Paranoid Doctor Only Loves Me
Chapter 578 - 541 Seeing Tongtong (1 update)

Chapter 578: 541 Seeing Tongtong (1 update)

Tongtong’s hometown, Lu Han remembered, was located below Hua City, in a village under a small town called Gangtie. It was very remote and extremely poor.

The two drove to Tongtong’s hometown.

Upon reaching Tongtong’s hometown, the small village named Wuhong Village, the conditions there certainly couldn’t compare with Hua City, but the little village was also developing.

Young people who went to the city to work brought money back and built multi-story houses; even the government was seeking to benefit the villagers, with roads now smooth and flat.

In the village, Tongtong’s family was known for their poverty.

In fact, their family didn’t have to be so impoverished if it weren’t for Tongtong, who was born ill, constantly requiring hospital visits, and even surgeries.

Unless it was an extremely wealthy household, no ordinary family could withstand such expenses.

With the help of kindhearted villagers, Lu Han and Tang Su quickly found Tongtong’s home—a ramshackle two-story house, its exterior walls peeling away.

The surrounding neighbors’ homes had all been renovated; their house, however, stood out in stark, disheveled contrast.

Tongtong’s parents had already been buried, and at this moment, the three generations remained at home, silent and speechless.

The atmosphere of grief hadn’t yet lifted.

The arrival of Lu Han and Tang Su brightened Tongtong’s dim eyes in an instant. Tongtong’s grandparents hadn’t expected them to follow them home.

"Doctor Lu, Miss Tang, please have a seat," Tongtong’s grandpa warmly invited them to sit in the living room, while Tongtong’s grandma went to make two cups of honey water.

This was from a time they’d rented out their backyard to a beekeeper, who in return gave them a box of honey—a truly good thing.

It was a good thing indeed, or else they wouldn’t have felt right serving it to Lu Han and Tang Su.

"Thank you, Tongtong’s grandma." Tang Su stood up, taking the cup of honey water from Tongtong’s grandma with both hands.

"You’re welcome, we’re the ones who should be thanking you. You’ve come all the way from Hua City to see us, it’s truly embarrassing for us."

"It’s no trouble, the drive was quick," Lu Han said, looking at Tongtong, "Tongtong, let Doctor Lu take a look at your ear."

"Uh-huh, thank you, Doctor Lu." Tongtong had always been holding back his tears. He would no longer have a mom and dad, and he desperately wanted to cry, but he feared that showing his sadness would only make his grandparents more heartbroken, so he dared not weep.

These past few days, the house was filled with people, and there were so many things to take care of. He knew his grandparents were overwhelmed, so he didn’t dare to act spoiled or vent any emotions.

But inside, it was painful.

So painfully bottled up.

"No need to thank me, let’s go to your room," Lu Han said.

"Okay."

Tongtong led Lu Han to his own room on the second floor, which had been renovated. Renovation meant that the walls had been freshly painted, an air conditioner was installed, a television was set up, and a couch had been bought.

These were more affordable items that Tongtong’s parents had managed to buy with the money saved from their hard work.

The fancier items were beyond their reach.

Tongtong’s grandparents still lived downstairs.

After entering the room, Lu Han could tell from Tongtong’s living environment just how much his parents had cherished him. To others, what his parents provided might not seem like much, but to them, it was everything they could offer.

So, Tongtong was indeed a blessed child.

Some children, once sick, are abandoned by their own parents, but not Tongtong.

No matter how poor the family was, they were willing to spend what little money they had on Tongtong.

Once inside, Lu Han held Tongtong in his arms, "Tongtong, Doctor Lu is here with you. If you want to cry, just cry, I’ll be with you."

"Doctor Lu—"

Tongtong tried to hold back for a while, but ultimately couldn’t and burst into tears while hugging Lu Han’s neck.

The crying was loud, and the three people downstairs heard it.

"This child, as soon as Doctor Lu arrived, couldn’t hold back her emotions anymore. Old lady, go upstairs and comfort her, don’t let Doctor Lu be the butt of a joke," Tongtong’s grandpa said to Tongtong’s grandma.

"Alright."

"No, wait, Tongtong’s grandma, Lu Han won’t laugh at Tongtong. Let the child vent for a bit," Tang Su stopped Tongtong’s grandma from going upstairs. She believed that Tongtong, the sensible child, must have been holding back all this while.

"Miss Tang, you and Doctor Lu are truly kind people."

Tang Su shook her head, "Right, Tongtong’s grandpa, Tongtong’s grandma, there are many kind-hearted people. This money was put together by Grandma Zheng and the others from the neighborhood you lived in before. It’s not much, just a token of everyone’s goodwill."

"..."

The two of them looked at each other and eventually their eyes reddened with emotion.

Latter on, Tongtong’s grandma made a call to Grandma Zheng to express their gratitude.

Lu Han and Tongtong stayed upstairs for over an hour before coming down, the latter now able to smile at Tang Su after a hearty catharsis of all the pent-up negative emotions.

"Sister Tangtang." Not only could she smile, but Tongtong had also started calling Tang Su.

For lunch, the elderly couple planned to take Tang Su and Lu Han to a restaurant in town. Lu Han didn’t decline the offer, drove them, and followed their directions to Gangtie Town.

The elderly couple chose the best-decorated restaurant in town to treat them to a meal.

They ordered many delicacies and even left five hundred yuan with the owner in advance, just in case Lu Han paid the bill first.

"Old gentleman, you’re spending quite a bit today. What’s the occasion, hosting some important guests?" The restaurant owner, a shrewd man, had seen the old man often coming to the town’s market before.

"Yes, very important guests. Make sure the dishes are well-prepared," the old man requested.

"Don’t worry, old gentleman, I’ll take care of it," the owner assured.

During the meal, Lu Han mentioned Tongtong’s condition. She still needed to go somewhere with better medical facilities, as the local clinic and the town hospital were not up to standard.

Besides, Tongtong might eventually need surgery.

The elderly couple nodded, and after a silent pause, they said sensibly, "Doctor Lu, we know, but our son and daughter-in-law are gone, and we just have our modest pensions; we really have no way to manage it."

"I understand. I’ll take care of all of Tongtong’s treatment costs; you don’t need to worry about it," Lu Han assured them.

"..."

The elderly couple were shocked. They knew Lu Han had always been kind to their Tongtong, but they were surprised that he would go to such lengths.

In the past, they thought that since Tongtong was Lu Han’s patient, and at that time, they didn’t owe the hospital any money, Lu Han’s kindness to Tongtong was also because he was paid a salary by the hospital.

Now, they no longer thought that way.

"Doctor Lu, let’s eat first. After we finish eating, we’ll go home, and I’ll explain in detail," Tongtong’s grandpa said.

"Okay."

After lunch, Lu Han drove everyone back. Tongtong’s grandma took Tang Su around the village, with Tongtong tagging along. At home, Tongtong’s grandpa had a private talk with Lu Han.

Lu Han sat in the living room while Tongtong’s grandpa made him a cup of tea, then got up to go to his room and returned with a stack of things.

From the pile, Tongtong’s grandpa pulled out a death certificate and placed it in front of Lu Han.

"..."