Tokyo: Starting with taking on his wife's debts

Although Sofia was still immersed in sadness, she couldn't help but blush when Xiuming's "family" acknowledged her as their sister-in-law.

Sophia's mother froze for a moment, then closed her eyes again, never daring to look at Riko again.

At that moment, Sofia and her mother were also looking towards the door.

Sofia's mother, in particular, had her eyes wide open.

Umezu Midori sensed from her seemingly resigned gaze that she understood one thing: "Please don't tell me you're his girlfriend too..."

Chieko, who was gripping the doorknob, seemed to think that Sophia's mother was watching her, and lowered her head guiltily.

Umezu Midori was secretly surprised, but she was somewhat prepared: although Hideaki had never mentioned their relationship, judging from Chieko's delicate and graceful appearance, it was definitely true. It didn't matter, as long as Hideaki could take care of her.

But when Chieko lowered her head guiltily, Sophia's mother's eyes widened again, then she closed them and turned her head to face the window.

Midori Umezu's heart skipped a beat: I've been exposed too. What sharp eyes! What a clever mother! Luckily, she accepted her fate... Sophia is so naive.

Of course, this was just a brief eye contact between Riko and Riko as she stood up to speak.

Seeing Riko's predicament, Midori Umezu quickly picked up the fruit basket, walked around the foot of the hospital bed, and went to Riko's side. She grabbed Riko's soft hand and said, suppressing a laugh, "Your brother asked me to ask how much you paid for hospitalization. He told me to bring money to pay you back. He said that even though we are siblings, we should keep clear accounts. After all, you will need money when you get married in the future, right?"

"Huh?" Riko opened her mouth, a flash of confusion crossing her eyes before she seemed to realize what was happening, which turned into shame. Her face flushed red, and she lowered her head deeply, whispering in a trembling voice, "I won't marry him..."

“Miss Umezu,” Sofia said, pulling Riko’s other hand and speaking in a protective tone, “please don’t bully Riko-chan like that, she’s very shy.”

She seems to have truly embraced the identity of Riko's sister-in-law.

On the hospital bed, Sophia's mother opened her eyes, glanced at Sophia, rolled her eyes as if to say "this child is hopeless," then closed them again, and turned her face toward the door on the other side.

"Oh dear, Riko-chan, I'm so sorry," Midori Umezu almost burst out laughing, secretly scratching Riko's palm as she said, "It's because Riko-chan is just so cute that I couldn't help but play a little joke. Will you forgive me?"

Riko's face was still flushed. She glanced at Midori Umezu and whispered, "Please don't do that again..."

She knew that Umezu Midori meant no harm, it was just so embarrassing, this brother and sister thing...it was really annoying...

"Riko-chan is so sweet!" Before Riko could finish speaking, Midori Umezu quickly kissed her on the cheek. "You're so cute."

"..."

Riko's eyes suddenly widened, her neck stiffened, and she looked at Umezu Midori with the eyes of someone looking at a pervert. She opened her mouth but didn't say anything, and turned her back to her, wiping her face with her sleeve.

"Hey, stop bullying my sister!" Sofia wrapped her arm around Riko's back, put her arm around her shoulder, and pulled her into a hug. With a reproachful tone, she continued, "We paid 500 million yen. How much money did Hideaki-kun ask you to bring?"

The subtext is basically: Put down the money and leave now. If you keep bullying my sister like this, believe me, I'll have my husband fire you.

Sophia assumed that Midori Umezu was Chieko's colleague and also an employee of Hideaki Game Development Company.

Umezu Midori's smile froze, somewhat embarrassed.

She could understand and tolerate Sophia's threatening attitude, since it was indeed bullying Riko, but she couldn't help it; Riko was just too adorable.

However, Hideaki shouldn't take offense at this harmless little joke, after all, even a nasty woman like Ayako got away with it!

Her embarrassing problem was that she had no money left.

Suddenly, she felt a pang of regret. She shouldn't have been so rash as to give all the cash to Hideaki; she should have kept some to bribe Riko.

However, there is still a chance; the two properties obtained in the divorce settlement should be put on the market for sale as soon as possible.

But now... I should have known better than to make such a pointless joke with Riko.

"Uh...that..."

Before Midori Umezu could figure out how to fabricate a lie, the ward door was suddenly pushed open, and two nurses in disposable dark green surgical gowns pushed in a hospital bed trolley.

Meijin's green eyes lit up, completely ignoring Sophia's question, and she chased after the nurse, asking, "What's wrong? What's wrong? Are we going to have surgery?"

Sofia's throat tightened, and she lost all interest in Umezu Midori. With anticipation and barely suppressed surprise, she subconsciously swallowed.

Sofia's mother couldn't help but open her eyes. Her trembling gaze and slightly rapid breathing clearly showed that she had a very strong will to survive.

At this moment, a doctor who appeared to be an assistant came in with a signed agreement. He first explained that a kidney donor had been found, and now the patient's family needed to sign the surgical consent form...

Sofia covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

Chieko and Riko hugged Sophia with joy, and Umezu Midori blinked and quickly hugged all three of them as well, expressing her same joy.

The doctors and nurses are still waiting.

"Sophia, sign quickly, sign quickly." Midori Umezu nudged Sophia.

When Sophia's mother was lifted onto the hospital gurney by two nurses, she ignored Sophia and instead grasped Riko's hand. She opened her mouth but didn't speak, but her eyes seemed to convey a sense of entrusting her daughter to them, as if saying, "If I don't get off the operating table, my silly daughter is in your care..."

When I was signing the consent form, the doctor said it wasn't a minor surgery, there were risks, and I shouldn't have too high hopes. I needed to be mentally prepared before signing... I was so scared, I didn't want to die...

As they got closer to the operating room, Sophia's mother's heart pounded faster and faster. All she could hear was the sound of the hospital trolley wheels rolling on the resilient epoxy floor.

I don't know how they changed my clothes, how they were disinfected, or how I was lifted onto the operating table.

In her field of vision, a group of people wearing masks were arranged in a circle, their hands, which were covered with rubber gloves, were held up in front of their faces, looking down at her.

The operating lights were very bright.

The doctor standing at the surgeon's position, wearing a headlamp, held the life in his hands...

The surgery is risky. If it's successful, you can live for a few more years; if it's unsuccessful, you'll die on the spot.

As the anesthetic mask was put over Sofia's mouth, Sofia's mother suddenly remembered something important: Oh no! She forgot to give the surgeon a red envelope (cash gift)...

She suddenly panicked.

I don't want to do it anymore... I want to live a few more days... My silly daughter is still in the dark... That bad boy, he was quite satisfied at first... but I didn't expect him to be so smooth-talking, he even fooled me...

“Mother-in-law, don’t be nervous. You’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep. Be good.” Xiuming said, gesturing to the doctor next to him to hold her hand so she wouldn’t take off the anesthesia mask. He continued, “Quickly count, let your son-in-law see if you can count from 1 to 10.”

The familiar voice was very distinctive. Sofia's mother's pupils contracted, and she stared blankly at the surgeon.

She had barely opened her mouth when, before she could utter a sound, her eyes rolled back and she was out of the anesthesia.

Xiuming's assistant, the old professor who was originally the chief surgeon, subconsciously swallowed.

He glanced cautiously at Xiuming's sharp eyes, then looked down again at Xiuming's waist, where, inside his surgical gown, was a pistol covered in a sterile bag.

It's his mother-in-law... If I fail, will he shoot me in a fit of rage, killing her along with him?

"Don't get distracted." Xiuming suddenly reached out his hand.

The old professor's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly placed the scalpel in the man's hand.

Although he had forgotten his past as an assistant, he was, after all, an old professor with more than 30 years of rich experience in scalpel operation. His professional ability and vision were beyond doubt. He could accurately select the right instruments and place them precisely in Xiuming's hands without Xiuming having to say what tools he needed.

Without any hesitation, Xiuming made the first incision. His hand holding the scalpel moved without trembling or hesitation, just like a CNC machine tool with a pre-programmed sequence.

The old professor's breath hitched: Precise! Steady! Fast! Expert level, no less than mine... Daring, not even drawing a line... Treating human life like dirt... Such a fast knife...

Xiuming took the sterilized medical equipment handed to him by the old professor with his left hand. After using it, he threw it into the tool tray. Just like a numb but skilled worker on an assembly line, he was fast and precise. He seemed to be working without even taking a breath. Was he a CNC lathe?

The old professor was even worried at first that he would not be able to keep up with his pace and would make mistakes, so he had to try his best to stay focused.

At this moment, he finally recalled the exhilarating time when he first became an assistant more than 30 years ago, feeling 30 years younger... How exciting! Watching him perform surgery was like watching a work of art, like a master chef slicing tofu, without any hesitation, without any unnecessary movements, and not even much blood loss... If capillaries could be bypassed, he certainly could too... It was simply art.

His sewing technique is superb, the stitches are as even as a sewing machine, and you can hardly see the thread... Wait! Is it over already?

The old professor glanced instinctively at the digital clock with red numbers beside him, and his heart skipped a beat: 1 hour and 21 minutes!?

Impossible! Even getting a haircut doesn't take that long!

The other doctors were all stunned in the operating room, looking at each other blankly. One of them slapped himself in the face, still completely dumbfounded.

"Ah, time flies..." The anesthesiologist stared blankly at the clock, muttering to himself, "Has an hour and a half already passed..."

All eyes were on his face.

He looked around, bewildered, and asked in a low voice, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Give me a backup copy of the surgery video," the old professor said, his voice trembling with excitement as he walked out of the operating room. "And while you're at it, go and calibrate the time..."

At this moment, Xiuming had already pushed his mother-in-law out of the operating room.

Sofia, Riko, Chieko, and Midori Umezu were all sitting on the lounge chairs outside the operating room, waiting.

Riko and Chieko each held one of Sophia's hands, while Umezu Midori was practically pressed against Riko, seemingly comforting Sophia, but it always felt like she was taking advantage of Riko.

Xiuming didn't go out. Instead, when he reached the door, he had two nurses push the hospital bed out. He then went back to the changing room, changed his clothes, and came out.

Chapter 198 Mother-in-law, Your son-in-law will take care of you in your old age

Because it's a VIP ward floor, there aren't many patients staying on this floor, and there are hardly any people in the hallways.

When Xiuming reached the nurses' station, the old professor stopped him, and with some hesitation and caution, asked Xiuming if the video of his surgical technique during the operation could be used for academic research.

His surgical techniques are of great value for study and research.

The video only captured a portion of the surgical site and did not expose the patient's identity or privacy, nor did it include Xiuming's face.

Xiuming said he didn't care. When he was doing it, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as being done by someone else. He completely forgot that he was performing surgery on someone and thought he was piecing together and sewing a doll. Moreover, there was a dedicated person serving him. It was really easy. After he finished, he almost blurted out, "Take this one away and move on to the next one."

Seeing that Xiuming was easy to talk to and that his mother-in-law was safe and sound, the old professor relaxed and asked Xiuming if he was interested in attending an academic seminar as a surprise guest and giving a lecture.

Xiuming's actions were sometimes too fast and too casual. The old professor didn't see them clearly at the time and only understood them when he thought about it. If he were to explain to the doctors with the video recording, Xiuming's own explanation would naturally be more accurate.

Xiuming flatly refused, because he didn't understand it, he only knew how to operate it, and he only knew that he should do it this way, because it was the "golden finger" that had been implanted into his brain.

"My mother-in-law's daughter in the ward, who is also my girlfriend, is a graduate of Tokyo Medical University and a urologist. She is currently interning at Kato Hospital and is not in a good situation. If you make her your apprentice, I will personally pass on all the knowledge I have learned in my life to her, and you will have a proud disciple in the future."

The old professor was somewhat tempted; his professional title had reached its limit, and what followed was recognition and honor... But he still said he would go back and take a look first, since there were many troublesome procedures involved, and he couldn't afford to cause any trouble...

He was mainly worried about Xiuming, but he didn't dare to ask him about his background, so he also went to check out Sophia's information.

Xiuming didn't talk to him any further, only saying that if he had made up his mind, he didn't need to contact him. He could just send someone to Kato Hospital to find Sophia. He figured Sophia would be very happy to switch jobs and do an internship, and with the old professor's abilities, getting an intern would be as easy as drinking water.

After the old professor left, Xiuming walked to the door of the ward.

Sofia's mother has been out for half an hour. Although she hasn't woken up yet, she'll probably wake up at any moment.

The atmosphere in the ward was no longer as somber as before; it was noticeably more cheerful.

Perhaps considering that their voices might disturb Sofia's mother, the four of them gathered around a small table, separated by the cots, and whispered among themselves.

The most active one was Midori Umezu, her eyes filled with a mischievous smile. Every now and then, she would whisper a few words in Sophia's ear, only to be pushed away by Sophia, whose face was flushed red.

She then breathed into Riko's ear.

Riko's ears turned bright red. She rested her elbows on the table, covered her ears with both hands, and remained motionless.

Chieko, on the other hand, seemed relatively normal, though her oval face was almost as red as a monkey's bottom. She kept giving Umezu Midori meaningful glances, signaling her not to go too far...