Chapter Eighteen

"It's over, it's all over now, someone's dead," Chen Xingfan broke down, his voice trembling with despair.

Hearing this, Wu Mei slowly slumped to the ground as well.

"Oh no, how could this happen? How could it end in someone's death?" she wailed.

Chen Kangjian, Wu Mei, and Chen Xingfan all fell into utter despair.

At that moment, an elderly woman appeared at the far end of the corridor outside the emergency room. Her face was deeply lined, and she looked to be at least sixty or seventy years old.

"Doctor, tell me, how is my son?" The old woman wiped her reddened eyes with a rough, worn cloth.

The doctor walked over to her once more and repeated softly, "I'm sorry, we did everything we could. You should go see your son one last time." With that, the doctor left, report in hand.

The old woman, slightly stooped, stood motionless, gazing in the direction of the emergency room. It was impossible to know what she was thinking—perhaps how to say a final farewell to her son.

"It's your fault, all of this! How could the Chen family have someone like you?" Chen Kangjian shouted at Chen Xingfan, his anger barely contained.

Despair filled Chen Xingfan's eyes—he had never expected things would turn out this way.

A sharp slap cracked through the air as Chen Kangjian struck him across the face, drawing blood at the corner of Chen Xingfan's mouth. He then kicked his son several times, making Chen Xingfan writhe on the floor in pain.

Wu Mei scrambled up from the ground to intervene. "He's your own flesh and blood! Are you trying to beat him to death?"

But Chen Kangjian shoved her aside and kicked Chen Xingfan again, cursing, "How could our family produce someone like you?"

Wu Mei threw herself in the way, sobbing. "His surname is Chen, too—he's your son, do you want to kill him?"

At last, Chen Kangjian stopped, turning his rage on Wu Mei. "This is all your fault! Look at how you've spoiled this useless boy! Now someone's dead—are you happy?"

Wu Mei refused to back down. "Blame me? If you had the guts, you shouldn't have had him! What's the use of blaming me?"

Just then, Tang Doudou approached, addressing Chen Kangjian and Wu Mei. "Uncle, Aunt, now's not the time to argue. The priority is figuring out how to keep Xingfan out of prison and off his record."

"Yes, yes, Doudou's right," Wu Mei quickly agreed. "We should be thinking about how to keep Xingfan from having a criminal record."

"Save him? Save him? He brought this on himself—let him go to prison and think about what he's done," Chen Kangjian spat, his face twisted with rage.

Wu Mei stared at him in disbelief, her world collapsing.

"You—how can you not even try to save your own son? Are you even human?" she cried.

"I, Chen Kangjian, have no son who lazes about and causes trouble all day, let alone a murderer," he replied coldly.

Wu Mei sighed deeply.

Lying on the ground, Chen Xingfan understood that the only one who might help him now was Chen Xingxin, standing silently nearby. Crawling to her, he sobbed, "Sister, help me, please help me! I don't want to go to jail, I don't want to go to jail!"

But Chen Xingxin ignored him, letting him cling to her pant leg and beg without response.

A few minutes later, the old woman emerged from the emergency room. After looking around, she walked slowly toward the Chen family. Her steps seemed even slower than before, as though she had aged several years in an instant.

Stopping in front of them, she said in a weary voice, "Three million. That's all I want. Otherwise, the one responsible will spend their life in prison. The choice is yours."

Everyone fell silent. Chen Xingfan lay on the floor, crying uncontrollably.

Wu Mei looked at the old woman scornfully. "Three million? Why don't you just rob a bank?"

The old woman didn't reply. She simply repeated, "Three million. Otherwise, a lifetime in prison. Decide for yourselves."

Wu Mei, ignored, lashed out, "Who do you think you are, asking for a million just like that? Do you even know what a million is? Have you ever seen that much in your life?"

The old woman said nothing more, only walked to the steps nearby and sat down, staring quietly in the direction of the emergency room.

Soon, two traffic police officers emerged from the doctor's office and headed straight for the old woman.

"We've finished our investigation," one said. "Your son was driving normally. The other party is entirely at fault." As he spoke, he pointed at Chen Xingfan lying on the floor.

Everyone present heard and was stunned.

"Look at what you've raised—a monster," Chen Kangjian said bitterly.

Wu Mei shot back, "What, he's not your son now? When something goes wrong, it's always my fault?"

The old woman sighed heavily. "My son has a daughter with a rare, fatal illness. The doctor says she has kidney failure and needs a transplant—about three million."

At these words, no one dared speak.

Luo Fancheng quietly took out his phone and sent a message to Liu Tianji. "Is the child from the accident victim's family at Shenghua?"

A few seconds later, Liu Tianji replied, "Yes."

Luo Fancheng: "Send her to my office immediately."

Liu Tianji: "OK."

The conversation ended, and Luo Fancheng patted Chen Xingxin on the shoulder and whispered in her ear, "I'm going to check on his granddaughter. Wait for me here."

Chen Xingxin nodded.

Back in his office, Luo Fancheng found He Jing busy organizing documents. The patient hadn't been brought in yet, so he could only sit and wait.

Just as he settled into his chair, a message from Liu Tianji arrived: "The patient's condition is critical—she can't be moved. She may not last much longer."

With a heavy thud, Luo Fancheng slammed his fist on the desk. How could it have come to this?

Startled, He Jing finally noticed that Luo Fancheng had returned. "Director, why are you here today? I thought you only came in twice a week?"

Luo Fancheng didn't answer, merely glanced at her. Since she was his student, he couldn't not teach her anything—she had to learn something, or how would she be worthy of becoming the apprentice of a future master physician?

He turned to her. "Get your things. Come with me to the emergency department. We're going to save a life."

"Save a life?" He Jing looked confused.

"Come on, don't dawdle," Luo Fancheng said, and left the office before she could ask any more questions.

When they reached the emergency room, Liu Tianji had already arranged for the little girl to be brought to the operating table. He, too, was fully equipped for an emergency operation. Seeing Luo Fancheng arrive, he felt a wave of reassurance—he and Zhao De had both witnessed Luo Fancheng's extraordinary medical skills.

After exchanging a nod, Luo Fancheng changed into his surgical gown, while He Jing stood by to observe.

"Are you ready? I'm starting now," Luo Fancheng said, looking at He Jing.