Lai Wei nodded with difficulty, "When I was young, I suffered severe losses. Back then, if you didn’t work, you couldn’t eat. My mom sacrificed a lot for me."
Mi Lu seemed thoughtful, "Weiwei, I’ll get in touch with a good hospital for Auntie to get a check-up, what do you think?"
Lai Wei’s expression changed slightly, and Mi Lu hurriedly explained, "Weiwei, this isn’t charity, it’s help. There’s no expectation of repayment. You can wait, but Auntie can’t afford to. Auntie has a bad cough, which must be due to the dust at her old workplace."
On this point, Lai Wei couldn’t argue at all. Wasn’t it severe? So many people had died of tuberculosis.
Her mother had discovered it early on and left that factory, but she had still suffered some damage. Now her cough was severe, and earlier, when Lai Wei had worked a summer job, she had taken her mother for a check-up, the prognosis wasn’t good.
She hid away crying alone, not telling her mother about her condition, just desperately working, buying medicine, and coaxing her mother to take it.
In recent years, her mother’s health had been declining, and she didn’t dare to think what worse might look like.
Now, regarding Mi Lu’s offer, it wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful, she just couldn’t accept the help.
Lai Wei’s refusal was blocked by Mi Lu, who wrapped her arms around Lai Wei’s, "Weiwei, please don’t refuse me on this. You know I’m not pitying you."
Lai Wei smiled, "I know."
Mi Lu fell silent for a moment, looking at her and then smiling, "So, Weiwei, what’s your answer?"
Lai Wei was stunned for a moment, then smiled, "My answer is, yes."
Her yes was heavy, and Mi Lu, leaning on her shoulder, knew what was on Lai Wei’s mind, "Weiwei, no matter what you’re thinking right now, you can’t refuse my help this time."
"Later, you’ll have to help me with things to pay off the debt."
Lai Wei smiled, her gaze warm, "Okay, I will."
Lifting her head, Mi Lu extended her pinky, ready for a pinky promise. Lai Wei found her childish but joined in the act nonetheless, having such a friend made childishness irrelevant. When you’re in a swamp, there are so few who can pull you out.
Originally, when the international school recruited students at her home, they promised three years of free board, on the condition that she must maintain a top three ranking in her grade.
She never expected to make friends in an international school, but surprisingly, she found the students there more accepting than many in other schools. She could never forget how students from her old school used to mock her.
How they slandered and spread rumors about her mother’s illness.
Jian Dan and Mi Lu were like two beams of light, illuminating the corners of her gloomy life, making her believe in the significance of friendship—to spur each other on and grow together.
Early Sunday morning, the family welcomed Jian Dan and Zhao Linlin, brought over by Jian Dan.
It was the first time Mi Lu met Zhao Linlin, somewhat surprised, she scurried to Jian Dan’s side and asked cheerily, "Little Jian Dan, who is this friend?"
Jian Dan introduced the two, "Zhao Linlin, I met her in Haicheng, she’s from the school next to ours."
"From the affiliated school?"
"Yeah." Zhao Linlin was easy-going, smilingly she started introducing herself to the other two, facing Lai Wei’s lane house, though Zhao Linlin seemed surprised that Jian Dan’s friend could live in such a place, she did not overreact.
Her self-introduction was very simple, handing over the cake in her hands to Lai Wei, "I helped Jian Dan with it yesterday, I’m very happy to meet you all. Since you’re Jian Dan’s friends, you’re my friends too."
Lai Wei looked at the delicate cake, somewhat surprised, "Little Jian Dan, did you make this?"
Had Little Jian Dan mastered this skill too?
Jian Dan laughed shyly, "Of course not."
Zhao Linlin saw her shyness and rushed to explain, "Little Jian Dan has an aunt at home named Lin Ma; we made it with her. Lin Ma is the main chef, and we just messed around."
Lai Wei led the way, "My home is a bit small, don’t mind it."
Zhao Linlin shook her head, "Not at all, my old home was also in a lane. It’s been many years since I’ve been back, coming here feels very warm."
Jian Dan wasn’t too sensitive to her surroundings, not feeling anything amiss about Lai Wei’s home being in such a place, she was just naturally slow to react.
Mi Lu walked over to Jian Dan and said, "You have no idea, Weiwei’s closet is actually quite comfortable to sleep in, a bit noisy though. We should have you try it."
Jian Dan could only laugh it off.