"I'm in a meeting. You guys find a hotel near the station to stay in first. I'll come over after the meeting."

Fang Yanming hung up the phone and turned it off. He didn't want to get involved with this family. Today's meeting was very important. The bureau chief was personally presiding over the meeting, and he couldn't just leave halfway through. Besides, he had to report on several major cases, so he couldn't leave at all.

Fang Yanming's cousin, Xu Tianlai, was dumbfounded. Undeterred, he dialed again, but only heard a clear female voice saying "The other party's phone is switched off." He was furious and said angrily, "Yanming's phone is switched off. He's not answering my calls. What does he mean by that?"

"It's off? That can't be right, try calling again."

Aunt Fang leaned weakly against her husband, barely able to stand. She looked even more haggard than during the New Year, skin and bones, her eyes sunken, like a skeleton.

Her health wasn't good to begin with, and then she took an overnight train ride in a hard seat. Xu Tianlai couldn't afford to buy her a sleeper berth, so Aunt Fang couldn't take it. She was like a dead person, and she didn't even have the strength to speak.

Xu Tianlai called again, but the phone was still off.

“Even though it’s closed, Yanming still told us to find a hotel to stay in. Humph, he never intended for us to stay at his house,” Xu Tianlai said angrily.

He hadn't considered staying in a hotel on this trip. He'd heard that Fang Yanming's house had three large rooms, enough for him and his parents to stay comfortably. They could also eat and drink at Fang Yanming's house, saving on food and lodging costs.

Moreover, Fang Yanming has extensive connections here and definitely knows good doctors. If he can make an introduction, the medical expenses can be discounted. If he doesn't have enough money, Fang Yanming can't just watch his mother be kicked out of the hospital!

Xu Tianlai had already made up his mind. Not only would he mooch off Fang Yanming for food and drink, but he would also have Fang Yanming cover the shortfall in surgery fees. It was over 100,000 yuan, which he couldn't possibly come up with. Fang Yanming was an official and definitely had money. It was only right that he would contribute some money to save his mother, who was his own aunt!

But now, before his plan could even begin, Fang Yanming had already cut off his head, and he couldn't even see him. Xu Tianlai didn't even have Fang Yanming's address.

"Call your aunt and tell her," Uncle Fang suggested. His craving for a cigarette flared up again, so he couldn't resist taking out his pipe, lighting it, and puffing away until wisps of white smoke rose from it.

Aunt Fang couldn't help but cough a few times, then covered her nose and said weakly, "Stop smoking, I feel uncomfortable."

Uncle Fang frowned, feeling unhappy. "What's the point of living if I can't even smoke? The doctor is talking nonsense. He said his wife's illness was caused by his smoking. What a load of crap... He smokes every day and he's not sick, but his wife is sick even though she doesn't smoke. What kind of logic is that?"

Xu Tianlai hurriedly said, "Dad, stop smoking. Listen to the doctor."

"I feel uncomfortable if I don't smoke."

Uncle Fang replied in a muffled voice, still puffing away, producing even more white smoke. Passing travelers all covered their noses and gave Uncle Fang disapproving looks. Aunt Fang's face turned even more unpleasant, and she staggered away.

A uniformed staff member walked over and said sternly, "Sir, smoking is prohibited in the station. You will be fined ten yuan."

The staff member took out the receipt, scribbled on it a few times, tore it off, and handed it to Uncle Fang.

Uncle Fang stared at the staff member in astonishment, his pipe still smoking. He stammered, "I...I don't know..."

No one told him that smoking was prohibited in this area. Little did he know that smoking would cost money. Ten yuan could buy him several kilograms of tobacco leaves, enough to smoke for half a year.