Chapter 269 - 141: An Embarrassing Task

Chapter 269: Chapter 141: An Embarrassing Task

Not everyone in this world can be a Divine Rich and ’use the best, enjoy the most expensive.’ Many people are still desperately struggling just to get by. Struggling doesn’t guarantee a good life, but not struggling means certain death.

A certain hospital.

Outside the ICU.

A few distressed middle-aged men were bickering about something when the elevator doors opened. Shen Qingning rushed out, asking breathlessly, "What happened to Grandma?"

Her distressed uncle replied, "They just resuscitated her. She’s back in the ICU. The doctor says her condition is still critical, and if she needs surgery, he told us to be prepared."

Shen Qingning: "How much will the surgery cost?"

Her uncle said, "He told us to prepare 400,000 up front."

For an ordinary person, 400,000 was a huge sum of money. The Shen Family was from a rural village, and her uncles were all farmers working menial jobs. With their own families to feed, they truly had very little money.

Shen Qingning had rushed home from Ning University after getting a call that her grandmother was in the hospital. She had been admitted for a sudden brain hemorrhage and later developed heart complications that required treatment. Initially, she was treated at a hospital in their hometown, costing them seventy or eighty thousand, but when there was no improvement, they had her transferred to this city.

Upon arrival, she was admitted directly into the ICU. Every day, they received a new bill, and the numbers on it made their hearts leap into their throats.

After half a month of treatment in the city and spending over a hundred thousand, just as she seemed to be improving, she suddenly developed complications. Now the family had to make a decision: surgery or conservative treatment?

The old woman was in her eighties, already in her final years. The doctor had said that even if they spent hundreds of thousands on the high-risk surgery, and even if it was a success, her body was so frail that she probably wouldn’t live much longer.

This made the decision agonizing.

If they didn’t opt for the surgery and took her home, she might live a little longer by letting nature take its course.

If they went ahead with the surgery, the money would be gone for good, and even if she recovered, she still wouldn’t live much longer once she got home.

She was in her eighties, after all.

Her grandmother had found Shen Qingning as a baby and raised her alone. The rest of the family had disapproved, but the old woman was kind-hearted and insisted, so there was nothing they could do.

Because the sons had already established their own separate households, the grandmother lived by herself in the old family house. Her three sons were all away, working themselves to the bone to support their own families, so she tried not to be a burden.

In short, the entire family was very poor.

The grandmother had raised Shen Qingning by collecting and selling scraps, a life of hardship that left her with a host of health problems. To be honest, her current frail state was a direct result of raising the girl. Because of this, Shen Qingning was never truly welcome in the Shen Family.

But Shen Qingning was sensible and mature. She was a diligent student and worked hard to earn money, hoping to give her grandmother a better life. She had already spent all her savings on this hospital stay, which was why she had resorted to setting up a stall at Taikoo Li—though it was just a drop in the bucket.

At that moment, silence fell outside the ICU. The Shen’s were at their wits’ end; they were completely out of money. The only option was for her first uncle to sell his house, but even if his wife agreed, there was no guarantee it would sell right away. They needed the money now. They had already borrowed all they could, but now they needed over 400,000. Who could they possibly ask? A farmer’s friends are all farmers. Borrowing ten or twenty thousand was one thing, but a sum like this was impossible.

The problem was that the doctor had said the surgery was risky. The 400,000 would only buy them a chance.

This made the decision even more agonizing. With no money, it was an impossible gamble.

"...How about this? We’ll keep her in the ICU for observation for two more days. If there’s no improvement, we’ll take Mom back home. A woman in her eighties shouldn’t have to suffer like this. We can put her on conservative treatment at home."

The second uncle put it tactfully. The other two uncles remained silent. After all, they truly had no money, and this wasn’t a problem that brave words could solve.

"No! If Grandma goes home, she’ll just be waiting to die."

Shen Qingning immediately shot down their idea.

At her words, the three uncles said nothing. Deep down, they wanted to go through with the treatment, despite the risks, but they simply didn’t have the means. All they could do was remain silent.

However, Shen Qingning’s words grated on her three aunts. They already couldn’t stand the sight of this ’burden,’ believing that if it weren’t for her, the old woman wouldn’t be in this situation. In their eyes, it was all Shen Qingning’s fault.

The second aunt shook off the first aunt’s hand, stormed over, and pointed a finger in Shen Qingning’s face, unleashing a torrent of abuse filled with vile words. Passing doctors and nurses didn’t even spare them a glance; in a hospital, countless stories of ordinary people unfold daily, and over time, one grows accustomed to them.

"...Are you saying we’re unwilling to spend money to treat your grandmother? Treatment? Who wouldn’t want that? But the doctor himself said that with her condition, even with these exorbitant medical fees, there’s no guarantee she can be saved." The aunt shot her a contemptuous look. "Easy for you to say. If it weren’t for you, Shen Qingning, we wouldn’t be in this situation! We must have wronged you in a past life for you to come and bring ruin to our family! Shut your mouth! You have no right to speak here. Get lost."

Her first uncle came over and patted Shen Qingning’s shoulder. "Qingning, I know you’re a devoted granddaughter, but you understand the situation. We’re truly out of money for treatment. The ICU costs thousands a day—where are we supposed to get that kind of money? That’s your grandmother in there, my mother. Of course I want to save her, but the doctor said the surgery is extremely risky and recommended conservative treatment."

She could die on the operating table. Besides, for ordinary families in this kind of situation, many stop treatment at this point. When a recovery seems hopeless, they often respect the elder’s wishes, stop treatment, and go home for palliative care. After all, they weren’t a wealthy family. They simply couldn’t afford to keep burning through hundreds of thousands in the hospital.

...

A short while later, the doctor returned to ask for their decision. Her first uncle told him they would like to observe her for two more days, and if there was no improvement, they would take her home for conservative treatment.

"Alright."

The doctor said no more and turned to handle the paperwork. ’He had no objections. After all, the patient was in her eighties and the risk was immense. Many families in this situation opted for conservative treatment, taking their loved one home to live out their remaining days.’