Oakfield County First People's Hospital.
A young boy stepped out of the gate.
I was about seventeen or eighteen, tall and thin, with a somewhat delicate appearance. My hair was messy, and I wore a wrinkled white shirt and faded jeans, making me look rustic and shabby.
My shoes were also somewhat worn, with a split at the heel.
Standing at the gate, I took a deep breath, my expression a bit dazed. I lifted my head and, facing the glaring sunlight, squinted my eyes.
Half a month had passed, and I had stayed in the hospital for a full half month.
These two weeks felt like a lifetime ago.
My name was Charlie Thompson, from Thompson Village in Oakfield County. Half a month ago, I acted heroically on the road but was unexpectedly seriously injured by a ruffian, even stabbed, and sent to the hospital.
What made me even more depressed was that the person I saved vanished without a trace, and the gangsters were not caught, so I couldn't prove my act of bravery. In the end, the matter faded into oblivion.
The hefty medical expenses fell on my shoulders.
I wasn't wealthy. I lost my mother when I was young, and my father died from illness seven years ago, leaving little money. I dropped out of school last year and worked odd jobs, saving only a few ten thousand yuan, all of which went to medical bills.
This made me very depressed, but luckily, after being seriously injured, the jade pendant I wore on my chest suddenly heated up, flooding my mind with numerous pieces of information.
This jade pendant was something I had randomly picked up and worn all along.
After waking up and carefully reading through, I discovered it contained an ancient cultivation technique and a wealth of ancient knowledge.
Before this, like most people in the world, I was a firm materialist who didn't believe in supernatural events until then, when I had no choice but to believe.
This knowledge opened another door for me and significantly changed my mindset.
I firmly believed that with this cultivation technique and this knowledge, I could change my life's trajectory.
Facing the sunlight, I felt ambitious, filled with hope and confidence.
But the next moment, a growling sound brought me back to reality.
Rubbing my shrunken stomach, I muttered, "Starving, need to buy some food."
I reached into my pocket, rummaged around, and only managed to pull out a ten-yuan bill and three coins, "Is this all?" My brows knitted together.
"Maybe I shouldn't eat?" I mumbled.
My card only had a few hundred yuan left, not enough to last long. If this continued, I would starve.
Gurgle, gurgle, my stomach growled even louder.
"Forget it, better get something to eat." I couldn't bear it and walked to the side.
There were a few stalls next to the hospital.
I held the ten-yuan note, hesitating for a long time, but too hungry, I went to the stall selling flatbreads and said, "Boss, I'll have a flatbread."
"Sure!"
The boss, a middle-aged man, glanced at me, wrapped a flatbread, and handed it to me, "Three yuan."
I was stunned, "Three yuan? Wasn't it two and a half?"
"Oh, it's gone up! What doesn't go up these days?" the boss muttered.
I responded and still took out the three coins, handing them over. Taking the flatbread, I looked at it and sighed, "Prices are going up again! How can anyone live like this?"
"I need to earn some money to support myself."
Before being hospitalized, I delivered parcels. I didn't know if someone had taken over my job in the past half month.
After finishing the flatbread, I took out my phone and dialed Uncle Brown's number.
"Is that Thompson? So, you're out?" A booming voice came from the other end.
"Yes!"
"Oh! That's good, I kept your position for you. You just got out, no rush, rest for a few days and then come to work!" Uncle Brown said cheerfully.
A warmth washed over me, and my voice was a bit choked.
Uncle Brown was enthusiastic and straightforward and always took good care of me.
"No need, no need, I'll come tomorrow," I quickly said.
"Is that so... Alright! Alright! Tomorrow then!"
After a few more words, I ended the call.
I got on the bus, bumped along the way, and returned to Thompson Village.
Oakfield County is surrounded by mountains on two sides, and Thompson Village is on the eastern side of Oakfield County, nestled against the mountains.
Getting off the bus, after walking for about ten minutes, I arrived home.
"Charlie is back!" A villager greeted me warmly.
I responded and waved, heading towards my house.
In the countryside, houses are self-built; my three-story building looked very simple. As I reached the gate, a middle-aged man came out from next door, holding a rice bowl and shouted to me, "Charlie, you're back!"
I smiled and responded.
Then, from inside the house came a sharp voice, "Oh, Charlie is back! Lying in the hospital for half a month, must have cost a lot! You're so young, learning to fight like those hooligans, what are you thinking!"
As she spoke, a stout middle-aged woman came out, hands on her hips, looking at me with a face full of disdain.
"I always knew you'd amount to nothing, unlike my Joshua, so well-behaved and excellent! He got into college and will definitely become a big official, unlike you, you'll be just the same your whole life."
Her tone was sharp and mean, yet her voice was loud, spreading far and attracting the attention of distant villagers.
My face changed, and a surge of anger rose in my chest.
This middle-aged woman was my aunt, who always looked down on me. Every time she saw me, she wore this expression.
"What hooligans? I saved someone this time, an act of courage," I said, suppressing my anger.
"Ha!"
The middle-aged woman curled her lips and let out a cold laugh, "Act of courage with you? Laughable! If it was really bravery, why didn't they reward you with a banner?"
I clenched my fists, anger rising within me.
The middle-aged woman continued mockingly, "Everyone in Thompson Village knows you're a hooligan, kicked out of school for fighting. With a relative like you, it's such a disgrace!"
"I knew from the start you were no good, unlike my Joshua, a college student who'll one day become a big official, bringing glory to the family!"
Talking about her son, she had a complacent look on her face.
I clenched my fists tightly; my knuckles turned white. Taking a deep breath, I gave her a stern glare and opened the door, stepping inside.
"Oh, this little brat has guts now, dares to glare!" Outside, that sharp voice continued.
She cursed for a while before stopping.
I made some hasty food and went upstairs.
As it grew darker outside, lying in bed, I looked at the night sky; my thoughts drifted, contemplating many things and pondering the future.
Soon, sleepiness took over, and I fell into a deep sleep.