Aunt Shi returned hom with the news in a daze.
As soon as she entered her son’s rented house, she burst into tears.
How could her excellent son fall ill?
She immediately made a phone call, "Mr. Shi, the old house of our family, can we still sell it for some money..."
The next time Su Li saw Shi Shen’s mother was on a dazzlingly sunny afternoon.
Su Li was sitting in the backseat of the car, squinting her eyes and resting, as the car slowly made its way home.
When they reached the entrance of the housing complex, Su Li felt the car jolt sharply and come to an abrupt stop.
Su Li slowly opened her eyes, "What’s going on?"
"Miss, someone suddenly dashed out in front of us."
"Go see what happened."
Before the driver could get out, the person from in front of the car darted to the side of the vehicle.
Su Li turned her head and saw, oh, it’s someone she knew.
What was this act about?
"Aunt Shi, what are you doing here?" Su Li didn’t move from her comfortable seat, only raised her eyebrows and asked in surprise, "Did you have an appointment with my mom?"
Aunt Shi’s face was strained, and before she could speak, she dropped to her knees by the car door, clutching the handle and bowing down to Su Li.
"Xiao Li, I’ve come to see you this time."
Su Li: "Oh, is that so..."
Su Li simply remarked with a sigh, having no intention of asking why the other party was seeking her out.
Shi Shen’s mother was nervous and somewhat embarrassed as she banged her forehead on the ground.
Su Li didn’t even bat an eyelash, stoically enduring the other’s loud kowtowing.
Su Li lazily lifted her eyelids and asked, puzzled, "Auntie, what are doing? This could shorten my life, and if my mom knew, who knows what she would say... Stand up and speak properly, I’ll help you if I can."
Although Su Li said this, her expression didn’t change at all.
"Xiao Li, I know this request is really excessive, but I have no other choice. Please, considering I’m a mother, agree to this ludicrous request."
Su Li: "Auntie, you already know it’s an excessive request, so I won’t listen."
Su Li made as if to close the car door, but Shi Shen’s mother clung to it with both hands, refusing to let go.
"Xiao Li, I beg you."
Su Li chuckled; now the car couldn’t move because it was being blocked.
Su Li played with her hanging hair strands, casually saying, "Then, Auntie, tell me about it."
A flicker of hope shone in Aunt Shi’s eyes as she scrambled to her feet, "Xiao Li, you know that Ah Zhi’s kidney disease has reached the terminal stage, and he needs a transplant to save his life."
"Uh-huh, Auntie, are you short on money? I have thirty thousand in pocket money; I’ll give it to you."
Out of Su Li’s sight, Shi Shen’s mother revealed a look of hatred.
Thirty thousand yuan, is that a handout for beggars?
For a family like the Su Family, hundreds of thousands of yuan is just a trifle to them.
But Aunt Shi would never voice that out loud, even if Ah Zhi needed a lot of money, she wouldn’t ask for financial support.
You see, the acquaintance between the two families was built through her management. Sometimes, human relations are more important than money.
And now, she’d be even less likely to take the Su Family’s money. After all, they had something much more important than money.
However, not taking it didn’t mean she couldn’t feel resentment and jealousy.
"No, Xiao Li, I don’t want your money... I just want you to help Ah Zhi, only you can help him now."
"The waitlist for a d kidney has already stretched to several years ahead, we’ve pulled strings and looked in the black market, but we haven’t found a suitable match at all, we’re afraid... so afraid... afraid that Ah Zhi won’t make it."
Tears streamed down Aunt Shi’s face, it was pitiful to see, "Xiao Li, you know, my husband and I only have Ah Zhi as our son; we can’t bear the thought of white hair sending off black hair."
Su Li curled the corner of his mouth, "Auntie, just say what it is you want me to help with."
In his heart, Su Li had already guessed their request; it could only be one thing.
Yet he had to admire their nerve to even ask, with such thick skin, after so much verbal padding.
Shi Shen’s mother clenched her teeth and steeled her heart to say it, "Xiao Li, we’re begging you to one of your kidneys to Ah Zhi."
"We’ve checked, a person only needs one kidney, and the other is basically superfluous. As long as you agree to help us, whatever you ask for, we’ll do it, even if it’s our lives at stake, we’re willing to give it."
Su Li: "Auntie, what do I need your lives for?" They were worthless to him, what would he do with them?
Aunt Shi: "You and Ah Zhi have been friends for many years, childhood sweethearts even; surely you can’t bear to see him..."
Shi Shen’s mother stopped just short of begging pitifully, but it wasn’t much different.
Su Li: "But I’m curious, how do you know that my kidney would be a match for Ah Zhi? Didn’t you and Uncle try it? As blood relatives, you should be a more suitable match than I am."
Su Li’s words made Aunt Shi stiffen, she could only muster the courage to say: "Ah Zhi’s dad is not well, he... he’s the pillar of our household; nothing can happen to him. And me, I, I haven’t gone for the test yet."
Shi Shen’s mother’s voice grew softer and softer.
She was also very scared; she didn’t dare propose going for the compatibility test. She was frightened too; after all, it meant cutting open a living body to remove an organ.
These hidden thoughts made her afraid to meet the gazes of others.
"So that’s it, have you discussed this with my parents?"
"No, I haven’t..." Shi Shen’s mother was tense, her heart gripped tightly.
Her hands clenched together, her tone growing more imploring, "Xiao Li, I’m begging you, please don’t tell your parents about this, okay?"
"Being parents themselves, they definitely wouldn’t want you to... but I really have no other choice..."
When people become shameless, they’re unmatched in their disgrace.
Su Li cocked his head, curious to hear how shameless Aunt Shi’s words could get.
"Please, please don’t tell your parents, they will definitely not agree."
Seeing Su Li’s silent response, Shi Shen’s mother reiterated several times.
Su Li didn’t even know what kind of expression to use to convey his mood.
He couldn’t help but say: "Since you’re aware that my parents are also parents, how can you bear to make them suffer? And as their child, every bit of flesh and blood I have was given by them; without their consent, how could I dare harm myself so lightly? The body, hair, and skin received from my parents, I shall not damage. This is the beginning of filial piety."
Su Li spoke seriously, even pulling out the classical texts.