Chapter 1

As night fell and the city lights came on, Jin Guancheng entered the time of its bustling nightlife. However, none of this mattered to Lin Yang, who was urgently seeking a part-time job.

Stepping out of a job placement agency, Lin Yang looked up at the crescent moon in the night sky and sighed lightly, "After paying the tuition and accommodation fees, the money in my pocket is almost gone. If I can't find a part-time job soon, I'll really have to go hungry next month."

Since arriving at the school, he had been looking for part-time work around the university town. Three days had passed, but he had nothing to show for it.

This was not surprising. At the beginning of each new academic year, the period when part-time jobs were most in demand in the university town made it difficult to find one. Moreover, he had arrived a few days late, making his chances even slimmer.

Suddenly, a monotonous ringtone sounded. Lin Yang pulled out the discontinued Nokia 3100 from his pocket and frowned when he saw the caller ID.

The caller was none other than his father, Lin Wenzhi.

After a brief hesitation, Lin Yang pressed the answer button. Before he could speak, a stern middle-aged man's voice came from the phone, "Where are you? Why haven't you reported to Stanford University's GSB Business School?"

"I didn't go to America."

Lin Yang did not lie or hide anything, knowing that if his father wanted to investigate, it would take no more than two hours to find out his whereabouts and what he had been doing these past few days.

"I have already enrolled at Huaxi University's Medical School and won't be going to Stanford."

"Nonsense!" Lin Wenzhi was furious. "I sent you to Stanford to study financial management to groom you as my successor. I wanted you to take over the family business gradually after you returned. You should know how many people are eager for the position of the head of the Lin family. Are you really willing to ruin your future and betray my efforts for a woman?"

Lin Yang explained, "Dad, you know that Xiao Jun saved my life and became a vegetative state. She is now in a coma, and I must do everything I can to save her. You once taught me that a man should be responsible and have integrity. How can I have the right to manage the family business if I abandon my own girlfriend?"

"Sun Xiaojun's condition is being handled by doctors. Why do you have to study medicine?"

"That's true. In the past year, we have invited many famous doctors from home and abroad, but they have been unable to help her..."

Lin Wenzhi couldn't help but sneer and asked, "If the famous doctors from home and abroad can't cure Sun Xiaojun, how can you, by studying medicine, cure her?"

"This..." After a brief silence, Lin Yang replied, "I can only say that I will do my best and leave the rest to fate."

Lin Wenzhi could no longer control his anger and shouted, "You are ruining your own future! I don't have the time or energy to argue with you. Come back immediately and go to Stanford as I arranged. If you persist in this, don't blame me for freezing all your cards!"

Lin Yang laughed, but it was a bitter laugh. "Dad, did you notice that I left all my bank cards and credit cards at home? Your son has grown up. Even without the family's money, I can support myself."

Lin Wenzhi laughed in anger. "Good, I didn't expect you to have such backbone!"

Lin Yang said sincerely, "Dad, I know that my choice has disappointed you. But if I don't do this, I will regret it for the rest of my life. Please let me indulge myself this once."

There was silence on the other end of the line. After a few minutes, Lin Wenzhi finally spoke, "Just don't regret it," and hung up.

Sighing, Lin Yang put his phone back in his pocket, feeling a mix of emotions.

At that moment, a clear and fresh female voice suddenly rang in his ear, "Lin Yang? Is that really you?"

Lin Yang turned his head and saw four young girls standing about five meters in front of him. The prettiest one, with a classical and gentle beauty, looked somewhat familiar.

"Are you...?"

"Don't you recognize me?" the pretty girl asked with a smile. When she smiled, her eyes would naturally squint into a crescent shape, making her look very playful and cute. "We were classmates in high school for a year."

After this reminder, Lin Yang finally remembered who she was. "Wen Xiaoqi, that's right, you're Wen Xiaoqi. Wow, I didn't expect to meet you here in Jin Guancheng."

Wen Xiaoqi, who was his classmate in the first year of high school, was no longer in the same class after the reorganization.

"I didn't expect it either." Wen Xiaoqi was excited to meet an old friend in a foreign place. "Are you studying in Jin Guancheng too? Which school?"

"Huaxi University's Medical School."

"Really? I'm also at Huaxi University, but in the Art College."

It was clear that Wen Xiaoqi wanted to chat more with her old classmate. Unfortunately, Lin Yang was not in the best mood and was eager to find a part-time job, so his attitude was somewhat perfunctory.

"Are you busy with something?" Wen Xiaoqi noticed this.

Lin Yang didn't hide it and admitted, "I'm looking for a part-time job around here."

Feeling a bit disappointed, Wen Xiaoqi said, "If that's the case, I won't disturb you. But can I have your phone number? We can meet up more often. It's rare to meet an old classmate in a foreign place."

Lin Yang wasn't a shy person and immediately exchanged phone numbers with Wen Xiaoqi. They then said goodbye.

"Xiaoqi, who was that guy?" the other three girls asked curiously as they walked a few steps away.

"My old classmate from high school," Wen Xiaoqi replied.

The other three girls didn't believe her. "Really just an old classmate? He looked more like an old flame. Otherwise, why would the top beauty in our Art College's freshman class exchange phone numbers with him?"

Wen Xiaoqi was flustered and defended herself, "Really, just an old classmate. Please, don't spread rumors. You should study journalism and become entertainment reporters after graduation, not study ethnic instruments like you are now."

Lin Yang didn't know about the girls' playful banter. After parting ways with Wen Xiaoqi, he continued his search for a part-time job.

This was the most important thing for him at the moment.

It was already past nine in the evening, and with no success, he hurried back to Huaxi University's Medical School.

The dormitory building had a rule of closing the door at ten o'clock. He didn't want to end up sleeping on the street because he returned late.

In the past three days, Lin Yang had explored the area around the university town. Although he hadn't found a part-time job, he had become familiar with the surroundings.

He knew of a small, inconspicuous alley nearby that led directly to the entrance of the Medical School.

To save time, he quickly walked into the alley.

The alley had been there for over twenty years. On its left side was a wall covered with moss and ivy. Behind the wall was Huaxi University, but not the Medical School; it was the Art College.

On the right side of the alley were a row of small buildings from the 1980s. These buildings housed various restaurants and shops catering to students, as well as countless short-term rentals and hourly rooms. It was especially lively on weekends and holidays...

Of course, the side of the alley was just the back of these buildings, which was quiet and somewhat eerie, unlike the bustling front.

Lin Yang had walked this alley several times before and knew it well.

However, tonight, the alley was unusually cold.

In theory, September was early autumn, and it should still retain some of the summer's warmth. Moreover, the temperature outside the alley was normal, but inside it was as cold as winter, which was quite strange.

However, the unusual atmosphere in the alley did not scare Lin Yang.

In the past, when he lived in Jiufeng Mountain with his retired grandfather, he had walked many night paths. The mountain paths were rugged and dangerous, and the dark night was filled with fierce beasts, which were far more dangerous than this seemingly eerie but urban alley.

After about ten minutes, Lin Yang had walked three-quarters of the alley and could see the faint lights at the far end of the alley.

Once he exited the alley and turned right, it was only about fifty to sixty meters to the Medical School's main gate.

Calculating the time, he was sure he could return to the dormitory before it closed, avoiding the tragic fate of sleeping on the street.

Relieved, Lin Yang stopped beside an abandoned wooden cabinet in the alley.

A black cat poked its head out of the cabinet and looked up at Lin Yang.

Having passed through the alley several times before, Lin Yang had become familiar with this black cat. Almost every time he passed, he would bring some food to feed the cat, and today was no exception.

"Have you been waiting for me long?"

Lin Yang smiled and took out a meat bun wrapped in a plastic bag, offering it to the cat.

Usually, upon seeing food, the cat would immediately come out of the cabinet, rub its head against Lin Yang's hand as a sign of friendliness, and then take the food back to its 'nest' to enjoy it.

However, today, the cat's behavior surprised Lin Yang.

It did not come forward to take the bun but stared at Lin Yang with wide, amber eyes.

These eyes were filled with intense fear and panic...