Li Shu was the one who took Lin Mu Ci to the hospital, and he brought Zhou Yuan An along.
The young man carried a thermal container filled with the aroma of food.
He handed Li Shu two rice balls, saying they were homemade as a token of his sincerity.
Li Shu looked at him and sighed.
"Running around like this isn't a solution, you need to focus on your studies."
Mentioning this, Zhou Yuan An lowered his head and mumbled,
"I've already decided to drop out."
As if fearing Li Shu would try to dissuade him, he quickly continued.
"I know, I know people need diplomas. But I don't have any other options, I'm not cut out for studying. No matter how hard I try, I can't get anywhere with it. It's better if I just find a job outside. I'm strong and healthy, even if I just work as a sparring partner at a martial arts gym or become a boxer, I can earn quite a bit of money."
The young man's eyes were red.
"The doctor called me, saying my mother's condition is very bad. She might not even make it through this winter. But how can I, how can I watch my mother not survive this winter? I just want to make money frantically to send her for surgery."
He was chatting with Li Shu, while Lin Mu Ci said,
"You're not any less intelligent than anyone else, you just don't have the time to study. If I help you, I believe you'll be able to understand those problems quickly."
Her tone was exceptionally confident.
"Your mother's illness costs money, so you can apply for school subsidies or interest-free loans. You're a sports student, right? Go and apply for sports scholarships. As long as you work hard, there will always be a way. People can't get stuck at one point and give up. You know yourself that everyone needs to find a way out."
"But you can't go to a martial arts gym, you can't fight underground. Do you want to be covered in injuries, scarred all over, treated like trash, and die with shattered bones?"
She looked directly into Zhou Yuan An's eyes.
"Didn't you just pledge before that you could protect me? If you give up on yourself first, how will you protect me?"
Li Shu hadn't expected the young lady to say such things, but every word was the truth.
Even if he taught the young man how to box, he didn't want him to fight underground. That path was too arduous; how could a student endure such hardship?
The young man carried the lunchbox. Lin Mu Ci patted his palm, then said,
"Don't be afraid. Do your best every step of the way."
"There will be a way out, and your mother will get better."
Her voice was so earnest.
The young man's eyes welled up with tears. He let out a hum and clenched his fists tightly. Lin Mu Ci took his hand and walked into the hospital, watching him enter the ward.
His mother's illness wouldn't be cured in a day or two. There was no need to rush; he needed to recover his health first.
She turned, but a cold, ethereal voice reached her ears.
"Lin Mu Ci, you voluntarily hold a boy's hand. Where is your idol's self-awareness?"
"Is that your little boyfriend? Lin Mu Ci, don't forget, you signed a dating ban when you came to participate in the show."
Lin Mu Ci frowned as she heard this and turned around.
She met the eyes of the man opposite her. A cold glint flickered in his eyes. He leaned close to her face. The hospital corridor was filled with the smell of disinfectant, and he said,
"You've been caught violating the dating ban. Tell me, how should I punish you?"
Lin Mu Ci spread her hands.
"Punish me however you want, whatever you want to do, go ahead."
She tapped her chest.
"I don't mind."
Ling Qian He's expression was cold and sharp.
He had come to the hospital today to visit his elder brother who had woken up, but he was stopped by bodyguards who said he had to wait for Madam Ling's orders to proceed. His mood was already terrible.
He hadn't expected to see his young female trainee pulling and hugging a boy when he went downstairs.
He strode over, about to speak, when a moment later he heard a sharp, feminine voice behind him. The sound was like fingernails scraping across a large cast-iron pot, making one's hair stand on end the instant it was heard.
"Qian He, who is this? Your little girlfriend?"
"Qian He, you have a girlfriend, why didn't you tell me? It's also true, Qian He is twenty years old, it's about time you got a girlfriend."
Lin Mu Ci felt goosebumps rise all over her body. Before she even turned around, the system's voice let out a sharp intake of breath in her mind.
"This is Madam Ling!"
"She's one of the most ruthless characters in the entire plot. Compared to her, Lin Miaoyu, who cried and wailed after being bullied by Lin Mu Ci, and Zhao Jingjing, who could only hook up with a phoenix man and had to swallow her pride."
"Forget it. No comparison, this woman is incredibly wicked!"
Lin Mu Ci stood opposite Ling Qian He. She could see Ling Qian He's expression instantly turn sinister, his eyes suddenly sharp like a cold winter. But he quickly concealed that emotion himself. He looked up, his eyes filled with a gentle, lingering smile, like a well-behaved twenty-year-old boy.
"Does Madam care so much about my personal matters?"
Madam Ling opposite him smiled.
"You know your elder brother's health. Although he's woken up, he's been lying down for so long, and I don't know if there are any after-effects. We can't count on him to continue the family line."
"But you, Qian He, are very healthy. You can jump and dance on stage. If you get married and have children soon, I can give your father some peace of mind. The Ling family has such a large enterprise, it's best for it to branch out and flourish."
"And who is this young lady? The daughter of which prominent family?"
"I've been thinking of finding you some daughters from wealthy families for you to choose from. Qian He, you are so outstanding, you deserve the best girls."
Ling Qian He looked deeply into Lin Mu Ci's eyes, and then Lin Mu Ci heard Ling Qian He say,
"Madam, there's no need to trouble yourself."
"She is very good. She is the daughter of the Lin family, whose assets are in the tens of billions. Her maternal grandfather started from scratch, and her father married into the family. The family business will all be hers in the future. It's a good match for the Ling family."
As he spoke,
He leaned closer to her face.
From Madam Ling's perspective, it looked like Ling Qian He was passionately kissing her. Ling Qian He's breath was on Lin Mu Ci's face. Lin Mu Ci's eyes widened. The young man's lips were as rosy as flower petals. Instantly, a flood of memories rolled in like the tide, each kiss as hot as if it were branding her soul.
She would never forget.
But to Lin Mu Ci's disappointment, his lips only lightly brushed against her cheek.
Then he wiped his lips.
A coldness flashed in his eyes.
It was cold, an undisguised disdain for her.
"Take away your slobbering gaze."
Madam Ling left.
"I was just putting on a show. Did you really think I would be moved by a woman like you?"
Lin Mu Ci's face was cold, her chest rising and falling slightly in anger. The system in her mind made a soft sound.
"He's lying, his favorability increased by five points! It's thirty now. He definitely had a flicker of interest when he leaned in. You reacted too instinctively, just like your Mu Ci sister! He was definitely dazed!"
Lin Mu Ci, having the system to read minds, instantly felt emboldened.
She tilted her head up, a smile curving her lips, like a prairie fire.
"Madam Ling wants you to find someone to carry on the family line, you know."
"Ling Qian He, who is your chosen one?"