Chapter 24: Successful Surgery
The car smoothly drove into the Aman Hotel.
Thinking about the tasteless meal she had in Chinatown, Xu Youyou couldn’t wait to order a gourmet meal prepared by a top chef.
Carrying the Guan Yu statue, she entered the hotel lobby. After explaining her request to the front desk, she was about to enter the elevator when she locked eyes with a familiar face.
“Miss Xu!” Assistant Liu called out excitedly.
Meeting someone familiar in a foreign country always brings unexpected joy.
Xu Youyou glanced at Lu Jingyao, who was standing next to Assistant Liu. “Are you two here on a business trip?”
Lu Jingyao maintained his usual cold and aloof demeanor, remaining silent.
Assistant Liu, however, was his usual chatty self. “Yes! Mr. Lu and I just arrived yesterday. I hadn’t seen you before.”
“I only arrived today,” Xu Youyou replied.
Lu Jingyao gave a light cough, cutting off whatever else Assistant Liu was about to say.
Assistant Liu quickly bid farewell. “Miss Xu, we have business to attend to. I hope you enjoy your time abroad!”
Xu Youyou waved at him casually, not giving the encounter much thought.
Once she entered the elevator and reached her pre-booked hotel room, she carefully wrapped the Guan Yu statue in clothing and placed it securely in a coded safe. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
After the long flight, she was exhausted. She had just finished showering when the hotel staff delivered an exquisite meal to her room.
After her meal, she slept for a solid ten hours. When she woke up, she saw a message from Song Zhibai—his mother had just entered the operating room.
Xu Youyou ordered breakfast while considering how anxious Song Zhibai must be, given how close he was to his mother.
“I really have a busy life! Song Zhibai, you better earn me some serious money soon,” she muttered to herself, then instructed her driver to head out.
Her destination wasn’t just any hospital—it was the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
When she arrived, it was still morning. Outside the operating room, Song Zhibai sat alone, looking helpless and fragile—like a rose swaying in a storm.
“Why are you here all by yourself?” Xu Youyou asked.
Song Zhibai looked up at the sound of her voice. Seeing her, his eyes lit up.
He shook his head. “I’m not comfortable having strangers around.”
Seeing how lost he looked, Xu Youyou sighed quietly and sat down next to him. “Don’t worry. This is the best medical team. Your mom is going to be fine.”
Even though her words were reassuring, the worry in Song Zhibai’s heart didn’t fade.
“I… I… She’s always been so strong. I never imagined… she could get sick…” His voice trembled as he spoke.
Xu Youyou had already guessed how deep his attachment to his mother was. In truth, she envied him. Even though he came from a single-parent household, his mother had loved him wholeheartedly.
She didn’t interrupt him. Instead, she quietly listened as he shared pieces of his life.
“She’s such a strong person. She always works so hard, never making a mistake in decades. No matter how tough things got outside, she never took it out on me…”
His voice choked with emotion.
After a while, Xu Youyou softly said, “You have an amazing mother.”
Song Zhibai nodded firmly. “She taught me to live with integrity. Even though she had plenty of chances to be promoted, she refused to play dirty. So, she’s still just an ordinary employee. She always told me to be honest and never take shortcuts.”
Hearing this, Xu Youyou couldn’t help but wonder—was the pain of losing his mother the only reason Song Zhibai had met such a tragic end in her past life? Or had the harsh realities of the entertainment industry also pushed him to a breaking point?
After all, the man sitting beside her had such a clear, innocent gaze—like a flawless piece of crystal. Someone so pure wouldn’t be able to survive long in a corrupt world.
Without a word, Xu Youyou slipped on a pair of gloves and gently held Song Zhibai’s hand. “Trust me—your mom will be okay. People like her are blessed.”
For once, he didn’t pull away. Usually, when female customers in luxury stores tried to touch him, he felt uncomfortable. But somehow, with Xu Youyou, he didn’t mind.
Hours passed. Three hours after her arrival, the doors to the operating room finally opened.
Both Xu Youyou and Song Zhibai stood up immediately.
The doctor, looking exhausted, nodded at them. “The surgery was a success. But she needs to be observed for 24 hours.”
Though the doctor had spoken quickly, the word “successful” stood out to Song Zhibai. Still, he looked toward Xu Youyou for confirmation.
She smiled and said, “The doctor said the surgery was successful! I told you your mom would be okay!”
Overcome with relief, Song Zhibai impulsively hugged her.
Caught off guard, Xu Youyou let her arms hang at her sides. Despite the pleasant scent of ebony wood on him, she didn’t hug him back.
A few moments later, he realized what he had done and blushed furiously, stepping back. “Sorry… I was just… too happy…”
For someone who was always on guard against being taken advantage of, it was ironic that their most intimate moment had been initiated by him.
Xu Youyou, still wearing her gloves, patted his shoulder. “The doctor said there’s still 24 hours of observation—stay focused.”
After making sure everything was fine, Xu Youyou didn’t linger. She left the hospital and returned to her hotel.
Since her business was taken care of, she finally had time to enjoy herself.
As soon as she entered the hotel lobby, she spotted Assistant Liu pacing anxiously like an ant on a hot pan.
The moment he saw her, he rushed over. “Miss Xu! Thank goodness I found you. I need your help—desperately!”
