A Peach Wood Comb

After a night on the train, she returned to City C, hastily washing her face on the way, her heart burning with urgency as she rushed to the hospital. Her uncle and aunt had been keeping watch for days and nights. Lai Hui saw her mother lying there, seemingly unharmed but with a face like wax, hiding the pain. Her aunt’s eyes were swollen from crying; seeing her niece, tears gathered again. She held Lai Hui’s hand, lamenting, “Your mother has suffered so much, and we can’t do anything to help. Xiao Hui, look at us, we can’t even help with her pain, her illness, or even afford the medicine.” Her aunt stomped her feet in frustration, while her uncle, more composed, patted her shoulder to console her, then turned to Lai Hui with a pained look, “It’s good you’re back. First, mortgage the property certificate to get some money.” Only then did Lai Hui learn that her uncle and aunt had already mortgaged their house, spent all their savings, and sent their children to live with her aunt’s brother to save money. But that rural house was worth very little, and their savings barely reached four figures, just a drop in the ocean for her mother’s medical expenses. Her uncle continued, “We called you back to mortgage the house first. We can’t wait for the hospital, and your mother can’t either.” Lai Hui handed over the property certificate; the bank said it could only loan fifteen thousand yuan. Her uncle looked aged, both in face and voice, saying, “This illness won’t get better in a short time, and this money won’t last long. The hospital is heartless; if you don’t have money, they give you the cold shoulder, roll their eyes. I’m old, I don’t care about saving face, but we can’t let them stop your mother’s medication.”