The nurse came over with the hospitalization form and asked whether Xiao Ai or Liu Jie would be paying the deposit.
“How much?”
“Three thousand dollars upfront.”
“So much?”
Three thousand dollars?
That was over twenty thousand in their home currency! Were they trying to rob them?
The nurse, though feeling a bit guilty herself, still raised her chin and explained matter-of-factly:
“You don’t have medical insurance, so you’ll need to pay a deposit. The ward has expensive equipment, so one thousand of that is a security deposit. The remaining two thousand will go into your patient account.
Observation fees, treatment fees, nursing fees, bed fees, medication, and even nutrition and meals will all be deducted from there. Any unused amount will be refunded. That’s our clinic’s policy. If you’re unwilling, you can sign a waiver and be discharged immediately.”
In truth, even the nurse felt the price was outrageous. But the girl in the operating room had told her to quote it boldly — those two suckers definitely wouldn’t transfer hospitals, so they’d take the bait.
Xiao Ai was a cautious person.
Afraid of being ripped off, she went to the middle-aged woman she’d been chatting with earlier and asked how much she had paid for her own hospitalization and what the total cost had been.
And that’s when the usefulness of “extras” showed itself.
The extra replied, “I paid two thousand. I’ve been hospitalized for a week and will probably get five hundred back when I’m discharged tomorrow.”
Hearing that, Xiao Ai was relieved.
Seven days for fifteen hundred dollars — about two hundred a day. Pricey, but still reasonable abroad… So if Tang Ran stayed three days, that’d be six hundred dollars. Acceptable.
“What about the deposit? How much did you pay?”
“I’m a local resident. Didn’t need to.”
Alright then. Nothing more to say.
Xiao Ai went back to ask the nurse, “If she’s hospitalized, we don’t have to stay and take care of her, right? You provide nursing care?”
“We provide it,” the nurse said, flashing white teeth — as long as they paid, of course.
“If she’s admitted, she’ll recover, right?”
“She doesn’t have a terminal illness. Of course she’ll recover.”
“Three days?”
“Start with three days. She can leave when she’s better.” And if not, she keeps paying, the nurse grumbled inwardly. “So, who’s paying?”
Xiao Ai looked at Liu Jie.
That one glance made Liu Jie’s heart skip. He immediately stood up to leave.
Naturally, Xiao Ai grabbed him.
“But I don’t have enough money! My credit card is new — a student card — and the limit’s low. I can only charge another thousand at most.”
“Didn’t you just promise Fang Ming you’d front the cost? Figure it out yourself!”
“Liu Jie, we’re all friends, aren’t we?”
“Friends don’t screw over friends! This mess — who caused it? Thanks to you, both my hands are hurt, my clothes are ruined, covered in blood! I’ll have to throw them away! I haven’t even made you pay for that yet!”
“I told you, I’m broke!”
“I’m broke too…”
“…”
Back and forth they went, arguing like children.
Meanwhile, in the operating room, Tao Ran was calmly eating breakfast.
What else would she be doing? It’s not like she’d actually perform a surgery for fun.
Seeing the black-haired girl eating heartily amid the sharp scent of disinfectant, Ross couldn’t help but shake his head. “I knew I had good instincts. The moment I saw you yesterday, I knew you were perfect for this place. I wasn’t wrong. If you joined our clinic, you’d help us make a fortune.”
Tao Ran smiled. “I only scam money from bad people.”
“That’s fine by me! You know, the kind of people who come to small clinics like ours are either broke or bad. We even do free clinics once a month! If we don’t fleece the bad ones, how else can we afford to help the poor? As you’d say back home — rob the rich to help the poor, right?”
“I’m poor too, don’t forget that.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
They’d already agreed that starting today, all profits Tao Ran brought in would be split fifty-fifty with the clinic. After all, she was a “patient” who didn’t really require any work — a deal too good to pass up.
“This breakfast is on me,” Ross added. “And think about my offer. If you agree to join us, we’ll even take care of the baby in your belly, however you want to handle it.”
Tao Ran chuckled.
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
Thinking of how Tang Ran’s health had declined after her last surgery, Tao Ran seriously doubted this clinic’s competence. She wouldn’t dare risk it herself.
Outside, the argument had reached its peak.
After finishing his sandwich and picking his teeth, Ross strutted out — his turn to take the stage.
He stormed up to Xiao Ai and Liu Jie and scolded them viciously, warning that if they didn’t stop arguing, he’d have them transferred immediately.
Transfer? What a hassle! Big hospitals meant permanent records, and small ones would just make them redo every test — costing even more money.
So both fell silent.
In the end, Xiao Ai swiped the last $1,400 from her card.
Liu Jie, after Xiao Ai called Fang Ming, grudgingly paid another thousand.
Still not enough.
They were short six hundred.
The nurse said the balance had to be paid before nightfall.
Xiao Ai went off to find money — but she didn’t want to borrow any for Tang Ran’s sake.
Then a thought struck her. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
She ran to Tang Ran’s rented place, used the key, and tried to open the door. Tang Ran hadn’t brought her bag today — there had to be money in it! Even if not, there’d be cash or a bank card at home. She could just ask Fang Ming for the password later.
What’s the harm in acting first and explaining later?
After all, Fang Ming had already agreed to pay for Tang Ran’s treatment — and the money was for her rescue.
But to her surprise, the door wouldn’t open.
The key didn’t fit.
Staring at the brand-new lock, Xiao Ai finally realized — Tang Ran had changed it.
Of course. To keep her out!
Furious, Xiao Ai began kicking and pounding on the door.
Before she could finish venting, a sudden voice barked from behind her:
“Who’s there?!”
The shout nearly made Xiao Ai’s knees buckle.
“What do you think you’re doing!” The speaker was a plump woman in loungewear, holding a baseball bat.
“I… I’m looking for someone.”
“Who?”
“The person who lives here.”
“That’s how you ‘look for someone’? This place is clearly empty. You think kicking the door will find them? Come clean!” The landlady pointed the bat at her.
“Come clean? My ass,” Xiao Ai thought, dumbstruck. She couldn’t possibly say she was there to steal money — or reveal Tang Ran’s surgery.
“I… I might’ve gone to the wrong place.”
“Wrong place?” The landlady’s sharp eyes caught the glint of metal in Xiao Ai’s hand. “A key!”
She lunged forward and snatched it away.
Wasn’t this the old key? Tang Ran had told her the spare key went missing and she was worried about thieves, so they’d changed the lock just yesterday. And now someone showed up today?
The landlady was convinced — she’d caught a burglar.
“Hey! What are you doing? Give that back!” Xiao Ai yelled.
“I’m the landlord here. I replaced this lock myself yesterday. You must be the thief who picked up the old key, right? Tried to break in, couldn’t open it, and got angry? I’m calling the police!”
At the word “police,” Xiao Ai’s face drained of color.
If the police came, Tang Ran’s surgery would be exposed — and that damned girl might really turn the tables on her.
Panicked, Xiao Ai turned and bolted.
The landlady couldn’t catch the younger woman, but she threw her bat — and it landed squarely on the back of Xiao Ai’s head.