Chapter 99: You Must Return at Night
Wu You lived on a lower floor than Wang Anjian, so Wang Anjian watched Wu You exit the elevator first before stepping out himself.
Wang Anjian lived on the 7th floor, room 704.
When he reached the 7th floor, the hallway was silent. He dragged along his white, battered suitcase that had accompanied him through countless hardships over the years.
Arriving at room 704, he used the key given by Manager Xiao Zhang to open the door.
Upon entering, just like Jiang Ran's first time entering room 304,
He was astonished, completely amazed, never expecting the apartment to be so beautifully decorated.
Wang Anjian carefully inspected every corner, examining everything inside and out.
Suddenly he let out a bitter laugh: "Never thought I'd get to live in such a nice place during my final days. Guess my life has achieved some small measure of completion."
Wang Anjian took out the contents of his suitcase and quickly settled in.
He didn't have many belongings - just some change of clothes and personal toiletries. After finishing, he lay down on the living room's soft sofa, closing his eyes to soak in the feeling.
His sprawled-out posture was quite undignified.
He remained like this for a good ten minutes.
Then he sat up and took out his phone.
It was an old smartphone from years ago.
In this era of full-screen displays, his device wasn't even full-screen, but an outdated "relic."
However, this relic showed signs of careful maintenance, still appearing relatively new.
He turned on the phone and opened the Peach Shopping app.
Anyone standing behind him to see his phone screen would have been utterly shocked!
Because on his personal page of the Peach Shopping app,
The "To Be Shipped" section showed a red number: 223.
While "To Be Received" displayed: 378.
For an individual, calling him a "delivery fanatic" wouldn't be an exaggeration.
But the truth was, none of these hundreds of packages were for him.
They were all purchases for others.
These deliveries would ultimately reach completely different addresses - all sorts of places.
Many were locations most people would never hear of in their lifetimes.
Yet these were all places Wang Anjian had visited and volunteered to teach at.
Most packages contained clothes, secondhand books, new notebooks, stationery, backpacks and similar items, all gifts for children in those areas.
Why did Wang Anjian volunteer to teach and buy things for these children?
Was it to add an impressive line to his resume?
Lay groundwork for his future?
Or because there were benefits after volunteering?
Wrong - as a high school dropout, he didn't even qualify for formal volunteer programs.
He went there entirely on his own initiative, self-funded volunteer teaching.
Aside from free room and board, there was no salary - all expenses came from his own pocket.
Then if volunteering was already good enough, why spend his own money buying things for those children?
Simple - he thought they were pitiful and wanted to buy things for them.
Ultimately, why do this?
What motivated him?
The reason was simple - he was an orphan who grew up in unusual circumstances.
He had an open perspective, believing life was short and wanting to do something meaningful.
He didn't want to struggle for money or so-called better living standards - besides, he didn't think he had what it took to become successful.
So how to do something meaningful?
His abilities were limited, and teaching seemed the most accessible option.
Of course, when teaching those village children, he didn't expect them to change their fates through education.
That was too difficult - competition was too fierce.
He went simply hoping to teach them basic literacy.
At least they wouldn't be illiterate - it would make finding work easier, as being unable to read in modern society was too hard.
The items he most frequently bought online for these children were secondhand books.
He believed books, especially classic novels, allowed readers to experience other lives and things they'd never encounter - spiritual nourishment was important.
At this moment, Wang Anjian held three medical reports.
Reports from three different hospitals.
Sunlight shone through the papers, the dense black text resembling demonic writings.
When he first noticed physical abnormalities and got examined at a local hospital, doctors told him it was cancer - late stage.
His world collapsed, though part of him wondered if it was misdiagnosis.
After all, online advice suggested getting multiple opinions for serious illnesses.
But after visiting two more hospitals, including one in a major city,
He gave up hope.
"Sigh..."
Unlike his usual cheerful, smiling demeanor around others,
Wang Anjian now looked despondent, his calm expression masking deep sorrow.
Squinting, he set down the three reports.
Looking around his current surroundings, he recalled the mysterious middle-aged man he'd met days earlier,
And the agreement they'd signed.
"The 10,000 per day is probably real - this apartment alone proves that."
Wang Anjian didn't sign that 10,000-per-day agreement to earn treatment money.
He'd accepted his fate - late-stage cancer was incurable, despite doctors saying they'd try.
He didn't want to waste money on hospitals.
He wanted to spend it on meaningful causes.
Like using money to help others.
10,000 daily could accomplish so much if he really got it.
"Not again, the pain's starting..."
Suddenly, violent cramps wracked his entire body.
Within moments, Wang Anjian was sweating profusely from his forehead, teeth chattering, whimpering in pain, face and body contorted.
Gritting through the agony, he fumbled a white pill bottle from his suitcase.
Taking several pills, he swallowed them dry without waiting for water.
Painkillers.
He'd gotten many prescriptions and bought more himself.
They couldn't cure him, only alleviate cancer's pain.
......
Wang Anjian signed the agreement to earn money to help more people while he still could.
Wu You's motivation was simpler - to pay for his father's treatment.
At this moment, he'd just left a building.
Fiddling with his battered phone, he sent a message:
[Quick question - I need to care for my dad at the hospital during daytime. If I can't return to the apartment some nights, do I still get the 10,000 per day?]
The recipient was the middle-aged man he'd signed the agreement with.
The reply came within three minutes:
[You must return to sleep every night. Other times you can be away. Today is your first day - complete today and tomorrow to receive your first 10,000.]