Zhang Mei’s back was drenched in sweat, fear coursing through her as she found herself cornered by Cao Heping, who had come too close for comfort. She was in a situation she had never faced before, uncertain about how to escape it. Her eyes remained tightly closed as she braced for what might come next.

Just as Cao Heping was about to make an indecent move, a furious voice boomed behind him, demanding, "Stay away from her!"

Zhang Mei couldn’t help but exhale a sigh of relief upon recognizing the voice as Li Chen’s. Finally, he had arrived. Cao Heping slowly turned to face the source of the interruption, his arrogance undiminished, and snapped, "How dare you interrupt me, young man?"

Li Chen’s eyes blazed with anger as he retorted, "How dare you hover around my girlfriend like that!"

Seizing the chance, Zhang Mei swiftly moved to stand beside Li Chen and uttered, "Baby, you’re finally here."

Li Chen replied, "Don’t worry, my love. I would never allow such a pervert to touch you. I’m sorry I was late."

Cao Heping, undeterred, continued with his indecent proposal, "Oh, so you’re the boyfriend. Listen, young man, I like your girlfriend. If you can give her to me for just one day, I’ll make it worth your while."

Li Chen’s fury intensified at Cao Heping’s audacity, despite the fact that he wasn’t officially dating Zhang Mei. He couldn’t stand the disrespect being shown to her.

Li Chen couldn’t contain his anger, and he punched Cao Heping directly in the face. A crackling sound of jaws dislocating was heard. Cao Heping held his bleeding mouth after losing a tooth and said, "How dare you touch me! Do you know who I am?"

Li Chen replied coldly, "I know you’re a pervert. Is there something else I should know?"

Cao Heping threatened, "I will make you pay for this, both of you."

Li Chen bellowed, "Get out!" Cao Heping held his mouth tightly and hurriedly left the apartment.

Li Chen turned to Zhang Mei and asked, "How are you doing? Did he touch you?" Zhang Mei exhaled with relief and said, "No, he didn’t. Thank you, Li Chen."

Zhang Mei added with a hint of regret, "I’m sorry."

Li Chen, puzzled, asked, "What are you apologizing for?"

Zhang Mei explained, "Cao Heping is a dangerous man, and I’ve gotten you into trouble."

Li Chen reassured her, "Don’t worry; I can handle trouble."

Li Chen sat down, his eyes darting between the papers on the coffee table, and then he said, "You’re being evicted."

Zhang Mei nodded sadly, replying, "Yes, from today onwards, I will be homeless with my sick mother."

Li Chen offered a solution, "How about you stay with me?"

Zhang Mei opened her eyes in shock, "Stay with you? I can’t. It doesn’t seem appropriate."

Li Chen assured her, "Hey, I have an extra bedroom you can use. We can be housemates. Don’t worry; I’m not a pervert. Even though I grew up in different homes, I was taught to respect women."

Zhang Mei hesitated, "That’s not what I mean."

Li Chen pressed, "Then what do you mean?"

Zhang Mei struggled to find the right words, and Li Chen continued, "You need a place to stay, and I have an extra room. I think we can consider ourselves friends now, can’t we?"

Zhang Mei finally nodded, "Yes, I think we are friends."

Li Chen smiled warmly, "And what type of friend would I be if I let my only friend be homeless?"

Zhang Mei chuckled softly and said, "I just don’t want to trouble you."

Li Chen insisted, "But I’m asking you to trouble me. At least you’ll be in a safe environment where that pervert can’t find you."

After careful consideration, Zhang Mei finally agreed, "Okay, but I’ll move out as soon as I find a job."

Li Chen nodded, "That’s fine with me."

Zhang Mei started packing her belongings, and Li Chen helped her while they engaged in casual conversation. After packing everything she could, Li Chen and Zhang Mei carried the bags downstairs to Li Chen’s car. The car ride to Li Chen’s house was mostly quiet, but Li Chen eventually broke the silence.

Li Chen turned to Zhang Mei and said, "So, tell me, Miss Zhang, since when did I become your boyfriend?"

Zhang Mei was so embarrassed that her ears turned as red as ripe tomatoes. She opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find the right words.

Li Chen chuckled and reassured her, "I’m kidding. No need to be embarrassed."

Zhang Mei let out a sigh of relief and responded, "Thank you."

The car soon arrived at Li Chen’s home in the 4th district, and Zhang Mei was genuinely impressed. The house was clean and beautifully furnished. Li Chen led her to her room and said, "Welcome to your new home."

Zhang Mei admired her room, which had a comfortable bed, a desk, and a spacious wardrobe. She turned to Li Chen and expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Li Chen."

Li Chen replied, "There are no thank-yous among friends."

Zhang Mei smiled and nodded, saying, "You’re right. So, I’ll treat your house like my own."

Li Chen chuckled and said, "I’d really love that."

Zhang Mei began to settle into her new room, unpacking her belongings and reflecting on her life’s journey. She hadn’t always been so impoverished; her family had once enjoyed a comfortable life. Her father owned a small business that had promising growth prospects. However, everything changed when her father’s own brother betrayed them.

Zhang Mei’s uncle, motivated by jealousy and resentment, secretly colluded with their competitors, causing her father’s business to rapidly decline. The family’s financial stability crumbled, and their lives took a devastating turn for the worse. The stress and despair had a severe toll on her father’s health. He suffered a stroke, followed by a fatal heart attack that tragically took his life.

Their hardships continued as Zhang Mei’s mother fell seriously ill with cancer just a year after her husband’s death. This cruel twist of fate left Zhang Mei and her mother with nothing, struggling to make ends meet. The most heartbreaking aspect of their situation was that Zhang Mei’s uncle, the very person who had betrayed them, took over her father’s business and became their sole source of suffering.

What made their predicament even more distressing was the knowledge that Zhang Mei’s uncle had long harbored romantic feelings for her mother. He couldn’t bear to see her mother marry his own brother, and when her mother chose a life with Zhang Mei’s father, it stoked the fires of his resentment. These past betrayals and family intrigues cast a long shadow over Zhang Mei’s life, and she found herself in her current difficult circumstances, determined to create a better future for herself and her ailing mother.

Zhang Mei’s determination to reclaim her father’s business burned deep within her. Despite its stagnant state under her uncle’s management, she believed that with hard work and determination, she could revive it to honor her father’s memory and achieve the vengeance she sought.

Every day, she aspired to visit her father’s grave and tell him that she had avenged him. This long-cherished dream was her driving force, motivating her to keep moving forward even when life seemed insurmountably challenging.

As she packed her belongings in Li Chen’s house, her thoughts inevitably drifted to her mother, who lay in a hospital bed battling cancer. The mounting medical bills added to her financial woes, and she felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on her shoulders. She needed money urgently to ensure her mother received the medical care she needed.

Despite Li Chen’s generous offer to provide her shelter, Zhang Mei hesitated to ask him for financial assistance. She didn’t want to burden him further; his kindness in giving her a place to stay was already more than she could have hoped for. Zhang Mei had even attempted to seek help from her uncle, hoping that the family connection might soften his heart, but she was met with cold rejection.

Fears of being blacklisted by Cao Heping, who had a reputation for controlling the industry, made her job prospects appear bleak. Zhang Mei was caught in a desperate struggle to secure her mother’s well-being and fulfill her long-held dreams, with each passing day bringing new challenges and uncertainties.

"Come, let’s have something to eat." Li Chen’s voice outside the room interrupted Zhang Mei’s thoughts.

Zhang Mei walked out of her room and the smell of food made her stomach rumble. "The smell of the food is incredible. I haven’t had a proper meal in weeks." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"I can tell, your stomach was quite vocal."

Zhang Mei answered, still a bit absent-minded, "Yeah, well..."

Li Chen noticed her demeanor and asked, "What’s on your mind?"

"Oh, it’s just...my mother’s bills...I can’t stop thinking about them."

"You mean the hospital bills?"

"Yes, they keep piling up, and I’m not sure how I’m going to manage."

"Ouch, you’re hurting my feelings, Zhang Mei."

"How am I hurting your feelings?"

"Because you haven’t asked for my help."

"Well, you’ve already done so much for me, Li Chen. I don’t want to burden you any further."

"Zhang Mei, give me your account number or get out of my house"

"Okay, okay. It’s..."

Li Chen noted down the account number.

Li Chen laughed heartily and said, "you really thought I’d kick you out? I just want to help you, so please let me."

"But how will I ever repay you?"

"It’s simple. You’ll work for my company for a month, free of charge."

"Your company? But you don’t have a company."

"Ah, you’ll find out soon enough."

Li Chen made a transfer of 1 million yuan to Zhang Mei’s account and said "I hope this helps."