Chapter 96: Sakurai Shiru
"Step aside," said the doctor and nurse as they entered the hospital room, getting ready for the examination and treatment.
Bai Wei left the hospital room.
Sakurai watched anxiously, feeling helpless and unable to do anything.
He was frustrated, sitting on the ground, grabbing his hair, and pounding his own head.
"It's all my fault, I'm worthless…"
"I didn't even know she was forcing herself, despite the pain waking her up in the middle of the night, she refused to call for the nurse."
"She knew the medicine was very expensive, and she knew I owed a lot of money. Secretly, she endured the pain because she didn't want to use such expensive medicine."
Sakurai spoke disheartenedly, he was so downtrodden that he didn't even dare to turn around and take another look at his daughter inside.
He didn't know before, but now he knows, although it's too late.
He has already passed away, and no matter how much regret there might be, it cannot be expressed anymore.
Bai Wei asked, "Did you borrow money, owe money, and even deceive others, all to get treatment for your daughter?"
Sakurai said with bitterness, "Treating her illness? I wish I could, but I have no idea how to do it. I'm just prolonging her life or increasing her suffering… Only this place can provide her a little relief, but the medical services here are private, only affordable to wealthy families. I pulled strings and relied on favors to get her transferred to this hospital. I sold everything I had, accumulating a substantial amount of debt. When I think about it… it has been more than three years."
In Yingzhou, it is always the people with more money and higher social status who get to enjoy the best medical resources. This is a common occurrence in the land of Yingzhou.
The ordinary family couldn't afford such expensive prices. They had two choices - either lose everything they had or go back home and wait for death to come.
Sakurai, the fraudulent master, sacrificed everything for his daughter, which made Bai Wei take notice of him, if only just a little.
No wonder he saved young Heita's life, averting a tragic event where a father would have killed his own son… It truly showed his compassionate nature, as his conscience remained pure.
"Unfortunately, he was actually a trickster," sighed Bai Wei.
"I am a fraudster, a wicked person," said Sakurai, as he sat on the ground. "But I have no choice but to do this in order to get money."
"You are already departed, yet you still cannot let go?"
"I have met my demise, and it was justly deserved. However, I have also lived a fulfilling life, for three or four decades, experiencing both ups and downs. But… my daughter is merely thirteen years old."
"Thirteen years old?" exclaimed Bai Wei with surprise.
"Yes, she's thirteen years old, but she looks as young as a seven or eight-year-old child now. How much suffering has she endured? Almost every day she hovers between life and death. She spends most of her time confined to a hospital bed, never getting a chance to see the world outside," Sakurai covered his face, rubbing it forcefully. "All I want is for her to grow up healthy and strong. Is that wrong? Is she at fault?"
Bai Wei couldn't answer, for the concept of fairness in the world was nothing more than a falsehood, like a made-up story that doesn't hold true.
Some people are born lucky, while others spend their entire lives facing misfortune.
He looked at the sorrowful and weeping lonely ghost in silence, and sighed softly. It was not a sigh for the separation of father and daughter between life and death, but a sigh for the hardships and torment that had just begun.
An even harsher reality had just arrived, making everything even more difficult.
Sakurai Shiru's father was already dead. Perhaps her debts could be cleared, but without a source of income, could Sakurai Shiru continue to stay in the hospital?
Left all alone in this world, she wondered what lay ahead and how she would carry on by herself.
Bai Wei was starting to feel a bit hesitant at this point. He was not regretting his decision to come here, but rather feeling slightly uneasy and restless.
He didn't know how to tell her this harsh truth.
The girl's life had been filled with unhappiness and hardship, leaving her wounded and broken in many ways.
Do I need to keep attacking his heart?
How long could she keep hiding? The police department was about to deliver a death notification to the family soon. Bai Wei didn't have the financial ability to support her extended stay in the hospital either. Even if he could find a generous person willing to provide financial assistance, she might not accept it. Without her loved ones by her side, would she still have the strength to go on living?
It was a difficult situation with no easy solution in sight.
The hospital rooms opened up, and the doctor on duty stepped out. After a brief conversation with the nurse, the doctor approached Bai Wei. "The patient's condition has temporarily stabilized," he said, "you may go in and visit, but please don't stay too long as it may disturb her rest. Right now, her condition is extremely unstable."
After giving a few instructions, the doctor asked, "Hasn't her father come yet?"
Bai Wei asked, "Is there something wrong?"
"…… The medical expenses for this month have exceeded the limit," the doctor hesitated to say too explicitly. "Next time he comes, I will inform him."
The nurse and doctor walked away into the distance.
Sakurai clenched his fist, gritted his teeth, and it seemed as if tears were about to flow from his eyes.
"How much limit each month?"
"I had only paid three million yen last month… and after taking medication only three times, it was all gone."
"What kind of medicine could be so expensive?"
"The serum of a dragon," he said.
"Is this also available for sale?"
"One of the exclusive patents of the Four Seas Group, it is an all-purpose elixir for replenishing vitality, but it's just too expensive, way too expensive…"
The Four Seas Group was founded by the Dragon Clan of the Four Seas.
The Dragon Clan sells the serum of dragons, which sounds fair and reasonable. No wonder they are so successful in business. They are taking full advantage of their own golden fleece, squeezing it for all it's worth.
Bai Wei stood in front of the door, feeling uncertain and hesitant.
"If you don't wish to go inside, I can understand, it's only natural…"
Sakurai said he understood, but his expression turned gloomy. His heart felt much sadder than Bai Wei's.
Bai Wei took a deep breath and held onto the soul-summoning talisman. Then, he opened his palm and used the remaining spiritual energy on the talisman to perform a spell.
"Control the ghost," he exclaimed.
Sakurai transformed into a flowing light that disappeared into his palm. In that instant, Bai Wei felt as though there was an additional person within his body. He still maintained control, but he temporarily shared the emotions, thoughts, and past experiences of the deceiver.
His heart felt terrible, filled with hopelessness. Yet, he desperately longed to see his daughter, and this strong emotion overpowered his restlessness, fear, and guilt.
Bai Wei turned the doorknob, pushing the door open. As he stepped inside, he sensed a refreshing fragrance in the air.
The young girl was sitting on the bed, gazing at the flowers blooming in the water-filled vase.
It was a night-blooming cereus, a flower that only bloomed during the nighttime. The beautiful blossom would last for a maximum of four hours before withering away.
He listened to Sakurai's inner voice. "This night-blooming cereus was bought a long time ago, and it's the first time I've seen it bloom. It seems like she has been taking care of it all this time."
"Hello," Bai Wei approached and greeted with a friendly gesture.
The girl turned around, only thirteen years old, but she looked more like an eight or nine-year-old girl. She still had the innocence of a young age, but her eyes were calm and subdued, lacking the typical liveliness and naivety of a child.
"Sakurai Shiru, is it?" Bai Wei said. "I am an acquaintance of your father's," he said gently.
"Are you here to collect a debt?" Sakurai Shiru's first words made Bai Wei's heart tighten with worry.
"Not at all," Bai Wei sat down. "Why do you ask such a question?" he inquired.
"Because my family owes a lot of money," Sakurai Shiru said softly. "There were people who came before, but they were chased away by the security uncles," she revealed in a calm manner.
"You already knew, didn't you?" Bai Wei clenched his right fist. "You know that your father spent a lot of money and incurred a lot of debt to get you medical treatment," he explained with a touch of sadness.
"Uh-huh," she murmured.
"So, you've been enduring the pain all night?"
"Um…" Sakurai Shiru lowered her gaze and delicately tugged at Bai Wei's sleeve, anxiously asking, "Can we please keep this matter a secret from my father?"
Bai Wei held his right hand tightly, suppressing Sakura's impulse to embrace his daughter, with all his might.
He gently touched the girl's hair and said, "I won't tell him."
"Thank you," Sakurai Shiru politely thanked, letting go of the small hand. "Uncle, is there something you need from me?"
In his early twenties, being referred to as "Uncle" didn't bother Bai Wei at all. He didn't feel angry about it. His inner age was already quite mature, so being called "Grandpa" wouldn't be a problem either.
"I came here on behalf of your father to check on you, as he is very busy and currently doesn't have time to come himself," Bai Wei explained. "I have some messages to deliver to you."
He closed his eyes, handing over the power of speech to Sakurai.
From this point on, he entered the perspective of an observer, silently watching the conversation and interaction between the father and daughter. He was just a bystander, witnessing the reluctance in the father's eyes and the innocence in the daughter's. Most of the words exchanged were admonishments, and the thirteen-year-old girl didn't seem to fully understand them. She would occasionally nod her head, observing the unfamiliar uncle who, despite being a stranger, seemed just as fond of nagging as her father.
The words couldn't be spoken for a long time, only a short span of a few dozen minutes, and the girl started feeling a bit tired.
Sakurai finished his chatter and gently laid the bed flat. He covered her with a blanket and naturally held the girl's hand.
"Sleep if you're tired, I'll be right here watching over you…"
"Mmm, with you watching beside me, I find it difficult to fall asleep," she mumbled shyly, partially covering her face with the blanket.
Bai Wei, "Shall I go outside for a little while?"
Sakurai Shiru softly expressed, "No need, it has been a long time since anyone else came, and it has been a long time since I had a conversation with someone. I feel somewhat joyful, but I am also a bit weary."
Sakurai, "Cough, cough. I will leave soon. If you fall asleep, I will go. Would you like me to sing a lullaby for you?"
"My Daddy is a bad singer. Is Uncle a good singer?"
Sakurai, "…"
Bai Wei, "She is indeed your beloved daughter."
