Chapter 56

Weakly begging for votes and favorites! ***

City First Hospital.

Sitting on the long bench outside the ward, his head leaning against the white wall, the middle-aged man, who had just entered his forties, had several fine white hairs in his black hair, and his furrowed brows added to his weary appearance.

Xu Yue was going through the biggest crisis of his life. His brother's despair, brought about by a momentary lapse in judgment, brought him indescribable grief and helplessness, as well as an unbearable burden—this meant not only bearing the misunderstanding and complaints from his wife, the demands of creditors, but also the critically ill niece lying in bed.

What about Xiao Ling? What about Xiao Ying?

Thinking of his eldest niece, who had become increasingly haggard and was suppressing her sorrow and despair, Xu Yue felt a pain that made it hard to breathe.

At this moment, the ward door opened, and a woman with a haggard appearance and a pale face came out, holding a basin and a towel. She pursed her lips, and her eyes were filled with uncontainable resentment as she looked at her husband.

"Done!" Lin Fang looked at her husband coldly.

"Um... thank you for your hard work, Fang!"

Xu Yue stood up, intending to comfort his wife, but Lin Fang threw the basin and water to the ground with a face full of resentment, shouting, "Xu Yue, your brother has a daughter to take care of, but don't we have one too? You forgot, your son has a fever! Your son is also lying in the clinic getting an IV!"

People who had been watching from the ward came out, pointing and whispering, which made Xu Yue feel even more miserable. He looked down at his water-soaked shoes and suppressed his anger, scolding, "Isn't your mother-in-law helping to take care of him? If it weren't for Xiao Ling being a girl and me being inappropriate, would I need to call you?"

"Can't you call a nurse?" Lin Fang pointed at her husband sharply, "If we can't afford to stay in the hospital, then don't stay! My mother-in-law even paid for Yuan Shao's hospitalization, but what about you? You put all the money into this bottomless pit of hospital fees! Are you such a biased father? I ask you, what's the point of staying in the hospital if you can't even pay the fees? I know your brother is good to you, but what about it? If they want to die, did they think about your situation? Did they...?"

"Enough!" Xu Yue roared like a wounded beast. The anger in his voice, to many people, was not just the anger of a husband towards his wife, but also the sorrow of being hit where it hurt.

Sitting softly on the long bench, Xu Yue rubbed his face and said with a painful voice, "Xiao Ling is your niece!"

"Yuan Shao is our own son!" Lin Fang was in tears, overwhelmed with grief, "Xu Yue, don't think I'm being heartless, but we... really can't take care of two families. We don't even know if we can afford Yuan Shao and Xiao Yi's school fees next year..."

Xu Yue stared at the snow-white wall, bitter, "A few days ago, Xiao Ying told me she's doing part-time work. If it doesn't work out, she'll drop out of school and get some money back... Fang, no matter how hard it is, we have to support Xiao Ling until she gets out of the hospital! We can talk about other things later, okay?"

Lin Fang sneered, about to say something, when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Uncle, Aunt!"

Xu Yue looked up and saw Xu Xiaoying walking over gracefully. Perhaps she had heard the argument, her eyes were complex, and her expression was gloomy.

Beside her stood a boy with a clear and regular face. Despite the down on his chin and nose, Xu Yue, with his experience, could still tell that the boy was in his early teens and not very old.

"Xiao Ying... why are you here so early today!" Xu Yue's voice was incredibly dry, and his eyes were filled with even more anger when he looked at his wife.

Xu Xiaoying had already heard the argument between her uncle and aunt, but she couldn't show it on her face, so she forced a smile, "I don't have classes this afternoon..."

Stepping aside, Xu Xiaoying introduced Song Chen to Xu Yue and Lin Fang, "Uncle, Aunt, this is my university classmate and the boss of my part-time job, Song Chen. He will take care of my sister's hospitalization fees!"

Before Xu Xiaoying could finish, Xu Yue frowned, and Lin Fang looked at her with disdain. Song Chen sighed, thinking that Xu Xiaoying didn't know how to speak. He stepped forward and extended his hand to Xu Yue, smiling, "Xiao Ying is shy and doesn't know how to speak, Uncle and Aunt, don't take it to heart. Besides the two identities I just mentioned, I am also Xiao Ying's boyfriend!"

Xu Yue and Lin Fang were so shocked that they couldn't help but look at Xu Xiaoying, who was lowering her head and fidgeting, and they believed it halfway. They didn't know that Xu Xiaoying, with her head down, was both sweet and sad because of Song Chen's lie and the reality.

Xu Yue, excited, held Song Chen's hand and asked, "You don't look very old, are you really Xiao Ying's boyfriend at school?"

"I am three years younger than Xiao Ying! Hehe, a girl three years older is like a golden brick, Uncle!" Song Chen smiled, looking at Lin Fang, who was silently sizing him up, and continued, "Uncle, you know Xiao Ying, she likes to keep things to herself and doesn't talk much. She didn't even tell me about such an important family matter! Although some things can't be changed, Xiao Ying's sister is my sister too, and I will take responsibility for her hospitalization fees!"

"Really? Really? That's great!" Holding Song Chen's hand with both hands, Xu Yue's eyes turned red. Then he frowned and asked, "Will your parents agree? Do they know about your relationship?"

Song Chen glanced at Xu Xiaoying, who was looking at him, and inwardly sighed. He lied, "My parents don't know about this, but it's okay. The money I use to run my company is all earned by myself, so they won't be angry even if they find out!"

Xu Yue nodded in relief, "That's good! To be honest..."

He patted Xu Xiaoying's shoulder and said with a sad expression, "You probably heard what I said just now! Your aunt may speak her mind, but given the situation, don't hold it against her! You know, before your parents had their accident, your aunt liked you and Xiao Ling the most! Right, Xiao Ying?"

For Xu Yue's explanation, Lin Fang, who looked awkward, Song Chen inwardly sneered.

Xu Xiaoying sighed, "I know, I just hate that Dad left so decisively, leaving me and my sister... so I won't mind!"

Xu Yue sighed deeply and said to Song Chen, "My son is running a high fever at the clinic, and my mother-in-law is taking care of him alone. I'm afraid she can't manage, so we'll leave first! Xiao Chen, I entrust Xiao Ying and Xiao Ling to you!"

"Please rest assured, I will take good care of her!" Song Chen nodded.

Xu Yue sighed and instructed the silent Xu Xiaoying, "After your sister is discharged, if you don't have a place to go..."

"Come to our house? Their house was taken away, and ours will be safe?" Lin Fang said sarcastically. Xu Yue's expression changed, and he could only shake his head with a desolate look.

Seeing this, Song Chen sighed in his heart and said, "Uncle Xu, everything will work out, don't be too pessimistic!"

Xu Yue forced a smile, shook his head, and left with Lin Fang, who seemed to be mocking him. Watching their backs, Xu Xiaoying's heart was tightly knotted, and she felt indescribable pain.

Xu Yue and Lin Fang came to the hospital entrance, and Lin Fang mocked, "Do you really think that boy is Xiao Ying's boyfriend?"

Xu Yue, with his rich experience in reading people, his face twitched slightly, but he only looked back at the hospital building and left silently.

On the other side, Song Chen stood in front of the ward, looking at the little girl lying in bed, her legs, face, and body wrapped in bandages. Even with his extra life experience, he couldn't help but fall silent. What made Song Chen even more moved was the next words from the fourteen-year-old Xu Xiaoling.

"Sister, Uncle and Aunt don't want us anymore, right?"

With these words, Xu Xiaoying's tears, like a flood breaking through a dam, quietly fell.