Chapter 17 He Actually Lied
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry to trouble you all," Mu Yan said, his head bowed. His voice was low and soft because he lacked confidence. "...If I pay for this dialysis session, could you let my mother have her dialysis session today first?"
"Sir, I can't make that decision; it's all hospital policy," the nurse said, looking troubled.
"I know, I know." Mu Yan felt his eyes stinging, but he absolutely couldn't cry at this moment.
"I know I've caused you trouble, and I know you've already helped my family a lot. I'll try my best to pay back the debt next week, but could you please make an exception for today...?"
The nurse shook her head, indicating that she really couldn't help.
Mu Yan wasn't a shameless person, and he knew he was making things difficult for others, but anyone in such a situation would find dignity and principles less important.
"Xiao Wu, take Mr. Mu's mother to get dialysis first."
A calm voice rang out, and Mu Yan turned her head to see Director Liu, her mother's attending physician.
Director Liu was over fifty years old and rarely smiled, so Mu Yan was actually quite afraid of him. At first, he tried to give Director Liu some fruit and cigarettes, but Director Liu refused him each time with harsh words.
"Thank you, Director Liu, thank you, Director Liu..." Mu Yan choked up and could barely speak, only able to repeat the words of thanks over and over again.
Director Liu shook his head: "There's nothing to thank me for. Hurry up and take your mother to get dialysis."
"But Director, what should we do? We can't even print out the order for Ms. Mu Juanhua," the nurse said hesitantly.
“It’s a matter of life and death, and Mr. Mu has already paid the fee. It’s not necessary to put Ms. Mu’s name on the receipt.”
The nurse seemed to understand something, but still had some doubts: "But the patient in the next bed only gets tested once a week, what if they check..."
Mu Yan said urgently, "If they investigate, just say it was me..."
“As long as no one’s interests are harmed, no one will investigate us,” Director Liu said with a frown. “I believe Ms. Mu’s relatives will make up the 150,000 yuan.”
The nurse suddenly realized what was going on, grabbed Mu Yan's arm, and pulled him out.
"Mr. Mu, please don't tell anyone about this..."
Mu Yan nodded repeatedly.
When Mu Yan returned to his mother's ward, his mother had already packed up the lunchbox and washed the thermos in the bathroom. Mu Yan asked her reproachfully why she hadn't waited for him. His mother smiled and said it was nothing, and she was capable of doing it herself.
After finishing dialysis, Mu Yan spent some more time with her mother.
"Yan Yan looks great in this outfit today. She looks lively and like a college student."
Mu Yan smiled and said, "Mom, I haven't even been out of school for two years yet. I'm only a year older than college graduates."
Mu Juanhua looked at him and said, "Yes, if I hadn't dragged you down, you would still be studying. Many of those students who didn't do as well as you are already pursuing master's or doctoral degrees."
Mu Yan said softly, "What do you mean by being a burden? If it weren't for Mom, I might have dropped out of school in junior high. Besides, Mom, even master's and doctoral degrees require exams. I was just incredibly lucky in the college entrance exam. How can I be so lucky in every exam? I might not even pass."
Mu Juanhua remained silent, her eyes reddening slightly.
"You're capable of getting in... because you've always had good grades since you were little."
"It's not as good as Mom says..." Mu Yan lowered her eyes, avoiding eye contact with her mother.
His mother was right; he had lied.
In order to win scholarships, he consistently ranked among the top three in the department and frequently participated in various competitions. How could he not be eligible for postgraduate admission without taking the entrance exam?
Moreover, he has been working with Professor Zhang's research group all along. Even if he doesn't qualify for postgraduate admission, it wouldn't be difficult for him to get into the graduate program at this university.
Professor Zhang liked him very much and said that even if Mu Yan didn't like his research direction and wanted to go to a research group abroad, he would still write a letter of recommendation for Mu Yan.
However, Mu Yan did not want to continue studying.
He didn't feel like he had sacrificed anything. He didn't like doing scientific research. Rather than spending all his time in the lab reading papers, he would rather get a well-paying job as soon as possible to ease his brother's burden.
Mu Yan's profession places more emphasis on individual technical skills than academic qualifications. He might have learned as much in three years of work as he has in three years of graduate studies. As for a doctorate, that's something he's never even considered.
For others, the campus is an ivory tower, a greenhouse where they don't have to interact with society. But for Mu Yan, it's not like that. Studying means he can't earn money, and it means his brother has to continue to support their mother, who spends three thousand yuan a month just on dialysis.
Professor Zhang advised him that if he continued his studies, he might be able to earn more money in the future.
Yes, Professor Zhang would never lie to him, but can his mother really wait until later?
For the past twenty years, Mu Yan has seemed to be constantly on edge, like an ant on a hot pan, worrying about money.
But do I really care that much about money?
Actually, no.
If he could live like an ordinary person, without worrying about not having enough to eat, being evicted by the landlord, or his mother's illness, Mu Yan could also treat money like dirt, just like the innocent omega in idol dramas.
After leaving his mother's hospital room, Mu Yan slumped onto a cold iron chair on the first floor of the hospital.
A mechanical female voice coldly called out numbers, and the large screen displayed the patients' genders and names. The display screen outside the dialysis room on the third floor should also be calling out numbers now.
Such sounds almost wore out Mu Yan's ears.
The phone screen displayed the contact Lin Yi, but the call button wouldn't budge.
The PIN for that bank card...only my brother knows it.
Mu Yan believed that her brother would not do such a thing, but if Lin Yi set a password that involved his or her mother's birthday, ID number, and phone number, then if someone deliberately tried to change the password at different bank branches, it would be... entirely possible to guess.
The debt of 150,000 yuan hit him like a blunt object, leaving him completely disoriented.
How is he going to bring this up with his brother?
The phone screen suddenly flashed, and his brother Lin Yi's name appeared on the caller ID. Mu Yan took a deep breath, forcing himself to sound calm, and answered the phone.
"Yan Yan, did you take Mom to dialysis today?"
"Brother," Mu Yan's voice trembled slightly, "I..."
"Do you know about that card? Don't worry," Lin Yi's voice was gentle on the other end of the phone. "It's okay for dialysis. I spoke to Dr. Liu last week, but I forgot to tell you. He'll help. Go ask him for help."
"Brother," Mu Yan asked softly, "So... you already knew all along?"
The phone number that was linked to was originally Lin Yi's.
That time, Liu Guang thought Lin Yi was working so hard to get business because of Lin Guojun's gambling debts, and he even helped Brother Zhuo say some harsh words to Lin Yi.
He scolded Lin Yi for being foolish, knowing full well what kind of person Lin Guojun was yet still going to such lengths for him.
Lin Yi didn't say anything, just listened quietly. Finally, he patted Mu Yan's head and said, "Yan Yan is right. I've remembered it and I won't do it again."
“Last week, the hospital staff told me, but I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you would worry. I was going to tell you today that I took Mom to dialysis, but Jiajia had a fever, so I forgot.”
“I set the password, and it’s my responsibility that Dad guessed it. I’ll find a way to resolve it. I’ll make up the money before the dialysis next week, so don’t worry, Yan Yan.”
Lin Yi's tone was so calm and composed that it almost made people forget that 150,000 was not a small sum that they could easily dispose of.
"Brother, where did you get the money?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. Lin Yi seemed to be stumped by the question, and after a few seconds she managed to reply, "I've been working for so many years, I can still figure out how to make this kind of money."
Mu Yan keenly sensed Lin Yi's evasive words and immediately became somewhat uneasy.
He knew his brother's personality well; Lin Yi was always steady and rational and would not easily make decisions beyond his capabilities.
"Where did you get the money?" Mu Yan asked again.
"You can't go to those fancy places with clients anymore, bro. They're just messing with you. That's how rich people are. Even if you go to those kinds of places with them, they won't just agree to sign the contract. They'll only push their luck..."
"Why does Yan Yan think of me like that?" Lin Yi asked back.
Lin Yi's reaction stumped Mu Yan. A pang of guilt rose in his heart, and his lips moved slightly, unsure of what to say to make amends.
However, Mu Yan knew Lin Yi's family situation better than anyone else. Lin Yi's base salary was not high, and Xiang Zhuo received a fixed salary. After deducting the mortgage, the cost of his mother's hospitalization and dialysis, and daily expenses, there was almost no money left each month.
"I'm sorry, brother, I didn't mean to think that way about you. I was just afraid you'd think the last person was an isolated case, because Liuguang really isn't a good place..."
Lin Yi said gently, "I know you care about me. I'm your brother, how could I be angry with you over this?"
"But brother," Mu Yan asked, his voice low and a little flustered, unsure whether Lin Yi was deliberately trying to change the subject. "Where did you get the money from...?"
"Okay, Yan Yan, don't worry about me. I told you I'd handle it. Just trust me. I've been working in society for so many years, I still have friends who can lend me 150,000 yuan. Xiang Zhuo's parents also have some savings."
How could Mu Yan not overthink it? The money came too quickly, so quickly that it felt unreal to him.
He gritted his teeth, a sudden, indescribable anxiety rising within him.
But Lin Yi didn't want to talk about it, and he didn't dare to press her further.
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