Pampered by Short-Lived Bigshot

Chapter 419: 269 Little White Mouse, Uncle Jiang, Huo Ye’s Thoughtful Gift (2nd Update)

After the three families had gathered, the next morning, the Shen Family took a flight and left Pingjiang, while the Jiang Family’s flight was in the evening.

Tang Wan used to work on Cyan Feather craft in the study. Materials, a workbench, tools... Everything had to be moved to Beijing, and that required time to organize, so she did not return with the others.

It was Jiang Jinsang who had intended to stay with her, but Zhou Zhongqing called to urge him.

"Xiaowu, when will you be back in Beijing? I’ve been waiting for you for a long time." noveldrama

"I’ve arranged a hospital room for you. Come back for a full check-up. We need to have a meeting to come up with a surgical plan for you."

"I’ve missed you so much after you’ve been gone for this long. Hurry back, I’m waiting for you—"

...

Jiang Jinsang’s eyelids twitched fiercely. Was he this eager to slice him open?

If it had only been him being urged, that would have been one thing, but the calls went directly to Tang Wan, and she began to "chase" Jiang Jinsang, urging him to hurry back.

"Uncle Zhou really cares about you. After you return, you must cooperate with his treatment. I will definitely rush back before your surgery," Tang Wan instructed over and over until she finally kicked him onto the plane.

Everyone had left, and the Tang Family residence seemed to become quiet and desolate in an instant. Even teasing Hua Mei couldn’t bring a flicker of interest to the old man.

"Dad?" Tang Yunxian returned home from work and saw his father sighing as he entered the courtyard.

"You’re back?" It seemed as if the elder Tang suddenly shook off his reverie. "I’ve never been one to seek lively crowds, but now that they’re gone, my heart feels oddly uncomfortable."

"The Jiang Family previously suggested that we move to Beijing. What do you think? Wanwan is bound to marry there eventually, and if she and Xiaowu really have children, we might not see them more than a few times a year."

Even though transportation is convenient now, daughters who haven’t married off always say they’ll come home often, but once they have their own families, with all the responsibilities, traveling thousands of miles home is not so simple.

"What about the company if we move..." When the old lady raised this question, Elder Tang had indeed hesitated.

"One can do business anywhere, and besides, we’ll never finish spending all the money. I can transfer some of the business to Beijing. It wouldn’t bother me to travel back and forth occasionally."

Tang Yunxian was in the prime of his life and in good health, without any ailments. Even if Tang Wan married far away, he could make the trip several times, checking in on her often. However, for his elderly father, with his poor health and considering his time spent recovering from surgery at the Jiang Family home, where he had indeed been very happy, such comings and goings were not viable.

"Let me think about it," the old man said, his heart wavering, yet surely entwined with reluctance to leave the land of his ancestors.

**

Beijing

As soon as Jiang Jinsang returned to Beijing, Zhou Zhongqing couldn’t wait to rush to his house and take him to the Hospital for a thorough check-up that left no stone unturned. Due to the extensive number of tests needed, and the requirement for observation, he inevitably ended up staying in the Hospital for a few days.

Meanwhile, the Jiang Family cleaned and tidied up the old house in the suburbs so that he could recuperate there after surgery.

Once Jiang Jinsang was admitted to the hospital and the test results came back, Zhou Zhongqing burst into the ward with a large group of people.

It was a consultation!

His condition was unique, a congenital issue. He had undergone numerous surgeries as a child, and due to repeated issues over the years, it had never been fully resolved, making it different from common ailments.

His case was likely a rarity nationwide, with no precedent for surgery. Zhou Zhongqing was particularly cautious, gathering a host of experts to consult on his case.

A group of doctors discussed things that Jiang Jinsang couldn’t understand while he lay on the hospital bed, feeling utterly forlorn.

Eventually, they even began discussing where to make the incision?

Zhou Zhongqing squinted his eyes, staring at him, "Hey, what do you think, where is it better to cut into him? Open up the chest? Or make the incision from the side?"

"The main issue is the lack of a precedent. Regardless of how we operate, the risks are significant."

"I think we still need to perform an open-chest surgery."

...

The consultation was supposed to be serious, and these doctors were quite professional, but Jiang Jinsang saw from the look in their eyes that they were unmistakably excited.

Could cutting him "open" really excite them this much?

How could these doctors not be thrilled? His case was exceedingly rare, and they might never encounter such in their lifetimes. Being part of such a major surgery brought immense pressure but was also highly motivating.

If they could conquer such a complex and difficult case, it would be a significant advancement in the medical field, a challenge full of appeal.

They all looked at Jiang Jinsang, their eyes practically shining.

They seemed eager to drag him straight into the operating room to use him like a lab rat, to study every nook and cranny inside and out.

...

Performing surgery on him, Zhou Zhongqing also took a huge risk, convening key experts from various departments of the hospital and held meetings to study multiple plans and conduct risk assessments. What they feared most was the occurrence of sudden complications during the operation. This was not a minor surgery, and there were no precedents to refer to; Jiang Jinsang genuinely risked losing his life on the operating table.

Even without pressure from the Jiang Family, he was already under tremendous pressure himself, practically living at the hospital, keep company with Jiang Jinsang day and night. Even the slightest problem manifested in his health could turn into a major issue during the surgery.

"Uncle Zhou..." Jiang Jinsang was holding a book, "Love in the Time of Cholera."

"Hm?" Zhou Zhongqing sat by his bed, holding a notebook and continued to scribble away.

"Just do your best. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself; life and death are predestined." Zhou Zhongqing had visibly lost weight at an astonishing rate due to the surgery, and Jiang Jinsang wasn’t heartless. Although their relationship was that of doctor and patient, it was more like that of a father and son, and he felt concerned for him.

"Stop talking nonsense; if I could snatch your life back from the hands of fate before, I can do it now, too!"

"As long as I’m here, no one can take your life away!"

"Keep talking rubbish, and the first thing I’ll do when you’re on the operating table is to find a needle and thread and sew your mouth shut." Zhou Zhongqing was typically tough on the outside but soft on the inside.

Jiang Jinsang caressed the spine of the book, "Uncle..."

"At a time like this, don’t cause any trouble for me, otherwise, I really would..."

"If I can safely get off the operating table, I’ll acknowledge you as my godfather."

Zhou Zhongqing was stunned; he had never married and had neither children nor descendants. Upon hearing these words, he felt a complex mix of sourness deep inside, but he could only offer a cold smile, "You little brat, you want to recognize me as your godfather? Are you just expecting a big red envelope from me when you marry Wanwan?"

Jiang Jinsang knew he was tough-mouthed and just smiled, "Uncle, once I’ve recovered, you can find yourself a concubine."

Zhou Zhongqing was moved by the godfather matter, feeling that the years of hard work he had done for him had not been in vain. Although the kid had a sharp tongue, he still knew how to show gratitude.

But the next second, he was actually... pressing him to find a partner?

"Jiang Jinsang!" He glared at him angrily.

"I’m serious, although you’re not young anymore, you don’t look old at all. Nowadays, many young girls like older men; you’re quite popular in the market. You might even find me a young auntie—"

"Shut your mouth." Zhou Zhongqing was infuriated and pretended to raise his hand in a threat to hit him.

"If you don’t find someone, then..." Jiang Jinsang paused in his speech, and Zhou Zhongqing faced him with furrowed brows, looking as though he would definitely resort to violence if Jiang dared to tease him further.

But his next words softened Zhou’s heart.

"When you get old, I will take care of you."

"Save such words for after you get off the operating table," grumbled Zhou Zhongqing as he left the ward, picking up his pace, unable to suppress a smile.

...

Although Jiang Jinsang was hospitalized for a check-up, quite a few people came to visit him, including Jiang Shiyi, who had been there twice.

One of the most awkward visitors, however, was from the Huo Family of Hexi. Each time he came, the conversation was basically...

Jiang Jinsang smiled, "You’re here?"

"Yeah." He gave him a brief glance, "How are you feeling today?" His polite indifference was as if he were a stranger.

"Pretty good."

"Hm."

Perhaps finding the silence too oppressive, the visitor would add, "It’s a nice sunny day today."

"Yes, it is."

"What book are you reading?"

"Just flipping through. These are all books I’ve read before; nothing really interests me." Without Tang Wan around, Jiang Jinsang always felt less enthusiastic about everything.

...

After a long silence, the visits felt akin to a leader’s inspection; afterward, the two went about their own activities, one reading, the other sunbathing, without disturbing one another.

Yet, the next day, he actually sent someone to deliver a box of books, suggesting that Jiang Jinsang take his time to read them.

God knows where he had gathered them from — legends of monsters and spirits, mystery and exploration, and even Buddhist and Taoist teachings, all books Jiang had never read before.

Tang Wan learned of this and laughed for a while, "I didn’t expect Brother Huo to be so thoughtful; knowing you like to read, he sent you so many."

This annoyed Jiang Jinsang quite a bit; did the man think he was going to be in the hospital for a year? But upon receiving the gift, he could only smile and say, "Thank you."

The visitor replied with a simple "Glad you like it."