Nine o'clock sharp.
The operating room doors closed, and the red light came on.
For Pu Yu, those hours dragged on like centuries.
She couldn't drink, couldn't eat, couldn't focus on a book. Every few seconds, she looked up at the red light, at the tightly shut doors.
Yuan Su stayed by her side the whole time.
He barely spoke, simply unscrewing the cap of her water bottle for her or silently holding her hand when she trembled.
It was almost noon when the operating room light finally went out.
The surgeon came out and removed his mask, his smile weary but relieved. "The surgery went very well. But given her age, recovery may take a while. We recommend keeping her in the hospital for observation and making sure she gets proper rehabilitation."
At that moment, Pu Yu's taut nerves suddenly relaxed.
She felt all the strength drain from her body and nearly collapsed.
Yuan Su caught her in his arms and murmured in her ear:
"It's all right now."
Thank goodness.
Thank goodness everything was all right.
Recovery after the surgery was a long process.
Li Suhua had screws implanted in her lower back and needed at least four weeks of bed rest.
She needed help with everything: turning over, eating, and using the bathroom.
Pu Yu took an extended leave from school. During the day, she cared for her grandmother at the hospital. At night, once her grandmother was asleep, she took a little stool into the corridor and sat under the dim lights, writing manuscripts and working through practice papers.
Yuan Su became busier than ever.
Sometimes they didn't see each other for an entire week.
But whenever he had time, he rushed straight to the hospital with hot meals bought in town, taking over from