Chapter 4: Do You Hate Me That Much?

After leaving, Tang Susu headed straight to the hospital by taxi.

When she arrived at the department, she found out that He Zhimou had already left.

There were too many people waiting for CT scans, and the nurses couldn’t stay with him the whole time. They had him wait in line by himself, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

The smile on Tang Susu’s face stiffened slightly. Her fingers tightened around the bag with the money.

How could he be so stubborn? Did he not realize his leg was broken?

The doctor had clearly said that if it wasn’t treated in time, it could become infected — and if the infection spread, they might even have to amputate.

Did he not want his leg anymore?

He Zhimou as a teenager was really a handful!

The doctor looked at Tang Susu. “Young lady, your classmate’s leg isn’t infected yet, but there’s still a risk. Plus, we haven’t even gotten the scan. There could be other issues. You really should bring him back.”

“Yes, I understand, doctor. I’ll go get him right now,” Tang Susu replied seriously, determined to bring He Zhimou back to the hospital.

“Wait a second, young lady,” the doctor called out again.

Tang Susu paused.

The doctor took out a pair of earbuds from the drawer and handed them to her. “Here, take this back with you.”

Tang Susu curved her eyes slightly in a smile and accepted them. “Thank you.”

Once outside, she tilted her head up. The sun was setting, and dusk was settling in the distance.

Her body remembered how to get home, but she had never been to He Zhimou’s place.

She pulled out her phone and opened her contacts.

At the top was a pinned group chat called “Ashes of the Road to Justice” with over 99 unread messages.

She skipped that and scrolled down to the class group chat.

It was the beginning of sophomore year; students hadn’t yet been divided into arts or science tracks. He Zhimou hadn’t dropped out yet, so he and Tang Susu were still in the same class.

Her pale fingers slid down to the class group and she typed:

“Does anyone know He Zhimou’s address?”

Just moments ago, everyone had been chatting, but the moment she sent the message, the chat went dead silent.

Tang Susu felt a bit awkward. Was her social standing really that bad?

She waited a while, but still, no one responded.

Left with no choice, she privately messaged the homeroom teacher, making up an excuse to ask for He Zhimou’s address.

Before long, the teacher replied.

Once she had the address, Tang Susu got in a cab and headed over.

At the intersection, she was greeted by rows of rundown buildings, trash scattered everywhere, a foul stench in the air, and the buzzing of flies in her ears.

The buildings were essentially condemned and illegally built. It looked like a single strong typhoon could knock them over.

Tang Susu’s clear eyes were filled with shock. She hadn’t expected to find such a slum in the middle of the city.

She held her breath and quickly made her way through the garbage-strewn alley.

Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a few thug-like men approached, whistling at her with vulgar expressions.

Tang Susu froze for a second.

She had grown up in a decent environment and had never encountered people like this. She kept her head down and stepped aside to avoid them.

The group laughed wildly and started making crude comments about her.

“Her face is okay, but that body’s real nice!”

“Yeah, but that vibe? Top-tier!”

“Look at how scared she is, like she’s about to cry!”

“Ha ha ha!”

Tang Susu ignored their mocking and ran away as fast as she could.

Eventually, she arrived at the address the teacher gave her.

East Gaoxin Village, No. 171.

She looked up at the row of buildings — the last one was only No. 170. There was no No. 171 at all.

She double-checked her phone. The teacher had definitely said 171.

Did the teacher give her the wrong address?

No — her teacher wouldn’t lie to her.

Then that meant He Zhimou had given a false address.

Tang Susu lowered her head, feeling deflated. She’d spent all this time searching, only to find out the place didn’t exist.

Just then, a frail old man with white hair and a cane slowly approached.

“Young lady, are you looking for someone?” he asked in a raspy voice.

Tang Susu lifted her head. Though she’d lost hope of finding He Zhimou, she still politely responded, “Grandpa, do you know a boy named He Zhimou? I’m his classmate. I’m looking for him.”

The old man smiled and nodded. “I know him.”

He pointed his cane toward the most dilapidated building. “That kid lives right over there. His grandpa passed away two years ago, and he’s been living alone ever since. Used to collect trash and do odd jobs… I don’t know what he does now. If you’re his classmate, keep an eye on him, okay?”

Tang Susu’s eyes lit up with relief. She hadn’t expected to actually find him.

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I will. That’s exactly why I came—to help him live a better life.”

After thanking the old man, she rushed toward the direction he had pointed.

In the most remote and broken-down part of the slum, Tang Susu finally spotted He Zhimou.

He had his right leg bound with wooden splints and white cloth strips. He was collecting bottles and jars that had been drying outside.

“He Zhimou,” she called softly.

The boy looked up at the sound of her voice. His dark eyes were cold and intense, almost frightening.

She instinctively took two steps back, her voice growing quieter, “Why didn’t you wait for me at the hospital?”

He responded flatly, “Why should I wait for you?”

“Your leg is injured. If you don’t get treated, it could be dangerous,” she said seriously.

She stepped forward and looked down at his crudely splinted leg. The thought of possible amputation made her heart ache.

“Injuries like this need to be treated properly. If it gets infected, it could be really bad,” she said gently.

“What does that have to do with you?” He Zhimou sneered, clearly suspicious of her sincerity.

Tang Susu gave a small smile. “It has nothing to do with me, but it has everything to do with you. I just want to see you healthy and walking again.”

She didn’t want him to lose his leg. She didn’t want him to go through all those horrible experiences.

He Zhimou stared at her quietly, trying to read her through her clear, calm eyes.

But he couldn’t see anything. Nothing made sense.

“Mind your own business. Get lost,” he said coldly.

Tang Susu froze.

His eyes were filled with mockery, disgust, and chilling indifference.

Had she made a mistake?

He Zhimou had his own life path. If he hated her so much, was she just making things worse by forcing herself into his world?

“…Do you really hate me that much?” she asked softly.

“Glad you finally figured it out,” he said harshly.

Even though she’d expected that answer, it still stung.

“Alright. I won’t bother you anymore. But your leg — you really should go to the hospital.”

“If it’s about money, don’t worry. I can—”

“I said get lost!”

Tang Susu flinched and opened her mouth, but in the end, she just said, “…Okay. I’ll go. But please remember to see a doctor.”