Chapter 228 Mao Mao, You Can't Be Favoritistic
After leaving the wonton stall, the group walked towards the theater.
They bought tickets for the first show of the afternoon, which was about to start.
Even after walking quite a distance, Xia Xiaoxiang couldn't help but look back towards the wonton stall. In the distance, she could only see the slender woman holding that small business card. Although she couldn't understand it, she still looked at it again and again.
She looked away, took Mao Mao's little hand, and couldn't help but ask, "Does this hospital really offer free treatment? I've never heard of that before?"
“It’s not necessarily free, but there are definitely reductions or exemptions.” The first wife explained, “Renji Hospital is a public hospital, and there are free consultation hours every week. Heming also often goes out to do free clinics on weekends. If someone is extremely poor, their medical expenses can be reduced or waived. I told her to go to Heming because I wanted to save her the surgery fee.”
After deducting the surgery fees and further reducing or waiving medical expenses, the remaining examination and hospitalization costs are not much.
If He's mother really goes to Renji Hospital to find Lou Heming, then she can conveniently pay the remaining fees for him.
In that case, it really would be free.
"Hospitals operate like businesses, and they lose money if they offer services for free. The First Madam has taken out a lot of her own money," the Second Madam said. "It's just that the First Madam often does charity work. Last time, she raised a large sum of money for the hospital, which has benefited countless people."
The third concubine wondered, "Then why did you give the wonton vendor by the roadside free of charge? Charity is charity, but you can't just pity everyone you see."
With so many people in Haicheng, if they all suffer, where would they find the extra resources?
The third concubine glanced at Mao Mao beside her and swallowed back what she was about to say.
Mao Mao tilted her little head back, her eyes wide open, listening intently.
When it came to getting treatment, Mao Mao was the most enthusiastic, wishing she could empty her wallet to cure her aunt's illness immediately.
The third concubine muttered, "Even if we've met before, they're still strangers."
The first wife gently shook her head: "She's not exactly a stranger; she's the mother of one of Ah Sui's classmates."
The ladies were all taken aback: "What?!"
Just now, when they casually mentioned at the wonton stall that the two of them might know each other, the First Madam didn't say any of this!
The first wife then recounted what had happened at the hospital.
She and Mao Mao went to the hospital to visit Chairman Zhang, where they encountered He Mingshu visiting his mother, whom Mao Mao mistook for her brother. Later, they learned about the mother and son from Shen Zhaolin.
The first wife touched the neatly combed little bun on Mao Mao's head and said, "So much time has passed, I thought Mao Mao had forgotten."
Mao Mao lowered her head, her chubby cheeks puffing out, and slowly said, "Auntie is sick, so brother won't have a mother anymore."
The ladies were all stunned.
Mao Mao clung to her mother's hand affectionately, pressed her chubby little face against her palm, and rubbed against it, saying, "I want my mother."
Xia Xiaoxiang cupped her soft little face in her palms and softly replied, "Mother is here."
The concubines remained silent for a while before the third concubine casually changed the subject: "So you're the fourth young master's classmate? What a coincidence."
"Exactly, after all the deductions, there's only a few dozen yuan left, not even enough to make a dress. I might as well just pay it off."
"Even Shen Zhaolin praised that student for being smart. He's definitely going to be number one. If he becomes successful in the future, he'll be working for the Marshal. We're training talent for the Marshal, and then we'll ask him to reimburse us."
"Our Mao Mao is such a kind-hearted baby."
The group chatted and laughed as they entered the theater.
They bought box seats and watched the play from the best seats. On the way back, the third concubine drove them.
After a day out, everyone returned home with bags and packages, leaving Mao Mao's little wallet empty.
But Mao Mao didn't mind at all. As soon as she got home, she happily ran back inside.
"elder brother!"
Lou Hongjian came out upon hearing the sound: "What?"
Mao Mao: "Fourth brother!"
Lou Hongjian: "Ah Sui hasn't finished school yet. Mao Mao, if you need anything, go find Third Brother."
Mao Mao blinked her big, dark eyes, then suddenly shook her head, clutched her little satchel, and ran away from under his arm.
Lou Hongjian raised an eyebrow, quickly grabbed the little sister who had run away from him, and reached out to tickle her waist: "What good thing? Only Asui gets it, and I don't? Mao Mao, you can't be biased."
"Hahaha..." Mao Mao giggled from the tickling, twisting her little body trying to escape his clutches: "Brother... Brother tickles... Hahaha..."
Taking advantage of her pushing him with her little hand, and not bothering to cover her small handbag, Lou Hongjian opened her handbag, casually reached in, and quickly pulled out two long boxes.
One was neatly packaged and tied with a bow. The other was sticking out, its outer packaging still bearing the brand name.
"pen?!"
Lou Hongjian was extremely jealous: "Mao Mao, why did you only prepare a gift for Asui? Didn't I get one?"
Mao Mao stared at him with her bright, dark eyes, looking at him with an adorable expression: "Brother doesn't write stories."
Lou Hongjian: "..."
He looked up again and saw the ladies of the house carrying bags full of packages. The second concubine took out a few and went to find the old lady: "Old lady, look what Mao Mao bought for you!"
Old Madam Lou: "Did Mao Mao buy it?"
"That's right, today when we went out, Mao Mao paid for everything."
Old Madam Lou frowned immediately: "How can we ask Mao Mao to pay for it?"
"Mao Mao is filial and good to his mothers."
The third concubine pulled two brocade scarves from the packaging bag, holding one in her hand and tying the other around her neck. She proudly raised her chin and deliberately asked, "So? Which one looks better? I think they both look good, I can't choose. Mao Mao, tell me, buy both."
"Me too, me too!" The second concubine put on her hat and showed it off to the others: "This hat Mao Mao bought for me, isn't it pretty?"
Not to mention the other three wives.
The Lou family home was filled with laughter and joy as all the ladies showed off their shopping hauls. Not only them, but even Mao Mao herself got a new music box.
She turned the handle, and the music box jingled and tinkled, with the little dog on it happily balancing a ball.
The big white cat, Dada, ran over and watched the puppy balance the ball with her.
Lou Hongjian: "…………"
Lou Hongjian looked down at his younger sister, who was engrossed in the music box, and couldn't help but gently pinch the soft flesh on her cheek.
"Mao Mao, you bought some for the mothers, and you didn't forget about Asui, but what about the other brothers?"
"hold head high?"
In the evening, everyone gradually returned home.
Lou Dashuai also had strong opinions.
"What about Daddy's?"
Lou Dashuai clutched the carefully packaged fountain pen, his face devoid of any smile.
"Mao Mao, you bought a gift for that guy Shen Zhaolin, what about Daddy's?" Lou Dashuai's heart was breaking: "Why did you give Shen Zhaolin... give Shen Zhaolin... you..."
Mao Mao happily announced, "Mao Mao is going to celebrate Uncle Chen's birthday!"
"Celebrate his birthday..." Lou Dashuai took a deep breath and swallowed the words back down his throat.
Mao Mao went to celebrate his rival's birthday, and he not only couldn't get angry, but also had to smile and send his daughter off at the door.
That's strange, didn't these two have a falling out last time? How come they're back together?!
He had to tell the gatekeeper that if he saw Shen Zhaolin again, he shouldn't be allowed to enter!
But Lou Dashuai was still dissatisfied: "Why prepare such a nice gift for that guy? An imported fountain pen, no less! Wouldn't it be better to use your allowance to buy yourself snacks?"
Mao Mao: "It's Uncle's birthday, we have to give him a present."
"A gift? You're already doing him a favor by going to his birthday party. A gift? Just pick a blade of grass for him from the roadside."
Lou Dashuai rudely stuffed the pen into his pocket, but was glared at by his first wife and had no choice but to reluctantly take it out.
"Mao Mao, even Dad has never used such a good fountain pen."
Mao Mao blinked and said generously, "Then give it to Dad."
General Lou was overjoyed: "Really?!"
Mao Mao nodded and said, "Mao Mao will buy Uncle Chen a new one tomorrow."
Commander Lou: "..."
The other pen was passed around among the three brothers.
Lou Yansui snatched her new fountain pen back from her brothers, carefully wiped it clean, leaving no fingerprints.
He held the new pen with obvious delight, beaming, "How did Mao Mao know? I was just about to need a new pen. With this pen, I'm sure I can write Mao Mao's story much more smoothly."
Lou Fengju gave a forced smile: "Ah Sui, I see your old pen is still usable, why don't you give me this one first?"
"Brother, you don't need it."
"Why wouldn't I need it? I just happen to be short a pen when I'm signing documents."
Lou Yansui wasn't fooled and generously said, "Brother, then I'll give you my old fountain pen."
Lou Fengju: "..."
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