"Wow, sister, is this for me?" Qiu Li jumped three feet high with excitement, her two little feet stomping happily on the ground.
With a smile on her lips, Qiu Mang slowly squatted down, gently stroked Qiu Li's head, and said softly, "Of course, our Ali is a cute and charming little princess, so naturally she needs her own princess room. How about it, do you like it?"
"I love it, I love it so much!" Qiu Li cheered and rushed into the room, jumped onto the small bed, hugged the plush toy and rolled around wildly, her eyes full of joy as if they were about to overflow.
Qiu Mang stood at the door, watching his sister's extremely happy expression, his heart filled with warmth and comfort.
The next morning, Qiu Mang woke up his sister, and after they ate something simple, he took her to Guangcheng Sixth Hospital, which was only three kilometers away from their home.
This hospital is renowned and has gathered many of the most authoritative experts in the field of cardiology.
"Sister, where are we going?" Qiu Li held Qiu Mang's hand tightly, blinking her big eyes as she looked around at the crowds and unfamiliar facilities in the outpatient hall.
Qiu Mang sighed softly, her tone gentle, "Ali, do you know? You're not feeling well, you've fallen ill a bit, so your sister brought you to see the doctor."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Li was visibly taken aback. She tilted her head to one side and, after a moment of thought, said, "Mom said I don't need to go to the hospital. The doctor has already prescribed medicine for me. If I take it every day, I'll get better."
Qiu Mang stopped abruptly, her face full of confusion. Medicine? Zhang Guihua didn't even want to feed her, why would she buy her medicine?
"This is the medicine!" Qiu Li said, pulling a strip of milk tablets from her small pocket as if presenting a treasure.
"She said my illness was very serious, and it cost a lot of money. The doctor only managed to prescribe a few pills after much difficulty, and he told me to take them sparingly."
Qiu Mang took the sachet of milk tablets, took a closer look, and almost laughed out of anger. This Zhang Guihua, actually using something like this to coax a child!
"Sister, I've already taken my medicine this morning, so I don't need to see a doctor, right?" Qiu Li looked up at him, her eyes full of questions.
Looking at Qiu Li's face, Qiu Mang suppressed the burning anger in her heart and explained in a gentle voice, "We still need to let the doctor take a look. The medical conditions in our countryside are limited. Now that we're in Guangcheng, the doctors here are more skilled. Only if they take a look will my sister feel at ease."
Qiu Li blinked, thought about it seriously, and then nodded obediently.
The two sisters wandered around the hospital for a while before finally finding the registration desk.
Not long after they left, Xiao Qiuli raised her little hand to her forehead, panting, and said, "Sister, I can't take it anymore, I feel a little dizzy."
Looking at the chubby little girl in front of her, Qiu Mang knew that she was weak and felt very sorry for her. She quickly bent down and picked her up, gently comforting her, "It's okay, I'll hold you."
Qiu Mang, carrying little Qiu Li, strode towards the registration desk.
The queue stretched like a long, winding dragon. They waited in line for a very long time. When it was finally her turn, the staff member didn't even lift an eyelid and told her expressionlessly, "The expert in treating heart disease is Director Guan. His expert appointments need to be booked in advance. If you want to book now, the earliest you can do so is three months from now."
"Three months?"
Qiu Mang felt a buzzing in her head. These few words were like a heavy hammer that slammed mercilessly into her heart. Her eyes instantly dimmed, filled with loss and despair.
Aunt Zhang had previously expressed her deep concern that Qiu Li's condition was not optimistic. Would these three long months be enough? Could her sister's illness afford to wait?
"Do you need to make an appointment?" Seeing that she didn't respond for a long time, the staff member raised his voice impatiently and asked again.
"Yes! Yes!" Qiu Mang suddenly came to her senses and quickly nodded in response.
"Then give me the relevant documents!" The staff member tapped the table impatiently.
After making the appointment, Qiu Mang held Qiu Li and sat dejectedly on a bench in the hospital corridor.
"Young lady, are you also going to register for Director Guan's appointment?"
Qiu Mang turned her head and saw a ragged old man standing shakily beside her, holding a baby of about one year old tightly in his arms. The baby's face was sallow and he looked to be in bad condition.
"Yes." Qiu Mang nodded slightly.
"You guys also came all the way from out of town?"
The old man spoke, his face etched with weariness and vicissitudes, the marks of time clearly visible on his deeply lined face.
Qiu Mang nodded slightly.
The old man, holding his young grandson, slowly sat down on the bench, then sighed deeply and said earnestly, "Young lady, we, the families of several patients, have rented a few rooms nearby, just steps from the hospital. Although the conditions are a bit simple, at least we can live there. If you're also short on money, come over with us, and we can split the rent. That way, we can save some money on medical expenses."
After the old man finished speaking, Qiu Mang looked around and felt a pang of sadness. All the people around him seemed to share the same plight.
The parents were hunched over and thin, with deep-set eyes. The children they held tightly in their arms were even thinner and thinner, their frail little bodies looking as if a gentle breeze could easily blow them over. Their sallow faces were devoid of any color. It was obvious that they had been tormented by illness for a long time.
There were also some grandparents, walking unsteadily and shakily with their grandchildren. Their clothes were simple and old, and they carried bulging, patched bundles on their backs. It was easy to guess that they had come from their remote hometowns, enduring hardships and long journeys.
In order to raise money for the child's medical treatment, their savings of many years must have been almost gone.
Even more striking was the sight of a single mother raising her child alone, her face etched with exhaustion. The hardships of life and the torment of illness were vividly portrayed in Qiu Mang's presence for the first time.
She knew in her heart that those who could travel from remote little places to Guangcheng specifically for medical treatment must have serious and difficult illnesses. The reason why everyone was sticking together for warmth was simply to save money during this difficult time.
Qiu Mang glanced at Qiu Li. Although Lu Yanting had given her a lot of money, she really had no idea how much the treatment would cost.
After hesitating for a moment, she shook her head slightly. Remembering Qiu Li's uncontrollable excitement last night about finally having her own princess room, she really didn't want to shatter this beautiful moment.
Qiu Mang looked at the old man and said softly, "Grandpa, thank you for your kindness, but... I don't need it for now."
After politely declining the old man's offer, Qiu Mang prepared to take Qiu Li home. However, at the corner of the corridor, she saw a tall and familiar figure. The man had one hand in his pocket and was on the phone.
Lu Yanting?
Qiu Mang was about to walk over and take a closer look when the man turned a corner and disappeared.
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