Chapter 91: Operating Room

“Three times?” Ruan Li was stunned, hardly able to believe how much debt she’d rack up if she followed Fu Huaizhou’s method of settling accounts.

She thought even three times a day wouldn’t be enough to repay him once she recovered.

“Businessmen are truly ruthless,” she muttered softly. “I haven’t even gotten my hands on those billions yet…”

Fu Huaizhou chuckled. “You still remember that contract? Someone has already broken it numerous times without saying a word.”

“That was an unfair agreement from the start. I haven’t even mentioned it to my brother,” Ruan Li huffed. She didn’t care about the terms, no matter who was listed as Party A or B.

Fu Huaizhou winced at the mention of Shi Mu, knowing how troublesome he was compared to Ye Ze and Shi Xun. If Shi Mu learned that he had kept Ruan Li by his side for months with just a piece of paper, he’d undoubtedly come knocking to settle the score.

“So, forget about it.” Fu Huaizhou pulled up the blanket, ensuring her belly and feet were covered. “From now on, what’s mine is yours.”

Ruan Li lay in bed, contemplating her current wealth. Considering Fu Huaizhou’s assets and her brother’s, she was probably the richest actress in all of Jing City.

“Do you feel uncomfortable sometimes?” Fu Huaizhou lay beside her, holding her in his arms, his chest pressed against Ruan Li’s back and his hand resting protectively on her waist.

Ruan Li shook her head. “When I first got here, I experienced some morning sickness, but after hiring several nutritionists, it got better. Though, there’s one thing…”

Fu Huaizhou immediately grew tense. “What is it? Do you feel unwell somewhere?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his anxious reaction. She was tempted to say, “It’s just because it’s like having a child in old age,” but she remembered his recent “three times for one” comment and decided not to touch that sore spot.

“I think he’s too quiet. Shouldn’t I be feeling little kicks by now?”

“Let me listen.” Fu Huaizhou lifted his head and pressed his ear against her rounded belly. The little one inside seemed fast asleep, not responding at all.

“Every check-up has shown everything is normal,” Ruan Li reassured him, worried he’d drag her off for more tests.

“Maybe it’s just a quiet personality,” he said, gently rubbing her belly. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought such a calm temperament likely meant it was a girl.

Ruan Li pouted. “Well, that’s not like me… My brother said I was super active when I was in the womb.”

Her eyes rested on Fu Huaizhou.

Unfazed, he continued to hold her, his hand slipping under her arm to playfully jiggle a certain area.

“Growing so fast,” he said nonchalantly.

She wasn’t sure if he was talking about the baby or something else. Her face flushed as she curled up to stop him from touching her.

But he was shameless, and even in her sleep, Ruan Li could feel him holding her.

---

Ye Mian arrived late at night, looking weary and like she hadn’t slept in days. They hadn’t informed Shi Xun about what was happening.

On Shi Mu’s instructions, Ye Mian had unrestricted access to the hospital.

As she stepped into the corridor, she saw Fu Huaizhou helping Ruan Li with her walking exercises. Though anxious, Ye Mian took a few deep breaths, not wanting to alarm Ruan Li.

“Your belly’s gotten so big?” she said first, noting that during their video calls, she’d only seen Ruan Li’s face and hadn’t noticed the bump.

“Did you two make up?”

Ruan Li exchanged a glance with Fu Huaizhou and nodded lightly, aware that Ye Mian’s mind was preoccupied. She pointed to a room down the hall.

“Shi Xun’s room. Go quickly.”

Ye Mian didn’t hesitate, heading straight to the room.

Fu Huaizhou glanced up, his tone cool. “When I asked, you said you didn’t know where she was. Now, she arrives without any need for directions.”

Ruan Li raised an eyebrow. “We are loyal supporters, unlike Shi Xun, who’s a traitor.”

“Make sure to find him a role as an informant or eunuch in his next project,” she joked. “It’ll be perfect casting.”

Inside the hospital room, Shi Xun, whose phone had been confiscated during the day, was so bored he was reading a medical textbook the educational kind. Just as he clicked his tongue in frustration, an expensive bag landed at the foot of his bed.

“Shi Xun, you jerk! This is your idea of studying abroad? Playing around until you end up in a hospital?”

Seeing the girl in front of him, Shi Xun almost thought he was hallucinating. But when he saw Ruan Li behind Ye Mian, looking guilty, he knew exactly what was going on.

He quickly tossed aside the book and rolled out of bed.

“Hey, don’t cry, princess! I’m really just here for a minor surgery,” Shi Xun said as he clumsily tried to wipe away her tears. “I didn’t want people fussing over me, that’s why I said I was abroad.”

“Look, I’m fine. See?” he said, doing a push-up right there on the floor.

Ye Mian couldn’t help but laugh at his antics, but she still didn’t believe him. “If it’s so minor, why do you have so many people outside?”

“It’s just how I roll,” Shi Xun replied awkwardly.

After the commotion, they finally settled down for a proper chat. Ye Mian frowned slightly after hearing Ruan Li briefly explain Shi Xun’s condition.

“Is the surgery really that risky? If it is, why not just skip it? You’ve been fine for over twenty years, you’ll live a long life.”

Ruan Li didn’t know what to say, so she looked over at Shi Xun.

“I want to go through with it,” he said earnestly. “I don’t want to take any chances.”

“When is it scheduled?” Ye Mian asked, relieved she had arrived in time.

“The day after tomorrow…” Ruan Li’s voice was soft.

When Shi Xun was finally wheeled into the operating room, his expression remained calm. He had waited so many years to remove this ticking time bomb. The others lingered anxiously outside.

Ruan Li could barely bring herself to look. Before the surgery, Shi Xun had acted like any other healthy person no one knew what the outcome would be when the doors opened again.

“Don’t look so down,” Shi Xun said with a faint smile. “Why don’t you all go home and sleep? By the time you wake up, it’ll be over.”

His calm words eased some of the tension, but they still watched the doors close with heavy hearts, pacing restlessly in front of the operating room.

Ruan Li held Ye Mian’s hand tightly. The silence was overwhelming, but it was filled with unspoken prayers. All they could do was silently plead over and over for a good outcome.

Fu Huaizhou sat next to Ruan Li, his brow furrowed. He’d consulted many top specialists to increase the surgery’s success rate.

Shi Mu stood quietly against the wall, but his trembling fingers betrayed his anxiety.

Time crawled by as hours slipped through their fingers, until finally, the bright light above the operating room door clicked off.

The door swung open, and the lead surgeon, still masked, stepped out.