10 - Ye Feng appears
After leaving the hospital, Jiang Hao didn't return to Liu City but instead checked into the best hotel in the county.
He had a feeling that Yang Qing would come looking for him soon!
Naturally, Jiang Hao wanted to help Yang Qing right away, but unfortunately, the mother and daughter were both too proud. Judging by their attitudes, they wouldn't easily accept his assistance.
The breakthrough for this situation would need a specific opportunity!
"Mom, I'll be staying out for a few days."
"No, it's nothing serious, I just wanted to take a break."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine! I'll be back in a few days at most."
"Oh, and expedite the land purchase and medical equipment donation plans—I've already promised to handle it on my end."
"..."
After hanging up the call with Jiang Lan, Jiang Hao stretched lazily.
On the call, Jiang Lan had expressed concern about his late nights out and even wanted to send bodyguards, but Jiang Hao's insistence made her reluctantly agree.
He ended up staying there for two days.
During this time, Jiang Hao finalized the deal with Master Li. Worried that the Jiang family might object, he specifically instructed Master Li to keep his identity confidential.
By the afternoon, news of the successful deal came. Master Li personally called Jiang Hao and even invited him for a meal at a later date.
"Oh, by the way, Young Master Jiang, your friend Ye Feng is quite troublesome!" Master Li remarked suddenly.
"You ran into him?" Jiang Hao's heart skipped a beat.
"Yes, one of my men was working at the train station today and got caught by Ye Feng. I just got him out of the police station."
"You didn't have any conflicts with him, right?"
"Don't worry, something this trivial wouldn't make me break our agreement. But your friend is ruthless—he directly crippled my subordinate's arm." Master Li chuckled lightly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.
The fact that Master Li was so certain it was Ye Feng was due to his subordinate's description.
According to the man, Ye Feng's speed was astonishingly fast, his strength overwhelming, and his temperament merciless.
All traits characteristic of a retired special forces soldier!
"So, he's finally arrived? It looks like I'll need to move faster!" Jiang Hao murmured to himself after the call.
For the first time, he felt a sense of urgency.
With Ye Feng's sudden appearance and no progress on Yang Qing's side, Jiang Hao knew he might have to take more direct action if things didn't change soon.
Even though it might leave a bad impression on Yang Qing, he could no longer afford to wait—no matter what, he couldn't let Ye Feng get close to her first!
---
Late at night, in the county hospital.
Yang Qing sat on a bench outside the operating room, crying bitterly.
Moments earlier, her mother's condition had suddenly worsened, and she had been rushed into surgery.
Since they had refused Jiang Hao's financial help, the hospital had issued a final notice the day before, demanding Yang Qing settle the unpaid medical bills.
After exhausting all avenues for help, her mother had finally reached her limit.
At this moment, Yang Qing couldn't help but think of Jiang Hao, who had been in the hospital room that day.
If she had accepted his assistance or sincerely sought his help, would her mother have lasted longer? Would she have recovered?
Guilt. Regret.
Yang Qing, who had always been true to herself and adhered to her mother's teachings, was now having her first-ever thought of sacrificing everything to save her mother.
"Ah..."
A faint sigh sounded beside her.
Yang Qing raised her head and saw the hospital's director standing nearby.
With a "thud," she dropped to her knees.
Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision, but she still begged: "Director Ma, I beg you! Please save my mother!"
"What are you doing? Get up!" Director Ma was startled.
Yang Qing's mother had a terminal illness.
There was no hope for a cure—only medication could prolong her life, and the cost of such medication was far beyond what an ordinary family could afford.
"Why put yourself through this? I know you don't like wealthy people, but Young Master Jiang isn't like the rest! If you had accepted his help, your mother wouldn't be in critical condition now!" Director Ma said honestly, seeing that Yang Qing wouldn't get up.
If not for Jiang Hao's influence, the hospital wouldn't have even arranged for the best specialists to perform the surgery!
Everyone knew the truth:
Yang Qing simply couldn't afford the cost of this operation!
Hearing this, Yang Qing cried even harder.
Bang!
The door to the operating room suddenly swung open, and a nurse wearing a mask rushed out.
Yang Qing quickly got to her feet and anxiously asked about the situation.
But all she received was a critical condition notice.
"You should prepare yourself. Given the hospital's resources, the chances of saving her are very slim," the nurse said regretfully.
Boom!
Yang Qing staggered, as if struck by lightning.
At that moment, she felt utterly helpless and desolate.
"If you're willing to compromise, there might still be a chance for your mother to live a few more days," Director Ma suggested.
"Really?"
Yang Qing's eyes lit up as she tightly gripped his sleeve. "What should I do?"
"Call Young Master Jiang."
---
Half an hour later, Jiang Hao arrived at the operating room.
It was already 3 a.m.
Without comforting the tearful and dazed Yang Qing leaning against the wall, he turned to Director Ma and asked, "What's the situation? How much longer can she hold on?"
"The situation is critical. The patient has lost the ability to breathe on her own and is entirely reliant on the ventilator."
"How much time is left?"
"Forty minutes. If she isn't transferred to another hospital for treatment within forty minutes, not even a god could save her."
"Got it."
The best hospitals were all in Liushi, but the trip from Anping to Liushi took at least an hour!
In other words, even if they started transferring her now, there wasn't enough time!
Hearing this, Yang Qing broke into tears again.
Unable to stand her sorrow, Jiang Hao handed her a tissue and said, "It's alright. Your mother won't die."
But those words became the final straw that broke Yang Qing's emotional dam.
Trembling with sobs, she slapped his hand away and shouted hysterically:
"What gives you the right to say that?!"
"What do you wealthy people know?!"
"So what if you have billions? Can you buy time? Can you buy life?"
"No matter how rich you are, can you outrun the death looming over my mother?!"
Her hoarse voice echoed, each word piercing like a dagger.
But Jiang Hao didn't respond; he simply stood there, quietly listening.
Only when Yang Qing, overwhelmed by grief, began to faint did he firmly state one word:
"Yes."
The world fell silent, and his voice lingered in the corridor.
Yang Qing's cries came to an abrupt halt, and she stood frozen like a puppet with severed strings.
She desperately wanted to believe Jiang Hao, to believe there was still hope. But reality was cruel.
Suddenly—
The sound of rapid propeller blades filled the air outside the hospital, accompanied by blinding lights that turned the surroundings into daylight.
Yang Qing had a vague guess and rushed to the window.
What she saw left her stunned:
It was a medical helicopter!