NOVPUB
Chapter 390: Chapter 380 Going to the Capital for Treatment
Li Hongjun went to the doctor’s office and borrowed the phone to look for someone to buy train tickets.
The ringtone continued for a long time before the other end picked up, a groggy "hello..." came through the receiver.
"Dawei, it’s Li Hongjun."
"Damn, you’re calling me so late to kill me, right? I’ve been busy all day..."
"Shut up, this is a matter of life and death," Li Hongjun said coldly, suppressing the other’s voice.
"Pffft, when do you ever call me and it’s not a life and death situation? Who kidnapped your wife this time?" Jiang Dawei yawned and asked quietly on the other end of the line.
"My niece has meningitis, it’s serious, and the hospital has given up on treating her. I’m preparing to take her to the Capital for treatment. I need three train tickets to the Capital as soon as possible. Can you handle that?" Li Hongjun briefly explained the situation, and his last words were like an order to his troops, with an air of such authority that one wouldn’t dare say it couldn’t be done, or they’d be dead.
"Mission guaranteed," Jiang Dawei blurted out reflexively.
"Okay, it’s up to you now. I’m at the county hospital. The earliest train to the Capital is tomorrow morning, remember to bring the tickets to me tomorrow morning, three of them." After saying this, he hung up the phone with a slam.
Jiang Dawei on the other end of the line nearly jumped with frustration. This damned guy, always bullying him, he’s got a bullying addiction, huh? This time he won’t do it for him, to hell with it!
Li Hongjun returned to the ward, told his eldest sister about their departure by train tomorrow morning, and told them to rest well, while he went downstairs to inform Old Li about the situation. Having just arrived home and departing again tomorrow, he had to explain the reason to his father.
Old Li was not Qiu Shuping, he could discern right from wrong in important matters, so when he heard his son was taking Xianglian and Jiajia to the Capital for medical treatment, he immediately said not to worry about him, he was fine, and would go home after getting his injection tomorrow morning since Jiajia’s illness was more important.
Li Hongjun was reassured by Old Li’s understanding, so he pulled out fifty yuan and gave it to his father.
"Hey, what’s this for, giving me money? I’ve got money to spend. Besides, you’re taking your sister and Jiajia to the Capital, you’ll need money everywhere. Keep this for when it’s needed," Old Li hastily took the money out of his pocket and offered it back to his son.
"Dad, keep it. Don’t give it to mom; just keep it for yourself. If something like this happens to Jiajia in the future, you might be able to help out. Even if you don’t need the money, use it to buy yourself something good to eat. Don’t be so hard on yourself," Li Hongjun insisted, stuffing the money back into Old Li’s pocket.
The two went back and forth pushing the money at each other until Li Hongjun got angry, staring sternly at his father.
Old Li immediately backed down, "Okay, okay, okay, I’ll hold onto this money for you for now and give it back to you when you need it."
Li Hongjun didn’t bother arguing anymore and lay down on the hospital bed.
The two chatted sporadically until soon Old Li’s snoring filled the room.
Li Hongjun lay on the hospital bed, unable to sleep.
When he had arrived, his wife had given him five hundred yuan. He had paid a twenty-yuan deposit for the old man Li’s injection yesterday, Jiajia’s imported injection had cost one hundred and fifty, and he had spent about ten yuan on some food; in one day, he had spent a total of one hundred and eighty yuan.
Now that he had given old man Li fifty yuan, he was left with two hundred and seventy yuan. If he paid for the train tickets tomorrow and was frugal on the train... No, with Jiajia’s current physical condition, she absolutely needed nourishing food; how else was she supposed to fight this illness? So, he couldn’t skimp on this expense. After arriving at the Capital Hospital, he would practically be able to give his elder sister about one hundred and seventy yuan but didn’t know if that would be enough.
Alas, if it wasn’t enough, he could only ask his wife for more.
The next morning, bright and early, someone arrived to deliver three sleeping berth tickets to the Capital for Li Hongjun. They even drove him, conveniently dropping the group off at the train station.
Li Hongjun expressed his gratitude to the visitor and paid him for the tickets.
When Li Xianglian saw her younger brother take out the money, it took her quite a while before she hesitantly said, "Hongjun, I don’t have any money right now. The funds for Jiajia’s treatment will have to be fronted by you for now. But rest assured, I will definitely pay you back." She couldn’t let her brother bear both favors and financial burdens, but she truly had no other options at the moment.
"Sister, what are you talking about? We’re siblings. If I can lend a hand, shouldn’t I? Plus, Jiajia is my beloved niece. It’s only right for me, as her uncle, to pay for her treatment. Let’s not talk about money anymore. What’s most important right now is getting Jiajia well," Li Hongjun didn’t like discussing this.
For those who didn’t show gratitude, he felt giving them even a penny was too much, but for those who were grateful, he was happy to spend any amount of money.
Li Xianglian obediently stopped talking about money, but she would never forget her brother’s timely aid, and she would make sure her children remembered their second uncle’s kindness.
The train slowly chugged along and only reached its station the next morning. On the train, Jiajia had a persistent fever and had another seizure in the middle of the night. Li Xianglian and Li Hongjun felt helpless and could only try to hold her down, letting her get through it on her own.
After disembarking, Li Hongjun carried Jiajia on his back, and Li Xianglian held their luggage as the three of them inquired their way to the hospital.
Fortunately, there was only one traditional Chinese medicine hospital in the naval zone. Upon entering the hospital and asking around, they were reassured that they had come to the right place.
In this era of unadulterated medical practice, the doctor at the Chinese medicine hospital immediately administered a fever-reducing medicine to Jiajia after hearing Li Xianglian’s description of her symptoms. They then contacted several old Chinese medicine practitioners experienced in treating this kind of disease, and a consultation was promptly arranged to determine the treatment plan.
Li Hongjun quickly admitted Jiajia to the hospital and put down a one hundred and thirty yuan deposit. He gave the remaining forty-some yuan to his elder sister.
Staying in the hospital also meant needing money for food as a caretaker.
By noon, the experts had convened and presented a treatment plan.
Jiajia’s primary physician also gave them a heads-up because Jiajia had arrived in a state of shock, having missed the optimal treatment window. Therefore, it was uncertain what the outcome of the treatment would be. The hospital could only promise to do its utmost to save the child’s life.
Although Li Xianglian’s face was again streaked with tears upon hearing the doctor’s words, she spoke with conviction, "No matter what the final outcome is for my child, I want to thank the doctors and the hospital. Please treat my child without restraint... I blame no one."
The doctor nodded at Li Xianglian in approval, assuring they would do their best to save the child, and then left.
Seeing his elder sister’s composure, Li Hongjun brought her lunch and then said he needed to step out for a bit. He could only stay in the Capital for two days, so he had to see his wife. Not to mention anything else, his wife needed to be informed that his elder sister had come to the Capital with the child for treatment. In the future, when she had time, she could come to visit the child and the sister. If his sister needed any assistance while in the Capital, there would be someone to discuss matters with.
