Chapter 369 There is hope for restoration of sight
Xia Lili's fever finally subsided, and the doctor approved her discharge. In the ward, Li Qihan was packing her luggage with a deft, skillful hand, as if he'd done it countless times.
When he bent down, his slender waistline was faintly visible under his shirt, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms.
Xia Lili sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his homely and virtuous back, her heart beating inexplicably faster.
She wanted to say something, but swallowed it back when it reached her lips. She could only grab the corner of the quilt and secretly glance at him out of the corner of her eyes.
Li Qihan seemed to notice her gaze and asked without turning his head, "What are you looking at?"
Xia Lili panicked and lowered her head quickly: "No, nothing."
Li Qihan's movements didn't pause for a moment, remaining precise and focused. However, his usually tightly pursed lips curled up into a barely perceptible curve.
He's not in a hurry.
The daylight outside the window was just right, and there was still a lot of time between them, waiting for Lili to say what she had not finished saying that night.
"Let's go, the car is downstairs."
*
The plane flew steadily at an altitude of 10,000 meters, and outside the window was a vast sea of clouds.
Li Qihan and Xia Lili sat side by side. After a brief treatment and rest at the border hospital, both of them looked much better, but there was still a lingering trace of fatigue between their brows.
Xia Xubai was sitting on the other side of Xia Lili.
From the moment he boarded the plane, Xia Xubai started the "all-round defense" mode against Li Qihan.
Li Qihan was just about to help Xia Lili put down her luggage when Xia Xubai looked in his direction with precision and said gently but unquestionably, "Don't bother Captain Li. I'll take care of Lili's luggage."
When Li Qiuhan handed over a bottle of water, Xia Xubai would reach out to take it at the right time and then pass it to his sister. He protected his sister tightly throughout the whole process, as if Li Qiuhan was some dangerous person who needed to be highly vigilant.
Xia Lili was caught between the two of them, feeling a bit amused and helpless, but her mind was more occupied by another thing.
From time to time, her eyes would drift towards the cold and stern profile of Li Qihan beside her, and her mind would replay his solid back in the rain forest and his steady commands during the sniper attack.
Xia Lili knew that she had to give him a response, a clear answer about the future.
This thought surged in her heart, making her feel a little uneasy.
Although Xia Xubai couldn't see, he was more sensitive to his sister's emotional fluctuations than anyone else.
He tilted his head slightly and looked in Xia Lili's direction. He sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of understanding and helplessness, "Girls can't be kept at home when they grow up": "Is there something on your mind?"
Xia Lili seemed to have been told what was on her mind, her cheeks felt slightly hot, and she hummed softly.
Xia Xubai was silent for a moment, but his unfocused eyes seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts.
He reached out his hand, found his sister's hand accurately, and gently shook it. His voice was low and warm, with the support and encouragement that only a brother could offer:
"Now that you have thought it through, follow your heart."
"Lili, be brave."
Xia Xubai paused, his tone carrying a subtle hint of emotion and relief, "Our Lili has truly grown up."
After hearing what her brother said, the last bit of hesitation in Xia Lili's heart disappeared.
She held her brother's warm hand tightly with her backhand, as if she had drawn infinite courage from it. Then, she turned her head and looked firmly at the figure beside her who made her feel at ease.
The plane landed smoothly at Yangcheng Airport.
As the three of them followed the crowd down the gangway, Xia Xubai's cell phone rang.
He stopped and walked to a relatively quiet area to answer the call.
The voice coming from the other end of the phone made Xia Xubai, who was always calm and composed, stop in his tracks, as if he was struck by an invisible electric current.
His fingers gripping the phone tightened slightly, and even his breathing stopped for a few seconds.
Xia Lili, who had been paying attention to her brother, immediately noticed his abnormality and quickly stepped forward, asking worriedly, "Brother, what's wrong? What happened?"
Xia Xubai slowly put down his phone and turned to the direction where his sister's voice came from. His handsome but always lonely face revealed a rare expression of shock and ecstasy.
He took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice steady, but the slight tremor still revealed his inner excitement:
"It's Professor Zhou... Professor Zhou from the Huaxia Eye Disease Research Center."
He paused, as if trying to digest this shocking news. "He said...the retinal prosthesis project we've been investing in has achieved breakthrough success in clinical research."
He repeated what he'd heard on the phone almost verbatim, his voice filled with an unreal trance. "He asked me... if I'd be willing to be one of the first clinical users. Professor Zhou said the observation period would be very long, and the long-term effects and stability remained to be seen... But there's hope... there's hope that I can see again."
"Really?! Brother! Is this true?!" Xia Lili was instantly ecstatic. The huge sense of happiness overwhelmed her mind. She was so excited that she almost jumped up.
Xia Lili subconsciously hugged Li Qihan's arm tightly, laughing and jumping, "Captain Li, did you hear that? My brother can see! He can see!"
Li Qihan was caught off guard when Xia Lili hugged his arm in front of his brother-in-law who was "on high alert". His body instantly stiffened like a piece of wood, and even his expression froze.
He could clearly feel Xia Xubai's gaze "looking" in this direction, but it carried substantial pressure.
He forced himself to remain calm, raised his hand and gently patted Xia Lili on the back. His voice was as low as ever, but it was filled with sincere congratulations.
"Yes, I heard it. This is great news. Congratulations, Mr. Xia."
Xia Xubai's originally excited mood suddenly became subtle when he heard his sister's unconcealed joy and Li Qihan's "Congratulations".
He glared at Li Qihan with a precise look, his tone filled with obvious dissatisfaction:
"Hmph, some people just pick the right time to take advantage. Lili, did you pick up the wrong person?"
"Such great news, shouldn't the first hug be for your brother who has worked so hard and is about to regain his sight?"
Xia Lili finally reacted. She sheepishly let go of Li Qihan, turned around and threw herself into her brother's arms, her voice choked with sobs: "Brother! I'm so happy! This is really great!"
A month later.
Xia Xubai underwent retinal prosthesis implantation surgery and successfully passed the critical postoperative recovery period.
In a special treatment room, the doctor carefully removed the layers of bandages wrapped around his eyes.
The light seeps in little by little, initially appearing as blurry spots and blocks of color, and then the outlines gradually become clear...
Xia Xubai blinked subconsciously, his long eyelashes trembling, trying to adapt to this strange world that he had longed for for more than 20 years.
Finally, the pair of beautiful fox eyes that were once dull and always seemed a little empty, once again gathered their bright light and focused precisely in front of the eyes!
The first thing that caught my eye was Xia Lili's face, which was filled with nervousness, anticipation and immense joy.
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