After the doctor left, my head was still buzzing. A nurse next to me said, "You and your friend should hurry up and go to the operating room to lend a hand. There's another surgery waiting to be done."

I did not respond.

Chen Jin patted my shoulder again and then pulled me inside. I was in a daze, and everything was overlapping. It seemed like the outside oxygen was not enough to supply me, and my body was tense more and more.

Inside the operating room, Lao Mi was wearing an oxygen mask and was still unconscious. Looking at him, my heart ached... Why did someone who had an appetite for everything end up like this after a minor rhinitis surgery?

When I was young and naive, I always went against Lao Mi's wishes. It wasn't until now that I truly felt the pain of heartache for him. He really had it tough. He didn't have any special abilities, but he always earned his money honestly. Even so, he still suffered the cold stares of others... And every step I took in my life was earned by him through his physical strength and patience... I didn't even have a chance to repay him before this happened...

No, there's no problem, the doctor must have misdiagnosed... With this wishful thinking, I forced myself to cheer up and, together with the staff, lifted Lao Mi onto the trolley.

...

In the hospital ward, Chen Jin, Lu Jia, my mother, and I stood there in complete silence—a particularly terrifying silence…

It wasn't until I saw my mother crying uncontrollably that I realized I was the pillar of this family, and I couldn't rely on Lao Mi to support us anymore. So I smiled and said to my mother, "Mom... why are you crying... everything's fine... who knows if that doctor was confused and said something nonsense..."

"I'm heartbroken. How could such a perfectly healthy person..."

Lu Jia gently took my mother's arm and comforted her, "Auntie, it's okay... Look how cautious the doctor is when he speaks... That's because it's not certain yet, that's why he's cautious... We, as family members, must relax first, so that Uncle won't feel any psychological pressure."

My mom finally stopped crying.

Chen Jin quickly gestured for us to be quiet. We instinctively looked at Lao Mi lying on the hospital bed. Lao Mi opened his eyes groggily. He was very weak, and his voice was faint and hoarse.

The nurse told us that this was a normal post-operative phenomenon. We said a few words to Lao Mi and told him that the surgery went smoothly. Lao Mi managed a weak smile... but the smile was like a sharp knife, piercing our hearts.

...

Old Mi needed to rest, so only my mother stayed in the ward to take care of him. Chen Jin, Lu Jia, and I stood in the hospital corridor...

Every single second I endured was agonizing, so much so that I didn't utter a single word.

The one who broke the silence was Chen Jin. He said to me, "Michael, why don't you call Bai Lu?... Have her use her connections to get the tests done as soon as possible. If the doctor really misdiagnosed, that would be a great thing; if the situation is not good, we can also seize the time to do further treatment."

Chen Jin was probably the only one who could remain calm at this moment, so his advice was the most useful. I nodded, quickly took my phone out of my pocket, and dialed Bai Lu's number.

I explained the situation to her, and she seemed very worried. She told me to relax and said she would call her friend in the lab and let me know as soon as she had the results.

Five minutes later, she called back, saying the results would be available as early as tomorrow morning.

This was two days earlier than the time the doctor had given for the surgery, which was a huge help... Otherwise, I don't know what kind of torment I would have endured if I had waited two more days.

I glanced at Lu Jia again, but she showed no sign of leaving. She stood right next to me, as if she hadn't experienced what happened last night at all. She was one of the few people who stayed with me during this time.

I whispered to her and Chen Jin, "You've been busy all morning and must be tired... Go back and get something to eat. My mom and I will take care of things here."

Chen Jin glanced at his watch and replied, "I had an appointment with a property owner this afternoon to discuss some shops... I'll take Lu Jia back to the ancient city now. Call me as soon as you have any news, and I'll be there whenever you need me."

I nodded.

Lu Jia resolutely told Chen Jin, "I'm not leaving. I'll stay here with Michael... He needs someone to be with him right now."

Chen Jin looked at Lu Jia, then at me.

Lu Jia didn't give him a chance to refuse. She said, "I'll go buy food for you and Auntie," and then walked towards the elevator while Chen Jinzhi was heading towards it.

Chen Jin watched Lu Jia's retreating figure, then patted my shoulder and said, "A friend in need is a friend indeed... You're so lucky!"

...

Old Mi gradually regained consciousness, and by the afternoon, he was able to communicate with us quite clearly. He told us that he didn't like staying in the hospital and that if he recovered quickly, he would be discharged early... We told him to rest and not to think about being discharged early, but he was very confident in his health and insisted that he could definitely be discharged early... Then he urged Lu Jia and me to leave and go about our own business, feeling that such a minor surgery was not worth everyone wasting their energy on.

No one dared to tell him the bad news. To avoid arousing his suspicion, Lu Jia and I stayed with him for a while longer before leaving the hospital.

...

The sky was gray, just like my mood. I sat in the studio in a daze, constantly on edge... I wanted to know the result as soon as possible, but I was also afraid that Bailu would suddenly call and tell me the result... I was conflicted and very nervous.

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