On Friday morning, on his way to the Affiliated Hospital, Lin Jie received a call from Yu Momo.

"Brother Jie, I heard from Miaomiao that you have a big surgery tomorrow that will take the whole day?"

Lin Jie responded with a hum, "It's going to keep me busy until midnight at least!"

"Momo, I won't be able to come and cheer for you live tomorrow night, but I have a feeling that you'll do great this time."

"Thank you for your blessings, Brother Jie."

Yu Momo chuckled, "Actually, just being able to make it to the final stage of the competition has already made me satisfied. My biggest hope now is not to get eliminated in the first round of the top twelve to top eight, hehe."

Lin Jie praised, "With your current popularity and strength, getting through the first round will definitely be no problem."

Yu Momo's tone was cheerful, "I hope so."

"Tonight, we have a full dress rehearsal, which is roughly the same as tomorrow night's live broadcast."

"Brother Jie, if it's convenient for you, you can come and take a look."

Lin Jie apologized, "Momo, I need to prepare for tomorrow's surgery tonight and get some early rest."

"Oh, I overlooked that."

She added on the phone, "Brother Jie, then I wish you a successful surgery tomorrow."

"Mm… if you have friends who want to watch the show live, just let me know, I still have some seats allocated for my friends and relatives."

"Alright, I'll ask them."

Shortly after Lin Jie hung up, he arrived at the orthopedic laboratory inside the comprehensive experimental building of the Affiliated Hospital.

There he saw Xue Linlin in the water tank, wearing headphones, with her eyes closed, looking utterly delighted.

Lin Jie gently knocked on the water tank to wake her from her trance, asking, "You seem to be enjoying yourself."

Xue Linlin giggled and said shyly, "Teacher, I've gotten used to the water tank, and it does feel quite nice."

"The whole body feels light and not tired, the temperature is just right, and I can sleep peacefully. I can go online anytime to watch movies, read news, and learn."

"And also... also..."

She blushed and whispered, "Solving problems feels quite comfy too."

"Teacher, I think this is the ultimate tool for homebodies."

Yuan Xianjun came over happily, "Expert Lin, Xue Linlin's suggestion gave us some inspiration."

"We've decided to first make a simplified version of the water tank and try selling it online."

"Homebodies can use it to play games, it's way more comfortable than any high-end ergonomic chair. People under a lot of pressure can also use this device as a tool to relieve mental and physical stress."

Saying this, Yuan Xianjun pointed to a large box on a nearby table and explained, "Expert Lin, this is a simplified half-body suit we've modified from a full-body sealed diving suit."

"Wearing it allows a patient to stay immersed in the water solution while lying down to rest."

Lin Jie walked over to take a look and found a fully transparent sealed helmet like a motorcycle helmet inside the box, with two two-centimeter diameter pipe holes on the top of the helmet.

"Has it been tested?"

In response to Lin Jie's inquiry, Yuan Xianjun replied, "It's been tested."

"Patients can communicate with the outside world through a small intercom inside, and drink water or consume liquid food through the hose."

"Theoretically, as long as there's external support, one can live underwater as long as they want with this half-body diving suit."

Lin Jie gave a slight hum and then said, "Bring Xue Linlin out of the water tank, I want to check the waterproofing effect."

Following this instruction, Huo Guangheng and Fang Huanru brought Xue Linlin out of the water tank.

They removed the body data monitoring wires connected to her and about a dozen ventilation tubes, wiped her dry, and wrapped her in a blanket. Then, Huo Guangheng carried her into a small room next door where the air conditioning was set high.

Xue Linlin was placed on an examination bed.

Lin Jie took a pair of scissors handed over to him and began cutting the foam waterproof layer on her calf.

The sound was squeaky, and Lin Jie felt it was like cutting leather.

After cutting a slit over twenty centimeters long, he tore out a big piece with force.

He held the piece, feeling it was light, elastic, and resilient, fitting the description Yuan Xianjun gave earlier.

He then removed a piece of plastic gauze, revealing a fair section of the calf, which he touched.

As soon as he touched the skin, the calf flinched away but slowly returned.

"Cold!" Xue Linlin explained in a small, aggrieved voice.

"That was my mistake."

Lin Jie apologized and refrained from touching her with his hand, opting to observe visually instead.

After removing the waterproof layers from both of Xue Linlin's legs, Lin Jie did not see any signs of water infiltration, nor did he find any red spots or signs of allergic reactions, so he nodded with satisfaction.

He then asked, "Xue Linlin, do you feel any discomfort with your legs wrapped in the waterproof layer?"

Xue Linlin tilted her head slightly, trying to recall, "It feels like there's a breeze occasionally blowing across my leg skin, which is quite pleasant. But it's troublesome when the legs itch, as the breeze can't stop the itch."

"It would be great to add a pinpoint vibration massage function to the gauze."

Yuan Xianjun explained, "The vibration function would impair the seal of the waterproof layer. However, your suggestion is worth considering."

The waterproof layer's function meets expectations, and Lin Jie is very satisfied. He smiles at Xue Linlin and says, "You've worked hard these days. Now that your experiment is done, you can go home and have a good rest."

He then instructs, "Fang Huanru, help Xue Linlin get dressed properly, so she doesn't catch a cold."

After saying this, he leaves the small room with Yuan Xianjun, Huo Guangheng, and others.

Lin Jie looks at the spacious laboratory and asks, "Engineer Yuan, where is the second set of water tank equipment? Why haven't I seen it?"

Yuan Xianjun hurriedly replies, "The main body of the second set of water tank equipment is finished. It was delivered to a room next to the orthopedic surgery room this morning, and the auxiliary equipment is being installed and adjusted."

"We're expecting everything to be completed by three o'clock in the afternoon. At that time, we will need to conduct specific physical data tests on the patient, adjust the density of the water solution, and fine-tune the control equipment's parameters."

Lin Jie nods and reminds Huo Guangheng beside him, "Make sure there's no error with the equipment."

Huo Guangheng is well aware of his mentor's strictness. With repeated reminders about this matter, he knows that his mentor is particularly concerned about it.

Huo Guangheng replies solemnly, "Don't worry, teacher."

"Every step, every task, Senior Sister Fang, Ma Hongmin, Guo Peng, and I are all closely monitoring to ensure there's no oversight."

Soon, Xue Linlin, properly dressed, limps out of the small room with the help of Fang Huanru.

Xue Linlin quietly explains, "Teacher, my legs feel weak, like I'm walking on cotton."

"This is a normal phenomenon. You'll adjust in a bit."

Recalling the phone call from Yu Momo in the morning, Lin Jie asks, "Xue Linlin, do you like the talent show 'I Am a Singer'? Tomorrow night is the final of the show. If you want to watch it live, I can make that happen."

Xue Linlin's eyes light up with surprise, "Teacher, is that true?"

"Of course it's true. How could I deceive you?"

Xue Linlin rubs her hands, somewhat embarrassed, and says, "Teacher, I actually don't watch this talent show much, but my mom is a huge fan."

"Her birthday is coming up."

"If I could take her to see the finals live, that would definitely be the best birthday gift I could give."

"Teacher, can you..."

At three-thirty in the afternoon, Lin Jie and Zhang Xiaoxiao bring Yao Henan to a check-up room next to the orthopedic surgery room for a detailed examination, and they try out the water tank, semi-diving suit, and other equipment.

After nearly an hour of fussing, Yao Henan finally finishes this trial process.

"Good thing you don't have claustrophobia."

Lin Jie jokes and then explains, "Nannan, after tomorrow's surgery, after specially treating your wound, you will be immediately placed in this water tank."

"After that, you will recover in this water tank for three to four weeks."

Sitting in a wheelchair wrapped in a thick blanket, Yao Henan looks at the large water tank in front of her and says softly, "Uncle, during the experience just now, I felt quite comfortable, without any feeling of heaviness."

"I think recovering in this water tank should be much more comfortable than lying in a hospital bed."

Lin Jie thinks for a moment and says, "In theory, yes."

"However, you'll be post-operative then, and physical pain is unavoidable, plus you'll need to be secured on the bed in the water, unable to move."

"Over time, those will be tough challenges."

Yao Henan turns her head and smiles at Lin Jie, pointing to her legs, "Uncle, I'm best at staying still..."

At eight in the evening, Lin Jie calls Fang Lianggong and Lei Jun in succession to discuss tomorrow's surgery again.

After hanging up, he notices a glass of milk handed to him.

Lin Jie takes the milk, sips a couple of times, and hears An Kexin's voice, "Ajie, your dedication towards Nannan's surgery is something I've never seen before."

"Is that so?"

Lin Jie ponders for a moment, then softly says, "Perhaps."

"Kexin, the difficulty of this surgery isn't actually high because the most challenging part, the post-operative recovery, has already been conquered."

"It's just, I don't know why, but I've been feeling anxious, worried that I've missed something."

"I know why!"

An Kexin comes behind Lin Jie, gently massaging his temples, "You've come to see Nannan as family, as one of us. That's why you're particularly nervous about this surgery."

She continues, "If Nannan were replaced by me or sister Xiaoxiao, you would be even more nervous and anxious now."

Lin Jie takes a deep breath and says, "That's probably why."

He sighs, "If it were you guys, I probably wouldn't be able to perform the surgery."

An Kexin hisses and scoffs, "I don't believe that. The most important person in your heart isn't me or sister Xiaoxiao, it's Miaomiao."

"You dared to operate on Miaomiao's craniotomy surgery; naturally, operating on me or sister Xiaoxiao would be no issue."

"Times change!"

Lin Jie says seriously, "Back then, I had no choice."

"Moreover, at the start of the surgery, I had a panic attack and almost collapsed."

He hugs An Kexin with hope, saying, "I just hope you all remain well and free from illness."

"I never want to experience what happened with Miaomiao again..."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.