doctor's son-in-law Ye fan

The hospital corridor bustled with people. Yet Ye Fan paid no heed, crouching in a corner, wailing bitterly. "Your mother’s stomach tumor has worsened. If you don’t pay 100,000 yuan for the surgery, she has only one month to live." The doctor’s cold words pierced his heart like a needle. But such a steep fee—Ye Fan had no way of raising it. His adoptive father, Ye Wujiu, had gone missing a year ago during a sea voyage, and his adoptive mother, Shen Biqin, had collapsed and been hospitalized with a stomach tumor. Fresh out of university, Ye Fan became the backbone of the family. In the past year, in order to treat his mother, Ye Fan not only exhausted all family savings and maxed out online loans, but he also married into the Tang family as a live-in son-in-law to bring good fortune. He toiled for the Tang family, losing all dignity, and only managed to scrape together 500,000 yuan. But that sum had already been spent at the hospital. Now, all Ye Fan had left was a phone and ten yuan. “Another 100,000… 100,000…” The doctor’s words echoed in his mind, and despair engulfed him. With no resources left, where could he possibly find that kind of money? But he couldn’t just stand by and watch his mother die. “No, I have to borrow the money,” Ye Fan wiped away his tears and stood up, gritting his teeth. “I won’t let anything happen to my mother.” He decided to set aside his pride and beg for help. First, he knocked on his uncle’s door. His aunt answered with a stern face. Ye Fan pleaded desperately, “Auntie, my mother needs money for surgery…” "Again? You’re asking for more money? Wasn’t the 200 yuan we gave you enough?" "Get lost! Don’t come here again. We don’t have greedy relatives like you!" She shoved him out and slammed the security door shut. Those venomous words made Ye Fan tremble with rage. He punched the wall. He had known that people could be cold-hearted, but he hadn’t expected his uncle, who had taken their ancestral home, to refuse to offer even a fraction of it to help. With no other choice, Ye Fan swallowed his pride and sought help from other relatives. But each door slammed shut. Some even threatened to call the police if he kept bothering them. Soon after, his landlord called, warning that if the rent wasn’t paid in a week, Shen Biqin’s room would be cleared out. The online loan companies were relentless in their pursuit. Left with no other option, Ye Fan dialed Tang Ruoxue, who was vacationing in the Maldives. The moment he asked for money, she hung up in disgust. Completely cornered. After wandering the cold streets for hours, Ye Fan dried his tears and headed to Zero Degree Bar. This bar was opened by his ex-girlfriend, Yuan Jing—or rather, with the 5 million yuan borrowed by his former roommate, Huang Dongqiang, to help Yuan Jing fulfill her dreams. It was also because of that 5 million that Yuan Jing left Ye Fan and embraced Huang Dongqiang instead. With the allure of a cold, beautiful campus queen, business at the bar was booming, attracting many of the city's wealthy second-generation elites. Ye Fan had become a laughingstock. Even though coming here felt humiliating, the thought of his mother’s surgery pushed him to enter Zero Degree Bar. He believed that Yuan Jing, out of old feelings, would lend him the 100,000 yuan. The bar was lively and upscale, with someone playing the guitar and singing. The scent of perfume alone made Ye Fan feel inferior. As he stepped into the hall, the place fell silent. A dozen men and women in fine clothes looked his way. Ye Fan’s eyes met those of Huang Dongqiang and Yuan Jing. In Huang Dongqiang’s gaze, Ye Fan saw arrogance and contempt, but not a trace of guilt. Yuan Jing was clad in a low-cut tank top that revealed a patch of her pristine abdomen, while her lower half was adorned with impossibly short hot pants. Her pale skin and slender, elongated legs, coupled with her strikingly beautiful face, drew considerable attention. Yet, her indifferent and haughty demeanor made many shy away from making eye contact. She regarded Ye Fan with a cold detachment, as though he were a stray dog on the street. Yuan Jing’s friend, Yang Qianqian, leapt down from a high stool and asked with disdain, “Ye Fan, what are you doing here?” Ye Fan mustered his courage and began, “I’m here to—” “We don’t need any cleaners here,” Yang Qianqian retorted sarcastically. “Leave.” She had always looked down on the impoverished Ye Fan and had been a strong advocate for Yuan Jing’s relationship with Huang Dongqiang. Ye Fan quickly waved his hands in explanation, “I’m not here to be a cleaner. I’m here to—” “Lemonade is twenty-eight, cocktails are one hundred and eighty. Can you afford it?” Yang Qianqian sneered. “Even if you have a little money from the Tang family, you’re still unwelcome here.” Huang Dongqiang spat in disdain, “Damn it, what a stroke of bad luck—bumping into a worthless son-in-law today.” The others, already aware of Ye Fan’s role as a son-in-law for fortune’s sake, burst into laughter. “I—” Ye Fan braved forward, ready to speak to Yuan Jing, when another attractive girl interrupted sharply: “Keep your dirty hands off the leather sofa.” She waved her hand in front of her nose, as if Ye Fan were an unpleasant stench from a sewer. Ye Fan recoiled as if bitten by a snake, his face flushed with embarrassment. He anticipated humiliation but did not expect such heartlessness. Gritting his teeth, he blurted out, “I’m here to see Yuan Jing.” “Yuan Jing, let’s talk outside…” Ye Fan hoped to preserve some shred of dignity. Yuan Jing, with her long legs crossed and her pale toes shimmering under the light, displayed no mockery or movement, yet her indifference was the sharpest form of disdain. Huang Dongqiang smirked: “Yuan Jing is now my girlfriend. She’s not someone you can just find whenever you want.” He even demonstratively caressed Yuan Jing’s leg. Ye Fan’s cheeks burned. “Yuan Jing, I genuinely need to talk to you. Let’s go outside.” Yuan Jing looked at Ye Fan with no response, her gaze filled with hauteur and coldness, as if regarding an insignificant insect. “Get lost. Seeing you disgusts me.” Yang Qianqian snapped impatiently, “Don’t ruin our mood.” Seeing Yuan Jing, who had left no shred of modesty, Ye Fan felt a deep sense of disappointment and sadness but still forced out the words: “Yuan Jing, I need to borrow one hundred thousand from you.” Ye Fan assured: “Don’t worry, I will definitely repay you. I can leave my ID, diploma, and other documents as collateral…” “One hundred thousand?” Yang Qianqian exclaimed with exaggerated disbelief: “Ye Fan, you want to borrow one hundred thousand? You’re barely worth a hundred yourself, and you dare to ask for one hundred thousand?” Ye Fan looked at Yuan Jing, explaining, “My mother needs money for surgery…” “I know this is abrupt, but I am truly desperate. Please, I beg you.” He even took out his mother’s medical records, hoping to move Yuan Jing. Huang Dongqiang looked at him as if he were a fool: “Your father is missing, your ancestral home was taken by your uncle, and now you’re renting a place. You’re a son-in-law with no job. What makes you think you can borrow one hundred thousand?” In the past year since graduation, Ye Fan had either been busy with his mother’s illness or attending to the Tang family’s every need, and had not found employment. Thus, he remained unemployed. “Once my mother’s surgery is done, I’ll find a job immediately. I’ll be able to repay it.” Ye Fan felt immense shame and wished he could flee, but he had no choice but to persist. “Yuan Jing, I’m begging you. My mother needs this surgery. We really need this money…” At that moment, Ye Fan felt as though he was groveling like a dog. Yang Qianqian sneered, “We’re not your parents. Your mother’s need for surgery is none of our concern.” “Yuan Jing, please help me.” Ye Fan pleaded with Yuan Jing, “The money will be repaid.” Everyone looked to Yuan Jing. Yuan Jing’s expression was cold as she spoke with a tone even more indifferent than her demeanor, delivering words that chilled Ye Fan to the core: “Borrowing money from me? Don’t you find that laughable? Your mother’s life or death has nothing to do with me.” She laughed coldly, “Do you think there’s still any old affection between us?” “Don’t be so self-deluded.” “No swan would deign to notice a toad.” Ye Fan stared at Yuan Jing in shock, unable to believe she had said these words. “Our circle is not one you can enter.” “My money is not something you can borrow.” “I have no feelings for you whatsoever.” “By the way, when we were dating, I fell ill and you gave me a piece of Tai Chi jade, saying it would keep me safe.” “Now, I’m returning this Tai Chi jade to you. Take it and hope it keeps your mother safe.” Yuan Jing pulled out a piece of Tai Chi jade from the drawer, tossed it into Ye Fan’s hand with a blank expression, and said: “Leave, and don’t come here again.” “You’re out of place in Zero Degrees Bar. You’re just causing trouble for me and Dongqiang.” Her voice was calm, devoid of any arrogance, yet it crushed Ye Fan as if he were an insignificant insect seen from above: “Know your place.” Yang Qianqian shoved Ye Fan aside, “Get lost, toad.” Ye Fan’s face was a portrait of despair. Huang Dongqiang suddenly spoke up, “I can lend you one hundred thousand.” Ye Fan’s eyes lit up, his whole body trembling with excitement. “Really?” Huang Dongqiang’s smile was taunting, “Kneel.” Ye Fan’s blood boiled, his eyes filled with anger, but he quickly regained his composure. “Thud—” Ye Fan knelt down rigidly. The pain in his knees was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. But for his mother, Ye Fan had no choice but to proceed without hesitation. “Hahaha—” Yang Qianqian and the others laughed gleefully, astonished that the so-called man of steel was kneeling before them. Someone took out a phone to record the scene. Yuan Jing, with her chin held high, exuded a princess-like pride, her contempt even more palpable: “A man with no dignity.” Huang Dongqiang went to the restroom, returned with a cup of yellow liquid, and slammed it down in front of Ye Fan. “Drink it while kneeling.” He tossed a bank card to Ye Fan, “Here’s the one hundred thousand.” Seeing the liquid in the cup, Ye Fan was stunned for a moment, then enraged: “It’s urine!” “You bastards!” Ye Fan threw the cup, shouting, “This is too much.” Yuan Jing and the others screamed in shock, their clothes in disarray. Huang Dongqiang, enraged, commanded, “Teach him a lesson!” Ye Fan turned and fled. A group of debauched young men surged forward. Against so many, Ye Fan was soon overpowered. He leaned against the wall, his hands tightly protecting his head. His hands were numb, relying only on instinct to shield his head. While his head was guarded, other parts of his body were exposed. After taking several heavy blows, Ye Fan began to bleed. Yuan Jing and Yang Qianqian reveled in his suffering. To them, Ye Fan’s resistance was rebellion, and his fate was purely deserved. “What a waste!” Huang Dongqiang stomped on Ye Fan’s head. “Bang—” Ye Fan’s hands, which had been protecting his head, finally gave way, and he slid helplessly down the wall to the floor. He lost consciousness. A stream of blood flowed from his palm, seeping into the ancient Tai Chi jade… “Whoosh—” The light flashed and then vanished.