CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43: CHIEF SURGEON

Rong Zhi sat on the sofa, chin resting as she closed her eyes and relaxed. Her complexion was pale, cold and translucent like jade, the usual rebellious coolness in her brows and eyes dissipated at the moment, looking gentle and lazily tired.

Song Cheng glanced over, immediately rubbing his hands together, forcibly resisting the urge to pinch her face.

After resting for ten minutes, Rong Zhi regained her vitality. She pressed her temple, and upon opening her eyes, she met Tang Xuyun’s bright and eager gaze.

"..."

She leaned back, not letting Tang Xuyun stand, but politely gestured for him to sit first before speaking unhurriedly, "Dean Tang, whatever you want to ask, you can ask now."

Tang Xuyun’s eyes brightened further, and he eagerly spilled out all his questions in one go.

Rong Zhi tapped her fingertips lightly on her knee, responding in a calm voice, unraveling his doubts.

...

At exactly three o’clock in the afternoon, Old Sir Lu was wheeled into the operating room.

It was only then Tang Xuyun let Rong Zhi go, nodding repeatedly with reluctance, "After the surgery, I’ll add you as a friend, Little Divine Doctor Rong, we can continue our discussion."

Rong Zhi’s lips curved slightly, her tone quite mild, "Okay, Dean Tang, you don’t need to call me a divine doctor, just by name is fine."

Letting a man in his seventies call her a divine doctor was something she presently felt unworthy of.

Tang Xuyun’s gaze became even gentler, like observing an exceptionally talented junior, filled with admiration.

With such strength and understanding of humility, this person will certainly achieve great success in the future.

The group changed into surgical attire in the disinfection room and entered the operating room.

Outside, the red light indicating surgery was in progress lit up, casting a sense of anxiety over the Lu Family’s faces.

Inside the operating room, the atmosphere was solemn and serene.

Rong Zhi held a surgical scalpel as thin as a cicada’s wing, her brows and eyes increasingly distant and faint under the overhead light. She made her incision with a remarkably steady hand, just as she did with acupuncture.

Song Cheng glanced up at her, repeatedly marveling inwardly.

As expected, the Third Young Master was indeed the deepest hidden in the Rong Family, wasn’t he?

But he only let his mind wander for a moment before refocusing on the surgery.

Time ticked away, second by second.

The blazing red light stayed on for three whole hours before it extinguished.

The tightly shut operating room door was pushed open from the inside.

Tang Xuyun walked out first, instructing the doctors to move Old Sir Lu to a ward, with Song Cheng following shortly behind.

Mrs. Lu shook off Lu Si’s hand, and seeing the situation, she couldn’t care about manners and rushed to grab Tang Xuyun’s sleeve, her voice trembling, "How is my father?"

Rong Zhi removed her mask, her fingertips cold and white, her brows and eyes calm and peaceful, but the corners of her eyes hinted at a bit of red. She rubbed her knuckles silently, her expression misunderstood easily.

Mrs. Lu’s heart sank in fear, "Tang..."

"The surgery was very successful," even exceptionally smooth, thinking of this, Tang Xuyun looked at Rong Zhi again, his face stern but with a smile, "Mrs. Lu, rest assured, with proper rehabilitation, Old Sir Lu can live another decade or so."

From two days to ten years, it was already a lot.

Mrs. Lu stood still, dazed, before loosening her grip in disbelief, "Re-really?"

Tang Xuyun nodded, "Really."

Lu Si almost trembled with excitement, supporting the overjoyed and tearful Mrs. Lu. He bowed deeply to Tang Xuyun, "Thank you, Dean Tang!"

Tang Xuyun shook his head, stepping aside to avoid the bow, "The ones you should thank are not me, but Rong Zhi."

Rong Zhi?

Lu Si was stunned and quickly stood up to look at the youth standing against the light.

The incandescent light in the corridor blurred over her figure, making her seem elusive. She was still holding a mask while calmly taking off her surgical attire.

The more he looked, the more he found her mysteriously composed, unlike an ordinary youth.

Lu Si took a deep breath, his eyes filled with respect and admiration, and he bent down once more—

But was stopped by a single finger.

Rong Zhi calmly withdrew her hand, her eyes downcast, her voice unhurried, "That’s enough, I’ve already given Dean Tang the prescription for follow-up medication, I’m leaving first."

Lu Si hadn’t reacted.

Rong Zhi had already stepped away, placing the surgical attire back in the disinfection room, pulling out a string of Buddha beads and bracelet from her pocket.

When she arrived at Tao Ruisi’s ward, the latter was chatting with Kailin.

They were talking about whether to go somewhere.

Rong Zhi lazily raised an eyebrow, "Where to?"

The low, pleasant voice suddenly appeared in the ward.

Tao Ruisi turned her head abruptly, and upon seeing Rong Zhi, her eyes immediately filled with delight. Then she explained, "The Chairman here invited me to see a concert, but I want to stay with you and don’t want to go."

Rong Zhi rewrapped the sandalwood Buddha beads into five circles around her wrist, adjusted the position, and upon hearing this, she slightly raised her eyelids, about to speak, when her pocket’s phone vibrated suddenly.

She pulled it out and answered.

"Rong Zhi, have you arrived? The concert is about to start. I’m here waiting for you at the music hall entrance, hurry up!"

It was Shen Luoluo, with a quite hopeful tone.

Rong Zhi stuck one hand in her pocket, lazily resting back, eyes slightly narrowed like a fox. She was about to refuse but remembered the cautious expression of the young girl.

Shen Luoluo was actually quite warm towards her, not harboring any ill intentions.

The words of refusal turned at her lips, and Rong Zhi gently rubbed her temple, leisurely saying, "Hmm, I’ll be there soon."

After speaking, she hung up the phone, adjusted her collar, looked at Tao Ruisi, her brow slightly curved, very casual, "I’m going to a concert."

"You’re going? Then I want to go too!" Tao Ruisi said, quickly getting off the bed to put on her shoes, her eyes sparkling, completely unaware that she was contradicting herself.

Rong Zhi nodded lightly.

Kailin, who witnessed the whole scene, was speechless: "..."

Chairman Yao invited you, but you didn’t go. Miss Rong mentioned it, and you hurriedly followed suit.

There’s a term for this kind of situation in Hua Country—Kailin racked her brains to recall, and suddenly a light bulb went off.

Got it!

Double standards!

...

On the way to the National Music Hall.

This time Kailin was still in the back seat. With the car’s interior light on, she spotted something that had fallen into a corner; it had fallen so deep she hadn’t noticed it in the morning. She pulled it out to find it was a coat.

"Miss Rong, your coat fell here," she reminded Rong Zhi.

Rong Zhi was focused on driving and stopped at a traffic light. Upon hearing the remark, she turned her head slightly to glance, her gaze pausing at the unfamiliar dark gray coat.

Men’s style, not hers.

Her car hadn’t had many male passengers, and after a brief contemplation, she realized who the coat’s owner was.

Retracting her gaze, recalling something, she was slightly moved inside, speaking slowly, "Thank you, I forgot to take it earlier."

Kailin quickly replied that there was no need for thanks, and then carefully folded the coat and placed it beside her.

Outside the National Music Hall.

Shen Luoluo occasionally looked down at the time before looking back up the road.

Until a white sedan came into view and parked in the lot in front of the music hall, a youth’s cold and slender figure emerged from within.

Shen Luoluo’s eyes lit up as she waved to indicate, "Rong Zhi, over here!"

Rong Zhi nodded to her and then went around to the passenger seat to open the door. Tao Ruisi used her arm as leverage to step out.

Shen Luoluo smiled, today she hadn’t worn makeup, appearing fresh and pretty, "The concert starts in a minute, let’s get inside quickly."

Rong Zhi lightly acknowledged, seeing her like this, she raised her brow slightly, quite surprised.

She had thought the other wouldn’t listen to her.

The four of them walked inside, at this time, everyone was already in the concert hall, and the corridor was mostly empty. Rong Zhi introduced to Shen Luoluo, "This is Tao Ruisi, my friend."