Chapter 98 I Got the Money
The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant and desperation.
Xu Yao's small shop, normally a bustling hub of activity, now resembles a looted battlefield.
Broken glass crunched underfoot, it was the "masterpiece" of the thugs.
Her heart was beating wildly between her ribs, like a rapid drumbeat, echoing the chaos around her.
She held Xiaofang's trembling hand tightly, both of them still in shock from the terrible ordeal.
Xue Han, the strong and reliable man who had promised her a different life, was gone.
Where did he go?
A new wave of fear threatened to overwhelm her.
She had to find him.
Just as she was about to rush out into the chaotic street, a figure appeared in the doorway, outlined by the last rays of the setting sun.
It’s Xue Han.
A feeling of relief washed over her, so strong that she almost couldn't stand.
But he seemed a little different.
His usually expressionless face revealed a gentleness, a vulnerability that she rarely saw.
And he was holding a wad of cash tightly in his hand.
"Yaoyao," he called to her in a voice as rough as granite, yet as gentle as a summer breeze, "I got the money. We can pay for your mother's surgery."
Xu Yao stared at the stack of money, then looked at him, her heart full of confusion.
"Where did you get this money?"
He hesitated, his eyes dropping to the ground, avoiding her probing gaze.
This unnatural shyness alerted her more than any emotional outburst.
"I…I sold some stuff."
A chill ran through her heart.
She knew that Xue Han didn't have anything valuable.
What on earth did he sell to get so much money?
"What did you sell, Xue Han?" Her voice was almost a whisper, full of fear.
He finally looked at her, his eyes gleaming with a strange mixture of pain and determination.
“My watch,” he said, his words thick with emotion. “The one my grandfather gave me.”
The world seemed to be spinning all of a sudden.
That watch.
The watch he treasured was a tangible link to his past and his family.
The watch he had sworn he would never give up.
He sold it for her, for her mother.
She couldn't help sobbing and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
The familiar smell of pine trees and earth, which always brought comfort to her, now made her burst into tears.
How could she repay him?
This man, this incredibly wonderful man, had sacrificed a part of himself for her.
He gave her not only money, but also his heart.
"Oh, Xue Han..." She choked, her voice hoarse with excitement, "I don't deserve all this."
He hugged her tightly, stroking her hair with his rough hands.
"Don't say that, Yaoyao. Your family is my family."
Xu Yao snuggled up to him tightly, a glimmer of hope igniting in her heart.
Despite the chaos and fear surrounding her, she knew she was not alone.
She has him.
This, she realized, was what mattered most.
They will face this together.
The hospital corridors were dead silent, echoing with footsteps, the air filled with the smell of disinfectant and people's whispered worries.
Xu Yao held Xue Han's hand tightly, intertwining their fingers, drawing strength from his company.
The stack of cash in her other hand was heavy, a tangible manifestation of Xue Han's sacrifice. The feeling of gratitude weighed on her heart like a huge rock.
Doctor Chen, his face etched with the fatigue of countless sleepless nights, greeted them with a solemn expression.
He lowered his voice and spoke calmly, which was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Xu Yao's fragile hope.
"Mrs. Xu's condition is more complicated than we initially thought. This operation... is very risky." He paused, his eyes meeting Xu Yao's, with both sympathy and professional calmness.
"But without surgery..." He didn't need to finish the sentence.
The unspoken words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of impending loss.
Xu Yao's breath stagnated in her throat and her stomach felt cold.
She swayed slightly, and Xue Han held her hand tightly, bringing her back to reality.
He took a step forward, his voice firm and decisive.
"We understand the risks, Doc. But we have to try. We have to do everything we can."
Dr. Chen nodded. "I understand. We will do our best, too." He looked at the young couple, their hands tightly clasped together, their faces filled with a mixture of fear and determination.
He saw the depth of their love, the unspoken promise in their eyes.
He cleared his throat. "Now, let's get into the specifics..." He paused mid-sentence, noticing something in their clasped hands... flickering under the fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor.
“That’s…” Well, buckle up, because we’re about to enter Chapter 98, “Deep Possessions, Deeper Love,” a chapter with several twists that will make you cry first… and then pump your fists with excitement!
The air in Xu Yao's shop was suffocatingly thick, filled with the awful smell of broken glass and shattered dreams.
Seriously, it looks like a tornado met a glass fair.
Where is her heart?
It was like a cha-cha dance between her ribs, the frantic rhythm accompanying the disaster movie playing out in her mind.
Where is he?
Just as panic threatened to consume her, a figure appeared in the doorway, silhouetted against the fading light of the setting sun.
It’s Xue Han.
A feeling of relief washed over her, so strong that she almost collapsed to the ground.
But something was different…somehow, his aura had become softer around the edges.
And he had a wad of cash so thick it could choke a horse.
"Yaoyao," his voice, which was usually as rough as sandpaper, was now as soft as warm honey, "I got the money. We can pay for your mother's surgery."
Xu Yao blinked, looking confused.
"Where did you get this money?" Seriously, did he find a money tree behind the hardware store?
He shifted his feet uncomfortably, suddenly becoming shy.
This is not a good sign.
This man isn’t even afraid of bears (maybe he really isn’t), but now he’s like this?
"I…I sold some stuff."
A cold, creamy fear swirled in the pit of her stomach.
Xue Han didn't have any valuable belongings.
"What did you sell, Xue Han?" she had to ask, even though the answer might break her heart.
He looked directly into her eyes, and there seemed to be a storm brewing in his eyes.
“My watch,” he said, each word weighing like a lead block. “The one my grandfather gave me.”
Well, by golly, you've got my attention.
That watch?
It was almost a part of him, a family heirloom that he treasured as if it were made of solid gold.
He practically vowed to wear it until his death.
And now?
That’s all.
Sold.
For her.
For her *mom*.
A sob broke from her throat and she threw herself into his arms, burying her face in the roughness of his jacket.
The scent of pine needles and hard work—normally her most comforting scents—now amplified the mixed feelings of guilt and gratitude she was feeling.
"Oh, Xue Han...I don't deserve you to do this."
He hugged her tightly, stroking her hair with his calloused hands.
"Don't say that, Yaoyao. Your family is my family." Okay, someone get me a tissue!
She clung to him tightly, a faint glimmer of hope flickering in her heart.
They will face this mess together.
With *him* by her side?
Maybe, just maybe, they can make it.
The hospital corridors are filled with the smell of disinfectant and echo with soft whispers. This is where hope is shattered.
Xu Yao held Xue Han's hand tightly as if she were grabbing a life-saving straw, drawing courage from his steady strength.
The money in her other hand was like a hot brand - witnessing his sacrifice and carrying the weight of love and responsibility.
Dr. Chen, may his weary soul rest in peace, greeted them with a serious face that could turn milk sour.
"Mrs. Xu's condition is more complicated than we initially anticipated. This operation is... very risky." He paused, his eyes full of unspoken possibilities.
"But without surgery..."
Xu Yao's breathing quickened.
Xue Han held her hand tightly to calm her down.
"We understand the risks, Doc. We have to try. We have to do everything we can."
Doctor Chen nodded. He had seen a lot of things in the corridors of this hospital, but love like this?
So special.
"I understand. We'll do everything we can, too." He cleared his throat and was about to launch into a bunch of medical jargon when he paused, his eyes caught by something flickering in their linked hands.
"That's..." He narrowed his eyes and took a closer look, his professional mask cracking slightly.
"Is that... a pawn ticket?" He looked from the pawn ticket to Xue Han's bare wrist, then to Xu Yao, and a look of sudden realization slowly appeared on his face.
"Wait a minute... you sold the watch to pay for the surgery?" He paused, then a smile slowly spread across his tired face.
"You know what? I'm suddenly much more confident about Mrs. Xu's success rate in surgery."
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