Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Even though he had the medical insurance card, the surgery wasn’t over yet, so it couldn’t be used to cover the costs. The deposit wasn’t charged at the full amount, but it was still nearly a hundred thousand yuan. Pei Yuming held his father’s savings card, feeling a sliver of relief. Thank goodness, before the ambulance arrived, he had directed his brother to find the card. But this time, once his father recovered, he needed to remind the old man not to hide the card under the bed anymore. Otherwise, given his brother’s current state, he would definitely sneak it out and blow the money.
“Sir?” The staff member tapped on the window. “Did you hear me? The balance on this card is insufficient.”
“Insufficient balance?” Pei Yuming was a bit stunned. “That can’t be-there’s over four hundred thousand on this card.”
The staff member frowned. “Let’s try it again then.”
The result was the same.
Pei Yuming scratched his head, not understanding the situation. His father would never waste money, and he didn’t have anywhere to spend it. How could there be less than a hundred thousand left on the card?
“Excuse me, could you try again? Just charge fifty thousand first.”
The staff member shot him a look, curled her lip, and took the card back.
However, the result was the same.
Now Pei Yuming realized the seriousness of the matter. He gave an awkward smile. “Uh, I’ll come back later. There might be something wrong with the card. I’ll call the bank and ask.”
Calling wasn’t really an option-he wasn’t the account holder. Pei Yuming took the elevator straight to the first-floor lobby, found an ATM, and manually checked the balance himself.
What he saw shocked him. When he checked, Pei Yuming discovered that his father’s savings card had only twelve yuan left! This…
He stood frozen before the ATM for a long while, until someone behind him tapped his shoulder.
“Hey, buddy, you done? If you’re done, move aside-I’m in a hurry!”
“Oh… sorry.” Pei Yuming turned and apologized, quickly retrieving the card and stepping away.
Carrying his cloth bag, he went back upstairs, his mind racing with thoughts. His first reaction was that the money might have been secretly transferred by his brother. Or had his father switched to a new card without telling him? Or had he spent the money?
Pei Yuming shook his head. Spending it was unlikely. In his youth, his father had never managed money, so he usually only had a few hundred yuan in his pocket for living expenses. Over the years, he had become accustomed to budgeting carefully. Even after he had money, he still couldn’t bear to spend it.
Switching cards was also unlikely. Since his father had gotten older, whenever he went to the bank or any service counter-anything involving money-he would ask one of the younger family members to accompany him. The person he asked most often was Pei Yuming, followed by Bai Xue. Only when neither of them was free would he ask their daughter, Pei Xiaobei.
As far as Pei Yuming knew, he had never asked Pei Yucheng to go with him. As for why, he used to think his father was being overly cautious. Ah Cheng might not be ambitious, but he was honest and well-behaved; having to guard against him like this within the family was rather pitiful. But looking back now, he realized that in this family, he was the one who judged people most poorly. Even his daughter Xiaobei had complained to him openly and secretly, saying that her uncle wasn’t decent.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his brother had transferred the money. So he stormed toward the operating room.
As soon as he went upstairs, he ran into his brother coming from the other side. His tone was harsh as he snapped, “Stop right there! Weren’t you supposed to wait over there? What are you doing here?”
Pei Yucheng looked bewildered. “Big brother, nature calls! You’re going to scold me for taking a piss?”
Pei Yuming glared at him and asked sternly, “I’m asking you-where did all the money in Dad’s savings card go?”
“Ah? You’re asking me?” Pei Yucheng said in surprise. “How would I know?”
“You don’t know? Let me tell you…” Pei Yuming was about to threaten his younger brother with a couple of harsh words, but then his phone rang. It was actually a call from Bai Xue.
He pointed sternly toward the operating room and said, “Hurry back and keep watch!”
Only after his brother reluctantly headed that way did he answer the phone.
“Hubby, why aren’t you back yet?” Bai Xue’s sweet voice came through the phone, as if nothing had happened. Pei Yuming’s heart ached at the sound.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then said as calmly as possible, “Xiao Xue, I’m at the hospital. Dad had an acute heart attack and is in surgery. I need to pay a deposit of a hundred thousand yuan. Transfer it to me.”
“Ah…” Bai Xue gasped. “Is Dad okay? Nothing serious, right?”
“He should be fine.” Pei Yuming didn’t want to talk more and pressed, “Transfer the money first. I’m in a hurry to pay.”
“…Oh, all right.” Bai Xue paused before agreeing.
After hanging up, Pei Yuming stood there for a long time, collecting himself. Then he wiped his face and headed downstairs to make the payment.
While riding the escalator to the second floor, he inadvertently spotted a familiar figure walking by. She was wearing a purple floral dress, and she looked exactly like his daughter, Pei Xiaobei.
Had Bai Xue told Xiaobei?
No way. Even if she had, Xiaobei couldn’t have gotten here that fast!
Pei Yuming took a few quick steps forward and saw the figure disappear into an examination room in the obstetrics and gynecology department.
His mind went blank, as if struck by a sledgehammer. His vision went dark, and he nearly stumbled to his knees in the hallway. Luckily, there was a waiting area chair right next to him. He grabbed the backrest and took several deep breaths to suppress his agitation.
With a blank expression, he walked toward the OB/GYN area. When he reached the examination room door, he didn’t even knock; he just pushed it open and walked in.
“Hey! What are you doing? This is an examination! Get out now!” As soon as he entered, a young woman who looked like an assistant doctor blocked his way. “Where are you looking? Leave now, or I’ll call someone!”
Pei Yuming’s eyes locked onto his daughter lying on the examination bed. Pei Xiaobei was also stunned by her father suddenly barging in, so shocked she forgot to say anything.
It took her a moment to react, and she weakly called out, “Dad.”
The assistant doctor was taken aback and pointed at Pei Yuming. “This is your dad?”
But then she immediately noticed the strained expressions on both father and daughter and realized that the father must have just found out about his daughter’s pregnancy.
Family conflicts were not her business to meddle in. The assistant doctor no longer blocked him and wisely stepped back to her mentor’s side.
Pei Yuming’s gaze swept over the machine’s display screen and he understood at once. Whether out of professional habit or simple concern for his daughter, his tone was even surprisingly calm. He asked the examining doctor, “How many weeks?”
The doctor had certainly noticed that this late-arriving father looked off, but it was none of her concern. She glanced at the pale-faced girl on the examination bed and said flatly, “About seven weeks. The gestational sac is already visible.”
Although he had already figured it out, hearing the result still made his vision go dark again.
“Relax! Don’t tense up!” the doctor reminded. She didn’t care what was going through the minds of this father and daughter. As long as the girl was still lying on the examination bed, she had to finish this check-up.