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Chapter 9 Protecting Happiness
"I worked overtime on the weekend, so today is my day off."

Fang Cheng took the mop and mopped the floor diligently while explaining:
"I know my mom didn't eat well again, so I came here to urge her."

Li Biyun looked at her son who was a hundred times more energetic than before, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise.

But still habitually mutter a few words:

"Just stay home and sleep in more during the holidays. It's such a long journey and it takes two hours to go back and forth by car. Aren't you tired?"

"Besides, the hospital cafeteria is always open in the afternoon..."

"Those fast foods are expensive and taste terrible, they are not as good as what I cook."

Fang Cheng has mastered the cleaning skills and his movements are quick and efficient. He can finish mopping the floor in just a few strokes.

Then he pulled Li Biyun to sit on a chair in the patient rest area and opened the lids of the thermal lunch boxes one by one.

Today I made three dishes and one soup.

Lotus root and pork ribs soup, pan-fried small yellow croaker, mushroom and Chinese cabbage, and fried spring rolls.

"Come and taste your son's cooking."

Seeing these carefully prepared dishes, the fine crow's feet at the corners of Li Biyun's eyes stretched out, and seemed to turn into blooming flowers in her smile.

"My Chengcheng has really grown up and now knows how to love his mom..."

Fang Cheng knew that these were his mother's favorite dishes.

Watching her pick up the chopsticks, pick up a piece of fish and put it into her mouth, she couldn't help but say expectantly:
"How is it, any progress?"

Li Biyun nodded her chin and savored it carefully:
"The fish is fried crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the soup is tasty. It's almost as good as your mother's."

"Sincerely?"

"Really? When has mom ever lied to you?"

Li Biyun wiped the corners of her eyes and patted her son's arm: "I can't eat so many dishes, come and sit down and eat together."

Fang Cheng shook his head and said:
"I just came here after lunch. If you have a large portion, you can keep it for the evening and reheat it in the microwave at the nurse's station."

He didn't say anything afterwards, but just looked quietly at his mother who was eating leisurely.

Pointed chin and thin cheeks.

She must have been more beautiful than those stars when she was young, but the hard work of life made her look too haggard at only in her forties.

Because my grandfather suffered from stomach cancer and had been vomiting and in pain for a long time, there was a lack of medical care and medicine in the countryside.

My mother took advantage of her job as a nurse and used her connections to arrange a bed for my grandfather, so that he could be admitted to the hospital for treatment.

In order to take care of the elderly, I try not to delay work.

She specifically asked her supervisor to be transferred to the oncology department, which was dirtier and more tiring.

I have been eating, sleeping and staying in the hospital this month. It is really hard.

Li Biyun felt a little embarrassed by being stared at and rolled her eyes at her beloved son.

Then he picked up a piece of pork ribs and stuffed it into Fang Cheng's mouth.

He was ordered to finish the soup to get more nutrition so that he could continue to grow.

Fang Cheng had no choice but to agree and pretended to eat a few bites.

A simple meal seems to carry two pieces of happiness.

The golden sunlight shines through the large floor-to-ceiling windows behind you and gradually moves to the rows of seats in the rest area.

The bowls, chopsticks, dishes and human figures were all given a golden edge.

Looking at his mother's long-lost smile, Fang Cheng's tense body for days seemed to be smoothed out.

After she swallowed the last mouthful of rice, he continued to ask:
"Mom, how is Grandpa now?"

Upon hearing this, Li Biyun's hand holding the chopsticks stiffened and she replied softly:
"He is still plugged in with a tube, and the doctor said he needs to rest for two months before trying the next treatment option."

Fang Cheng nodded.

My grandfather had undergone radiotherapy and lesion resection surgery before, but it was not very successful.

He stayed in the ICU for a week before he was out of danger and was transferred to the general ward three days ago.

Li Biyun cleaned up the leftovers, closed the lunch box, and then said:
"Your uncle just went downstairs to pay the fees. He said that the money is a loan from him and he will return it to you later."

Fang Cheng frowned slightly and immediately refused:
"We are all family, why are you being so polite? Am I not a relative of Grandpa?"

Li Biyun opened her mouth, wanting to say something but stopped herself.

At this time, a voice calling "Auntie Li" came from the nurse's station.

Li Biyun quickly responded and stood up, telling her son to go see his grandfather alone first.

He left quickly and started new work.

Looking at his mother's back, Fang Cheng also stood up and walked alone towards the ward where his grandfather was.

The door was ajar.

As soon as I entered, I saw the beeping monitoring equipment and an old man with a catheter and a respirator.

There should be another patient in the bed inside, separated by a blue curtain. I couldn't see the specific condition clearly, but I could hear slight groans.

Fang Cheng sat on the chair in front of the bed and looked at the sleeping old man.

My grandfather had lost a lot of hair and his face was so thin that he was almost skin and bones. It was obvious that he had been severely ill.

Looking at his weak appearance now, Fang Cheng felt heavy-hearted and couldn't help but recall the good times when he lived in the countryside during his childhood summer vacation.

My grandparents only had one son and one daughter.

My uncle was a scoundrel when he was young, and he still hadn't started a family or a career until he was over 40.

Most of the burden of the family falls on the mother, the eldest daughter.

Fang Cheng knew what his mother was worried about.

The surgery fees previously raised had almost drained the family's savings.

The hospital bills for the next two months, plus the cost of further surgery and chemotherapy afterwards.

This was even more of a blow to this already poor family.

What’s more, my grandfather has a rural household registration, so the reimbursement rate is far lower than that of urban workers.

Although no one put pressure on Fang Cheng.

But in fact, this burden also falls on him, his only grandson.

Fang Cheng pursed his lips tightly and thought secretly.

I have to find a way to earn some extra money. I can't afford much, but at least I have to help my mother share some of the pressure.

"Ah Cheng, you're here too?"

While he was thinking, there was a creaking sound and the door of the ward was pushed open again.

A slightly unruly voice then sounded.

Fang Cheng looked back.

A middle-aged man wearing a leather flight jacket popular among young people and with a tuft of mustache on his upper lip walked in.

His thin, sallow face showed a hint of fatigue, and one could smell the strong smell of cigarette smoke on him even from two meters away.

"uncle."

Fang Cheng immediately stood up and greeted him.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries and then went out to talk in order to avoid disturbing grandpa's rest.

In the clothes drying area at the end of the corridor, patients' clothes and underwear were swaying in the wind.

My uncle took out a cigarette box, flicked out a cigarette and handed it to Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng shook his hand and declined.

Looking at the scene outside the window, I chatted with him casually about family matters and my grandfather's illness.

Behind the inpatient department is Xishan, a well-known tourist scenic spot in Dongdu.

From here you can see the dark mountains and forests.

Under the clear blue sky, flocks of birds fly up.

There was also a faint black spot resembling a helicopter moving slowly.

According to news reports, the city's archaeological team is excavating the ruins of an underground palace of a thousand-year-old temple and is continuously discovering precious cultural relics.

The two of them talked intermittently.

Suddenly, a slightly dull beeping sound was heard.

Fang Cheng immediately reached into his bag.

But almost at the same time, my uncle took out a small mobile phone from his trouser pocket.

"I told you it's not me, don't you understand what I'm saying?"

"I'm telling you, I'm in a gang. I have dozens of followers waiting to take orders with just one phone call. If you dare to make harassing calls again, I'll get someone to chop you up!"

My uncle raised his eyebrows, glared, spitted, and yelled into the microphone of the mobile phone.

After hanging up the phone, he saw Fang Cheng looking at him in surprise, so he smiled and explained:

"A friend gave it to me. My business is quite busy, so it's more convenient to use this to keep in touch."

He turned his eyes and caught a glimpse of a mobile phone of similar design in Fang Cheng's hand, so he said:

"I heard from my sister that you rented a mobile phone and added a number?"

Fang Cheng nodded in agreement, and after adding each other's communication methods, he asked:

"Uncle, you've been running around lately, have you raised enough money for the surgery?"

As soon as these words came out, my uncle's face turned ugly instantly and he muttered under his breath.

He said abusive words like "you snob" and "you ungrateful bastard with no conscience".

Obviously, the progress is not ideal.

Fang Cheng sighed secretly.

However, he didn't hold out much hope.

Fang Cheng actually always held a disdainful attitude towards this elder who was only twenty years older than him.

My uncle's name is Li Dingjian. Although he is tall and thin, he looks good.

His greatest ability is relying on his eloquence, sneaky tactics, and cheating.

Six years ago, he said he was determined to make a living, so he went to the southern border to do business. However, he came back limping and spent several years recovering from his injuries.

Now he is still idle all day long and has ended up living off his old aunt.

"Xu..."

Li Dingjian exhaled a long puff of smoke and looked out the window with a slightly decadent look, as if he was reminiscing about the glorious past.

"If only your father were still alive, who would meet me and call me Master Jian?"

"You can still be a playboy and play around with girl group stars when you have nothing to do..."

Fang Cheng's mouth twitched slightly, he was not interested in talking about this topic.

Li Dingjian didn't say anything else. He put out the remaining cigarette butt and threw it into the trash can beside him.

Then he moved his arms, looking energetic.

"Ah Cheng, don't worry about the money. I have found someone to help me."

"That's good."

Fang Cheng didn't ask any further questions.

Although my uncle likes to take unorthodox paths, he has been interacting with all kinds of people for many years and has a wide range of connections.

Maybe by hooking up with some rich woman, you can really borrow a large sum of money.

Just as the two were preparing to return to the ward to look after their grandfather.

Suddenly, the sound of a group of people talking, like a broken gong, passed through the corridor and reached my ears.

"Damn it, I remembered the wrong address. No wonder I couldn't find that bastard!"

"Yingjun, go over and ask the nurse to be more polite when speaking."

"Okay, brother."

Fang Cheng followed the voice.

I saw three familiar figures coming out of the elevator and walking towards the nurses' station.

The energetic young men, who looked like they were about 50 or 60, were obviously the guys who were suspected to be members of a gang.

"Fuck, this is a dog..."

Seeing this, Li Dingjian let out a low cry and turned his head away instantly.

(End of this chapter)