"The surgery was a success. The tumor in the spinal canal has been removed..."

While Director Lo Jun was briefing the patient’s family on the surgical results, Yan Feifan walked over to Qiu Ge and the others.

"Mr. Yan..."

Qiu Ge said with a faint smile, "Let me introduce you. These are the family members of the pediatric patient with the craniopharyngioma."

’The whole family is here. Does this mean they’ve agreed to the tissue biopsy?’

Yan Feifan looked at Dr. Qiu Ge in confusion. She pointed to a man beside her, around fifty years old, and said, "This is Mr. Ren Zhongyuan, the chairman of Hongrun Industrial Co., Ltd."

"This is Mr. Ren’s wife, Ms. Xv Ruihua..."

Yan Feifan nodded to Ren Zhongyuan, Xv Ruihua, and their eldest daughter, the twenty-three or twenty-four-year-old Ren Chuqiu, by way of greeting.

"Mr. Yan, you look even younger than I imagined."

Ren Zhongyuan spoke first, remarking with some emotion, then bowed slightly. "I’m entrusting my Xiaobao completely to you, Mr. Yan."

"Please, do your absolute best for him."

Yan Feifan didn’t respond immediately, instead turning his gaze to Qiu Ge.

Qiu Ge explained in a low voice, "Mr. Yan, Mr. Ren’s son has already been admitted to our hospital. He’s preparing to undergo our experimental surgical therapy."

Yan Feifan turned back to Ren Zhongyuan and said bluntly, "Mr. Ren, this morning, it seemed like you weren’t willing to do a tissue biopsy?"

Ren Zhongyuan nodded. "That’s correct."

"I heard that this type of brain tumor biopsy carries considerable risk."

"Besides, I didn’t have a thorough understanding of you, Mr. Yan, so I refused outright."

"However, this morning, a friend of mine recommended you, Mr. Yan."

Ren Zhongyuan glanced at Qiu Ge before continuing, "Dr. Qiu is a nationally renowned neurosurgery expert, and she speaks very highly of you."

"My friend also said that you are an excellent doctor."

Ren Zhongyuan added frankly, "I also did some more investigation and research. Several other neurosurgery experts said that your puncture injection method, Mr. Yan, is theoretically feasible."

His eyes filled with anticipation as he asked, "Mr. Yan, can you give me an idea of what the chances are?"

Yan Feifan shook his head. "Only after the biopsy can I determine if the puncture injection method is even applicable to your son."

"It’s too early to talk about chances now!"

Just then, Ren Chuqiu spoke up. "Mr. Yan, for the brain tumor tissue biopsy, can you guarantee that there will be no complications like cerebral hemorrhage or brain damage?"

Yan Feifan didn’t answer, simply looking at Qiu Ge.

She said in a serious tone, "Miss Ren, we can’t make that guarantee. I can only say that with my nearly twenty years of clinical surgical experience, I will do my utmost to prevent such a complication from occurring."

"But this step is absolutely essential."

"Of course..."

Qiu Ge looked at Ren Zhongyuan and said, "If you don’t want to take the risk, you can always opt for a direct craniotomy."

Ren Chuqiu said, annoyed, "Isn’t that obvious?"

"If we were going to do a direct craniotomy, we would have done it at a top hospital in the United States. We wouldn’t be here for you to do it."

"Chuqiu, be quiet!"

Ren Zhongyuan sternly reprimanded his daughter, then turned to Qiu Ge with an apologetic smile. "Dr. Qiu, my daughter is just worried. Please forgive her."

"I understand. With Xiaobao’s condition, it’s impossible to preserve his eyesight without taking risks."

"He’s only eight years old. Please, Dr. Qiu... Mr. Yan, I’m counting on you to do everything you can."

"I’m begging you..."

The tumor biopsy was scheduled for eight o’clock the next morning. Yan Feifan then returned to the surgical area’s changing room to change his clothes and wash up.

After that, he left the neurosurgery department and went to the director’s office at the plastic surgery center.

Pushing the door open, Yan Feifan saw Director Wang Chuan standing at the window, seemingly absorbed in admiring the view outside.

He walked over, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Wang Chuan, and looked out the window.

On the path below, a patient, bent over at the waist, was being supported by family members as they shuffled step by step toward the hospital gate.

"Director, are you feeling sentimental?"

Wang Chuan turned and walked toward his executive desk. "Sentimental? Not at all. I was just thinking about something."

"I have something to tell you. Jio Xin submitted her resignation. She’s also going to work for Zhiyin Medical Beauty."

Yan Feifan was genuinely surprised.

He couldn’t help but ask, "Director, did you two have a fight and break up?"

"Break up?"

Wang Chuan shot him a glare and huffed, "We were never together in the first place. How could we break up?"

Yan Feifan said "Oh," then whispered, "Those few days when Jio Xin was hospitalized, you were running around, so incredibly concerned about her."

"I really thought you two had gotten together."

Wang Chuan let out a breath. "That was guilt. I also see Jio Xin as a close friend, even family. It’s not what you’re thinking."

Yan Feifan asked gossipily, "Director, you don’t have any romantic feelings for Jio Xin at all?"

Wang Chuan was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "For all these years, my heart has been set on Yanyan. I haven’t even considered anyone else."

"When Jio Xin was hospitalized for surgery this time, I did actually consider that possibility."

"It’s just..."

Wang Chuan sighed again. "I could live a quiet, stable life with her, like an old married couple."

"But I can’t give her a passionate romantic life."

"Jio Xin is still young. It wouldn’t be fair to her."

Yan Feifan didn’t quite understand, but he knew one thing: there was no future for Wang Chuan and Jio Xin.

Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door.

After Wang Chuan called out, "Come in," Lin Qian, dressed in a pantsuit, pushed the door open and entered.

She said, a little reserved, "Director, Mr. Yan!"

Wang Chuan gave a direct order, "Tonight, the project team is having a dinner to get together and also discuss and arrange the specific work."

"You’ll leave with us in a bit."

Lin Qian agreed in a small voice.

Wang Chuan then pointed at Yan Feifan and said, "Lin Qian, aside from your work on the project, when you have free time, you’ll start by following him and learning the fundamentals of plastic surgery techniques."

"Yes, Director!"

Lin Qian agreed again, then looked at Yan Feifan with a serious, earnest expression. "I’ll be in your care, Mr. Yan."

Yan Feifan put on a stern face as well, mimicking her serious tone. "I’m very strict, you know. If you’re not serious and don’t work hard, I will chew you out."

Lin Qian smiled, pressing her lips together. "As they say, a strict master produces a skilled apprentice. Mr. Yan, I’m not afraid of you being strict. I’m only afraid you’ll just go through the motions."

Wang Chuan cut in, "I know you two get along well. Stop the banter."

After a pause, he asked, "Feifan, you ignored the taboo against operating on your own family and friends and personally performed plastic surgery on your sister."

"How did it go? You didn’t mess it up, did you?"

Yan Feifan chuckled. "I wouldn’t have felt at ease letting someone else perform plastic surgery on my sister."

"Besides, it wasn’t a major life-or-death surgery."

He added teasingly, "As for the results, you’ll see for yourself in a few days, Director."

"My sister is definitely much prettier than before."

"Oh, Director..."

Yan Feifan remembered something else. "You promised to introduce my sister to a boyfriend before. What happened? There’s been no movement on that."

"Now that my sister is even prettier, you have to make good on your promise."

Wang Chuan agreed, "Fine, no problem."

"Once the incisions on Ziruo’s face have healed, I’ll definitely introduce her to a ’tall, rich, and handsome’ guy who’s a great catch in every way."

He then changed the subject. "Feifan, I heard you took on a highly difficult revision surgery for a failed cosmetic procedure."

"Tell me about it."