Pain. A searing, fiery pain...

At first, it was just in one or two spots, but it quickly spread across her entire face like a wildfire.

Yan Ziruo couldn't bear it any longer and snapped her eyes open.

The first thing she saw was a cream-white ceiling and an IV stand with a drip bag hanging from it.

She could smell the scent of disinfectant.

The beeping of a monitor reached her ears, along with the ever-clarifying pain in her face...

This combination quickly brought the newly awakened Yan Ziruo to full consciousness.

'This isn't the operating room... it must be a patient room, right?'

'The surgery is over.'

Yan Ziruo turned her head and saw a tall, thin figure that was incredibly familiar and reassuring to her.

Sitting by the bed, Yan Feifan was flipping through a medical journal.

Noticing that he hadn't realized she was awake, Yan Ziruo called out pitifully.

"Feifan, it hurts!"

Hearing the sound, Yan Feifan put down the journal and turned to look at her.

"You're awake?"

"The pain is normal. It'll be fine after you endure it for a day or two."

Yan Feifan raised the head of the hospital bed by about forty or fifty degrees, letting his sister sit up comfortably.

"Feifan, my face..."

Yan Ziruo touched her face gingerly, her voice filled with confusion. "Didn't you just work on my eyes and the tip of my nose?"

"Why does it feel like my whole face hurts?"

"Is this a patient room?"

"Sis, you're in the observation room!"

Yan Feifan answered her last question first, then gave a mischievous chuckle. "After I finished your nose and eyes, I had another thought. Since you were already getting plastic surgery, you might as well get all the suffering over with at once."

"So I just... tidied up the lines of your face a little."

He added, "It was just minor cosmetic work. You'll recover in three or four days, max. There won't be any negative side effects."

"See for yourself..."

Yan Ziruo quickly took the mirror her brother handed her and held it up.

She saw that in the mirror, besides the medical tape around her eyes, nose tip, and nose wings, there was also tape on her cheekbones, on both sides of her jaw, and above the corners of her mouth.

Her face had turned into a patchwork mess.

In fact, there was more medical tape on her face than exposed skin.

"Feifan, you..."

Yan Ziruo was a little angry.

But the slight twitch of her facial muscles instantly kicked the pain up a notch.

Yan Feifan quickly tried to console her. "Sis, don't worry. The tape just makes it look like a large area is covered, but the incisions are actually tiny."

"In three days at most, all the tape can come off, except for the pieces on your nose and eyes."

Yan Ziruo shot him a glare and grumbled under her breath, "If this doesn't make me ten times more beautiful, I'll make you pay."

"I'll beat your butt until it's swollen."

She glanced around the room again and asked, "Where's Su Ye?"

Yan Feifan replied, "She went to the market to buy groceries. She said she's going to wait for Du Qiu to get back this evening so they can cook a feast to help you recover."

Yan Ziruo nodded in satisfaction and casually asked, "What time is it?"

"2:45 in the afternoon!"

Yan Ziruo said in surprise, "Ah, it's that late already!"

"Feifan, how long was I in surgery?"

"The surgery took nearly two hours."

Yan Feifan replied, then added, "It's just that you were asleep for a long time. I had the anesthesiologist use a little extra anesthetic."

"That way, you could get some good sleep post-op, and tonight won't be such an ordeal."

Yan Ziruo let out a soft "oh." Just as she was wiggling her legs and feet, the ringtone of the song "Jasmine" began to play.

Seeing her brother take out his phone, she asked, "Su Ye?"

"It's Ms. Lian from Baining Technology."

Yan Feifan answered his sister, then picked up the call. Yu Youlian's voice came through the phone.

"Mr. Yan, hello!"

"That little program, is it working well for you?"

Yan Feifan was direct. "It's useful, yes, but the 3D images you simulate from the patient's tumor scans have some major issues with precision and error margins."

He had already been trying out the mini-program for intraspinal tumors.

He had to admit, it greatly simplified his workload.

All he had to do was move the mouse around a bit and make a few clicks to mark the precise position for a Puncture Needle.

However, the simulated 3D tumor map in the mini-program had significant discrepancies compared to the tumor image Yan Feifan could visualize in his mind, and that was something he couldn't tolerate.

He had originally planned to go through all ten-plus case files, compare them, identify a pattern, and then report the problem.

But since Yu Youlian had called to ask, Yan Feifan decided to bring up the issue now.

"Ms. Yu, this surgery requires precise positioning."

"If you can't even get the foundation for positioning—the 3D tumor image—accurate enough, how can we even talk about precise placement?"

After a moment, Yu Youlian's voice came through again.

"That is indeed a very serious problem—how to accurately convert MRI scans into 3D images!"

After a pause, Yu Youlian continued over the phone, "Mr. Yan, would you be able to hand-draw a 3D image of the tumor based on the case file's scans?"

"That would allow our technicians to compare it and see where the errors are occurring, and how significant they are."

Yan Feifan pondered for a moment, then said, "I can try. I should be able to do it."

"Ms. Yu, I suggest your technicians improve the conversion model's accuracy by comparing it against more physical specimens."

An idea occurred to him, and he offered a suggestion. "Ms. Yu, if this software is done right—if it can accurately convert 2D MRI scans into 3D images—it should have significant application potential."

Yu Youlian's voice on the other end of the line became brighter.

"Mr. Yan, you have quite a nimble mind."

"I won't hide it from you. This mini-program is an enhanced version built on top of a similar conversion software we were already developing."

"At present, the conversion accuracy is still somewhat unsatisfactory."

Next, Yu Youlian changed the subject. "Mr. Yan, I heard that my Su Ye is planning to sell her house to raise money and go into business with you?"

Yan Feifan said vaguely, "It's mainly another friend who's running it. Su Ye and I are just acting as investors."

"It's just a small venture, nothing worth mentioning."

Yu Youlian's tone over the phone became serious. "How could a startup idea from a genius be 'nothing worth mentioning'?"

"Mr. Yan, I'm very much looking forward to seeing just what kind of novel functions the product you've come up with will have."

She then stated, "Mr. Yan, our Baining Group also has a professional venture capital firm."

"When your product is ready, if you need financing, I hope you'll consider us first."

Yan Feifan chuckled and replied, "Ms. Yu, of course. If we need investment, we will definitely seek your support first."

"My only worry is that you might not think much of our product."

"How could that be?"

Yu Youlian dangled a carrot over the phone, "Mr. Yan, as long as your product has some practical use and market potential, even if the VC firm doesn't invest, I can personally invest..."

Around 4:00 in the afternoon, the Yan siblings returned to their home in Zuimo Court. They found Du Qiu already busy in the kitchen.

Yu Suye was there as well, her sleeves rolled up, washing vegetables.

After taking his sister back to her bedroom, Yan Feifan also came to the kitchen to help.

Ten-odd minutes later, Yan Ziruo ran out of her bedroom, holding her phone.

"Feifan, Feifan! Our uncle just sent a message! He said his cargo ship will be docking at Binhai Port on its next voyage."

"In another half a month, we'll get to see him..."

PS.

Thank you to reader "Long Xiang Sheng Teng" for the generous tip!

Sigh, this grueling year is almost over. I sincerely hope the new year will bring better things after all the bitterness.

I ask all my readers to please support the official release and subscribe!