Fang Tong took out her phone, checked the time, and frowned. "I need to pick up my medical reports."
"Have you been having checkups here? How come I didn't know?" Sun Qing said, then quickly corrected herself, "I mean, if you had a checkup, Brother would surely know."
True enough, this hospital was owned by the Xu family. As Xu Yizhi’s wife, all of Fang Tong’s medical records were sent to him the moment they were generated. Ever since her miscarriage three years ago, her regular checkups and every detail of her physical condition had been completely transparent to the Xu family. It was as if she were being monitored; she had no privacy whatsoever.
It would take forty minutes to get there, and it was already four o’clock. If she delayed any longer, she wouldn't make it before five. Fang Tong did not want to break her appointment, nor did she want to tangle with the two people in front of her. She turned and ran.
Sun Qing was stunned. She hadn't expected Fang Tong to just run off; she must have been afraid of her brother’s reprimand. At this thought, Sun Qing stood up and linked her arm through Xu Yizhi’s. "Brother, look at her. She’s clearly doing this on purpose. I thought she came to apologize to me, but who knew that she..."
Xu Yizhi didn't speak, frowning as he watched that thin, frail figure walk away. Fang Tong had always been slender, but he had clearly been nourishing her well these past few years—she lacked for nothing—so why did she seem even thinner and more fragile now? Compared to Sun Qing, who had just been discharged, it looked as if Fang Tong were the one who was sick.
*Could she be ill too?* Remembering that Fang Tong had also fallen into the water that day, a sense of irritation stirred in Xu Yizhi’s heart. *If she wasn't feeling well, why didn't she know to come to the hospital? Or did she only come today because she couldn't hold on any longer?*
Xu Yizhi started to reach for his phone to call her, but Sun Qing let out a soft "Ouch" and collapsed into his arms. "Brother, I’m feeling so dizzy."
Distracted, Xu Yizhi steadied Sun Qing and turned to the doctor. "She’ll stay for two more days."
Sun Qing quickly interjected, "No need, Brother. It’s inconvenient for you to keep running back and forth to the hospital. If I go home, Mom can take care of me, and you’ll be able to rest easy."
Fang Tong arrived before five. After explaining the situation to the nurse, she was immediately taken to the doctor’s office. It was a gentle middle-aged woman who looked up and asked, "Why didn't your family come with you?"
Fang Tong didn't want to explain too much. "Everyone is busy today. It's fine, Doctor; I can handle my own affairs."
"Very well. There are some issues, though it hasn't reached the point where it's untreatable. Come, take a look." The doctor pulled out the report. "It shows a tumor in your stomach. You need a biopsy to determine if it’s benign or malignant."
Fang Tong’s heart tightened. She had had a physical just a month ago and there had been no sign of this. But for the past week, her stomach had indeed been very uncomfortable—she had no appetite and felt nauseated constantly.
"We can't draw any conclusions without more specific results. But, to be honest with you, your situation is not optimistic. I suggest you get admitted as soon as possible for more detailed testing."
Fang Tong was stunned. If the doctor put it that way, "not optimistic"—did that mean... could it be stomach cancer? Seeing her dazed, the doctor quickly added, "But don't worry too much. The cure rate for early-stage cases is very high."
Fang Tong didn't know how she replied or how she even left the hospital. She sat on a flowerbed outside, her mind racing. *Early-stage stomach cancer, high cure rate, just need to be hospitalized for checks...*
*How would the Xu family react? They’d probably think it would interfere with our plans for a child.*
*And Mom and Dad?* She scoffed. *When have they ever cared about my health?*
The only people who truly cared about her, her grandparents, had long passed away. She was left all alone. All alone, humbly pandering to her parents, her sister, and her brother. And Xu Yizhi, along with his difficult family. She had always been submissive, trying to please everyone, but no matter what she did, they were never satisfied.
Her mother said: "Fang Tong is the most useless one—timid, prone to trouble, can't speak well, just lacking in class."
Her father said: "It’s a good thing we have good genes, allowing her to grow up looking decent enough to catch the eye of a wealthy family. At least she has some utility."
Her sister said: "I don't admit to having such a hick of a sister. It’s truly embarrassing."
Xu Yizhi didn't criticize her much, though he rarely communicated with her. He was never close to her, always cold and distant. Even in bed, he always acted as if he were venting his anger. She tried her best to endure it, but he wouldn't stop until he made her cry. It didn't feel like tenderness; it felt like a sentence.
Fang Tong sat for a long time before taking out her phone to call Xu Yizhi. Surprisingly, it was answered quickly. "So you remember how to use a phone? Get back to the old mansion immediately and apologize to Sun Qing."
A barrage of reprimands followed, assuming she had bullied Sun Qing again. The words Fang Tong wanted to say about her illness were stuck in her throat; she felt like a punctured ball, her shoulders sagging.
Xu Yizhi’s tone was icy. "Did you hear me? Fang Tong, I couldn't be bothered to argue with you about the past, but you shouldn't have chased her to the hospital to bully Sun Qing. Come back and apologize, and I can let this pass. Otherwise..."
*Otherwise what? Cut off my credit cards? Stop my monthly allowance? And the Fang family business...* She could imagine the threats. After all, most of the Fang family's business relied on the Xus, and even her daily expenses were provided by him.
Beyond Xu Yizhi, the voice of her mother-in-law, Li Jintang, came through. "...such an arrogant woman! Qingqing was brought up by me; she is like your sister. This woman has bullied her time and again—I cannot tolerate it. Divorce her! Tell her to get out!"
Fang Tong took a deep breath. She felt utterly cold and hopeless. She didn't want to say another word and hung up.
Fang Huahua was right: without Xu Yizhi, she was nothing and had nothing. No job, no money. If she went back to the Fang family, they would only tell her to return immediately and kneel to apologize to Li Jintang and Xu Yizhi, insisting she stay in the Xu household.
*But why?* She had never done anything wrong. Why should she apologize? All that money they spent supported the Fang family, so why should she be the one to bear the pain?
*Who says anything is mandatory? Why should I have to be submissive, especially when I’m sacrificing myself for someone else’s sake?*
*I’m done!* She wouldn't even treat this illness. Life was meaningless anyway; it would be better to go join her grandparents sooner. As for what happened to the Fang family, she didn't care anymore.
"Fang Tong."
A voice full of surprise came from nearby. Fang Tong turned her head and saw a somewhat familiar face. Because she was slightly face-blind, she recognized she knew him, but couldn't place exactly who he was.
Ye Shuyang walked over in long strides and said with a smile, "Tongtong, don't you remember me? It’s Ye Shuyang."
"Ah? Cousin?" The name slipped out.
Ye Shuyang was the nephew of her aunt’s side of the family. She had lived at her uncle’s house as a child and had seen him many times, calling him "Cousin." Later, after she returned to the Fang family and her aunt and uncle divorced, she never saw him again. She hadn't expected to run into him here.