119: Chapter 119 Knowing what kind of person he was, I still couldn't help being attracted to him.

At the side entrance of the Emergency Department of Samsung Seoul Hospital, the blue and red lights of the ambulance were particularly harsh in the deep night. As soon as the vehicle stopped, the side door opened.

Several medical staff in white coats pushed a mobile stretcher and quickly came forward, their movements skilled and swift.

Song Tianhao jumped out of the car first, then turned around, carefully supporting the edge of the stretcher, watching as the doctors and nurses smoothly transferred Jessica Jung onto the hospital's dedicated stretcher.

"Patient Jessica Jung, fell on stage, right ankle sprain, already immobilized with a splint." The accompanying doctor quickly handed over, "Pain rating 7-8, significant swelling, suspected ligament tear or fracture, needs immediate CT scan."

"This way, the VIP passage has been cleared." The hospital doctor said, pushing the stretcher inside.

Song Tianhao followed alongside, his steps fast but steady. As he walked, he said to the doctor beside him: "Arrange the best orthopedic doctor for a comprehensive examination. If surgery is needed, use the best anesthesiologist and lead surgeon. Cost is not an issue; I want her to make a full recovery."

The doctor nodded: "Rest assured, Chief Kim is already waiting in the CT room. He is our hospital's authority in orthopedics, specializing in sports injuries."

The group passed through the emergency hall. Although it was deep in the night, there were still many people in the emergency hall: parents waiting anxiously while holding their children, middle-aged men groaning while holding their wounds, and elderly people sitting in wheelchairs receiving IV drips.

Seeing such a group rush past, some people looked up curiously, but were quickly guided away by nurses to clear the path.

The VIP passage was independent and had a dedicated elevator. The elevator was very quiet, with only the rhythmic ticking of equipment. Jessica Jung lay on the stretcher, her face pale, cold sweat on her forehead, but her eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling.

Song Tianhao stood beside her, looking down at her.

"If it hurts, say so." He said.

Jessica Jung shook her head, said nothing, and just pressed her lips tightly together.

The elevator stopped on the fourth floor, the doors opened, and outside was a quiet corridor. The lighting was a soft, warm yellow, not as harsh as the emergency hall; there were landscape paintings on the walls, and the floor was covered with thick carpet, so footsteps were absorbed and barely audible.

At the entrance of the CT room, a male doctor in his fifties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was already waiting there. Seeing the stretcher approach, he immediately stepped forward.

"President Song, I am Chief of Orthopedics Kim Jae-hoon." The doctor extended his hand.

Song Tianhao shook his hand: "I'm troubling you, Chief Kim."

"It's my duty." Kim Jae-hoon looked at Jessica Jung on the stretcher, his tone gentle, "Jessica Jung-ssi, I am your attending physician. Now we need to perform a CT scan to confirm the injury. It might be a little uncomfortable, please bear with it."

Jessica Jung nodded, her voice very soft: "Thank you, doctor."

The nurses pushed the stretcher into the CT room, and Kim Jae-hoon followed inside. The door closed, and the red light turned on.

The corridor fell silent.

Song Tianhao stood outside the door, hands in his trouser pockets, back held very straight. He glanced at his watch: 12:47 AM. It had taken less than twenty minutes from the stadium to the hospital, but it felt like a long time.

Footsteps came from the end of the corridor, and Tiffany Hwang ran over hurriedly. She was still wearing her stage outfit, with a long down jacket thrown over it, her hair was a bit messy, and her stage makeup hadn't been removed, but her eyes were very red, clearly having cried.

"President..." She ran to Song Tianhao, panting, "Jessica... how is she?"

"She's having a CT scan." Song Tianhao said, "Sit down for a moment."

Tiffany Hwang didn't sit, but just stood at the door of the CT room, her hands tightly clutching the corner of her down jacket, her eyes fixed on that tightly closed door. Her lips were trembling, and she looked precarious.

Song Tianhao glanced at her but didn't speak.

Time passed second by second.

The corridor was very quiet, quiet enough to hear the ticking of the clock on the wall, the faint sound of conversation from the distant nurse station, and the subtle sound of air from the air conditioning vent.

About fifteen minutes later, the door to the CT room opened.

Kim Jae-hoon walked out, holding a few films in his hand. His expression was somewhat serious; he walked up to Song Tianhao and handed him the films.

"The situation is more serious than expected." Kim Jae-hoon pointed to the ankle area on the film, "The lateral ligament is completely torn, and there is slight damage to the talus cartilage. Although there is no fracture, the ligament damage has reached grade three, requiring emergency surgery for repair."

Song Tianhao looked at the film. He didn't understand medicine, but he could see the obvious abnormal image at the ankle.

"How long will the surgery take?" He asked.

"The surgery will take about two hours, but the key is post-operative recovery." Kim Jae-hoon pushed up his glasses, "After ligament repair surgery, there needs to be a fixation period of at least six to eight weeks, followed by long rehabilitation training. And..." He paused, looking at Song Tianhao, "Jessica Jung-ssi is a professional dancer, right?"

Song Tianhao nodded.

"Then the situation is more complicated." Kim Jae-hoon's tone was heavy, "A ligament tear is a fatal injury for a dancer. Even if the surgery is successful and recovery goes smoothly, it is almost impossible for her to return to her pre-injury dance level in the future. Intense exercise and high-intensity dancing will put huge pressure on the repaired ligament, with the risk of re-injury."

Tiffany Hwang covered her mouth beside them, tears streaming down again.

Song Tianhao was silent for a few seconds, then spoke: "What is the probability of the surgery being successful?"

"The surgery itself has a high success rate, about 95% or more." Kim Jae-hoon said, "But the probability of fully recovering dance ability... is less than 30%."

The corridor fell silent again. Only Tiffany Hwang's suppressed sobs were audible.

"Perform the surgery." Song Tianhao said, his voice calm but firm, "Use the best technology, the best doctors, and the best rehabilitation plan. Money is not an issue, resources are not an issue; I want her to make a full recovery."

Kim Jae-hoon looked at him and nodded: "I will perform the surgery myself, using arthroscopic minimally invasive surgery, which has less trauma and faster recovery. But post-operative rehabilitation..."

"We'll talk about rehabilitation later." Song Tianhao interrupted him, "Surgery first."

"Okay." Kim Jae-hoon turned to the nurse, "Prepare the operating room, notify the anesthesia department, surgery in one hour."

The nurse left in a hurry.

The door to the CT room opened again, and Jessica Jung was pushed out. She had already gotten off the CT machine and was lying back on the stretcher, her eyes staring at the ceiling, her expression very calm, unnervingly so.

"Jessica..." Tiffany Hwang rushed to the bedside, grabbing her hand, "Jessica, did you hear that? The doctor said you need surgery..."

"I heard it." Jessica Jung said, her voice very light but clear.

She turned her head and looked at Song Tianhao.

Song Tianhao walked to the bedside and looked down at her.

"President." Jessica Jung said, her eyes bright, but her eye sockets were red, "How long... will the surgery take?"

"Two hours." Song Tianhao said.

"Then... then what about the concert?" Jessica Jung paused, her fingers gripping the bedsheet tightly, "Next week... there's the Busan stop next week..."

"Don't think about that." Song Tianhao said, "Surgery first."

Jessica Jung looked at him for a long time, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

Her hand was very cold, her fingers slender, but she gripped it very tightly, her knuckles slightly white.

"President..." Her voice was trembling, "Don't tell my parents..."

Song Tianhao was stunned for a moment.

"My parents are in the United States..." Jessica Jung continued, saying each word very slowly, as if enduring something, "If they find out, they will worry and fly back immediately... But my father's work can't be left, don't tell them, I beg you..."

Her tears finally fell, sliding from the corners of her eyes into her hairline.

Song Tianhao looked at her, at her pale face, her red eye sockets, and her hand that was tightly gripping his sleeve, trembling slightly from the effort.

"Okay." He said, his voice very soft but clear, "I won't tell them."

Jessica Jung closed her eyes, and her tears flowed even more fiercely.

The nurse pushed the stretcher toward the operating room, and Song Tianhao and Tiffany Hwang followed. The corridor was long, the lights were bright, and the smell of disinfectant permeated the air. From a ward in the distance came the sound of a baby crying, which soon disappeared.

The operating room was at the end of the corridor, with two heavy automatic doors, and the red "In Surgery" sign was lit on the door.

The nurse pushed Jessica Jung inside. Kim Jae-hoon had already changed into surgical scrubs, put on a mask and hat, revealing only his eyes.

He nodded to Song Tianhao: "President Song, please wait outside. I will notify you as soon as the surgery is over."

"Please." Song Tianhao said.

The automatic doors closed, and the red light turned on.

Only Song Tianhao and Tiffany Hwang were left in the corridor.

Tiffany Hwang leaned against the wall, slowly slid down to the floor, hugged her knees with both hands, and buried her face in her arms, her shoulders heaving. She didn't cry out loud, but her suppressed sobs were particularly clear in the quiet corridor.

Song Tianhao stood for a while, then walked to her side and sat down against the wall too.

"President..." Tiffany Hwang raised her head, her face covered in tear stains, her makeup ruined, "It's all my fault, it's all my fault..."

Song Tianhao didn't speak, just looked at her.

"I should have reminded her..." Tiffany Hwang's voice was trembling, incoherent, "That stage, I felt something was wrong during rehearsals. The dry ice mist was too thick, I couldn't see the ground at all. I should have reminded her to be careful, I should have told the director, I should have..."

"It's not your fault." Song Tianhao said.

Tiffany Hwang shook her head, tears gushing out again: "It's my fault. If I had been more careful, if I had paid more attention, Jessica wouldn't have... She loves dancing so much, she said she wanted to dance until she was thirty, she said she wanted to keep dancing..."

She cried so hard she couldn't speak.

Song Tianhao was silent for a while, then took a pack of tissues from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it to her.

Tiffany Hwang took the tissue and wiped her face messily, but the tears wouldn't stop.

"President..." She said, sobbing, "Jessica... can she recover?"

"Yes." Song Tianhao said, his tone without any hesitation.

"But the doctor just said..."

"The doctor was talking about probability." Song Tianhao interrupted her, "Probability is probability, reality is reality. I will find the best rehabilitation experts in the world and use the best rehabilitation plan; she will definitely recover."

Tiffany Hwang looked at him, her eyes still filled with tears, but there was something else in them.

"President..." She whispered, "Why are you... so good to Jessica?"

Song Tianhao turned to look at her.

"Is she... just an artist under the company to you?" Tiffany Hwang asked, her voice very soft but very direct.

The corridor was very quiet.

The phone rang at the distant nurse station and was quickly answered. A family member pushed a wheelchair past, the wheels making a subtle sound against the floor. The clock on the wall ticked, the second hand moving in circles.

Song Tianhao looked at the red light on the operating room for a long time, then spoke.

"She is a good kid." He said, his voice very calm, "Hardworking, earnest, stubborn, hiding everything in her heart, unwilling to cause trouble for others. When she was injured, her first reaction was about what to do with the concert, and her only request before surgery was not to tell her parents. Such a child shouldn't be ruined by a stage accident."

Tiffany Hwang was stunned.

She looked at Song Tianhao's profile, his calm but firm expression, and the red light of the operating room reflected in his eyes.

Then she lowered her head and gave a soft "Mm."

"President." She spoke again.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." Tiffany Hwang said, her voice very small but very sincere, "Thank you for rushing onto the stage to carry her away today, thank you for arranging the hospital, thank you for... staying with her."

Song Tianhao didn't speak, just took out his phone from his pocket.

He first sent a text message to Jang Se-hoon: "Jessica has a ligament tear and needs surgery. Adjust all her schedules for the next three months, but keep the official statement consistent: say she is resting for one month, and the specific return time is to be determined."

Jang Se-hoon replied quickly: "Understood. The media has already started reporting, do you need to issue a press release?"

Song Tianhao: "Yes. Say it was a stage accident, an ankle sprain, she needs to rest, but it's nothing serious and won't affect the subsequent tour."

Jang Se-hoon: "Understood. Then the tour..."

Song Tianhao: "As usual. Let Taeyeon lead the team, and the eight members will complete the remaining shows. Re-choreograph the stage and distribute Jessica's parts to the others."

Jang Se-hoon: "Okay. President, the person in charge of the stage company contacted me just now, saying they want to report the investigation situation to you."

Song Tianhao: "Have him come to the company to find me tomorrow morning."

After sending the text, Song Tianhao made another phone call.

"Attorney Lee, prepare the liability determination document for the stage accident; I want to see a preliminary report by tomorrow morning. Additionally, contact the director of Samsung Hospital; I want to donate a set of the latest rehabilitation equipment to the orthopedic rehabilitation center, and designate Director Kim Jae-hoon's team to use it."

After hearing what was said on the other end of the line, Song Tianhao gave a grunt of acknowledgment and hung up.

He then stood up, walked to the vending machine at the end of the hallway, and bought two cans of hot coffee. Walking back, he handed one to Tiffany Hwang.

"Drink something hot," he said.

Tiffany Hwang took the coffee. The can was warm, and holding it in her hand, that warmth seemed to reach her heart. She pulled the tab and took a small sip. The bitter taste dissolved in her mouth, but her body certainly felt a bit warmer.

"President," she said suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Do you know, Jessica Jung and her parents... don't have a very good relationship?" Tiffany Hwang lowered her head, looking at the coffee can in her hand. "Her parents do business in the United States and are very busy; they left her and her sister to be cared for by a nanny since they were young."

Song Tianhao didn't speak, just listened.

"Jessica Jung actually cares a lot about her parents' opinions," Tiffany Hwang continued, her voice very soft. "Every time she gets a first-place trophy or wins an award, she calls her parents right away, but often her parents are busy and can't answer. She would leave a message on the phone, saying 'Mom and Dad, I won an award again,' and then hang up, sitting alone in the practice room in a daze."

"So she doesn't want them to know she's injured," Song Tianhao said.

"Yes," Tiffany Hwang nodded. "She doesn't want them to worry, and even less does she want them to think... to think that the path she chose is wrong. She wants to prove to them that she can do it, that she is capable, and that she can stand on stage until the very last moment."

She paused, her voice slightly choked.

"But now, she might... never be able to dance that well again..."

Song Tianhao looked at her for a few seconds, then spoke.

"Tiffany."

Tiffany Hwang looked up.

"What do you think is the most important thing to Jessica Jung?" Song Tianhao asked.

Tiffany Hwang thought for a moment and said, "The stage? Fans? Girls Generation?"

"It's 'being needed'," Song Tianhao said. "She needs to be recognized by her parents, needed by her fans, needed by her group, and needs to prove her own worth. That's why she works so hard, why she is stubborn, and why she forces herself to carry on even when injured."

He paused and continued.

"But now, she needs to be taken care of, needs to be protected, and needs someone to tell her that it's okay to be vulnerable, that she doesn't have to be so strong."

Tiffany Hwang was stunned.

She looked at Song Tianhao, looking at this man who was usually calm, decisive, and even somewhat cold at the company, now sitting on the cold floor of the hospital corridor, holding a can of coffee, saying these words in a calm tone.

Then she suddenly understood why Kim Taeyeon would like him, why Park So-yeon would like him, and why so many girls, despite knowing what kind of person he was, still couldn't help but be attracted to him.

Because Song Tianhao truly understood them—understood the vulnerability behind their glamorous exteriors, the softness beneath their strength, and the tears within their smiles.

"President," Tiffany Hwang said softly, "you are truly very gentle."

Song Tianhao didn't respond, just took a sip of coffee.

Time passed minute by minute.

The lights in the operating room were still on.

Tiffany Hwang leaned against the wall and fell asleep without realizing it. She had been exhausted all day—two and a half hours of singing and dancing at the concert, followed by the stage accident, and then rushing to the hospital. Her nerves had been highly tense, and now that she relaxed, sleepiness washed over her.

Song Tianhao checked his watch: 2:13 AM.

He got up, walked to the nurses' station, and asked for a blanket. He returned and gently covered Tiffany Hwang with it. The blanket was the hospital's standard white, very thin, but it was better than nothing.

Tiffany Hwang stirred in her sleep but didn't wake up.

Song Tianhao sat back down, leaned his back against the wall, and closed his eyes.

But he didn't sleep; his mind was racing with many thoughts.

He thought about the gap on the stage, the image of Jessica Jung falling, her pale face, her expression when she said 'Don't tell my parents,' the 'less than 30% chance' the doctor mentioned, and her rehabilitation over the next three months.

Song Tianhao was also thinking about the Girls Generation tour, the 'investigation status' the stage company manager was going to report, and the high heels with the loose heel.

He thought about a lot.

His phone vibrated. He opened his eyes and took out his phone.

It was a text message from Jang Se-hoon: "President, reporters from the CJ group have caught wind of the news and want to take pictures of Jessica Jung's surgery; they have been blocked downstairs by the bodyguards. They are now blocking the entrance, saying they want to see you."

Song Tianhao frowned and replied, "I'll go down and take a look."

He stood up and glanced at the operating room; the lights were still on. He then looked at Tiffany Hwang; she was still asleep, wrapped in the blanket, curled into a ball.

He turned and walked toward the elevator.

The elevator went down to the first floor.

The doors opened, and the noise of the emergency room lobby rushed in. Crying, shouting, footsteps, and the sound of gurney wheels rubbing against the floor were all mixed together, making one feel irritated.

Song Tianhao walked through the lobby and to the main entrance of the hospital.

Outside the door, several people holding cameras and wearing press passes were being blocked by four bodyguards in black. The bodyguards had been arranged by Song Tianhao in advance; they were tall, sturdy, and expressionless, like a wall.

"President Song is out!"

A sharp-eyed reporter shouted, and everyone immediately looked over, camera lenses all pointing directly at Song Tianhao.

"President Song! How is Jessica Jung's injury exactly?"

"We heard she needs surgery. Is that true?"

"Will the Girls Generation Asian tour be canceled?"

"Will Sky Entertainment hold the stage construction company accountable?"

"There are rumors that this accident was man-made. What is your take on that?"

The questions came crashing down like a barrage.

Song Tianhao walked to the entrance and stood on the steps, looking down at the reporters. He was wearing a simple black shirt and trousers, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his lean forearms. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were cold—so cold that the reporters subconsciously took a step back.

"You can take pictures of me," Song Tianhao said, his voice not loud, but every word was clear. "Don't disturb the patients."

The reporters were stunned for a moment.

"Jessica Jung is currently in surgery. Her condition is stable, but she needs rest," Song Tianhao continued, his tone calm but carrying an unquestionable sense of pressure. "Sky Entertainment will issue an official press release later. All questions should be based on that press release. Now, please leave."

"But President Song..." a bespectacled male reporter wanted to say something more.

"There are no 'buts'," Song Tianhao interrupted him, his gaze sweeping over the press passes on the reporters' chests. "CJ Daily, CJ Entertainment Weekly, CJ Sports... all CJ-affiliated media. What, is Chairman Lee Jae-hyun so interested in Sky Entertainment's affairs?"

The reporters' expressions changed.

"Go back and tell your chairman," Song Tianhao said, his voice very cold. "If you have the ability, compete fairly in business. Sending reporters to block the hospital entrance and photograph an injured artist—I despise such underhanded tactics."

With that, he turned and walked away.

"President Song! President Song!" the reporters shouted from behind.

But Song Tianhao didn't look back and walked straight back into the hospital. The four bodyguards remained at the entrance like four door gods.

Back on the fourth floor, the lights in the operating room were still on.

Tiffany Hwang had woken up and was sitting on the bench wrapped in the blanket. Seeing him return, she quickly stood up.

"President, outside..."

"It's fine," Song Tianhao said, sitting down next to her. "The reporters have been sent away."

Tiffany Hwang breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down.

The two fell into silence again.

Time continued to pass.

The clock on the wall pointed to 3:00 AM.

The door to the operating room finally opened.

Kim Jae-hoon walked out, took off his mask, and looked tired, but his expression was relatively relaxed.

"The surgery was very successful," he said. "The ligament repair was perfect, and the cartilage damage was also treated. The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet; she should wake up in about half an hour."

Song Tianhao stood up: "Thank you."

"It's my duty," Kim Jae-hoon said. "However, President Song, I must say that the surgery is only the first step; rehabilitation is the key. Especially for the first six weeks, she must be strictly immobilized—no walking, no weight-bearing. After that, there will be rehabilitation training, which requires guidance from a professional therapist. The process will be very painful and very long."

"I understand," Song Tianhao said. "I will arrange the rehabilitation team."

"That's good," Kim Jae-hoon nodded. "The patient will be moved to a VIP ward. You can go see her, but don't stay too long; let her get some good rest."

"Okay."

When Jessica Jung was pushed out, she was still unconscious. The effect of the anesthesia made her sleep very deeply. Her face was pale, and her lips had no color, but her breathing was steady. The nurse pushed her toward the ward, and Song Tianhao and Tiffany Hwang followed behind.

The VIP ward was on the top floor and was a suite, with a reception room outside and the ward inside. The room was large and decorated like a hotel suite, with an independent bathroom and large floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over the night view of Seoul.

The nurse moved Jessica Jung to the hospital bed, adjusted the IV drip speed, checked the monitoring equipment, and then left.

The ward quieted down.

Tiffany Hwang sat on the sofa beside the bed, wrapped in the white blanket, and soon fell asleep again. She was too tired today.

Song Tianhao sat down by the bed and looked at Jessica Jung.

She was asleep, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were in pain even in her dreams. Her right hand was outside the quilt, with an IV drip in the back of her hand, the needle secured firmly with tape.

Jessica Jung's fingers were slender and white; her nails were trimmed very short and had no nail polish on them, looking very clean.

Song Tianhao watched her for a while, then took out his phone.

There were a few new messages on the screen.

Jang Se-hoon: "President, the press release has been issued, and the trending searches are under control. The stage company manager says he will come to the company to see you at 10:00 AM tomorrow."

Park So-yeon: "Oppa, how is Jessica Jung? We are worried to death. The concert is over, and we are now downstairs at the hospital. Can we go up and see her?"

Kim Taeyeon: "Oppa, is Jessica Jung okay? We just arrived downstairs, but the security guard won't let us up. Is she awake? Is she in pain?"

Song Tianhao first replied to Park So-yeon: "The surgery was successful, and she is resting. Don't come up; too many people will disturb her. Come again tomorrow."

Then he replied to Kim Taeyeon: "I'll tell you when she wakes up. You all go back and rest; you have a schedule tomorrow."

After replying, he opened an attachment sent by Jang Se-hoon, which was the preliminary investigation report from the stage construction company.

The report wasn't long, but the content was very detailed.

"Upon investigation, in the performance area of Jessica Jung at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium, the dry ice nozzle was manually adjusted to be 30% larger, causing the fog concentration to exceed the limit, with visibility less than one meter. In addition, there were traces of loose fixing bolts at the stage floor joint, and the loose position was exactly on Jessica Jung's path. On-site surveillance shows that between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, two non-company staff members entered the stage area and acted suspiciously. The suspects have been identified and are being tracked."

After reading it, Song Tianhao's eyes turned cold.

He replied: "Continue the investigation; I want to know who it is."

After sending this, he put down his phone and looked at Jessica Jung again.

She was still asleep, but her eyelashes trembled, as if she were about to wake up.

Song Tianhao leaned over and called her name softly: "Jessica Jung?"

Jessica Jung didn't open her eyes, but her brows furrowed tighter, her lips moved, and she let out a vague moan.

Then, her right hand—the one without the IV—suddenly lifted and grabbed unconsciously in the air.

Song Tianhao reached out instinctively.

That hand grabbed his.

It grabbed very tightly, as if grasping a straw.

Jessica Jung still hadn't woken up, but after grabbing his hand, her brows relaxed a bit, and her breathing became steady. Her hand was very cold, and there was a thin layer of sweat on her palm, but she gripped his hand tightly, as if afraid he would leave.

Song Tianhao didn't move, just let her hold it like that.

Outside the window, the night in Seoul was deep. In the distance, the lights of the Han River Bridge formed a line, and further away, the city lights looked like a starry sky inverted on the ground. The ward was very quiet, with only the rhythmic ticking of the monitoring equipment and the steady breathing of Tiffany Hwang.

Song Tianhao sat by the bed, looking at Jessica Jung's pale face, feeling her cold body temperature on his hand.

Then, he gently held her hand back.