Chapter 248

Just as dawn was breaking, Lu Mian opened his eyes to the sound of bells coming from Saint-Roch Church.

This night, he had slept at the Golden Rooster Hotel.

He raised his right hand, touched his head, and found that his thick hair had returned.

Lu Mian then rolled out of bed, looked at the full-length mirror in the room, and saw himself, both familiar and a bit strange.

That was him when he was still in Cordu Village, his hair not yet dyed gold.

In the morning light, he smiled at himself, his mood much better than it had been for a while.

At least, at least he didn't fail at everything; killing and taking revenge were still no problem.

After having breakfast bought from a street vendor, Lu Mian was just planning to go to the Observatory District or the Memorial District to find a barbershop and dye his hair gold again, when he heard a burst of hurried footsteps coming from below, from far to near.

Just as he thought the other party would kick the door open, a knock sounded.

The person who came was Franca. She, who rarely got up so early, had just wanted to say something when she saw Lu Mian's pure black hair.

"You dyed it back?" she asked in astonishment.

"You could say that." Lu Mian watched Franca walk into Room 207 and close the door behind her.

Franca didn't dwell on this question anymore and said viciously:

"Did you kill Auguste Artois's assistant secretary?"

"Did you rush to advance to 'Pyromaniac' last night?"

Lu Mian stood up and smiled:

"Yes."

Franca hadn't expected him to admit it so readily, and for a moment, she was actually a bit speechless.

After a few seconds, she "hissed" and said:

"You kid, you kid, on one hand you promised me you'd be patient, on the other hand you just rushed in directly. You really don't leave hatred for tomorrow, do you?"

"If you keep acting like this, I deeply suspect you won't live past this year, no, this month!"

Lu Mian explained simply:

"I actually didn't think about killing that guy named Tibert last night. I just intended to stake him out, collect more intelligence, and prepare for dealing with him together with you later. But the opportunity appeared suddenly, and it was very good. I couldn't convince myself to give it up."

"Mm, I made preparations in all aspects, including anti-divination and anti-tracking."

Franca let out a breath and asked curiously:

"Was that guy very weak? You seemed to have succeeded very easily?"

"His main ability is spreading disease through contact, which just happens to be countered by 'Pyromaniac.' If it weren't for anti-divination and anti-spirit mediumship, I could have killed him within ten seconds." Lu Mian recalled.

Franca sighed:

"You, your luck is really good. Did you never think about the situation where the target was very powerful?"

"I initially judged that he wouldn't be particularly powerful. If he exceeded a certain limit, I would have directly used that knife of mine." Lu Mian changed the subject and asked, "Why did you get up so early?"

"I was woken up by Gardner!" Franca said through gritted teeth. "He asked me to mobilize you leaders to find out who killed Auguste Artois's assistant secretary. As soon as I heard the detailed situation, I felt it was you! I told you last night to adjust your state before concocting the potion, and you turned around and drank 'Pyromaniac'."

Lu Mian said sincerely:

"I felt that my state during this period was especially suitable for advancing to 'Pyromaniac,' so I hurriedly concocted the potion."

"Will the Big Boss suspect me?"

"Not for the time being." Franca shook her head. "Except for yourself, no one could have guessed that you would consume the potion last night. Moreover, you were very clever to frame the 'Aurora Order.' Mm, in Gardner's heart, you clearly lack the necessary motive."

Speaking of this, Franca looked at Lu Mian's head:

"Come on, I'll help you dye it back to the previous color. Try not to have any changes at such a time, so as not to be suspected by others."

"Okay." Lu Mian was happy to save a sum of money.

The ward in the morning was much livelier than at night. Some people were carried away amidst cries, some were taken home by relatives, and some insisted on leaving the hospital in the face of a chorus of cries.

Jianna and Elodie, who had woken up again, remained silent in the face of these scenes, because they knew very well what was going on:

Not everyone is willing to bear a large debt to treat their closest relatives, and not everyone hopes to drag their family into the abyss because of themselves.

Sometimes it's the patient giving up and the family insisting; sometimes it's the family giving up and the patient having no choice but to accept fate; sometimes it's the patient and family without words, tacitly leaving the ward together, and when they look at each other, tears cannot be held back, either crying or screaming.

When the ward regained a certain degree of quiet, Elodie, who had barely managed to sit up, asked in a low voice:

"How much longer do I have to be treated here?"

Jianna thought for a while and decided to tell her mother honestly. After all, this matter couldn't be hidden. When the doctor made rounds, treated her, or did further examinations, they would reveal some information more or less, and Elodie, staying for a few more days, would also be able to judge the truth based on her physical condition and the fact that she hadn't been discharged.

Jianna organized her language and said:

"The doctor said I have to stay here for several months, even half a year. Your external injuries aren't serious, but your body has suffered very serious damage. If you don't recover completely, your condition might deteriorate."

Before Elodie could react, she revealed a smile:

"I've already gotten the treatment costs, borrowed from Franca. She doesn't lack that little bit of money and agreed that Julian and I can repay it in installments over two to three years. By then, Father's accident compensation will definitely have come down, and yours might have hope too."

Elodie was dazed for a moment, and it took several seconds before she said:

"Why does it take so long..."

"With such a big explosion, and chemical gases, it's not bad to be able to survive." Jianna asked following the flow, "What exactly happened at that time?"

Elodie thought for a while and answered with a slightly exhausted look:

"I don't know. The explosion happened all at once, and I fainted at that time."

"I feel like it started near the large metal tank. Sigh, many of the factory's facilities are very old, often breaking down in places and needing repairs, and the boss isn't willing to spend money to replace them. Sigh..."

After chatting for a while, Jianna saw that her mother's energy was a bit lacking, so she let her rest for a while, while she herself went to the restroom at the end of the corridor.

After seeing her walk out of the ward, Elodie struggled to get out of bed, pulled out the IV needle, leaned against the wall, and walked to the ward diagonally opposite, panting every two steps—there, doctors and nurses were checking the injured one by one.

Elodie found the doctor, reported her ward and bed number, and asked:

"How many months do I still have to be treated?"

The doctor flipped through the records and said:

"The examination results haven't all come out yet. Currently, it looks like five to seven months."

"How much treatment fee does it cost per month?" Elodie asked persistently.

The doctor deliberated and said:

"It depends on how the examination results are. If it's good, it's about two to three hundred verl d'or per week. In the later stages, it will be even less. But if the situation isn't very good, it will be four to five hundred verl d'or per week. Afterward, even if you leave the hospital, you must pay attention to rest and absolutely cannot be overworked again."

Elodie instantly lost her language, was helped back to the ward by a nurse, and had the needle reinserted.

By noon, Julian, who had come specifically to see his mother's situation, walked into the ward.

After Jianna chatted with him for a few sentences, she said:

"I'm going to the hospital's affiliated restaurant to buy food for you."

After saying this, she walked out of the ward with light steps and went down the stairs.

After Lu Mian's repeated education, she truly realized that she was a Beyonder and was different from ordinary people. As long as she was willing to bear a certain amount of risk, there were plenty of ways to earn money.

Therefore, treatment costs and large debts were nothing. It was worth being happy that her mother could be saved, worth praising the Sun!

In the ward, Elodie looked at Julian, who was sitting beside her, and asked with a soft gaze and a gentle expression:

"You're almost 23, right?"

"Yeah." Julian smiled. "I've long been a worker who can support a family, but in your eyes, I'm still a child who hasn't grown up."

Elodie smiled lightly:

"That's because my standard for truly growing up is different from others. I've always felt that only by mastering a skill that can continuously earn money can one be considered grown up. You're still one year away, and Cherry is one and a half years away."

"These past few years, you two have really suffered too much."

"The one who suffered was you." Julian said with great emotion. "Before I could truly help, you had a full year where you did three jobs every day, leaving at six in the morning and not being able to go home until twelve at night."

Speaking of this, he, whose emotions were turbulent, blurted out:

"We will definitely cure you!"

Elodie laughed happily and touched her flaxen hair:

"It's a pity, my wig is gone."

"And your sister, who previously lied to us that the theater needed it, dyed her hair brown-yellow, just so she wouldn't be recognized when singing at the dance hall. I really can't do anything about her."

"Sigh, I really don't want you two to carry more debt, that would waste several more years of yours. By then, you won't be young anymore..."

Julian hurriedly comforted his mother, saying that his locksmith technique was excellent and he would definitely get a raise next year.

After rambling for a few minutes, Elodie clutched her chest and said to Julian:

"I'm a bit uncomfortable. Help me find a doctor."

"Mm." Julian stood up abruptly and rushed outside.

Elodie immediately pulled off the IV needle, leaned on other hospital beds, and walked to the window of the ward, staggering but determined.

The first floor of Saint-Palais Hospital.

Jianna, carrying a wooden food box, came out of the affiliated restaurant and walked toward the stairwell.

Suddenly, she saw out of the corner of her eye a figure falling from a height outside the lobby, making a thudding sound.

Jianna felt a strange panic in her heart. Not knowing what she was worried about, she turned her body, rushed out of the lobby, came near the person who had jumped, and squeezed through the crowd surrounding the scene.

The next second, she saw the blood-colored liquid flowing out and saw that kind face with fine wrinkles.

With a snap, the food box in her hand fell to the ground. Her eyes became blank and hollow, reflecting the glaring bright red.

That deceased person was her mother, Elodie.

The person who jumped to her death was her mother, Elodie.

PS: Begging for monthly votes.

(End of chapter)