The surgery cost, coupled with the tens of thousands needed over the next year for rehabilitation, was a huge burden for a student like him. Even if he used all of his family’s savings and the scholarships he had earned, it wouldn’t be enough to cover his father’s treatment.
What should he do…
While he was deep in thought, Liang Tianming spoke up. “Pei Chen, we have an idea.”
“Hmm?”
“We can cover the cost. My wife and I would like to help you,” Liang Tianming said.
He knew how much his daughter liked Pei Chen, and he had grown fond of the boy too. Seeing how Pei Chen had cared for his father alone all these years, enduring so much hardship, they were more than willing to help.
Pei Chen was deeply touched but politely refused. “Uncle Liang, Auntie, I’m very grateful for your kindness, but I really can’t accept this money.”
It wasn’t that he was too proud to accept money from his girlfriend’s family; it was just that this was a significant amount, and he didn’t feel comfortable accepting it so freely.
“Pei Chen, you really don’t need to worry about that…” Zhong Xinrou tried to persuade him, and Liang Zhiyi did too. Finally, Liang Tianming said, “If you really feel uncomfortable, consider it a loan from our family. You can pay it back after you start working. Right now, the most important thing is your father’s health. The sooner he gets treated, the better his chances of recovery.”
Indeed, the most important thing right now was to get the surgery done. Nothing was more critical than gathering the necessary funds…
Pei Chen recognized the truth in this and eventually agreed, saying he would discuss it with his father first.
After their conversation, Liang Zhiyi walked Pei Chen to the door. Once they were alone, she hugged him, resting her head against his chest, and said softly, “Pei Chen, let us help you. This isn’t charity or pity; it’s just your girlfriend not wanting to see you struggle.”
The warmth in Pei Chen’s heart melted as he hugged her back. “Zhizhi, thank you, and thank your parents too.” He was genuinely grateful for their support.
She smiled, looking up at him. “So, how does it feel to have such a wonderful girlfriend? Pretty lucky, huh?”
He laughed. “Yes, incredibly lucky.”
After saying goodbye to her, Pei Chen returned home.
He told Pei Yongxia about the test results and the costs involved. Pei Yongxia was shocked. “It’s that expensive…”
Pei Chen then explained Liang Tianming’s proposal. “Uncle Liang said they could lend me the money, and I can repay it after I start working.”
“How can we accept that…” Pei Yongxia hesitated.
“Dad, I’ll pay back the money over time, but your health is the most important thing,” Pei Chen insisted.
“So, you agreed to it?” Pei Yongxia asked.
“It’s the only way.”
Thinking about the burden his son would carry with this loan and the pressure of dealing with the Liang family, Pei Yongxia felt both distressed and hesitant. Finally, he couldn’t help but say, “Son, actually, I have another option—”
“A few days ago, your mother came to see me. She said she wants to come and take care of me.”
Pei Chen’s eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t get upset. Let me explain first. Your mother is divorced now…” Pei Yongxia explained the reasons behind Gong Qinxin’s divorce and then shared her proposal. “She’s moved back to Lincheng and said that after you go to university, she can stay with me during my rehabilitation. She also offered to lend us the money for the surgery.”
After hearing this, Pei Chen’s expression darkened immediately, and he forced a smile. “Take care of you? Where was she back then?”
“Your mom says she has no other intentions; she just wants you to be able to go to university without any worries. I know you want to go to C University, but if I have the surgery, I’ll need someone to care for me during the recovery period.”
Pei Yongxia was reluctant to trouble Gong Qinxin, but the thought of Pei Chen being able to study without such a heavy burden made him willing to compromise. Moreover, with Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi’s relationship just beginning, he didn’t want his son to carry the additional weight of a debt to the Liang family.
“Pei Chen, your mother said she feels terribly guilty for not being there for you while you were growing up, especially after the hurtful things she said on your birthday. She wants to make up for all the years she failed you.”
Though Gong Qinxin had wronged their family, Pei Yongxia knew that Pei Chen was still the most important person in her life.
Pei Yongxia tried to persuade Pei Chen, but the boy’s brows furrowed deeply, and his eyes were filled with tumultuous emotions. Finally, he spoke, his voice cold:
“I won’t agree to it. Even if I have to hire a caregiver, I won’t let her take care of you.”
Gong Qinxin had once hurt his father deeply, and now she wanted to atone? On what grounds?
Pei Chen rejected everything related to Gong Qinxin, and seeing his son’s reaction, Pei Yongxia fell silent.
The living room was exceptionally quiet.
After a long pause, Pei Chen stood up from the sofa, restraining his emotions, and said softly, “Dad, I’m going out for a walk.”
He walked out of the hallway, closing the door behind him, and leaned against it, closing his heavy eyes.
The thought of Gong Qinxin being betrayed by someone else, her offer to take care of his father, and her guilt toward him felt like a net tightening around him, overwhelming him with a mix of emotions.
After a while, he headed downstairs.
Walking toward the entrance of the neighborhood, he took out his phone and called Liang Zhiyi.
“Hello, Pei Chen—”
A few seconds later, the sweet voice of the girl came through the phone.
His brows relaxed a bit as he spoke softly, “Zhiyi, I want to see you.”
…
The sky darkened as night fell.
At seven o’clock, Pei Chen arrived at the bus stop by the riverside. After a while, a black sedan approached and stopped in front of him.
Liang Zhiyi got out of the car, saw him, and ran towards him with a smile, soon finding herself wrapped in his arms.
She beamed, “We’ve only been apart for two hours, and you already miss me? I guess I do have some charm after all.”
Seeing her soft and loving face, the heaviness in his heart eased a bit, and he replied in a low, tender voice, “You truly make me want to see you every moment of the day.”
She blushed at his words, her eyes curving with her smile. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
Hand in hand, they walked along the riverside. After a while, they sat down on a bench, and the girl leaned against his shoulder, gently asking:
“Pei Chen, is something bothering you?”
He asked how she could tell, and she hummed softly, mumbling, “I’m your girlfriend, of course I can tell. Besides, I noticed your tone was a bit low when we talked on the phone earlier.”
She guessed that Pei Chen was probably troubled by something. “Pei Chen, I want to help you with anything that’s weighing on you. Is it about your dad’s surgery? Are you still hesitating to accept my parents’ help?”
Pei Chen shook his head, remained silent for a moment, and then told her about Gong Qinxin’s offer to take care of Pei Yongxia. After hearing the whole story, Liang Zhiyi asked, “So you’re not willing to accept it?”
Pei Chen lowered his lashes. “How can I accept it?”
After all these years, he still couldn’t let go of the resentment he harbored toward her.
The girl thought for a moment and then shared her thoughts:
“Pei Chen, if we go to C University, your dad will definitely need someone to take care of him after his surgery. If you don’t want your mom to do it, you’ll have to hire a full-time caregiver. But I’ve heard from my mom that hiring a good caregiver nowadays can cost around ten thousand yuan a month.”
Looking at it this way, even tens of thousands a year might not be enough.
She pouted slightly, worried. “And there are so many negative news stories about caregivers these days. We don’t even know if the person we hire will be able to take good care of Uncle Pei. Can you really feel at ease with that?”
Pei Chen was suddenly stunned.
Yes, the money could be borrowed, but the key issue was whether his father would be properly cared for.
“Even if we stay in Lincheng for university, he’ll still need someone to look after him. You can’t be at the hospital with him every day, can you?”
Seeing that Pei Chen was hurt by the situation with Gong Qinxin, Liang Zhiyi felt a pang of sympathy. “Pei Chen, I understand your resistance to your mom, and no one is forcing you to forgive her, but right now, the most important thing is Uncle Pei’s health. If your mom can really take good care of him, maybe it’s worth considering?”
Her words struck a chord in Pei Chen’s heart.
He lowered his gaze, remaining silent in the end.
After talking with Liang Zhiyi, Pei Chen returned home and spent the night deep in thought.
The next morning, he got up, washed up, and made breakfast. When Pei Yongxia woke up, Pei Chen helped him out of bed, seated him in the wheelchair, and pushed him to the bathroom.
Once everything was taken care of, he pushed his father to the dining table for breakfast.
As they ate, Pei Yongxia looked at his son, hesitating before he finally spoke, “Son, about last night… if you really don’t want to, we can just forget about it. It’s okay—”
“Dad.”
Pei Chen’s voice interrupted him, pausing for a few seconds before he continued, “I’ll agree to it.”
Pei Yongxia was stunned. “You’re agreeing to it?”
“So that you’ll have someone to take care of you.”
Just as Pei Yongxia was willing to accept Gong Qinxin’s help for Pei Chen’s sake, Pei Chen was now willing to compromise for his father.
Pei Chen quickly added, “But she can only come after I’ve left for university. Until then, I’ll be the one taking care of you.”
He didn’t want to see her. The past couldn’t be erased.
Pei Yongxia agreed.
After Pei Chen gave his consent, Pei Yongxia informed Gong Qinxin. She was very happy and immediately transferred the money for the surgery. “Consider it a loan from me. This way, Pei Chen won’t have to owe the Liang family anything. It would be uncomfortable for him. Besides, Pei Chen hasn’t accepted a single penny from me all these years—I owe him.”
The money was then sent to the hospital, and Pei Yongxia was admitted. Zhong Xinrou helped to arrange for a leading neurosurgeon to perform the surgery on him.
Once everything was prepared, Pei Yongxia was wheeled into the operating room, with Zhong Xinrou assisting as an orthopedic doctor.
The surgery was complicated and took five hours, but thankfully, it was successful.
Pei Chen felt a huge weight lift from his heart.
The postoperative recovery period was another critical stage. Pei Yongxia needed to stay in the hospital for rehabilitation exercises, combined with medication and traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy.
Pei Chen stayed by his side during his recovery, and Liang Zhiyi often visited as well. Liang Tianming also came to see Pei Yongxia once, which deeply moved him.
Pei Yongxia thought to himself that, for the sake of his son and their family, he had to make every effort to stand up again.
During this time, both Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi applied to C University and were successfully admitted.
The summer passed quickly, and soon, July and August were over.
It was time for them to start university.
In early September, the day before they were to report to C University, Pei Yongxia contacted Gong Qinxin, and she came to the hospital.
When Gong Qinxin saw Pei Chen in the hospital corridor, a wave of guilt overwhelmed her, and her eyes reddened with tears.
“Pei Chen—”
The young man looked at her, his gaze deep and unreadable. After a few seconds, he averted his eyes and spoke, “Let me tell you about my dad’s current condition.”
He detailed the specific tasks involved in taking care of Pei Yongxia, including how to assist with his rehabilitation and other aspects of his care. Gong Qinxin noted everything down and then said to him, “Pei Chen, don’t worry. I will take good care of him. If there are any issues, I will contact you immediately.”
She was determined to do her best, not only to repair her relationship with her son but also to make amends for her past neglect of Pei Yongxia.
Pei Chen lowered his lashes and added, “As for the surgery costs and the expenses for taking care of my dad, keep a record of everything. I will repay you in full in the future.”
“…Alright.”
The next day, before flying to J City, Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi went to the hospital to say goodbye to Pei Yongxia. Just before leaving, Pei Chen looked at Gong Qinxin, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:
“I’m entrusting my dad to you.”
Gong Qinxin nodded and reassured him, “Don’t worry.”
After leaving the hospital, Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi headed to the airport.
As the plane slowly ascended into the sky, Pei Chen looked out at the layers of clouds. The girl beside him held his hand, saying, “Don’t worry about Uncle Pei. He’s been recovering well these past two months. We can video call him regularly.”
“Yeah.”
Liang Zhiyi rested her chin on her hand, smiled brightly at him, and asked playfully, “Classmate Pei, are you looking forward to the upcoming university life?”
He leaned in and kissed her red lips, then looked at her with burning eyes and a deep voice:
“Yes, very much—because you’re there.”