Chapter 27

Although Song Haowen was eager to go home and work, he couldn’t bear to leave immediately when he thought of how kind Zhu Hongyu had always been to him.

He sat across from her, gazing into her eyes, and asked, “There must be something on your mind. If you really consider me as your younger brother, just tell me the truth. Maybe I can help.”

Zhu Hongyu glanced at Song Haowen, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly said, “My eldest brother sent a letter, saying that Dad has a severe stomach illness. The local county hospital can’t treat it, so we need to go to the city for treatment.”

Song Haowen immediately responded, “The medical conditions in the city are always better. You should hurry and go. Don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine.”

Zhu Hongyu’s eyes suddenly turned red, and she didn’t say anything.

Thinking for a moment, Song Haowen guessed her thoughts and tentatively said, “Is it that your dad doesn’t want to go to the city for medical treatment, reluctant to spend money?”

Zhu Hongyu stood up, walked out of the classroom without looking back, and said as she walked, “Focus on your own matters. You don’t need to worry about mine.” After that, she ran away without turning her head.

Watching her reaction, Song Haowen understood more or less.

He knew she cared about her pride and didn’t want to speak directly. In this era, wealthy families were rare, especially in the mountainous areas.

Until after 2020, some places in these regions managed to escape poverty. From what he knew, her family had seven or eight siblings, and she was the fifth. She managed to attend university thanks to the support of relatives, friends, the family, and the township government.

When Zhu Hongyu mentioned her father having a severe stomach illness, there might be one word she was unwilling to say aloud.

If it was stomach cancer, it wouldn’t be a minor surgery. Medical expenses would likely be high, not to mention the costs of postoperative treatment. Relying solely on rural cooperative medical reimbursement wouldn’t be enough.

For Song Haowen, these medical expenses were trivial. He wanted to help Zhu Hongyu cover these costs. Moreover, he planned to persuade her to bring her father to Beijing for treatment at Beijing Union Medical College Hospital, which would increase the chances of a successful operation.

Song Haowen was busy today, so he didn’t chase after Zhu Hongyu. He decided to talk to her about it during tomorrow’s class.

Back home, faced with a pile of appliances in need of repair, Song Haowen’s head was starting to ache.

Handling everything alone was not only overwhelming, but it also left him with no time for what he cherished most – buying a courtyard and accompanying Tian Yuxi on shopping trips.

It seemed he needed to find some helpers, and one wouldn’t be enough; two would be ideal.

Song Haowen had once thought about training Qian Youlai as a repair assistant.

Qian Youlai even brought it up to him directly, but after careful consideration, he gave up on the idea. He realized that he not only needed someone for repairs but also someone to go out and do the purchasing.

While he was satisfied with Qian Youlai’s work and trusted him, he foresaw that Qian Youlai would have more important tasks in the future, beyond just repairing appliances.

Song Haowen worked alone until three in the morning, completing the most urgent tasks.

After lying down for a short while, the sky began to brighten. He sighed, overcame his exhaustion, and got up for a shower.

He thought, do all those who achieve wealth, especially those who make their first fortune, need to work so hard? He now understood a bit why he couldn’t become a capitalist in his past life, always thinking that studying was the hardest, and being a boss was the easiest and carefree.

Drinking, finding mistresses, and singing karaoke seemed to be the life. Now he realized that it required not only luck but also great perseverance.

Arriving at the classroom, Song Haowen saw that Zhu Hongyu’s eyes were dark, her expression was absent-minded, indicating she hadn’t rested well.

He didn’t directly ask but waited until lunchtime to invite her to the cafeteria. She hesitated for a moment, seemingly a bit resistant, but eventually nodded.

They walked slowly, deliberately avoiding classmates.

“Hongyu, if you think highly of me, feel free to ask for anything. Although I’m not a doctor and can’t cure illnesses, I’ve saved up some money. A few thousand yuan shouldn’t be a big deal. So, you can take this money, bring your dad to Beijing for treatment. After all, Beijing Union Medical College Hospital is the best in the country. I’ll cover everything – transportation, accommodation, and medical expenses,” Song Haowen said sincerely.

Zhu Hongyu’s eyes misted. “A few thousand yuan is not a big deal? How many families in the country can come up with a thousand yuan now? We’re just classmates; we shouldn’t involve money, or our relationship won’t be pure. Although my family is short on money, we’re trying to figure things out. I can’t accept your money. Little Brother, thank you for your kindness.”

“How can you still call me Little brother? If you can borrow from friends and relatives, why can’t you use mine? You know, money comes easily to me,” Song Haowen said straightforwardly.

Zhu Hongyu thought for a moment. “Your money is hard-earned. It’s not like it blew in with the wind. I can’t use your money. Unless you consider it a loan.”

“I want to borrow five hundred yuan from you.”

“This amount is so small; there’s no need to borrow. Consider it a gift from me.”

“No, I don’t want it.”

“Fine, consider it a loan. When you have money, you can repay me. Even if you never repay, I’ll accept it.”

Zhu Hongyu was gritting her teeth.

“Disgusting. Do you look down on me that much? I won’t be poor forever. When I graduate from university, get a job, I’ll have money to repay you.”

“Alright, take your time to save up. A year or two is not too fast; ten or eight years is not too slow,” Song Haowen continued to joke. “Seriously, How much do need right now? I have a thousand yuan in cash; I can give it to you.”