21st Century Necromancer

Since Keiko's father was mentioned, Yu Chen and Hiromi Jounouchi took the opportunity to swing by the ward where Keiko's family was staying, planning to check on their situation.

After all, with both parents hospitalized, even though Keiko was a very well-behaved, sensible, and capable child, the heavy burden of life was still too much for her tender shoulders to bear.

In the ward, Keiko sat in front of the hospital bed, peeling an apple for her mother. Although fruit is very expensive in Japan, apples, as one of the cheapest fruits on the market, were still within Keiko's means to purchase.

After cutting the peeled apple into small pieces and putting them on a plate, she handed them to her mother. Keiko couldn't help but glance at her father on the other bed with a touch of regret and said, "It's a shame Dad hasn't woken up; otherwise, I could have peeled an apple for him too! Before Dad had his accident, I didn't even know how to peel an apple! He would be so happy to know that I can do it now."

"If Dad wakes up and knows how sensible you've been, he will definitely be very happy," Keiko's mother, lying weakly in bed due to a recent surgery, took the apple pieces from her daughter and put them in her mouth. Her face was a mix of relief and heartache.

As Keiko and her mother shared their tender moment, Yu Chen and Hiromi Jounouchi entered the room together.

"Doctor Jounouchi! Doctor Chen Yu!" Keiko quickly stood up from her chair to greet them.

Hiromi Jounouchi smiled at Keiko, walking over to the bed with a warm expression. While examining Keiko's mother, she asked, "Keiko's mother, have you been feeling uncomfortable anywhere since the surgery? If there's anything that bothers you, you must tell me promptly."

"No, I haven't had any discomfort, thank you, Doctor Jounouchi! Without you, my family really wouldn't know what to do!" Keiko's mother's face was filled with gratitude, and her words were full of thanks to Hiromi Jounouchi, "If not for your help, Doctor Jounouchi, it wouldn't be possible for me and my husband to stay in such a good hospital, and to have such a skilled doctor like you to treat us. I am truly grateful! I will make sure to repay the medical expenses you covered for us once I get better!"

"It's good there are no problems. Don't worry about the money; I'm not short on cash. Your most important task, Keiko's mother, is to recover and get well as soon as possible—Keiko still needs her mother!" Hiromi Jounouchi comforted Keiko's mother. Although the cost of hospitalization and treatment for both Keiko's mother and father was not a small sum, to the current Hiromi Jounouchi, it indeed didn't matter much, so she was not concerned about the matter of repayment mentioned by Keiko's mother.

Of course, even though Hiromi Jounouchi wasn't too concerned about the matter of repayment, she did not dismiss the idea of Keiko returning the money.

Although Japan does not have the saying "grain once given away brings hatred in return," the principle is the same. Helping others in need and providing assistance within one's means is certainly a virtue, but this does not mean that everything should be taken for granted, that others should accept help as a matter of course, and that one should give without expecting anything in return.

Whether one needs money is one thing, but whether to ask for repayment is another. Offering help without expectation of repayment is indeed a form of assistance, and Hiromi Jounouchi truly wasn't lacking in funds, but such assistance could potentially breed resentment.

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Human hearts are the most fragile when tested; at first, one might be full of gratitude for your help, but over time, that gratitude can fade away. It's quite possible that in the end, it turns into indifference and entitlement, and when greed takes root, gratitude can even morph into hatred.
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They feel since you've helped so much, why not help more? You've healed my ailment, why not help me find a job, and having found me a job, why not find a better one? Why not just give me money instead of helping me find work? Why don't you...

The desires of the human heart are endless, and while some people can restrain their own wants, most in this world are unable to control the various desires that arise within them.

Perhaps in dire straits, one can still be modest and self-controlled, but when circumstances improve or even become affluent, laziness and greed begin to breed.

Keiko is a good child; Hiromi Jounouchi was willing to help her because she saw the virtue in this child and didn't want her assistance to ruin an originally good kid. That's why she suggested that Keiko pay her back once she had the ability to repay, after finding work. This wouldn't make Keiko feel patronized, nor would it give her the impression that Jounouchi's help was something to be taken for granted or disregarded.

Moreover, Jounouchi could sense that Keiko was a proud girl; if she outright offered to help without expecting repayment, it was very likely Keiko would refuse the help or feel accepting such help was shameful, damaging her sense of self-worth.

But to call it a loan, the situation changed completely. A loan differs from a gift; a loan is expected to be repaid. Even though repayment might come much later, this could alleviate Keiko's feelings of being pitied, preventing her from feeling like a beggar and losing her dignity.

"Doctor Jounouchi, how is my mother doing now?" Keiko, watching Jounouchi Hiromi examining her mother, asked with concern.

Hearing Keiko's question, Jounouchi Hiromi put away her stethoscope and smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, your mother is out of danger now. As long as we observe her for a couple more days to ensure that the wound has fully healed and there are no other issues, she can be discharged from the hospital."

"That's great! Thank you, Doctor Jounouchi!" Upon hearing the good news, a bright smile blossomed on Keiko's face. She bowed deeply to Jounouchi Hiromi and then excitedly said to her own mother, "Mom, did you hear that? Doctor Jounouchi said you'll be able to leave the hospital soon!"

"Haha! You're speaking so loudly; how could I possibly not hear?" Keiko's mother laughed with relief. Though life remained a struggle, having such a bright and sensible daughter was her greatest joy.

While Keiko was talking with her mother and Jounouchi Hiromi, Yu Chen approached Keiko's father to conduct an examination and to check his condition.

"Doctor Chen Yu, how is my father doing? When will he wake up?" Seeing Chen Yu's actions, Keiko went over and asked cautiously, also deliberately lowering her voice as if afraid of disturbing her father.

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