Chapter 157: Performing Surgery on the Mistress

Wen Xiuyuan knelt beside Su Ruo: "Master, please let Junior Sister try it!"

Wen Xiuyuan understood his master's worry; he knew that if Junior Sister performed the surgery but it failed, she might regret it for the rest of her life.

Yet these days, he had seen how much effort Su Ruo had made to save the mistress, so he knew even more that if they did not do the surgery, it might become Junior Sister's lifelong regret.

Whether to do it or not, it was destined to be a difficult choice, but he respected Junior Sister's decision.

Most importantly, Wen Xiuyuan had been raised by his master since childhood; he had spent the longest time by his master's side and understood best the feelings between master and mistress.

Although for many years the mistress had lain in bed unable to do anything, she was the master's spiritual pillar; as long as the mistress lived one day, the master's life had hope and his spirit would not collapse.

If the mistress were to die, Wen Xiuyuan dared not imagine what the master who loved her would become—that would absolutely not be what he wanted to see.

So Wen Xiuyuan did this not only for Su Ruo, but also for the master.

Ji Linye and Song Zhizhou also knelt before Yan Jiu: "Master, please let Junior Sister try……"

Seeing the trust of her three senior brothers, Su Ruo felt moved in her heart; although she herself did not know whether her current decision was right or wrong, she truly wanted to give it a try—just in case!

If she could cure the mistress, she could make up for the master's lifelong regret.

The master had treated her so well; he was the first elder in this life and the last to care for her so deeply. In Su Ruo's heart, the master surpassed even a father, so she also truly wanted to do something for him.

Yan Jiu looked at the three disciples kneeling before him, remained silent for a long time, then sighed and said: "Forget it, then you may try!"

Yan Jiu told himself, "Give it a try!" He would give the disciples a chance, and also give his ten years of persistence a chance.

If they did not do it, it might become his and the disciples' lifelong regret.

If they did it and it still failed, then that was fate; he would accept it.

Having made the decision, Yan Jiu entered the room to bid his wife a final farewell; he touched her face with his hand, his eyes filled with lingering affection and reluctance.

"Sorry, at the end, at the end, I still have to let you suffer once more—on the Yellow Springs Road, walk slowly, wait for me……

This lifetime I have failed you, forcibly keeping you by my side, making you endure too much suffering; in the next life, I will surely make it up to you……"

Su Ruo's eyes instantly reddened, but now was not the time to be swayed by emotion; she swore in her heart that she would spare no effort to cure the mistress and would never let herself regret it.

The master had a dedicated operating room here, fully equipped with all kinds of medicinal herbs needed.

Si Yannian did not know whether it was because he understood Su Ruo too well, knowing she would not watch her mistress die helplessly, or because of his previous blood‑donation experience that left a deep impression, but he had already prepared the blood plasma.

Su Ruo said to Si Yannian: "Thank you!"

Si Yannian replied: "No need to thank me; just let me stay by your side during the surgery." At such a crucial moment, he would accompany Su Ruo no matter what.

Si Yannian's tone was firm, leaving no room for Su Ruo to refuse; the situation was urgent and she had no time to argue with him, so she remained silent, which counted as acquiescence.

Several people lifted the mistress into the operating room and prepared for the surgery.

Now they were racing against the Death God; every minute delayed minute the mistress would be in greater danger.

The master waited outside the operating room; this old man who had saved countless lives in his lifetime now had a slightly bent back, and even his fingers trembled involuntarily.

Wen Xiuyuan, Song Zhizhou, and Ji Linye together assisted Su Ruo; after everything was ready, Su Ruo took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down.

Su Ruo picked up the surgical knife; she knew that once she cut, there would be no turning back. To her, this was not just a surgery but a high‑stakes gamble, for which she had staked the master's complete trust in her—she could not afford to lose.

If the surgery ultimately failed, even if the master did not blame her, she would never again dare to face him.

But reality was even worse than Su Ruo had imagined; the bleeding point on the mistress's head was larger and more numerous than what the system had detected.

Even the usually steady Wen Xiuyuan could not help but change his expression upon seeing the mistress's condition; he regretted having just persuaded the master to let the mistress accept the surgery.

Yet Su Ruo's facial expression showed no change; the more serious the situation, the steadier her hands became.

When you have no way out, you will have no more scruples.

To Su Ruo, the person before her was no longer the mistress but an extremely dangerous patient; she had to do everything possible to pull her back from the Death God's grasp.

Perhaps influenced by Su Ruo, Wen Xiuyuan and the other two gradually calmed down; in their hearts, if even Junior Sister could do this, then if they could not match her, they would be utterly ashamed.

The surgery lasted several hours, enduring multiple dangerous moments, but Su Ruo and the others resolved each one.

When Su Ruo successfully controlled all bleeding points and excised the tumor that had been compressing the mistress's brain nerves, Ji Linye almost shouted in excitement.

Song Zhizhou and Wen Xiuyuan were not much better off.

After the long march, they had finally emerged from the most difficult step and saw the glimmer of hope.

Su Ruo's expression remained unchanged; she continued her work in an orderly manner, until all problems were handled, the mistress's wound was completely sutured, and the surgery ended. Only then did Su Ruo go limp and collapse onto the operating table.

Wen Xiuyuan and the other two were startled; by the time they wanted to help Su Ruo, it was already too late.

This surgery lasted over eight hours, exhausting all of Su Ruo's energy, spirit, will, and physical strength, which had reached their limits.

When the surgery ended and her body relaxed, Su Ruo had no strength left to stand; she felt her head spin, her body as soft as cotton, with not a shred of strength.

Su Ruo could hear her three senior brothers calling her, but she could not make any response.

Yet what greeted Su Ruo was not a cold floor, but a warm embrace.

In her haze, Su Ruo seemed to see Si Yannian's excessively enchanting face, though at this moment it was filled with worry.

Su Ruo wanted to comfort him, saying she was fine, but before she could speak, she sank completely into darkness.

Si Yannian's face was icy as he said to Wen Xiuyuan and the others: "I'll take her to rest."

Then, without waiting for the three to react, he carried Su Ruo and strode out of the operating room.