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3.65% The Bloodstained Affair / Chapter 15: Life Had Just Become Hectic

Chương 15: Life Had Just Become Hectic

The reality hit hard when Aiden went to pay for the emergency treatment and hospitalization fee for the first time the next morning. 

He had the money, of course, but the single payment was enough to cause a dent in his pocket.

Aiden was so preoccupied with the sum of money that he just paid that he almost didn't hear what the nurse asked him.

"Mr. Thompson, have you decided to go through with the biopsy?"

"Hm? Yes." Aiden answered absent-mindedly. His eyes were still glued to the string of numbers on the receipt. 

The receptionist pushed another sheet of paper toward Aiden. It contained details of payment for the biopsy.

When Aiden saw the amount of money he had to pay,  the young man started to get dizzy. 

"Um, must I pay for it now?"

The nurse nodded.

"I... I don't have enough money with me."

The young man lowered his head in shame.

The nurse's heart softened when she saw the young man in front of her.

It would be such a hassle to go back home for some money and return to the hospital to pay.

"You know what? I will schedule the biopsy for now. Please pay on the day of the biopsy."

"Yes, thank you very much," Aiden replied full of gratitude.

The young man stumbled out of the hospital into the bright morning sun in a daze. He could barely believe it. He had just spent enough money to pay for their daily expenses for six months.

His grandmother was right. They could not afford the costly treatment. 

The government sponsored an occupational health insurance program that covered all medical expenses of a full-time worker and registered family members one hundred percent.

The problem was that none of them was part of the workforce, so they were not able to enjoy the benefits. Without insurance, even a small treatment at a hospital was sure to burn a hole in anyone's pocket.

Aiden could barely focus on his lectures for the next three days.

Between lectures, he was busy browsing for available job advertisements.

He no longer had the luxury to handpick the jobs. Forget about exclusively working at the university. At that point, any job that could pay for his grandmother's medical fees was worth considering.

Thankfully, Aiden did not have the habit of eating at the university canteen.

The food was exquisite, and so was the price.

There was an old white oak tree on campus that recently became Aiden's favorite place to eat lunch. James happened to see him sitting alone during lunch break and decided to join him for lunch.

"Hey, man. How is it going?"

James gave Aiden's upper arm a light punch.

"Oh, James."

Aiden was holding his tuna and egg sandwich in his hands in a daze without taking even a single bite. James put down his bag on the grass and eyed Aiden from top to bottom.

"What's wrong? You look so... lost."

James' family was pretty much the same as Aiden's. Both of their families were not covered by health insurance. Aiden thus shared the bad news regarding his grandmother.

"Oh, no..." James replied full of concern. "What are you going to do?"

Aiden looked down at his sandwich and pressed his lips together. He did not have any miraculous solution for his problem. All he could do was press ahead with his plans from the beginning.

"I need a part-time job. I have been searching for a while now, and I attended some interviews too. Hopefully, I'll get one soon."

James nodded a few times in apprehension. 

"I see. Listen, man. Keep me updated, alright? If ever you need any help, I am just one call away."

Aiden smiled and patted James on the upper arm a few times.

"I will. Thanks, James. Well then, my friend, I have to get going. I have another interview in thirty minutes."

James watched as Aiden wrapped the untouched tuna and egg sandwich back into its brown paper wrapping and stuffed it back into his satchel. He most likely did not have any appetite in anticipation of the upcoming job interview.

"Bye, James," Aiden said.

He slung his satchel over his shoulder and rose to his feet.

"Bye, Aiden."

Aiden turned around and waved at James.

James grabbed at his left lower arm thoughtfully as he gazed at Aiden's retreating back. Under the long-sleeved shirt that he wore day in and day out lay a secret that he had been hiding from everyone.


SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO
Lu_Shui Lu_Shui

Happy Monday, dear readers!!! Hopefully the week is kind to us all.

next chapter

Chương 16: Meeting Jerry Again

After a few interviews, one interviewer called Aiden back and congratulated him for landing the part-time job as a laboratory assistant to a biomolecular Ph.D. student, Rosaliá Pérez.

She was a good-looking woman with a curvy figure who insisted that Aiden call her "Rosa".

The job was in line with his major, and the pay was decent for a part-time job, but it was not enough to cover the sum of money that he had paid to the hospital so far.

On Fridays for the semester, Aiden had class until 10 AM, and then he was free for the day. On the way home, he passed by a grocery shop and saw his grandmother's favorite tangerines on display outside. Aiden's grandmother was released from the hospital after the biopsy. The elder woman was so happy to finally be able to go back home. She repeatedly ensured her grandson that she was doing much better and that the biopsy was only a waste of money.

Aiden hoped that she was right.

The money was worth losing if the piece of result paper concluded that his grandmother was cancer-free.

In good mood, Aiden decided to buy some tangerines before going home. He parked his bicycle in the bicycle parking spot before leisurely going into the grocery store. Aiden took a plastic bag before starting to pick on the tangerines. His hand bumped with another's as both were aiming for the same tangerine.

Aiden looked up and his eyes met with Jerry's eyes.

"Oh, hey..." Jerry broke into a smile.

"It's you. I haven't seen you again since the first day."

Aiden gave Jerry a warm smile.

"I came to visit the stall after I got my schedule. You were not there..."

As soon as the words left his lips, Aiden regretted it. This man in front of him praised Aiden's appearance in front of the whole school. By saying that Aiden noticed Jerry's disappearance, it implied that he had been looking forward to seeing him again. A tender blush appeared on Aiden's fair cheeks.

"I mean, uh..."

A silly grin mixed with awkwardness appeared on Jerry's face.

"N-no, you were right. I had a terrible stomachache that day. Ate a lot for breakfast. You know, baked beans and potatoes and bacon... I ended up spending the rest of the morning in the toilet..."

That was a lot of information to share with someone who he barely knew. Jerry cleared his throat in embarrassment.

"A-anyway. Hey, have you picked your club yet?"

Aiden wanted to say that he no longer had time to join any clubs because he wanted to focus on earning more money on the side, but at the last moment, he decided not to.

He merely shook his head with a smile. Jerry was ecstatic.

"Then... Are you interested in joining? If you have not made up your mind, why don't you come by from time to time? We are all very friendly!"

"I will when I have time," Aiden answered truthfully.

"Wonderful!!! So, um, take these tangerines."

"Ah, yes."

Aiden almost forgot that he wanted to buy tangerines for his grandmother. He put one tangerine after another into the plastic bag. The young man in front of him did not make any move to pick his own and merely watched Aiden with a bright smile on his face.

"Um..."

Aiden waved the bag of tangerines in front of Jerry.

"I am done, so... are you not going to get yours?"

"Oh, I... I work here."

Jerry pointed at the dark green apron he was wearing. The words "Tanner's Fresh Foodie" were written on the front side with a big white cursive script.

"Oh, I see. You work close to the university," Aiden remarked.

"Oh, um actually..."

Before Jerry finished what he wanted to say, a roaring sound was heard coming from the cashier.

"Jerry! Did I pay you to chat or to work??? Keep lazing around and you will not eat your mama's steak for dinner!"

Aiden and Jerry both looked in the direction of the cashier before looking at each other again.

"Fine, geez!!" Jerry shouted in response. Then he sheepishly turned to Aiden and whispered, "Sorry, I have to go. I do work here but this is also my parents' grocery store."

"It's fine, I also need to go."

Aiden gave Jerry another smile, then he went to the cashier to pay. Jerry started to pick some tangerines to deliver to a customer. After he was done weighing the three kilograms of tangerines, he realized that he forgot something. He rushed toward the cashier and shouted.

"OH HEY! I forgot to ask..."

There was no one at the cashier save for his father, who was squinting at him.

"What?"

"N-nothing."

Jerry swallowed the disappointment into his stomach. He forgot to ask for Aiden's name.


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