Lin Ruoxi sat in front of the half-a-car simulator, turning the steering wheel as the coach instructed.

’How much is half a turn? What about one and a half? Where do I turn it to the lock?’

Qiu Mengze also practiced for a while.

As for Xue Rui, he was talking with Coach Li.

"Don’t give me that. Maybe ten years ago, I’d have believed you, but everything’s electronic now. How could you possibly have the connections to book the practical skills test right after finishing the written exam?" Coach Li was completely unconvinced.

Xue Rui didn’t argue, since he had just sent his ID number to Chen Shen.

’As for whether he could actually pull it off...’

Chen Shen wasn’t the type to make empty promises. Since he’d agreed, there was no way he wouldn’t get it done.

But facing Coach Li, he had no proof, so he had no choice but to drop it. He’d bring it up again once the driving school’s system showed the updated information.

"Aren’t you going to get some practice in?" Coach Li asked.

"I know how," Xue Rui said lightly. It was actually pretty amusing watching the young lady turn the steering wheel.

"Driven before?" Coach Li laughed. These days, a lot of people learn to drive long before they get a license. They just drive illegally until a cop catches them, and only then do they bother taking the test...

Then there were the people who drove in closed-off areas, like inside factories or on rural backroads. He wasn’t surprised that Xue Rui already knew how to drive; he’d seen plenty of people like him.

"Even if you’ve driven before, you still have to learn," Coach Li said. "The test is nothing like real driving. Sometimes, experienced drivers have picked up so many bad habits that they can’t pass."

Xue Rui just smiled without saying anything. He was a very steady driver. He might not follow the rules to the letter, but all he needed was to be a little more mindful.

Lin Ruoxi and Qiu Mengze played on the training rig for a while before quickly losing interest.

Xue Rui handed 1,500 yuan to Lin Ruoxi. "This is from Qiu Mengze, paying you back."

"Oh, okay." Lin Ruoxi paused for a moment before quietly tucking the money into her schoolbag.

The amount was wrong, but since Xue Rui didn’t say anything, she didn’t mention it either.

"I have to go home and cook for Grandma," Lin Ruoxi said softly, almost as if asking for permission.

"Okay. Pack her things in the next couple of days. We’ll take your grandmother to the nursing home," Xue Rui said.

He’d previously had Yu Minlan research a bunch of nursing homes, and she had narrowed it down to a few with better facilities. He planned on taking the young lady to check them out over the next couple of days.

Qiu Mengze spoke up, "I’ll come help, too."

Even though he now knew Lin Ruoxi was very wealthy, he still felt sorry for her. To have no parents, only an elderly grandmother...

Besides, Lin Ruoxi had helped him so much. It wasn’t just about lending him money this time; back at school, she would even bring him an extra breakfast. Otherwise, what would he have used to try and win over Qin Tong?

Helping Lin Ruoxi run a few errands now was the least he could do.

Xue Rui gave Qiu Mengze a surprised look. ’This kid’s actually got a good heart.’

"Alright, you can come along too," Xue Rui said with a smile.

...

Over the next two days, Xue Rui took Lin Ruoxi and Qiu Mengze to see the nursing homes Yu Minlan had shortlisted. The facilities were all pretty decent.

Xue Rui chose the quietest one, which was also the closest to a hospital.

Lin Ruoxi was also very happy with his choice.

「Two days later」, Qiu Mengze called a taxi to help with the move.

To be honest, the old woman didn’t really have anything to take with her. He and Lin Ruoxi would have been more than enough for the job.

Still, Xue Rui appreciated Qiu Mengze’s thoughtfulness in showing up.

Qiu Mengze said to the old woman, "Hello, Grandma."

The old woman chuckled. ’It’s a good thing my granddaughter has another friend,’ she thought.

She had heard the old folks back in the village talk about nursing homes before, saying the food and accommodations were much better than what they had.

But that wasn’t what she cared about. What mattered was not being a burden to her granddaughter.

Now, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Having her granddaughter wait on her hand and foot every day... it had been weighing on her heart.

Besides, it was Xue Rui’s money paying for the nursing home now, so she didn’t feel the sting of the expense.

Lin Ruoxi held her grandmother’s arm, her eyes filled with a reluctance to part.

Seeing the young lady’s expression, Xue Rui smiled and said, "People need to be social. In the nursing home, your grandmother will have people her own age to talk to. It’s not right to keep her cooped up at home all the time."

"Okay." Lin Ruoxi nodded. She trusted Xue Rui.

The group arrived at the nursing home. It wasn’t in a remote location, but it wasn’t in a bustling downtown area either.

The courtyard had a full range of recreational facilities. There was a large, green public space, and the flowers and plants were lush and immaculately cared for.

Some of the elderly residents were gathered in groups, chatting, while others were playing mahjong or Chinese chess.

"Wow, this is nice. When I’m old, I’d want to come to a place like this," Qiu Mengze said, amazed by the facilities. It looked much better than his school.

"It’s not as good as you think," Xue Rui said quietly.

’The ones sitting outside are all the ones who are still mobile and in decent health. Of course it looks peaceful. But where are the ones who can’t even move?’

’If it were possible, he’d rather have kept her in the orthopedic ward. The nurses at a public hospital are far better than any private aides, and the cost isn’t even that high.’

’But the hospitals become packed once winter sets in, and he didn’t want to use his money to hog medical resources.’

As for the nursing home... the old woman could still take care of herself, but Xue Rui had paid for the highest tier of service anyway—over five thousand yuan a month, which was quite a bit more than what many young people in Hedong earned.

As they reached the entrance to the main building, someone came out to greet them.

It was a woman in her forties, dressed in the nursing home’s uniform.

"Hello, ma’am," the woman said gently.

She had been expecting a semi-paralyzed patient, but this old woman seemed to be in surprisingly good shape. ’Looks like I lucked out with an easy one,’ she thought.

"Yes, please show us to her room," Xue Rui said.

Qiu Mengze recalled what Xue Rui had said earlier. This was his first time in a place like this...

He had elderly relatives, as did his friends and extended family...

’But how many of them had been sent to a nursing home?’

In truth, both the elderly and children need supervision; a nursing home is much like a boarding school.

The difference is that a child is a core member of the family, the embodiment of their future hope. If a child gets so much as a scratch, their parents will be at the door demanding an explanation.

But the elderly who are sent to a nursing home? Aren’t they just family members who are in a state of being "semi-abandoned"?

The elderly just can’t compare to children.

The two of them waited at the door while Lin Ruoxi was inside, helping her grandmother unpack. She was also writing notes for the aide, explaining how to administer the old woman’s daily medication...

Qiu Mengze asked, "Lin Ruoxi isn’t short on money. Why not just hire a private caregiver?"

"You don’t get it." Xue Rui shook his head.

’Hire a private caregiver? There’s an old saying: "Even the most devoted son gives up after a long illness." You can’t even count on your own flesh and blood, so how could you possibly entrust her to a stranger?’

’The old woman’s only relative is Lin Ruoxi. Once she’s at school, a private caregiver would hold the woman’s life in their hands. It’s safer to have the oversight of an institution like a nursing home.’

’Besides, human nature is the same everywhere, transcending age and class.’

"Do you think they’re all the same?" Xue Rui asked, looking at the elderly residents in the distance.

Some of them looked energetic, laughing and chatting with those around them. Others just stared blankly into space, as if they were completely isolated.

"Uh..." Qiu Mengze was at a loss. He didn’t understand what Xue Rui was getting at.

"Wherever you have people, you have a pecking order," Xue Rui sighed.

He’d dealt with some bosses in the senior care industry before, so he knew a little about how it worked.

There’s a pecking order among the elderly in nursing homes, too. The rich look down on the poor. Those whose children visit often feel emboldened and will bully the residents who have no children.

And the nursing home aides? They’re administrators and service providers, much like kindergarten teachers.

A child’s ’guardian’ is their parent. An elderly person’s ’guardian’ is their child.

If the parents are rich and powerful, the teacher will give the child special attention, even if they haven’t received any gifts.

By the same token, if children visit an elderly resident frequently, the aides will be more cautious, afraid of getting a complaint filed against them.

But what about those who have no children, the ones who go the entire year without a single visitor? What kind of service do you think they get?

Those lonely, childless residents with no one to advocate for them might pay for the most expensive package and still be abused or extorted by the aides...

As for the consequences? Naturally, there are none.

When you’re so old you can’t even get out of bed, and your every move is controlled by an aide, what power do you have? What’s there for them to be afraid of?

Xue Rui walked into the room and looked around. The grandmother was in a single room with good lighting. On a table against the wall sat a bulky CRT television.

"What is this crap? I’m paying all this money and this is what she gets to watch?" Xue Rui bellowed.

The aide gave an awkward smile. ’How good a TV does an old person really need?’ she thought.

"Get it replaced. I’ll have someone send over an LCD TV tomorrow," Xue Rui said, slapping the television.

The aide’s eye twitched. She thought Xue Rui was just putting on a show.

But as he spoke, Xue Rui pulled a brand-new iPhone from his bag and tossed it onto the grandmother’s bed.

"I’ve saved a few numbers in there. You can recognize your granddaughter’s name, right?" Xue Rui instructed. Then, he shot a look at the aide. "And you, make sure you keep this phone charged. The charger’s in the bag."

The aide sucked in a sharp breath. She might be getting on in years, but she still recognized an iPhone when she saw one.

’These days, not even many young people could afford an iPhone, and this young man just casually tossed one to an old woman to use? Wasn’t that a bit of a waste?’

’Then that bit about the LCD TV must be real, too...’

Xue Rui’s loud voice had attracted a crowd of other residents, who stopped to see what sort of person this new arrival was.

"Well now, they’re all youngsters," an old man muttered.

"What are you looking at? You’re blocking the light," Xue Rui snapped.

"So young, yet so hot-tempered," the old man mumbled, shaking his head as he walked away.

Lin Ruoxi looked on, stunned. ’Is Xue Rui in a bad mood today? Why is he talking so loudly?’

She timidly glanced at Xue Rui. ’He seems so fierce right now,’ she thought.

The grandmother looked on in surprise. ’Did this kid eat gunpowder today or something? With a temper that explosive, he’s scared my granddaughter’s little face pale.’

"If you need anything, just call. Someone will come right away," Xue Rui said loudly.

He leaned in close to the grandmother and whispered, "What happened to that battle-ax attitude you had when you were young? I heard from the folks in Hua Village that you were famous as the biggest shrew for miles around."

"Nonsense!" The old woman’s face darkened. She couldn’t believe Xue Rui was bringing up her sordid past.

"Hehe, haven’t you heard the saying?" Xue Rui chuckled.

"What?" the old woman asked, confused.

"The good die young, but a scourge lives for a thousand years," Xue Rui said with a grin.

"You little brat!" The old woman raised her cane as if to hit him.

Thinking Xue Rui was about to be struck, Lin Ruoxi quickly moved to stand in front of him.

"Grandma, don’t hit Xue Rui!" The young lady was on the verge of tears.

The grandmother snorted. ’This granddaughter of mine... Honestly. I’m just an old woman with creaky bones. How could I possibly land a blow on him?’

’Does he really need you to protect him?’

The old woman shot Xue Rui a glare. "Get out."

Xue Rui took the hint. The grandmother must have wanted to say something to Lin Ruoxi alone.

He stood at the doorway, listening to the gossip of the people nearby, and nodded slightly to himself.

The gossipy old man Xue Rui had shooed away was now complaining to the others.

"Looks like we’ve got a hot-tempered old lady on our hands," the old man said with a nod.

"You talked to her already?" someone asked, confused.

"Don’t need to. You didn’t see her grandson’s attitude! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. That old lady can’t be much better."

"And look, there’s another delinquent with them," someone else said, pointing at Qiu Mengze.

Qiu Mengze’s expression soured. His reputation had been dragged down right along with Xue Rui’s. ’How could someone call me a delinquent? I’m going to be a university student!’

"Why are you acting like a thug today?" Qiu Mengze asked, confused.

Xue Rui didn’t explain. He was quite satisfied with being labeled a "delinquent."