Chapter 120: When the Big Shot is Down and Out

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: When the Big Shot is Down and Out

Wei’s mother stepped in right on time, taking Tuantuan from Mr. Wei’s arms.

Tuantuan curled her arms and legs into a ball in resistance. "No, no! I just want my mommy."

"Okay, how about Auntie rolls a hard-boiled egg over your eyes? That way they won’t be all puffy tomorrow." Wei’s mother had brushed up on quite a bit of parenting knowledge lately. Changing the subject, she gently asked, "Auntie knows you just miss your mommy, and that’s why you’re upset. You’re unhappy, right? Your mommy hasn’t been able to spend enough time with you."

Tuantuan was still softly sobbing. Hearing Wei’s mother’s gentle tone, she lifted her tear-soaked lashes to look at her, then timidly and barely noticeably nodded her little chin.

It was rare to see the usually energetic Tuantuan acting so shy and bashful. Everyone’s hearts instantly melted. No one minded the little one’s tantrum anymore. As wonderful as it was for a child to be mature, an occasional fit made her seem all the more genuine and adorable. They all wished they could scoop her into their arms and coax her.

"Mommy... Mommy never stays with me." Tuantuan hiccuped.

Wei’s mother held her small hands to keep her from rubbing her eyes. "You can’t blame Mommy. She doesn’t have time because she has to work to provide for you. Plus, Mommy has her own things to do. She can’t stay with you all day long."

Tuantuan didn’t understand. She asked in a muffled, nasal voice, "I can revolve around Mommy all day. Why can’t Mommy revolve around me all day?"

Wei Qi was equally puzzled. "Didn’t you just say it yourself? Your mom has to support the family and do her own things."

Tuantuan’s mouth turned down into a pout again. She just wanted her mommy!

Wei’s mother understood perfectly. No matter how well-behaved Tuantuan was, she was still just a two-year-old child. Logically, she could comprehend her mother’s actions, but emotionally, she couldn’t accept them. That was why she kept crying for her mommy while being too afraid to actually go look for her. All the adults could do was hold her and patiently soothe her.

"Sleep with Auntie tonight, and Auntie will tell you a bedtime story, okay?"

Tuantuan finally stopped crying completely. Though her eyes were still red and swollen, her tense little body gradually relaxed. Snuggling into Wei’s mother’s embrace, she gave a tiny nod. Burying her face in the older woman’s shoulder, she let out a soft, muffled sound of agreement. "...Mhm."

Wei Shu tugged at his father’s pant leg, signaling to be picked up too. After bringing his face close to Tuantuan’s, he declared, "Then I’m sleeping with Mommy tonight too!"

"Alright. What about Xiaoqi?" Wei’s mother asked.

Wei Qi was past the age of wanting to be carried by adults. Standing off to the side, he took a bite of his hard-boiled egg. "I’ll sleep by myself!"

Mr. Wei offered a wry smile and asked the nanny to prepare a guest room for him to sleep in.

Tuantuan leaned close to Wei’s mother’s ear and whispered, "Did Mommy say what time she’s coming to pick me up tomorrow? Wake me up as soon as the sun comes up, okay?"

Wei Yin pressed two hard-boiled eggs wrapped in a handkerchief into Tuantuan’s hands, telling her to close her eyes and roll them over her eyelids. She was actually really hoping Deng Yuyuan would come back tonight, too. She was dying to see what Deng Yuyuan looked like dressed in men’s clothing—surely she’d have an added touch of androgynous heroism. Wei Yin even had her camera ready!

As Tuantuan’s emotions settled, her budding sense of pride returned. "You can’t tell Mommy tomorrow that I cried."

"Mhm, mhm," they agreed, though they fully intended to tell her anyway.

When the sky was just barely getting light, Wu Ying’s biological clock woke her up. Propping her neck up slightly, she glanced around and was surprised to find Deng Yuyuan asleep at her feet. Deng Yuyuan’s arms were loosely circled around her injured leg, presumably to keep her from accidentally bumping the wound in her sleep.

"Sister Xiao Yuan..." Wu Ying called out softly.

Deng Yuyuan’s eyelids fluttered, and her gaze quickly sharpened into wakefulness. She immediately got up and helped Wu Ying wash up.

[It is currently raining lightly. Heavy rain is expected in one hour.]

Deng Yuyuan wrapped Wu Ying securely in a raincoat, tied an extra piece around her injured leg, and scooped her up in a princess carry. Instructing the girl to hold the umbrella steady, she sprinted toward the hospital.

Deng Yuyuan’s embrace was unexpectedly steady. Looking at her meticulous side profile, Wu Ying silently closed her eyes. She felt as reliable as the mother Wu Ying had always imagined.

Deng Yuyuan stopped to buy two meat buns first. Only after they finished eating did they continue on their way. Wu Ying lowered her eyelashes and didn’t try to stop Deng Yuyuan. Once they reached the hospital to register, Deng Yuyuan would figure it out. It was better to save the money to spend on herself. Spending it on Wu Ying was just a waste.

Registration, X-rays... by the time the whole process was finished, it was nearly noon.

The doctor carefully examined the X-rays and delivered some good news to Deng Yuyuan. "If your child undergoes surgery for her leg, there is an eighty percent chance of a full recovery."

"Does a full recovery mean she won’t be crippled?" Deng Yuyuan asked cautiously, suppressing her excitement.

Sitting nearby, Wu Ying remained silent, showing no signs of excitement on her face.

"Yes. However, the cost will be a major issue," the doctor laid it all out. "Only one doctor in our hospital possesses this surgical technique, so the surgery schedule will need to be negotiated. Furthermore, she’s had this injury for quite a long time. The subsequent rehabilitation will be very tedious and expensive. The total cost will be upwards of fifty thousand yuan. If your family has financial difficulties, I can just prescribe some painkillers for you."

"Painkillers, please," Wu Ying said.

"Please help us contact that doctor," Deng Yuyuan said at the exact same time.

The doctor looked between them. "Treatment only begins after payment is made. Which plan are we going with?"

Deng Yuyuan glared at Wu Ying. No wonder the girl had been so quiet earlier—she already knew her leg could be cured.

"We want the full cure. Write up the invoice, and I’ll go pay it. My child is young and doesn’t know any better. She was just spooked by the cost and started spouting nonsense."

The doctor agreed but offered one final warning. "If you stop the treatment halfway through, all the money you spent prior might be for nothing."

"Understood. Thank you, Doctor."

Deng Yuyuan picked Wu Ying up and left the office, setting her down on a bench in the hall to wait while she went to pay the bill.

Wu Ying called out to stop her. "It’s fine to just leave with the invoice without paying. I don’t have that much money. Besides, I’m eighteen now. I need to take responsibility for my own decisions."

"And you claim you aren’t a kid. Only a kid fails to distinguish what’s truly important," Deng Yuyuan said, tapping Wu Ying on the head three times with her fingers, hoping she would catch the hint and attain enlightenment like Sun Wukong. "You’re only eighteen. Spending a few tens of thousands to buy you over eighty years of health and mobility is an incredibly worthwhile bargain. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish over a little bit of money.

"If you don’t have the money, you should have just asked to borrow it from me sooner. Having two healthy legs is the most important thing. You’re still too young, and the world you’ve seen is too small. You have no idea how vast the future is. Fifty thousand yuan won’t crush a person, but a crippled leg will follow you like a shadow, dragging you down for the rest of your life."

[How are you so certain she’ll live to be a hundred, with over eighty years left in her future?]

"You always have to look on the bright side." Deng Yuyuan then asked the AI assistant, "Can you calculate whether her surgery has a high success rate or not?"

[Yes, it does. Because she is a future bigshot currently falling on hard times.]