Zhou Huaian watched Lin Xiaoxiao's excitement and sat up as well. He nodded. "There's movement in that direction. Proposals have been made to the Ministry of Education and national leadership. It's already under review."

Lin Xiaoxiao was instantly thrilled. If she wanted to rightfully stand in an operating room one day, she had to take the college entrance exam and earn that university acceptance letter.

She reached out and gripped Zhou Huaian's hand. "Changsuo, do you think I'm eligible to take the exam?"

Zhou Huaian wasn't entirely sure about the specific requirements post-reinstatement—Lin Zihao had only mentioned it in passing earlier that day, asking if he had any interest in returning to university himself.

But seeing the eager hope in Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes, he couldn't bear to disappoint her. He nodded. "You're eligible."

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled. "Alright, I won't put you on the spot. I know countless people will be hoping this exam changes their lives—just think of all the educated youth stationed in the countryside.

They've probably been dreaming of this day. The competition will be fierce."

She said it lightly, but a stubborn reluctance tugged at her heart.

If there was a chance, she was going to fight for it.

Zhou Huaian wasn't confident he could secure a spot for her either, so he simply watched silently as Lin Xiaoxiao cycled between joy and worry.

Early the next morning, Zhou Zhennan arrived with the team of experts. He'd already received Zhou Huaian's call informing him that Li Yunlan's surgery was complete.

Zhou Zhennan was uneasy. He'd consulted numerous specialists and gone to great lengths to schedule this operation. How could it have suddenly been performed in such a small, remote place?

Still, he brought the experts with him. Without stopping to find Zhou Huaian, he went straight to the hospital and asked the team to examine Li Yunlan.

After a thorough evaluation, the experts were astonished. An elderly professor turned to Zhou Zhennan. "Professor Zhou, your wife's surgery was highly successful. From what we can see, there are no complications. We reviewed the surgical notes—the lead surgeon was exceptionally skilled, even more technically proficient than some of us old hands."

Craniotomy required not only courage and precision but also tremendous stamina. A ten-hour surgery was something few of them could confidently undertake at their age.

Zhou Zhennan was stunned. Where had Zhou Huaian found such a brilliant doctor? Why hadn't he mentioned it before?

Once he confirmed Li Yunlan's successful operation, Zhou Zhennan arranged for the experts to rest at the guesthouse and returned to his wife's room.

Zhou Xiaoling, who'd been keeping vigil by the bed, hadn't had a chance to speak earlier. Now that the experts were gone, she eagerly pulled her father aside. "Dad, Mom really is okay. She's just still recovering, so her memory is a bit confused. Once she's fully healed, she'll be fine."

Zhou Zhennan gazed at his sleeping wife, still uncertain. "Are you sure your brother found this expert from Beijing? What expert? I've never heard of such a person."

Over the past two years, he'd sought out every doctor he could find. He'd never heard of a specialist this skilled in Beijing—if he had, he would have contacted them long ago.

"Which hospital is this doctor from?"

Zhou Xiaoling shook her head, equally in the dark. "I don't know. I never saw them. But they were really good—they cured Mom."

Zhou Zhennan still felt uneasy. "We should properly thank the doctor. I'll ask your brother which hospital they're from."

Zhou Xiaoling wasn't as concerned. "My brother found them—he wouldn't do anything to hurt Mom. And look, she's fine now. Maybe the doctor left because they didn't want to be seen?"

Zhou Zhennan shook his head. "Your brother has never even been to Beijing. How could he suddenly have contacts there? I hope he wasn't tricked into something—what if someone uses this to pressure him later?"

It wasn't that he wanted to doubt, but Zhou Huaian's background was too simple.

Zhou Xiaoling gasped. She hadn't considered that. "No way! My brother is smart—he wouldn't be easily used."

Zhou Zhennan hoped he was overthinking it. He didn't want Zhou Huaian involved in any trouble. They might not be able to pave his way, but they couldn't afford to hold him back either.

When Lin Xiaoxiao arrived with a pot of wontons, she was surprised to learn Zhou Zhennan was there. "When did Dad get here? Why didn't he come to the house?"

Zhou Zhennan looked apologetic. "We were so worried about your mother, we came straight to the hospital after arriving this morning. We should have let you and Huaian know."

Lin Xiaoxiao waved it off. "It's no trouble. I made some wontons and brought them over."

After setting down the food container, she politely asked how long Zhou Zhennan planned to stay. They couldn't live at the guesthouse forever—perhaps Zhou Huaian could help find them a place.

Zhou Zhennan declined. "That won't be necessary. Once your mother is stable, we'll return home. We need to prepare for Xiaohong's wedding."

Zhou Xiaoling was shocked. After the incident with Zhou Xiaoming, she and Zhou Xiaohong hadn't been in touch. Hearing that her sister was getting married was unexpected. "Xiaohong is getting married? Since when has she been seeing someone? Who is it?"

She'd never heard Zhou Xiaohong mention a boyfriend. How did this happen so suddenly? And given Zhou Xiaohong's proud and particular nature, what kind of man could she possibly approve of?

Zhou Zhennan sighed helplessly. "She's marrying that boy from the Hu family—Hu Yaozong. He's about her age."

Zhou Xiaoling was even more stunned. "Hu Yaozong? The one who was always getting into fights, that rebel ringleader who now works at a neighborhood office?"

Zhou Zhennan nodded. "That's the one. Your sister is determined to marry him. Nothing I say changes her mind."

Zhou Xiaoling could barely hide her disbelief. "Is she out of her mind? He's an unreasonable thug! Think of all the terrible things he's done—he was awful even as a kid, always blocking our way on the street."

How could Zhou Xiaohong possibly want him?

Zhou Zhennan massaged his temples tiredly. He strongly opposed the marriage—even staying single would be better than marrying such a scoundrel.

But Zhou Xiaohong, usually so obedient, had recently become defiant. Whatever he forbade, she insisted on doing—including this marriage. She accused them of looking down on Hu Yaozong for being a low-level clerk and dismissing the Hu family for having fallen from grace.

Zhou Zhennan didn't know how to reason with her anymore. Every conversation turned into a battlefield. Their relationship grew increasingly strained, leaving him emotionally drained.

Worried about Li Yunlan's health, he finally gave up. Let Zhou Xiaohong marry if she wanted. If things went badly, she could always divorce and come home.

Lin Xiaoxiao, however, found the situation suspicious. Zhou Huaian had said Lin Zihao suspected the Hu family was involved in shady dealings—and now a Hu was marrying Zhou Xiaohong.

Was Zhou Xiaohong simply trying to upset her family, or was this part of a scheme by the Hu family?

She couldn't help but suspect the worst. And from what Zhou Xiaoling said about the man Zhou Xiaohong intended to marry, he didn't sound like a good person at all.