If he could replicate his success this evening, he would become several times richer. As a result, he was really looking forward to his first date with Emily.
Once Elias arrived at his destination, he put the system tab away and halted his steps before two wide, sleek metal gates with a wide sign on top that read, 'Living Saint Hospital.' There were two large buildings within the compound.
Although the Living Saint Hospital wasn't among the top four best hospitals in Cradle Lake City, Elias knew it was still a standard, well-equipped hospital with skilled medical practitioners capable of providing the best treatment for residents like himself.
As Elias remembered his junior brother's predicament, his expression immediately became gloomy. Although he didn't know how medical expenses for his treatment would cost, he knew that 225 dollars wasn't enough to cover everything.
"There's no use worrying about it here without finding out how much it cost first," Elias muttered, walking through the hospital gates.
…....…...
As Elias walked into the designated hospital room, closing the door behind him, he instantly found his junior brother lying there. Sensing the presence of someone walking into his room, his junior brother instantly roused out of his slumber to see who it was.
"Brother!"
"How are you doing, Ryan?" Elias asked, concern etched across his expression as he stood beside his junior brother's hospital bed.
"I'm feeling okay, brother. My arm is still hurting," Ryan replied, stretching his right hand to grab his left shoulder where he had been shot.
"Don't worry. I've already spoken to the doctor, and he said that you will feel much better after surgery. So, I want you to do your best and stay strong until I can gather the money, okay"? Elias responded.
Upon hearing Elias's words, Ryan nodded in understanding. "But isn't surgery going to be expensive? How are you going to get the money to pay for it?" Ryan couldn't help but ask.
He was old enough to realize that paying for his hospital treatment would be expensive, so he wanted to find out if his elder brother could gather the necessary amount for the treatment within the limited time or if he would have to go into debt to do so. This would help him decide whether it was worth undergoing surgery or not.
"Don't worry about the money. I'll try my best to gather it quickly so the doctors can begin your surgery one time. The only thing I want you to be concerned about is focusing on getting better; remember, your mood also impacts your overall health," Elias responded, smiling warmly.
"But…" Ryan attempted to say. However, he was instantly interrupted.
"But nothing. Leave the settlement of the hospital expenses to me to worry about and focus on getting better. This is final," Elias responded, his expression serious.
Ryan meekly nodded in understanding. "And Dad and Mom, are they going to be alright too?" he asked, staring at Elias as he awaited his response.
Elias looked at Ryan's hopeful expression and exhaled deeply. "Ryan, Dad and Mom…." he attempted to say, but the words were stuck in his mouth, unable to come out. With a gulp, Elias took a deep breath in and out as he tried to speak again.
"Ryan, Dad and Mom are in a better place, so unfortunately, we will have to find a way to live without them from now on," Elias said, tears gathering at the corner of his eyes as he observed Ryan's expression instantly becoming stiff.
"Dad… and Mom are dead," Ryan's lips quivered as he spoke. His eyes instantly began to become moist as tears streamed down from his eyes.
Elias nodded silently.
"They are really gone… How will we survive without Dad and Mom?" Ryan responded, his voice quivering even more intensely.
Elias remained silent, understanding that his junior brother needed to express his emotions before he could calm down. He sat beside the bed, providing comfort until his brother fell asleep.
"Ryan, are you still awake?" Elias asked, wanting to find out if he had indeed fallen asleep. However, there was no response.
He exhaled heavily and brought out a piece of paper from his pocket. The paper was the hospital bill containing the total cost of Ryan's entire treatment, which his doctor had given him when he arrived.
"Total Cost of Treatment: $36,700."
The bill included Ryan's emergency room services, surgical procedures, hospital stay, medications, and other necessary therapies to ensure his proper recovery.
"Where do I get $36,700 from?" Elias muttered to himself, feeling a headache spurring at the back of his mind as he needed to cover at least half of the bill before the treatment could begin.
Even with the system, there was no way that he could gather that much money in such a short amount of time unless—
A sudden thought struck Elias. He considered taking Emily to the park to discuss more literary subjects, hoping it would boost her affection beyond 20%, consequently increasing the money in his bank account.
However, given his current situation, he realized this plan would further prolong his time to obtain the money he needed. So, he formulated another plan: taking her shopping. He hoped Emily enjoyed shopping and would lose herself in a shopping spree, which would quickly provide the necessary amount of money.
Elias folded the paper neatly and tucked it inside the same pocket where he had placed the unconditional quick notice. He shifted his attention towards his brother.
"Don't worry; leave everything to me. I'll ensure that you recover back to full health, and we never return to the condition we were in before," Elias said before standing up to his feet and leaving the patient room.
He needed the personal time alone to calm his mind before he was ready to meet Emily and take her out on their first date.
…....….
Enchanted Tome Bookstore
Elias arrived at the Enchanted Tome Bookstore promptly at 4:50pm, just in time to watch Emily lock the store door and seal the gates shut with her padlocks.
"You are here," Emily said, turning towards when she noticed his arrival. She was impressed by his punctuality.
[ Update! Emily's affection for you has increased by 1% ]