Zhao Xiaoxue glanced at the people in the room: "Xinyan, my, my, my cousin is hospitalized, and we still don’t have enough money for the surgery, so I wanted to borrow some from you."
Xinyan squinted and asked, "It’s been so long, your cousin is still in the Capital?"
Zhao Xiaoxue nodded, her face full of worry: "The doctors advised her to stay in the hospital for treatment before, but my cousin was a bit skeptical, originally planning to take her child back to her hometown.
But in the hospital, she happened to meet a fellow townsman whose son received orders to work in the South, and she accidentally fell and it was quite serious. The doctors said she couldn’t be moved for the time being.
They heard her family was looking for someone to take care of her, so my cousin stayed.
A few days ago, that fellow townsman was picked up by her son. My cousin thought of getting a check-up before heading back home, but unexpectedly, the doctor said if she didn’t have surgery, it might be life-threatening.
But all my cousin had was the twenty bucks the townsman left for care when he left, and I don’t have much money myself, certainly not enough for the surgery."
She was afraid Xinyan would refuse: "Xinyan, I was wrong about the previous things, please don’t hold it against us, it’s really a matter of life and death now, I hope you can help us."
Thinking of Zhao Xiaoxue’s cousin, Xinyan actually didn’t like her at all, but the words were said to this extent, and if she didn’t help, it would indeed feel uncomfortable in her heart.
Xinyan looked at Zhao Xiaoxue’s hands on both sides, so tense that she didn’t know where to place them, and finally spoke: "Who knows if what you’re saying is true or false, and when can this money be repaid, I don’t know your cousin, even if I lend it, I’m lending it to you."
Zhao Xiaoxue quickly took out a medical record from her purse: "This is my cousin’s medical record."
Xinyan took it and skimmed through it, seeing the doctor’s orders on it, she understood that if Zhao Xiaoxue’s cousin hadn’t delayed, it might not have been so severe.
As a woman, as a woman who got to live again, she understood the severity of this illness; if the best surgical time was missed, Zhao Xiaoxue’s cousin might not last long in this world.
After some contemplation, she looked up at Zhao Xiaoxue: "How much money are you planning to borrow from me?"
Zhao Xiaoxue was relieved to hear Xinyan’s words: "I’ve already sent a telegram to my hometown, someone should come from there soon, and they’ll bring some money when they do.
Can you lend me a hundred bucks first, I’ll have the doctor schedule the surgery. Don’t worry, this money counts as me borrowing it, it might not be repaid quickly, but I will definitely find a way to repay you bit by bit until it’s all paid off."
Even though Zhao Xiaoxue is a bit scheming, seeing her asking for money on behalf of a cousin she doesn’t like much shows that she has some integrity: "I can lend you the money, but you must write an IOU, and it must be paid back before college graduation."
Zhao Xiaoxue nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: "Sure, sure, don’t worry, as soon as I have money, I’ll repay you first."
However, in these times, not everyone can just pull out a hundred bucks anytime: "By the latest, when do you need it?"
Zhao Xiaoxue quickly replied: "The doctor said the surgery could be arranged for tomorrow, but the fees must be paid before the hospital closes today."
Xinyan had it in her space, but it wasn’t possible to give it to her right now: "I’ll bring it over when I go back at noon, let’s go to class first."
After Zhao Xiaoxue repeatedly thanked her, she finally turned and left.
Jiang Peiqin came over: "You’re lending her so much money just like that?"
Zhang Zhaodi also chimed in: "Her cousin isn’t easy to get along with, always feels a bit two-faced."
Xinyan picked up her books: "If she doesn’t get surgery in time, it won’t be long before it’s life-threatening. You’ve seen Zhao Xiaoxue too; she seems afraid of her cousin as well, but in this situation, she still set aside her pride to come ask for money. Her character probably isn’t too bad.
Isn’t there a saying, ’Saving a life is better than building a seven-storied pagoda’, just think of it as accumulating virtue for myself. Besides, the money isn’t lent to her cousin, it’s lent to her."