Chapter 26: You Winthropes Are Truly Something Else

The next day, when Ying Shu woke up, Ying Li had already prepared breakfast.

"My health has greatly improved now. I will be responsible for the three daily meals and managing the shop. Xiao Shu, you can focus on taking care of Xixi. By the way, have you contacted your mother in the last two days?"

Ying Shu, who was busy feeding porridge to Xixi, wiped the corner of the child's mouth and replied, "No."

Her mother had once instructed that she was too busy to answer calls or messages while working away from home, so even if she tried to reach out, her mother would not respond. Over time, she had grown accustomed to her mother frequently traveling for work. Especially since the family members had fallen ill, her mother had become busier than a national leader; seeing her three times in a month was considered a luxury.

Ying Li frowned. "I sent her a message last night, and she didn't reply to me either."

Ying Shu said, "Maybe she took on a big job and doesn't have time to reply."

Her mother was incredibly capable. She was proficient in everything related to funeral rites—from applying makeup on the deceased and presiding over memorial services, to serving as a professional mourner, a ritual master, or a pallbearer. She even took on the catering for funeral banquets. Some people would even specifically invite her to perform geomancy for burial sites or select auspicious dates, which was the only way they could afford the medical expenses.

Watching the oblivious Ying Shu, Ying Li hesitated to speak, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

Ying Shu had to take Xixi for an injection and treatment, so she left for the hospital after breakfast. While waiting for the elevator, she saw a familiar figure pass by. Looking closely, it was Wu Qi, the younger sister of her college friend, Wu Yu. Wu Qi was walking forward with a vacant, dazed expression.

"Xiao Qi!"

Ying Shu chased after her while holding Xixi. "Xiao Qi, why are you at the hospital? Are you not feeling well?"

Although she had met her through Wu Yu in college, they were as close as sisters, so she regarded Wu Qi as her own younger sibling. However, half a year ago, Wu Yu had died in a car accident while trying to save a child, and because she had been busy caring for her own family, she hadn't seen Wu Qi for several months. Nowadays, Wu Qi lived with her grandmother; although her father was still alive, he had remarried after her mother's death, and her stepmother could not tolerate her, leaving her to rely on her grandmother.

Wu Qi continued walking as if she hadn't seen her at all.

"Xiao Qi!"

Ying Shu reached out to grab her, only for her hand to pass right through the girl's body. Ying Shu stared at her own hand in shock, then looked back at Wu Qi, only to see her walking straight through another person.

She then realized that Wu Qi’s body looked somewhat translucent.

Ying Shu gasped, "A ghost? Is she a ghost?"

Did that mean she was dead? How could that be? Only a few months had passed, and she was gone just like that? Ying Shu couldn't believe it. She quickly followed her and saw Wu Qi walk into the intensive care unit.

Blocked at the door, Ying Shu had to use her "clairvoyant" vision to check the situation inside. She saw Wu Qi lying on the hospital bed, covered in tubes. Her soul was pacing back and forth beside the bed, unable to re-enter her body.

"Mom, the doctors have all said that Xiao Qi won't wake up. We might as well take her home to care for her; it would save a huge amount of medical expenses."

Hearing the voice, Ying Shu turned around to see Wu Qi's grandmother, Hu Cui, walking over with a middle-aged man.

Hu Cui retorted angrily, "You’re trying to kill her! I just want to ask, are you even Xiao Qi’s father? You've never taken care of her for a single day, and now you won't even cover the medical bills? Do you even have a conscience?"

Wu Qi’s father, Wu Sheng, pulled a long face and said, "Mom, it’s not that I don't want to pay, but the expenses are simply too high. She’s only been in the hospital for five days and it’s already cost thirty thousand yuan. How many thirty thousands do we have to throw away on this?"

Hu Cui knew the family wasn't wealthy and couldn't stay in the hospital indefinitely, but she had already lost one granddaughter half a year ago and didn't want to lose the other. "What kind of sin did our Wu family commit to have such terrible fates for both granddaughters? Wu Sheng, I’m telling you, if Xiao Qi doesn't make it, don't expect to have any descendants left!"

Wu Sheng remained silent.

Hu Cui persisted, "Fine. If the master your wife hired can actually save Xiao Qi, I will agree to discharge her."

Wu Sheng was overjoyed. "The master Amei hired is very powerful. He has already helped several vegetative patients regain consciousness."

Hu Cui scoffed, "You talk as if you’ve seen it with your own eyes."

"I haven't seen it myself, but that's what everyone says."

"Mom, A-Sheng, I’ve brought the master."

Ying Shu saw a middle-aged woman leading a stout, middle-aged man toward them. Huh? Wasn't this the "Old Lei" she had met last night?

Old Lei spotted Ying Shu and his face darkened immediately. "Since you’ve already invited someone else, what is the meaning of calling me here? Are you doubting my abilities?"

Hu Cui and the others looked confused.

Old Lei glared at Ying Shu. "Fine! You Ying family members are really something, stealing business right under my nose!"

Ying Shu felt incredibly wronged. She hadn't said a word or done a thing; the man was just jumping to wild conclusions. "I am not stealing your business."

Old Lei didn't believe her at all. "Bah! You're standing right here, and you still say you aren't stealing my business?"

Ying Shu realized it was useless to argue, so she couldn't be bothered to explain further.

Hu Cui looked at Ying Shu, stunned. "Are you Xiao Shu? Why are you here?"

Ying Shu asked with concern, "Grandma, how did Xiao Qi end up in the intensive care unit so suddenly?"

"I don't know either. She just fell to the ground and hit her head, and she hasn't woken up since. The doctor says she might become a vegetable." Hu Cui began to cry as she spoke.

Ying Shu said, "Grandma, I want to go in and see Xiao Qi."

Hu Cui, knowing she was genuinely concerned for Wu Qi, said, "Alright, come in with me."

Old Lei interjected, "I'm going in too."

Chen Meiqing, the stepmother, was eager for him to enter. "Yes, yes, please do."

Hu Cui frowned. "Only two people can go in at a time."

Chen Meiqing said, "Then let the young lady go in with the master."

Ying Shu said, "Grandma, just let the master go in with me." She wouldn't have helped him otherwise, but going in with Old Lei would make it easier for her to slip a medicinal pill to Wu Qi.

Hu Cui couldn't object any further.

Once inside the ICU, Old Lei sneered, "If you can't make her wake up immediately, don't blame me for telling everyone that the Ying family has no real skills and goes around snatching people's business."

Ying Shu remained silent. Judging by his tone, the Ying family had once been known as masters, but she had never heard of such a thing.

"And if I do wake her up, what will you do then?"

"One of these days, I will bring people to your door to challenge you, and while I'm at it, I'll demand the Ying family give us an explanation. I'll make sure to ask whether you really washed your hands clean when you supposedly 'retired' from this business."