Chapter 23: Visiting the Grandson! The Money Was Taken by Li Guojun?

The nurse at the station asked again, “Are you sure you want to process the discharge now? It would be better for the young comrade to stay a few more days.”

Li Guohua’s face darkened, and he looked down, replying in a low voice, “We won’t stay any longer. Please help us with the discharge formalities.”

The nurse nodded, not asking further, and began the discharge process for Xiaowei.

Seeing this, Li Junsheng immediately stepped forward with concern, “Guohua, has Xiaowei recovered? Why are you discharging him already?”

Li Guohua and Ji Xiaocui turned around in surprise; they hadn’t expected to see Li Junsheng at the nurse’s station.

Noticing his empty hands, the two immediately assumed he hadn’t come to visit Xiaowei. Li Junsheng had always shown favoritism, so they hardly dared to think he was here for Xiaowei; they figured he must have come to demand money.

His daughter-in-law, Ji Xiaocui, kept a cold expression, not showing Li Junsheng any warmth, and didn’t even greet him. She simply turned away, holding Xiaowei in her arms, unwilling to face him.

Li Guohua, on the other hand, looked at Li Junsheng with a troubled gaze.

“Dad, what brings you to the hospital? Xiaowei just got discharged, and Xiaocui and I have been so busy taking care of him these past two days that we haven’t been able to work or earn money. About that twenty yuan, we can’t pay you back right now…”

By the end, Li Guohua’s voice was barely above a whisper, his head bowed low.

Li Junsheng didn’t quite understand what he was saying; he was only concerned about Xiaowei’s health.

He was about to ask more when Li Guohua took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to negotiate, “Dad, because Xiaowei was brought to the hospital late, he developed pneumonia. He’s had to take a lot of medicine these past two days, so could you give us more time?”

Li Junsheng looked completely bewildered and pressed, “Why can’t I understand what you’re talking about? We’re family—what’s there to extend or not extend? I’m not here to collect a debt.”

“If Xiaowei has pneumonia, why are you in such a hurry to take him home? It wouldn’t hurt to let him stay a few more days and make sure he’s fully recovered before leaving.”

With that, Li Junsheng picked up the bag he’d set aside and handed it to Li Guohua.

“Here, I bought some snacks for Xiaowei. I don’t know what he likes or if he has any appetite right now.”

Li Guohua froze, unable to believe it.

His father had actually bought Xiaowei so many treats? He hadn’t even brought this much when Xiaowei was born!

Ji Xiaocui’s eyes flickered at Li Junsheng’s words, and she turned to look at him.

So her father-in-law hadn’t come to collect a debt? He had only come to see Xiaowei? Could it be that he knew nothing of what happened yesterday?

With that thought, Ji Xiaocui tentatively asked, “Dad, you didn’t come to ask for money?”

Now it was Li Junsheng’s turn to be surprised. “Ask for money? I came to see Xiaowei, and I bought him some pears—they’re good for the lungs!”

As he spoke, Li Junsheng took out a pear the size of his palm and handed it to his grandson, Xiaowei.

Xiaowei, lying weakly on his mother’s shoulder, looked listless and showed little enthusiasm toward Li Junsheng.

Li Junsheng understood; whether it was his younger son’s wedding or the birth of his grandson, he had rarely offered help. Ma Yulian disliked noise, and didn’t like the second son’s family bringing the child home. The little one was indeed a bit estranged from him.

Once they realized Li Junsheng knew nothing of yesterday’s events, Li Guohua and Ji Xiaocui exchanged glances and fell silent.

Noticing the odd expression on their faces, Li Junsheng sensed something was wrong and hastened to ask.

“What’s going on? You’re both acting strange today. If there’s something wrong, just tell me.”

Since Li Junsheng had asked directly, Li Guohua didn’t know how to begin. It was Ji Xiaocui, with a touch of anger, who finally spoke up and complained, “Dad, yesterday eldest brother came to the hospital and said you sent him to collect money, telling us to return the two hundred yuan!”

“At that time, Xiaowei’s hospital bills and medicine had already cost twenty yuan, leaving only one hundred eighty. Guohua and I gave him all of it, and he insisted we make up the missing twenty as soon as possible.”

“We thought you’d come today for that twenty yuan. So you didn’t know about this?”

At these words, Li Junsheng’s face turned ashen. He hadn’t imagined that his eldest son, after storming out yesterday, would go straight to his younger brother’s family to collect money in his name.

He even claimed it was on his father’s orders!

Now he understood why his second daughter-in-law had given him such a cold reception today. So that was the reason.

“That eldest one, he’s truly blinded by money. Just wait until I get home and deal with him. I had no idea about this. Yesterday, when he stormed out, I never thought he’d come to you!”

Li Junsheng worried that his younger son’s family might misunderstand him or stop trusting him.

No wonder they were so eager to take Xiaowei home today!

With this in mind, Li Junsheng quickly asked, “So Xiaowei still isn’t fully recovered? Are you discharging him early because you’ve run out of money? I still have some—why not let him stay a few more days?”

He made to take out money, but Li Guohua quickly held down his hand.

“Dad, it’s fine. Xiaowei is out of danger. It’s better for him to recover at home. Staying in the hospital is just too expensive. It’s not like you think. Just talk to eldest brother when you get home, but don’t lose your temper.”

Li Guohua was mindful of his father’s difficult situation at home, constantly belittled by his mother. His mother always sided with his elder brother; if his father quarreled with him, she’d surely take the elder’s side, and his father would come out the loser.

If his elder brother wanted the money back, so be it. Who knew what kind of days his father had been enduring at home these past couple of days?

Li Guohua figured his father couldn’t have had it easy lately.

Li Junsheng’s feelings were mixed. Even after such mistreatment, his younger son still instinctively tried to protect his elder brother, preventing their father from getting angry. All these years, everything—food, clothing, and daily necessities—had gone to the eldest first, leaving the second son with only grievances.

Taking a deep breath, Li Junsheng patted Li Guohua’s shoulder and solemnly promised, “Guohua, don’t worry. I’ll stand up for you this time. Your elder brother has gone too far!”

That eldest one, truly ruthless! He’d gone to the hospital and taken their money behind his back, and hadn’t mentioned it at all this morning!

Li Junsheng was grateful he wasn’t the family accountant. If Li Guojun used his name to swindle money, who knows what disaster might follow? He truly deserved a good lesson!

“Guohua, Xiaocui, come home for dinner tonight. There’s something I need to announce to you and your siblings.”

Li Guohua nodded, unable to contain his curiosity, as did Ji Xiaocui.

“Dad, what’s it about? Why does it sound so important?”

Li Junsheng smiled and only said, “It’s something good!”

He planned to use this opportunity to divide the family, send that money-grubbing eldest son off, and then divorce Ma Yulian. With these two major sources of trouble gone, the remaining three children could finally have a decent life.

“Come, let me hold Xiaowei, my eldest grandson.”