18: Chapter 18: Tang Xi, It’s Actually You!
18: Chapter 18: Tang Xi, It’s Actually You!
The next morning, Tang Xi went to the mobile service hall and got a new SIM card.
She visited a used electronics market, looking for a cheap mobile phone to use temporarily.
Being without a mobile phone really wasn’t an option.
“Sir, I just need a phone that can make calls and send texts,” she said.
The shop owner frowned at Tang Xi, “Where can you find such outdated phones these days?
Take this model, it’s 70 percent new.
I’ll give you a discount.”
Tang Xi inserted her SIM card and powered on the phone.
Tang Xi opened the WeChat group.
She knew a woman named Sister Li who often posted part-time job opportunities in the group.
After a busy afternoon, Tang Xi arrived at South Mountain Hall in the evening.
She changed into a waiter’s uniform.
Inside the changing room were young ladies around Tang Xi’s age, some with familiar faces, often recognizing each other from part-time work here.
“Tang Xi, you’re working tonight too?
What a coincidence,” said a quietly beautiful young girl greeting Tang Xi.
Tang Xi smiled, “Yeah, I have the day off.”
The young lady was Yu Na, a junior at a university in North City.
Due to her mother’s illness, Yu Na had been working part-time to pay for her tuition and her mother’s medical bills.
Seeing Yu Na reminded Tang Xi of herself four years prior, in the same situation.
Tonight, Tang Xi was assigned to a private room with a class reunion, about 20 people, and they didn’t leave until around eleven.
Tang Xi and Yu Na cleaned up the trash, tidied the private room, got a signature from the supervisor, and received their pay for the evening.
Yu Na bit her lip, “Supervisor…
about what you said last time…
does it still stand?”
The supervisor smiled, “Of course.
Have you thought it through?”
Yu Na’s face was very pale, and after what seemed like a struggle, she finally nodded, “Yeah.”
Tang Xi was taken aback, realizing something, and called out to Yu Na.
Yu Na looked at Tang Xi, with a numb expression in her eyes, “Tang Xi, you don’t understand…
My mom is not going to make it…
late-stage liver cancer, she will die without imported medicine…
it’s a painful way to go.”
Tang Xi clenched her fists tightly, opening her mouth as she certainly understood Yu Na’s feelings.
The supervisor nodded and then turned to Tang Xi, “Little Tang, you should consider it too.
I know you need money, what’s the use of dignity for the poor?” Seeing Tang Xi just lowering her head without any reaction, the supervisor didn’t press further and left with Yu Na.
Tang Xi walked out of South Mountain Hall.
That night, she arrived at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.
She spent the night with Tang Jingyun, who was still lying in the ICU, unconscious.
Tang Xi sat down on the hallway’s rest chair.
The hospital at night, especially near the ICU, was very quiet.
Almost everyone inside was critically ill, and the families outside seemed to have become numb to how serious the conditions were, their faces devoid of expression.
It became slightly cool as the sky began to brighten.
Tang Xi was awakened by a series of hurried footsteps.
Then came crying and resuscitation sounds.
Tang Xi opened her eyes and glanced at her phone—it was around 4:30 in the morning.
A patient from the ICU had suddenly collapsed and was being resuscitated, while their family collapsed to the floor crying.
Tang Xi stood up, the crying in the silent hallway was chilling.
She walked over, and the relatives, a husband and wife, were supporting each other in tears.
Tang Xi recognized them; their patient, the wife’s mother, shared a room with Tang Jingyun and suffered also from late-stage uremia.
She had just been declared beyond help…
Tang Xi felt a chill down her spine.
She stepped back twice and leaned against the wall, as if she had lost all her strength.
She did not want, did not want Tang Jingyun to end the same way…
Around 8 a.m., Tang Shiyue arrived, bringing a breakfast of soy milk and a plain steamed bun for her.
“Sis, I don’t have classes today.
Let me stay here with mom so you can rest,” he said.
“Okay, call me if anything comes up.
I’ve changed my number and will send it to you on WeChat,” Tang Xi replied.
Tang Xi went to the hospital, proceeded with the usual routine—morning meetings, rounds, reviewing patient records, and as Zhang Tinghua’s right hand, took part in open-chest surgery.
During the lunch break, Tang Xi was exhausted but couldn’t fall asleep.
When she closed her eyes, all she could think about were the wails from early that morning.
She went out, bought some fruit, and took it to visit Qin Jianlan.
Qin Jianlan was still the same, in a coma.
Rong Auntie kept persuading Tang Xi to get along well with Fu Tingzhou, but Tang Xi just smiled, “Rong Auntie, I…
I’ve changed my number.
I’ll let you know in advance when I come to visit Auntie Qin.
Fu is also here, just remind me so I can avoid him.”