This was also the only way for an ordinary family to turn their lives around.

Meng Xiaoyun placed great importance on Yi Feng's college entrance exam and did not want any mishaps.

"I know, Mom. I'll be more careful next time," Yi Feng said, then dashed to his room to grab his clothes.

After taking a bath, Yi Feng sat on a chair while Meng Xiaoyun borrowed some medicinal liquor and applied it to Yi Feng's ankle again before letting him go to bed.

After Yi Feng returned to his room, Meng Xiaoyun looked somewhat pale and tired.

She felt a bit dizzy, steadied herself, and recovered some energy before returning to her own room.

In the room, Yi Jianbing was smoking by the window, his brows furrowed.

"Little Feng has gone to bed. You should also wash up and smoke less," Meng Xiaoyun said with a faint smile.

Yi Jianbing exhaled deeply, turned around, and sighed, "You… really don't plan to tell little Feng?"

"Mm, there's just over a month left until little Feng's college entrance exam. Let's not tell him for now. I'm afraid he'll overthink and it'll affect his performance."

"The college entrance exam is very important to him," Meng Xiaoyun said, her face pale, showing a helpless smile.

Yi Jianbing nodded, "That's true, let him focus on the exam first."

"I just talked to Old Gu, and he said he could lend us eight thousand, which is almost all their savings…"

"I'll go ask my second uncle and fourth aunt in a few days."

"Anyway, we'll try to gather as much money as we can."

Meng Xiaoyun shook her head and bitterly smiled, "I'm really troubling you. If it doesn't work out… then let it be. The money isn't enough anyway, and what we need is not a small amount, it's tens of thousands!"

"Where can we gather tens of thousands?"

"I think it's better not to go through this trouble. Even if we really gather that much money, it'll be hard for us to pay it back later."

"After the college entrance exam, little Feng will need to go to university. Let's save the money for little Feng's university education."

"My health should last another ten or twenty years."

Yi Jianbing shook his head, "Where do you get ten or twenty years? The doctor said if you don't have surgery soon, if it gets any worse, you'll miss the best treatment window."

"Don't worry about the money, I'll figure something out. Try to work less these days, don't overexert yourself, and rest more."

After saying that, Yi Jianbing sighed heavily, his face full of sorrow.

After finishing one cigarette, he took another one and continued to stare out the window into the night, smoking alone.

The smoke curled up, and his back seemed even more bent.

…

The next morning, Yi Feng was still in his dreams when he was awakened by a thumping sound outside the window.

"Stinky Yi Feng, get up!"

"If you don't get up, I won't wait for you!"

Hearing Gu Muxi's crisp and sweet voice early in the morning, Yi Feng opened his eyes and couldn't help but smile happily.

Who wouldn't love such an alarm clock?

He rubbed his sleepy eyes, got out of bed, put on his clothes, opened the curtains, and saw Gu Muxi across the window, tying her hair.

The morning sun was golden, shining on Gu Muxi's window, enveloping her in light, making her seem as if she was radiating light.

"Good morning, Gu Muxi," Yi Feng greeted with a smile.

Gu Muxi was tying her ponytail, chest puffed out, and because she was slightly sideways, it looked much larger than usual.

Truly, viewed from the side, they look like peaks!

The ancients did not deceive me!

"It's getting late, go wash up, I'll pick you up later."

"No need to make breakfast, my mom specially made bone broth porridge for you early in the morning!"

"Humph~ Really, I never got this treatment before!" Gu Muxi pouted, obviously feeling her mother was biased.

"Hehe, that's because Auntie is nice to me. Anyway, see you later!" Yi Feng laughed, closed the curtain, and hurried out of his room to the bathroom to wash up.

When he got to the bathroom, he realized his ankle didn't hurt anymore!

He looked down at his ankle, which was no longer swollen, just some bruising left, and it didn't hurt.

This medicinal liquor is powerful, almost healed overnight!

With his foot not hurting anymore and in a better mood, Yi Feng hummed a tune, finished washing up, grabbed his backpack, and left the house.

"Mom, I'm going to school, Auntie made bone broth porridge for me!" Yi Feng shouted at the door while changing his shoes.

But after a while, he didn't hear any response from Meng Xiaoyun in the kitchen.

Hmm? Has Mom not gotten up yet?

Yi Feng was puzzled and walked into the kitchen, only to find it empty and the stove cold.

"Mom?" Yi Feng left the kitchen and called out again, but still no response.

Could it be that Mom went out to set up her stall so early?

Yi Feng shook his head, opened the door, and saw Gu Muxi coming out from the opposite door.

She was still in her loose sports school uniform, full of youthful vigor.

"Yi Feng, is your foot better?" Gu Muxi asked with concern.

Yi Feng's eyes shifted, and he put on a "painful" expression on his face.

"It doesn't seem to be completely healed!"

"Gu Muxi, I'll have to rely on you to take me to school these next few days!"