Chapter 47

Chapter 47

It was as if a firework had gone off beside her ear, and Xu Qian stood there stunned, staring at Wu Heng.

What’s Dr. Wu talking about?

Money to buy your life?

But medical fees are, in a way, like buying your life. No hospital will treat you if you don’t pay the medical fees.

Dr. Wu means we pay the doctor, right? It’s just that Xu Qian couldn’t figure out which doctor he meant.

Seeing Xu Qian clutching the backpack filled with a large stack of cash, yet looking at him in confusion.

Wu Heng, being kind-hearted, pointed. “Him,” he said, indicating the protagonist Zhao Qingyun, the big-hearted philanthropist surrounded by a bunch of doctors.

Xu Qian was even more lost.

We’re supposed to give the money to Old Mr. Zhao? Not to those famous doctors?

“What kind of weird move is this? This ‘life-saving money’ isn’t for the doctors who treat the patients, but for Zhao Qingyun? Does Old Mr. Zhao even care about this small sum of 200,000?”

“Over the years, Old Mr. Zhao has literally spent three to four hundred million on charity. Giving him 200,000? It’s like a beggar paying for the emperor’s expenses.”

[Our dear Heng has never done anything reckless. Wait, does this "life-saving money" mean life-saving money in the literal sense?]

“What kind of nonsense is that upstairs? Anyone can be bashed, but not Old Mr. Zhao, right? He’s genuinely spent real money saving people over the years. There was a case where a patient’s family wanted to give back the 500,000 they received after the patient recovered, but Old Mr. Zhao turned it down.”

“I remember that report too; it brought me to tears. Both the patient’s family and Old Mr. Zhao were good people.”

As the administrator of the live stream room, He Yunxiao was naturally watching the comments. Seeting the fans discussing this, he also vaguely remembered.

“I think it was two or three years ago. The family received 500,000 and took care of their sick daughter while using the traffic from selling buns to save up another 500,000 over two years. Old Mr. Zhao declined, thinking the girl would still need various tonics after her recovery.”

Li Hao had also seen that news and smugly showed He Yunxiao the secret character on his palm while saying, “That family was just unlucky. I remember the girl’s parents later passed away?”

Black Hair chimed in, “The couple got up at three in the morning to make buns. Their bodies gave out after two years.”

This tangent was kind of sad, and they really didn’t get what Wu Heng meant.

Seeing that Xu Qian still looked confused, Wu Heng said again, “It’s slow going in the underworld, and there’s a seven-years no-questions-asked return policy. Understand?”

Xu Qian’s mind buzzed. Seven years, return and refund, combined with what Wu Heng said about buying life with money, and it all clicked for her.

Seven years ago, she had fallen seriously ill, and on the first day in the hospital, the attending doctor had asked her mother to go home and raise 300,000!

The two of them had supported each other all their lives. Every year, she had been the one applying for financial aid at school. Where could her mother find so much money?

Her mother had swallowed her pride and gone to relatives, kowtowing countless times. She would always remember the day her mother brought her chicken soup, her forehead bruised and swollen.

She asked her mother, who said it was from an accidental fall.

Xu Qian wasn’t a three-year-old child. “I don’t want treatment!”

She knew her mother had only borrowed 100,000. Where could they borrow the remaining 200,000? Who would be kind enough to lend money to a mother and daughter who had no ability to earn?

Lying in the hospital bed, Xu Qian weakly pleaded, “Mom, I really don’t want treatment. I’ve always felt that without me, you would live a better life.”

Without her, the money her mother earned would be enough for herself. Without her as a burden, her young and beautiful mother could find a good man. Without her, her mother wouldn’t have to lower herself to beg.

Without her...

"Without you, Mom would never be happy again," Mom Xu said with a sob, covering her face. "Don't worry, Qianqian. I'll find a way to get the money, no matter what."

Even if she had to sell her blood.

Three days later, she had indeed gathered 300,000. Xu Qian pressed for details and found out that the money was donated by Old Mr. Zhao.

"Life-buying money... Was that the life-buying money my mom received?" Xu Qian murmured dazedly.

All these years, she had thought she'd encountered a good Samaritan and viewed Mr. Zhao as the one who gave her a new life. But in reality, the one who gave her a second life was still her mother?

"What the hell! Don’t freak me out! Are you saying Xu's mom's premature aging was because she sold her life to Old Mr. Zhao? That money wasn't charity; it was a shopping fund?"

"Dr. Wu, don't scare us like that. Old Mr. Zhao could sue you if his reputation gets damaged. His legal team is no joke."

"So, it wasn't charity at all, but a business deal?"

The live stream viewers were in an uproar; this was beyond their imagination.

"Seven-year no-questions-asked return and refund policy," Xu Qian thought quickly, suddenly gasping. "I remember now, the seven-year mark of my mom receiving the 200,000 charity fund is coming up."

Xu Qian remembered that Wu Heng had asked her to gather 200,000 within three days, and it fell on exactly that same date.

If the no-questions-asked return period passed... Xu Qian's heart sank as she whispered, "Mom."

Without thinking, Xu Qian grabbed the cash-filled backpack and ran forward.

As Xu Qian approached, a group of doctors was still discussing intensely. One doctor said, "There's a new rejuvenation shot abroad, 880,000 per shot, and it needs to be injected every three days. Mr. Zhao, would you like to try it?"

Zhao Qingyun was familiar with this rejuvenation shot; it was highly praised in the circles of the rich both domestically and internationally, and it was said to be very effective. But it still wasn’t completely safe, as it was something injected into the body.

At that moment, a voice filled with complex emotions came from the girl. "Old Mr. Zhao, here's your 200,000 back."

Zhao Qingyun didn't recognize the girl in front of him, but hearing her words, he realized she was probably one of his many beneficiaries.

Looking at Xu Qian, he regarded her like his granddaughter and said kindly, "No need to return it. I never expected repayment when I did charity."

His charity was a donation, not a loan.

Xu Qian looked at the kind old man, her feelings too complicated to describe.

It wasn't charity; it was a trade of interests between a merchant and a seller. Since it was a trade, she didn't need to be humble.

Xu Qian turned the backpack upside down and poured the stacks of red bills onto the ground, meeting Zhao Qingyun's shocked gaze as she said calmly, "The life-buying money my mom received years ago, I'm returning it all to you. Just give my mother's life back."

Zhao Qingyun tightly gripped the armrest of his wheelchair, his pupils shrinking in shock.

Zhao Qingyun immediately turned to look at Wu Heng, who was sitting far back, calmly eating the provided strawberry gummies.

The live stream viewers were still frantically discussing in the comments when they suddenly found that the internet was cut off.

Li Hao and the others pulled out their phones to check, but there was no signal either. Obviously, the Zhao family had seen the online chatter and shut off the signal in the conference hall.

He Yunxiao exclaimed in shock, "Isn't this a guilty conscience?"

Li Hao glanced bewildered at Shi Xuan beside him. His phone screen displayed the stock market trends, sliding smoothly, though it had an eerie look, probably due to the night mode.

"Hey, what brand of phone do you have with such great signal? How come you're the only one with internet?" Li Hao asked, completely confused.

Shi Xuan ignored him, his slender fingers still operating the phone screen.

The little white snake shrank its neck and hid in Wu Heng's sleeve, afraid that its godfather might reconnect with the hot-headed Master Yang Xing.

Panicking, Xu Qian broke eye contact with Zhao Qingyun and immediately ran towards Wu Heng.

Although Wu Heng was much younger than her, he always made people feel secure.

This intern Daoist Physician should never have been invited!

Those invited, who were more or less in the metaphysics business, immediately understood upon seeing the pile of red money on the floor.

It was a method of buying lifespan with money.

Zhao Qingyun, gripping the wheelchair armrest, decided to come clean and said with a smiling expression, "The patients need money for treatment, and I need lifespan. They get the much-needed money, and I get what I need."

"Each gets what they need. What's wrong with that, esteemed masters?"

Zhao Qingyun looked down on someone as foolish as Yang Xing, a shoe tycoon. Money could communicate with the gods and ghosts to accomplish many things, yet he and his son had done something so insidious.

He had never forcibly taken someone's lifespan. Every one of them had willingly said, "As long as there's this life-saving money, even if I live fewer years, it's okay."

Whether it was genuine or not, it was still an agreement to the transaction. He had never forced anyone to agree. A mutually willing trade, what's the problem?

In fact, he had provided a lifeline for those who had no other options. Without him, those patients would have died due to lack of money for treatment. There would be no family reunions now.

If there really was retribution in the underworld, he should instead receive merit, gaining a longer life in his next incarnation.

Many masters present felt that this made sense. This was a mutually beneficial transaction, right? Indeed, there seemed to be nothing wrong.

However, some highly educated doctors frowned at this group of so-called fortune-tellers. This couldn't be justified, could it?

Xu Qian couldn't help but retort, "The patient's family had no idea about the transaction! And the money you're using to buy lifespan is from donations made by people like us!"

The Zhao family ran charitable activities, and Zhao Qingyun had a charitable foundation under his name.

Ever since she learned that she was cured by Zhao Qingyun's donations, she wanted to pass on the kindness to other patients in similar situations. Every month, she donated fifty yuan to the foundation.

There were many such grateful people like her.

The more Xu Qian thought about it, the angrier she became, and the more something felt off. "You're using the money donated by us ordinary people to gain lifespan and a broad reputation."

While ordinary people are left emptying their wallets, only to be left with a body that won't live long.

This is empty-handed wolf hunting.

Wu Heng gently took the little white snake out of his sleeve and said, "Look, this is what it looks like to be educated."

The brain is indeed flexible and useful.

It seems he still needs to go to college in the future.

Wu Heng handed his phone to Shi Xuan again: "Turn on the hotspot for me to use the internet."

Zhao Qingyun found it amusing and somewhat endearing how much this educated young girl thought about things, so he patiently explained: "All my donations were made using my personal assets."

Only in this way could the transaction of money for longevity be completed.

Mr. Zhao was a well-known wealthy tycoon in Jing City, and he certainly wasn't short of money.

"Why don't you keep buying more life?" Xu Qian, after being momentarily speechless, quickly noticed something amiss and pressed on with her question.

Keep buying, isn't there plenty of money? With over a billion people in Huaxia, aren't there enough lives to buy? Just keep buying until you break the Guinness record, live to be eight hundred years old, and become an immortal like Pengzu!

Why stop buying and instead organize such a conference on difficult diseases, inviting renowned doctors?

The kind and benevolent expression on the elderly man's face in the wheelchair gradually faded, and his cloudy eyes stared intently at Xu Qian.

Indeed, reading too many books makes a girl sharp-tongued and disrespectful to elders.

But this was also what puzzled Zhao Qingyun.

Why can't he continue buying more life?

This is an extremely stringent condition for the transaction. Did he really think that those who received his donations would cry and beg to live ten years less so he could gain ten years? No, after the deduction, he only gained a few extra days.

But the small sum of two or three hundred thousand for a few extra days seemed to be a good deal.

So over the years, he had been passionate about charitable causes, especially donating to families whose children were seriously ill.

Because most parents are willing to give everything they have, including their own lives, for their children.

But recently, it seems that transactions can no longer be made. He can feel his organs aging uncontrollably, and he is now in a wheelchair. He can even sense that he has only a few months left to live.

The more he feels this way, the more anxious he becomes.

He wants to live!

For the wealthy, the world is especially beautiful; they have no worries about life or finances, and they are here to enjoy themselves.

He is a doting elder who loves his children, but for unknown reasons, none of his several children survived, leaving him with only one grandson.

He wants to live a few more years, to see his grandson grow up and establish himself in the capital before he can leave with peace of mind.

Zhao Qingyun, thinking of his young grandson, is filled with worry. Gripping his wheelchair, he looks at all the doctors, masters, and monks present and sincerely says, "I beg you, gentlemen and masters, to help me live a few more years. I will surely offer generous rewards."

The group of Taoist doctors and masters exchange glances.

This, this isn't something human effort can achieve, right? Life span is determined by heaven, and no one can predict it. At most, one should pay attention to annual check-ups, health maintenance, and proper care.

Young people like He Yunxiao truly cannot understand; perhaps this is just the fear of death that comes with age.

"Doctor Wu, is there really an elixir that can extend life?" He Yunxiao can't help but ask.

Wu Heng, looking at his phone connected to the Ghost Realm Network, nods and says, "Yes, but it's not a decoction."

Wu Heng restarts his live stream and continues, "Those with great virtue may, under certain circumstances, receive special leniency from the Heavenly Dao, thus gaining a few more years of life."

This is borrowing life from heaven.

He Yunxiao has seen such news before.

It was an elderly lady suffering from cancer. She had already decided not to seek treatment and instead embarked on a journey with her husband, traveling through famous mountains and scenic spots. Surprisingly, her condition gradually improved.

The doctors found it hard to explain, attributing her recovery to an improved mood and effective exercise.

Could this be what Doctor Wu referred to as the "Heaven’s Mercy"?

"But Mr. Zhao should first see if he can survive these next two days," Wu Heng said with a smile.

The live stream of Chengde Medical Hall began.

Those in the conference hall were unaware, but outside, Weibo's trending topics were about to explode.

#Life-Purchasing Money#

#Zhao Qingyun’s Charity is for Buying Life#

#Wu Heng#

"Here’s that internet-famous doctor again, claiming Mr. Zhao’s charity is to buy life? Can’t you stop spreading feudal superstitions? I’m really tired of these trending topics!"

"Even if Zhao Qingyun had such thoughts, can life really be bought in today’s society? What a joke!"

"But speaking of which, I checked, and it seems the families of those Zhao Qingyun donated to didn’t live long, passing away within a few years."

"A family member with a serious illness can burden the entire family. It’s understandable that the caregivers, exhausted both mentally and physically, would pass away sooner."

"Chengde Medical Hall’s live stream has been forced to go offline. What’s going on here?"

Countless people were following the seminar on rare and difficult diseases, but unfortunately, without an invitation, they couldn’t attend.

Those who had once received donations from Zhao Qingyun were utterly shocked by this news.

Li Juan was one of them.

Initially, she followed Chengde Medical Hall because her counselor, Xu Qian, had connected with Wu Heng.

Li Juan had initially thought that her counselor was grasping at straws, as Xu Qian had gone to the famous shaman Wu Heng online for her mother's mysterious premature aging.

But things took a wild turn and even involved former recipients of donations.

Li Juan felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she remembered how her parents had received half a million yuan from Old Mr. Zhao when she was sick. Later, her parents tried to pay back Old Mr. Zhao with money they had saved from selling steamed buns, but he refused.

So she often saw her parents sighing, thanking their lucky stars they'd met such a good man while making buns.

Three days later, she found her parents collapsed in the kitchen early in the morning while making buns. When she reached out, they were already cold to the touch, having died at 3:30 AM still working hard to repay their debt.

There was no cause of death, but the coroner said it was probably from overwork.

Her health improved, but her parents were gone.

At this moment, Li Juan frantically clicked on Wu Heng's profile, extremely anxious to know whether this was just a publicity stunt or if there was another reason.

Her finger swiped, and she entered the live stream. It was still from Chengde Medical Hall, but the screen was gray, like a black-and-white picture from decades ago.

Li Juan switched to a smaller screen and found a bunch of netizens saying in the real-time chat that the connection was lost, and that Chengde Medical Hall had been banned from streaming due to offending the Zhao family.

Li Juan: "?"

Then what live stream had she entered?

Li Juan scrolled through the live stream room with a dumbfounded expression, her heart nearly stopping at the sight of the IDs in the comment section.

All of them were in the format "Name + Gender + Birth and Death Years." Who on earth names themselves that way, including their death date? Even abstract internet humor doesn't go this far.

Li Juan couldn't understand what was happening. She could only focus on the screen, and although it was in black and white, she noticed that Old Mr. Zhao, seated in a wheelchair, was surrounded by a thick black aura. The dark mist around him was denser than that around the others, making his face barely visible.

Li Juan started feeling uneasy.

"？I finally got into the live stream room. Who said the Chengde Medical Hall live stream had been suddenly banned? It's accessible, right? My family was also one of Mr. Zhao's donation recipients. Don't scare me."

"I'm also a recipient of the donation. Is there something wrong with my phone? Why is it in black and white? It feels really eerie?"

"After I recovered from my illness, my father was gone too. I've always wondered if I was a jinx, dragging my family down with my illness and cursing my birth father to death."

"My parents are fine, though they've aged a lot over the past two years and couldn't walk properly half a month ago."

As Li Juan read the messages from normal IDs, a terrible thought crossed her mind—

Those who were able to enter were likely all former beneficiaries of Mr. Zhao's donations, and those with birth and death years in their IDs might be...

As Li Juan pondered, Zhao Qingyun in the live stream room saw Dr. Wu as a stubborn young doctor. He said, "Dr. Wu, I've already explained myself clearly. Everything was a voluntary transaction. Perhaps I didn't inform them about the transaction in advance, and for that, I can apologize."

He had never forced those patient families to say, "I am willing to give up XX years of my life." They had all said it voluntarily!

He had alleviated the immediate financial crises of those struggling families. He was a great benefactor.

It was a mutual understanding. They had benefited, and now they were turning around to criticize him, a classic case of wanting it both ways.

Zhao Qingyun, with his hands folded, looked at Dr. Wu and the others confidently. "But if you don't believe me, you can ask those patient families. If they really knew they could exchange years of their life for hundreds of thousands of life-saving money, wouldn't they be willing?"

In this regard, he saw himself as a benevolent philanthropist.

Xu Qian, present there, froze on the spot. She suddenly understood why her image-conscious mother had refused treatment and even hesitated to appear on Dr. Wu's livestream when she suddenly contracted a strange illness that caused rapid aging.

Back then, her mother had been determined to sell her blood to save her. If she were asked that question now, she knew the answer would be yes.

Meanwhile, viewers who found themselves in the grey-scale live stream room felt their heads were about to explode.

Was this an admission? Was it not charity but a transaction? If this went online, it would definitely blow up.

Should they record it? Take a screenshot?

Some recipients tried to do so but found that they couldn't record or capture the screen.

Not believing in superstitions, a recipient thought it might be a copyright protection feature of the app and grabbed a new phone to film the live stream phone with its camera.

"Why is there no screen? This is freaky." The recipient's shocked gaze shifted between the grey-scale live stream room and the filming phone, confirming there was indeed no screen on the camera.

But when her gaze returned to the comments in the grey-scale live stream room, it stopped abruptly.

Li Juan saw two familiar IDs, appearing one above the other. Amidst the rapid scroll of countless IDs, she happened to see the ones she had been thinking about day and night.

"Li Daihai (Male, 19790309-20230112): I am willing."

"Huang Jiaofeng (Female, 19810617-20230112): I am willing."

Li Juan wiped her face, and hot tears fell on her fingertips, burning her as she trembled.

That's... her parents' names. They passed away in the early morning of a New Year's winter day.

It's been almost two years, and she never expected to see any information about her parents again.

I am willing.

It's actually "I do."

And beneath this couple, those netizens frantically searched for familiar usernames, while the grey barrage was flooded with "I do."

Even knowing this isn't a donation, but just a trade between lifespan and money, they are still willing.

Because we are moms (dads).