Chapter 4: Support

"I'm willing! More than willing!"

Wu Bei nodded frantically, his face full of hope. He had sought work many times before, but because he had to care for his elderly father, he could never keep a job for long.

After settling everything, Su Qing chatted with Wu Bei for a few moments before leaving. Wu Bei had no inappropriate thoughts toward this angelic nurse, nor was he narcissistic enough to believe she had taken a fancy to him; he knew Su Qing simply pitied him, or perhaps felt for his father.

At the hospital entrance, Wu Bei saw the girl from the elevator once more. He watched with his own eyes as she climbed into a stretched Rolls-Royce, escorted by a motorcade of luxury vehicles like Mercedes-Benzes and BMWs. Any one of those cars was worth millions. Wu Bei could not imagine how vast the girl’s family background must be, and he grew increasingly confused: why was she so insistent on finding him?

"Clack, clack, clack!"

A cacophony of leather shoes approached, and eight or nine men in black suits hurried out of the inpatient lobby.

"Mr. Luo, we were a step too late. Miss Nianxia has already left! Yes, yes, I’m on my way there now..."

A familiar voice rang out behind Wu Bei—it was the burly man with the crew cut who had laid hands on him at Luo Xue’s company. Wu Bei instinctively turned away, hoping to avoid being seen.

"That bitch, she was so wild in bed, just wait until tonight!" the man muttered, cursing as he hung up the phone.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little bastard!"

It was a case of trouble finding one who wasn't even looking for it. Seeing them pass by, the burly man suddenly turned, spotted Wu Bei, and immediately surrounded him with a sinister grin. Faced with the group, Wu Bei bit his lip and remained silent.

"When is that old turtle of a father of yours going to die? I want to make sure I bring a funeral gift!" The man reached out and shoved Wu Bei’s forehead.

Wu Bei frowned but still ignored him, turning to walk in the opposite direction. The men in suits burst into disgusting laughter.

"Didn't you hear me talking to you, you piece of trash?!" The burly man grabbed Wu Bei by the collar with his left hand and shoved his head around with his right, continuing his provocation.

"Whoosh!"

Wu Bei suddenly looked up, his eyes turning cold and sharp. His father had repeatedly warned him never to provoke Luo Xue or anyone from her company. Although he didn't know the reason, Wu Bei could guess with his eyes closed that his father must have some leverage held over him by Luo Xue.

The burly man faltered and reflexively let go; he had never seen such a piercing gaze.

"What are you glaring at? You think you're tough in front of Brother Wei? Do you even have the qualifications?!" A lackey stepped forward and slammed a fist into Wu Bei’s shoulder.

Wu Bei stood as firm as a mountain, his feet seemingly rooted to the ground, while the lackey was actually jolted two steps backward. The burly man, perhaps feeling embarrassed, bared his teeth and stepped toward Wu Bei again.

"Don't provoke me. This is my last warning!" Wu Bei’s lips moved; his voice was low, but clear enough for the man to hear every word.

The scene sent a shiver through the burly man. He had never seen someone with eyes as venomous as a viper. It felt as if he would be torn to shreds if he dared to take another half-step forward.

Wu Bei walked past the man without looking back.

"Damn it, if I didn't have business today, I’d definitely give him a real beating!" The burly man’s self-justifying voice reached Wu Bei’s ears from a distance.

Wu Bei narrowed his eyes and sneered, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing. A swan does not concern itself with the affairs of sparrows; a tiger does not walk with dogs!

If Wu Bei were willing, those men would all be lying on the ground in less than two minutes, but the reality of his situation did not allow for such conflict.

Back in the ward, his father was already fast asleep. Looking at the old man, who was so thin he was barely recognizable, a mix of emotions churned within Wu Bei. He remembered three years ago, when his father had visited him at the military base, how spirited and ambitious he had been. In Wu Bei’s heart, his father was a legendary hero. It had taken the old man less than a decade to rise from a truck driver to a self-made success.

At his peak, the house was covered in photos of his father with various politicians and dignitaries; his father had even funded the construction of the road in front of the hospital. Wu Bei could not fathom why his father had suddenly plummeted, or why he had ended up in such a state.

"Ups and downs make a life; stumbling and falling allow for growth," his father suddenly sighed.

His eyes were shut tight as he spoke, as if he were muttering in his sleep. Wu Bei’s eyes widened in shock. After a moment of silence, he leaned toward the hospital bed and asked, "I want to know how Luo Xue stole the company from you!"

"Snore..."

The old man turned over, letting out a loud, rhythmic snore. It was always like this! Whenever the topic of Luo Xue or the company's past came up, his father would play deaf and dumb, either refusing to answer or brushing it off with nonsense.

"Dad!" Wu Bei raised his voice, a hint of anger in his tone, but the only response was the old man’s oblivious snoring.

"Ring, ring..."

His phone rang, pulling Wu Bei back to reality. Seeing it was the landlord, he hurried outside to answer.