Free Web NovelChapter 49: Chapter 49: Out of Money
"Oh, right. This is my son." Chen Suxiang tensed up when she saw the nurse’s stone-faced, expressionless look. "Is something wrong?"
"Pay the bill. Bed Two is out of funds. If you don’t pay up now, we’ll have to stop his medication this afternoon." The young nurse turned to leave after speaking, then glanced back at them from the doorway with a disgusted frown. "There are too many of you. Don’t all crowd in here. Only one person is allowed in the room at a time. Also, no shouting. With this many people making a racket, you’re disturbing the other patients’ rest."
"We know, we’ll go pay in a bit. We just came to see him and we’re leaving right away." Chen Suxiang didn’t dare treat the nurse’s words lightly and quickly agreed respectfully. She couldn’t afford to offend these people, terrified that the slightest misstep would cause them to neglect her eldest son.
Even Gu Jinhua, who was usually so arrogant, was all smiles for the nurse. The nurse was satisfied. Her expression softened slightly as she tossed out a final, "Hurry up and pay," before departing nonchalantly.
Gu Lihuang glanced at his mother and older sister with a look of disapproval. Ye Rong remained silent with her usual placid expression, continuing to be an invisible presence.
"Lihui, give me your house keys in a bit. I’ll go get your money and pay the bill. What are we going to do if they really stop your medication?" Chen Suxiang said to Gu Lihui, her face etched with worry.
"What money? Didn’t I give it all to you a few years ago to build the house? Things have gotten a little better these past two years, but my... my expenses are high." Gu Lihui grew uncomfortable at the mention of money. ’She had my keys for half the day yesterday,’ he wondered. ’Did she snoop around my secret stash?’
"No money? That can’t be right." Chen Suxiang was shocked and grew anxious. "If there’s no money, how are we going to pay for your medical bills?"
"Mom, if you have some, just cover it for me for now. Someone else caused this, so they’ll definitely have to compensate me later." Seeing that his mother’s surprise didn’t seem feigned, Gu Lihui breathed a silent sigh of relief. ’Good, my secret stash is safe.’ He dared to say this because he was certain his mother wouldn’t abandon him. He had no idea if Lin Dong would actually pay up, but if someone else was willing to foot the bill, why wouldn’t he take it?
"But... I don’t have much money left either."
Chen Suxiang hesitated. The money she had was her coffin fund, painstakingly saved up in secret. If she took it out now to cover her eldest son’s expenses, wouldn’t both her sons know she had money? Then they’d just try to scheme it out of her in the future.
’No, I absolutely can’t take out my money.’
Her eyes instinctively turned to her daughter. "Jinhua, why don’t you cover it for your older brother for now?"
"Mom, where would I get any money? You know how closely my in-laws watch me. It’s like they’re afraid I’ll spend all day funneling money back to my own family."
Normally, Gu Jinhua would never have said something like this in front of her younger brother and sister-in-law, but she truly had no money on her. She wasn’t in charge of her household’s finances. All she had was a little pocket money. It was enough to buy her older brother some food, like she did yesterday, but it was definitely not enough for medical bills.
She shook her head, looking troubled.
"What was the point of having you? You’re useless when it counts. This is your brother, and you’re going to be stingy with that little bit of money?" Chen Suxiang’s expression darkened. She turned to look at her younger son and daughter-in-law, saw their indifferent expressions, and knew she couldn’t count on them. Furious, she turned back and started railing at her daughter.
Gu Jinhua looked aggrieved.
Seeing this, Gu Lihui threw a petulant fit. "Mom, what are you doing? The nurse said no shouting in the hospital room. You know what, forget it. Just tell the hospital to stop my medication. It’ll save everyone the trouble."
Gu Lihuang scoffed internally. ’Tsk, who does he think he’s threatening?’ He looked at Chen Suxiang and made up his mind. ’If Mom plays favorites and gives him money, I’ll find a way to get the exact same amount later. We’re both her sons. She can’t always be biased toward the older one, can she?’
"How could you say that?" Chen Suxiang was startled by Gu Lihui’s outburst. She winced at the thought of the one hundred and twenty-three yuan she was carrying just in case, then looked at her daughter hopefully. "How much money do you have on you right now? Give it all to me."
"I only have fourteen yuan and sixty cents left. There are still a few days left in the month—" Gu Jinhua took the money from her pocket and counted it.
"Fourteen sixty is fourteen sixty. Give it all to me." Chen Suxiang snatched the money from her hand before Gu Jinhua could finish speaking. "When you get back, ask your in-laws to lend you two hundred yuan for your brother’s medical bills. With my money, we can scrape together twenty yuan to pay for today. Don’t forget to bring me the rest tomorrow," she ordered.
"Mom, at least leave me a little! That’s my lunch money." Gu Jinhua grew frantic. "Besides, how am I supposed to borrow money from my in-laws? Shouldn’t you be the one to ask?"
"Your older brother is in this state, and you can still think about lunch? People in the old days ate only two meals a day and lived just fine. What’s wrong with sacrificing a little for a few days for your brother?" Chen Suxiang glared. "It’s just two hundred yuan, not two thousand. Why should I have to be the one to ask your in-laws?"
Gu Jinhua was dumbfounded. A bitter taste filled her mouth. ’Surely Mom doesn’t mean what I think she means?’
"What about paying it back? What do I say if my mother-in-law asks?"
"Don’t you get money every month? Just save that up, and you’ll have it paid back in a few months. Your older brother is in the hospital, and you, as his older sister, won’t even part with a dime? Just think of this money as what you would have spent on nutritional supplements for him," Chen Suxiang said breezily.
"Mom, you want me to go hungry at lunch for months?" Gu Jinhua’s heart went cold. She looked at Chen Suxiang in desperation, making one last attempt. "What if my mother-in-law refuses to lend me the money?"
"If she won’t lend it to you, then borrow it from someone else! How have you gone all these years without even saving up two hundred yuan? I’ve always said you’re too extravagant, always thinking about running into the city to eat, drink, and dress well for your own enjoyment. Why don’t you know how to save a little? Then you wouldn’t be in such a tight spot when you actually need it."
Chen Suxiang looked at Gu Jinhua, her expression one of utter heartbreak. "You need to save more money for yourself from now on. Don’t just spend everything you get. And are you stupid? Who’s really asking you to starve? Can’t you pack some leftovers from breakfast or dinner and take them to work for lunch? You always seem to have so many clever schemes, one after another. How is it you suddenly become an idiot the moment it’s about money? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re like. You think just because your wings have grown strong, you can look down on your own family, right? Hah! If you really didn’t have us to back you up, we’ll see if you can even find a place to cry when things go wrong."
’Here we go again,’ Gu Jinhua thought. ’It’s always the same old lecture.’
