Since it wasn’t unexpected, Xu Xiaoya wasn’t particularly sad.

The doctor came in for the routine checkup.

"Will there be another surgery?" Xu’s mother asked.

The doctor hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t customary to speak so plainly in front of a patient. But Xu Xiaoya said calmly, "You can say it here, it’s okay."

The doctor glanced at the old man. He had his eyes closed and appeared to be asleep. The doctor then lowered his voice and said, "Theoretically, there could be one last major surgery. However, the chances of success are less than twenty percent, and the cost exceeds one hundred thousand. Typically, we do not recommend it."

Xu Xiaoya asked, "Have there been successful cases in the past?"

"There have been two or three successful cases," he answered. "However, most who choose it are seeking psychological comfort. Usually, it’s the patients who don’t want to drag things out anymore. They decide to take a desperate chance, hoping for a miracle. Family members also do it for peace of mind, so they can feel they’ve tried everything. In reality, the surgery itself doesn’t offer much benefit."

Xu’s mother asked, "What happens if we don’t do the surgery?"

"Frankly speaking," the doctor replied, "without the surgery, we would just be waiting for death. There would be no hope at all."

When the doctor left, Xu’s mother immediately turned to her daughter and asked anxiously, "Should we do it?"

Xu Xiaoya glanced at her father, her voice steady. "You should ask him. The surgery would cost over a hundred thousand. Selling one of our houses would cover the expense and allow for excellent care."

Her mother was too stunned to respond.

Xu Xiaoya continued calmly, "Both of you should discuss it. If you believe your lives are important, and that living is still a good thing, then my suggestion is to sell one of the houses immediately. Keeping one to live in is more than enough. This way, there’s hope you can live comfortably for a few more years, enjoying your time. Of course, if you believe your lives aren’t as important as your grandsons’ future well-being, then it doesn’t matter whether you have the surgery or not..."

Xu’s mother hesitated, not daring to speak.

"Your grandsons already have two million in savings and the largest house... Of course, I understand that because they’re boys, your precious darlings, whom you want to see eat and drink well, living like masters their whole lives. It’s your decision. As for anything else, I can’t help."

...

"By the way, I want to make it clear today: I’m not interested in your two houses, and I won’t take a single penny from you."

Xu Xiaoya turned and walked away.

"My daughter..."

She turned back, her expression still calm. "Mom, there’s something you may not know. Yes, it’s true I used the five hundred thousand from the relocation compensation to buy Xixi a car. However, Xixi bought me a house and even gave me a car worth nearly two million. Even the place I work at, the shop I own, was all given to me by her. If it weren’t for Xixi, I’d still be struggling in the mud. You ask me why I’m so foolish? Then I’ll tell you: in this entire world, only Xixi has ever truly loved me. So, apart from Xixi, I won’t truly love anyone else."

Xu’s mother was stunned speechless. By the time she found her voice, her daughter’s footsteps had completely faded down the corridor.

Perhaps the air conditioning in the hospital room was set too high. She suddenly felt very cold.

She looked over at the old man. He had opened his cloudy eyes.

"Old man, did you hear that?" she lamented. "Xixi is so good to Xiaoya. I’ve seen that car and even ridden in it. It’s really wonderful. I just didn’t know it cost two million..."