Although he had been full of confidence when he promised Song Xuan earlier, Doctor Song was all too aware of the limits of his own medical skills.
Looking at the situation now, it was clear this would become the Waterloo of his lengthy medical career.
Despite such concerns, Doctor Song ultimately decided to complete the surgery.
After all, Waterloo was merely a comparative notion—his skills during his school days were far inferior to his junior sister’s, so such an outcome was hardly surprising.
Having steeled himself to finish the operation, Doctor Song hurried back to his office after telling Cai Xun that everything was fine.
As soon as he entered, Doctor Song collapsed to the ground.
"Thank goodness the operation is at least done..."
Even after the procedure, Doctor Song was acutely aware that, in the eyes of the patient, this surgery was destined to be deemed a failure.
Especially since just before entering the operating room he’d caught sight of Gu Qixiao, a prominent figure in the Beijing circle—he feared his very life might be in jeopardy.
Despite the sheer terror, Doctor Song’s mind continued to churn quickly.
But just as he was wavering, unsure what to do next, a ringing phone ended up changing the course of his fate...
It was three days later when Song Xuan learned her surgery had failed, as the need for postoperative rest had left her with few chances to use her phone and contact Gu Qixiao.
In the hospital room, only Song Xuan, Cai Xun, and Cai Xun’s assistant sat facing each other in silence.
After multiple failed attempts to run into Gu Qixiao at the hospital, Cai Xun had finally decided to send his assistant on her own the following day.
No matter what, the assistant was at least somewhat attractive—if by chance Gu Qixiao appeared someday while she was present, it might even help secure additional business opportunities for the company.
With this idea in mind, Cai Xun prepared to wait until Song Xuan had her stitches removed before heading home for a well-deserved sleep—and perhaps reconnecting with his long-ignored girlfriend.
Especially since he hadn’t seen Feng Qinqin in so many days, and he still couldn’t forget the sensation of that night with her...
Sitting off to the side, engrossed in thoughts of Feng Qinqin, Cai Xun’s face was a study in complex emotions; on one hand, he savored his girlfriend’s beauty like a feast, while on the other, he seethed inwardly over her headstrong temperament.
Odd distractions like these were what kept Cai Xun from feeling overly bored, even as the time ticked down until Doctor Song arrived to remove Song Xuan’s bandages.
Meanwhile, the assistant found herself the object of Song Xuan’s resentment due to her pretty features—this hostility colored every word exchanged between them.
Caught between the two, the clueless assistant seemed pitiful, but thankfully Doctor Song arrived in the room before long.
"Miss Song, how’s your recovery coming along?"
Striving to maintain an air of mystery, Song Xuan had avoided looking at her reflection whenever medical staff checked for inflammation or rejection symptoms.
She’d even refrained from using her phone or texting Gu Qixiao, except for briefly contacting him yesterday—all for the sake of unveiling a flawless face when the bandages finally came off.
But she hadn’t anticipated that, when the moment truly came, everything would veer off course from her expectations...
Cai Xun and the assistant watched from beside her as the medical staff slowly began removing her bandages, bit by bit revealing a rather pretty face.
Song Xuan’s face was undoubtedly much more attractive now than before the surgery, but when compared to the photo she had given Doctor Song, the end result fell far short of her standards.
"How is it?"
Even though Gu Qixiao wasn’t here in person, Song Xuan’s anticipation for her new face hadn’t diminished.
Her expression radiated excitement as she looked around at the others, her smiling lips barely able to contain her joy.
However, when she noticed the mixed emotions on everyone’s faces, Song Xuan felt as though her world was crumbling.
"Is it ugly? Or is it..." Unwilling to accept the worst, Song Xuan’s expression quickly shifted from happiness to disbelief.
Before she could lose control entirely, the nurse beside her flipped over the mirror she’d prepared in advance.
Seeing her own reflection for the first time, Song Xuan went utterly mad.
"No! This isn’t the face I wanted! This isn’t the face I asked for!"
Watching Song Xuan break down, Cai Xun immediately signaled his assistant to slip away.
After all, he was only here in hopes of meeting Gu Qixiao for business reasons—to pad his own wallet.
Song Xuan’s ruined face had nothing to do with him, but he certainly didn’t want to become the target of her crazed outbursts.
Having visited the hospital several days in a row, Cai Xun had gained some insight into Song Xuan’s volatile temper—his initial impression of this Mrs. Gu as plain-looking had grown warped over time.
Although Cai Xun managed to flee the hospital room, he wasn’t lucky enough to avoid bumping into Assistant Li just outside.
Assistant Li had originally been tasked by his boss to check on Song Xuan’s condition, but paused in surprise when he saw Cai Xun, then hurried over.
From the slight commotion ahead, he sensed something might be amiss.
Though he’d previously offered cautionary advice to Song Xuan, he hadn’t cared much whether she chose to heed it.
Still, the distant sound of Song Xuan’s furious screams stirred unease in Assistant Li. He worried that Gu Qixiao, waiting downstairs, might be compelled to come up over some incident.
After all, right before coming here, Gu Qixiao had been scolded yet again by Mr. Gu over his decision to cancel the Feng family partnership.
Gu Qixiao’s thunderous expression clearly bore the warning, "Provoke me and you’ll face ruin," leaving Assistant Li without the courage to disturb him.
Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario Assistant Li had feared unfolded inside the hospital room—Song Xuan unleashed her fury at whoever came close, hurling whatever was in her grasp.
By the time Assistant Li rushed in, Song Xuan happened to throw her phone.
And Assistant Li—just his luck—caught it in mid-air.
The phone didn’t smash to the ground, but as misfortune would have it, it dialed Gu Qixiao.
Downstairs, Gu Qixiao had been trying to rest, exhausted by both work and the constant tension between himself and Mr. Gu, who was unsatisfied with his recent decisions.
Although Ji Yu, that woman, was no longer causing trouble in front of him, Gu Qixiao continued to lay the blame squarely on her.
"If it weren’t for her reaching out first, none of this would’ve happened to me."
Just as Gu Qixiao began to relax, his phone vibrated noisily, turning his eased brow back into a tightly furrowed expression.
Glancing at the incoming call, Gu Qixiao considered ignoring it—until the unmistakable sound of a crazed voice came through from the other end.
"You must take responsibility for the failed surgery!"