Transmigrating into the Genius Cannon Fodder’s Aunt

Chapter 156 Part 1 – May All Your Remaining Years Be Treated With Gentleness (I)

After two days of discussions with the fund manager and Manager Hu about the Angel Fund Charity and assistance program, Xia Mian had nearly finalized everything when she suddenly received a call from Xiao Feng.

The child was sobbing uncontrollably. “Auntie… Brother Ye collapsed…”

Xia Mian’s face paled. “What happened? Which hospital are you at? I’m coming right now!”

On the way, she called Ning Shaobai and confirmed the assistance procedures with the fund manager. By the time she arrived at the hospital, Han Juan was sitting outside the intensive care unit with Xiao Feng in her arms, worry written all over her face, while Wei Yuanhang stood leaning against the wall, his brows knitted tightly together.

Xiao Feng’s eyes were swollen red. The moment he saw Xia Mian, he rushed toward her with his arms outstretched. “Auntie…”

“It’s okay.” Xia Mian crouched down and hugged him gently. “Your Uncle Ning is here, remember? We have to trust him.”

Wei Yuanhang said with guilt, “I should’ve paid closer attention. He’s been pushing himself way too hard these last couple of days.”

Han Juan hesitated before saying, “Do you think Qianfa told him about the exhibition?”

None of them knew yet that Ye Anran had overheard everything from behind the pillar. As a result, they had been struggling ever since with how to tell him.

Not long after, Mother Ye hurried over, her expression tense with anxiety. Beside her was the little girl of seven or eight years old. Cleaned up already, she appeared delicate and beautiful, looking nothing like the ragged little beggar she had resembled before. Xia Mian remembered her name was An’an.

“How is Anran?” Mother Ye’s voice sounded calm, but the slight tremor in her hands betrayed her fear.

“He’s still undergoing treatment.” Ning Shaobai stepped out of the ward just then, and Xiao Feng immediately ran over to cling to him. “Uncle Ning…”

Ning Shaobai gently wiped away the tears on the child’s face. “Don’t cry. Uncle has already contacted the best specialists to help Brother Ye.”

Xiao Feng buried himself against his leg. Ning Shaobai then looked at Mother Ye and Xia Mian. “Come with me for a moment.”

Mother Ye glanced worriedly at An’an. Seeing this, Xiao Feng quickly said, “Mother Ye, go ahead. I’ll take care of An’an.”

To everyone’s surprise, An’an, who would previously have stubbornly insisted on following along, simply nodded without protest.

Mother Ye left her in Xiao Feng’s care and followed Ning Shaobai into his office.

“His body has been pushed far beyond its limits,” Ning Shaobai explained. “He can’t keep exhausting himself like this. He needs complete rest and proper recovery. The hospital has already contacted Professor Ma, a leading authority in this field. If the consultation goes well, then after a month of recuperation, once his condition improves somewhat, surgery can be arranged.”

Mother Ye kept her expression rigid, having already prepared herself mentally long ago. Ye Anran’s condition was finally reaching the limit the doctors had once warned them about.

Yet even after hearing Ning Shaobai’s words, she did not look relieved. Her lips trembled for a long moment before she finally forced out the words with great difficulty.

“We… can’t afford the surgery…”

“Mother Ye,” Xia Mian said gently, “that’s exactly what I came to talk to you about. We already have a plan.”

“We are establishing Angel Charity Fund in three months,” Xia Mian said gently. “It’s specifically meant to help orphans suffering from serious illnesses or disabilities. Ye Anran completely qualifies. All you’ll need to do is submit an application, and we’ll handle the rest of the process.”

“So you don’t have to worry about the cost of the surgery.”

The rigid expression Mother Ye had been forcing herself to maintain finally cracked. Her lips quivered soundlessly, unable to form any words.

Xia Mian gently rubbed her back. “I mean it. We can cover all of Ye Anran’s medical expenses. There’s still hope for him.”

“Hope… there’s still hope…” Mother Ye repeated hoarsely. Tears suddenly flooded her eyes, and she broke down sobbing. The emotional defenses she had painstakingly built up collapsed instantly under those few simple words.

“He can still survive… right?”

Xia Mian felt her eyes sting with tears. Beside her, Ning Shaobai spoke softly, “If the surgery is successful, then yes, there’s a chance. Although… his lifespan may still be shorter than that of an ordinary person.”

But to Mother Ye, this was already more than she had ever dared hope for.

She tried to speak again, but in the end could only clamp a trembling hand over her mouth, unable to stop the tears pouring through her fingers.

Only after a long while did she finally manage to choke out, “Thank you… thank you…”

…

When Mother Ye had finally calmed down and the group walked back outside, they discovered the atmosphere in the hallway unbearably heavy.

Wei Yuanhang and Han Juan were both wiping at their tears. Qianfa had apparently rushed over the moment he heard the news and was now curled up beside a chair, crying into himself. Beside him sat Anjie, whose legs ended below the knees. His clothes were still filthy, proof that Qianfa had taken him out begging again earlier that day.

The child clung tightly to An’an as they cried together in silence, like two abandoned little animals trying to keep each other warm.

Xiao Feng stood nearby with his lips pressed downward, tears streaming endlessly down his face. The moment he saw Xia Mian emerge, he ran straight toward her, trembling violently with sobs.

“Auntie…”

Xia Mian crouched down and wrapped him in her arms, gently patting his back over and over. “What’s wrong?”

“Brother Ye…” the child cried brokenly. “Brother Ye left behind a farewell letter…”

It turned out Ye Anran had long known his body might not hold on much longer. He had written a farewell letter in advance and entrusted it to An’an for safekeeping. That was also why An’an had insisted on following Mother Ye to the hospital—he had the girl promise that if anything happened to him, the letter would be passed to Qianfa.

Qianfa’s hands shook violently as he tearfully handed the letter to Xia Mian.

“…Tell Mother Ye not to continue the treatment…”

Xia Mian did not know what it felt like to calmly prepare for one’s own death, but for those listening, every word twisted painfully around their hearts.

He seemed to be trying to lighten the mood and make his friend less sad:

Perhaps because he did not want his friends to feel too miserable, Ye Anran had deliberately tried to make the tone sound lighter:

“That way, my paintings can become posthumous works. Not only will it save a lot of medical expenses, but the value of the paintings might even go up. You’re the best at making money, so you should understand…”

“…Please help me thank Xiao Feng and everyone from the art academy. I’m sorry I couldn’t say it in person, so I can only say goodbye like this in the end: thank you. You made me realize that this world is actually very gentle. During these past few months, I was truly happy.”

Xia Mian bit down hard on her lip, but tears still slipped uncontrollably from her eyes. “That stupid child…”

Wei Yuanhang, Han Juan, and the others were wiping away tears as well. Wei Yuanhang suddenly burst out angrily, “I refuse to accept it! If he wants to thank me, he can say it to my face himself!” Halfway through speaking, his voice broke into sobs. “I haven’t even apologized to him yet…”

Nearby, Xiao Feng looked up at Ning Shaobai with tear-filled eyes. “Uncle… is Brother Ye really going to die?”

Ning Shaobai wrapped one arm around Xia Mian before bending down to lift the child into his arms. He gently wiped away Xiao Feng’s tears and said softly, “Who told you that? Don’t listen to his nonsense. Brother Ye still has surgery and treatment ahead of him.”

Xia Mian quickly wiped her own tears away and lightly kicked Qianfa. “Stop crying already. That’s just what he wrote himself, isn’t it? It’s not what the doctors said.”

“Keep your voices down too. Ye Anran needs to recuperate quietly. In a month, he’ll be preparing for surgery.”

Qianfa had cried himself numb and did not react immediately. Instead, Wei Yuanhang and Han Juan both jerked their heads up at the same time.

“Really?”

“There’s still hope for him?”

Xia Mian waved the farewell letter in irritation. “Of course there is. Ignore this nonsense.”

Wei Yuanhang suddenly remembered something. “Then… what about the surgery fees?”

Xia Mian looked at him seriously. “That’s where I need all of your help.”

Wei Yuanhang immediately stepped forward. “What do we need to do?”

“Continue your work,” Xia Mian said firmly. “I’ve already spoken with Manager Hu. If you can gather enough strong pieces, he’ll do everything he can to secure the bid.”

“If the bid succeeds, his company won’t take any commission from the exhibition sales. Every cent earned will go directly into the initial funding for the ‘Angel Fund.ʼ”

“It’ll specifically help orphans suffering from serious illnesses or disabilities. Ye Anran’s surgery expenses can come from that fund.”

Her gaze swept over all of them as she continued solemnly, “So what you need to do now is create the best works you possibly can. The more valuable the paintings are, the higher they’ll sell for, and the more funding we’ll have to help others.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” she added. “None of you will receive payment for your works. Make sure your classmates understand that in advance.”

Wei Yuanhang answered without hesitation, “No problem!”

Han Juan, however, thought more carefully. “But the surgery is happening in one month. Even if the bid succeeds, the exhibition won’t happen until three months later…”

Xia Mian glanced toward Ning Shaobai before explaining, “The hospital has a special policy. Because Doctor Ning is willing to personally guarantee Ye Anran’s case, the hospital will advance the surgery fees as long as they’re repaid within six months.”

Then she chuckled. “Which means the most important part still depends on all of you.”

“Do your very best, got it?”

“We will!” Wei Yuanhang and Han Zhenzhen answered together without hesitation.

An’an tugged impatiently at Qianfa’s hair. He still looked completely lost. “Stop crying already. Brother Anran’s illness can be treated now!”

Then she turned toward Anjie. “We should hurry and clean you up. If Brother Anran sees you like this again, he’ll definitely get angry.”

Anjie wiped his face carelessly before pulling out a handkerchief. “An’an, hurry and wet this for me.”

Only then did Qianfa finally raise his head. Looking at the relieved expressions around him, he cautiously asked, “He… he really has a chance? You’re not lying to me?”

“Ye Anran can really be saved?!”

“Yes!” Wei Yuanhang grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. “Even the surgery costs have been figured out!”

Then, remembering the exhibition, Wei Yuanhang quickly added, “But we still don’t know what theme he wants to express in his work. Come on—take us to see his paintings. We can’t waste any time.”

Before Ye Anran collapsed, they had not yet had the chance to tell him about the exhibition, much less discuss the central theme of his collection. All they could do now was rely on their own understanding of him.

Still, Ye Anran’s paintings had clearly centered around his fellow orphanage children. Going there was the best place to start.

So they left Mother Ye at the hospital to wait for updates while Qianfa hurriedly led Wei Yuanhang and the others straight toward Star Orphanage.

Naturally, Xiao Feng insisted on going too, and Xia Mian accompanied them.

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