The service department was packed, with a constant stream of visitors. The small department was a testament to how well the hospital was doing.
It wasn't surprising that hospitals were considered one of the four most profitable industries in the world. What were the other three? Needless to say, tobacco, telecommunications, and the red-light district.
Some might argue that the red-light district shouldn't be listed alongside gambling and drugs, but the saying "yellow, gambling, drugs" places "yellow" first, which should be enough to make the point.
Our city's former glory days were evident. Zhangjiajie's gates were wide open, welcoming guests and wealth from all directions, with a constant cycle of singing and revelry that lasted all night. It was more bustling than a bus stop, which speaks volumes.
The service department was incredibly well-stocked. Red envelopes were, of course, available, though the idea of selling them individually was a bit off-putting, and they weren't cheap. Regular ones cost two yuan, and the larger ones five yuan. You could buy ten elsewhere for that price. They certainly weren't afraid of divine retribution for how they were making money.
Besides red envelopes, they also bought a fruit basket and two packs of Pampers, size S. It was expensive, but unavoidable. Since it was a monopoly, you'd have to travel a long way to buy them cheaper.
After paying, Li Haochen went to a nearby ATM and withdrew six thousand yuan. Three thousand yuan for each red envelope. It wasn't too much, but it wasn't too little either.
"Hello, could you tell me how to get to room 388?"
"Haochen?"
Before the nurse could answer, a voice called out from behind them. Turning around, they saw his Uncle Li Dehai. He looked more than ten years younger, and the joy of becoming a grandfather was evident in his constant smile.
"Why did you come all this way? Come on, let's go up and see the two little ones. They're so chubby and adorable, hehe!"
"Uncle, this is a big occasion for our family, of course, we had to come. Come on, I can't wait to meet my niece and nephew, hehe!"
Li Haochen and Murong Yanran thanked the nurse and followed Li Dehai upstairs. They arrived at room 388, a single suite. For them to secure such a room in Shanghai, it seemed the Zhuang family had some influence here.
"Haochen? Why are you here? Come sit down..."
Li Haoyang was pleasantly surprised and excited to see Li Haochen and Murong Yanran.
"Brother, congratulations, congratulations!"
"Come, I'll take you in to see the two babies. They're so cute, hehe!"
As he spoke, Li Haoyang was filled with happiness. Having both a son and a daughter was truly a blessing.
Li Haochen and Murong Yanran went into the inner room. His sister-in-law, Zhuang Xiaoxia, and the two babies were sleeping. His aunt was sitting in a chair, dozing off.
Hearing the noise, his aunt woke up. Seeing Li Haochen and the others, she excitedly stood up, about to call out but was stopped by Li Haochen.
He placed the red envelopes beside the children and looked at the sleeping babies, no bigger than his palm, marveling at the wonder of life.
Stepping outside, the Zhuang family's relatives had also arrived, filling the small outer hall. Among them were two lavishly dressed ladies and a young woman, seated in the few available chairs, chatting and laughing.
"Uncle and Aunt Zhuang..."
Li Haochen and Murong Yanran greeted his sister-in-law's parents, and also the two ladies nearby. However, they seemed a bit indifferent, not even glancing at them.
"Haochen, you're here too."
"It's thoughtful of you to come all this way. We should have a meal tonight!" one of the ladies spoke first, with a rather arrogant demeanor.
Li Haochen didn't quite like the way she said it. This was a major event for the Li family, and they should be the ones saying such things.
Li Haoyang leaned in and whispered to Li Haochen, "These are your sister-in-law's two aunts. They're quite wealthy."
So what if they're wealthy? Doesn't our Li family have money?
"Don't they know about your current business situation?" Li Haochen asked in a low voice.
"I haven't told them much, hehe!"
"Ayang, go book a private room at Fugui Garden."
While they were whispering, the other lady began to direct Li Haoyang.
"Uh, okay, Auntie. I'll go book it now."
Zhuang Jingnian and his wife had no objections to their two elder sisters' arrangements. Although they knew Li Haochen had some assets now, they would never believe he had more money than his two sisters, who were worth hundreds of millions. What kind of money could a chopsticks manufacturer have? Three to five million yuan would be their absolute limit. Moreover, the inherent arrogance of old Shanghai residents was also a significant factor.
Li Haochen wanted to say something more, but Murong Yanran pulled him back. "Don't make brother difficult."
His uncle and aunt also felt uncomfortable but, being simple folk, they didn't want to dwell on it or cause trouble for their son and daughter-in-law.
In the ward, Li Haochen and Murong Yanran felt awkward. The Zhuang family, however, seemed unfazed, continuing their conversations and laughter. Zhuang Jingnian's wife was a bit better, occasionally chatting with Li Haochen and Murong Yanran.
And so, they endured until dinnertime. His aunt decided to stay to look after Zhuang Xiaoxia and the babies, so she didn't go to the meal.
Upon arriving at the parking lot, Li Haochen and Murong Yanran got into the car of his aunt. It was a white Cadillac XT6, and the driver was the young woman who, Li Haochen learned from his conversation with Li Haoyang, was his sister-in-law's cousin and a wealthy young lady herself.
With the addition of Li Haochen and Murong Yanran, the car felt rather subdued. After a while, Zhuang Bilian, his aunt, who was in the passenger seat, abruptly asked, "Little Chen, is it? Haoyang mentioned you're in the bamboo product processing business?"
"Yes, Auntie. Seeing as there were ample raw materials in the village, I opened a small factory."
"That's good. It's commendable that you're a boss at such a young age. And your brother's food processing business, you helped him build that up, didn't you?"
"I only gave a little help. It was my brother and the others who worked hard to make it happen."
"Ayang is the same. I told him I could arrange a decent job for him, but he insisted on going back to open a food processing plant and dragged Ah Xia back there with him. He could earn three to four hundred thousand yuan a year just by being a teacher here."
Zhuang Bilian's words were filled with dissatisfaction with Li Haoyang's choices, or rather, his displeasure that he hadn't followed the path they had laid out for him, as if their arrangements were the correct path in life.
"And cousin, it's better to enjoy life rather than go there to suffer."
These mother and daughter were truly something else, completely disregarding Li Haochen and the others, constantly criticizing Li Haoyang, not treating him as a relative at all.
If Murong Yanran hadn't stopped him, Li Haochen would have gone up to give them a piece of his mind. They were so condescending.
However, Li Haochen quickly regained his composure. He looked at the mother and daughter ahead with a sly expression, a smile creeping onto his lips. He chuckled inwardly, "Damn it, I'll make you bleed tonight. Let's see if you can still smile then."