Han City First People’s Hospital.
Feng Yun was wrapped from head to toe like a mummy. Her right sleeve was missing halfway down, leaving the space beneath empty. The lower half of her body was drenched in blood; from the knees down, her legs were a mangled, unrecognizable mess.
She had been in a car accident. While crossing the street, a truck had lost control and barreled toward her. Before she could even react, she was struck and sent flying. By the time she regained consciousness, she was already here.
The blood-soaked underpad stuck to her skin, wet and cloying. She shifted in discomfort, but even the slightest movement sent agonizing stabs of pain through every bone and fiber of her being.
Life was slipping away. An overwhelming sense of panic surged over her like a tidal wave. She did not want to die. She hadn't even begun to live a good life yet; she couldn't just die like this.
Just then, the door opened. A nurse led several people into the room—travel-worn and weary.
These were the children she had raised: the second child, Hu Chuntao; the third, Hu Chunxing; the fourth, Hu Guangjin; the fifth, Hu Guangcong; and the sixth, Hu Guangcai.
She looked at her children with desperate, pleading eyes.
"Surgery... I need surgery..."
The group stood more than two meters away from the hospital bed, watching her with cold, indifferent expressions, making no move to approach.
The nurse held the medical chart and addressed them. "Are the patient's family members all here? The patient's condition is critical. Her right arm and both legs require immediate amputation. However, after the amputation, she will be unable to care for herself. Since you are all her children, I will give you ten minutes to discuss whether to proceed with the surgery. Once you’ve made a decision, come to the nurse's station, and I will contact the attending physician to begin."
With that, the nurse opened the door and left, leaving the seven members of the Hu Family alone in the room.
"Fourth brother, what do you think?" Hu Chunxing turned to look at Hu Guangjin, who stood at the front. He was dressed in a suit and tie, clutching his briefcase, looking every bit the successful social elite.
"Mother isn't that old yet. If she has the surgery, she can live a few more years."
Before her voice had even faded, Hu Chuntao spoke up with a sneer.
"Third sister, that's easy for you to say. Never mind the cost of the surgery—the doctor already said she won't be able to care for herself afterward. So, she'll need someone to wait on her hand and foot. When the time comes, are you going to be the one paying for it, or the one doing the chores?"
Hu Chunxing shot her a cool look. "Then what do you suggest?"
"What do I suggest? We go after the truck driver. A human life—surely that’s worth at least a million in compensation."
"Wait, wait, listen to me," Hu Guangcai raised a hand to interrupt Hu Chuntao. "The truck driver definitely has to pay, but we're talking about the surgery now. If you ask me, we should do it."
Feng Yun looked at him with eager hope. *As expected, it’s the sixth one who’s the best; he truly was worth the trouble of raising.*
But immediately after, she heard Hu Guangcai add, "But whether it's the cost of the surgery or her care afterward, that should all be on you, Fourth Brother. Mother put the most into you, and it was only because she was rushing to deliver that dried sweet potato you like that she got into this accident. You ought to repay that love."
Under the gaze of his siblings, Hu Guangjin adjusted his glasses and said slowly and calmly, "There will be no surgery."
Feng Yun snapped her head toward him, the slight movement sending spikes of agony through her nerves. The sharp pain coming from every direction turned her vision blood-red.
"Fourth son, what did you say!"
She couldn't understand why. He was the son she loved the most! She had given him everything she possibly could in this lifetime. Why did this son, who had promised so many times that he would provide for her once he made something of himself, care nothing for whether she lived or died?
"Fourth brother!" Hu Guangcong, who had been silent until now, raised his voice. "What did you say?"
Hu Guangjin smiled. "Doesn't Mother always say how much she loves us? Second sister is right. Setting aside the medical fees, who has the time to look after her every day? It would be better not to operate. Once Mother is gone, we can hire a lawyer to make the truck driver pay a huge sum of money. Then the three of us sons can split it according to our effort. Wouldn't that be better?"
The room fell into a deathly silence, followed immediately by a barrage of arguing.
"On what grounds are you three splitting it equally? Third sister and I are her daughters, too! The law says direct descendants all have the right to inherit. This compensation is part of her estate; we all have a share."
"Married-out daughters are like splashed water. You don't even carry the Hu name anymore. What face do you have to claim the Hu Family estate? Second sister, don't be so greedy."
Seeing his own interests at stake, Hu Guangcai jumped in too.
"That's right, Second sister. You've been married for years; how can you have the face to take things from the Hu Family? What have you ever contributed to this home to deserve a share of the inheritance?"
...
"Why... why?"
Feng Yun's tears slid along the lines of her face. Before long, the crystalline droplets turned a ghastly, blood-red.
They were tears of blood—tears of bitter resentment.
Feng Yun could not accept this. Ignoring the agony, her body trembling, she lashed out with accusations, every word dripping with blood.
"I raised you through all these hardships, helped raise your children, lifted you up! Is this how you repay me? Heaven has eyes! You won't have a good end!"
She closed her eyes weakly.
She was full of regret. To marry Hu Jianguo, she had broken ties with her own family, but what kind of life had she lived since? Her husband was useless; he let her take all the blows while he swooped in to take the credit. She poured her heart and soul into this family, raising her children and then her grandchildren. She was all alone, like an old ox, running here whenever there was a need, rushing there whenever there was an emergency.
She had ground her very bones into dust to feed them.
And in the end, what did she get? Not one of them cared if she was in pain; they only cared about how much money they could get. Not one of them cared about her life.
No, perhaps... if the eldest were still here, she would be by her side. But the eldest had been gone for so many years.
Her vision blurred by tears, Feng Yun seemed to see her daughter who had died so young, holding a tiny infant and smiling at her.
"Chunhua..."
But the next second, Chunhua’s face turned gloomy.
"Mother, you’ve finally come to find me. You should have come sooner. You should have come long ago. Hahahaha..."
No!
Feng Yun spat out a mouthful of blood.
Even Chunhua wouldn't be with her...
The regret! If only she could start over. If she could, she would treat herself better. She wouldn't interfere so much in her children’s affairs, and she would save her money for herself. If she could start over, she would use her medical skills, rely on her own capable family, and stop fighting with her parents—she would be a filial daughter...
Feng Yun finally closed her eyes.
...
"Mother, I've already worked it all out. As long as the eldest sister marries into the Li family, they'll give us a bride price of two hundred yuan! Two hundred yuan! Who else is willing to pay that much these days? The Li family is wealthy; once the eldest sister marries, she’s destined for a life of luxury. What a perfect match!"
Hu Guangjin rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with a bright, predatory smile, his eyes glinting with the light of someone who had already secured his prize.
Feng Yun stared blankly at the face of Hu Guangjin—a face twenty years younger—and instinctively slapped him across the face. *Crack!* It was an exceptionally loud sound.
"Sss—Mother, why did you hit me?"