Global Film Emperor

Chapter 233 "Living" (Chapter 1)

"Lin Qin, there's a city marathon tomorrow morning. You haven't looked too good lately. Shall we exercise together?"

At 7 p.m. on Friday, the colleague typed the last word, saved it, pushed off with both legs, slid his chair backward, and went to Lin Qin's desk to discuss going out together the next day.

"He can run a marathon? Unlike you, this womanizer is a bachelor. You're single, but he's a bachelor with plenty of girls to keep him company until dawn. Don't you think about it? Is it more comfortable for him to lie in bed with a clean, fragrant girl, or to run a marathon under the scorching sun with you, covered in sweat?"

My female colleague, Xiaomei, chimed in, grinning and speaking in a somewhat sarcastic tone. She unplugged the USB drive, picked up her bag, and prepared to clock out.

"Hey! Xiaomei, don't be so blunt about how tough life is, okay? I'm single and I'm proud of it!"

"Xiaomei is right, I really can't go. If you don't go clubbing on the weekend, you'll be a mess on Monday, you know? Why don't you come and have some fun with me? I'll even bring you a pretty girl home to warm your bed?"

Lin Qin stood up, carrying his briefcase, grinning like a scoundrel, lightly punched his colleague in the chest, and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Forget it, I don't like those kinds of places, and you're already twenty-seven years old, still living paycheck to paycheck. You spent over 30,000 last month, and you still don't have a penny left. This won't do."

"Yes, yes, you're right, but it doesn't fit my spending philosophy. Money is worthless, we can earn it back if we lose it. Besides, it's not like I haven't saved any money."

"You're still saving money? How much have you saved?"

Lin Qin would become energetic every weekend, skipping and hopping to the office door, leaning against the door frame, shaking his car keys, and thinking for a moment.

"Not counting what will be spent, 1500~"

I ran into the elevator, arrived at the underground parking lot, pressed the car key, the modified Camaro's headlights flashed once, and then the roar of the engine came from the underground parking lot. The yellow lightning bolt shot out of the underground parking lot and drove towards home.

As soon as he got home, he took off his restrictive suit, went into the bathroom for a quick shower, sang a lighthearted song while brushing his teeth, changed into a beige shirt over a white T-shirt, paired with black cargo pants and skateboard shoes, styled his hair, looked at his handsome face in the mirror, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Clang! Snap!"

He clicked his tongue, clapped his hands, and the sensor light on the mirror turned off automatically. He opened the cabinet above the sink, took out a box of ten Durex condoms, tore off one, thought for a moment and felt it wasn't enough, so he tore off two more and put them in his wallet. He then picked up his car keys and went out again.

The atmosphere in the bar was already getting lively. After parking the car, I greeted the familiar reservation manager and went to his usual booth every weekend. I opened a drink and started looking for my prey for the day.

At 11 o'clock, the DJ officially took the stage, and the bar was filled with deafening drumbeats. Men and women began to release their hormones. Lin Qin walked into the dance floor and struck up a conversation with a girl who was alone that night. She seemed to be with her friends.

Looking at the three girls sitting on the table not far away, Lin Qin didn't hesitate to put his arm around her shoulder and lead her back to his booth. Then he lured the three girls over. The four girls clamored for drinks, and Lin Qin accepted them all. Under the influence of alcohol, he took advantage of the four girls quite a bit, but was easily let go.

Around 1 a.m., he took the girl away from the bar and went to a nearby hotel. The two looked like a loving couple, but in reality, they didn't even know each other's real names.

After swiping the room card, Lin Qin pulled her into the room, which was still without power. In the darkness, he pinned the girl against the door, and the only sounds in the room were their heavy breathing, which smelled of alcohol.

"Would you like to take a shower first?"

"Forget about who came first or last, let's all come together! Let's go!"

He frequented this hotel. He inserted the room card, turned on the light, and hoisted the girl into the bathroom. The girl screamed, followed by a string of silvery laughter. Soon after entering the bathroom, the glass fogged up, and amidst their heavy breathing, all that could be seen was the reflection of a woman leaning over the glass.
The old saying goes that the early bird catches the worm, but when the two woke up it was already past 11 a.m. After looking at each other, they were suddenly filled with rage.

Afterwards, Lin Qin leaned against the headboard, panting. The girl gently wiped the sweat from his forehead, nestled in his arms, and watched him smoke a cigarette. She took one and put it in her mouth, but before she could light it, she paused, pointed at Lin Qin's nose.

"You have a nosebleed."

"Oh? Really? Maybe it's because you're so beautiful that I couldn't resist, and my blood pressure went up a bit. It's okay, I'm going to the restroom, I'll come back later?"

"Hate."

He grabbed a few tissues from the bedside table and stuffed them into his nostrils. He put on his bathrobe, smiled at the girl, and leisurely walked towards the bathroom. He turned on the light; the bathroom was quite romantic. He raised an eyebrow at the girl through the glass, bent down, turned on the faucet, filled his forehead with some cold water, and patted it. The moment he pulled off the tissues, blood seemed to pour out, splattering all over the sink.

Lin Qin was stunned for a moment, not expecting to bleed so much. He then splashed some water on his nose, but the blood continued to drip, like a leaky faucet, dripping away rapidly.

He panicked a little. Anyone would be flustered in this situation. His phone rang in his bathrobe pocket. He took it out and glanced at it. It was the colleague who had invited him to run a marathon yesterday. He didn't answer and hung up, tossing it aside.

When he bent over again, a wave of dizziness washed over him. It wasn't like a blackout, but rather that his breathing became difficult. The scenery in his eyes lost its color, and then his vision began to shrink, becoming as small as the eye of a pin. Finally, everything went completely dark. His breathing became heavy and rapid, and then he collapsed to the ground.

The girl was playing on her phone, chatting with her girlfriends from the night before about whether Lin Qin's kung fu was good or not. Occasionally, she would turn her head to look at the bathroom and see him swaying and falling to the ground.

"what!!!!"

"beep beep"

Slowly opening his eyes, Lin Qin saw that the ceiling was white with no false ceiling. He glanced at his surroundings and immediately realized where he was. He was in a large hospital room, with other patients in the beds next to him, each with family members attending to them.

There was a device measuring heart rate and blood pressure at the head of the bed, and an IV bag hanging on a pole next to the bed. He didn't know what was inside, but his hand was cold and sore from the IV drip, and his entire vein felt tense and painful when he moved it.

What's worse, he was fixed to the bed on his side, and his spine was in excruciating pain. Any slight movement felt like being pricked by needles in his joints.

The moment he regained consciousness, Lin Qin was covered in sweat from the pain. When he saw the nurse giving an injection to the old lady in the next bed, he immediately asked her what was wrong, as if he had found a lifeline.

"Nurse, nurse! Excuse me, what's wrong with me?"

"We don't know yet. We need to wait for the test results. You'll be kept in the hospital for observation for the next few days. The pathology report will be available in two days, and then we'll see."

Which hospital is this?

"Army General Hospital"

He pulled out the needle and threw it into the trash can of the medicine cart. Without even looking at Lin Qin, he pushed the cart around and left, leaving Lin Qin lying on the bed anxiously waiting.

He asked the family member in the next bed to help him bring his clothes over. He didn't lose his phone or wallet, but some of his money was missing.

He didn't complain about the girl leaving. After all, they had only met by chance and spent the night together. It was already more than enough that she took him to the hospital. Besides, the money in her wallet was probably used to pay for the registration fee, hospitalization fee, and ambulance commuting fee. The girl probably didn't take a single penny. What fault could he find with a woman who was just a one-night stand?

He called his boss to ask for leave, and his boss readily approved the leave when he heard that he had a cold. After all, Lin Qin was his capable assistant and they had a very close relationship, so he had no reason to cause trouble for Lin Qin.

This period was destined to be agonizing. The next day, Lin Qin was able to get out of bed and walk. Although his back was still in severe pain, he was at least able to move around on his own, walking back and forth in the corridor in his hospital gown.

On the third day, the test results came back. Lin Qin nervously walked to the outpatient clinic, knocked on the door, and heard the doctor in charge of him inside give him permission to come in. He pushed the door open and slowly walked in, nodding politely to the doctor.

The doctor looked to be around fifty years old. He glanced up at Lin Qin, told him to sit down, and then focused his attention on the computer monitor, presumably looking at Lin Qin's test results.

Where are your family members?

"I have no family."

"Who was the girl who came with you on the day you were admitted to the hospital?"

Lin Qin remained silent, and the doctor, used to it, did not ask any further questions. People in certain professions have experienced all sorts of mind-blowing things, and if they were to talk about it with others, they would have so much to say that they could talk for three days and three nights, and it would all be incredibly sensational.

The three people were: an entertainment venue worker, a hotel receptionist, and a doctor. So the conversation ended there. The doctor took a medical record out of a folder, placed it on his desk, and silently took a sip of tea.

Lin Qin picked it up and looked at it. He recognized the individual words and English letters, but when they were combined and arranged, he was completely bewildered. The medical record summary at the very end was like a train rushing through his mind.
"Leukemia? No, how could that be? I've never been hospitalized in my entire life, and I've never even had chickenpox except for a cold. This...this is impossible! It must be a misdiagnosis!"

It seemed that the doctor felt it was a pity that Lin Qin, who was about the same age as his own child, tall and handsome, had contracted this disease. Therefore, the doctor was not displeased with Lin Qin's questioning. It is normal for patients to have difficulty accepting this news, and some are even so angry that they hit people. Lin Qin's questioning was relatively rational.

"Theoretically, there is a possibility of misdiagnosis, after all, no hospital dares to say that the diagnosis is 100% correct. However, the possibility of misdiagnosis is indeed not large. Based on the diagnosis results of bone marrow aspiration, plus the auxiliary confirmation of blood routine, your spleen has indeed enlarged. It can be basically diagnosed as chronic myeloid leukemia, and you have been suffering from the disease for some time and are about to enter the acceleration phase. You can go to other hospitals for a second examination, but you do need to take medication to control the condition now."

"Impossible! I'm going to get checked right now. It's definitely a misdiagnosis. You wait, I'm going to sue your hospital!"

After leaving the hospital, Lin Qin hailed a taxi and headed to the 102 Hospital, which was famous for its cancer treatments. In the car, his constantly shaking right leg showed how much he was suffering, but he probably already believed it because he was carrying three boxes of imatinib mesylate.

He went to the 102 Hospital, famous for treating cancer, for a comprehensive examination, which emptied his pockets. As for medical insurance, he would have to wait for reimbursement.

Painful after the anesthesia wore off, Lin Qin took a taxi home with the last few dozen yuan he had. He opened the door to find the room completely dark. Only pain can teach a lesson, and Lin Qin was no exception. He regretted not saving more money, which meant he now had to rely on credit cards for medical checkups.

The test results from the 102 Hospital will be available in seven working days, so he still has to come to work as usual. However, his original carefree and unrestrained spirit has been replaced by the fear of the disease, which has caused his work efficiency to decline significantly.

People in the office are well-informed, and given Lin Qin's penchant for going to bars, rumors spread that he had contracted AIDS or syphilis. Although these rumors weren't mentioned to Lin Qin, the glances he received behind his back and his gradually receding figure were hard for the usually well-liked Lin Qin to accept.

The side effect of taking imatinib was a significant loss of appetite; he hadn't eaten a proper meal for several days. Moreover, chronic myeloid leukemia can also cause unexplained night sweats and weight loss, which further convinced his colleagues that Lin Qin had the disease.

Seven working days later, he took leave again and went to the hospital. The results were supposed to be available after 2 p.m., but he waited anxiously at the hospital early in the morning. The results from the Army Hospital were correct.

"Pack your things, let's go to the hospital tomorrow."

Doctors in well-known clinics are always more aloof than those in less popular clinics. Faced with this doctor in his forties, Lin Qin was completely dumbfounded. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but silently opened and closed it again. In the end, he just clenched the test results tightly, his hands full of wrinkles, and slowly got up and left.

In the hospital, there are always people silently weeping in the corners, and others weeping with joy outside the operating room. Every day, scenes of bittersweet emotions are played out here. People hear their first cry here, and they breathe their last breath of oxygen here, like a cycle. White records everything here, and in the end, everything is calm and serene, without sorrow or joy.

"Doesn't he have eyes? How could he step on me like that?"

A young man was sitting on the floor of the corridor eating a boxed lunch. It seemed that someone in his family was seriously ill and he was in a bad mood. Lin Qin was numb and stepped on the young man's seemingly expensive shoes.

The young man immediately threw the lunchbox on the ground, stood up, grabbed Lin Qin by the collar, pinned him against the wall, and stared fiercely into Lin Qin's unfocused eyes.

People around them came over to try and stop them, but no one actually pulled them apart. They just surrounded the two of them saying things like "Let it go," "It's not that serious," and "This is a hospital," but it didn't have much effect.

"Are you fucking blind? Can't you see a grown man like me? You want me to punch you?"

"sorry."

"You son of a bitch, now you're apologizing? Where the hell were you before? I'm in a bad mood and you came looking for me yourself?"

"I'm dying."

"What.?"

"I'm dying."

Lin Qin stared into the young man's eyes and said numbly. The young man was also stunned for a moment. He thought about where he was and that it was normal to encounter someone who was about to die. His original anger turned into helplessness in the face of Lin Qin's desperate words. He licked his teeth with his tongue and then gently released his hand from Lin Qin's collar.

"Watch where you're walking next time, okay? Not everyone is as good-tempered as me. Hurry up and move on! Move on, move on!"

He shoved Lin Qin, who nodded blankly at him, turned and left silently. The people around him made way for Lin Qin to walk out, some with pity and some with indifference, but none of that mattered to Lin Qin anymore.

The young man put his hands in his pockets, spun around in place, turned the corner of his mouth up to the left to reveal a slit, took a deep breath, and then hesitantly called out.

"Hey!"

Lin Qin turned around and looked at him.
"No hurdle in life is insurmountable! Live well! You must! Everyone fucking! Live well! Keep going, bro!"

Lin Qin licked his lips, wanting to say something, but the words caught in his throat. In the end, he could only manage a tiny "thank you," bowed slightly to the young man, and then turned to leave.

He staggered to the parking lot, tripping over a green belt and nearly falling. He opened the car door and sat down when a drop of blood landed on the back of his hand. He panicked immediately, pulling out a tissue to wipe the blood away, but the more he wiped, the more blood dripped onto his clothes and inside the car. Watching the blood keep flowing out finally snapped him out of his numbness, and tears streamed down his face, looking particularly horrifying in the rearview mirror.

When he finally ran out of tissues and his hands were covered in blood, he realized that the tissues couldn't stop the bleeding. The only thing that could truly save him was the hospital he had just come from nearby.

He got out of the car, covered his nose with his palm, blood still dripping through the gaps. He didn't even close the car door and ran wildly towards the hospital. Passersby looked at him in horror and kept backing away. Finally, he reached the hospital entrance and shouted two words with a hoarse voice, filled with deep despair.

"help me!!!"

The next day, he packed his bags and went to the company to resign and demand the wages he hadn't received that month. Now he knew to cherish money, because it was a lifesaver.

The boss hadn't arrived yet, and he was sitting in front of the computer in a daze. But soon after, the boss came to the office, saw Lin Qin staring blankly at the computer, frowned, walked over and patted Lin Qin on the shoulder.

"Lin Qin, what are you thinking about? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

"I didn't sleep well last night, sorry Brother Zhang."

"Cheer up! Get me back to that report from General Manager Zhang in a bit. Good job, another big order. Keep it up."

After the boss left, Chen, a single colleague, moved his office chair to sit next to Lin Qin. It's no wonder people say that a high-earning, reasonably good-looking person can't find a girlfriend; the key factor is low emotional intelligence.

"You went to the hospital yesterday?"

"Ah."

"How are you? Are you alright?"

"fine."

"That's good. I told you before that you didn't look well. Try to avoid meeting up with too many girls in the future, or you might get a sore throat."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

When Lin Qin lost his temper, everyone in the office fell silent. Only occasionally would colleagues exchange glances, give Lin Qin a mocking look, and then chuckle to themselves.

On the surface, no matter how popular Lin Qin was, he was also the highest earner in the entire office. Who wouldn't be envious? But they also developed a fear of Lin Qin, afraid that they would be infected by him.

All living beings are hostile and wary of anything that threatens them. As a higher life form, humans are naturally more cautious. Moreover, humans know that what can threaten them is not only weapons, but also their fellow human beings.

Lin Qin came to resign, but since his boss had treated him well, he couldn't just quit. After checking the reports, he got up, took the documents, and headed towards his boss's office.

"Enter."

"Brother Zhang, the report is checked and I've put it here for you."

"Lin Qin, I didn't ask you earlier because there were so many people. What were the test results? Is that right?"

An AIDS patient can cause panic for everyone. Even though he knew that patting Lin Qin on the shoulder wouldn't infect him, he still went to the bathroom to wash his hands properly. Now that Lin Qin is here, he has to ask. If it's true, then even if Lin Qin and he have a good relationship, he can only apologize.

"My purpose in coming here is to resign. The handover of my work has been completed and is on the USB drive on my desk."

So you really are?

"No, I have leukemia."

When he first heard the denial, Brother Zhang was quite happy, but when Lin Qin revealed the real illness, his heart suddenly sank to the bottom. He didn't know what to say, and after thinking silently for a while, he nodded.

"Alright, but don't call it a resignation, consider it a dismissal. I'll give you a salary subsidy based on your years of service. That's all I can do for you, brother. After all, I'm just an ordinary family with your sister-in-law and nephew to support. Don't blame me. I'll contact the finance department later and urge them to transfer the money to your salary card within three days. Although this disease is serious, there is still a possibility of cure. Don't despair, live well."

Lin Qin suddenly felt like crying, and his emotions were fluctuating more and more. Two people had encouraged him and told him to live within two days. For him, who was in a state of extreme depression, this was like a warm light. He didn't know what to say, but he held back his tears, bit his lip, bowed to the leader who had taken good care of him, and then left the leader's office to pack his things.

As soon as he entered the office, he smelled the disinfectant.
"Um, there's been a flu outbreak lately, and the air in our office isn't circulating well, Lin Qin, please don't mind."

A married female colleague smiled awkwardly, telling a lie that was easy to see through, hoping that Lin Qin wouldn't hold a grudge against her.

These people are so corrupt that even if she thinks Lin Qin won't live much longer, she doesn't want to offend anyone. At least Lin Qin is still alive. It wouldn't be worth it to use violence to retaliate and get hurt.

He glanced indifferently at his female colleague, then walked back to his desk to pack his things. Because the work environment was nice, he had actually left quite a lot of things there, and he really couldn't take them all with him in one trip.

After getting off the elevator and coming back up, I saw that my female colleague was still spraying disinfectant on the floor. Everyone was wearing masks or waiting in the corridor. Who could stand their attitude? Being treated as an outsider and looked down upon can easily pierce through anyone's psychological defenses.

"Stop spewing nonsense! I don't have AIDS! I don't! I have leukemia! It's not contagious! I won't infect you! Stop spewing nonsense! I don't have AIDS! I have leukemia! I really do have leukemia! These are my test results! Look at them! It really is leukemia! I'm going to die! But I can't infect you! I really do have leukemia! Look at them!"

Is there anything more ironic, disgusting, and absurd than forcing someone with a terminal illness to desperately try to prove to others that they really have a terminal illness? At least Lin Qin can't think of anything right now.

He could only walk up to them with tears streaming down his face, holding the test results, and shout in a hoarse voice to show everyone present the results: he really did have leukemia, and it really wasn't contagious!

But what did it get in return? Just everyone panicking and avoiding it, and after they had already moved away, they were indifferent and even looked at it with disgust. Apart from these, it had no effect whatsoever.

No, it can have some effect, but this happens off-screen.

Lu Ze looked behind him and could hear sobbing. He could see people with red and swollen eyes staring at the screen, tears streaming down their faces.

Lin Qin was hospitalized, but only for a few days because the high hospitalization fees were unaffordable for him. A box of domestically produced imatinib cost 2,300 yuan, with 75% reimbursed. The bed fee was nearly 90 yuan per day, with a subsidy of 42 yuan. Chemotherapy using domestically produced drugs cost more than 8,000 yuan per session. He was expected to have eight chemotherapy sessions, plus infusions and other medications, which would cost around 100,000 yuan, with 35% reimbursed.

He could only sell the car to a used car dealership, but despite the Camaro's fame, not many people would buy it. As a result, even though he spent more than 500,000 yuan on the car and modifications, he only received a little over 300,000 yuan. In addition, after selling some odds and ends, he raised a total of 350,000 yuan for medical treatment.

Three hundred thousand yuan is a drop in the bucket for this disease. Now that he has lost his job, he has to save money wherever possible. He doesn't hope to live longer, but he hopes to cure this disease.

But when he inquired about the cost of the bone marrow transplant and surgery, the amount the doctor quoted left him in despair. He had only worked for five years, and having saved more than 300,000 yuan was already a considerable sum, but he really couldn't fill this huge hole.

He also considered seeking help from the Red Cross, but there were too many leukemia patients, and children were in the high-incidence period for leukemia, so his application was quickly rejected.

The lease on the house was obviously not going to be renewed. He couldn't afford the rent of more than 10,000 yuan a month now, and he had to sell the furniture he bought at the second-hand market. In the end, he was left with only a suitcase containing a few clothes, a pair of shoes, and a laptop.

"Hahaha."

More than a month has passed, and late autumn has arrived. Lin Qin carried his suitcase into the alley near the 102 Hospital. He had lost a lot of weight. Wearing a mask, he stood panting in a small hotel in the alley. He glanced down at the simple paper business card, then carried his suitcase into the hotel.

The place was so dilapidated that Lin Qin would never have come here before. Pushing open the door, a sign on the wall facing him read, "Patients with infectious diseases are not welcome." An old man sat in a chair in the reception room, listening to a tune. When he heard the bell on the door ring, he turned his head and glanced at Lin Qin.

"For what?"

"Stay at the hotel."

"What disease?"

"leukemia."

"Let me see your medical record, fill out the identity registration yourself, here's the booklet, how long will you stay? Pay monthly, three hundred a month."

"Stay for a month, fill out the forms, and give me your medical records."

Lin Qin put the pen in the notebook and tossed it on the desk in the reception room. The old man took off his reading glasses, returned Lin Qin's medical record to him, took the three hundred yuan, held it up in the sunlight to look at it, and after confirming that it was real money, threw Lin Qin a bunch of keys marked 217.

Compared to downstairs, upstairs was even more dilapidated. The cement floor was full of potholes, the whitewash on the walls had turned yellow, and a blue paint had been applied about 1.5 meters above the ground. The lighting fixture was a 20-watt bulb, making it as dark as a haunted house, and it smelled musty.

Opening the room, it was better than I had imagined. The window faced the sun, so the lighting was good. The room didn't have the musty smell that the hallway had. However, it wasn't very big, only about three or four square meters. There was a bed against the wall, a cabinet at the head of the bed, and a desk near the door with a 1990s-style lamp on it. The clock on the wall had stopped working. The only appliance was a large CRT television, about 18 inches in size.

He stuffed his suitcase under the table, took out his medicine and water from his backpack, took them, plugged in his laptop, and started working.

He is currently doing freelance online English translation work, but due to his health condition, he cannot do high-intensity work. He can only choose some jobs that are not in a hurry. His income is around three or four thousand yuan, which is enough to buy medicine for a month. If he saves up for a few months, it will be enough for a physical examination.

The side effects of imatinib kicked in. An hour later, he started to feel dizzy, so he turned off his computer, lay down to rest, felt a wave of vertigo, and eventually fell asleep.

Lin Qin didn't know how long he had slept, but in a daze, he felt someone in the room. He quickly sat up, opened his eyes, and pulled the light cord next to the bed. In the dim light, Lin Qin saw a man quietly rummaging through his bag and taking out his wallet.

"Fuck your mother! Put it down right now!"

He was already mentally prepared to live in such a place. He pulled out the baton hidden under his pillow and struck the man hard on the back. The man seemed weak too, as he was knocked to the ground by Lin Qin's blow, groaning softly. Lin Qin pulled off the man's hat; he was bald, clearly having undergone chemotherapy. His face was obscured by his back to Lin Qin. Lin Qin felt no pity. He had seen too many patients lately, even he himself was a patient. Everyone was near death; who the hell was going to pamper anyone else?
He patted the man's pocket, pulled out about five hundred yuan, glanced at his own empty wallet, checked the amount, put it back in his wallet, and checked his bag again. Only after confirming that nothing else was missing did he turn his attention back to the man.

"You stole my money, didn't you? How did you get in here!"

Grabbing the man by the collar, he slapped him hard across the face. The man covered his head, but didn't utter a sound, letting Lin Qin continue to hit him.

But then Lin Qin couldn't bring himself to do it. Under the light of the desk lamp, he realized that the person whose nose he had hit was about twenty years old.

"roll!"

There were many people standing outside the door, men, women, young and old, all coming out to watch the commotion. Lin Qin kicked the boy, but the boy didn't say a word. He seemed a little surprised that Lin Qin had only hit him twice and then let him go. He pursed his lips, bowed to Lin Qin, and then turned and went into the room next to Lin Qin's.

The next morning, Lin Qin took a basin, locked the door, and went to the public restroom to wash up. Enduring the pungent smell, she carefully brushed her teeth, looked closely at her yellowed eyes in the mirror covered in toothpaste spots, spat out a mouthful of toothpaste foam, quickly stirred the toothbrush in the toothbrush holder, and then poured it out. When she turned her head, she found the boy standing right behind her. He seemed startled by Lin Qin and took a step back.

Lin Qin glanced at him suspiciously, then checked his pockets. Finding no money, he turned and left with a strange expression. Just as he was about to open the door, he heard a man scream.

"Ah!!! Old Mrs. Shen is dead!!!"

Upon hearing that someone had died, all the people who had been waiting to die in their rooms came out and, wearing masks, headed towards Old Mrs. Shen's room. A emaciated man sat on the floor, looking in horror at the old woman lying motionless on the bed after the door opened.

Her mouth was wide open, her eyes were not closed, and her expression was extremely painful. She was not covered by a blanket and was wearing a tattered shirt and trousers, lying in a starfish position. Everyone could feel the despair she was experiencing before her death, which made many soft-hearted people unable to bear to watch any longer.

The innkeeper, the old man, carried a green military-style shoulder bag with shiny five-pointed stars on it, and held an incense burner and a basin in his hands. He slowly walked up to the second floor.

"Those born in the years of the Rooster and Horse, go back inside! Don't look! Move aside, I'm going in."

Pull over the stool in front of the desk, place the incense burner on it, take out the incense wrapped in plastic from the bag, place it on the stool, put the basin behind the incense burner, take out two more sticks of joss paper from the bag, light them and place them on both sides of the incense burner, then light the incense with a candle and stick it into the incense burner.

Opening the window to let in some fresh air, the old man took out another stack of white paper money from his bag, threw it into the air, and then scattered it in various corners of the room. He took out his Walkman, changed the cassette tape, pressed the button, and placed it on the desk, where a soft funeral melody began to play.

"Xiao Guo, bring up the vegetables from downstairs and set them out. Also, bring up the paper money and funeral clothes from my cupboard. For those under forty years old, whose birthdays were before September, tie their mourning bands on and keep vigil. Burn less paper money. If you get tired, take over. The tall guy who came yesterday, he's twenty-seven years old and was born in March, right? You dress the old lady in her funeral clothes."

"I"

"Stop talking nonsense. If you don't do it, do you want no one to help you put on your burial clothes when you die? We're all people who are about to die. We're not asking you for money, we're just helping out. If you don't want to, I'll give you your money back and you can move out."

Hearing this, what could Lin Qin say? He remained silent until the man named Xiao Guo brought over the mourning sash, which had a red string tied at the end, indicating that it was a mourning sash for the grandchildren; the sons' sashes did not have a red string tied at the end.

Picking up the dark blue burial shroud, Lin Qin swallowed hard, glanced at the old man, and nervously dressed the old woman. This was the first time he had ever done this, and to be honest, he was quite scared.

After the old lady's hat was put on, the old man was seen holding a piece of yellow paper, wearing reading glasses and squinting as he read the words on it aloud.

"Shen Xiumei! A native of Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province! Passed away on September 17, 2016! At the age of 73! Before her death, she gave me 2,800 yuan for transportation, 200 yuan for paper money, wine and food, 500 yuan for relatives and friends, and 200 yuan for adopting a godparent! The total is 3,700 yuan! It must be spent on Shen Xiumei! I dare not keep it for myself! When the deceased returns to her hometown, no wandering ghosts on the roadside should disturb her! Otherwise, it will bring bad karma and misfortune to her family, which has nothing to do with me, Wang Shucai! Godparents kowtow! Sending off Old Lady Shen!"

After reading it, the old man threw the paper into the brazier. The boy who had been beaten by Lin Qin last night grabbed Lin Qin's arm and pulled him over. There were three women and four men in total, who knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times. Accompanied by funeral music, the oldest man lit the paper money and threw it into the brazier, watching as the paper money quickly turned black and turned into a pile of ashes.

"You've been doing this all along?"

Other people over forty years old came over to bow or kowtow to Old Mrs. Shen. After everything was over, Lin Qin leaned close to the boy he had beaten up the night before and asked him a question.

"If you feel like you're not going to make it, give the old man money. He can bring you home or help you with your burial. He won't keep anything for himself; he'll use it all for you."

Looking at these people and thinking about himself, Lin Qin suddenly felt ridiculous. He died far from home and had to arrange his own funeral. He had no relatives around, so he had to find a fellow patient staying at a hotel to impersonate him. His life ended like this. He couldn't explain the feeling.

"Dude, keep burning it, I can't take it anymore, I have liver cancer, the pain is terrible."

The man burning paper money handed the wooden stick to Lin Qin. He was covered in sweat and his face was very pale. Lin Qin did not refuse. He took the stick, knelt in front of the brazier, and threw the paper money into the brazier one by one.

The old lady's funeral at the hotel didn't last long. As soon as it got dark, an old Wuling Hongguang van pulled up in front of the hotel. A black shroud was tied around the old lady, and she was placed in the back seat, which had already had its seats removed. After taking the old man's money, the man in his forties or fifties who had taken the body drove away.

"The old lady is very generous. She gave 200 yuan to her relatives, and you seven can split it. Go back and rest for a while. Come down for dinner at seven o'clock. The old lady is thanking you. You can't refuse."

The group nodded and went back to their room to rest for a while. Lin Qin felt heavy-hearted and confused. He felt as if he had fallen ill. The things he saw were different now. Instead of sunshine, they became cold and decaying. Perhaps in the near future, he would also be lying here, looking for someone to adopt as a godparent, and having these people who had no blood relation to him wear mourning clothes for him.

It was seven o'clock when Lin Qin went downstairs. There were two tables of food set up at the entrance. It cost five hundred yuan for two tables. If you cook for yourself, the food will be pretty good. Those born in the years of the Rooster and Horse will not be able to eat this meal. The seven "sons and grandsons" sat at a table with Old Man Wang. Since Lin Qin was new, he had to introduce himself again, which also allowed Lin Qin to get to know these fellow patients.

"Er Mao, did you go to Lin Qin's room last night?"

Old Wang asked the boy who had been beaten by Lin Qin, and the boy scratched his head sheepishly but nodded in acknowledgment.

“Now that you know each other, don’t do it anymore. You can’t steal from someone who’s sick, especially since it’s family. You’re new here, so I won’t say anything to you. Apologize to Lin Qin. Even if he beat you to death last night, you’re dead. At most, he’ll take you away with Old Madam Shen. Nobody will care about you.”

"Brother Lin, I'm sorry, I was wrong. Thank you for letting me go yesterday. I just wanted to take some cash. I didn't touch the bank card or the computer, but I took it anyway. I was wrong. I'm kowtowing to you."

The child got up, pushed aside the plastic stool, knelt in front of Lin Qin, and kowtowed three times to Lin Qin. Lin Qin wanted to get up to stop him, but was stopped by Old Man Wang.

"Stealing money from a sick person will get you struck by lightning even if you die. I can accept your apology and kowtow, but don't hold it against me anymore. Let's just let this matter go. Come on, those who can drink, raise your glasses. Those who can't, finish your meal and go back to bed."

Lin Qin took a sip of beer, looked at the group of people who were still strangers but whom he felt an instant connection with, and smiled from the bottom of his heart. Since his parents died, he had lost his sense of belonging, which was why he had been so unrestrained, just to find that sense of belonging again. But after so many years of wandering, he still hadn't found it.

Ironically, he has now found it, like falling into a pile of dead bodies, a group of people who are about to die, and it gives him a sense of home.

"Let's see who dies first, and the one who dies first is Dad! If I die before you, you'll have to wear mourning clothes, kowtow to me, and call me Dad! Do you dare?"

"Damn it! Who's afraid of who! Whoever dies first is the father, right? I'll just crash right here and die, okay, my good son? Hahaha."

The people at the next table started joking. The two men, one in his thirties and the other in his forties, made outrageous jokes without any regard for age or social status.

"I said, what did you want the money for yesterday?"

"Brother Lin, are you still not satisfied? Then I'll kowtow to you three more times."

"Stop, stop, stop. I'm not holding a grudge. I'm not that kind of person. I just want to ask what's wrong with you."

Er Mao glanced at Lin Qin somewhat awkwardly, pursed his lips, and then spoke in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.

"I want to buy a wig and take a funeral photo. My photo is too ugly. I want to take a more handsome one. My photo when I was fifteen looks like a monkey."

Hahaha, how old are you this year?

"Eighteen this year"

"Hey, change the photo, is 500 enough? I'll pay for it. This young man, it's a shame he doesn't dress up a bit better."

Lin Qin's eyes reddened as he laughed. He was only eighteen and already preparing his own funeral portrait? What kind of life was this?! He was only eighteen! What terrible things had he done in his past life to deserve this fate?
He was already wallowing in self-pity at twenty-seven, hating God for giving him leukemia. But what about this kid? He's barely an adult, hasn't even seen the outside world, and is just waiting to die in this moldy place. He stole money and got beaten up like this without uttering a sound, just so his funeral photo would look good. Honestly, Lin Qin now wants to kowtow to Er Mao. Maybe if he had just taken those five hundred yuan last night, he would have accepted it.

He took out five hundred and stuffed it into the boy's pocket, but the boy was now too embarrassed to accept it and quickly took it out and returned it to Lin Qin.

"Brother Lin, I can't take this money. I was really wrong. I couldn't resist last night. Now that I've thought it through, it doesn't really matter. Once I'm dead, I won't be able to see anything. What's the point of having a portrait?"

"Er Mao! Listen up, take this! Being handsome is a lifelong thing! That's how I am, I only care about my face! You should learn from me, take this!"

The lively atmosphere suddenly quieted down. This was the only person they had ever met who was terminally ill and still gave money to others. Lin Qin was very special to them.

"Yes! Er Mao, take it! Being handsome is a lifelong thing! Is the money enough? Your brother Guo doesn't have much money either, he can only give you a hundred at most."

"Auntie will give you a hundred too, dress up nicely! Here you go!"

"And me! Take this and buy some nice clothes! We're getting old, so wearing funeral clothes is fine. You young man, dress more fashionably!"

"me too."

The scene was quite touching. At least, whether it was others who moved them or they moved themselves, everyone cried. No one knew how desperate they were, but we have to fucking face the sun!
"I can't take it anymore! I can't hold it in anymore, do you have any toilet paper? Dude, give me two, I'm so uncomfortable! I shouldn't have come to this premiere!"

"Who says otherwise! The problem is I'm here to work, and I can't even watch it if I don't want to. I'm really guilty! I should have told the editor-in-chief to go to the premiere of 'All's Well, Ends Well 2020'. Ugh, I'm so miserable."

Not to mention others, even the main creators of the film were crying like grandsons. Wang Zhen wailed and cried, completely losing his composure. Even Zhuang Yu himself was wiping away tears.

Lu Ze wiped his eyes with a tissue. He really didn't expect the movie to be edited like this. The argument between the two directors on set did not affect the quality of the work at all. On the contrary, they combined their respective strengths, giving the work the thought and soul that Zhuang Yu had always emphasized, and it was also full of Guo Mingde's crisp and clean editing style, without any dragging.

Everyone in this movie gave a fantastic performance. Er Mao, who is only sixteen years old in real life and couldn't attend the event because he was in school, is incredibly talented and far more gifted than the children touted in the news.

And so, with everyone in the audience in tears, the story continued.
In the following days, Er Mao and Lin Qin became much closer. The boy often went to Lin Qin's room and played single-player games on his computer while Lin Qin was resting. Occasionally, Lin Qin would take out some money to buy the boy some treats to satisfy his cravings. But overall, he was still saving money to try to raise enough for a bone marrow transplant and to wait for a matching donor to appear.

"Brother Lin, do you think it's good?"

That day, Er Mao knocked on the door. Lin Qin opened it and was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. Er Mao's originally bald head was now covered in hair, and his hairstyle was quite handsome. He reached out and touched it, and it looked just like the real thing. He was also carrying several bags filled with clothes, so it seemed like he had gone on a big shopping spree.

"This wig is really nice. Where did you buy it? I'm also undergoing chemotherapy. I'll buy one when I lose my hair."

"It's just a short walk west from the bus stop on Erdao Street, 150 yuan, perfect! By the way, Brother Lin, what do you think of my clothes? Jacket 80 yuan, vest 30 yuan, pants 100 yuan, and I really like these shoes, 80 yuan each. And what do you think of this?"

A frame wrapped in black cloth was handed to Lin Qin. When Lin Qin opened it, there were obvious signs of photoshopping. The photo was much more handsome than the real Er Mao. This kid is really something else. There's no one else who can photoshop their own funeral portrait like this.

But as long as you're happy. Even if you have an afro in your funeral photo, it doesn't matter, as long as you're happy.

"Look how happy you are. Do you play games? If not, I'm turning off the computer."

"Have a meeting. Have a meeting"

The young man chuckled and sat down in front of the computer. Lin Qin smiled and shook his head, then pushed open the door to go to the bathroom. He had recently started having rectal bleeding, and his condition was getting worse, but he still firmly believed that he could survive and remained optimistic.

After urinating, before I had even pulled up my pants, I suddenly froze, then quickly pulled them up and nodded to the person in front of me.

He had never seen this person before, and guessed that she had just arrived today. As for why Lin Qin was stunned, it was because this woman was very beautiful and had a great figure. Anyone would be stunned to see such a beautiful woman in a place like this.

She glanced at Lin Qin and nodded in response. Then she tried to turn the key, but couldn't open the door no matter what she did. She was a little annoyed. She brushed her long hair off her forehead. Perhaps because there were too many bald people around her, Lin Qin started to pay attention to the hair of the people around him. This woman's hair was real.

"Let me help you."

As luck would have it, she was staying in Old Mrs. Shen's room. Lin Qin knew what was going on with the door, so he grabbed the doorknob and pulled hard, then turned the key and kicked the door open.

"Thanks."

“It’s alright. We’re all family here now. My name is Lin Qin, and I live in room 217. Call me if you need anything.”

Do you think Lin Qin is no longer a womanizer? Obviously not. Old habits die hard, and his love for sleeping with women won't change even if he gets a terminal illness.

In addition, he was so thin that he looked unrecognizable, and his complexion was very unhealthy, but he still had the basics, so he was still handsome, and he was also quite clean-cut, so girls couldn't dislike him.

She nodded and politely replied, "My name is Shen Mengxi, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"See you later, see you later."

The sun was shining brightly today, and the weather was neither too hot nor too cold. Lin Qin decided to soak up the sun and went downstairs to sit with Old Man Wang at the door and start playing chess.

"Oh? Your Highness, what illness does that woman who just moved in today have?"

Old Wang held a chess piece in his hand, pulled one out from the middle, placed it on top, making a snapping sound, flicked the ash from his cigarette, and chuckled at Lin Qin.

“Stomach cancer, even if it’s mild now, it’s still a terrible disease. I’m telling you, you’re about to die, and you’re still thinking about women? Get well soon, then you can do whatever you want. Besides, she’s married, you can’t do this.”

"Ha, married? Where's her husband? How interesting. If she had a husband, would she be living here? Her husband didn't even show up and just let her come here by herself? How ridiculous. After becoming a regular at the hospital, what kind of people hasn't she seen? It's her bad luck to run into such a scoundrel."

"You've come up with life lessons from seeing a doctor? We understand the principles, but you can't do this just because she's married. That's a matter of character."

"Forget it. Before I got sick, I saw too many couples with disharmonious sex lives, and women going out drinking and having fun. In this day and age, to be honest, the marriage contract between husband and wife can't keep them apart at all."

"Then you can't have improper thoughts about other people's wives."

"Hey! Your Highness, please don't falsely accuse me. I've never slept with anyone else's wife. I'm afraid her husband will come knocking on my door and chop me up. I'm timid and value my life. Brother Zhou, what's the matter?"

After gaining a sense of belonging, he became much more cheerful and unrestrained again, just like before he got sick. While chatting with Old Wang, he saw Old Zhou, who had been arguing with Old Zhao about who would be the father if Old Mrs. Shen died, walk over.

"Your Highness, Brother Zhao is dying. He said he has to leave tonight and asked me to send you money to take him back to his hometown in Henan. Two thousand yuan for the bus fare, one hundred yuan for funeral paper money and food, two hundred yuan for thank you money, and two hundred yuan for godparent money. He asked me to tell you that he has no money left. He didn't even get to treat you to a good meal before he died. I'm so sorry."

Old Wang took the money from Old Zhou, exhaled a puff of smoke, threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out, then tossed the chess piece onto the chessboard.

"Then I'll get ready to go."

Lin Qin also silently got up and helped fold the paper ingots. Another family member was leaving, so he folded a few more so they could spend them on their journey.

Last time, Grandma Shen passed away suddenly. She was still lucid yesterday, but when people brought her food early the next morning, they found that she was already cold.

Old Zhao had a premonition that he was going to die tonight, so everyone wanted to stay with him and see him off on his final journey.

"Old Zhao, you're a father now, that's fine. You're twelve years older than me, so it's not a loss for me to call you father. You're such a bastard, it's only been a few days."

Old Zhou and Old Zhao were originally patients in the same ward. They came to Ping An Hotel together and had a very deep relationship. How could they not feel sad to see him like this?

"Uh-huh."

Old Zhao couldn't say a word. He could only lie on his side on the bed and groan. Everyone who could get up waited at the door to watch and listen to the two joking around. They laughed through their tears and echoed their words.

"Get dressed."

Around 8 p.m., Old Zhao, who could only hum before, spoke these words clearly. Everyone had accepted the fact. Old Zhou got up, took out the funeral clothes from the cabinet, and quietly dressed him.

Under the dim light, a person whose eyes could barely open sat up and had someone dress him in his burial clothes. This scene was indeed somewhat eerie, especially for newcomers.

Shen Mengxi naturally stood with Lin Qin, whom she knew somewhat, and was afraid to look inside, so she grabbed Lin Qin's clothes in fear.

"Here, tie the mourning band on."

"Huh? I... I don't know how, I've never tied this before."

"Come closer, I'll tie it for you."

She bewilderedly put on the white cloth, and Lin Qin looked inside again. Old Zhao was already dressed in his burial clothes, being helped to lie on the bed, and then his eyes, which were already half-open, began to gradually close.
“Those born in the years of the Ox or Dog, turn around! Except for Lao Zhou, everyone under thirty years old, come in.”

Lin Qin pulled the frightened Shen Mengxi along, with Er Mao following behind. The three of them were all under thirty years old. The moment the funeral music started, cries rang out.

"You've won! You're my father! Your son kowtows to you! May you have a safe journey to the West!"

"Zhao Fenghai! A native of Zhoukou, Henan Province! He passed away on September 29, 2016! At the age of 44! Before his death, he gave me 2,000 yuan for transportation, 100 yuan for paper money, wine and food, 200 yuan for relatives and friends, and 200 yuan for adopting godparents! A total of 2,500 yuan! It must be spent on Zhao Fenghai! I dare not keep it for myself! When the deceased returns to his hometown, no wandering ghosts on the roadside should disturb him! Otherwise, it will bring bad karma and misfortune to his family, which has nothing to do with me, Wang Shucai! Godparents kowtow! To send off Zhao Fenghai!"

Old Zhao set off much earlier than Old Mrs. Shen. Half an hour later, the driver arrived, and everyone helped Old Zhao into the car. After all the trouble and suffering he had endured, he could finally go home.

The beginning of a relationship is inevitably caused by one party's desire for the other's body. If the two people have no desire for each other, then there is no beginning at all.

Lin Qin was like that; he had already sensed Shen Mengxi's fear, but because she was a stomach cancer patient, Lin Qin didn't dare to serve her any food. It would be a miracle if words could be used to comfort her.

But in the end, she was still scared and cried. After all, she was only twenty-five years old. Seeing Lao Zhao pass away today, and thinking about her own illness, how could she not be afraid?

It's normal for newcomers to be scared. Lin Qin's behavior is unusual, while Shen Mengxi's is normal. This is because Lao Zhao is well-liked, and also because Shen Mengxi cried so hard that everyone lost their appetite and went back to their rooms to rest.

Lying in bed, Lin Qin scrolled through a leukemia patient support group. He had never met any of the people in the group in real life. The way they greeted each other was also different from ordinary group chats. Ordinary people would say "good morning" in a group chat, but these people would say something else when they chatted in the morning.
"I'm alive."

There are already more than 500 people in the group. More than 100 of them used to be talkative but have become "lurkers". Even the group owner has changed three times. The side effects of imatinib have started again. I glanced at Er Mao, who was still playing games, and told him to go back and rest. Soon he fell into a deep sleep.

Later, Shen Mengxi became very close to Lin Qin and Er Mao. Since all three of them were under thirty, they could get along quite well. Especially with Lin Qin, the two of them were only two years apart in age, so there was basically no generation gap between them.

The three of them would often come to Lin Qin's house to play cards, or watch pirated movies downloaded using the hospital's Wi-Fi. They even scheduled their chemotherapy sessions together, so they would go to chemotherapy together, be hospitalized together, experience hair loss together, and vomit together. This companionship made the difficult chemotherapy process much easier.

They would look at each other's bald heads and laugh at each other. Without hair, the man wasn't exactly handsome, and the woman wasn't exactly beautiful either.

However, when she was discharged from the hospital, another guest passed away, and Lin Qin was quite regretful that she did not get to see her one last time.

until
"One four, and I'm done."

"Er Mao, just ignore him. If you discard a seven, he won't be able to get out. I have a really good hand this time. If you discard a seven, I'm sure I can get out. Er Mao? What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Er Mao and Shen Mengxi also have a good relationship. After all, women's hearts are soft, and she has a maternal love for this eighteen-year-old boy. When she saw his face looking particularly unpleasant, her heart jumped into her throat.

"I feel terrible. Ugh!"

Er Mao started vomiting as soon as he turned over. Lin Qin and Shen Mengxi quickly got up and panicked when they saw that he had vomited a large pool of blood on the ground.

"Get to the hospital! Hurry!! Is anyone even able to move yet?! Er Mao's having an attack!!"

The group rushed Er Mao to the hospital. This group of people who had undergone chemotherapy to the point of baldness naturally attracted a lot of attention. Because everyone was in poor health, Lin Qin told them to go back first, leaving only Shen Mengxi, who refused to leave, to wait with him before the surgery.

On the way to the hospital with Er Mao, Shen Mengxi kept crying, and she couldn't stop. Lin Qin sat in a chair, his face equally somber.

He had anticipated this day, but it came much earlier than he had imagined. Er Mao, a child who ran away from home to avoid burdening his parents, had no money for medical treatment!
Where are Mao Shengjun's family members?

"Here he is! Doctor, how is he?"

"You are."

“I am his brother.”

"Immediate family members?"

Lin Qin was stunned. His tightly clenched hands fell limply to his sides. He could only tell a lie that wasn't a lie: "He has no parents. He and I grew up together, relying on each other for survival."

"It's late-stage rectal cancer. I recommend conservative treatment. I don't recommend continuing surgery. Without the signature of an immediate family member, your signature has no legal effect."

This means, "Don't have surgery. You might die on the operating table." Shen Mengxi and Lin Qin understood, and their faces turned pale.

Lin Qin grinned, wanting to say something about not giving up on Er Mao's treatment, but in the end, he just nodded.

"I understand, thank you, doctor."

"."

(End of this chapter)