My mother usually brought me lunch around noon, but today she was hours late. When she finally arrived, her eyes were bloodshot, her face a deathly pale, and it looked as if half her hair had turned white overnight. “Mom, what is it? Did something happen at home? Is it my brother?” The moment she walked into my hospital room, the words tumbled out before I could stop them. At first, my mother just faltered, urging me to eat, trying to brush it off. But her state was too alarming to ignore. Under my persistent questioning, she finally broke down, clinging to me and sobbing, “Li Li, the police… they took your father. Our family is ruined!” “Arrested?” My brow furrowed as I took her by the arm. “Dad’s just a laborer. He’s always been an honest, hardworking man. Why would the police arrest him?” Her eyes were threaded with red, her voice raspy. “They’re saying he assaulted someone. He wouldn't hurt a fly! How could he hit anyone? It’s obvious that crooked Mr. Li from the Lu Corporation just doesn't want to pay him, so he framed him.” Tears streamed down her face. “Li Li, what are we going to do? Your father's in jail, and your brother is still in the hospital, waiting for that hard-earned money to save his life!” I tried to soothe her, but a wave of panic was rising in my own chest. My parents were laborers who had come to the big city from the impoverished mountains. A few years ago, my mother had an accident at a construction site that left her unable to do heavy labor, so we had to rely solely on my father's back-breaking work to support the family. We scraped by for years. Just as I was about to graduate from college and could finally help out, my brother was suddenly diagnosed with acute leukemia. That was when I met Gu Zhizhou. In the world of adults, men make money by conquering the world, and women make money by pleasing men. A simple transaction, really. Gu Zhizhou was generous, but leukemia is a voracious disease. The money from my father and me combined was barely enough to cover my brother's chemotherapy. Now this. My mind was a tangled mess. It was clear Mr. Li planned to stiff my father on his wages and had deliberately set a trap for him. After I got my mother settled, I went straight to the police station. When I saw my father, he looked as though he'd aged years overnight, his hair streaked with new gray. Seeing me, he lowered his head in shame, his voice full of resignation. “Li Li, I’m useless. I’ve become a burden to you.” I shook my head, my heart constricting in my chest. I forced a smile. “Dad, don't say that. I'll find a way to get you out. Don't talk like that.” He sighed. “Ah, that Mr. Li is a corrupt man, a deadbeat. There's nothing people like us can do against him. We just have to take the loss. Forget about me. Focus on finding the money for your brother's treatment. Listen to me!” “Dad!” A lump formed in my throat. “No matter what, I'm not abandoning you. I've already figured out a way to pay for my brother's treatment, so don't worry. I'll get you out of here.” With that, I left the police station, a bitter taste in my mouth. The most important thing now was to find Mr. Li. I couldn't let my father be prosecuted. I found out that this Mr. Li, who loved to party, was at a place called Guimei. I had originally planned to find him at his home, but after making the trip, I discovered he wasn't there. It was only after asking around that I learned he was living it up at Guimei. Fortunately, in my two years with Gu Zhizhou, I'd gotten to know a few people, which is how I was able to get the tip. Standing outside the private room, I hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open. Compared to the muffled noise in the hallway, the sound inside the room—a cacophony of microphone feedback and clinking glasses—was deafening. I had assumed Mr. Li was just here with a few drinking buddies for a night of fun. But the moment I stepped inside, I froze. There, among the men lounging on the sprawling leather sofa, one figure stood out with painful clarity: Gu Zhizhou. Seeing him there, I faltered, thinking I must have walked into the wrong room.