This girl had some guts and decent mental fortitude.

No matter how the police questioned her, she maintained the same story, never changing her statement.

Shao Guangrong was satisfied with this point, feeling that Little You still had a conscience.

If she had changed her statement midway, Shao Guangrong would have been in trouble – he had not only given false testimony himself but also induced Little You to give a false statement… With You Li firmly sticking to her story at the police station, Shao Guangrong had nothing to fear.

The situation now was clear – if they didn’t crush Qiao Quanbing, both You Li and Shao Guangrong would be in trouble.

“Thank you,” You Li mumbled.

Besides saying thanks, she didn’t know what else she could do.

Shao Guangrong had helped her enormously this time.

Worried she might overthink, Shao Guangrong said, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I won’t make you work like a slave, nor force you to be my girlfriend. Don’t judge people through a crack in the door – I may not be a good person, but I’m at least human!”

Shao Guangrong felt awkward about his good deed, and You Li managed a weak smile.

She truly wasn’t in the mood to joke with Shao Guangrong.

When they arrived at the hospital, You Li’s mother was still in a coma.

The doctor felt sorry for the young girl but had to tell You Li the truth about her mother’s condition:

“There’s still a chance she’ll wake up. We must believe that modern medicine is constantly advancing…”

The words were quite euphemistic.

With head trauma and ten days of continuous coma, the chances of waking up were extremely slim.

Unless a miracle occurred, You Li’s mother would remain in this coma until her body functions declined and she passed away while unconscious.

You Li had already cried all her tears at the police station.

Crying couldn’t solve anything, and she seemed to accept this fact calmly:

“Thank you, doctor.”

The hospital had taken good care of her mother, changing her promptly when she soiled herself.

Though the head wound hadn’t healed, she was kept clean and tidy. Being alive already exceeded You Li’s expectations.

After staying in the ward for a while, she left and asked Shao Guangrong:

“Can I go see that person?”

That person meant Qiao Quanbing.

Qiao Quanbing’s injuries had been severe – if Shao Guangrong hadn’t rushed him to the hospital in time, he would have died! However, after emergency treatment and over ten days of recovery, his condition stabilized and met discharge standards.

The shameless man was just afraid of police questioning, which was why he still lingered in the hospital, refusing to leave.

Shao Guangrong was worried about You Li wanting to see Qiao Quanbing:

“Don’t act on impulse. He won’t escape legal punishment. Don’t get yourself in trouble just to vent your anger.”

She had just been released from the police station – if she said something inappropriate or lost control and stabbed Qiao Quanbing again, even Shao Guangrong couldn’t save her a second time!

“Brother Shao, I won’t be impulsive. I just want to see him. If I stab him again, who will take care of my mother?”

The doctor had already subtly reminded You Li that in her mother’s condition, survival wouldn’t just require home care – she would need to stay in the hospital, dependent on medical equipment to sustain life.

This was why the police station and doctors sympathized with You Li – ordinary people simply couldn’t afford the long-term medical expenses of a vegetative patient.

How much could You Li earn from her job?

Her mother hadn’t been fortunate enough to work for a unit with full medical coverage, wasn’t even a formal factory worker before, and now had completely lost her job after becoming paralyzed.

Shao Guangrong did have money.

While You Li was at the police station, all hospital expenses were paid by Shao Guangrong. You Li couldn’t accept his help with peace of mind… Not only was she not good enough for him, but even if she were his girlfriend, there was no reason for Shao Guangrong to shoulder such a burden.

You Li knew she couldn’t afford to be willful.

Seeing that she was clear-headed and didn’t seem intent on killing Qiao Quanbing, Shao Guangrong agreed to accompany her.

As soon as You Li appeared, Qiao’s relatives started cursing at her. While Qiao Quanbing was being well-fed in the hospital, looking ruddy and healthy, You Li and her mother were in a much more pitiful state.

“You little slut, raising such an ungrateful snake!”

“Ungrateful wretch, you called him father for so many years, then stabbed him without mercy…”

“Quickly tell the police the truth—”

Qiao Quanbing’s ward was in chaos.

These were all his relatives who rarely kept in touch normally, now suddenly appearing with unknown motives.

Shao Guangrong’s stern face made them somewhat afraid.

Old Qiao had said You Li had found support from a high-ranking official’s son – could it be this man?

Qiao Quanbing’s face reddened with excitement when he saw You Li.

When she approached his bedside, he tried to jump up to hit her, but You Li wasn’t afraid of him anymore.

She had been afraid before, terribly afraid.

Because both her and her mother’s lives were in Qiao Quanbing’s hands.

But that night, when You Li stabbed him twice and nearly took his life, she realized there was nothing to fear about this man.

He bled just the same, could be hurt just the same, could be killed just the same!

“I can’t show filial piety to you anymore. You won’t be able to drink in prison, and I hear the criminals there are all fierce – probably no one will quietly let you use them as punching bags. Don’t worry about my mother, I’ll take good care of her. If not for a hundred years, at least she’ll outlive you! Don’t worry about me either, I’ll live well, try to make something of myself, and won’t bring shame to you!”

You Li’s face was expressionless.

Was this a filial daughter?

She came to anger Qiao Quanbing to death.

Shao Guangrong couldn’t help but laugh – this way of speaking was even more satisfying than cursing at Qiao Quanbing.

“Keep dreaming, neither you nor your mother will escape…”

While Qiao Quanbing was still making threats, You Li had already turned and left.

She came to look once, to bid farewell to the past, to encourage herself to work harder in the future, to fulfill everything she’d said to Qiao Quanbing today. Even if her mother became a vegetative patient, she would ensure her mother wanted for nothing.

As for this beast Qiao Quanbing, he deserved only to watch from prison, envious but never able to enjoy such blessings!

Shao Guangrong didn’t know how to describe his current feelings.

The current You Li was different from before. Previously, though she appeared mature and was quite clever, traces of the young girl were still often visible.

Now, while her appearance hadn’t changed, her mindset was truly beyond her peers.

It was as if someone had scattered grain on Shao Guangrong’s heart, making it ache and itch at the same time.

…

“President Xia, about You Li…”

Ge Jian reported the situation to Xia Xiaolan.

It was now November, and Xia Xiaolan had only one month left in her Cornell course.

“How is her situation being handled?”

Xia Xiaolan was still keeping the job opportunity open for You Li. No one understood You Li’s actions better than Xia Xiaolan – when born in a mire, how could one break free without using all their strength?

“You Li’s stepfather will be sentenced, though we’re not sure for how many years. You Li still wants to work at the company, and she says she’ll bring her mother. What do you think, President Xia?”

Xia Xiaolan made a decisive decision: “Let her come! If she abandoned her mother, I wouldn’t trust employing such a person.”