Ten Million for You

Zhou Family Residence.

Inside the luxurious villa complex, Zhou Feng sat by the home bar in loose pajamas, massaging his temples as if nursing a headache. He had already downed several glasses of red wine, but the alcohol did little to soothe his mood.

"You've had four glasses already, Young Master," someone nearby remarked.

"Hmm..." Zhou Feng didn’t respond directly. Instead, he suddenly asked, "Where’s Xian?"

"She went to Sakura Park to clear her mind, it seems."

Zhou Feng: "..."

He let out a heavy sigh, as if trying to expel all his frustration.

"How’s my daughter been lately?"

"You mean Miss Alice, or—"

"Yu Rou."

"She’s still attending school. Madam visited her recently, but nothing significant happened..."

Just then, the phone on the table buzzed. Zhou Feng glanced at it and motioned for the attendant to leave with a look.

"Hello."

"It’s me." A woman’s languid voice came through the phone. "Oh? You’re drinking?"

Zhou Feng stiffened, then scanned the room before his expression darkened. "Jin Sha! Did you plant surveillance in my house?!"

"Calm down~ Maybe I didn’t do anything like that?" The woman continued, unfazed.

"It’s just that your voice sounds like you’ve been drinking..."

Zhou Feng pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you want?"

"Nothing much~ Just a reminder about our little arrangement... and that matter with Bai Yuyou—no, Zhou Yurou."

"Hmm~"

"Never mind, we’ll talk later."

Zhou Feng’s eyes widened. "Wait, what are you planning?!"

But all he heard was the abrupt click of the call ending.

Clutching his phone, Zhou Feng drained the last of his wine and hurled the glass to the floor. "Bastard!"

With a sharp shatter, shards of glass scattered across the floor, the remnants of red wine pooling like blood.

......

"Achoo!"

In the school infirmary at dawn, Ye Shuang sneezed and rubbed his nose.

"Someone cursing me behind my back?"

As he muttered, his gaze drifted downward to his thighs, where four legs—two clad in white stockings, two in black—rested like a yin-yang symbol.

"Hey, you two done fooling around?"

The two girls lounged on a beanbag chair, engrossed in their handheld consoles, their legs shamelessly propped on Ye Shuang’s lap.

"You’re free anyway. Consider it a footrest," An Shiyu drawled lazily. The other girl nodded in agreement.

"If you’re bored, you can give them a rub."

"As if I’d do that," Ye Shuang retorted. Just then, An Shiyu seemed to remember something and lowered her console. "Oh, right..."

"The old man left something for you."

"Your grandfather?"

"Yeah."

"What do you mean, ‘left something’?" Ye Shuang frowned.

An Shiyu tilted her head, then glanced at the other girl. "What was it again? I think I forgot."

"Me too." The other girl blinked blankly.

"Tch, you have hyperthymesia. How could you forget?"

"Maybe because I wasn’t there?"

The two began bickering, their legs shoving against each other. Ye Shuang stared at his wrinkled pants and sighed inwardly.

If you’re going to fight, take it outside. I’ll even sponsor a glucose drip.

"Oh, I remember now." An Shiyu suddenly reached under her skirt, rummaged for a few seconds, and tossed a card at him.

"Huh?"

Ye Shuang stared at the still-warm bank card in his hand. "..."

"Ten million inside. Grandpa’s way of saying thanks," An Shiyu said.

Ye Shuang’s hand twitched. "How much?"

"Ten million."

"..." He studied the card for a long moment before shaking his head. "Too much. I don’t need it."

"Why refuse? Only an idiot turns down free money," An Shiyu said, eyeing him like he was a moron.

"I didn’t treat you for money or rewards," Ye Shuang said calmly. "I just wanted to save you."

The words were straightforward, yet they carried an odd weight. An Shiyu froze, while the other girl burst into giggles.

"Ooooh~ ‘For~ you~’" she teased in a singsong voice.

"Shut up with that crap!" An Shiyu’s ears turned red as she kicked her legs wildly.

"Watch where you’re aiming those feet!"

"If you don’t want it, I’ll take it!"

"On second thought, I’ll return this to your grandfather myself," Ye Shuang said, pocketing the card before the other girl could scheme with it.

Who knows? She might buy a helicopter or something.

The two finally settled down, but just then, the infirmary door creaked open.

"Um... is the school nurse here?"

The voice was familiar. Ye Shuang turned and saw someone he recognized.

Tao Xiaotao.

"Did I... walk into the wrong room?" Peach blinked at the lavish setup—plush leather sofas, high-end gaming rigs with RGB lighting—and wondered if she’d stumbled into a gamer’s den.

"No, you’re in the right place."

Ye Shuang stood up.

"Instructor?!"

"I told you, I’m not an instructor." Ye Shuang hadn’t expected to see her here, but given her dazed expression, he softened his tone.

"Why’d you come to the infirmary? Not feeling well?"

"I..." Peach’s gaze drifted to An Shiyu.

Huh?

Isn’t that the girl from my class?

"Are you two... twins?" Peach rubbed her eyes in disbelief.

"Something like that," An Shiyu said offhandedly, while the other blew a bubble with her gum.

"Peach, what’s bothering you?"

"Ah! I-I’ve been having stomach pains lately," Peach stammered. "Um..."

"Yeah?"

"Can you prescribe something cheap? Even a little will do!"

Ye Shuang gave her a look that screamed "are you serious?" but explained patiently, "The infirmary doesn’t charge. Have a seat."

"Really?! Okay!" Relief washed over her at the word "free."

Peach had heard medical care in the city was expensive, so she’d been toughing it out.

But the pain had gotten worse, threatening her part-time job.

Ye Shuang scanned her briefly—

[Character: Tao Xiaotao

Stomach issues. Maybe gift her a bag of flour?]

"I’ll need to examine you. Is that alright?"

Peach stiffened, her brain short-circuiting.

"Just your abdomen," Ye Shuang clarified with a reassuring smile, pulling on white gloves.

"O-okay!"

He pressed a spot through her clothes, and Peach winced.

"Pain here?"

"Y-yes." She was surprised he’d pinpointed it so accurately.