Yu He noticed that the seat at her desk was still empty. Luo Xiaoyao had been on leave for two weeks.
Her homeroom teacher had said she was taking an extended leave to care for her sick mother and hadn't specified when she would return to school.
During break time, Yu He opened WeChat and switched accounts.
Crow: [How is the investigation into what I asked you to check?]
A Pig: [I've found out. Two weeks ago, she took her mother to the US for treatment.]
A Pig: [I've also found the corresponding hospital information.]
He then sent over a few photos: surveillance screenshots of Luo Xiaoyao escorting her mother into the hospital.
Luo Xiaoyao's mother had been suffering from liver cancer for over a decade and had been undergoing treatment. Recently, it seemed to have worsened.
However, according to the investigation, this mother and daughter had very little income and lived frugally. They had been using the cheapest anti-cancer drugs. How did they suddenly acquire the funds for overseas treatment?
Crow: [Help me hire someone to visit them.]
A Pig: [Do we need to be this cautious? The hospital surveillance footage shows them entering, isn't that enough?]
This was followed by five or six emoji packages of "Are you sure?", "There's no need, is there?".
Yu He sent back an emoji package of "One more word and I'll block you."
The other party immediately fell silent.
"Wow, the campus belle from Class 1 is actually in our Class 11!"
"With Yu He here, the campus belle title this year will likely change hands."
"That country bumpkin is pretty, but her academic dishonesty ruins her character."
"It's enough for the campus belle to be good-looking; what does she need character for?"
A small commotion rippled through the classroom.
Ye Zisu stood at the doorway of Class 11, listening to their discussions. On the surface, she was impassive, but her heart was filled with jealousy.
However, she believed that Yu He would leave before the next campus belle election.
"Yu He, your adoptive sister is looking for you," Chu Ying said, turning to tap Yu He's desk.
Yu He looked up at her.
Adoptive sister. She had noticed.
She looked up again and saw Ye Zisu standing at the classroom door, smiling and waving at her.
During the break, students were coming and going in the hallway.
"What is it?" Yu He asked, sounding impatient.
Ye Zisu maintained her sweet demeanor and said:
"Yu He, why has your phone been turned off? Do you not have enough money for a phone bill? Dad and I are very worried about you."
Yu He was too lazy to answer her silly question and was about to turn away.
"Student Ye, current phone numbers can still receive calls even if they have an unpaid bill. The fact that you can't get through means there's only one possibility,"
Chu Ying, who had apparently followed her out, leaned against the classroom door and said.
"What is it?" Ye Zisu asked instinctively.
"You've been blacklisted," Chu Ying replied.
Ye Zisu: "..."
She had intended to say that Yu He had run out of living expenses and ask if she needed a small sum of 200 yuan.
Yu He glanced at Chu Ying, who immediately flashed a "Praise me quickly" appeasing smile.
Yu He: "..."
"Wait a moment," Ye Zisu said, grabbing Yu He as she was about to leave. "You haven't been home in so long, Mom and Dad are very worried about you. Mom is even sick because of it and keeps calling your name. Why don't you go back and see her?"
Yu He's steps faltered. In the Ye family, the only one who truly cared about her was Cheng Lizhu.
"I know," she said, then turned back into the classroom.
Seeing that she had taken the bait, Ye Zisu's lips curved upwards unconsciously.
Chu Ying cheerfully followed behind Yu He and called out, "Boss!"
Yu He's footsteps paused, and she looked back at her.
Chu Ying seemed a little strange today.
"I've finally figured it out. Han Lili was dealt with by you, so you're my boss," Chu Ying said mysteriously.
"..." Yu He's beautiful peach blossom eyes narrowed.
"Boss, don't worry, you don't want others to know about this because you want to maintain a low profile, so I won't tell anyone either," Chu Ying said, patting her chest with bravado.
As soon as she finished speaking, a classmate asked, "Huh, Yingzi, why are you calling this country bumpkin 'boss'?"
Then, Class 11 exploded.
"What?! Yingzi is calling Yu He boss?!"
"Don't you remember, Yingzi said before that whoever dealt with Han Lili would be her boss!"
Since Han Lili was dealt with by a mysterious person, followed by the downfall of Han Dalei and the sealing of the Han family, Han Lili's dropout had been a hot topic recently.
Everyone was spreading rumors that the mysterious person was the bane of the Han family, a hero who had eliminated harm for the people!
Now that it was revealed that Yu He was this hero, all her classmates looked at her with admiration.
"Boss!"
One classmate shouted.
"Boss!"
"Boss!"
...
With one person taking the lead, the classmates in the class began to call out "Boss" in unison, and it eventually turned into the entire class shouting "Boss."
As for the issue of "Boss" being a country bumpkin... no need to ask; heroes come from humble beginnings.
The exam cheating issue... in Class 11, how many had actually gotten in through merit?
The classroom was in an uproar, which only subsided when the school bell rang and the teacher arrived.
Yu He, who had inexplicably become the boss of Class 11: "..."
What happened to keeping a low profile??
—
After school.
Ye Zisu deliberately waited for Yu He at the base of the teaching building.
From a distance, she saw several classmates walking and talking with Yu He.
"Boss, see you next Monday."
Those classmates also saw Ye Zisu and wisely departed.
Ye Zisu had some impression of those students.
Weren't they the ones who had previously called Yu He a country bumpkin and a cheat?
How were they calling her "Boss" now?
Yu He: "..."
"Yu He, come back with me in my car. Mom and Dad heard you were coming back today and specifically booked a table at Emperor's Grand Hotel."
Ye Zisu snapped back to attention and affectionately linked arms with Yu He, as if their relationship were much closer.
Yu He pulled her hand away. Those who offer favors without reason are up to no good.
She wanted to see what kind of trouble this was this time.
An hour later.
Emperor's Grand Hotel, private room 1 on the third floor.
"Where's Mom?"
Yu He surveyed the private room. Only Ye Jianming, seated at the head of the table, was present.
A table full of exquisitely prepared dishes filled with enticing aromas and colors was laid out.
"Yu He, sit down. Your mother suddenly felt unwell and had to leave earlier,"
Ye Jianming stood up, proactively pulled out a chair, and spoke in a rare gentle tone.
"This private room at Emperor's Grand Hotel was booked by your mother after queuing for a week. Don't let her efforts go to waste."
"Yes, don't be so reserved. Come and try the ginseng and deer antler chicken soup Mom ordered for you."
Ye Zisu said this while ladling a bowl of chicken soup for her.
Yu He looked at their insincere, choreographed act, with the words "There's something fishy!" practically written on their faces.
"Just say what you want directly," she said, too lazy to play along.
Ye Zisu and Ye Jianming exchanged a glance.
Since when had this unsophisticated country bumpkin become so sharp?
Ye Jianming took a sip of water, gathered his thoughts, and began:
"Yu He, during the time you were away, Dad has thought a lot.
"You've indeed suffered in the mountains all these years. Now that you've finally been found and we are reunited as a family, we should live harmoniously. Harmony brings prosperity.
"Therefore, I won't hold you accountable for the trouble you caused and the embarrassment you brought to the Ye family. Don't be so stubborn anymore."
The trouble she caused?
The embarrassment she brought to the Ye family?
She was stubborn?
Heh heh~
Yu He sneered, picked up her chopsticks, and took a piece of meat. "Continue."
Her tone was so arrogant, as if she were the one in charge.