On Saturday, Clara had made an appointment in advance for her mother at a local Grade-A hospital in the gastroenterology department and accompanied her to see a doctor.

As soon as the doctor heard her mother’s symptoms, he gave them a request for a gastroscopy. Clara waited at the door after paying the fees.

After the examination, the doctor quickly issued the report and asked her to help her mother, warning her not to let her fall asleep while under full anesthesia.

Clara supported her mother with one hand and opened the report with the other. She suddenly froze in place.

Examination result: Gastric cancer.

The massive shock left her unable to recover for a long time. She had her mother sit on a chair and went in to find the doctor herself: “Hello, I’d like to ask, what does this result mean? Is it gastric cancer?”

Seeing her anxious state, the doctor took the report and looked at it for a few moments, his expression serious: “Family member, our results usually aren't wrong. Look at these places; it is indeed gastric cancer.”

“It looks like it’s still in the middle stage. Fortunately, you came early. Gastric cancer usually progresses very quickly. Last week, I had a patient who was only diagnosed with a stomach ulcer at the beginning of the year, and when they came back, it was already late-stage gastric cancer.”

He put the report back into Clara’s hand: “Take it to the doctor; arrange the surgery as soon as possible. Don’t delay; they can live for another ten years or more without problems.”

Clara’s eyes were unfocused as she nodded numbly: “Thank you, doctor.”

She went out, sat beside her mother, and helped support her.

“What is it? What’s the situation?”

Clara didn't want to say, but…

“Mom, the report says it indicates gastric cancer. Maybe… you need to have surgery.” Clara didn't dare look into her mother’s eyes, saying it with her head bowed.

As soon as the words "gastric cancer" came out, her mother’s body stiffened. She reached out, wanting to take the report to see for herself, but finally put her hand down, her tone carrying a sigh: “What stage did the doctor say it was?”

Clara forced a smile: “The doctor says it’s early stage. If you have the surgery, the probability of regaining your health is very high.”

“Eh, eh,” her mother smiled, “Then we are still lucky.”

After her mother recovered a bit, they went to find the doctor. The doctor arranged for her immediate admission and called Clara aside to talk alone.

Listening to the doctor tell her to keep her mother in a good state of mind, Clara felt somewhat glad she hadn't told the truth, nodding repeatedly.

After settling her mother in, Clara sat in the hospital corridor and watched the people coming and going; everyone moved in a hurry.

The building didn't face the sun, so the corridor wasn't very bright even in the afternoon, with only a few scattered lights.

Most of those who entered here didn't have illnesses that were easy to cure.

The phone rang, and Clara answered.

“Qiaoqiao, let me pick you up tonight to see a movie.”

“Julian,” Clara thought she could hold it in, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she couldn't help but choke up, her eyes filled with tears, “my mother has cancer.”

Chapter 20

The person on the other end of the line was silent for a moment before saying: “Don’t worry. Which hospital? Which room?”

Clara gave the location, sat in the chair for a moment, wiped away her tears, and walked into the hospital room.

“Mom, we haven’t forgotten anything, have we?”

Since learning about her illness, Clara’s mother seemed to have aged ten years in just a few short hours.

“No, I just resigned from my job. If you have time, go to the supermarket and help me pack up my things.”

Her mother listed her belongings one by one so Clara could write them down.

“Okay.” Clara bent over to crank up the back of the hospital bed and replied.

A middle-aged man in the next bed, who looked to be in his fifties and was completely bald, asked them as they chatted, since his daughter—who was attending to him—had gone to fetch medical reports: “What’s your situation?”

Her mother turned her head and chuckled: “Stomach cancer, just found out today. It’s a good thing my daughter insisted I come get checked out; it’s not too late.”

“Medical technology is advanced now, so there’s no need to be that afraid of cancer. I have colon cancer; I’ve already had five rounds of chemotherapy.”

“Eh,” the man chuckled and patted his bald head, “chemotherapy just makes your hair fall out easily, so I shaved it off.”

There were three people in the same room. Another elderly gentleman was always sleeping. When Clara brought her mother in, she had seen the doctor call her out, and she had come back in wiping away tears.

It was likely that his situation wasn't good.

Her mother seemed to recall something and asked Clara: “Did you ask the doctor how much the surgery costs?”

“Oh,” Clara thought for a moment, “tens of thousands, I suppose.”

Clara wasn't someone who spent money recklessly, and she had saved up a good amount over many years of working.

She felt secretly relieved in her heart. She was glad that when her mother suggested she buy an apartment two years ago, she had hesitated until now, waiting for prices to drop.

This figure was even less than her mother had anticipated, so she set her mind at ease: “That’s not expensive at all, and I bought medical insurance, too.”

In a place like a hospital, it’s truly stifling not to chat with others, so her mother continued chatting with the man next door.

Not long after, Julian arrived. He resisted the urge to pull Clara into his arms and asked about the situation.

The room was near the nurses' station and was noisy with people coming and going, so he made a phone call and arranged for Clara’s mother to be moved to a private room.

Her mother was in the middle of chatting when she was suddenly asked to change rooms. Not knowing what was happening, she had no choice but to say goodbye to the man in the next bed.

The man remarked: “That’s your son-in-law, isn't he? He’s quite good. Private rooms are very expensive, you know.”

Her mother didn't think too much about it, simply assuming it was just a normal single room.

It wasn't until specialized doctors came to perform exams with dedicated equipment that her mother felt something was amiss. No matter how absent-minded she was, she wasn't so ignorant as to not notice this.

Taking advantage of the moment Julian went out to make a call, her mother asked: “What’s the situation with Julian? Money doesn't just grow on trees.”

Clara was stunned. She thought for a moment, swiped on her phone, and handed it to her mother.

Looking at the clear personal profile on the screen, her mother stood there as if struck by lightning.

Her future son-in-law, whom she thought was a hard worker, was actually a wealthy second-generation heir? Her mother stared at the phone for a long time, unable to process it.

That night, she tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, looking at Clara fast asleep in the other bed, her mind racing with thoughts.

The next morning, while Clara and her mother were having breakfast, her mother suddenly said:

“Qiaoqiao, you should break up with Julian.”

Clara was stunned: “Why?”

Chapter 21

Because she had experienced a failed marriage herself, she knew even more deeply that the chasms created by class, status, and wealth were enormous.

Her mother gave a bitter laugh. Wasn't that exactly how it was for her back then? She had married Clara’s father against all odds, only to be met with endless ridicule after they were married.

She hadn't been educated and had started working when she was a teenager. He had been in college then, and his family didn't have the money, so she had paid out of her own pocket for his education.

Later on, they got married, but the affection was gone.

That was why her mother became extreme afterward. She was constantly on edge at the slightest sign of trouble in Clara’s studies; she didn't want Clara to walk down the same path she had.

As for the rest, her mother knew Clara had a personality that didn't fight or compete for anything.

She already had a stable job now. If she found an honest husband, there wasn't really anything else she would want.

When a parent’s love is deep, they plan for the long term. Sometimes the straw that breaks the camel’s back really has nothing to do with love.

After learning Julian’s identity, she didn't sleep a wink. Looking at the wealth and status of the Xie family, she was terrified. She didn't want Clara to try to marry into a higher social class.