C5 Surgery Fee

Six hundred thousand!

Upon hearing this staggering amount, Xiao Qingli felt on the verge of a breakdown.

Her annual salary didn't even reach fifty thousand. Where on earth could she come up with six hundred thousand?

"I can cure Xiao's illness," Lin Luo suddenly declared.

"You?" The doctor sized up Lin Luo, noting his unkempt appearance and bloodshot eyes. If he couldn't even take care of himself, how was he supposed to treat someone else?

The doctor scoffed and questioned Lin Luo, "Have you studied medicine?"

"A bit," Lin Luo replied.

"Do you even know what acute leukemia is? Do you know the treatment for it?"

As Lin Luo struggled to respond, the doctor's look of scorn deepened.

"You know nothing and yet you dare claim you can cure your daughter's illness? Where does this confidence come from?"

"Who says you can't heal without knowing these things?"

The doctor let out a cold laugh and retorted, "You don't even understand the symptoms, and you're talking about treatment? Are you suggesting you can have a child without even taking off your pants?"

Lin Luo, clearly displeased by the doctor's unwarranted mockery, grew colder in tone.

"You—"

Before he could finish, Xiao Qingli cut him off with a shout:

"Shut up!"

Pointing towards the emergency room door, she angrily said, "Lin Luo, that's your daughter in there. Even if you're not thinking of a way to pay for the surgery, you shouldn't gamble with Xiao's life. Do you really think you're some miracle healer? Can you just declare acute leukemia cured?"

After reprimanding Lin Luo, Xiao Qingli turned to the doctor with an apologetic expression.

"Doctor, I'm sorry. I apologize for him."

"It's okay. I don't sweat the small stuff," the doctor replied, still looking at Lin Luo with a dismissive gaze.

"You young people should not claim to cure diseases without understanding them. Consider your capabilities before you speak to avoid making a fool of yourself."

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I truly am," Xiao Qingli said, her tone reflecting her contrition.

Once the doctor had left, she turned a cold eye to Lin Luo and stated firmly,

"I'll find a way to handle the surgery fees. You just make sure Xiao is well taken care of. If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you."

"I understand. I'll take good care of Xiao," Lin Luo assured with a nod.

Xiao Qingli's gaze lingered on her daughter, lying in a deep coma in the emergency room, her eyes brimming with sorrow.

Once outside the hospital, she reached out to Manager Wong, who was always kind to her at work.

"Hello, Manager Wong? I need to discuss something with you. Are you available right now?"

"Available? Of course, I am. Xiao, what's on your mind?"

The voice of a middle-aged man in his forties resonated through the phone.

"It's not really suitable to talk over the phone. Maybe I could take you out for a meal, and we could chat in person?"

"A face-to-face conversation?"

After a brief pause, he replied, "No need for a meal, I've already eaten. Plus, Xiao, I know things are tough for you, so don't worry about the expense. If you have something serious to discuss, just come over to my place. I'll brew some tea and wait for you."

"Alright, please send me your address."

Without overthinking, Xiao Qingli received Manager Wong's address and promptly hailed a cab to his home.

"Xiao, welcome."

Manager Wong greeted her warmly and led her into the living room.

As he served Xiao Qingli a cup of tea, he inquired,

"Xiao, what brings you here so late? Is there something urgent?"

"Well..."

Xiao Qingli hesitated, finding it difficult to broach the subject of borrowing money.

"Don't worry, Xiao. Just speak your mind. It's just us here, no one else."

Manager Wong encouraged her with a kind tone.

"Okay, I'll be straightforward," she said, taking a deep breath. "Manager Wong, could you possibly lend me some money?"

"Lend you money? How much do you need?"

Manager Wong sipped his tea, the warmth of the Dahongpao filling the air.

"600,000 yuan."

"Pfft!"

The staggering amount took Manager Wong by surprise, causing him to spray out his tea.

"Is that... too much?"

Xiao Qingli asked, her anxiety palpable. The only person she could turn to for a loan was the very manager who had always supported her at the company.

"It's not too much."

Manager Wong dabbed at his mouth with a napkin and inquired, "Xiao, what do you need to borrow such a large sum for?"

"I..." Xiao Qingli's gaze suddenly grew dim, her voice tinged with sorrow. "My daughter has been diagnosed with acute leukemia and urgently needs 600,000 yuan for her surgery. Without it, my daughter will..." Her words trailed off as tears began to stream down her face.

"I see," Manager Wong said, pausing briefly before continuing, "I can lend you the money, but..."

"Really?" Xiao Qingli's face lit up with a glimmer of hope.

"Hold on, let me finish. I can lend you the money without interest, and you can pay me back whenever you're able. But... there's one condition."

"What's the condition?"

Manager Wong's eyes roamed over Xiao Qingli's figure, a sly glint appearing in his gaze. Feeling his stare, Xiao Qingli instinctively shifted backward.

Undeterred, Manager Wong leaned in closer, his wrinkled hand creeping toward Xiao Qingli's pale thigh. Startled, Xiao Qingli stood up quickly, her voice shaking as she spoke, "Manager Wong, please behave yourself."

"Behave myself? Don't you know what I want?" he retorted.

"How would I know what you're thinking?" she replied, bewildered.

With a sly chuckle, Manager Wong's sleazy demeanor became apparent. "Xiao, if you agree to become my mistress, I'll lend you the 600,000 yuan for your daughter's treatment. What do you say?"

"No way! I will not compromise my dignity for money," Xiao Qingli firmly refused.

"Xiao, if I'm not mistaken, your daughter is just six years old, isn't she? Can you really stand by and watch her suffer and succumb to her illness?" Manager Wong stood and moved closer to her, pressing on, "And your gambler husband—does he have the means to gather the funds for her surgery? Clearly, he doesn't."

"Look at it this way: serving me would be far more beneficial than enduring your husband's gambling. At the very least, I can provide the money for your daughter's surgery." As he spoke, Manager Wong's hand stealthily slid towards Xiao Qingli's slender waist.

The instant Manager Wong's hand brushed against her, Xiao Qingli jolted as though she had been shocked, her reflexes driving her hand to slap Manager Wong across the face.

"Smack!"

Manager Wong stood there, dumbfounded, feeling the searing imprint of her palm on his cheek, his anger boiling over.

"Xiao Qingli! You think you can disrespect me like this?"

"You have three days to make up your mind. Either agree to be my mistress and use the money to save your daughter, or prepare to be fired and clear your things out of the office!"