Book 1: She Becomes Glamorous After the Engagement Annulment

Chapter 59

Chapter 175: Life Is Too Dangerous!

The man in the black hoodie was in charge of carrying out the Smiths’ shady dealings. He led a small team that consisted of a few people.

The Smith's provided for him while he took care of things for them at critical moments.

His name was Quentin Smith, and he was a member of the Smith family.

He had never failed in any of the various tasks that he had undertaken so far and was basically very reliable.

Although Ian’s request was a simple one, Joel had always regarded him as someone who was even more important than his father. Thus, he had tasked Quentin with the mission despite it being just a simple one.

He’d originally thought that it would be done in just a few hours, but unexpectedly, a whole day had already passed, yet he hadn’t received any news yet. Suspecting that Quentin had forgotten to inform him after he completed the task, he specially summoned him back to ask him about it.

Quentin’s head was lowered, and his entire face was buried in darkness. His voice was low as he replied, “Sorry, I haven’t gotten it yet.”

Joel was a little surprised.

He didn’t quite understand. There were many ways to retrieve a person’s DNA sample.

For example, there might be saliva on the target’s cutlery during meals, or they could also catch the target off-guard and pluck a few strands of hair from her head. If all else failed, they could also retrieve some skin tissue…

Quentin was a ruthless man. Surely his heart didn’t soften just because his target was a beauty, right?

Joel frowned. He was about to ask when Quentin scratched his head. He looked a little pained as he said, “I have never seen a woman who’s such a shut-in like her.”

Quentin looked at Joel. He sounded aggrieved as he said, “I’ve been watching her for a day and a night. During this time, she ate a meal and slept for 24 hours! She always washes the dishes immediately after she eats. I can hardly even find her fingerprints in the Andersons’, let alone retrieve her DNA sample!”

An indignant Quentin went on. “Her water glass is placed right on her bedside table, right? Surely there will be saliva on it, right? But no, there isn’t!

She cleans the glass even if she only takes a single sip. Is she really a woman?”

It was only when Quentin looked up that Joel finally noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He obviously hadn’t slept a wink for 24 hours, but in spite of that, he said exceptionally energetically, “Don’t worry, I will continue to watch her even if I don’t eat or drink. I don’t believe she can coop herself up at home for a whole month.”

“… Did you sneak into the Andersons’?” asked Joel.

“Yeah, I did.” Quentin nodded.

Joel frowned. “Did they discover you?”

He just wanted a DNA test done secretly. He didn’t want to make enemies with the Anderson's.

Quentin shook his head. “I’m confident enough in that, at least. My footsteps are light, and I bring my equipment wherever I go. There won’t be any traces left behind.”

Joel nodded. Then, he turned and started to walk out of the room.

“Where are you going?” asked Quentin.

“To send my daughter to school.”

_

At the Andersons’.

Nora stretched after she woke up. Then, she shuffled out of her bedroom leisurely. When she was exiting the room, her eyes flickered a little and she looked at the door.

As expected, the strand of hair that she had attached to the door before she went to bed had fallen off.

From the looks of it, she wasn’t imagining things when she sensed someone sneaking into her room while she was asleep the night before.

Nora took a walk around the entire house, but she didn’t find anything missing in the house. The only things that had been touched were her glass of water and the trash can in the toilet.

Tsk.

What a disgusting thief!

Nora shook her head. At the same time, she also became wary. It seemed that her mother was indeed right!

She was already staying so low-profile, yet people were setting their sights on her. Life was simply too dangerous!

If she died and turned to ashes, would she be free of disturbances forevermore?

Nora shook her head and abandoned the thought. Then, she led Pete out of the house and sent him to school.

On the way, Tanya asked, “Has hell frozen over today, Nora? Even though I’m at home, you actually took the initiative to take us to school! And you even woke up early in the morning!”

“Oh, I’m going to the New York University School of Medicine for a preoperative medical consultation later, so I need the car. It just so happens that the school is on the way.”

Tanya, “…”

The corners of her lips spasmed and she held Pete as she cried out, “Look at your Mommy, Cherry! She practically has no self-awareness at all! Even though she woke up so early, it isn’t for our sakes at all!”

Pete was silent for a moment before he replied, “God-mom, why must you humiliate yourself by asking something like that?”

Tanya, “???”

She took a long while before she finally realized what Pete meant. After that, she coughed and remarked, “That does seem to be the case, huh!”

“…”

Pete heaved a silent sigh. He suddenly asked, “Will Mia be in school today?”

A dejected look appeared on Tanya’s face at the mention of the name.

She shook her head and replied, “I don’t know.”

Pete couldn’t help but ask, “Can you give them a call and ask about it?”

Tanya’s jaw tensed up and she replied, “Let’s talk about it the next time instead.”

After sending the pair to the kindergarten, Nora then drove to the New York University School of Medicine. The child’s brain operation was a classic case of conditions like his, so a lot of people had come to attend the meeting, including all the teachers and directors from the neurosurgery department.

She parked the car outside the conference room. She was about to go upstairs when she happened to see Tina.

With a small notebook in her hand, Tina’s back was straightened, and she was about to head upstairs.

She was extremely happy today.

Although she hadn’t managed to make Nora get her just desserts during the live-stream, there was, after all, an old but true saying—those who encountered frustrations in love, flourished in their careers!

She had finally ushered in a new lease of life in her career—

Her request to prepare for the operation together with Anti and Director Shaw had been approved!

Although Anti had also performed an operation when Tina was helping to take care of the elderly Mrs. Hunt the other time, she had brought her own team, so Tina hadn’t been authorized to enter the operating room at all.

She had wanted to observe the operation and learn from it that time, but Justin hadn’t agreed to it.

But now, her chance was finally here again!

In addition, she had also obtained the right to personally participate in the operation herself!

In other words, she could assist Anti in the operation now! Even if all she did was just a simple suture, having it known to everyone would still elevate her position in the medical field.

However, while she was walking, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a certain loathsome person.

Tina stopped in her tracks. Sure enough, she saw a sloppy figure walking over leisurely from the car park—it was none other than Nora.

She broke into a frown and walked to the conference room.

However, after she took a few steps, she realized that Nora had actually also come over. The two of them were even right at the entrance of the conference room.

Seeing that she was about to enter, Tina immediately asked, “What are you doing here?”

Nora glanced at her but didn’t say anything.

Tina, however, suddenly stretched out her arm and stopped her. She said, “Sorry, but we have an important meeting with Director Shaw today. If you’re here for Director Shaw, I’d advise you to go to his office and wait over there. This isn’t a place that unrelated personnel can enter so casually!”

Nora, “?”

The half-amused woman looked at Tina, finding her awfully laughable. “Unrelated personnel?” She asked.

Tina nodded and looked at her. She said, “Ms. Smith, I’d advise you not to be so greedy and insatiable. You were already very lucky to be able to enter Anti’s operating room because of Mr. Hunt the last time. Are you going to follow us into the operating room to observe again this time? You can’t just have a single person hogging all the good things, right?”

Chapter 176: Anti Is The First!

“The last time?”

Nora raised her brows again. She had already long forgotten that she had operated on Mrs. Hunt before.

Tina frowned at her reaction at once. She said, “You can’t really be that greedy, right? It’s said that different people gain different insights and experiences when watching Anti perform surgery. You should give more of such opportunities to other people instead, Ms. Smith.”

While speaking, she spied Director Shaw’s assistant walking over out of the corner of her eye. She changed her attitude at once, switching from a lofty attitude to her usual gentle one. She let out a sigh and said, “I’m not doing this to fight for opportunities for myself, of course; I’m already authorized to enter the operating room. I just feel that Ms. Smith shouldn’t trouble Director Shaw because of things like this. We were allowed to enter the operating room only after going through a careful selection process. If you make use of such means to get in, then it’ll mean that someone else deserving the chance won’t be able to get in.”

Sure enough, her remark resonated with the person walking over.

There was no way everyone could enter the operating room. An additional person going in would mean one fewer person from the school going in. Moreover, observing and learning up close would also feel different from just watching videos.

The assistant was a doctoral student. Once he graduated, he would remain on campus and become a professor, as well as a specially-invited chief doctor in the hospital. He was also the protégé whom Director Shaw was the proudest of.

His name was Michael Lange.

He curled his lip disdainfully inwardly and said somewhat unhappily, “Director Shaw asked me to bring you in.”

Tina frowned at the sight.

Just whose connections did Nora use to actually make Director Shaw treat her so politely? On top of that, he had even sent his most capable assistant to pick her up.

The Anderson's weren’t capable of this. In that case, could it be the Hunts?

Tina lowered her head and followed behind them.

When Nora entered the conference room, Director Shaw was in the midst of a consultation with a few experts. Doctors of Tina’s level could only take the furthermost seats and listen to their discussion.

However, as soon as Nora entered, Director Shaw stood up and said, “You’re here, Ms. Smith.”

As he spoke, he made a move to give up his seat to her.

Nora waved and said, “It’s fine.”

She randomly pulled a chair over, sat behind the few of them, and said, “Go on, don’t mind me.”

Director Shaw understood what she was like—the big boss didn’t like trouble, so she might leave early—so he didn’t dare to say much about it. He continued the discussion with the others instead.

Tina, who was seated at the back, glanced at the postgraduate students standing behind the row of chairs, and curled her lip in disdain.

Real chief physicians were all seated at the front and participating in the discussion.

Only postgraduate students who came along to study would sit behind their teachers. Sometimes, when there weren’t enough chairs to go around, they would have to stand instead.

Among those who came to listen, Michael was the only one qualified to sit at the front.

She’d thought that Nora must be very capable, but as it turned out, she was also just here to listen!

The corners of her lips curled into a smile.

Two hours later.

“… This is a bleeding point. We have to take special care to avoid this spot during the operation.”

After discussing various possibilities, Director Shaw and the others finalized the surgical plan.

Director Shaw was a relatively democratic and magnanimous person. Whenever he had an operation slated, he would have his doctoral and postgraduate students discuss the operation together. As such, he asked, “Do you have any other opinions? Or is there anything that you feel we should pay attention to?”

With the few mentor-level doctors jointly discussing the operation, all the details had already been gone through, so everyone shook their heads.

Director Shaw then looked at Nora and asked, “Is there anything special to take note of?”

Nora raised her droopy, slightly world-weary almond-shaped eyes and leisurely uttered, “No.”

This was just a minor operation. Director Shaw had already taken every single possibility into consideration.

Nora had listened to their discussion very seriously. As a result, now that she had relaxed, she couldn’t help but yawn after she spoke.

It made her look lazy and sloppy as if she had been close to nodding off the entire time.

Tina glanced at Michael and sighed. She said, “Some people don’t even have the opportunity to come in and listen even if they want to, yet there are people who don’t know to cherish the opportunity they have. What a waste of places.”

A constantly serious Michael looked around.

All the students who were here for the discussion were very attentive. Everyone was holding pens and notebooks, and writing notes. Some had even brought recorder pens, for fear that they would miss important things to take note of.

Even Director Shaw and the other chief doctors had notebooks with them and were making notes about the key points of the operation.

Nora was the only one sitting there casually.

Michael thought of his roommate, who hadn’t been selected to participate in Anti’s surgery because they were short of a place. Before he came here, his envious roommate had said to him, “You’re so blessed. I’m willing to do anything just to observe Anti’s operation even once!”

Anti was their—all the neurosurgeons’—idol. An opportunity like this was simply too rare, yet that woman wasn’t cherishing it!

In the midst of his thoughts, Director Shaw said, “Michael, go to my office and get the list of personnel participating in the operation the day after tomorrow.”

Michael nodded.

Director Shaw’s office was just next door. The personnel list needed his signature for final approval.

After taking the list, he took a casual look at the names on it while on the way back.

First on the list was Anti.

In the past, her name was something that only existed in legends. However, he now had the opportunity to meet her up close. The sight of her name alone made Michael rather excited.

The second was Director Shaw…

Following it was a list of assistants. He went through the names from the start to the end, but he suddenly realized that Nora’s name wasn’t on it?

His footsteps suddenly became rather light and springy.

He just knew that Director Shaw wasn’t a man who acted according to one’s connections!

After he returned to the conference room, Director Shaw announced the list and signed it. He dismissed everyone after that. Then, to Nora, he said, “Please wait for me for a while, Ms. Smith. I have a very important phone consultation that will take about ten minutes, but I have something to talk to you about after that.”

Nora yawned again and nodded.

Director Shaw said, “Michael, take Ms. Smith to my office first!”

Michael nodded and led Nora out of the conference room.

Tina was very happy when she heard the list of personnel participating in the operation.

She didn’t expect that Nora’s name wouldn’t be in there! It seemed like the connections she had used weren’t powerful enough after all!

She wondered if she was spluttering in anger at the moment? Or perhaps, she was mad and embarrassed instead?

Tina wanted very much to admire her current countenance and facial expression.

Thus, she deliberately dawdled a little in the bathroom. When she saw Michael walking out of the conference room with Nora, she walked over and pretended to bump into them. Then, she said pretentiously, “You won’t be able to observe Anti’s operation this time, Dr. Smith. Don’t be too disappointed, though. After all, there will always be another chance next time, right?”

Nora, “???”

She looked at Tina lazily. “Are you very bored and idle today?”

Tina cast her eyes down and said, “How can you say that? I was just trying to comfort you out of kindness. I know you must be in a very bad mood because you can’t take part in Anti’s operation, but this can’t be helpe—”

However, as soon as she said that, Nora interrupted her and said, “Who says I’m not taking part in it?”

Chapter 177: Do You Know Who She Is?

Both Tina and Michael were stunned the moment she said that.

Tina looked at her incredulously. “Are you still planning to take part in it when you aren’t even on the list? How are you going to do that?”

She glanced at the direction Nora was heading—it was Director Shaw’s office—and she said, “Are you planning to pester Director Shaw again? Do you…”

When she noticed that Michael was still next to Nora, she swallowed back down the words ‘have any shame or not’. Tina balled up her fists tightly and changed what she wanted to say. She said, “… You’re putting Director Shaw in a really tight spot if you do that. Everyone already knows the list of participants, Ms. Smith. Except for Anti, no one has the right to modify it. Director Shaw is a man of principles and is well-respected in school. If he bends the rules because of you, I’m really afraid that his reputation would end up in shambles in his twilight years…”

She glanced at Michael after she spoke—sure enough, the man was frowning. Then, she heaved a sigh and said, “I know it’s useless no matter how much more I say, but I just want everyone to be okay. It’s better to not be so insistent on some things, Ms. Smith. I’ll go first.”

She turned and left after that.

But before she even reached the corner, she heard Michael’s cold and stiff voice. He said, “There is no lack of doctors who want to take part in Anti’s operation, Ms. Smith. What one should rely on is their capabilities, not their connections!”

Tina lowered her gaze and left with peace of mind.

Michael was the student that Director Shaw was the proudest of.

Additionally, they were also related in another way—Director Shaw had already decided on Michael as his son-in-law. Thus, he had a huge say, be it in the school or with Director Shaw.

Her words might not work, but Michael’s surely would!

So, Nora wanted to take part in Anti’s operation this time? Heh, no way!

It would be her turn to envy her this time, no matter what!

Tina left with confidence.

_

Michael’s gaze was fixed on Nora.

He’d always had only admiration for every decision that his mentor made because Director Shaw was a true doctor.

‘Doctors should be benevolent’—Director Shaw was a true reflection of these words.

Many people had given up on the child because his condition was too difficult, and there were too many uncertainties involved—after all, he was still in the growth and development phase.

Yet, Director Shaw had taken it on and was even willing to stake his life’s reputation on it.

After all, should the operation fail, his record of never failing a single operation in his life would be broken.

Michael entered Director Shaw’s office immediately after he spoke.

Nora followed him at the back. She sat on the sofa and looked around leisurely after she entered the office. Michael poured her a glass of water. Then, he sat in front of her and said, “I know you have powerful connections, Ms. Smith. That’s why Mr. Shaw treats you with great respect. However, I’d still advise you to give up on joining the operation!”

Michael said in persuasion, “There are a lot of people watching the operation this time. On top of that, there would also be reporters, so the operation is of great importance. The list of participants has gone through several layers of screening. If anyone is found to have tampered with it, Mr. Shaw would have to take responsibility for it!”

He then glanced at Nora’s clean hands and refreshed appearance. It didn’t seem like there was even a hint of rigor to her at all.

He frowned and went on. “Also, everyone who enters the operating room has to thoroughly memorize the finalized surgical plan, but you were sleeping during the meeting just now. You didn’t make any record of the discussion at all, did you? What can a flippant person like you learn even if you’re in the operating room?”

A surprised Nora retorted, “Who says I didn’t commit anything to memory?”

Michael became even angrier when he heard her rebuttal. He said, “You look like you’re probably one or two years younger than me, right, Ms. Smith? Then you should know better than anyone else that a good memory is never as good as a worn-out pen. You should at least bring a notebook with you and note down all the important information when you study, right? You’ll only be able to make sure that you don’t forget anything important if you do that. But what did you do instead? You were nodding off throughout the entire meeting!”

Nora, “?”

She stared at Michael’s notebook, which was densely packed with his writings. Then, she held her forehead with her hand and said, “How would I possibly not be able to memorize this bit of information?”

Not only did she have a photographic memory, but the act of performing an operation was even already close to becoming muscle memory for her. How could anything possibly go wrong?

Michael was a little overwhelmed by her rhetorical question. Nevertheless, his expression still darkened and he said, “One shouldn’t be so conceited, Ms. Smith!”

How could anyone possibly remember this many surgical key points?

This was impossible unless they were like Director Shaw, who had undertaken innumerable operations and gone through various experiences!

Nora, however, was puzzled. “Was I being conceited?”

Her words made Michael choke. The young woman in front of him was practically incorrigible. At once, he said angrily, “Having you be part of Anti’s operation is an insult in itself to Anti! Anti is an almighty surgeon who has never failed in any of their operations. They are practically a legend of the medical profession. Can you please hold a little awe or reverence with regard to observing their operation?!”

Nora could tell from the way he spoke about Anti that he must be a diehard fan of Anti.

But… a legend of the medical profession? An almighty surgeon?

Now, that was a little too exaggerated.

Even though she had always been thick-skinned, the corners of her lips nonetheless couldn’t help but spasm at this moment. “They aren’t that godly, are they?”

Her self-effacing reply, however, made Michael misunderstand. He said furiously, “What do you mean by that, Ms. Smith? How dare you not take even Anti seriously? Are you saying that you don’t think Anti is that amazing? Are you looking down on Anti, or are you looking down on medical practice as a profession itself?”

Nora, “…”

Did he need to elevate it to such a level of ideology?

Besides, how did she even become equivalent to medical practice as a profession itself?!

Nora face-palmed. The people in the medical profession were regarding her as too great a person, which vaguely stressed her out a little. Even though she found the situation funny, she nevertheless explained seriously, “Anti is also human. They aren’t a god.”

She just needed more sleep than ordinary people, that was all!

Anti was someone completely beyond Michael’s reach! She was also his idol in his career. There was no way he could ever tolerate anyone blaspheming or looking down on her!

The sight of Nora looking down so much on the genius doctor infuriated him. He got up at once and said angrily, “You—!”

Before he could finish, the office door was pushed open, and Director Shaw hurried in.

He had forcibly reduced the ten-minute-long consultation to just five minutes, for fear that he would accidentally slight the big boss. Yet, as soon as he entered, he instead saw Michael glaring at her?

A frightened Director Shaw immediately asked, “What are you doing, Michael?”

A huffy Michael looked at Director Shaw and said, “I really don’t understand just who exactly is backing her up, Director Shaw. She’s just a little girl. Why are you so polite to her?”

Director Shaw, “?”

He stopped Michael’s accusations at once, stepped forward, and rebuked, “What kind of nonsense are you spouting? She doesn’t have anyone backing her up!”

His words made Michael even more perplexed. He asked, “In that case, are you going to let her participate in Anti’s operation?”

“Of course!”

Michael was furious. He demanded, “Why are you letting her participate in Anti’s operation when she despises Anti so much?”

Director Shaw couldn’t help but hold his forehead.

Then, he looked at Michael and asked, “Do you know who she is?”