My happy life in a courtyard house with triplets.

Chapter 299: Visiting Yu Li's Home to Check on Her Mother's Condition

After half an hour, fewer and fewer people were watching the fish, leaving only the Yu sisters, Yu Haitang and Yu Li, with Zhang Lei.

Seeing that they seemed hesitant to speak, Zhang Lei asked, "Is something wrong, you two?"

Yu Li stepped forward first: "Zhang Lei, you haven't finished talking about the fish yet."

Yu Haitang quickly chimed in, "Brother Zhang Lei, could you give us the fish? If you do, I'll have my sister marry you."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lei's eyes widened as he looked at Yu Li. Yu Li, both embarrassed and anxious, pinched Yu Haitang's arm hard, causing Yu Haitang to yelp in pain and her face to instantly turn bright red.

"Zhang Lei, don't listen to her nonsense," Yu Li quickly explained. "I wanted to give this fish to my mother to see if it would help her condition."

Zhang Lei then realized what was going on and nodded, "Oh, I see. If you don't mind, could I visit your mother at your house?"

Yu Li blushed instantly, her mind a jumble of thoughts—meeting the parents? Two voices were arguing in her head: one saying no, she wasn't good enough for Zhang Lei, while the other urged her to seize the opportunity.

Seeing Yu Li standing there in a daze, Zhang Lei asked curiously, "What's wrong? Is something wrong?"

Yu Haitang immediately took the lead, grabbing Zhang Lei's arm: "No, no! Brother Zhang Lei, come home with me!"

Zhang Lei was amused by her, and soon the three of them arrived at Yu Li's house. Upon seeing the condition of Yu Li's house, Zhang Lei couldn't help but frown. It was even more dilapidated than he had imagined. There were only two rooms, and the stove was built at the back of the house. The environment was damp and dark, which was not suitable for a patient to recuperate at all.

Suddenly, a little boy ran out of the inner room.

"Guoguo, come here," Yu Haitang called out.

Zhang Lei looked at the approaching child with some curiosity, while Yu Haitang introduced him with a smile: "This is my younger brother, Yu Guo."

"Why did you name him that?" Zhang Lei asked casually.

"When my mom was pregnant with him, she loved to eat fruit, so we named him Yu Guo (meaning 'fruit')."

A coughing sound came from inside the house. Zhang Lei went over and saw an elderly woman lying in a tattered quilt. He frowned and said seriously to Yu Li and Yu Haitang, "Come with me, we're taking your mother to the hospital."

Yu Li was taken aback: "Zhang Lei, where are we going?"

"Where else can we go? The hospital, of course. Look at the conditions your mother is in now, no amount of medicine will help."

Yu Li and Yu Haitang panicked immediately. Yu Li said timidly, "But we don't have any money."

Zhang Lei looked at her and said, "Don't worry about the money, I've got you covered. Quickly help your mother up and come with me."

The two sisters quickly went into the bedroom and helped their mother get dressed. Looking at her daughters' actions, their mother asked in confusion, "Lily, Haitang, what are you two doing?"

"Mom, don't ask any questions yet, just come with us."

Upon seeing Zhang Lei, Yu's mother looked at Yu Li and asked, "Lili, who's this?"

Zhang Lei stepped forward: "Hello, Auntie, I'm Zhang Lei, Yu Li's friend."

Mother Yu quickly greeted them with a smile, "Ah, since you're Lily's friend, please come inside and sit down."

Zhang Lei waved his hand: "Auntie, no need, let's go to the hospital first. Your living environment is too damp and dark, which is not good for your condition. In addition, you have been bedridden for a long time, so you need to go to the hospital for a thorough examination first."

Yu's mother was stunned: "To the hospital?"

"Yes, I have connections at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, so you don't need to worry about the money."

Mother Yu quickly waved her hand: "No, no, I don't know how much money my illness will cost..."

Zhang Lei immediately interrupted, "Auntie, do you want to get better sooner so you can take care of the family, or do you want to stay in bed and let Uncle and the two sisters keep spending money on medicine? It's better to get it over with quickly than to suffer for a long time. Don't worry about the money; you can pay me back slowly later."

Yu Li also chimed in, "Mom, just listen to Zhang Lei. This illness has been dragging on for so many years."

Looking at her troubled daughters, Yu's mother sighed, "Well... thank you, Xiao Lei."

"Don't worry, Auntie, you'll definitely get better soon."

Soon, the group arrived at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Zhang Lei found Ding Qiunan, who was receiving a doctor's appointment. Seeing his entourage, Ding Qiunan jokingly asked, "Honey, are you interested in some girl?"

Zhang Lei said helplessly, "Don't overthink it. He's just a friend, a nice guy, and I was just helping him out."

Although Ding Qiunan didn't believe it, she still quickly arranged a doctor and ward for Yu's mother out of kindness.

After half a day of examinations, Zhang Lei, Yu Li, and Yu Haitang waited in the doctor's office. The doctor looked at them and asked, "Who is a family member?"

Yu Li and Yu Haitang immediately stepped forward.

"Your mother's illness is in her lumbar spine, and she needs surgery. The success rate is about 70%, but it will be quite expensive."

Zhang Lei immediately stepped forward: "Doctor, money is not a problem. Is there any way to increase the success rate? It doesn't matter if the medicine is a little expensive."

The doctor thought for a moment and said, "Then use the best medicine and arrange a consultation with specialists. That should increase the success rate to over 80%."

Yu Li and Yu Haitang looked at Zhang Lei with deep gratitude. Zhang Lei said to them, "Why don't you discuss this with your mother and father?"

The two nodded, and Yu Li immediately rode Zhang Lei's bicycle to her father's factory to find someone, while Yu Haitang stayed in the ward to take care of her mother and younger brother Yu Guo.

Zhang Lei was sitting idly in the hospital corridor when he was suddenly kissed by someone. When he turned around, he saw that it was Yu Haitang.

"What are you doing, girl?" Zhang Lei asked, both surprised and helpless.

Yu Haitang looked up and said, "Brother Zhang Lei, I don't know how to repay you, so I can only give you my first kiss."

Zhang Lei chuckled: "Do you even know what this means?"

"Does that mean I'm yours from now on?" Yu Haitang said, tilting her head back.

Zhang Lei said irritably, "Does that mean if I get angry, I'll beat you up?"

Yu Haitang immediately became aggrieved: "Brother Zhang Lei, how could you do this? So many boys at school have written me love letters and I haven't accepted them, and you still look down on me..."

"Are you even an adult? Stop pretending to be one."

Zhang Lei suddenly remembered something and wanted to confirm it, so he said seriously, "Yu Haitang, sit here."

Yu Haitang obediently sat down, thinking she was about to be scolded.

Do you know He Yushui?

Yu Haitang was surprised: "You know Yu Shui?"

"Of course, we live in the same courtyard house."

Yu Haitang immediately perked up: "Really? Rain and I are best friends!"

Zhang Lei nodded, understanding the situation. The scene of the two chatting and laughing was witnessed by Yu Li, who had just returned. She hadn't expected her sister to be so bold, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Noticing Yu Li's unusual expression, Yu's father asked, "Lili, what's wrong?"

Yu Li quickly came to her senses: "Dad, it's okay, Mom is in that ward."

Mr. Yu walked over, and Zhang Lei went up to greet him. The tall, muscular man looked at Zhang Lei, his eyes instantly reddening, and he repeatedly thanked him, "Zhang Lei, thank you... if it weren't for you..."

Zhang Lei quickly helped him up: "Uncle, don't be like this. The best outcome is if Auntie can be cured. Please go see Auntie first, listen to what the doctor has to say, and we're waiting for your decision."

Yu Haitang urged from the side, "Dad, the doctor said to listen to Zhang Lei; the surgery has an 80% success rate!"

Soon, the sounds of Yu Li and her family discussing their plan filled the ward, while Zhang Lei waited silently outside. A short while later, Yu Li emerged, looking at Zhang Lei with a complex expression: "Brother Zhang Lei, we've discussed it and agreed to have my mother's surgery."

Zhang Lei nodded: "Okay, that's good."

He immediately went to pay the surgery and hospitalization fees. Yu Li's family waited anxiously outside the operating room, while Zhang Lei excused himself to go out and buy some food, temporarily leaving the hospital.

As soon as Zhang Lei left, Ding Qiunan walked out of the operating room. Yu Li saw Ding Qiunan and walked over somewhat embarrassedly. Seeing this, Ding Qiunan gently led her to her office.