Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 240: Modern Dilemma

The glaring sunlight, the deafening car horns, the hurried passers-by, all of which are completely different from the tranquility and peace of the Tang Dynasty. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui stood hand in hand on the busy street, like two travelers who had strayed into a fantasy world.

"Where is this?" Hu Bugui frowned slightly, trying to find a hint of familiarity in the chaotic scene before him, but it was nothing but strangeness.

"This is... my hometown." Wu Tao's voice was a little bitter. She had never thought that one day she would return here in this way.

"Your hometown?" Hu Bugui held Wu Tao's hand tightly. "Why is it different from any place I've seen?"

Wu Tao took a deep breath, pointed to the towering buildings in the distance, and explained: "Those are houses made of steel and glass. People live and work inside them."

Hu Bugui looked in the direction Wu Tao pointed, his eyes full of amazement: "Such a wonderful skill, I have never heard of it before."

They strolled along the streets, feeling the prosperity and bustle of the modern city. On the roadside, the shops flashing colorful lights, the dazzling array of goods, and the square objects in people's hands that kept making noises made Hu Bugui dazzled.

Just as they were immersed in this novel experience, Wu Tao's cell phone suddenly rang.

"Hello? Dad...what? OK, I'll go to the hospital right away!" Wu Tao's face suddenly changed. After hanging up the phone, she anxiously said to Hu Bugui: "My dad was in a car accident and is now in the hospital. His condition is very bad!"

Hu Bugui's heart sank suddenly. He held Wu Tao's hand tightly and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, we'll go to the hospital now."

The hospital was filled with the smell of disinfectant, and the white walls and cold instruments made Hu Bugui feel inexplicably depressed.

"Doctor, how is my dad?" Wu Tao asked the doctor anxiously.

"The patient's condition is not optimistic. He needs surgery immediately, but the cost of the surgery..." Before the doctor finished speaking, Wu Tao's face turned pale in an instant.

"How much?" Wu Tao's voice trembled slightly.

"At least three hundred thousand is needed." The doctor sighed, "You should go and raise the money first."

Three hundred thousand is undoubtedly an astronomical figure for Wu Tao's family. Looking at his frail father lying on the hospital bed, Wu Tao was extremely anxious, but he could do nothing.

"Tao'er, don't worry, we will find a way." Hu Bugui gently stroked Wu Tao's hair and comforted her softly.

However, he was in a strange world and had nothing. How could he raise such a huge sum of money? Looking at Wu Tao's anxious expression, Hu Bugui had a deep doubt about his ability for the first time... In the corridor of the hospital, Wu Tao paced back and forth, anxiously waiting for the result of the operation. Hu Bugui sat aside, looking at her anxious figure, feeling powerless. In this strange world, he had martial arts skills, but he couldn't even protect the person he loved most, let alone share the burden for her.

"Tao'er, don't worry, everything will be fine." Hu Bugui walked to Wu Tao, gently held her hand, trying to give her some comfort.

Wu Tao forced a smile, but the worry in her eyes lingered: "I haven't found the surgery fee yet, how can I not worry?"

"I'll find a way." Hu Bugui said firmly, but he was unsure. In the Tang Dynasty, he was a powerful prince who could get whatever he wanted. But here, he was just a penniless stranger who lacked even the most basic survival skills.

In the next few days, Hu Bugui ran around, hoping to find a job, even if it was just a meager income, to share some of the pressure for Wu Tao. However, reality dealt him a heavy blow. He did not understand the rules of modern society, did not have any skills, and was rejected wherever he went.

Seeing Hu Bugui's lost expression, Wu Tao felt bad. She knew that Hu Bugui came to this strange world for her, and she also knew that he was trying to adapt to life here. However, the pressure of life, his father's illness, and the confusion about the future made her breathless, and she couldn't help but get angry at Hu Bugui.

"Could you please stop causing more trouble? This is not your Tang Dynasty. Your martial arts are of no use here!" There was a hint of fatigue and helplessness in Wu Tao's voice.

Hu Bugui was stunned. He had never seen Wu Tao so sharp before. He knew that Wu Tao didn't really dislike him, but was just under too much pressure to say such things. However, his heart still felt like it was pierced by a needle and it hurt.

In order not to add burden to Wu Tao, Hu Bugui stopped looking for a job and quietly took on the housework and took care of Wu Tao's daily life. However, Wu Tao's work became increasingly busy, and she often worked overtime until late at night before returning home. The time they spent together became less and less, and the sense of distance between them became stronger and stronger.

That night, Hu Bugui prepared dinner and waited until late at night, but Wu Tao did not come back. He called Wu Tao, but no one answered. Feeling uneasy, he stood up and walked to the window, looking at the busy streets downstairs, and suddenly he felt an unprecedented sense of confusion and helplessness.

At this time, the door was opened, and Wu Tao dragged her tired body in. Seeing Hu Bugui standing by the window, she just said lightly: "You haven't slept yet?"

Hu Bugui opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, nothing came out. He looked at Wu Tao, his eyes filled with complex emotions, heartache, worry, and a kind of loss that he couldn't explain... The aroma of food filled the air, but it didn't arouse Hu Bugui's appetite at all. He mechanically brought the food to the table, looked at Wu Tao slumped on the sofa exhaustedly, and hesitated to speak.

"What's wrong?" Wu Tao rubbed his temple, with a barely perceptible hint of irritation in his tone.

"Tao'er, I..." Hu Bugui clenched his fists, then slowly loosened them, "Am I useless?"

Wu Tao was stunned for a moment, then understood what he meant. During this period, Hu Bugui tried various jobs to adapt to modern life, but he encountered obstacles everywhere. His martial arts, which he was proud of, became useless here, which made him extremely depressed.

"Why do you think so? You just haven't adapted to life here yet." Wu Tao walked to Hu Bugui and gently held his hand. "You have worked very hard. I believe you will find your place soon."

In order to help Hu Bugui regain his confidence, Wu Tao decided to take him to a modern martial arts competition. She knew that Hu Bugui had a solid foundation in martial arts and that with a little training, he would be able to achieve good results in the competition.

On the day of the competition, Hu Bugui stood on the ring in a suit, looking particularly heroic. However, the course of the competition was beyond everyone's expectations. Although the opponent did not have the fancy moves of Hu Bugui, he was more flexible and had a good understanding of modern fighting techniques. After a few rounds, Hu Bugui fell behind and was eventually defeated by a slight disadvantage.

Looking at the confident smile on his opponent's face, Hu Bugui's heart was filled with bitterness. He realized that the martial arts he had learned were simply vulnerable in modern society. In the Tang Dynasty, he was a prince admired by everyone, with supreme power and status. But here, he was just an ordinary stranger who couldn't be more ordinary, lacking even the most basic survival skills.

"It's okay, it's just a game." Wu Tao saw Hu Bugui's disappointment and comforted him softly, "You have done very well."

Hu Bugui shook his head and said nothing. He knew that Wu Tao was trying to comfort him, but he couldn't deceive himself. Deep down in his heart, he still longed for recognition and to prove his worth.

At this moment, Wu Tao's cell phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the caller ID and her face turned pale.

"What's wrong?" Hu Bugui noticed that Wu Tao was acting strangely and asked nervously.

Wu Tao took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound calm: "It's the hospital calling, my dad...he..." Before Wu Tao finished speaking, her phone slipped and the word "Dad" on the screen was particularly glaring. She felt a black screen in front of her eyes and almost fainted. Hu Bugui quickly supported her and asked anxiously: "Tao'er, what happened?"

Wu Tao took a deep breath, tried to steady his trembling voice, and said: "The hospital said that my dad's... condition has worsened and he needs surgery immediately..." At the end, his voice was choked with sobs.

Hu Bugui's heart sank suddenly. He knew what this operation meant. In order to cure Wu's father's illness, they had spent all their savings and were in debt. Now, this sudden huge surgical fee was an astronomical figure for them.

Wu Tao's face was as pale as paper. She held Hu Bugui's hand tightly, as if she was holding on to her last straw. "Bugui, what should we do? I can't live without my father..."

Hu Bugui held Wu Tao tightly in his arms and said firmly: "Don't be afraid, Tao'er, we will find a way, we will!"

However, there was a hint of powerlessness in his words. He knew that in modern society, without money, one loses everything.

The hospital called one after another to collect the money. Wu's father's surgery was imminent. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui ran around and tried various methods to raise the surgery fee, but all failed. Bank loans require collateral, and relatives and friends are unable to help. Wu Tao, who was desperate, looked at his father who was getting thinner and thinner on the hospital bed, and tears blurred his eyes.

"Tao'er, don't worry, Dad is fine..." Father Wu smiled weakly and wanted to raise his hand, but it dropped down weakly.

"Dad!" Wu Tao rushed to his father's bed, tears streaming down his face. "It's all my fault. I don't have the ability to save you..."

Hu Bugui stood aside, watching this scene, his heart aching. He clenched his fists secretly and swore in his heart that he would save Wu's father no matter what the cost.

At this time, a man in a suit and leather shoes walked in. He looked at Wu Tao and sneered, "Ms. Wu, are you ready for the surgery? If you don't pay, the hospital will have to stop treating you."

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, their eyes filled with despair...