After a thorough examination, Director Guan looked relaxed and concluded that the problem was minor and could be resolved with a single surgery. The two quickly finalized the surgery date.
After that phone call, Lu Yanting seemed to vanish into thin air and never contacted Qiu Mang again.
Qiu Mang stared blankly at Lu Yanting's phone number on her phone, feeling conflicted and unsure whether she should take the initiative to call him.
Qiu Li sat to the side, her little eyes darting around as she looked at Qiu Mang, who seemed lost in thought. She asked in a clear voice, "Sister, why hasn't that big brother come to see me anymore? Did you two have a fight?"
Qiu Mang paused, then came to her senses, gently stroking Qiu Li's braids and said softly, "We didn't quarrel. Big brother is too busy and can't find time to come see you."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Li's head drooped immediately. The usually cheerful and lively girl now showed a rare look of loneliness: "Okay then, Ah Li just wants to see big brother before the surgery. I'm a little scared to be alone."
Qiu Mang felt a pang of heartache and pulled the little girl into her arms, gently coaxing her, "Don't be afraid, your big sister is here. Big sister will protect you, don't be afraid of anything!"
The day of the surgery arrived in the blink of an eye, and Qiu Mang waited anxiously at the door of the operating room with a heart full of trepidation.
Suddenly, a simply dressed woman with slightly disheveled hair walked in through the door. "Amang, is Ali already in surgery?"
Qiu Mang looked up at the sound and saw that the person was her older sister, Qiu Dao.
"Sister, what brings you here?" Qiu Mang quickly stood up, her face full of astonishment.
Qiu Dao pulled Qiu Mang to sit down beside him, raised his hand to tidy her slightly messy hair, and said softly, "I heard it all from Aunt Zhang. Aunt Zhang said that my little sister has a heart condition and the family doesn't have the money to treat her. I heard that you brought her here, so Mom asked me to come and see you."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Mang exploded like a firecracker, violently shaking off Qiu Dao's hand and exclaiming emotionally, "What do you mean you don't have money to treat her illness? Zhang Guihua has plenty of money. How can you say you don't have money to treat Ali?"
Qiu Dao was clearly not expected Qiu Mang to react so strongly, and he froze on the spot, completely taken aback.
"What's wrong, Amang?" Qiu Dao asked with concern.
Qiu Mang looked into Qiu Dao's eyes and said, "Big sister, tell me the truth, what is your purpose in coming all this way today?"
Qiu Dao's heart clenched at the sight of her younger sister's wary expression. "A-Mang..."
"Tell me first, what exactly do you want to do here?" Qiu Mang unconsciously took a step back, creating some distance between herself and Qiu Dao.
Qiu Dao sighed softly and said slowly, "Amang, what's wrong with you, child? Our conditions in the countryside are limited, and we really couldn't afford to treat your little sister's illness. But now it's all right, you helped your little sister contact a doctor and she even had surgery. I was worried about her, so of course I rushed over to see you two."
At this point, Qiu Dao paused slightly, forced a smile, and continued, "You also have your own life to live. Mom said that if my little sister's illness is cured, she'll let me take her back. The child is still young, and she'll always want to stay by her mother's side, don't you think?"
Qiu Mang stared at Qiu Dao in astonishment. "Sister, you're so naive! Do you really think that Ali going back to Mom's is good for her? Do you really think that every mother in this world truly cares about her child?"
Qiu Dao was clearly taken aback, his face full of confusion. "A-Mang, what nonsense are you talking about? What mother doesn't think about her child? You've never been a mother, so naturally you can't understand this feeling."
Qiu Mang narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at Qiu Dao in disbelief, "Big sister, weren't you also cruelly sold by Zhang Guihua for a dowry? How come you're still so stubborn?"
Qiu Dao slowly reached out and gently patted Qiu Mang's back, earnestly advising, "A-Mang, what you said is too harsh. What do you mean by 'selling'? It's a matter of course for a girl to receive a bride price when she gets married, from ancient times to the present!"
Qiu Mang stared intently into Qiu Dao's eyes and pressed, "Sister, just tell me the truth, are you happy now?"
Qiu Dao's expression instantly became somewhat unnatural. She slowly lowered her eyes, avoiding Qiu Mang's gaze, and murmured, "A Mang, whether we're happy or not is another matter. What does it have to do with the bride price?"
"Sister, how can you still not understand? Your marriage was arranged and forced upon you by that woman. When she asked your husband for a dowry, she knew he couldn't possibly come up with that much money. If you really wanted to get married, he would definitely have to borrow money from all over the place."
But did she ever think about it? After you get married, won't you two be the ones paying off those debts? She, on the other hand, is living a carefree life at home with the dowry money, while pushing you and your brother-in-law into the fire of debt repayment.
If Zhang Guihua is truly a good mother, if she truly loves her daughter, would she bear to let her daughter shoulder these debts?
Upon hearing this, a hint of melancholy flashed deep in Qiu Dao's eyes, but he still spoke up: "But, don't people usually accept betrothal gifts when they marry off their daughters? If we don't accept betrothal gifts when we get married, we'll be laughed at by everyone."
Qiu Mang shook her head helplessly and earnestly advised, "Sister, whether you admit it or not, that woman has her own selfish motives. The dowry she wants is far higher than the standard in our hometown."
Qiu Mang paused, then continued, "Sister, you live for yourself, not for others. Would you rather be talked about and laughed at behind your back for a while, or carry a heavy debt and suffer for the rest of your life?"
These words were like a heavy hammer blow, striking Qiu Dao's soul and completely waking her from her chaotic self-anesthesia.
Her shoulders trembled slightly as she was forced to confront her own battered and painful life. The chaotic and trivial scenes from her past marriage flooded her mind like a tidal wave, and the fragmented memories stung her eyes, bringing tears to her eyes.
She slowly lowered her head, bit her lower lip, and stopped speaking, as if all the strength in her body had been drained by this cruel reality.
As Qiu Mang stared at the operating room light, Qiu Li's lovely face flashed through her mind. Suddenly, a crystal tear silently slid down her tired face.
She turned to Qiu Dao and said, "Sister, do you know? Zhang Guihua, that heartless woman, has committed far more sins than this. She not only sold us both out, but she also didn't spare Qiu Li, who is only three years old."
Qiu Dao looked up abruptly as if struck by lightning, a flash of surprise crossing his face.
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