LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 18 - II
However, a sudden thought crossed Xie Qi’s mind – should he take a photo for Yao Wenzhu? It might somewhat soothe her mood.
Xie Qi frowned slightly, feeling a bit annoyed. He had forgotten about it in the midst of his panic, only recalling it now.
Staring at Qin Yizhi’s face carefully, he thought helplessly that there might be a chance in the future.
Xie Qi stood up and left the ward. However, after his departure, Qin Yizhi’s eyelids trembled again, opening with difficulty. His breathing became heavy, fingers pressing hard, leaving five deep pits on the quilt.
The infusion tube surged with crimson blood, and the back of his hand oozed blood, but Qin Yizhi seemed impervious to pain. His lips moved slightly, the corners of his mouth pulled muscles, and his cheeks showed signs of life.
Although his eyes were fully open, those dark orbs were devoid of light, resembling a black hole absorbing all illumination.
This state was brief, and soon his eyelids grew heavy, drooping slowly before closing once again.
.
Xie Qi had to go to school again on Monday, and the weather had gotten much warmer in the past few days. He appreciated not having to wear a coat until noon, and even in a thin blue sweater, he still felt a little hot.
Returning the donation organized by the school to the homeroom teacher, the teacher was a bit surprised. “Why do you still need to pay back this money? There’s no need to pay it back. This is also a donation for Teacher Hou.”
Despite knowing the rumors circulating among students, he still had some basic trust in Xie Qi, prompting him to not easily led by it.
Xie Qi replied, “We borrowed the money, and it’s enough. If the donation can’t be used, of course, we have to pay it back.”
The homeroom teacher remarked, “But Teacher Hou’s situation is so serious, doesn’t it cost a lot of money?”
Xie Qi, maintaining his composure, said, “It does cost a lot, but my biological father is a second-generation rich person.”
The homeroom teacher: “…”
“So, I asked him for money, which covered the medical expenses,” Xie Qi explained.
The homeroom teacher dryly stated, “Okay, let me return the donations to the students.”
Xie Qi expressed gratitude, saying, “Thank you, teacher. But I’d like to ask about Teacher Hou’s job…”
Before he could finish, the homeroom teacher interrupted, “Don’t worry about this. We’ve had a meeting, and the school won’t fire Teacher Hou. He can come to work at any time when he’s well, but he won’t be paid for his hospitalized period.”
Xie Qi sighed in relief, saying quickly, “Thank you, teacher.”
At least, Teacher Hou’s job was saved. While the salary of a high school teacher wasn’t high, ranging from six to seven thousand at most, the year-end performance bonuses, based on class size, could be lucrative, with an additional two to three thousand yuan per semester for classes exceeding 50 students.
Not to mention, Teacher Hou’s job was quite good – he left work early and had plenty of rest time.
Calculating the time, Teacher Hou would likely wake up on Wednesday or Thursday. His condition stabilized after the operation, and he was transferred to the general ward yesterday. Now, Teacher Hou and Jiang Sining could be in the same ward.
The situation was improving, but Xie Qi felt uneasy thinking of Qin Yizhi’s eyes opening.
He had a nagging feeling that he wouldn’t be able to sustain this financial situation for long.
He just hoped to survive this month, allowing him to solidify his financial standing.
After chatting with the homeroom teacher, the teacher mentioned the rumors and said, “The school gave them a punishment. Do you think it’s okay?”
Xie Qi replied, “Ah,” not having objections. This incident didn’t impact him much, but he felt offended. He added, “Okay, I have no objection.”
As long as they didn’t bother him again.
.
Returning to class, the homeroom teacher held a meeting in the morning, where several people from Zhao Sui group were called on stage to apologize to Xie Qi.
Xie Qi smiled and forgave them. Although their eyes showed skepticism and they harbored complaints, they complied under the homeroom teacher’s authority.
Xie Qi knew that some people disliked him for no reason, but he was indifferent. Making friends was a slow process for him. Fan Qingyue and Li Siwen became friends due to shared classes in junior high, proximity, and common interests. It took Xie Qi four years to truly become friends with them.
.
In the afternoon after school, Fan Qingyue wanted to visit Xie Qi’s parents. Xie Qi didn’t refuse, and Fan Qingyue offered to drive him to the hospital with his small electric motorcycle.
Xie Qi’s home was close to the school, and he didn’t own an electric motorcycle since he didn’t need one. Jiang Sining took a bus to work, so no transportation was required.
Hearing Xie Qi mention his lingering back pain, Fan Qingyue complained, “Your back is so fragile at such a young age. How will you manage if you get a girlfriend in the future?”
Xie Qi responded, “Please be mindful of your words. I am married now.”
Fan Qingyue, taken aback by the serious response, became a bit anxious. “…No, we’re like brothers. Don’t pretend in front of me. Are you really going to be that vegetative person’s wife? You’re not gay! If you were, you would have fallen for me long ago, but you haven’t.”
Xie Qi: “…”
He was a little speechless, “Do you have any misconceptions about yourself? Even if I’m gay, I don’t look down on you. But you are shorter by me; how could I like that.”
Fan Qingyue responded, “What do you know? I heard that in that circle, height is not a factor. Only that part you know.”
“What, what? What are you talking about?”
“Come on, can’t I use that word casually? Just pretend to understand it. I am very popular in that circle, okay.”
Xie Qi: “…”
Xie Qi: “Okay, okay, you are the most popular.”
The traffic light turned red, and Fan Qingyue stopped the car, chirping, “You haven’t answered me yet. What do you really want with that person? Do you want a husband who is in a vegetative state? You’re only 18 years old. What do those people think? They’re wealthy; why can’t they find someone of the right age? Many people are after money nowadays, and they wouldn’t care if the man is in a vegetative state.”
Xie Qi remained silent. Fan Qingyue urged, “Qizi, please say something.”
Xie Qi then revealed, “Actually, yesterday my mother-in-law increased my monthly living allowance to 400,000.”
“What?!???!!” Fan Qingyue’s voice broke instantly, drawing the attention of passers-by waiting for the light to turn green.
Xie Qi turned away, lowering his voice, “Please speak softly. I’m afraid of being embarrassed if I’m seen with you.”
Fan Qingyue then whispered in disbelief, “One month, 400,000? Is it true or false?”
Xie Qi: “True.”
Fan Qingyue: “…”
Fan Qingyue said respectfully, “My father, I was rude just now. Father must have his own reasons for doing this. Although your husband is in a vegetative state, is this not the dream marriage everyone imagines? The husband’s family is wealthy, and he got 400,000 a month in that condition. Hey, I never dared to dream of such a perfect marriage.”
Xie Qi: “…”
Fan Qingyue continued, “I support you being gay. Really, if you’re getting this much every month, you should give birth to twins for their family; otherwise, the money will be too hot to handle.”