Terminal Illness

"Two hundred thousand? Are you out of your mind? Do you know how much my company’s stocks have dropped? Millions vanished overnight! I’m furious right now—I don’t have the money!"

With that, the line went dead.

Undeterred, the girl gritted her teeth and dialed another number.

One call after another.

Either no one picked up, or she was met with a string of curses and rejections.

Lan Ruoxi’s eyes slowly filled with despair. She slumped to the ground, hugging her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

Money! It always came down to money!

She had exhausted every possible avenue, but she still couldn’t scrape together enough.

How could she save her mother?

Lan Ruoxi’s wails drew the attention of passersby, but their gazes quickly shifted away.

A hospital was the ultimate test of human nature.

Like a time machine, it recorded the warmth and coldness of the world. Heart-wrenching cries were nothing new here.

"Stop crying."

An Yi handed her a tissue and casually sat cross-legged beside her on the floor.

"It’s... you..."

Lan Ruoxi looked up at An Yi, stifling her sobs as she took the tissue, though her tears continued to flow.

She recognized him—he was the young man who had returned her lost wallet on the bus.

"P-please… do you have money? I need a lot of it... my mother won’t survive without it..."

Her desperate gaze locked onto An Yi’s arm, her face pale, her eyes dull with hopelessness.

Her mother’s condition had suddenly worsened.

Without the money for treatment, she might not even make it through the week.

An Yi felt a lump in his throat.

That look—that despair—was something he had just experienced himself moments ago.

Seeing his hesitation, Lan Ruoxi clung to his sleeve as if it were her last lifeline. Biting her lower lip, she pleaded, "Two hundred thousand… just lend me two hundred thousand. I’ll serve you for the rest of my life—do anything you ask! Please… save my mother..."

At this point, Lan Ruoxi had become desperate.

"Anything?"

An Yi raised an eyebrow, studying her.

"Yes!"

She bit her lip hard, then nodded firmly. She had nothing left to offer but herself.

"Then go home, get some rest, and don’t think about anything else."

An Yi stood up, slipping his hands into his pockets as he walked away without another word.

Lan Ruoxi stared at his retreating figure, her lips parting slightly, but no words came out.

She must have lost her mind.

Why would a stranger pay such an exorbitant medical bill for her?

Lan Ruoxi returned to the hospital room.

Her mother was asleep, an IV drip of glucose and saline attached to her arm.

Without money for proper treatment, this was all they could do to keep her alive.

"Mom… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry..."

Tears streamed down Lan Ruoxi’s face, soaking the pillow.

If her father were still alive, would her mother have a chance?

There was no answer to that question.

She had already sold everything—even the house was mortgaged. Yet she was still short over two hundred thousand.

Exhausted, Lan Ruoxi eventually fell asleep.

That night, the silver moon hung low in the eastern sky.

In her half-asleep daze, Lan Ruoxi cracked her eyes open.

A tall figure stood in the room.

In his hand was something slender… like a needle.

The next morning, Lan Ruoxi awoke to daylight.

Her mother lay still in bed, her face etched with worry.

In just a week, Lan Ruoxi’s own face had grown gaunt with exhaustion.

Gazing at her unconscious mother, she clutched her skirt, tears falling like heavy raindrops.

She couldn’t lose her.

No matter what, she had to find a way to raise the money.

No matter what...

"Xixi… why are you crying?"

A weak voice reached her ears.

Lan Ruoxi’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at her now-awake mother.

She was awake?!

After three days in a coma, her mother had actually woken up!

"Mom, you—"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Lan Ruoxi couldn’t speak.

Her mother murmured, "I suddenly feel much better… the pain in my chest is gone."

"Mom—"

Lan Ruoxi threw herself onto the bed, tears spilling freely.

Her mother stroked her hair, her own eyes brimming with tears. "My poor girl… the gods have answered our prayers."

——

Upstairs in another ward…

An Yi rubbed his bleary eyes, yawning as if he hadn’t slept in days.

"Yawning like that—what were you up to last night? You never came back, and Shen Muxuan waited for you all evening."

Aunt Zhou shot him a disapproving look.

"I wasn’t waiting!" Shen Muxuan shook her head innocently.

Aunt Zhou sighed. "Girl, if you don’t keep an eye on him, he’ll walk all over you one day."

"Oh, okay."

Shen Muxuan nodded seriously, then turned to An Yi. "You’re not allowed to stay out so late anymore."

An Yi: "..."

What did she even understand?

Last night, he had sneaked into Lan Ruoxi’s ward to treat her mother.

As for why he had to do it secretly… well, that girl was way too stubborn.

For Lan Ruoxi, it was a matter of life and death. For An Yi, it was just a small favor.

If she really tried to "repay" him by dedicating her life to him, things would get messy. Gratitude could be too costly.

Dealing with endless thanks was also a hassle, and An Yi hated complications. It was easier to just solve the problem quietly.

"Aunt Zhou, I’m going to sleep. Wake me if you need anything."

Yawning again, An Yi kicked off his shoes, flopped onto the spare hospital bed, and was out like a light.

Using the Nine Yang Divine Needles had drained him more than he expected.

After two consecutive sessions, his mental energy was at its limit—his mind was completely exhausted.

Shen Muxuan tilted her head. "Why is he sleeping again?"

"Let him rest."

Aunt Zhou smiled softly, her gaze fond as she watched An Yi.

——

Thanks to An Yi’s treatment the night before, Lan Ruoxi’s mother had improved dramatically. The pallor in her face had faded, replaced by a healthy flush.

Lan Ruoxi peeled an apple, her delicate features softening with relief.

Perhaps heaven had truly taken pity on them.

Her mother’s condition had miraculously improved overnight. After such despair, this sudden turn felt like a blessing.

At the doorway, Zhang Fan—here to check on the patient—paused when he caught sight of the beautiful girl.

Stunning.

Another breathtaking beauty, no less striking than the girl in traditional attire from yesterday.

But personally, he preferred this one.

Gentle, refined, with clear, tender eyes.

Zhang Fan pressed a hand to his chest.

His heartbeat was irregular.

This was love at first sight.

He wanted her—no, he had to have her.

Flipping through the medical records, his eyes gleamed.

Terminal illness.

The woman in the bed was suffering from a rare, incurable disease.

At the hospital, treatment would cost a fortune—and even then, success wasn’t guaranteed.

But coincidentally, thanks to his recent "check-ins," he happened to know a way to cure it.

"Patient Liu Yuefen, correct? I’m the doctor. How are you feeling lately?"

Zhang Fan walked straight in, wearing a warm smile, yet his gaze never left Lan Ruoxi.

The closer he got, the more he could appreciate her breathtaking beauty.

Her flawless face needed no makeup, with skin so delicate it seemed one touch might bruise it. Her clear, bright eyes held an indescribable gentleness.

Truly, she was a girl whose grace matched her striking features.

If he could cure her mother's illness, then perhaps...