While Qi Xiuyi was busy in the dorm room calling the archaeology club’s faculty advisor to discuss the exhibition, Lin Chen left with the system.

Exiting the north gate of B University, a ten-minute walk would take you to the top-tier Capital Central Hospital.

Lin Chen walked into the hospital, took a number, and went upstairs to find the doctor that Qi Jingming had assigned for him.

The system had been complaining the whole way: “Host! The system-level medical record insertion can totally achieve a painless ‘death by illness’ for you without all the trouble of manually creating a medical record!”

It grumbled, “Host, are you not trusting the system’s abilities…”

Lin Chen sighed, “You can create an electronic medical record for me, but can you create hospital memories for me?”

“Aren’t you afraid that after I ‘die of illness,’ he’ll investigate and ask around, only to find that the nurses and doctors in the hospital have no impression of me at all? If he follows that thread, it could lead to the whole thing being exposed, our studio’s reputation being ruined, and us never getting another order again.”

At the mention of unemployment, the system immediately became cautious, “No, no, no, can’t lose our jobs, can’t lose our jobs. You’re the thoughtful one, Host!”

Just then, a commotion suddenly came from the corner up ahead.

A little boy ran out in a panic, crying out helplessly, “Mom—Mom—” as he ran off.

And up ahead, some worried voices could be heard faintly.

“Are you okay?”
“Can you stand up?”
“Do you need help?”

Lin Chen walked forward curiously to take a look.

At the corner, a frail young man had fallen to the ground, his face pale as he clutched his right leg in pain.

His right leg was noticeably thinner and smaller than his left; his pants looked empty and baggy on it.

And scattered about a meter around him were two plain crutches.

System: “Hey, isn’t that…!”

A girl in a middle school uniform ran up, helped him retrieve the crutches, then dropped her backpack and squatted down to help him up.

But the young man on the ground couldn’t use any strength at all. The girl wasn’t strong, and after struggling for a long time, she couldn’t lift him up.

Lin Chen stepped forward, squatted down, and said, “Let me.”

…

It had been a long time since Lin Ruyan had felt so awkward and helpless.

His leg was in excruciating pain, his face was pale because of it, and the hands supporting him on the floor were trembling. His other leg was also weak from the pain.

The kind girl trying to help him couldn’t hold on and almost dropped him to the ground again.

After that, the girl didn’t dare to keep trying to lift him. She apologized profusely, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I can’t hold you… H-how about I go get a doctor for you!”

Lin Ruyan’s head was dizzy from the pain. He managed to force a smile for the kind girl, “Thank you…”

Before he could finish, a shadow suddenly fell over his head.

“Let me.”

A strange voice said.

Lin Ruyan was startled and looked up to see a very handsome young man stop in front of him, squat down, and touch his right leg, which was bent in pain, with a frown.

He looked up and asked him, “Does this leg hurt often?”

Lin Ruyan stared blankly and called out, “S-Senior Wendong?”

Senior Wendong raised an eyebrow at him and smiled lightly, “Did Xiuyi tell you about me?”

How could he not have?

He heard Qi Xiuyi mention the name “Qi Wendong” every day in the dorm room!

Senior Wendong’s tone was calm and gentle, not at all matching the “sharp-tongued” and “likes to bully people” descriptions Qi Xiuyi always gave him.

…It did, however, match the image he had always had of Senior Wendong.

Senior Wendong squatted down in front of him and picked up both crutches.

With his back to him, he gestured for him to put his hands on his shoulders, “Get on.”

Lin Ruyan was flattered and immediately waved his hands, “No, no, Senior, it’s enough for you to help me up, you don’t have to carry me! This…”

Senior Wendong glanced back at him and said, “What are you thinking? I’m just carrying you to the chair over there, and I’ll rent a shared wheelchair for you in a bit. Hurry up and get on.”

Senior Wendong’s appearance wasn’t the fierce type.

On the contrary, the senior looked almost docile. Even his hair was neatly tucked behind his ears.

Just by looking at him, you could tell he was a young master who had been well-raised since childhood.

But hearing Senior Wendong’s non-negotiable tone, Lin Ruyan’s heart inexplicably tightened, and for some reason, he felt the kind of nervousness he felt when facing elders or teachers.

Lin Ruyan had always been a good student.

When facing teachers and elders, he never dared to refute anything.

Therefore, urged by Senior Wendong like this, Lin Ruyan could only brace himself and hesitantly place his hands on the senior’s shoulders, letting him carry him on his back.

Lin Ruyan said in a low voice, “Thank you, Senior, I…”

Senior Wendong interrupted, “Hold your own bag and crutches, I don’t have any hands.”

Lin Ruyan: “…Oh, okay.”

The distance from where he fell to the chair by the wall wasn’t far.

But Lin Ruyan felt that this short journey seemed to take ten minutes, exceptionally long.

Senior Wendong wasn’t a very strong type, his shoulders weren’t broad. While being carried by him, he was always worried that he would cause Senior Wendong to fall with him.

Fortunately, although Senior Wendong’s steps were slow, they were always steady. Until he was placed on the hospital chair, no accidents happened.

Senior Wendong: “Sit here, wait a moment.”

Before long, Senior Wendong came up from downstairs pushing a shared wheelchair, then reached out to help him into it.

Lin Ruyan had never been treated like this since he was a child.

He clutched his sleeves, flustered and nervous, “Thank you, Senior. Y-you’ve helped me enough, I can handle the rest myself.”

“Don’t be so polite, haven’t you also helped Xiuyi a lot?”

Senior Wendong said gently, “Which department are you going to? I’ll go with you.”

How could Lin Ruyan accept that? He quickly tried to decline.

But Senior Wendong just glanced at him and repeated flatly, “Which department,” which was enough to shut him up and make him surrender.

Lin Ruyan was not in the habit of accepting gratuitous kindness and help from others.

Most of the time, this kind of help not only made him feel guilty and uneasy, but also made him feel useless and like a complete waste.

But Senior Wendong was a bit special.

When the senior spoke, he had a very peculiar aura, so much so that when he accepted Senior Wendong’s help, his nervousness far outweighed the other two feelings.

On the way to the department, Senior Wendong asked him many questions.

Senior Wendong: “Does your right leg hurt often? Is it untreatable or do you not have enough money?”
Senior Wendong: “I heard from Xiuyi that your grades are quite good. What was your overall GPA last semester? What’s your rank in your major?”
Senior Wendong: “You’re studying computer science, how can you live so frugally?”

“…”
Lin Ruyan was a little nervous facing the senior, which made him not dare to neglect his questions at all. He answered all of them honestly:
“Not very often, it only acts up once every few months. It’s been going on for a long time, so it’s not easy to treat, and the treatment costs a lot of money, so I can only rely on medication to prevent it from getting worse…”
“My grades… are okay. I was ranked first last semester.”
“Huh? But I don’t have a computer, and the school’s computer lab only allows access to certain websites…”

After listening to him finish, Senior Wendong said, “The longer you drag out this leg issue, the harder it will be to treat. Do you need surgery? Do you want to schedule a time today to get it done? If you don’t have enough money, I can lend you some.”

The senior’s tone was as casual as if he were asking him, “Do you want to buy a steamed bun?”

Lin Ruyan didn’t react for a moment and almost agreed out of habit from his previous answers.

But when he realized what the senior had just proposed, he immediately jolted, so scared that he quickly waved his hands, “No, no, Senior, this is not a small amount of money!”

Senior Wendong looked down, “Oh? How much money?”

Lin Ruyan gave a bitter smile, “Just the initial surgery costs tens of thousands. And after that, I have to keep taking medicine and doing rehabilitation…”

Senior Wendong said, “Oh,” withdrew his gaze, and was quiet for a while.

About half a minute later, he said to him, “Study hard. This money is only difficult for you now.”

Lin Ruyan looked up, stunned.

The senior said calmly, “B University’s computer science program is very famous. Graduates with an average undergraduate level can get an annual package of at least two to three hundred thousand. Every year, there are even a few top students who get a pre-tax salary of a million.”

“When you graduate, the annual salary you get won’t be low.”

“So, don’t have any psychological burden about borrowing money from me. You’re just letting the you from four years later pay for you now.”

“Tens of thousands, a hundred thousand, is nothing to your future self. To me, it’s even less.”

“There’s no need to let your right leg problem drag on for another four years because of this.”

Lin Ruyan’s eyes grew hot, and a strange emotion filled and rippled in his heart.

He opened his mouth several times, trying to say something.

But not a single word came out.

Even words of thanks were stuck in his throat, difficult to utter.

—They were too flimsy, too simple.

They had unknowingly arrived outside the target department.

Senior Wendong pushed the wheelchair into the waiting area, got a queue number for him, and said to him, “You wait in line first. Get the prescription, or ask about the price of the surgery, and schedule a time. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes and wait for you here.”

After speaking, the senior smiled and patted his shoulder, then turned to leave.

Lin Ruyan couldn’t help but call out to him, “Senior Wendong!”

The senior stopped in confusion and looked back at him.

Lin Ruyan asked with a hoarse voice, “Are you helping me because I’m Xiuyi’s roommate? W-what if I can’t find such a high-paying job after graduation?”

Senior Wendong smiled.

The senior replied, “That’s only part of the reason. The other part… you’re a good kid, and a very promising good kid.”

“And I like good kids, I like people with potential.”

“My judgment has always been very good, so I’m not worried about your second question.”

Senior Wendong kindly and proactively asked him, “Are there any other questions?”

Lin Ruyan asked cautiously, “Is there… anything else I can do to thank you besides studying hard and trying my best to pay you back?”

He cared a lot about this question, “I can study with Xiuyi, I can do anything I can for you, I can…”

Senior Wendong thought for a moment, “If you’re really that concerned…”

“Perfect. I have a friend who’s trying to start a business recently and is short on hands. If you have time, go and help him out.”

Lin Ruyan got his answer, and his whole person finally relaxed.

He looked at his roommate’s older brother seriously, nodded heavily, and said, “No problem, Senior… thank you so, so much.”

Seeing the doctor, scheduling the surgery, asking about the cost of the entire subsequent treatment plan…

Each and every one of these things was something that, just half an hour ago, Lin Ruyan wouldn’t have even dared to think about.

Not only that.

On the way back to school from the hospital, Senior Wendong also chatted with him for a while.

“I’ll transfer twelve thousand five hundred to you in a bit. Since Xiuyi promised this money, we won’t owe it. After you get it, first get a smartphone, then buy a computer that can work, get all the resources you need for work, so you can use them to earn more money…”

The senior’s attitude towards him was far from warm, it was very calm and casual. The suggestions he made during their chat seemed to be just to keep the conversation going.

But only Lin Ruyan knew how much benefit the senior’s every word had for him.

When Lin Ruyan returned to the dorm, he still felt a little dazed.

Signing an IOU.
Receiving a large sum of money to cover his treatment costs.
Receiving enough money to buy a smartphone and a computer.
Getting the contact information of a senior’s friend who was starting a business.
Getting all sorts of advice from the senior, given casually from a higher perspective…

Lin Ruyan had a faint feeling that his life seemed to have officially turned onto another path starting from today.

Click-clack.

Just then, the dorm room door opened, and Qi Xiuyi walked in angrily.

Qi Xiuyi: “I’m so mad! On such a beautiful afternoon, Qi Wendong is not in the dorm again, and he’s not answering his phone. Where on earth did he run off to!”

Qi Xiuyi grumbled as he sat down at his desk.

He suddenly remembered something and happily called out to Lin Ruyan, “Oh right! Ruyan, let me tell you, at the end of this semester, I’m going to hold an exhibition at B University with the archaeology club, haha!”

“I’m in charge of preparing for the exhibition! I even snatched this project from Qi Wendong, haha, I wonder what kind of expression Qi Wendong will have when he finds out—”

Now, when Lin Ruyan heard his roommate mention Senior Wendong’s name, it felt completely different.

Hearing his roommate say he had snatched Senior Wendong’s project, he couldn’t help but say, “…Xiuyi, don’t bully Senior Wendong like that!”

Qi Xiuyi: “?”

Qi Xiuyi was horrified, “I’m bullying him?!”

He quickly reacted, “No, wait, what happened, why are you speaking up for him? Isn’t it enough that that guy has poached so many of my friends, and now he’s starting to poach you?!”

Lin Ruyan didn’t quite understand what Qi Xiuyi meant by “poach.”

He just felt, “…Senior Wendong is a really good person.”

Lin Ruyan said softly, “You should cherish your older brother, Xiuyi.”

Qi Xiuyi: “???”

Qi Xiuyi instantly jumped up, “Please! What do you mean I should cherish him? Lin Ruyan, open your eyes and see, it’s clearly Qi Wendong who bullies me every day!!”

Qi Xiuyi was so angry he jumped up from his desk and strode towards the door, “No, I’m going to wait at Qi Wendong’s dorm door for him to come back! I’m so mad, it was bad enough that he snatched my old friends, but now he’s trying to brainwash you too! What does he mean by that…”

Lin Ruyan quickly tried to clarify, “No, Senior Wendong and I just…”

Qi Xiuyi didn’t give Lin Ruyan a chance to explain at all and rushed out of the dorm like the wind.

Lin Ruyan: “…”

Lin Ruyan sighed helplessly and turned back to his desk.

He deposited the medical fees from Senior Wendong into his bank account and put the twelve thousand five hundred yuan “tutoring fee” into his Alipay.

As Senior Wendong had suggested, he first used this money to buy a second-hand smartphone and a laptop, spending a total of five thousand yuan.

There were still more than seven thousand yuan left, which was still a huge sum for him.

Lin Ruyan was silent for a moment, opened his messages, and found a number.

He edited a text message: [Brother, what’s the bank account number you’re using now? I recently earned some money. I’ve kept a little for living expenses, and I’ll transfer the rest to you…]

After the message, he rambled on about his recent situation.

For example, his new roommate, the kind senior, and his life that seemed to be gradually getting better.

But after the message was sent, an hour passed, then two hours…

There was no reply.

Just like every message he had sent in the past few months.

No reply.

The sun set in the west. Lin Ruyan’s expression was downcast, and he was silent.

It wasn’t the first time his brother had disappeared.

The last time his brother stopped replying and disappeared, he had panicked and called the police to find him.

The police quickly found his brother and discovered that he was just in a bad mood and wanted to disconnect from the world for a while on his own accord.

But the police showing up seemed to have had a negative impact on his brother, causing him to lose a part-time job he had at the time.

His brother was furious, yelled at him, and then didn’t reply to any of his messages for a whole six months.

…So what about this time, brother?