After hearing his father’s words, Xiao Shu was suddenly reminded of that 9457. Could it be that the person who received the eyes was that convict? Why arrange it this way? That convict was personally selected by Li Xiaohao; how did his eyes compare to Xiao Yu’s in any unique way?

However, before he could puzzle out an answer, the grating sound of a rolling gurney echoed from the hallway. Xiao Shu quickly turned and hurried out, only to see Xing’er being slowly wheeled out of the operating room, his head heavily bandaged and his foot hooked up to an IV drip. The eyes beneath those bandages, just like Hua Gu’s, were swollen, a clear testament to an eye transplant procedure. Li Xiaohao himself was right there, steadying the gurney, following the nurse as his son was moved into the observation room, his expression etched with concern. Seeing him there, Xiao Shu abruptly halted his steps, making no move to approach Xing’er. Though he genuinely cared, maintaining appearances was too difficult; after all, Xing’er’s mother was the woman he adored.

Instead, Xiao Shu walked to the entrance of the operating room and peered inside through the still-open doorway, waiting for Xiao Yu to emerge. But after a long while, there was still no sign of activity inside. Not only did no one come out, but a nurse actually approached and closed the door, and the light above the operating room door flickered back on.

This sudden illumination agitated Xiao Shu’s already fragile heart. He had no idea what had happened, nor why Xiao Yu still hadn't appeared after so much time. He considered calling Xiao Yu’s sister, wanting her to come see Xiao Yu one last time, but how could he explain the confusing situation over the phone? Xiao Shu wrestled with the dilemma, pacing anxiously outside the operating room door, moving back and forth like an ant on a hot griddle.

Li Taiming and Li Bingyu remained seated on their bench. Seeing Xiao Shu’s restless pacing, Li Taiming couldn't help but step forward, patting his shoulder. “Friend, can you please sit down properly? Pacing back and forth like that in front of us is really distracting.”

Xiao Shu, still simmering from his unpleasant conversation with Li Xiaohao, flared up at Li Taiming’s intrusion. He swung a hard punch toward Li Taiming’s shoulder. Li Taiming, quick as lightning, raised his right hand in the blink of an eye and caught the entire incoming fist in his palm, chuckling, “I haven’t provoked you, and I’m waiting for Ming Xiao Yu too. Brothers in the same united front shouldn’t be killing each other.”

“Who’s on the same united front as you?” Xiao Shu retorted with palpable disgust.

“Forget it, talking about this with you now is like playing a lute to a cow. I have a good suggestion, though. I wonder if you’ll take it.” Li Taiming, truly cunning, saw Xiao Shu’s anger and deliberately shifted the topic, diffusing the tension with just two sentences.

But Xiao Shu still couldn't bring himself to save face, his expression rigid. “What suggestion?”

“Call Xiao Yu’s sister. Tell her Xiao Yu is completely fine, just had a minor surgery, and ask her to come take care of him.”

Xiao Shu had just been agonizing over this very issue. Li Taiming had somehow seen right through him and proactively suggested he invite Xiao Yu’s sister to the hospital, which astonished Xiao Shu. He looked at Li Taiming with deep confusion and asked, “Are you sure he’s really alright? He didn’t fulfill that promise; maybe he’ll leave this world in a few hours.”

Li Taiming looked up at the ceiling, sighing with profound emotion. “He indeed did not complete that promise, but he was different from others from the start. Bingyu died carrying a grievance, but he is willingly sacrificing himself for a friend. And now he’s willingly sacrificing himself for someone else, so…” Li Taiming glanced at Bingyu, hesitated mid-sentence, then moved to another bench on the side, falling silent.