My mom is waiting for treatment, and you're summoning me to be a hero?

Lin Mo pushed the wheelchair into the ward.

This is a double room at the far end of the corridor.

Zhou Xiaomei's bed is located by the window.

On the bedside table were a thermos and the water cup that Lin Mo used when delivering medicine.

There was also a bunch of carnations that had wilted a bit.

Lin Mo secured the wheelchair and helped his mother slowly lie back down on the bed.

Zhou Xiaomei's movements were slow, and each movement revealed her weakness.

But the smile on her face never faded, and her eyes never left Lin Mo.

Lin Feng stood to the side, rubbing his hands together, unsure of what to do. Finally, he picked up the thermos and shook it; it was empty.

"I'll go get a kettle of hot water."

He found an excuse, picked up the thermos, and went outside.

The ward fell silent.

The patient in the next bed was still asleep; the curtain was drawn, and only faint breathing could be heard.

The middle bed was empty, and the blankets were neatly folded.

Lin Mo sat down on the chair next to the bed.

He was very familiar with that chair; he couldn't count how many nights his father had curled up in it.

"mom,"

He spoke, but his voice was still a little hoarse.

What time will the surgery take?

Zhou Xiaomei glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table; the time was 7:21.

"Ten o'clock, it's still early."

Lin Mo nodded.

He reached out and gently lifted his mother's hand, which had needles stuck in it, looking at the tape and bruises on the back of her hand.

The needle was inserted inside, and a transparent tube connected to the IV bag on top of the head.

The medicine dripped down, flowing into her veins through the tube.

Afterwards, Lin Mo asked many more questions about the surgery and Zhou Xiaomei's condition.

Until footsteps were heard at the door.

Lin Feng returned with the thermos and put it back on the bedside table.

He stood there, at a loss for what to do.

"Um... I'll go take care of the rest of the paperwork. There's still a signature needed before the surgery, and a few payment slips..."

He spoke as he walked out.

"Dad, let me go."

Lin Mo stood up and walked up to him.

Lin Feng smiled and said, "You spend more time with your mother. I'll go run the errands. I know those places well."

Lin Mo insisted, "I'll go. I want to... do something."

Lin Feng was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, then you go."

As Lin Mo's footsteps faded into the distance.

The ward fell silent again.

Lin Feng stood by the bed, staring at the closed door, and didn't move for a long time.

Zhou Xiaomei smiled as she watched Lin Mo's departing figure and spoke softly.

"Xiao Mo... he's never been able to keep anything a secret since he was little. Whenever he has something on his mind, he works like crazy. When he was little, if he didn't do well on a test, he would rush to wash the dishes and sweep the floor, and you couldn't stop him."

Lin Feng sighed as he listened to Zhou Xiaomei's words.

"He probably won't stay long."

The voice was very low, as if afraid of being overheard.

Zhou Xiaomei did not speak.

She simply reached out and took her husband's hand.

That hand was rough and covered in calluses.

She held on very tightly.

"It's good that you're back."

Lin Feng looked up at her.

……

"This broken machine, hospitals these days really know how to save money, they don't care about the lives of ordinary people at all."

Lin Mo queued at the self-service machine in the lobby on the first floor.

There was a middle-aged man standing in front of me, poking at the screen and cursing under his breath.

Lin Mo mentally reviewed the several things he needed to do next.

Preoperative signature.

Pay the fees.

There are also a few tests that were delayed due to insufficient funds, but they can be done now.

Oh, and I need to reprint the medical insurance reimbursement form too.

and also……

The line moved forward a little.

The man in front of me finally finished and left, grumbling.

Lin Mo stepped forward, inserted the card, entered the password, and Zhou Xiaomei's name and a list of to-do items appeared on the screen.

He started by clicking one by one.

Pay the fees.

confirm.

Print the forms.

Hide.

next.

He moved between the various departments on the first and second floors.

Payment window, medical insurance window, preoperative consultation room, anesthesiology department, pathology department...

At each location, he would take out that familiar medical card, state his mother's name, and then, under the guidance of the staff, sign, put his fingerprints on the card, pay the fees, and receive the receipt.

"Lin Mo?"

A doctor in a white coat walked down the corridor, saw him, and paused for a moment.

That was Director Zhang's assistant, surnamed Wang, in his early thirties, wearing glasses.

Lin Mo had interacted with him a few times when he accompanied his mother to the hospital.

"You're back? I heard you..."

He didn't finish speaking.

Lin Mo knew what he wanted to say.

I heard you ran away, I heard you took the money, I heard you're an unfilial son.

He heard those words clearly in the hall just now.

"Yes, I'm back. I'm here to handle the paperwork for my mother's surgery."

Dr. Wang looked at him, and her expression changed.

"It's good to be back," he said, patting Lin Mo's arm.

"Those young nurses are spreading rumors. I knew it! You were the one who ran around doing all those procedures all by yourself. You didn't seem like that kind of person."

Lin Mo didn't reply.

"Your mother is recovering well. Director Zhang performed the surgery himself, so there shouldn't be any major problems."

Dr. Wang continued.

"Don't worry, go back and be with your mom. The surgery will definitely be fine."

Lin Mo nodded.

"Thank you, Dr. Wang."

Dr. Wang waved his hand and left.

Lin Mo stood there, watching the figure disappear at the end of the corridor. Then he turned around and continued walking towards the next department.

Similar scenarios will always happen.

Wherever he goes, someone always recognizes him.

Nurses, cashiers, and young girls at the information desk.

When they saw Lin Mo, they were stunned for a moment, and then their faces showed surprise, embarrassment, and a little apology.

But no one mentioned those rumors again.

They just said: "It's good that you're back. Go and be with your mom. The surgery will definitely be fine."

One of the young nurses blushed and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Lin Mo didn't ask her why she apologized; he simply nodded and continued walking.

He didn't care about those words, or rather, he didn't have time to care.

He didn't want to cause trouble this time he came back, as that would only make his parents worry.

He just wanted his mother's surgery to go smoothly.

Time passed little by little.

After he finished the last procedure, he stood in front of the digital clock in the lobby on the first floor and checked the time; it was already 9:20.

Forty minutes later, the surgery began.

He turned around and strode towards the elevator.

……

The door to the ward was gently pushed open.

When Lin Mo walked in, Zhou Xiaomei was leaning against the headboard, whispering something to Lin Feng.

Upon seeing him enter, the two stopped simultaneously and looked at him.

Lin Feng stood up: "Is it done?"

Lin Mo walked to the bedside and sat down in the accompanying chair.

"Everything is done. I've signed the pre-operative consent forms, paid all the fees, reprinted the medical insurance form, and signed in with the rehabilitation counselor. We'll talk about the rest after the surgery."

Lin Feng opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He never expected that his son would do everything he could, even the little things he hadn't thought of.

Zhou Xiaomei reached out and grasped Lin Mo's hand.

The hand was a little cold, but the grip was very tight.

"Are you tired?" she asked.

Lin Mo shook his head.

He sat by the bed, looking at his mother.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, falling on her face and illuminating her wrinkles.

He suddenly realized that his mother had really grown old.

He's aged a lot. Much older than before he left.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but it felt like something was stuck in his throat.

"Mom, I..."

Just then, Director Zhang walked in with a splint, followed by two nurses.

He glanced at Lin Mo, paused for a moment, and then smiled.

"You're back?"

Lin Mo stood up and nodded.

Director Zhang didn't say much, but walked to the bedside, picked up Zhou Xiaomei's medical record and flipped through it, then looked at the electrocardiogram monitor on the bedside table.

"Get ready, the surgery is about to begin."