Chapter 678: Nia
Hearing that, Spencer’s expression also became solemn. Without asking another question, he nodded. "All right."
The two of them immediately rushed toward the hospital.
..........................................
When they arrived, they found the entire Waters family gathered outside the operating room. Everyone’s expressions were tense.
The moment Aurora arrived, Mary hurried over. Her eyes were red from crying.
Grabbing Aurora’s hands tightly, she asked with a trembling voice, "Aurora..."
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "There were complications during Lucas’s surgery."
Unable to hold herself together any longer, Mary threw her arms around Aurora. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
She whispered brokenly, "Everything will be alright... right? Nothing will happen to your brother... If anything happens to him..."
She buried her face against Aurora’s shoulder. "...I’ll never forgive myself."
Aurora gently patted Mary’s back. Her voice remained calm. "Mother, nothing will happen."
She slowly pulled away. Looking toward Spencer, she gave him a meaningful glance. Spencer immediately understood. He nodded once. "Leave the rest to me."
Within the next thirty minutes, Spencer returned. Behind him walked several internationally renowned surgeons.
Looking at everyone, Spencer calmly introduced them. "These doctors have extensive experience in kidney transplantation."
He stepped aside. "And this is Dr Vora."
The moment everyone saw the elderly surgeon, they froze. Who didn’t know Dr Vora?
He was one of the world’s leading kidney transplant specialists.
The moment Dr Vora entered the operating room, his calm, composed demeanour immediately eased everyone’s anxiety.
He spent nearly two hours reviewing Lucas’s medical records, examining every report, and discussing the procedure with the surgical team.
Only after understanding the entire situation did he officially take over. With Dr Vora leading the operation, combined with the timely arrival of compatible blood supplies, Lucas’s condition gradually stabilised.
Hours later, the operating room doors finally opened. The surgery had been a complete success. The kidney transplantation was successful.
Aurora quietly let out a long breath. Only then did she realise she had been unconsciously holding it the entire time.
As she absentmindedly glanced toward the calendar hanging on the hospital wall, she suddenly froze.
March 14th.
Her pupils slowly contracted.
Today, this exact day, according to the original novel, was the day Lucas was supposed to die. Aurora slowly clenched her fists.
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"So, today really was the day Brother was meant to die."
Aurora finally understood something.
Even though she had changed countless events and altered the original storyline, the dates of death themselves seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
They weren’t merely dates. They were warnings.
Every single one of them was silently reminding her that she couldn’t lower her guard for even a moment.
Her family still hadn’t completely escaped that so-called cursed plot.
A chill slowly ran down her spine. However, another question continued to torment her mind.
If the original novel had been nothing more than an illusion, if countless chips had been secretly implanted into people to manipulate their thoughts and force them to follow the "plot"... then why was this world still considered a novel world?
Her brows slowly furrowed. ’No...that doesn’t make sense.’
She stared blankly at the calendar hanging on the hospital wall. ’This world isn’t naturally a novel world.’
The realisation struck her like lightning. Someone, or perhaps something, was deliberately forcing this world to become one.
That unseen existence was desperately trying to make every event return to its predetermined course. Aurora unconsciously clenched her fists.
’Who are you? And why are you trying so hard to control everyone’s fate?’
Just as she became immersed in her thoughts, she suddenly felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She blinked before turning around.
Standing behind her was Spencer. His usually calm blue eyes were filled with unmistakable concern. Aurora looked at him in confusion. "What happened?"
Spencer let out a quiet sigh. "For a moment, I thought I’d lost you."
Aurora blinked. Spencer smiled helplessly. "You looked so detached from everything around you. It was as if your soul had wandered somewhere far away."
Aurora couldn’t help laughing softly. "I do that sometimes. I suddenly get lost in my thoughts."
A small smile appeared on her face. "Don’t take it too seriously."
Although Spencer nodded, the worry in his eyes didn’t disappear completely.
He simply reached over and gently held her hand for a brief moment before letting go.
After Lucas’ surgery was over, Aurora stayed behind at the hospital to keep watch over him.
Once she made sure his condition remained stable, she quietly walked toward another ward.
There, Little Nia was resting peacefully. Compared to Lucas, her condition had improved considerably.
The surgery had been a complete success. Considering how young she was, surviving such a dangerous operation truly felt like a miracle.
Meanwhile, Adeline sat quietly beside Nia’s hospital bed.
Her eyes were swollen from crying. She gently held her little sister’s tiny hand while silently staring at her sleeping face. A complicated expression filled her eyes.
’What kind of fate is this? Mother became seriously ill; now Nia too, both of them suffered from such terrible illnesses.’
She lowered her head. ’Was my life always destined to be this difficult?’
Before she could continue drowning in those thoughts, a pair of warm arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind. Alex gently hugged her.
Resting his chin lightly on her shoulder, he softly whispered, "Alright, don’t cry anymore."
He tightened his embrace slightly. "Every time I see you cry, it feels like my own heart is breaking."
Adeline immediately elbowed him in the stomach. "Seriously? You keep flirting even at a time like this."
She pointed toward Nia. "I’m worried sick about my little sister, and romance is all you can think about?"
Alex rubbed his stomach dramatically. "I wasn’t..."
Before he could finish defending himself, the ward door quietly opened. Aurora walked inside carrying several shopping bags. The moment Adeline saw her, she immediately stood up.
Walking over anxiously, she asked, "How’s Lucas?"
Aurora smiled reassuringly. "He’s out of danger now."
She placed the bags on a nearby table. "If everything continues smoothly, he’ll most likely wake up within the next five hours."
She looked at Adeline warmly. "So don’t worry anymore."
Then Aurora glanced toward the little girl lying on the hospital bed. "How’s Nia?"
Adeline’s tense expression finally relaxed. She smiled. "She’s doing much better too."
Her eyes gradually brightened. "If everything goes well, she should wake up within the next ten hours."
Aurora nodded. "That’s good."
She picked up one of the bags. "I brought a few nutritional supplements for her."
She handed it over. "Give these to her after the doctors approve them."
Adeline accepted the bag gratefully. "Thank you."
By the time Aurora walked over to the bed, Nia had already opened her eyes. Compared to Lucas, she recovered much faster.
The little girl blinked innocently while staring at Aurora. Her bright eyes sparkled with curiosity. Seeing that adorable expression, Aurora couldn’t help chuckling.
’This child is far too cute.’
She pulled a chair over before sitting beside the bed. Smiling gently, she asked, "So, how’s little Nia feeling?"
Nia’s face immediately lit up. A bright smile bloomed across her tiny face. "Good!"
Then she carefully looked at Aurora again. After staring for several seconds, she innocently asked, "Big Sis, why do you look like an angel?"
Aurora laughed softly. "Really? Then tell me. What kind of angel do I look like?"
Nia rested a finger against her chin. She thought seriously for several moments. Finally, she answered, "I don’t know..."
She frowned adorably. "You look like a Disney princess."
Another pause followed. "But I can’t remember the princess with red hair."
Aurora smiled brightly. "How about we make a deal?"
Nia immediately became interested. "A deal?"
Aurora nodded. "I’ll tell you her name."
A mischievous smile appeared. "But in exchange..."
She pointed at herself. "...I want something too."
Nia looked at her suspiciously. After thinking for several seconds, she nodded seriously. "Alright."
She stretched out her tiny hand. "Deal."
Aurora laughed. "The princess from Brave is Merida."
She counted on her fingers. "And the princess from The Little Mermaid is Ariel. Both of them have beautiful red hair."
Nia nodded enthusiastically. Then she asked, "So, which one are you?"
Aurora chuckled. "That depends on how you see me."
Nia nodded thoughtfully. Then she folded her tiny arms. "Now, what do you want?"
Aurora’s eyes curved into crescents. She smiled mischievously. "I want a kiss."
The entire room instantly became silent. Nia’s eyes widened dramatically. She stared at Aurora as though she had just heard something unbelievable.
Several seconds later, she cautiously asked, "Big Sister, are you a lesbian?"
For one full moment, the entire ward fell into complete silence. Then Adriana hurriedly stepped forward. "Nia! What are you saying? She’s your big sister!"
Meanwhile, Alex had already turned away. He covered his mouth, desperately trying not to laugh. His shoulders shook uncontrollably.
Aurora couldn’t hold it in either. She burst into laughter.