Chu Han wept bitterly, her tears streaming down her cheeks like dewdrops clinging to pear blossoms—a sight both delicate and heart-wrenching.
This wasn't the calculated, tearful act she often used in performances; it was raw emotion spilling forth uncontrollably.
Zhou Yi gently pushed her away, his voice calm yet firm. "Let's talk properly. Forget it—let's step outside first. We shouldn't create a scene here on school grounds."
Chu Han wiped her tears and followed Zhou Yi out of the gate.
The street outside was packed with students rushing home after school.
It was Friday, and the air buzzed with excitement.
Street vendors lining the road were overwhelmed with orders, their stalls bustling with activity.
Zhou Yi felt a pang of hunger as he stopped in front of a food cart. "Boss, two egg pancakes, please."
"Sure thing! That'll be 18, young man."
After paying, Zhou Yi took the steaming pancakes from the vendor.
Handing one to Chu Han, he said simply, "Here, take this."
Still lost in her sorrow, Chu Han snapped back to reality at his words. "Yi-Gege, I'm not hungry..."
How could she think of eating when her mind was consumed by thoughts of her mother lying helpless in a hospital bed?
Taking a bite of his fragrant pancake, Zhou Yi finally asked, "What happened? Tell me."
It was rare for him to see Chu Han in such a disheveled state—her usual poise replaced by desperation.
Her voice trembled as she struggled to speak through her tears. "I know it's shameless of me to come begging to you like this, but I truly have nowhere else to turn."
Earlier that day, during class break, she'd received a call from her aunt.
Her mother had collapsed suddenly while working at the factory.
At the hospital, they discovered she had lung cancer and would need around $100,000 for surgery and treatment.
For Chu Han, who came from a single-parent household, this news struck like a thunderbolt. She had never known her father, and her mother—a frail, hardworking woman—had raised her alone.
Their financial situation had always been precarious, and the idea of suddenly coming up with $100,000 seemed utterly impossible.
Before approaching Zhou Yi, she had already gone to Gao Wenhao for help.
His cold rejection—and cruel mockery—was proof enough that she couldn't rely on him.
When she pleaded with him, Gao Wenhao sneered, "Why don't you go to your precious Yi-Gege? He just bought an apartment worth 1.8 million in one go. Surely he won't miss a little pocket change?"
At that moment, Chu Han realized how futile it was to depend on wealthy men.
If she wanted to climb the social ladder, she couldn't count on superficial relationships.
In their eyes, she was nothing more than a plaything—someone they might indulge occasionally, only to discard without remorse when bored.
For a young girl whose worldview was still forming, her earlier naivety now seemed laughable and utterly hopeless.
She knew there was only one person left to turn to: Zhou Yi.
After listening to her fragmented explanation, Zhou Yi sighed deeply. Her realization had come far too late.
But whether to help or not—he didn't hesitate.
"Which hospital is she at?"