NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12
Chapter 12:
The day of the monthly exam was fast approaching, but Jiang Feng remained completely unconcerned about Jiang Jiandang.
In the past, Jiang Jiandang was able to assist He Minglang easily because Song Lin took care of everything—cooking, cleaning, and all the housework. All Jiang Jiandang had to do was relax at home, like a pampered uncle.
But now, things had changed.
With Song Lin formally filing for divorce, Jiang Jiandang could no longer rely on his lazy routine. Having grown accustomed to doing nothing, he found it difficult to adjust to working, cooking, and doing laundry. Each night, it would take him until at least nine or ten o’clock to finish all the tasks. The time for delivering meals grew later and later, and as money became tight, the portions he brought to the hospital got smaller and smaller.
Human nature was fragile when tested.
As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a dutiful child for long when caregiving becomes a burden. And in this case, He Minglang was nothing more than a financial obligation for Jiang Jiandang, a responsibility that quickly turned into resentment.
After a week, Jiang Jiandang had reached his limit.
One evening, after a long day at work, he unlocked the door to his house and was greeted by darkness. The lights were off, and the house was in complete disarray—dirty shoes and clothes strewn everywhere, a pile of unwashed dishes in the sink, and the smell of sour kitchen waste. The entire place was almost unlivable.
His mood plummeted. He wanted to rest, but the mess made it impossible.
At this moment, Jiang Jiandang felt a sudden wave of confusion.
“What happened to my life?”
Before, he would have already eaten dinner and been out for a leisurely walk. But now, he still had to cook, and then make his way to the hospital.
Just as he sighed, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw the name He Minglang. His heart sank, and irritation bubbled up.
“Again? Always rushing me. Does he think I don’t need rest?”
For the first time, Jiang Jiandang felt a flicker of resentment toward He Minglang.
…
By 10 p.m., the He siblings were both lying in the hospital ward, their stomachs growling with hunger.
“Brother, Jiang Jiandang is just pretending to care. It’s already ten, and he still hasn’t come! I think he doesn’t want to deal with us anymore. All that talk about adopting us and helping you get better—it’s all lies!” He Mingxue said, her face dark with anger as she repeatedly called Jiang Jiandang’s phone. “He’s not even picking up!”
“Maybe something came up.” He Minglang replied weakly.
“Come on, what could possibly have happened?” He Mingxue snapped back.
“He’s helped us a lot already. Don’t say things like that. We don’t want people to think the He siblings are ungrateful.” He Minglang murmured from his hospital bed. He was pale, thin, and his voice sounded strained. Yet, deep down, he also felt something was off. Jiang Jiandang’s visits had become fewer, the meals smaller. Even Xu Qingya had stopped coming as often.
Something is slipping out of control, he thought to himself, clenching his fist around the crumpled hospital sheet. At this moment, he made a decision.
…
The next day.
He Minglang returned to school, wearing his uniform and carrying a bag of medications. He was immediately surrounded by curious students. The bag was filled with medication for his leukemia, and his appearance was frail—so thin, so pale, as if a gust of wind could knock him over.
Behind him was Jiang Jiandang, looking concerned as he supported He Minglang. “You should be resting in the hospital! Uncle can cook for you! Even though the medical bills are expensive, I’ll figure something out. Why did you insist on being discharged?”
The word discharged caught everyone’s attention. Many students glanced between Jiang Feng and He Minglang, wondering what was going on.
“Uncle, you’ve already done so much for me,” He Minglang said, his voice faint as he coughed, his face flushing red from the effort. “I’m a student. The exams are coming up, and I can’t afford to miss class. Besides, I feel much better now. I don’t want to keep burdening you with those hospital costs.”
Jiang Jiandang opened his mouth to protest but fell silent, thinking about the soaring medical bills. The truth was, he really couldn’t afford it anymore. Back when he hadn’t experienced hunger, he had thought nothing of selling his house to save He Minglang. But now, with barely enough money to buy food or laundry detergent, the idea of selling his home didn’t seem so noble anymore.
These days, even a few dozen yuan feels like a fortune.
Jiang Jiandang thought gloomily, “How much longer can I keep this up?”
…
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