Chapter 39: Father and Son?

  The car sped up and in less than five minutes, it brought a rumble into the Beijing City Hospital. As soon as they entered the hospital, the gu insect in the small package wrapped around by Xiao Yu's golden needle at Clock Old's chest suddenly started jumping violently, as if it was about to break through Clock Old's skin and fly out.

  A group of people in white coats were standing at the entrance of the hospital's outpatient building, anxiously waiting for something.

  Zhong Lao saw a large group of doctors and turned his head to Zhong Jianguo and Zhong Tao, saying: "Who made the call?"

  Although the torment of illness had left a pale complexion on Lao's face and he looked extremely haggard, many years of being in a high position had lent an air of unyielding dignity to even his most ordinary questions.

  "Gr-gr-grandfather... I-I-it's me..." Upon hearing Lao Zhong's questioning, Zhong Tao's whole body shuddered, his face filled with a timid expression, stuttering as he spoke.

  "Let them all go!" Zhong Lao said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on Zhong Tao.

  "But... grandfather..." Zhong Tao unconsciously shrunk his neck, wanting to say something.

  "Alright, Mr. Zhong, with these doctors helping out, it should be faster!" Xiao Yu's personality was straightforward and bold, with a natural air of confidence that never feared the powerful. Thus, he spoke in a calm tone.

  When Xiao Yu said this, Old Master Zhuo just smiled and nodded, while the Zhous and the Zhongs were stunned, then looked incredulous. Zhuo Siyun even wiped his forehead with his sleeve twice from behind the crowd, thinking to himself that only Xiao Yu dared to speak to Lao Zhong like that!

  Zhong Lao nodded and said, "Then let's listen to Dr. Xiao!" After finishing, he turned to Zhong Tao and said, "Let them help find a 74-year-old critically ill elderly person named Yang Ni Yang Guihua in the hospital!"

  "Eh!" Zhong Tao responded with a sound and walked towards the group of doctors, nodding his head at Xiao Ye before leaving.

  After about 20 minutes, Zhong Tao came running over with a big sweat and panting: "Found it, found it, Neurosurgery ICU!"

  Xiao Yu looked at Zhong Tao who came running and felt a wave of disdain in his heart. 'Really knows how to show off, couldn't he just make a phone call?'

  Outside the neurosurgery ICU, three people sat on a long bench: a man in his fifties, a woman around fifty, and a young man of twenty-eight or nine. They seemed to be a family of three, chatting with each other. A group of people arrived at the neurosurgery ICU, and the voices of the three echoed loudly in the empty space, carrying far away.

  "Ah Hua, it's dawn, I think we should sell the house we bought with a loan first. Mom's medical expenses are gone, and all the valuable things in our home have been sold. Now this house is the only thing that still has some value!" The man in his fifties said this as tears quietly flowed down his face.

  "But, child's father, that was for Tianming's wedding!" The woman also burst into tears.

  "Mother, listen to Father and sell it first! I'm still young, getting married a few years later is no big deal!" The 28- or 29-year-old young man said in a low voice, holding his mother's hand.

  "But would Xiaomiao's family agree? Xiaomiao's parents have always looked down on our family, thinking we're poor and have no status. If we sell the house now..." The woman said, crying and hugging her son.

  "Mom, don't worry, I think Xiaomiao will understand! Besides, you're still worried that your son won't be able to find a wife and will be a bachelor for life! Don't worry, the people chasing after this excellent son of yours can line up from the Forbidden City to the Bird's Nest!" The young man suppressed his urge to cry and comforted his mother with a smile.

  Actually, the young man knew that if his family sold their house, his girlfriend would definitely break up with him. His girlfriend Xiaomiao's parents were both government officials, and it was said that they were even department heads. His own mother didn't work, and his father drove a taxi for a living, while he himself was just an ordinary bus driver.

  Here is the translation:

  It all started with how I met Xiaomiao, it was a coincidence. One time Xiaomiao was taking the bus and encountered a pickpocket, but I caught him and stopped him. As we got to know each other better, we gradually fell in love. However, Xiaomiao's parents looked down on me because my family is poor and didn't agree with our relationship. After Xiaomiao's persistent resistance, her parents finally agreed temporarily, but under one condition: no matter what, I had to buy a house. If it was a mortgage, Xiaomiao wouldn't be involved in paying it back. If the house was sold, Xiaomiao's parents would definitely force us to break up. But if the house wasn't sold, then grandma would... Thinking of this, the young man's mouth was filled with bitterness. Although he felt bitter, he didn't regret selling the house to save his grandma at all.

  The woman cried for a while and then continued: "Even if we sell the house, how many more days can we hold on? This intensive care unit costs over 10,000 yuan per day!"

  The man clutched his head with both hands, burying it deeply, and rubbed his hair vigorously. He raised his head, his eyes shining with determination: "I'll hold on for as many days as I can! It's not easy for Mom to raise me by herself, I just can't watch her die!"

  "Uuuu...uuuu..." The woman flung herself into her son's arms and burst out wailing.

  Xiao Yu and a group of people heard the conversation between several people, all silently lowering their heads. Xiao Yu looked at the crowd with their heads down, took a deep breath, gazed into the distance, and said in a low voice: "This is reality, the lives of ordinary people are generally like this, getting sick can lead to bankruptcy, and it's not certain that they can get proper medical care. Therefore, most ordinary people who contract terminal illnesses usually don't go for treatment, but instead die slowly at home. This is something you rulers will never see!"

  Xiao Yu's words were like the morning bell and evening drum, ringing in everyone's ears. Zhong Jianguo looked embarrassed, and even Zhong Tao, a corrupt official who was drunk every day and didn't know what hardship was, lowered his head to reflect on everything he had done before. And Old Man Zhong sighed with shame, saying: "I have been in politics all my life, and I have always asked myself if I am guilty or not, but it seems that I still haven't done enough!"

  Xiao Yu and his group walked slowly down the corridor of the intensive care unit with a heavy atmosphere.

  "Grandpa, it's here, 707!" Zhong Tao led the way to the hospital room where the family of three was, and turned back to say to Old Man Zhong.

  Zhong Jianguo and Zhong Tao supported the old man to the door of 707, standing at the door, the old man's hands trembled uncontrollably, his eyes filled with tears as he looked at the hospital room door just a few feet away, but did not open it for a long time.

  "Who are you looking for?" A family of three sitting next to them saw a group of people stopping at the door of the mother's ward and stood up, asking.

  Zhong Lao turned his head to look at the family of three who were asking questions. When he saw a middle-aged man in his 50s, the expressions of several members of the Zhong family were stunned. Although the man was only in his 50s, under the pressure of life, his hair had some gray and white, and his face showed a kind of old age. However, when the Zhong family saw the man, they all felt a sense of familiarity.

  Zhong Jianguo took a look at the middle-aged man opposite him, then looked at his father again. This person had a 50% resemblance to his father, could it be...