4: Chapter 4 Meeting Su Qingxue's Family

After getting off work, Lin Yu hopped on his electric scooter and bought two cups of milk tea on the way.

Upon arriving downstairs at the inpatient department of the Municipal Hospital, although the environment was a bit noisy, perhaps due to the attribute points he had added, or maybe just an illusion, he felt his hearing and eyesight had both improved compared to before. Take the scene at the company cafeteria, for instance; in the past, he probably wouldn't have reacted in time to grab the hooligan's wrist.

At that moment, he faintly heard a soft sobbing sound. Ordinarily, such situations were commonplace in a hospital, so Lin Yu didn't pay much attention to it.

However, he subconsciously glanced toward the sound of crying and saw a girl sitting on a bench by the greenery at the corner of the building, weeping.

It was actually Su Qingxue!

What a coincidence; he had been coming to find her anyway.

Lin Yu walked over, took a tissue from his pocket, and handed it to her.

Su Qingxue looked up, stunned: "It's you?"

She took the tissue, wiped her red, teary eyes, and then took the cup of milk tea extended toward her, saying: "I'm really causing you so much trouble, running here every day."

"It's nothing, I was just passing by. What's wrong?"

Su Qingxue's eyes turned even redder, and she choked up slightly as she spoke for a while.

After listening, Lin Yu learned that Su Qingxue's mother had passed away in a car accident last year. Mr. Su had been devastated ever since, drinking every day, and had even lost his job as a bus driver. Since he was a live-in son-in-law, he had rarely kept in touch with his own siblings over the years, and her mother's side of the family wasn't willing to help after she passed away. They had borrowed money from everyone they knew, but only managed to scrape together a few thousand yuan. With their own savings, they only had half of what was needed. The compensation money for her mother had been sought several times but hadn't arrived yet. The father and daughter were at a complete loss. It wasn't a particularly major surgery, but without it, it would affect her grandmother's life. The hospital had just urged the family again, which is why she was sitting there weeping alone.

Lin Yu frowned: "Why didn't you call me?"

Su Qingxue said softly: "You've already helped me once; I'm embarrassed to trouble you again."

Lin Yu smiled helplessly and reached out to pat her head: "You little fool, money can be earned again if it's gone, but if a person is gone, everything is lost. Medical treatment is the most important thing. How much is still needed?"

"Still... still forty thousand short."

Without another word, Lin Yu transferred one hundred thousand to her.

Looking at her phone, Su Qingxue couldn't help but be startled: "So much?"

"You'll need to stay for observation after the surgery, get IV drips, and you can't skimp on nutrition. Take it; I don't need it for now."

Ding! Su Qingxue's intimacy +15. Current intimacy: 40.

Su Qingxue looked at Lin Yu, feeling that this man was both handsome and gave her a sense of security. She even forgot to be shy about having her head patted, feeling only such warmth.

Lin Yu accompanied her to pay the fees and then left.

Account balance: 5,408,100 - 100,000 + 1,000,000 = 6,308,100 yuan.

He called his sister, Lin Wan, who had also finished work, and arranged to have a meal together at a small restaurant on Bayi Street. The purpose was simple: to let his family know that he wasn't just working, but also starting a business. He also called his mother to say that he and his sister wouldn't be coming home for dinner.

Entering the small restaurant, Xia Xiaotang was busy as a bee.

Seeing him arrive, she greeted him. Lin Yu said he was waiting for his sister and ordered two dishes she loved, then told Xia Xiaotang to go back to work, taking the opportunity to whisper a reminder: "Don't tell anyone how much money I invested, lest relatives come asking for loans."

Not long after a seat opened up, Lin Wan arrived. After the meal, Lin Yu scanned the code to pay, but Xia Xiaotang hurriedly stopped him, smiling and saying: "How can I let the boss pay! By the way, I've already scouted a few good storefronts. Do you have time tomorrow to go take a look?"

Lin Yu laughed and nodded in agreement.

Walking out of the small restaurant, Xia Xiaotang sweetly told Lin Wan to come by often when she had time. Lin Wan said she would, and the way she looked at Xia Xiaotang, it looked exactly like she was looking at a sister-in-law.

On the road, the siblings each rode their own electric scooter. Seeing the confusion all over Lin Wan's face, Lin Yu chuckled and laid his cards on the table: "Xia Xiaotang is my partner. We are currently preparing to open a branch, and in the future, we'll open a chain."

As for whether it would develop into a romantic relationship, Lin Yu didn't know himself. With Xia Xiaotang's purity score of 99, he didn't know if she was currently seeing someone or otherwise, but he would naturally find out in the future.

Lin Wan was a bit bewildered: "My little brother has actually done so many things quietly!"

Lin Yu didn't go home; he took his sister straight to the pedestrian street.

Seeing that he had really earned money, Lin Wan couldn't refuse her brother's kindness. As a result, Lin Yu went on a shopping spree, buying two sets of clothes for each of the four family members—all mass-market brands, not luxury goods—spending a total of 24,000. No cashback for his dad and himself. The purchases for his sister and mom triggered a 10x cashback: 130,000 received! Balance: 6,414,100 yuan. The more he spent, the more money he had—it felt amazing!

Upon returning home, Wang Xiulan saw the two children with bags full of clothes and immediately went into complaint mode. Seeing the situation was bad, Lin Yu turned and went into the bathroom to take a shower, leaving Lin Wan alone to explain to their parents.

Lying in bed, all three cashback tasks for the day were done! Lin Yu opened Douyin. He scrolled through several live streams, but unfortunately, none met the cashback criteria. It was better to just watch funny skits and have a laugh. He swiped up to another live stream, but this time...

Ding! Detected a beauty who meets the criteria! Name: Zhang Waner. Age: 19. Appearance: 89. Occupation: High school senior. Height: 163cm. Weight: 45kg. Purity: 100. Health: Sub-health. Intimacy: 5.

Lin Yu looked at the purity score first—100! This was the second beauty with a perfect purity score he had encountered (the first was Director Chu Yao). Sub-health? It must be malnutrition; she was too thin.

It was drizzling in the live stream, and the ground was soaked. The girl was wearing a frog mascot costume, wrapped up tightly. If not for the system, just by hearing her voice, one could tell she was young.

When someone sent a one-mao "little heart" gift, she would earnestly thank them, then run out a distance and run back. The live stream had a large title: "Help Mom Lighten the Burden." Further down was a menu with a few small gifts; if someone sent her a "little heart," she would run one lap, a "beer" meant two laps, and so on. There were no big gifts.

In the public chat, some people were saying the streamer was playing the victim and telling everyone not to be fooled. Others were sending "little hearts" just to watch her run, sending another one as soon as she finished, over and over again. Lin Yu didn't understand what purpose these people had. There were also people who sent gifts to stop her from running, perhaps out of compassion.

His cashback quota for the day was used up, so he decisively followed her and set up a fan badge.

Zhang Waner: "Thank you, 'Yu', for the follow and the fan badge!"

Lin Yu typed: Do you stream every day?

Zhang Waner: Yes. The answer was simple.

Lin Yu didn't speak again. Hadn't he just found a meal ticket he could leech off of every day?

Exiting 'Douyin', he had some things to take care of since he was off tomorrow, so he turned off the lights and went to sleep.

The morning sun shone through the window lattice, gently spilling onto the bedroom floor, the air still lingering with the lazy atmosphere of a night of peaceful sleep.

Lin Yu slowly opened his eyes, his consciousness still hazy from just waking up. He habitually reached for the phone by his pillow. The screen lit up, and an unread message popped up from Su Qingxue.

His fingertip lightly touched the screen, and the content of the message clearly came into view. "Lin Yu, are you asleep? Thank you for helping me when I was lonely and helpless. Truly, thank you. The surgery fees have all been paid. The hospital notified me that the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. Thanks again."

The message wasn't long, but every word revealed sincerity and gratitude. He could imagine Su Qingxue's relieved and grateful expression when she sent the message last night. A hint of softness flashed in Lin Yu's eyes, and his fingertips tapped quickly on the screen, replying simply: "Just saw the message. Wishing Grandmother a successful surgery."

After sending it, he followed up by asking for the ward and bed number where her grandmother was staying. Since he knew, it was only right and proper to go visit.

After a quick wash, the aroma of breakfast was already drifting into the living room. His mother had gotten up early to prepare porridge, side dishes, and steaming hot buns. The family sat around eating breakfast together, the atmosphere warm and peaceful.

"Mom, I won't be back for lunch today; I have some things to take care of," Lin Yu said casually while drinking his porridge.

"Okay, then be safe and come back early," his mother urged, without asking further.

After breakfast, Lin Yu pushed out his electric scooter and rode out of the residential complex gate. The air on the morning street was fresh, and there weren't many pedestrians. He rode slowly and steadily toward the hospital.

Passing a tastefully decorated flower shop near the hospital, Lin Yu stopped his bike. Visiting a patient empty-handed was generally not appropriate. He pushed the door open and walked into the flower shop. A faint floral fragrance rushed to meet him, and various flowers were vying for beauty, full of vitality.

Under the florist's recommendation, he selected carnations symbolizing health and peace, gladioli symbolizing rising step by step, and added a few fresh and elegant hydrangeas. Carefully arranged, he had the florist put them into a full and beautiful flower basket. Carrying the basket, Lin Yu walked straight into the hospital and, following the ward and bed number Xia Xiaotang had sent, quickly found the room.

Pushing open the ward door, he immediately saw the old lady lying on the hospital bed—it was Su Qingxue's grandmother. Her hair was gray but combed neatly. Her face showed some weakness from illness, and her complexion was slightly pale, but it couldn't hide the kindness and gentleness in her bones. Her eyes, though weary, were still soft when looking at people, like the warm sunlight in winter. She looked like an old person who had been kind and generous her whole life.

Beside the hospital bed stood a middle-aged man of average build, wearing simple, clean casual clothes, with a steady and reserved temperament. His face bore the faint traces left by time, and his eyes were sincere and steady. Though he didn't seem to be good with words, he exuded a sense of reliability that made people feel at ease. This was Mr. Su. He wasn't talkative, but his manners were impeccable. Seeing Lin Yu walk in with the flower basket, he hurriedly stepped forward, took it with both hands, and said with a tone full of gratitude: "You must be Lin Yu, right? Thank you so much. Please, have a seat."

Lin Yu smiled and nodded, placing the flower basket on the bedside cabinet, and comforted him softly: "Uncle, no need to be so polite. Grandmother's complexion looks quite good. The surgery tomorrow will definitely go smoothly, so don't worry too much."

Hearing the voice, Grandmother weakly lifted her eyes to look at Lin Yu, trying to pull a smile to the corner of her mouth, her voice soft: "Good child, I'm sorry to trouble you to make a special trip. You've spent money..."

"Grandmother, don't say that. Just rest and recover with peace of mind," Lin Yu replied gently. He chatted with the grandmother and granddaughter for a few moments, his words full of comfort and encouragement, and the atmosphere in the ward lightened up quite a bit.

Just then, Lin Yu's phone suddenly rang, and the name [Xia Xiaotang] flashed on the screen.

He smiled apologetically at Mr. Su and Grandmother, then walked to the side to answer the call.

"Lin Yu, are you up? We agreed to go look at those storefronts today. I'm about to drive out," Xia Xiaotang's crisp voice came through the receiver, filled with anticipation.

"I'm at the Municipal Hospital. Just drive to the hospital entrance and pick me up," Lin Yu said.

"Alright, I'll be there soon!"

Hanging up, Lin Yu turned back to the bedside and reminded Grandmother again: "Grandmother, set your mind at ease. The surgery tomorrow will definitely go smoothly. I'll come visit you another day."

Mr. Su thanked him repeatedly, walking Lin Yu all the way to the ward door, his tone sincere: "Lin Yu, thank you so much for today. Not only did you help us a lot, but you also came specifically to visit..."

"Uncle, really, no need to be polite. I'll be going now," Lin Yu waved his hand and turned to leave.

After Lin Yu left, the ward returned to quiet. Grandmother held the hand of Su Qingxue, who was standing by the side, her eyes filled with a bit of teasing and joy. She lowered her voice and asked: "Qingxue, tell Grandmother the truth. Are you and this young man named Lin Yu really just ordinary friends?"

Su Qingxue's cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed: "Grandmother, we are just friends..."

"Friends?" Grandmother patted her hand gently, her gaze kind and insightful. "Grandmother has lived this long; I'm very accurate at judging people. I see how attentive he is to you; his eyes are full of steadiness and care. He's handsome and spirited, and he acts appropriately. If... if he could be my grandson-in-law, then even if I were to pass away right now, I could close my eyes in peace."

These words made Su Qingxue's cheeks instantly flush red, her heartbeat inexplicably sped up, and even her ears burned. She could only lower her head shyly and mumble: "Grandmother, don't talk nonsense..."

Ding! Su Qingxue's intimacy +5. Current intimacy: 45.

On the other side, just as Lin Yu walked to the hospital entrance, a white Volkswagen Golf drove over slowly. The car body was clean and tidy, looking exceptionally fresh in the sunlight. Xia Xiaotang rolled down the window, and a face full of energy and smiles poked out: "Lin Yu, over here!"

Lin Yu opened the car door and sat in. A faint, fresh fragrance instantly drifted into the car, like some kind of sweet floral scent, mixed with a hint of the soft aura unique to girls. It wasn't pungent at all; instead, it made one feel very comfortable.

His gaze swept casually across the dashboard, where a few small, cute girlie ornaments were placed—cartoon figures and an exquisite little aroma diffuser. The details fully displayed a girlish heart, and the entire interior space was clean and cozy.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, let's go," Xia Xiaotang said with a smile, lightly pressing the accelerator, and the car drove smoothly away from the hospital.

On the road, the two naturally started chatting about the storefronts they were going to look at today. The location, area, estimated foot traffic, and approximate size—Xia Xiaotang had done her homework in advance and told Lin Yu about them one by one.