As they walked into the outpatient lobby, they could hear someone yelling from afar.

"You’re saying it’s not possible again! Then what *is* possible? What other documents do you need? Can’t you just tell me everything at once!" a middle-aged man roared.

"I’m sorry, sir. Please step back."

"I’m demanding an explanation today!"

...

The lobby was the most chaotic part of the hospital, with patients’ families and staff frequently getting into arguments. Xue Rui, however, was used to it. Scenes like this would still be common even a decade or so later.

To the right side of the lobby were complimentary wheelchairs provided by the hospital, though few people were using them.

Xue Rui walked over and grabbed one. "Grandma, want to sit down and go for a ride?"

"I can walk just fine," the old woman huffed.

Xue Rui paid no mind to her protests, simply confiscating her cane and forcing her into the wheelchair.

Having never been in a wheelchair, the old woman felt unsteady. As Xue Rui pushed her around in a few circles, she cried out repeatedly.

"Hey! You little rascal!"

Lin Ruoxi covered her mouth and giggled. The sound of their playful banter did much to ease her earlier anxiety.

She had actually wanted her grandmother to use a wheelchair, too. The hospital was huge, and walking around would be exhausting.

"You push her. I don’t think Grandma likes me doing it." Xue Rui stepped aside, letting Lin Ruoxi take over the wheelchair.

Sure enough, with her own granddaughter pushing the wheelchair, the old woman immediately quieted down.

There were many tests to get through at the hospital; it would likely take a few hours to complete the entire process.

The old woman had trouble walking and even used a cane, which was why Xue Rui had gotten a wheelchair right from the start.

The young woman at the information desk saw the group with the wheelchair approaching and instinctively walked over. "Hello, do you need any help?"

"What floor is the internal medicine department on?" Xue Rui asked with a smile.

’She looks like a recent college graduate,’ he thought, seeing the distinct rawness, innocence, and eagerness to help on her face.

"The internal medicine department is on the fourth floor. Take the elevator on the right..." the young woman explained in great detail.

But the only information Xue Rui needed was the floor number, so he politely interrupted, "Thank you."

Lin Ruoxi nodded at the young woman. "Thank you."

Then, the group walked away without a second glance.

’But you haven’t even registered yet,’ the young woman thought, baffled. The group was certainly an odd one; she’d noticed them the moment they walked in.

’Two students in school uniforms, and a roguish-looking young man...’

"Don’t worry about people like that in the future. Didn’t you see how casually they acted when they came in? You can tell just by looking that they’re relatives of some department head."

A woman beside her explained. She’d seen plenty of people like them.

"Sister Li is right."

...

Lin Ruoxi pushed her grandmother’s wheelchair, following behind Xue Rui.

It was the same at the elevator; Xue Rui held the door and pressed the button for their floor.

The elevator rose, and the familiar sensation of being pulled downward set in. Xue Rui was used to it.

But he noticed Lin Ruoxi sway slightly, her grip on the wheelchair handles tightening.

Xue Rui caught the detail and guessed this was her first time in an elevator. ’She’s a little nervous.’

He whispered, "Did you know these elevators are pulled up by cables? I heard they’re not very sturdy. They only replace them after they snap."

Lin Ruoxi’s eyes snapped to meet Xue Rui’s.

He could clearly see a flash of panic in her eyes.

He reached out and ruffled her hair. "Heh, just messing with you."

’This naive girl is so much fun,’ Xue Rui thought. ’It’s so easy to get a rise out of her.’

"Oh..." Lin Ruoxi nodded softly and smoothed her hair, knowing she’d been teased again.

Ren Jun clicked his tongue in jealousy from the side. ’Why can’t I ever meet a girl like that?’ he thought.

"Sigh..." The old woman sighed. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

She felt a sense of exasperation toward her granddaughter. ’How could she believe something like that?’

She had barely left her village a handful of times in her life, but even she wouldn’t fall for a trick like that. Yet her granddaughter had believed him completely.

The old woman couldn’t help but worry. ’If I were to die, wouldn’t Lin Ruoxi be scammed out of everything she has?’

The elevator doors opened. As Xue Rui stepped out, he caught a glimpse of two people smoking in the stairwell behind the fire escape door.

It was a common enough sight, but what caught his attention was their attire.

Though he could only see their backs, one was wearing a doctor’s white coat, and the other was in a wheelchair with a white hairnet on his head, looking like a seriously ill patient.

But this "seriously ill patient," despite being in a wheelchair, was still goddamn holding a cigarette with his legs crossed.

"Bro, help me out with a doctor’s note. Make it sound serious," the man in the wheelchair said.

"You’re not sick. I’m not writing one," the doctor flatly refused.

"I really need it. This is important."

"I’m not."

...

Xue Rui scoffed. ’A fake medical note is either for extortion or insurance fraud.’

Fortunately, the doctor had professional integrity and was refusing firmly.

It was just that... he found their voices somewhat familiar.

He shook his head. ’I’ve got more important things to do,’ he thought, and didn’t stick around to eavesdrop any longer.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly saw his mother coming out of the women’s restroom.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Xue Rui asked, surprised.

Ren Qunfang was equally surprised. A cold smile played on her lips as she walked over and grabbed Xue Rui and Ren Jun, one by each ear.

"You two can start by explaining why you aren’t in school on a Tuesday."

"Ow! Sis, let go! I graduated a long time ago!" Ren Jun cried out, his head tilted.

"Mom, it’s not what you think! I brought a classmate here for a check-up," Xue Rui pleaded hastily.

"Hello, ma’am," Lin Ruoxi said politely.

She suddenly grew very nervous, afraid her own ear might get pinched, even though she knew that was impossible.

But Xue Rui’s mother just seemed so intimidating. Now she was caught in a strange state of mind, simultaneously afraid her ear would be pinched and afraid it wouldn’t be.

After all, if everyone else got their ears pinched, she would be left standing there all alone, unsure of what to do.

"Hello, dear." Ren Qunfang let go of the two boys and greeted Lin Ruoxi with a smile, her tone suddenly gentle.

She figured the boys wouldn’t dare lie to her; they must be here doing a good deed.

She remembered the poor girl Xue Xiaying had told her about, and her heart softened. She pulled Lin Ruoxi aside to chat.

The "seriously ill patient" in the hairnet had emerged from the stairwell.

The doctor beside him was Xue Rui’s maternal uncle, Ren Deqiu.

The "patient" spoke up. "Xiaorui?"

Xue Rui’s eyes filled with utter disbelief. He stared at the man for a long moment before finally calling out, "Dad?"

Xue Rui’s eye twitched. ’I just spent all that time internally cursing out this asshole who wanted a fake medical note,’ he thought, ’and it turns out to be my own father?’

Xue Jianfeng’s face was black and blue, and his right eye was visibly swollen. Xue Rui hadn’t recognized him at first.

"Dad, who beat you up?" Xue Rui asked.

In truth, Xue Rui already had a good idea. It was most likely that Gu Qingshan and Xue Jianfeng had gotten into a fight.

"Son, I’m dizzy, I feel like throwing up, I can’t even stand straight. Quick, have your uncle write me a doctor’s note."

Xue Jianfeng suddenly became feeble and listless, as if he were about to faint at any moment.

Xue Rui’s eye twitched as he exchanged a look with his uncle.

Both could see the look of utter exasperation in the other’s eyes.

Xue Jianfeng’s acting was terrible. Who couldn’t tell he was faking it?

Ren Deqiu said grimly, "Your dad wants to extort someone and is insisting I write him a medical note."

"Absolutely don’t," Xue Rui said firmly, though he knew his uncle never would.

"Son, I’m doing this for your own good! As long as I get this note, I can extort a wife for you."

Xue Jianfeng was instantly displeased. His own son wasn’t even on his side.

Ren Deqiu’s expression darkened. "You want to extort their daughter, too? You shameless bastard! I must have been blind to let Xiaofang marry a man like you!"

In the Ren Family, he was the most educated and the eldest son.

Though his parents were still alive, people in their rural village respected the educated, so his opinion was generally sought for all major decisions.

Back then, he had seen Xue Jianfeng as an honest and hardworking man. He would come to their house to help with the wheat harvest even on the hottest days, and he frequently came to the village to help with farm chores, never once slacking off.

Over time, he came to see Xue Jianfeng as a genuinely good man and gave his blessing for the marriage.

But he never could have imagined that Xue Jianfeng would reveal his true colors after the wedding—he was a shameless scoundrel, pure and simple.

"Isn’t it a little late to be saying that now, my dear brother-in-law?" Xue Jianfeng said without a shred of shame.