“You were great in that area!” The AI phone call ended.
‘…Why does that sound so wrong?’
Luo Tiantian felt his cheeks heating up.
This feeling… it was strangely like a scene from a television drama where a girl in a brothel finished her work and was patted on the shoulder by the madam or a client saying, “Good job, keep it up.”
Pah, pah, pah!
What a mess of a metaphor.
Luo Tiantian shook his head, trying to shake off the strange sensation.
He lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
Daji, the second dungeon, or rather, an exclusive benefit…
It sounded like he could make even more money.
‘Anyway, I already have one King You. Adding a King Zhou doesn’t seem like much.’
Luo Tiantian counted on his fingers. ‘Daji’s Wine Pool and Meat Forest sounds like pure luxury. Maybe the mission will be easier, and the money will come faster.’
***
Shen Xixi was just about to rest when her phone rang.
“Hello, Xixi? It’s Su Xiao’s mother.” A slightly weary female voice came from the other end.
“Auntie, it’s me. Is something wrong? It’s so late.”
“I’m sorry to bother you at this hour, Xixi. I just got off the operating table. I only just saw the message Xiao Xiao sent me this afternoon. She said she had another conflict with someone, and her emotions seem unstable. I called her, but she didn’t pick up. She’s probably sulking again. That child… she’s headstrong sometimes, and when her temper flares, she’s like a little firecracker. I’m grateful you’re willing to let her stay with you; please bear with her. Her father passed away when she was young, and I’m always busy at the hospital. I rarely have time for her. She was raised by nannies, so she might not have been taught well in some areas. Her mental state has always been a bit…”
Mother Su’s voice was filled with deep self-reproach and helplessness.
Shen Xixi fell silent for a moment.
Although she was very impatient with Su Xiao’s neurotic behavior, she knew the family situation was special. Mother Su was a well-known doctor at a local Grade A Tertiary Hospital. Her work was hectic, and she indeed neglected Su Xiao’s companionship and discipline.
“Auntie, don’t say that. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Thank you, Xixi. Really, thank you,” Mother Su said repeatedly. “With your word, I feel much more at ease. Xiao Xiao… she’s actually not a bad person. She just doesn’t know how to express herself and can be a bit extreme. If you have time, try to counsel her. If she goes too far, don’t indulge her. Sorry for the trouble.”
“It’s no trouble. Don’t worry, Auntie.”
After a few more pleasantries, Mother Su hung up. She sighed and rubbed her aching temples.
Two consecutive surgeries had left her physically and mentally exhausted, but what drained her more was her daughter, Su Xiao.
In a single-parent household, she, as a mother, only managed to return home about once a month due to her profession and certain past events.
Su Xiao had been raised by nannies since childhood. She lacked a sense of security and had a sensitive, paranoid personality. Her mental health had always been a concern, and by the time the issues became apparent, it was already a bit late. The mother-daughter relationship was distant, and communication was difficult. She could only try to compensate with material things, but it had little effect.
*Sigh.*
She looked down at a medical record and several test reports on her desk.
Patient Name: Luo Tiantian.
Age: 19.
This was a young patient she had seen before. He had come to the hospital alone. When asked about his family, he only vaguely said they were gone. His financial situation was clearly poor; even the basic examination fees seemed to stretch his resources.
According to the current rate of progression, if effective intervention wasn’t provided soon, this young man probably wouldn’t last three months.
She had even sent a message earlier today, reminding him to come in for a follow-up as soon as possible to discuss the next steps for treatment.
“Only 19…” Mother Su sighed softly.
As a doctor, she was used to life and death, but her heart still felt heavy every time she faced a young life that might be about to wither away.
“I’ll try to contact him again tomorrow morning.” She organized the medical records and decided to call him personally tomorrow. Even if hope was slim, she had to try and persuade him.
***
The next morning, Luo Tiantian was awakened by his ringtone.
“Is this Luo Tiantian? I’m Dr. Su from the Municipal Hospital. Did you receive my message yesterday? Your report is not looking optimistic. You need to come to the hospital as soon as possible so we can discuss the next treatment plan in detail. Are you free this morning?”
Luo Tiantian woke up instantly.
“I… I’m free this morning.”
“Good. Come as soon as you can. I’ll be waiting for you in the specialist consultation room on the third floor of the outpatient clinic. Remember, you must come. This concerns your follow-up treatment; it’s very important.”
“Okay, Dr. Su. I’ll be there right away.”
After hanging up, Luo Tiantian sat on the bed and spaced out for a long time.
He logged into the hospital’s app and saw that yesterday’s test results were out.
‘I’ll just go.’
Luo Tiantian changed into the oversized clothes he used yesterday to hide his figure, put on a hat and a mask, and headed out.
At the hospital, outpatient clinic, third floor.
Luo Tiantian knocked on the door of the specialist consultation room.
Mother Su looked up. When she saw the person walking in, she was visibly stunned.
The person who entered was an extremely beautiful young girl.
Even with a hat and mask covering most of her face, leaving only her eyes visible, the striking contours of her features and her fragile, delicate aura were enough to make her unforgettable.
“You are…?” Mother Su asked hesitantly.
Luo Tiantian took off his mask and spoke with some embarrassment, “Hello, Dr. Su. I am… Luo Tiantian’s girlfriend. He finished his check-up yesterday, but he’s not feeling well today, so he asked me to come and hear what you have to say.”
Looking at the peerless face before her, Mother Su felt an even deeper sense of pity.
How could such a beautiful girl fall for a poor boy with a serious illness and an uncertain future?
Fate truly toys with lovers.
She motioned for Luo Tiantian to sit down and took the electronic report from him. After reviewing it, her brow furrowed deeply. “The situation is very bad. It seems the previous treatment wasn’t effective. We must start a new intensive chemotherapy regimen immediately and begin matching for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. This is currently the only possible way to cure it fundamentally.”
Luo Tiantian listened quietly, his fingers curling against his knees.
“However, the treatment costs are very high. Intensive chemotherapy, the subsequent transplant, and anti-rejection treatments could cost 200,000 to 300,000 yuan. That doesn’t even include potential complications or the cost of long-term medication. Furthermore, the process will be extremely painful. The patient needs strong willpower and a support system. At the very least, he himself must have a strong desire to live…”
Mother Su paused and asked, “Can you… afford this financially? Is there anyone else in the family who can help?”
Luo Tiantian lowered his head, his voice very soft. “We don’t have much money. He doesn’t have anyone else in his family.”
Mother Su sighed even more deeply. Just as she thought.
“Dr. Su,” Luo Tiantian looked up, his eyes turning red. “If… if he doesn’t get treatment, how much time does he have left?”
Mother Su saw the girl before her trying her best to hold back her grief. It pained her, but as a doctor, she had to tell the truth.
“Without effective treatment, given his current condition… it’s very likely he won’t last more than three months.”
Three months…
Luo Tiantian felt a buzzing in his ears.
He didn’t know how he left the consultation room, nor how he walked out of the hospital building.
The sunlight was blinding, and the streets were crowded with traffic; the world remained as noisy and busy as ever.
But Luo Tiantian only felt cold all over. Everything before him seemed to be behind a layer of frosted glass—blurry and surreal.
He walked aimlessly and unknowingly reached the edge of a relatively quiet road near the hospital.
He leaned against the sidewalk railing and sat by the roadside.
Three months…
Hundreds of thousands…
‘Am I considered an invincible man now?’
‘Should I stand up for someone?’
‘If someone’s wages are being withheld or they’re being exploited, can I go stab the offender now?’
‘I could do a good deed before I die…’
“Tiantian?”
A surprised and uncertain voice sounded beside him.
Luo Tiantian hurriedly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and looked up.
Su Xiao was standing in front of him at some point. She was leaning over, looking at him with concern. She was wearing a light blue dress today, and her hair was tied up loosely, making her look much more refreshed.
“It really is you! This is great. I thought since I bumped into you here yesterday, I might meet you again today!”
Su Xiao spoke excitedly, but she soon noticed Luo Tiantian’s red eyes. The smile on her face vanished, and her voice immediately became timid. She asked cautiously, “What happened? Did I make you angry? Was it because I insisted on taking you to the hospital yesterday? Or… or did I annoy you by sending you messages?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was just worried about you and wanted to be your friend…” Su Xiao apologized incoherently. She reached out, wanting to touch Luo Tiantian, but pulled back, fearing she would be too forward. “Please don’t cry. It’s all my fault. You can hit me or scold me, just don’t be sad alone…”
Luo Tiantian looked at the anime-obsessed girl he had only known for one day. He rested his chin on his hand.
“Do you have money? I want to make a lot of it, and fast.”
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