Qin Shu, like most street children, didn't know why he was abandoned or who his parents were. However, he was lucky to have been left outside a restaurant in Sand Port City.
The weather was neither cold nor hot, which spared him from falling ill or being snatched away by stray dogs, and he encountered Old Mo who adopted him.
When Qin Shu had memories, Old Mo was already very old.
He didn't know how old Old Mo was; he might have been in his forties or fifties, or even sixties or seventies. But Old Mo never talked about that topic.
When others asked, Old Mo always said, "I'm only thirty, still strong, just look old because I work too hard."
Qin Shu felt that Old Mo was definitely not just thirty.
Whenever he moved tables and goods, he would tremble, appearing very strained. Any heavy work would leave Old Mo gasping and coughing continuously, then suffering from back and waist pains for several days afterward.
Old Mo worked at Vanilla Restaurant, mainly handling various cleanup tasks: cleaning tables, mopping floors, and taking care of the kitchen. It was tough work.
But Old Mo liked doing it.
One of the perks of working at the restaurant was eating the leftovers.
The food that guests didn't want was collected in the kitchen and divided among the staff.
Qin Shu grew up eating the leftovers from Vanilla Restaurant.
What he could eat each day was unpredictable.
On bad days, he might only have soup, on better days he might find beans and mushrooms, and on the best days, he could gnaw on bones with bits of meat and enjoy various preserves.
Compared to the street children who roamed the streets, he was lucky and Old Mo rarely let him go hungry.
Old Mo's surname was Qin, so Qin Shu was also surnamed Qin.
He said, "I had a son named Qin Shu before, it's true, he was about your age when I found you. However, he was very sick, always coughing, but he was a good boy, so small and still he didn't cry, smiled when he saw us. He was a very, very good child."
"The doctor said he had lung disease, it could be cured with medication, just needed 100,000 mushrooms. My wife and I couldn't afford 100,000 mushrooms, and eventually, our child died; my wife went mad and fell to her death on a mountain."
"After that, my health collapsed, I lost my strength, became hunchbacked, and got easily tired. Luckily, I found work in the restaurant, and I just kept living. Sometimes, I don't know why I'm still alive, but I have to keep living."
Qin Shu felt sorry for him and promised, "Old dad, I won't die. Don't worry, I'll take care of you."
Old Mo just smiled, revealing his sparse, darkened teeth, and his face was deeply wrinkled.
"You don't need to mind me, Qin Shu, just make sure you keep on living."
By the time Qin Shu was 13, Old Mo's ability to work had greatly declined, and he emitted an unpleasant smell of decay. The restaurant then fired him, asking Qin Shu to continue the work in his father's place.
Old Mo's coughing became more severe, and he started coughing up a lot of blood.
Qin Shu felt unsettled.
Could he earn 100,000 mushrooms in time to save Old Mo?
Qin Shu went to the doctor in Sand Port City and found out that for someone like Old Mo, 100,000 mushrooms were just the initial phase of treatment. There might be relapses and complications, and the medical expenses would definitely be higher.
The restaurant's income was very meager. Its only benefit was free leftover food and even that was sought after by many.
Potential incomes were higher in a farming team or for artisans, and if he saved frugally for a few years he might save enough, but he couldn't work in those places as he lacked the skills and experience.
Just when Qin Shu felt worried and helpless, he heard that the Wasteland Development Company in Mao Valley Town was hiring workers, offering a salary of 6,000 mushrooms per month. If he worked there, he could save the money needed for his father's treatment.
There was also a hospital there, open to employees for free for one year.
Medical treatment was free!
Qin Shu thus carried Old Mo and followed Cao Dayuan, who had come to recruit workers, to Jade City.
Jade City provided good housing for its employees free of charge, and there was no need to buy wood for heating, as the houses were always warm. For the frail and cold-sensitive Old Mo, this was an enormous relief.
Qin Shu worked at Guangtai Dam while taking Old Mo to Maria Hospital for treatment.
Doctor Da Vinci conducted a full-body examination on Old Mo and diagnosed his condition.
"The patient has a hereditary lung disease," Doctor Da Vinci explained, "Based on radiological examination, he is already in a severe stage and needs to be hospitalized immediately for intervention."
"Considering the patient's bone age has reached 65, and his body temperature and blood pressure are below normal, he will need external oxygen to maintain blood oxygen saturation."
"I will order a batch of targeted medications to improve the patient's condition."
Qin Shu was distraught for several days.
The situation was more severe than he expected.
He visited Old Mo in the hospital daily. Though Old Mo was hooked to an IV and had a mask covering his face, he was no longer as haggard and dry, and his complexion slowly became healthier.
After a month of treatment, Doctor Da Vinci told Qin Shu, "The patient's body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate have all returned to normal ranges. He can be discharged now."
"Make sure to rest after going home, avoid the cold, and do not overexert yourself."
"And remember to come in for regular check-ups."
Qin Shu was somewhat incredulous.
Old Mo indeed had recovered. His coughing had reduced, and he visibly looked more spirited. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ noveⅼfire.net
Since he couldn't work hard, Old Mo only cleaned around the house and took walks. Later, seeing the street vendors making chicken head soup, he started trying to make it himself.