Chapter 064: One Hundred Thousand Euros

The lush yellow blossoms are nothing but wisdom; the verdant bamboo is the very Dharma body. This means that the Dharma body and the green bamboo are one and the same, untouched by the six dusts of color, sound, scent, taste, touch, and thought; wisdom and the yellow flowers alike are free from seeing, hearing, feeling, or knowing.

Yet, as Lin Yu walked through a corner of his high school, beneath the purple bamboo grove alongside two delicate beauties, he could distinctly sense two gentle, refreshing fragrances wafting to his heart. Indeed, daughters are born with a touch of fragrance. Lin Yu began to feel that strolling with the two girls, listening to their soft whispers while he remained silent, was both a pleasure and a privilege.

But beautiful moments are always fleeting. Their walk did not last long before it was time for the afternoon exams. With the crisp sound of the bell and a lengthy, meandering announcement over the intercom, Lin Yu took his seat in the exam hall. As soon as he received the comprehensive humanities paper, he called upon the search system in his mind, and immediately felt a sense of delight.

With the help of this system, the comprehensive humanities exam became his strong suit. Scoring high in this subject was as easy as reaching into a pocket—there was little uncertainty about the outcome.

In the final subject, English, Lin Yu encountered much the same situation as with Chinese, except he was unsure if the randomly selected essay topic he wrote about matched the assigned prompt.

After completing all the exams, Lin Yu suddenly felt that everything seemed to take on a rosy glow. When he walked out of the academic building, the sapphire sky overhead, clear and pure without a trace of impurity, met his gaze. It was like a serene lake far removed from worldly clamor—crystal-clear, beautiful, and pristine.

Since Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin had agreed to meet at the Fortune Center to study computers together, and he himself planned to visit Zhang Chao in the hospital and Dai Peng at the police station, Lin Yu didn’t wait for them.

There were too many seniors handing in their papers and leaving the school together. Lin Yu had to walk nearly eight hundred meters before finally flagging down a taxi.

Upon arriving at the city hospital, Lin Yu was pleasantly surprised to find Zhang Chao in remarkably good spirits—he had even managed to drink two bowls of rice porridge in succession.

Seeing his friend come to visit, Zhang Chao, who had narrowly escaped disaster, was overjoyed. Once Lin Yu sat beside his bed, Zhang Chao gave a simple, honest smile, though it was a bit strained.

Yet, as this went on, Lin Yu’s initial happiness began to fade, for no matter what he said, Zhang Chao only smiled, nodded slightly, or shook his head—never uttering a word.

After inquiring with Zhang Chao’s parents, Lin Yu learned that a certain nerve had been severed during the attack. Although Zhang Chao was otherwise unharmed, unless he underwent surgery to reconnect the nerve, he would never speak again.

This operation, however, had a very low success rate in the country. Only a renowned hospital in Germany offered better odds, about fifty percent.

But the cost was staggering—conservatively estimated at around one hundred thousand euros!

When Lin Yu heard that number, his mind buzzed. One hundred thousand euros—about a million yuan. Such a sum was impossible to raise in a short time!

“Does this surgery have to be done immediately, or can it wait a few years?” Lin Yu asked Zhang Chao’s father, Zhang Guohua.

With a heavy sigh, Zhang Guohua replied, “Dr. Wang Zegang said the operation must be done within two years, or else Xiao Chao will never have the chance to speak again. What a cruel fate!”

Before he finished, Zhang Chao’s mother, Fang Yan, had already begun to wipe away tears.

The anguish in the room was overwhelming. Lin Yu didn’t dare linger; after offering a few words of comfort to Zhang Chao and his parents, he took his leave. He didn’t promise to find a way to pay for the surgery, but quietly began forming plans in his heart.

“It seems I have to start a business now. Without small steps, one can never reach a thousand miles; without small streams, there’s no river or sea. Since I have no capital, I’ll begin with a milk tea shop,” Lin Yu thought as he walked.

Depressed, he decided not to visit Dai Peng at the police station and instead wandered alone toward the seaside.

As he walked, his phone suddenly rang. It was Qi Yue.

“Hey, Xiao Yuzi, where are you?” The girl’s voice was soft and sweet.

“Just taking a walk. I’m not feeling great,” Lin Yu replied quietly.

“What happened? Are you all right?” Qi Yue’s concern was immediate.

“It’s nothing. Everyone has days when they’re down. I’ll just walk it off,” Lin Yu didn’t mention Zhang Chao, not wanting the kindhearted girl to worry.

“Oh, as long as you’re okay. Zhilin and I are out shopping. Later we’re splurging a bit—going to Grand Western for dinner and coffee. Come join us! There’s a surprise waiting,” Qi Yue said excitedly, her happiness clear in her tone.

Though unsure what the surprise was, Lin Yu sensed a hint of mystery in her voice.

“Alright. What time will you finish shopping? I’ll come find you,” he replied.

“Around eight-thirty, I think. Don’t be late, and don’t skip out! Otherwise, I’ll never speak to you again,” Qi Yue said with a laugh, and he could hear Yang Zhilin joking in the background.

“Don’t worry. Unless there’s an earthquake today, I won’t be late,” Lin Yu joked, though his heart was heavy with thoughts of Zhang Chao.

“Good! We’ll keep shopping then. Remember to be on time! Tonight is important—you really, really have to come!” Qi Yue giggled and hung up.

Lin Yu ended the call, lit a cigarette, and smoked quietly. The smoke curled from the tip, but he drew from it only occasionally.

When one cigarette was done, he flicked it away, lit another, and kept walking. Throughout, his cigarette never left his fingers.

The seaside was lively that afternoon—not quite crowded, but full of energy. There were parents and children playing frisbee, friends snapping photos, barefoot boys kicking soccer balls on the sand, vendors hawking grilled squid—all in small groups, bustling and cheerful.

Yet all this was as ordinary as any other day.

What was extraordinary was the gentle breeze—the sea wind was rarely so mild, caressing every carefree visitor with a soft touch, as enchanting as the blood-red sunset.

Lin Yu sat cross-legged just beyond the reach of the tide, tracing circles in the sand with his slender forefinger, his brows furrowed in contemplation. His lips, tinged with a faint blush, curved into a subtle, bitter smile.

People came and went, gathered and dispersed around him, but he remained unmoved, as if apart from the world, quiet as a maiden.

Time slipped by unnoticed. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing scream broke the air. It came from a middle-aged woman strolling with her child.

Lin Yu turned his head instinctively, and his heart leapt—something was wrong!