Chapter 16, Section 16: Capsizing in shallow waters, initially satisfied, then utterly dejected...
Xu Aida woke up to a hazy white noise, the warm light of the rhythmic lamps, like the winter sun, illuminating the bedroom.
She had expected Liang Siyu to do what he always did—press against her back and wake her with his burning body heat. But the bedside was empty, and even the remaining warmth had dissipated.
She lingered in bed for a while, rubbed her eyes, and then left the bedroom.
He then exercised on the rowing machine, his movements fluid and rhythmic; the sound of water she heard in her half-awake state came from there. As a former rower, he insisted on using only water-resistance rowing machines, saying that this was the correct feeling of resistance.
On the table sat a perfectly peeled, soft-boiled egg, next to two strawberries—without a single seed, clearly removed with tweezers.
She couldn't help but smile softly. Since he wasn't going to the lab today, he was practicing his hand-eye coordination in a different way.
He had been quietly preparing ever since Professor Brooke asked him to participate in the monkey brain experiment on Monday.
Although his first pre-operative training is scheduled for next Tuesday, he has already memorized all the steps of the first half of the procedure and spent half a day practicing on the 3D monkey brain model yesterday.
She finished breakfast, and he happened to finish exercising. He came over and hugged her, soaking her T-shirt with sweat.
She nudged him: "Okay, okay, the oxytocin levels are high enough, it can lower the testosterone now, go take a shower."
Liang Siyu was a little surprised. How did she know that starting this week, he would be undergoing hormone management and adjusting his lifestyle?
High testosterone levels can reduce the stability of fine motor skills in the hands. He was fortunate to have this opportunity and had to hold himself to the standards of a neurosurgeon, making comprehensive adjustments to his pre-operative condition.
"How did you figure that out?" He was just about to tell her at noon.
"Didn't you say I'm a genius?" She paused slightly, putting on a lighthearted tone, and was genuinely relieved that she was facing away from him so he wouldn't see her unnatural expression.
The truth, of course, is that he did the same thing in his past life, and he explained the reasons to her point by point.
Good heavens, how come she never pays attention to these details about the timeline?
He laughed and kissed her ear again: "Okay, my genius girlfriend."
She has an amazing memory. During a lab dinner before, someone joked that neurosurgery postdoctoral fellows need to check their surgical calendars to go on dates. He briefly explained the effects of testosterone to her once, and she immediately understood.
Since that was the case, he sat down next to her and explained the most important changes to her.
To lower his testosterone levels from 26 to around 20, he would go to sleep before 10 PM.
Next, the frequency of intimate contact should be reduced to twice a week, and in the last two weeks, reduced to once a week. It is also necessary to avoid the peak of the testosterone secretion curve between 22:00 and 8:00.
In the final 72 hours, only cuddling is allowed; even kissing should be avoided to reduce emotional fluctuations and maintain only the most basic oxytocin secretion.
"Okay, okay," she listened and laughed, "I know everything. You just need to make an informed consent form for me to sign. No problem, I completely understand, go take a shower."
He kissed her cheek again before reluctantly leaving.
The first week of making a tough decision to adjust his lifestyle was a huge challenge for him, especially with her by his side.
That morning, he spent the whole morning in his study watching videos of Professor Brooke's surgeries, taking notes on the key points of the "first assistant" procedure in the operating manual.
After lunch, they drank herbal tea together, and Xu Aida suddenly asked, "Ned, how about I go back to my place tonight? Wouldn't that be more convenient for you? You could manage your time better that way."
This incident happened in the latter half of this year, after they got married. She had already moved out of the apartment, but now she only spends most of her time staying at his place overnight. During this special period, it's normal for her to move back to her own apartment.
"No, absolutely not."
Liang Siyu reacted strongly, putting down his teacup and pulling her tightly into his arms, almost causing her to spill another cup of hot tea.
His heart was racing. How could he possibly let her go back on her own? What if she had another nightmare one day?
The image of her in a cold sweat that night in New York, limp in his arms saying "don't go," still tugged at his heartstrings.
"Do you think I'm kicking you out? This is just a temporary adjustment. You're going back to live alone? No way, absolutely not, it's too unsafe."
Xu Aida was both amused and exasperated; she had a roommate, so why was she all alone?
Her residence is near the main campus, which is one of the safest areas in the city. The community is good, and there are often school security patrols on the streets. How could it not be safe?
However, seeing his nervous expression, she was a little worried that his previous breakup in Seattle had made him feel insecure.
“Ned, don’t be nervous, I’m just afraid of bothering you. I mean, if you need some space of your own, I can accommodate you.”
He carefully observed her expression, confirming that she was neither reluctant nor sad, and then kissed her cheek.
"I need you, I need to see you every day when I get home, I need you in my arms every night, okay?"
He's been frequently practicing surgical skills in the medical school's simulation room lately, so he can't be with her during the day.
If she goes back to live alone and has nightmares in the middle of the night, how terrified will she be? She has to stay here; he needs to see her and make sure she's alright.
The unease hidden in his eyes softened her heart, and she snuggled into his arms: "Of course."
However, this suggestion still stirred his emotions. In the afternoon, Liang Siyu was restless and became distracted while watching the surgery video, his notes still stuck before lunch.
He rubbed his temples, came out of the study, and walked to the living room. At the dining table, she was writing code on her laptop, wearing a pair of silver headphones.
Ideally, he could have her move in permanently, so he wouldn't have to worry about her suddenly wanting to run away again if she got scared by nightmares one day.
Oh right, we should rearrange the layout of the study. We should order her a desk and an external monitor so she can have a comfortable work and study area here.
Once she gets used to the place, he will persuade her to move in completely.
He silently planned, imagining this apartment becoming their little nest, and his heart grew warmer and warmer.
One voice said that Sunday is the start of next week, and it's afternoon now, not even 10 PM yet.
He knew he was breaking the plan on the very first day, but he couldn't calm down. He needed to do something to confirm that she was there and that she would always be by his side.
Suddenly having her headphones removed, Xu Aida turned around in surprise. The next moment, her feet were off the ground as he lifted her onto the sofa.
“Ada, tell me you won’t leave.” His eyes were fixed on her, like a microscope adjusting its lock.
She felt as if she were being crushed into a thin sheet of glass, unable to move: "Ned, I'm not leaving, please don't do this."
He wouldn't give up, skillfully approaching the microscope. In the laboratory, he repeatedly determined the field of view under the microscope. All of this was effortless for him.
"He said he would always be by my side." He was like a scalpel, incredibly sharp, but what he craved was the warmth of life.
“Of course, Ned, I’ll be there.” At this moment, while we could still get close, Xu Aida silently added in his heart.
If he still chooses to pursue a career in the entertainment industry next year, he will likely drift further and further away from her.
They've already tried; some distances can't be bridged by love alone. Even if they force themselves to stay together, they'll eventually drift further apart.
Moreover, unlike in her previous life, without the strong constraint of marriage, they might drift apart sooner. At that point, she should come to her senses in time.
He held her tightly: "Don't lie to me, don't leave me, you're mine, you're mine."
She escaped once in Seattle, and if he hadn't caught up with her, she might have really faced it alone. He had to get closer and hold her tighter.
His arms were too tight, and they were pressing on the spinous processes of her spine, causing pain.
"It hurts!" She pushed him away, shedding two tears, unable to tell whether it was bone pain or heartache.
He could demand all of this without restraint, while she, every time she heard a so-called promise, only dared to indulge in it for a fleeting second.
"I'm sorry, Babe." Liang Siyu gently kissed away the tear, softening everything around him, and pulled her completely into his arms again.
When he returned to his study, the video had been playing for a long time, and the electrode intervention was about to end. Professor Brooke began to instruct Evan on suturing.
He placed an order for a desk, monitor, and ergonomic chair, but couldn't resist going back to his bedroom.
She was still nestled on the side of the bed, taking a nap with her eyes closed. He bent down and kissed her forehead, feeling completely content and as if he owned the whole world.
On Tuesday, in the operating room simulation room, the students participating in assistant training all arrived early.
Postdoctoral fellow Evan, Professor Brooke's first assistant in the monkey brain surgery, began explaining the surgical plan and procedures.
Evan spoke for about ten minutes and noticed that everyone else was writing notes at lightning speed, but Ned in the front row was only occasionally drawing a few lines.
As he spoke, he moved closer to examine the document. It turned out that Ned had already made a densely packed notebook beforehand.
After Evan finished explaining the second step, he paused for a few seconds and looked at the first row: "Ned, I see you prepared in advance. You can explain the next step. It will take about 5-6 minutes, and I will add to it."
This approach is very common in seminar-style training at medical schools.
Liang Siyu naturally picked up his notebook, spoke slowly and deliberately, and even drew a few diagrams on the whiteboard. After he finished speaking, he returned to his seat.
“Okay, very good,” Evan smiled and nodded. “I have nothing to add. Let’s move on to the next step.”
After explaining the process, Evan demonstrated the operation, checking on everyone's performance after each one or two small steps.
If he had previously held more admiration and praise for Liang Siyu, he was now slightly alarmed—Ned's operation, though not yet proficient, had clearly been practiced many times and was actually able to barely keep up with his pace.
He originally thought that the professor was just using a carrot to dangle Ned's attention, to get him to focus his energy back on the Tense project team, and not let Ada bewitch him.
Normally, given Ned's seniority and experience, it would be difficult for him to pass the assessment after two months, making it impossible for him to serve as the first assistant for the first half of the term.
Even if the professor intends to mentor him, allowing him to perform surgery in the second half of the year is already an exception. By then, his postdoctoral fellowship will be nearing its end, which would be a good opportunity to mentor him.
I didn't expect this kid to pick it up so quickly. If he really can perform surgeries in April, then what about the other surgeries between now and the end of the year?
Will Professor Brooke really keep Ned as an assistant in the early stages of his career? Or perhaps he'd like him to try suturing in the later stages?
This is a primate craniotomy, which is the most valuable and real-world practice opportunity for every doctor who wants to become a neurosurgeon.
Another candidate for assistant coach in the first half of the competition, Raphael, a sixth-grader, was his opponent last year. His hand stability is average. He is more than capable of working in general surgery. If he wants to continue in neurosurgery, he is still a bit short of the mark.
Professor Brooke is unlikely to choose him and poses no threat whatsoever.
After the regular training was over, the assistant candidates left, leaving only three people in the room: Evan, Ned, and Raphael.
Evan looked up: "Ned, you go first. You can ask me if you're unsure about any of the steps, but of course, I can stop you at any time if there are any problems."
Liang Siyu began calmly, and Evan dutifully followed the standardized procedure, correcting and reminding him. After that, Raphael took over, observing from the sidelines.
Evan demonstrated several common mistakes again. Of course, their own operating procedures and his demonstrations can be recorded for easy review later.
Before ending the session, Evan also pointed out areas where the two players needed to improve their practice.
His voice was objective and calm: "Ned, you are well prepared. Just keep practicing. However, surgery is not a solo operation; it requires teamwork."
"Intraoperative communication between the assistant surgeon and the surgeon is very important. Before each procedure, they should report what they are going to do, using the most concise and direct language. We don't have time to waste."
Liang Siyu nodded and expressed her gratitude for his detailed guidance.
He returned home and reviewed the day's training. He felt he was well-prepared and performed quite well, and that some of his finer points were better than those of sixth-grader Raphael.
Of course, by Professor Brooke's standards, this is far from enough, and his experience in emergency response is not as rich as Raphael's.
However, he will practice hard, and at least he won't let the professor down during the selection process.
Before his one-on-one session with the professor on Friday, Liang Siyu repeatedly memorized the operating steps and key points, developed a sense of space on the 3D monkey brain, and continued to practice his tactile skills under the microscope.
Perhaps the tutor will say "not bad" at the end. Even just a nod would be enough.
However, things didn't go as he expected. As soon as they started positioning the drill, Professor Brooke coldly said, "Watch your weapon grip. Are you trying to fight me?"
He was completely unaware of his mistake. In his nervousness, his hand trembled, and he almost punctured the dura mater.
Professor Brooke raised his voice: "Stay calm, this is just a model."
Liang Siyu tried her best to control her emotions, not to be affected by her mentor's criticism, and to do her best in the current steps.
But during the dural traction phase, he faced even more criticism. Professor Brooke, in a tense tone, reminded him almost every five minutes that something was wrong.
"Watch my hand gestures, adjust the angle—are you trying to steal my control?"
"Suction device, why isn't the fluid being treated yet?"
"Straighten your right hand; I'm going to make the cut from the four o'clock position."
"You're blocking the field again. Move your left hand towards the nine o'clock position. Okay, stop. Remember this position."
"Hold on tight—stay still and don't move with me."
Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his palms slipped. He gritted his teeth to maintain the pulling angle.
For a few minutes, he was so flustered by the scolding that he had to rely on muscle memory to maintain his movements.
In the end, he vaguely realized that he had overlooked a crucial issue.
Professor Brooke had already stepped down from the operating table and no longer looked at him.
He stood in front of the microscope, put down the instruments, his hands empty, his mind blank, like a rower who had boarded a rowing boat but had forgotten the finish line.
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