Rhea was overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events, paralyzed with fear and uncertainty.
"All the money at home has gone to your father's treatment," Mrs. Liu said, wiping her tears. Although she was in her forties, her hands looked like those of a sixty-year-old woman.
"Mom, don't cry. I'll find a way," Rhea comforted her, though she herself was unsure of what to do.
None of their relatives were well-off, and their neighbors were all struggling financially. Who would lend them money?
Suddenly, Mrs. Liu spoke up, "Rhea, I heard Zuri is from a wealthy family. She must have money. You used to be close friends. Ask her for help. Even a little bit from her could support our family."
Zuri?!
Would someone like her, who despises the poor and fawns over the rich, even bother to help? Would she lend money?
Rhea was uncertain, but at the moment, Zuri was their only hope.
Faced with her mother and brother's hopeful gazes, Rhea nodded, "I'll go find her."
"Hurry up," Mrs. Liu urged.
"I'll go tomorrow," Rhea said, wanting to check on her father first.
Mrs. Liu pinched her arm harshly. "Are you stupid? The money we have is only enough for the deposit, not the treatment. Staying here won't help. Go and get the money from Zuri."
Under her mother's urging, Rhea left the hospital.
Lin Household
Zuri walked out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe, her pale cheeks flushed. She went to the vanity, opened the bottom drawer, took out a wooden box, and placed a blood-stained mouse tail into a glass jar, which was already one-third full.
She gently stroked the jar, her eyes fixed on the tails, whispering, "Someone will join you soon. Don't worry, she'll be here soon."
Knock, knock, knock...
Someone knocked on the door. Zuri calmly put everything back in the drawer.
"Come in."
Arianwen entered the bedroom. "Second Miss, there's a call from the gate. Someone claiming to be your good friend needs to see you urgently. Should I let them in?"
"Really?" Zuri slowly dried her hair. "My only friend is Azura."
Arianwen understood. "Rest well, Second Miss."
Outside the villa gate, Rhea was anxiously waiting. After taking the call, the security guard said to Rhea impatiently, "She doesn't know you. Leave."
"How can she not know me? We grew up together. We were best friends."
The guard was exasperated. "If you're such good friends, call her."
Rhea looked embarrassed.
She didn't know when, but she had been blocked by Zuri.
"Please, ask again. Just one more time, please? Tell her it's Rhea. I really need to see her."
The guard ignored her. "Go away."
This wasn't an ordinary neighborhood where one could bother the residents repeatedly.
"Leave now."
Rhea was ruthlessly chased away.
Feeling helpless, Rhea stared at the gate behind her, her eyes filled with deep hatred.
Zuri, you'll get what's coming to you!
Rhea crouched down and cried. The pressure from her family's situation and her mother's expectations was suffocating.
The only person she could turn to was so heartless. How could she not hate her?
If anything happened to her father, she would make Zuri pay.
FX Venture Capital Headquarters
The secretary opened the door to the CEO's office, placed a thick stack of documents on the desk, and stepped back a few paces to report the schedule.
"Meeting with Mr. Wang in the afternoon, and a business reception in the evening."
"Mr. Feng, we have the information on the girl you asked me to investigate. All her details and the surveillance video from that day have been sent to your email."
"Also, it turns out that the girl knows Third Young Master. He attended her birthday party under the Feng family's name to show support."
The man, who had been staring at stock charts, lifted his head and looked at his chief assistant, muttering, "This is interesting."
Nolan opened his email and quickly scanned the documents, reading at lightning speed.
Grayson continued, "The surveillance video from that day shows that Miss Lin likely stumbled upon the situation and helped him out of convenience."
Nolan opened the cafe surveillance video, immediately locking onto the figure on the screen, his sharp eyes tracking her every move, even a slight glance.
Suddenly, Nolan paused the video, zooming in repeatedly, a playful smile on his lips.
"Coincidence? Not likely," Nolan's deep voice was calm and indifferent.
Grayson was taken aback by this remark.
Not a coincidence? Then she must have been waiting for Evan on purpose.
A girl so young, with such capability.
The thought made him glance at his boss.
He almost forgot, his boss was the most brilliant prodigy. If his boss could do it, perhaps this girl could too.
In the evening, a Maybach drove slowly down the road.
During rush hour, the car moved like a snail.
Nolan checked his limited edition Rolex watch, glanced up, and looked at the endless traffic jam ahead.
"Stop up ahead," Nolan instructed.
The driver moved a few paces and parked by the roadside.
Grayson got out, checking the time and calculating the walking distance. From here to the hotel, it would take twenty minutes on foot, just in time for the meeting.
"From here, it's about a fifteen-minute walk to Windsor School," Grayson reported dutifully.
Meanwhile, two hundred meters away at the school gate, a scene was unfolding.
Rhea had been waiting at the gate early. Seeing Zuri, Azura, and Farida approaching, she took a deep breath, psyching herself up.
"Rhea, pride doesn't matter now. As long as you get the money, everything will be fine."
She kept repeating this to herself.
As Zuri and her friends approached, Rhea rushed over, blocking their path.
"Zuri, please, save my father. Only you can help him now. I'll do anything you ask," Rhea's voice was loud.
Immediately, she drew the attention of all the passing students. Those who were about to get in their cars stopped and gathered around.
The more people gathered, the more pitiful Rhea's expression became. With tears in her eyes, she cried out, "Zuri, my dad once helped you. Please help him just this once. I'm begging you."
Indeed, Father Liu had helped her, but she had repaid his kindness tenfold, a hundredfold.
Years ago, when she had first wandered into the shantytown on the west side, she was just a child. A group of hooligans tried to bully her, and it was Father Liu who drove them away and gave her a bowl of plain noodle soup.
She had always remembered this kindness.
When she became capable, she spared no effort in helping their family. There was even a time when Father Liu was pushed into the river by some hooligans, and she risked her life to save him.
That time, she almost drowned.
Afterward, she fell seriously ill.
Because of this kindness, she protected the Liu siblings throughout elementary school. When Windsor Academy was enrolling, she voluntarily gave up her spot for Rhea.
In her previous life, after returning to the Lin family, she spent almost all her pocket money on the Liu family to help them. What they ate, used, wore, and even where they lived, all came from her.
But how did the Liu family repay her?
When she escaped from the Lin family and sought help from the Liu family, only asking for a bit of money to leave, they agreed wholeheartedly but sold her out in no time.
They watched as she was captured by the Lin family, claiming it was for her own good, pushing her into the abyss, into the clutches of death.
In her previous life, she gave her heart and soul to the Liu family, only to be repaid with such treachery.
She had long repaid that small kindness.
In this life, if she helped again, she wouldn't be Zuri, but a saint.
Kindness is kindness, and enmity is enmity.
Kindness must be repaid.
But so must enmity.
Zuri looked at her coldly, her expression indifferent. Rhea's sorrow, her pleading, her teary eyes—in Zuri's view, it was all crocodile tears, laced with venom.
"Move aside," she said coldly.
Rhea didn't budge, persistently blocking her path, giving off an air of "I won't leave until you agree."
"Zuri, I know I'm not worthy to be your friend. You're a wealthy young lady, and I'm just a poor girl. For old times' sake, please help us. I won't bother you ever again," Rhea pleaded sincerely, moving many onlookers.
"My father is still in the hospital, his life hanging by a thread. We have no money left. Please help me this once. I will remember your kindness. I'll kneel if you want."
Saying this, Rhea was about to kneel.
Farida quickly supported Rhea, stopping her from kneeling.
Suddenly, a pair of hands clasped Farida's.
Farida looked at Zuri, who shook her head at her.
Farida slowly let go of her grip.
Rhea, now half-kneeling, was frozen on the spot, unsure whether to kneel or not.
Zuri looked at her coldly, her eyes full of mockery, as if saying, "Go ahead and kneel."
Farida could see it now—this woman was putting on a show.
She wanted to use public pressure to force Zuri to help, while also garnering everyone's sympathy and tarnishing Zuri's reputation.
She had stopped Rhea earlier, fearing that kneeling would harm Zuri's reputation. But now she saw that this woman, despite her father's critical condition, was still playing games.
Before, Farida hadn't known Zuri well. But after several interactions, she found Zuri quite interesting.
Zuri was cold and distant to everyone, but once she considered you her own, you'd find she was a very good friend—attentive and caring, in a subtle, silent way.
Farida noticed the looks around them, the disdain and contempt directed at Zuri. She could hardly contain herself. She hated these manipulative people the most; Rhea's act reminded her of Saira.
Watching Rhea straighten up, Farida sneered, "Go ahead and kneel."
Rhea's face stiffened, continuing to plead tearfully.
"Zuri, I don't need much, just a hundred thousand yuan. That money to you is just a few bags, a piece of jewelry, but it's my father's life-saving money."
Many students around them looked sympathetic, their gazes towards Zuri and her friends filled with disdain and contempt.
"I'll give it."
A chubby girl stepped forward from the crowd, shouting boldly.
Farida frowned at seeing Farah step out.
As Farah was about to take out her phone to transfer the money, a pair of hands stopped her chubby hands.
Farah looked at Zuri in confusion, "It's not too late to pay later."
Zuri had underestimated her.
Look at this plan—killing two birds with one stone. She wanted to gain sympathy if Zuri didn't pay, or find another fool to pay if she couldn't manipulate Zuri.
She could find another fool, but using Zuri as the villain to achieve her goals was unacceptable.
"Rhea, I'll give you a chance. In front of everyone, tell them—who owes whom more, me to your family or your family to me? Who wronged whom?"
Zuri's words were slow and soft.
"Remember, you only get one chance."
Rhea hesitated for a moment, then said without thinking, "Zuri, you said it yourself, if it weren't for my father, you wouldn't be alive."
Excellent!
Zuri smiled silently, a beautiful, radiant smile.
Hearing this, the crowd's discussions grew louder.
"My God, I didn't expect Zuri to be like this. So cold-blooded."
"Her father saved her life, and now he's dying, but she remains indifferent, making her kneel. So cruel."
"A hundred thousand yuan is nothing to her."
"She became like this after becoming a rich lady, disgusting."
"The most terrifying people are the ungrateful ones. You never know when they'll stab you in the back."
"How could the Ye and Feng families favor her? What's so good about her, such a venomous person?"
"Shh, keep it down. If she hears, she might hold a grudge. Didn't you see what happened to Saira and the others? They suffered terribly."
"Saira really had it bad, got kicked out of the Lin family. I heard Aaron dumped her too."
Azura and Farida were furious hearing the slander around them.
Rhea's eyes were still tearful, but she was secretly pleased.
Outside the crowd, two tall, handsome men in suits stood unnoticed. Everyone's attention was on the unfolding drama.
Grayson was surprised, encountering the girl who had caught his boss's eye here.
Nolan's gaze swept over Rhea and the others, finally resting on Zuri, his deep, dark eyes scrutinizing.
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