<h4>Chapter 223: Chapter 223 Gather Money to Save a Life_1</h4>


    Within a 180-square-meter apartment, bathed in light from both the south and north.


    The Bai Family members gathered all in one ce.


    At this moment, at the center of the wide sofa, sat an elderlydy with snow-white hair and sparkling eyes—Bai Xiaosheng’s grandmother, Li Fengguan.


    Some people be deaf and blind at seventy, but this eighty-eight-year-old matriarch still stood tall and spirited. Up to now, she remained the backbone of the Bai Family.


    The elderlydy had practiced martial arts in her youth, and even today, she still performed a segment of Tai Chi Fist every morning and evening.


    Since the passing of Bai Xiaosheng’s grandfather, she had single-handedly raised four sons and two daughters to adulthood, and now the family spanned four generations under one roof.


    On both sides of the sofa sat the olddy’s children; her four sons belonged to the "Ming" generation, with thest character of their names being, in order, Yan, Hang, Zhi, and Yuan.


    Bai Mingyan, Bai Minghang, Bai Mingzhi, and Bai Mingyuan—Bai Xiaosheng’s father, Hang, was Bai Minghang. Besides, Li Fengguan had two daughters as well, Bai Xiuchun and Bai Xiudong.


    The Bai family once owned an old residence, a small quadrangle dwelling brimming with life from therge family.


    In recent years, the old house was demolished during urban renewal, and they werepensated with seven apartments.


    The matriarch made the decisions fairly, allotting one apartment per child, regardless of gender.


    The remaining apartment was kept by the elderlydy herself, to avoid family disputes.


    This was the very apartment they were in now.


    The children had hired a nanny to look after their mother’s daily life and meals; they also lived nearby, ready toe over at a moment’s notice.


    In two days, it would be Old Lady Li’s eighty-eighth birthday.


    But at this moment, Bai Xiaosheng’s aunt from his father’s side was crying and wiping tears away.


    Mingyuan, the fourth uncle, silently smoked one cigarette after another.


    The entire room was filled with silence reflecting their mood.


    Not long before, news came that Bai Shuanglei, the son of the fourth uncle of the Bai Family, was hospitalized with some sort of brain tumor.


    The estimated cost of treatment was eight hundred thousand yuan!


    Eight hundred thousand yuan!


    Such arge sum could crush a middle-ss family in Zhongjing City unless they sold their property, there was no other way toe up with the money.


    Mingyuan and his wife couldn’t even afford to visit their son, having withdrawn everything from their savings with little more to gather than three hundred thousand yuan.


    They were still about five hundred thousand short of the needed eight hundred thousand!


    Completely out of options, the elderlydy decided to hold a meeting.


    The Bai Family was not small—how could they just watch one of the grandchildren die of sickness?


    Everyone present was silent.


    This amount of money was no small sum. To raise it, excluding the two daughters-inw, each family would have to contribute at least a hundred thousand yuan!


    And the return of this money was indefinite—it might never be repaid at all.


    How could others live their lives then?


    It wasn’t a matter of weak family ties, but rather the harshness of reality.


    "Everyone speak up, Shuanglei is my grandson, and he’s your nephew. He needs money for his life-saving treatment now. You can’t just sit back and do nothing," Li Fengguan said, her expression still rtively calm, as she looked at the room full of her sons and daughters-inw, daughters and sons-inw.


    After a moment of silence, Bai Xiaosheng’s father, Bai Minghang, was the first to speak up, "I have some tens of thousands of yuan on hand, and a timed deposit of a hundred thousand—I can withdraw it all. Life is of utmost importance, let’s get the treatment started first."


    Bai Xiaosheng’s mother, Li Qiuyun, nodded in agreement, without a word to the contrary.


    Li Fengguan looked at her second son’s family, feeling reassured.


    Minghang, her second son, was known for his kindness and honesty, and his wife was virtuous. Their personalities had influenced their son, Bai Xiaosheng, who was also like this, much to the olddy’s liking.


    Speaking of which,


    The Bai brothers were no longer young; because of ss status issues back in the day, they hadn’t had many years of schooling and were not workers in state-owned enterprises.


    Even though they all lived in spacious apartments now, over the years, their expenses relied solely on odd jobs and casualbor. They also had to support their children’s education, so none of them had much money.


    The one doing the best was the third brother’s family, merely running a small business.


    "I followed the third brother’s example this year and got involved in a small business—most of my money is in it, and I don’t have much spare cash, maybe just thirty thousand..." Just as Bai Xiaosheng’s uncle began to speak, his wife timely coughed.


    "...Around twenty thousand," the eldest uncle corrected himself.


    Li Fengguan nced at the eldest uncle’s family with an expressionless face. It was tough for the stingiest family toe up with twenty thousand.


    "We cane up with a few tens of thousands," Bai Xiaosheng’s third uncle said calmly.


    This surprised Li Fengguan.


    Mingzhi was shrewd and profit-driven, with the businessman’s bone in him—no less stingy than the eldest.


    "However, Mingyuan and his wife, you will need to sign an IOU for us. With such a big incident on your hands, we’re not in a rush for you to repay. I heard that your old ce is up for demolition. Maybe in a few years, you’ll have money. This hurdle won’t seem like much then. We’re all rtives; no need for interest... right?" Bai Xiaosheng’s third aunt babbled.


    She was always calcting and didn’t think before speaking, letting her strategic thoughts slip out.


    "Why do you have to say that!"


    Bai Xiaosheng’s third uncle immediately red at her fiercely, annoyed at himself for sharing these matters with the woman.


    A sneaky calctor, a simpleton of a woman!


    "I said that to put Mingyuan and his wife at ease," the third aunt protested unhappily.


    "Third sister, our family is in this state, and you talk about putting us at ease!" the fourth aunt cried out.


    "Enough!"


    Li Fengguan frowned slightly and chided in a low voice.


    Gathering money to save someone was all that mattered. She had neither the interest nor the energy to deal with any nonsensical drama.


    The olddy turned to look at her daughter and son-inw.


    Both families indicated they could contribute fifty thousand.


    For her daughter to do this much wasmendable!


    But the total was less than three hundred thousand, still short by two hundred thousand.


    Li Fengguan sighed, her eyes half-closed, looking somewhat exhausted, "I have another twenty thousand. If it reallyes to it... I’ll have to sell this house. I can rotate living with you guys."


    "That would work. Let’s divide up, and Mom can live with us in turns," the third aunt chimed in, unable to hide her joy.


    "Shut your mouth!" The third uncle red and snapped, trying to persuade his own mother, "Mom, the property prices are still rising, it’s not a good time to sell! At the very least, wait for two years, otherwise, we’ll lose a lot of money!"


    A businessman is a businessman after all, and can see clearly. Bai Xiaosheng’s eldest uncle and his wife exchanged a look and quickly nodded in agreement.


    Bai Xiaosheng’s father couldn’t help but frown and then sighed.


    "Mom, don’t worry, don’t get too worked up. We’re only short twenty thousand, right? Sheng and the younger generation should be nearly gathered by tomorrow. These young people are doing quite well nowadays. Together, they should have enough."


    Bai Xiaosheng’s father, Bai Minghang, stared as Bai Xiaosheng’s eldest uncle’s family and third uncle’s family began to speak, but Bai Minghang cut them off sharply, "When ites to boasting about your own children, you’re all praises, whether it’s promotions or buying houses and cars. What, they can’t do it now? Let me tell you, once everyone is here, Bai Xiaosheng will be the first to contribute! My son is capable!"


    Bai Minghang said with a proud, coldugh.


    Suddenly, even the stingy eldest uncle’s family and the calcting Mingzhi’s family were silent.


    They didn’t care how much they scrimped or plotted in their lifetime, or if othersughed at them.


    But looking down on their children was uneptable!


    As parents, who wouldn’t want their children to seed and be admired? They would never say anything that could depreciate their value.


    This time, no one objected.


    "Then it’s settled!" Li Fengguan smiled and nodded at Bai Minghang.


    The second son had a good idea!


    It would solve the current difficulties and also give the grandchildren a chance to show how well they were doing.


    "However, Sheng might not have much money," the olddy couldn’t help but think. "I have some savings, I’ll give it to himter. The kid is honorable; I can’t let him lose face!"


    With that decided, it was settled for the time being.


    Bai Xiaosheng’s fourth aunt, who had been weeping, and his fourth uncle, with a worried face, finally looked a little relieved.


    Li Fengguan stood up and waved everyone off.


    "Let’s disperse for now. When everyone’s here tomorrow, we’ll gather the money to save a life! The grand Bai Family can’t have hurdles we can’t get over, can we?"