear that a lot of effort had gone into making it.

Zhang Zhiyin followed his gaze and smiled proudly.

“Of course, I spent half a day learning how to fold it.”

The paper crane symbolized blessings and wishes.

In fact, Zhang Zhiyin’s trip to Yunnan wasn’t just for her book signing event; she also wanted to consult a specialist.

Things seemed to be diverging from the path she had seen in her dreams.

First, Qin Yun had successfully reconciled with Fang Zhou and even arranged for a specialist to perform the surgery, without obstructing it.

To Zhang Zhiyin, this seemed like a butterfly effect, potentially triggering a series of changes.

Maybe Fang Zhou and their fates wouldn’t be as tragic as in her dreams.

And dreams were just dreams, not to be taken seriously.

She couldn’t guarantee that her interventions wouldn’t accelerate the dream’s outcome, so she didn’t act rashly.

Zhang Zhiyin decided to take things one step at a time.

After all, if Fang Wenjing could successfully undergo surgery and recover, that would be the best outcome.

“I’ll thank you on my sister’s behalf. She’ll love this.”

Fang Wenjing was a DIY enthusiast, and seeing this unique paper crane would undoubtedly make her smile.

As Fang Zhou raised the paper crane, his platinum ring caught the light.

It was a simple band, but it looked extraordinary on his hand.

Fang Zhou’s slender fingers, paired with the simple ring, gave off a strangely ascetic vibe.

“Are you getting engaged?”

Zhang Zhiyin’s gaze was fixed on the ring, her eyes betraying a storm of emotions, like waves crashing on the shore.

Fang Zhou followed her gaze and realized it was his ring causing the confusion.

He smiled wryly and asked, “Why would you think that? It’s just a ring. Isn’t it quite ordinary?”

Zhang Zhiyin withdrew her gaze, a faint smile on her lips, masking her inner turmoil.

“Recently, Qin Yun posted wedding dress photos on her social media.”

Zhang Zhiyin didn’t dare meet Fang Zhou’s eyes, fearing her emotions would betray her.

She was afraid her unease, jealousy, and longing would be exposed.

She might never have the chance to look at wedding dresses with Fang Zhou.

They couldn’t even hold hands openly, let alone take photos as anything other than friends.

Fang Zhou scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Ah, that was just for fun. We haven’t talked about getting engaged. But yes, we did pick out this ring together.”

Young couples often do things to show their affection, like wearing matching outfits or changing their profile pictures.

Couple rings.

The thought of it made Zhang Zhiyin’s heart ache slightly.

Did Fang Zhou’s ring have Qin Yun’s initials engraved on it?

To her, it was no different from exchanging wedding rings.

“How much longer will it take?”

Seeing Zhang Zhiyin’s lack of enthusiasm for the topic, Fang Zhou changed the subject.

Zhang Zhiyin followed his lead, not wanting to dwell on it. She smiled and reassured him.

“It shouldn’t be much longer. The specialists here are top-notch. Don’t worry.”

Just then, Li Siming and Su Yang returned, and upon seeing Zhang Zhiyin, they rushed over.

“Whoa, you’re back! Why didn’t you tell us? I could have picked you up!”

In their trio, Li Siming was the one who occasionally acted silly but always kept the mood light.

His presence seemed to dispel the gloom, lightening the heavy atmosphere in the hallway.

“No need. I’m here now. Just make sure to take me home tonight.”

“No problem, leave it to me!”

As Li Siming was about to chat with Zhang Zhiyin, the operating room doors suddenly opened with a bang.

The electronic display above changed to “Surgery Completed.”

Fang Zhou jumped up from his seat and rushed over, anxiously watching the door.

Even before seeing the nurse, he started asking,

“How did it go? Was the surgery successful?”