“It’s not quite that bad.” The old director let out a long sigh, finally coming clean with Jake Quinn.
“It’s just that caregiver wages, tuition and meal fees for the kids, repairs on the old house…
every single thing costs money.
Things have gotten a bit tight, that’s all.” “I know how hard it is for you to make a living, so I really didn’t want to make you worry about the orphanage.” “You…” Jake started to speak, but the words caught in his throat, leaving only a heavy sigh.
He had come back simply to visit.
Yet in the end, he was letting the old director spend her own money on him, while she went out of her way to hide her struggles from him…
Jake set down his chopsticks.
Without a word, he pulled out his phone and opened the app for the orphanage’s public bank account.
He typed in a string of digits.
10,000.
It was every last cent he had left.
Without this money, he might not even be able to afford the medical checkups he had booked.
So what?
Jake looked at the children around the table scarfeing down their food, seeing reflections of his younger self in every single one of them.
It didn’t matter.
Just give him a little more time.
The issue with the Eurodollars would be resolved sooner or later, and money would come.
He would make sure the old director never had to touch her pension again.
He would make sure every child wore brand-new clothes, ate braised pork every day, underwent their surgeries smoothly, and grew up happy and healthy…
Without hesitation, Jake tapped confirm.
[Transfer Successful!] Glancing at the notification, he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
“Director, this is all the liquid cash I have on me right now.
Take it for now.” “Xiao Qi, what are you…” The old director started to protest, but Jake raised a hand to stop her.
“This money is nothing to me.
Don’t argue with me on this—my decision is final.” The old director looked at him, her eyes welling with tears and her heart filled with profound pride.
This boy had been sensible since he was tiny, carrying everything on his own shoulders without ever uttering a single complaint.
Now that he was living on his own, she constantly worried whether anyone was around to care for him…
“Oh, right,” she suddenly said with a smile.
“Xiao Qi, I have an old classmate whose daughter is right around your age.
She works as a nurse at the municipal hospital—gentle, beautiful, and wonderful personality.” “How about it?
Want me to introduce you two?” Young people had their own careers, and she couldn’t help much on that front.
When all was said and done, playing matchmaker was the most practical thing she could do!
Jake was speechless.
Again?
“I really don’t think that’s necessary!” He waved his hands frantically, leaning his upper body back.
“What do you mean not necessary?” The old director set down her chopsticks, her expression turning stern.
“You’re twenty-three by official age, twenty-four by traditional count, approaching twenty-five, touching twenty-six!
If you really calculate it, you’ve already got one foot in the grave!” “If you don’t hurry up, all the good girls are going to be taken by someone else.” *What kind of math is that?* Jake gave a sheepish laugh, lowering his voice.
“Director, you know my physical condition better than anyone.
In my current state, dating someone would just be holding them back.” “Holding them back?” The old director put her chopsticks down entirely, looking completely unimpressed.
“So if your health never fully recovers, are you just going to stay single your whole life?” The children at the table all perked up their ears to listen, while Xiao Zhou giggled on the side.
“I’ll get better,” Jake said, squirming under her intense gaze.
He was forced to come clean: “I’m actually planning to get surgery soon.
Let’s wait until after the operation to talk about this.” “Surgery?” The old director froze, her chopsticks hanging in midair.
“What kind of surgery?” “Radical heart correction,” Jake said with a smile.
The old director’s eyes lit up instantly, her voice raising several pitches.
“You foolish child, why didn’t you say something so important earlier!” As if remembering something, she hastily pulled out her phone, flipped through her photo gallery for a moment, and held the screen up to Jake’s face.
Displayed on the screen was a photograph.
It showed a middle-aged man in a white lab coat with graying hair and a gentle expression.
Printed on his chest badge was a line of small text: [Chen Weimin, Chief Physician of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Professor, Doctoral Advisor] Below it was a long list of impressive titles: Executive Committee Member of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association, Committee Member of the Expert Committee of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Recipient of the Special Government Allowance from the State Council…
Scrolling further down revealed an even more detailed background: One of the nation’s premier experts in the field of Tetralogy of Fallot radical repair surgery.
Over twenty years of clinical experience, having completed more than 5,000 complex congenital heart defect surgeries, with a surgical success rate ranking among the highest nationwide.
*Sounds wildly impressive…* Jake was stunned as he read it.
“Wait, do you know him?” If he could get a top specialist like this to perform his surgery, the success rate would surely be far higher, wouldn’t it?
“Know him?” The old director leaned back in her chair, the wrinkles on her face softening into a warm, proud smile.
“He came right out of our orphanage!” “Huh?” Jake’s eyes widened.
How had he never heard of such a figure?
“When you were little, the orphanage was still at the old campus, and conditions were far worse than they are now.
He’s several decades older than you, but he grew up here too.” The old director’s gaze turned distant as she spoke.
“Weimin was a driven boy.
He got into medical university, studied all the way through to his doctorate, and eventually joined a major hospital to become a renowned specialist.” “That surgery you had when you were one year old?
He was the one who performed it.” “Uh…” Jake paused for a second.
“Doesn’t that make things worse?” He was still suffering from the post-surgery complications to this day…
“You silly child…” The old director swiped at him affectionately in reprimand.
“Conditions were poor back when you had that operation.
He did everything he possibly could.” “I was just kidding.” Jake gave a bashful chuckle, scratching the back of his head.
Without that surgery, he wouldn’t have survived past two.
Whether it was the medical staff or the donor organizations, he was deeply grateful to everyone who had worked so hard for his sake.
“Weimin has always kept you in mind,” the old director said with a warm smile.
“I’ll give him a call and ask him to take a close look at you.
Having one of our own looking after you gives me peace of mind.” “Director, there’s no need to trouble—” “What trouble?” The old director waved her hand with an authoritative tone that left no room for refusal.
“You’re living out there all by yourself with no one to look after you when you get sick.
Do you think I can rest easy?” “Besides, Weimin always felt guilty that his surgery back then couldn’t completely cure you.
Letting him take another look at you will fulfill a long-standing wish of his.” Jake scratched his head.
He hadn’t wanted to bother the old woman, let alone owe anyone a favor.
Yet looking at her graying hair and those eyes brimming with genuine concern, the words of refusal caught in his throat and melted away.
Besides…
Having a top-tier specialist personally oversee his case had zero downsides for him.
“Alright then,” Jake finally agreed with a nod and a smile.
“Thank you, Director.” “Thank me for what?
Eat your food.” The old director put her phone away, her voice light with cheerful satisfaction.
“Once your surgery is done and your body recovers, I’ll introduce you to a nice girl.
Don’t you dare try to back out then.” A few of the older kids at the table covered their mouths, giggling quietly.
Jake let out a dry laugh and ducked his head, shoving food into his mouth.
*Is this never going to end?* After the meal, he lingered at the orphanage for a while longer.
He played ball with the kids for a bit and helped Xiao Zhou repair a loose window frame in the hallway.
Only when the sky began to darken did he bid farewell to the old director and mount his motor scooter to head home.
The night breeze rushed past his ears, carrying the faint chill of early autumn.
Jake twisted the throttle, his mind calculating his next steps.
The checkups were already scheduled, but he was still short a massive sum for the actual surgery fee.
He needed to convert the Eurodollars from the game into physical gold as soon as possible…
Just as Jake was thinking, his phone suddenly rang.
He pulled over to the side of the road, stripped off his glove, and answered the call.
“Hello?
Is this Jake Quinn?” A middle-aged man’s voice came through the speaker, deep and refined.
“Speaking.
Who’s this?” “This is Chen Weimin.” The man on the other end gave a gentle chuckle.
“The director just called me and filled me in on your situation.”