Chapter 62

Chapter 62 - 62 061 Give her a star for her birthday (second update)

Chapter 62: 061: Give her a star for her birthday (second update) Chapter 62: 061: Give her a star for her birthday (second update) Sister Tao was out, and Granny Zhu was helping to watch the fruit shop.

Wen Changling was supposed to work the day shift today, but a colleague whom she had helped in the past took over her shift, so she had some free time and also helped out at the fruit shop.

Sister Tao did not come back until after ten o’clock.

Granny Zhu asked her, “Is that old lady alright?”

“She’s fine, just spent quite a bit of money,” Sister Tao sighed, “The old lady insisted on having some tests done, and that cost Shifang over two thousand three hundred.”

Liu Shifang is also a resident of Lotus Pond Street.

Last summer, her husband died trying to save someone from drowning. Granny couldn’t handle the blow of a parent burying their child and suffered a stroke that left her partially paralyzed. Then, last winter, her child was diagnosed with a heart condition.

Sister Tao was originally going to the school to watch Aiguo and Aimin’s Children’s Day performance, but on the way, she bumped into Liu Shifang. Shifang’s electric bicycle had collided with an elderly person, and she herself was injured. Sister Tao, being kind-hearted, skipped the performance to accompany Shifang in dealing with the accident.

“What kind of tests were so expensive?” Granny Zhu had called and inquired, as the elderly person had only been slightly scraped, nothing serious.

“A full body scan,” Sister Tao replied, “They first went to a major hospital, and as per the old lady’s request for tests, the big hospital asked for three to four thousand. But the old lady mentioned she knew a smaller private hospital which, although not as large, is still a regular hospital where the tests would be cheaper. Seeing that the old lady’s condition wasn’t serious, we called a car and went to the smaller hospital for tests.”

“They weren’t ripping you off, were they?”

It wasn’t that Granny Zhu was overly suspicious, but nowadays the methods of scamming people by staging accidents are becoming more and more numerous and unpredictable.

“Shouldn’t be, I watched the tests being done,” Sister Tao said with a worried expression, “Shifang injured her own hand too, and she was reluctant to spend the money. She didn’t even get an X-ray, just bought two bottles of red flower oil from the pharmacy.

She just lost her job a couple of days ago, and hasn’t found a way to pay for Wangwang’s surgery yet. Now she’s down another two to three thousand. Fate really does seem to twist the same rope tighter.”

Granny Zhu also sighed.

Wangwang was almost five years old, and his heart surgery couldn’t be delayed any longer.

Changling, who had been silent by their side, suddenly asked Sister Tao, “Do you have a photo?”

“What photo?”

“A photo of the accident scene.”

“I have it, I took some,” Sister Tao responded.

Sister Tao showed the photos to Changling.

Changling recognized this elderly person. Not long ago, this person had also been hit in front of Dihong Hospital’s entrance, also by an electric bicycle, and the elderly person had also spoken of knowing a cheaper private hospital.

Afternoon.

A kid walked into the pawnshop carrying a sunflower-shaped plastic stool. The little one used the stool as a step to reach the pawnshop’s counter. He was too short, and Qian Zhouzhou hadn’t even noticed him.

Standing on tiptoes, just about to reach for it, he was picked up by someone, and looking up, he saw an adult.

“You can’t climb up, you might fall.”

It was Xie Shang who had returned.

“Boss,” Qian Zhouzhou stood up and then noticed the little kid.

His name is Wangwang, and he hasn’t started kindergarten yet, because he is not well, he can’t run or jump, and the kindergarten doesn’t dare to admit him.

“Are you the boss?”

Xie Shang crouched down, “I am.”

Wangwang spoke clearly with strong expression skills, “Granny Wang said you can exchange things for money here, so can I use something to exchange for money with you?”

Besides the rule of only accepting outright pawns, Ruyi Pawnshop has another rule: no transactions with minors.

But today is Children’s Day.

Xie Shang could make an exception, “What do you want to exchange?”

Wangwang pulled out the longevity lock hidden inside his clothes, as big as a baby’s fist, “Will this do? My mom said it was a gift from my grandma, and it’s silver.”

“We don’t accept this,” Xie Shang helped him put the lock away safely, back inside his clothes.

Wangwang was disappointed because he didn’t have anything better.

“Can I use your candy to exchange?” Wangwang had two lollipops in his hand, given by Grandma Lin from the Lantern Shop.

Xie Shang negotiated patiently with him, “Just one is enough, since it’s a holiday, uncle has a big friend at home who hasn’t received a present yet.”

Wangwang immediately brightened up, “Okay!”

He gave his favorite grape-flavored one to Xie Shang.

Xie Shang accepted the lollipop, putting it into his pocket, “How much money do you want to exchange for it?” He didn’t use the tone of an adult, but that of a pawnshop owner conversing with a VIP customer, maintaining an equal relationship.

Wangwang said, “Two thousand three hundred.”

“What do you need two thousand three hundred for?”

Wangwang articulated very clearly, although he was not yet five years old, “My mom lost some money, two thousand three hundred, and I saw her hiding and crying. If I tell her I found two thousand three hundred, she would definitely be very happy.”

Xie Shang was carrying his sunflower stool for him, “Come on, Uncle will take you to pick up money.”

An hour later, Wangwang’s mother, Liu Shifang, made a trip to the pawnshop, and when she left, her eyes were red.

In the evening, Wen Changling heard from Sister Tao that there was a solution for Wangwang’s surgery cost, that a specialist had been found, and he could be hospitalized the day after tomorrow. They also said they didn’t know which kind-hearted person had helped.

After dinner, Wen Changling went for a walk alone.

“Going for a walk, Miss Wen,”

the voice came from behind.

It was Mr. Xie.

“Why didn’t you call me to join you?”

Wen Changling stopped and waited for Xie Shang, “You seem quite busy.”

She had passed the pawnshop several times that day but had not seen Xie Shang.

“Quite busy indeed, busy preparing a gift for someone.”

Xie Shang handed her a grape-flavored lollipop.

Wen Changling took it with a puzzled expression.

“Today is Children’s Day.”

Wen Changling was aware, what confounded her was, “I’m not a child.”

Xie Shang smiled, “Miss Wen, grown-ups have birthdays too, right?”

Children’s Day was Wen Changling’s birthday, and she had not celebrated it in a long time.

She was surprised Xie Shang knew, “How did you know?”

“I saw your ID card at Lileitu.”

When they went to Underwater World, they needed to register with real names. Xie Shang had glanced at it then. Wen Changling’s birthday was easy to remember, and his memory wasn’t bad either.

“Thank you.”

After thanking him, Wen Changling unwrapped the candy paper and sucked on it.

“Is it good?”

“Mhm.”

Xie Shang said, “Then it’s quite worthwhile.”

Wen Changling did not know this was candy worth two thousand three hundred yuan.

After walking around in a circle, the candy was finished.

At the intersection, Wen Changling was ready to go her separate way from Xie Shang, “I’m heading back now.”

“Come to my place,” Xie Shang looked up at the sky, which had finally darkened, “You haven’t blown out the candles yet.”

So Wen Changling followed Xie Shang to his courtyard.

He took out the cake, lit a candle, just one. The cake was pink-toned; Xie Shang didn’t know how to choose, so he took a picture and asked Ms. Su Nanzhi for help.

Ms. Su Nanzhi asked if it was for her since her movie had been a big hit.

Xie Shang said it wasn’t.

He turned off the lights and led Wen Changling to in front of the birthday candle, “Besides wishing for the wicked to get their due and world peace, do you have any other wishes?”

During a drinking bet, she had said her wishes were for the wicked to get their due and world peace.

Wen Changling shook her head.

The flickering flame of the candle was like little stars, reflected in her eyes.

“Then make a wish related to me.”

She agreed, closed her eyes, and made a wish, wishing that Xie Shang would live a long life.

Then she blew out the candle and looked up at Xie Shang, by the light of the first moon in June. He was very handsome indeed, like a piece of art. Even though she wasn’t particularly interested in male beauty, she couldn’t deny that he had a visage hard to look away from.

“You said you preferred sweets over jewels, but I think I should also give you jewelry. Ms. Su Nanzhi said any lady would be pleased to receive jewelry,” Xie Shang had no experience with giving gifts to ladies, “would you too?”

Wen Changling answered, “I would.”

He put the bracelet on her, the emerald cut into the shape of a star.

“Changling, happy birthday.”

This was Wen Changling’s twenty-fifth birthday.

There was an emerald, a sky full of stars, and a Xie Xingxing.