paranoianovel Chapter 24 How can one be jealous?
Chapter 24 How can one be jealous?
The Affiliated Hospital of Ocean University of China is located just one kilometer from the Oriental Tower subway station.
The operating room lights were on.
Cao Yingchong paced back and forth in the corridor with a solemn expression.
Zit suffered multiple fractures throughout his body, including a clear crack in his neck, two broken ribs, three fractured lumbar vertebrae, and a severe dislocation of the fifth lumbar vertebra. He vomited in the ambulance, clearly indicating a concussion caused by a severe blow to the skull.
Cao Yingchong felt extremely guilty. Although the suggestion was a joke, he had indeed seriously considered its feasibility.
Zheng Xinjian has always had a bad temper, and bullying weaker classmates is commonplace for him. After the academy hostage incident, his personality became even more eccentric, and he harbors a deep resentment towards Qi Te. Having been humiliated in the cafeteria, he'll inevitably seek revenge on Qi Te sooner or later.
If Qi Te were ever cornered, he would immediately hire the best lawyer to send Zheng Xinjian to jail. But he never expected that the guy would actually go so far as to kill him.
Using superpowers to fight and injure others in public is a violation of the Federal Superpower Management Act, which carries penalties ranging from fines and imprisonment to severe punishment depending on the circumstances. This is especially true in a high-traffic area like a subway station.
"Is that guy crazy?"
Cao Yingchong couldn't understand it at all. Zheng Xinjian was indeed impulsive and easily angered, but he shouldn't have lost his mind to that extent.
Furthermore, the power that guy unleashed in the subway station clearly exceeded the D-level standard.
"What on earth is going on? And why does that old man also seem to be acting like a madman?"
Thinking of all this, Cao Ying subconsciously reached for his phone, wanting to call his older brother to ask about the situation. But considering that his brother had just apprehended a criminal and probably still had other things to take care of, he decided to wait and call later.
More than these problems, he was worried about Zit's safety.
Haida Affiliated Hospital is the best hospital in Haicheng, equipped with the most advanced medical equipment in the federal government. However, when signing the consent form before the operation, the surgeon clearly stated that the recovery time for so many fractures would be at least six months.
The most important part is the lumbar spine; even if the surgery is successful, there is a possibility of long-term problems. Walking normally is not a problem, but strenuous exercise should be avoided.
The thought of how much Qi Te's future mobility and quality of life would be affected filled Cao Yingchong with deep regret; he shouldn't have made that damned suggestion.
Just as I was pondering how to make amends for this mistake, my phone vibrated.
Ji Chenyu asked anxiously, "How is Tezi?"
While in the ambulance, Qi Te was vomiting and calling his best friend, asking him to pick up his mother.
Ji Chenyu was extremely anxious when he learned that Qi Te was injured and needed surgery, but he was slightly relieved to hear that Cao Yingchong was beside him. He quickly hailed a taxi and rushed to District Nine to pick him up.
"During surgery," Cao Yingchong replied briefly, then asked, "Have you arrived at Qi Te's house?"
"I just picked up Aunt Xiu from the community nursing home and we're on our way home."
"A nursing home?" Cao Yingchong asked, puzzled. "What does that do?"
"The class monitor is such a rich kid, he doesn't even know this."
After making his usual sarcastic remark, Ji Chenyu explained, "The West Ninth District is mostly old communities with many elderly residents, so most communities have dedicated care facilities for the elderly."
"Qite's mother probably doesn't count..."
Before Cao Yingchong could finish speaking, a gasp came from the other end of the phone.
"Aunt Xiu, don't wander off. Tezi will be back later, don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."
Cao Yingchong's heart sank, and he roughly guessed what was going on.
"Um..." Ji Chenyu hesitated for a moment, then sighed and said, "Never mind, you're not an outsider now, Tezi shouldn't blame me for telling anyone."
"Aunt Xiu is intellectually disabled and can barely take care of herself in daily life, but Tezi has to go to school and can't stay home with her 24 hours a day. He was afraid that if something happened to Aunt Xiu while she was home alone, he wouldn't be able to get back in time, so he settled her in a nursing home."
"Every Friday, I pick him up and take him home. Even when he doesn't have classes on weekdays, he'll make time to go back and check on him."
"I know many classmates dislike him for signing up for every competition, studying day and night, and being so engrossed in his studies. He usually ignores people and seems arrogant, but actually, he genuinely doesn't have time..."
Qi Te had no father and grew up relying on his maternal grandfather and mother. When he was ten years old, his grandfather passed away, leaving behind an old house and a small amount of savings.
Qi Te lived frugally, participating in every competition he could from a young age. His goal was the prize money; though not much, it was the only legal and profitable way for a minor to earn money.
"I've known Tezi since we were toddlers. When I was in third grade, my dad made some money in business, and we moved away."
"But we've kept in touch all these years. When he was in his first year of high school, he received an offer of admission to Peking University's gifted youth program, but he didn't go. Because if he left Haicheng, there would be no one to take care of Aunt Xiu."
"Besides his monthly scholarship, he also works part-time as an online tutor, earning three to five hundred yuan per lesson. Tezi is so thin that he's skin and bones because he's reluctant to spend money. He's always stingy when buying food, and he always chooses clothes two sizes too big. The jacket he's wearing has been worn for seven or eight years."
"He never participates in class activities or club team building events. It's not that he's aloof, he's just really poor. The little money he earns goes to his own daily expenses, as well as Aunt Xiu's nursing care and room and board fees."
"So, squad leader, lately you've been treating Tezi differently than before, and you've been treating him to meals quite often. I... I'm actually quite touched."
"Tezi is a bit dull-witted; he doesn't say anything, and I don't know if he even cares..."
Cao Yingchong stood there, stunned, her heart aching as if it had been gently squeezed by a small hand.
He recalled his various remarks about Qi Te, and how his jealousy of Qi Te had reached its peak because of the guaranteed spot in the tournament. He felt a sense of displeasure at being overpowered by Qi Te, which led him to say many sarcastic and unpleasant things.
Overwhelmed by guilt, Cao Yingchong took a deep breath and made a decision.
Give me your card number.
Ji Chenyu: "What?"
"I'll transfer the money to you."
Why would you transfer money to me?
Cao Yingchong was speechless. He was absolutely certain that this guy wasn't pretending to be stupid; that brain, worth a hundred million and never opened, was genuinely not working properly.
"You idiot!"
Ji Chenyu: "You're the idiot..."
Before I could finish speaking, my phone chimed with a notification.
Transferred 100,000 yuan via Feixun.
Ji Chenyu was shocked: "Holy crap, I'm an idiot, I'm a complete idiot. Class monitor, no, Brother Cao, you're like my own brother..."
"This isn't for you. Go settle your nursing bill first, and use the rest to...buy some nutritional supplements for your godmother."
"You... what the hell?! Brother, you've really become a good son to Aunt Xiu?!"
Cao Yingchong's face flushed red, but fortunately it was a phone call, not a video call, so Ji Chenyu couldn't see his embarrassment.
"Stop talking nonsense and do as I say."
"Yes, young master."
.....................
The surgeon was also shocked!
As soon as the operating room lights went out, Cao Yingchong rushed forward. Before she could even utter a single question, the doctor removed his mask and exclaimed, "That's amazing!"
"I've been a chief surgeon for over a decade and have performed at least three thousand surgeries, and I've never seen such a resilient patient before."
The anesthesiologist standing nearby immediately nodded, exclaiming in amazement, "Yes, the injury is so severe, yet he insisted on local anesthesia instead of general anesthesia. Tsk tsk~ This young man looks so skinny, but he can really tough it out!"
"What?!"
Cao Yingchong's eyes widened, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
"You're a relative of the injured person, right? The surgery was a success, don't worry."
Upon hearing this, Cao Yingchong felt a little relieved, and then hurriedly inquired about the aftereffects.
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that."
The doctor smiled and said, "The patient has a self-healing ability. Although he is only at the F level, he only suffered external injuries and bone injuries. He should be fully recovered in about half a month."
"The intracranial examination has been completed, and the problem is minor. He will be hospitalized for observation, rest for a few days, and then have another scan to see how it goes."
Cao Yingchong frowned, his face full of questions. Wasn't Qi Te's ability visual perception? How did it become self-healing?
wrong!
He suddenly realized that although dual-sequence ability users were extremely rare, wasn't he a living example of it?
Therefore, so is Zite.
Just a moment ago, Cao Yingchong was overjoyed by the success of the surgery, but suddenly a faint bitterness welled up in his heart.
Realizing the change in her emotions, Cao Yingchong immediately shook her head. Why was she feeling jealous again?
But that kid Qi Te is too peculiar; even his abilities are dual-sequence, just like mine.
No, no, he's already in such a miserable state, how could I be jealous?
But he already got a guaranteed spot in the doctoral program, and his grades are so good. We initially thought he was just a Muggle, but...
No, no, how could I be jealous...
Cao Yingchong felt as if two little people were fighting inside him, almost to the point of having a split personality.
However, he soon realized another, more serious problem.
Damn, that was too hasty!
Is it too late to take back that "godmother" title?