Chapter 94: Dire Circumstances

Chapter 94: The Situation Is Critical

After leaving Tang Ling, Fan Xiaoyou’s heart remained unsettled for a long time.

She had never imagined that the proud and aloof Tang Ling would suffer such a blow. What struck her even more was that Tang Ling’s family hadn’t come to see her.

The more she thought about it, the more sorrowful Fan Xiaoyou felt for Tang Ling. She took out her phone and dialed Tang Ling’s mother.

“Aunt Chen, this is Xiaoyou. Tang Ling is in trouble—she’s alone at the hospital now. If you have time, please visit her.”

On the other end, Chen Yufen’s tone was anything but friendly. “I don’t have a shameless daughter like her. She’d be better off dying outside. And don’t call me again—we’re not close.”

With that, Chen Yufen hung up.

Fan Xiaoyou stared at her phone, angered by Tang Ling’s mother’s callousness.

She stubbornly dialed Chen Yufen again. “Auntie, how can you be so heartless? She’s your flesh and blood, your own daughter—how could you treat her like this?”

Chen Yufen replied sharply, “Fan Xiaoyou, don’t act all compassionate with me. I know all about you and Tang Ling’s grudges. If Tang Ling hadn’t met you and become friends, she wouldn’t always have tried to outdo you, wouldn’t have ended up like this. Let me tell you, I won’t go see that unfilial girl.”

Seeing her persuasion was futile, Fan Xiaoyou was once again met with Chen Yufen’s cold words.

Unwilling to give up, she picked up her phone and called Tang Ling’s father, Tang Xiliang.

“Uncle, this is Xiaoyou. Tang Ling is in trouble and at the hospital. Could you please go see her?”

Tang Xiliang’s voice was harsh on the phone. “My daughter died long ago.”

Though his words were sharp, and he even cursed Tang Ling, unlike Chen Yufen, he didn’t hang up on Fan Xiaoyou.

Fan Xiaoyou saw he hadn’t hung up and pressed further, “Uncle, Tang Ling is really pitiful now. I just called Auntie, she said she won’t see her. Are you going to ignore her too?”

Tang Xiliang was silent for a long while before he finally spoke slowly, “Xiaoyou, you must have heard about Tang Ling’s situation from the police, right? To be honest, it’s not a respectable matter. Yongnan Town is a tiny place—how are your aunt and I supposed to hold our heads up here after this?

The truth is, the police already called us. We simply don’t have the face to bring her back…”

Fan Xiaoyou sighed, “But Uncle, no matter what, Tang Ling is your daughter, isn’t she? Isn’t she even more in need of you after suffering all this?”

Tang Xiliang’s voice sounded weary, “Xiaoyou, you’re a good child. Alas, what happened to Xiaoling is her own doing, no one can blame, no one can help. The hospital called and told us—her only option is to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. But you know our financial situation; the expenses for mental patients are enormous. I’m sorry, just pretend you can’t reach me.”

He hung up, and when Fan Xiaoyou tried to call again, she found his phone had been switched off.

Fan Xiaoyou hadn’t expected Tang Ling’s parents to avoid her out of fear of exorbitant medical expenses.

Hanging up, she walked alone along the banks of Fuhe River in Kangcheng, watching the busy city and the hurried crowds. At that moment, she realized how insignificant one person was in such an environment.

Everyone struggled to live, everyone wanted to stand at the top, but in their bones, they were humble as dust.

Tang Ling had reached this point because of her insatiable desires.

She craved vanity, indulged in pleasure, shirked hard work. She traded her youth for designer clothes, relied on her bedroom skills to conquer wealthy patrons, but in the end, she was destroyed by the very same bed.

How ironic…

Her phone rang, playing a somber tune. The caller was He Lu, the officer watching over Tang Ling. Fan Xiaoyou answered politely, “Officer He, is something wrong? Has something happened to Tang Ling?”

He Lu’s voice was anxious. “Miss Fan, sorry to trouble you. I just tried to call Miss Tang’s parents, but they wouldn’t answer.”

“Not long after you left, Miss Tang… she somehow found a piece of metal and attempted suicide by slashing her wrist.”

“What? Suicide?” Fan Xiaoyou was stunned, her voice urgent. “Officer He, do you know how Tang Ling is now?”

He Lu drew a shaky breath. “Miss Tang accidentally cut her artery. Her condition is critical—she’s lost a lot of blood. The hospital is doing everything they can to save her. They’re now matching her blood type.”

Hearing of Tang Ling’s failed suicide, Fan Xiaoyou’s tears fell like rain, and she cursed Tang Ling in her heart.

“Officer He, please, you must ask the doctors to staunch the bleeding as best as they can. I’ll take a taxi to the hospital right away. My blood type is the same as Tang Ling’s—A.”

He Lu, realizing their blood types matched, finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Miss Fan, please be careful on your way!”

Careful? Could she possibly go slow? With a life at stake, Fan Xiaoyou didn’t bother with He Lu’s wording.

She hailed a taxi and rushed to Kangning Hospital where Tang Ling was admitted.

A nurse dashed out from the emergency room, anxiously reporting to He Lu, “Officer He, sorry, but Miss Tang’s blood isn’t compatible with our blood bank. What should we do? And where are her immediate family? Can they come?”

He Lu replied helplessly, “I’ve called the patient’s parents—they refuse to come. Her friend just said her blood type matches Tang Ling’s and is on the way. I’ll urge her again!”

The nurse nodded, “Then please hurry and secure the blood donor. Miss Tang’s condition is dire—if we delay any longer… I’m afraid there’ll be nothing we can do.”

Fan Xiaoyou appeared, gasping for breath at the emergency room door. “Wait… take my blood. My type is the same as hers—no need to test!”

The nurse eyed her suspiciously. “Miss, are you a relative of the patient?”

Fan Xiaoyou replied impatiently, “Who I am to the patient doesn’t matter—what matters is that you let me in now and draw my blood to save her.”