The Benefactor

Lucas started the car. "Just some business."

"What kind of business could you have? Don't tell me you've hooked up with a woman?"

James teased him. "Look at those fresh scratch marks on your arm. Which wildcat did that?"

Lucas glanced at his arm resting on the steering wheel, the sleeves of his shirt rolled halfway up, revealing several fresh red scratches. Memories of last night flashed in his mind... Wildcat?

More like a cornered rabbit ready to bite.

Lucas looked away, recalling the happy conversation she had with James earlier, and casually asked, "Was that girl you were talking to earlier your student?"

James perked up. "Yes, she's been winning scholarships at our school for four years straight. She's incredibly talented and has a lot of potential. A real gem."

"You've got a good eye. Do you think she's strong enough?" Lucas asked with a hint of sarcasm.

James leaned in, "Why do you ask?"

Lucas sneered, "If she could clean off those bathroom ads in your school, it would be a start."

---

Kaylee returned to her dormitory and immediately poured herself a glass of water, taking the medicine Lucas had given her.

"Ping!" Her phone screen lit up. She picked it up and saw a transfer of one thousand yuan on WeChat. Her roommate, Clara, spoke up behind her.

"Kaylee, I've transferred last night's payment to you. But why were you out all night? You came back later than me! If you hadn't texted to say you were safe, I'd have thought you were taken by some thug!" Kaylee put away the medicine box, blushing as she lied, "I took an overnight shift at the convenience store to earn extra money."

"You're relentless. Working yourself to the bone, no wonder you have such dark circles. You look like you haven't slept all night." Kaylee's cheeks heated up again. In some sense, she hadn't slept all night and had worked quite hard...

"I'm really tired. I'm going to bed for a while. Wake me up for lunch," Kaylee yawned and climbed into bed.

"Alright, you sleep. I'm going out for lunch with friends, so I won't disturb you. I'll come back at noon and take you out for a nice meal!" Clara twirled in her new dress, her makeup shimmering, looking especially sweet.

Kaylee couldn't help but tease, "Having lunch with friends? Are you sure it's not a date? Your eyes are practically sparkling with love."

"You wouldn't understand since you've never been in love. The ambiguity period is the most thrilling, especially the unspoken tension. It's not as fun once you're in a relationship."

Clara raised her eyebrows and leaned on Kaylee's bed, suggesting, "Kaylee, I strongly recommend you get a boyfriend. Experience love, or you'll stumble in relationships in the future."

Kaylee smiled, "I'm too busy to think about a boyfriend."

"You just haven't tasted the sweetness of a man. Once you do, you'll be hooked."

Sweetness of a man... Kaylee's mind drifted to some indescribable scenes. She moved her sore limbs, silently denying it. She wasn't hooked at all.

Once Clara left, leaving Kaylee alone, she changed into her pajamas and was about to catch up on sleep when her phone rang.

Kaylee saw the caller ID and eagerly answered.

"Dad, why are you calling?"

"I miss my daughter. Can't I call to check on you?" Her father, George's, voice came through the phone.

"Of course, I miss you too, Dad. How's your leg?" Kaylee asked, sitting up.

"The surgery was successful. The doctor said I need three months of rehab before I can walk again." George's voice was filled with excitement. Being able to walk again after years of paralysis was a hope he couldn't contain.

"By the way, Kaylee, your mom said you paid for my surgery. You're still a student, where did you get so much money?"

Only Dad would notice she was a poor student, while her mom and brother just kept asking for money, never caring where it came from. Kaylee clutched the bedsheet and forced a light tone, "I took on a private job recently. The client is wealthy and generous. They paid me in advance for my design work. Don't worry, Dad. In a month, I'll start my internship and can earn even more to support you."

George's heart settled hearing this. "You're supporting the family now. I'm proud of you. You know, you're the only girl from our village to go to college. Make us proud. That benefactor is good to you, paying you in advance. Work hard for them, okay?"

Thinking about how Lucas had blocked her, Kaylee nodded awkwardly, "I will."

After chatting a bit more, the doctor urged George to start rehab, so he hung up. Kaylee let out a long sigh of relief. Her finger accidentally swiped to her contacts, where she saw a familiar number. She stared at it for a long time, then deleted Lucas's contact information. The transaction was over; they were even. She and Lucas would have no further contact. This would be just a smallChapter in her life.

---

In the following days, Kaylee buried herself in her studies. Time flew, and her life returned to its usual calm, so much so that she wondered if the previous absurd events were just a dream.

Her internship period arrived. During this time, Henry ran into Kaylee a few times, but he kept his distance, only teasing her verbally and not daring to touch her. It seemed his uncle's warning had a significant impact.

Kaylee had been looking for a place to stay since she had to start her internship and the school dorms were closing for the summer. Initially, she planned to share a place with Clara, but Clara had started dating her ambiguous friend, and they moved in together. Not wanting to intrude, Kaylee searched alone.

Near the school was an old apartment complex with many rental units, favored by recent graduates for its affordability.

 After a half-day search, Kaylee found a small studio with a private bath. It was small and a bit cramped, but she was happy to have her own space for the first time.

After paying the rent and deposit, she moved in that evening, did some light cleaning, and lay down.

"Buzz buzz buzz—" Her phone rang. Kaylee jumped up, saw the familiar name, and straightened up. It was James!

"Hello, Professor Qin..." James's voice was calm on the other end. "Kaylee, I heard you moved out today and are no longer staying at the school?"

"Yes, I found a small place nearby, convenient for work." Kaylee replied honestly. Due to her impending internship, she had been in frequent contact with James, preparing for the upcoming tasks.

"Good. I have a project starting, so come to work tomorrow. I'll have someone handle your onboarding," James said, organizing everything clearly.

"Okay, thank you, Professor Qin. I'll be there on time!" Kaylee replied enthusiastically.

After hanging up, she was so excited she rolled around on the bed. James's company was a renowned architectural design firm. If she could successfully join, her future would be bright. She might even design landmark buildings in Beihu City one day. Dreaming of this, Kaylee drifted to sleep.

---

The next day, Kaylee woke up early and took the subway to Qin's Group. Nervous about her first day, she even put on light makeup, skipping breakfast due to her jitters.