"Yes, school has started now, but we haven't received any more money. We heard that the person sponsoring us hasn't had any accidents, so we don't know why they stopped sending funds. I want to study; I don't want to go home and get married," the girl said, growing somewhat indignant. "Regardless, they should have at least sent a message if they were cutting off the money. What does it mean to hide and avoid us entirely? Are they just playing games with us? These city folk—they don't take us poor people seriously at all!"

The girl's words seemed to resonate with several of the younger boys, who couldn't help but nod in agreement, falling silent. Only the boy who introduced himself as Liu Jinjun managed to maintain his composure. He forced a smile and shot the girl a glare, causing her to lower her head, fiddle with her clothes, and say no more.

"Were you all being sponsored?" Gu Yingxi felt an even deeper surge of compassion upon hearing this. But beside her, Xie Zhuoyin exchanged a look with Ning Yuncheng; both seemed instantly anxious.

The two of them were rivals for affection, often viewing each other with disdain, yet this was the first time they shared such an unspoken understanding. While their beloved’s kindness was admirable and certainly deepened their own feelings of tenderness, they had to consider their current predicaments. Xie Zhuoyin didn't have much money; his family had long since disowned him. If he needed funds, asking his parents involved having to endure their scrutiny, and receiving money depended entirely on their moods. If his parents were having a bad day, a scolding was the least he could expect; it was just as likely he'd be cursed and beaten without getting a single cent.

Ning Yuncheng was no better off. Just that afternoon, he had run into a wall, succeeding only in making his father ill without securing any money.

Though these children were pitiable, their situation clearly wasn't solvable with a small sum. Their sponsor must have found the burden too heavy, leading them to sever the flow of support. Gu Yingxi, being inherently kind, would undoubtedly want to help when faced with such need. However, all three of them were acutely aware of their own circumstances. They might have a few thousand yuan between them, but funding these children through school was impossible; moreover, Gu Yingxi carried a debt exceeding fifty million. If they took on more responsibility now, Xie Zhuoyin and Ning Yuncheng truly would be powerless to assist.

Unexpectedly, the two couldn't intervene in time. Before Ning Yuncheng could utter a protest, Gu Yingxi spoke, her face full of sympathy:

"You are truly too unfortunate. Why don't you all come stay at my place tonight, and we can plan things out slowly from there."

The children readily agreed. To be left on the street for a night, cold and hungry, they lacked the funds not just for return train tickets, but possibly even enough to eat their fill the next day. They had deliberately worn their shabbiest clothes to appear more pitiable to their sponsors, bringing very little money with them. Now that they were in such a plight, having someone offer shelter and a meal was the best possible outcome.

These young people were all from rural villages and were generally unversed in the art of social maneuvering; thus, they lacked a certain social finesse. Coupled with their youth, they entirely failed to notice the strained expressions on Ning Yuncheng’s and Xie Zhuoyin’s faces.

Liu Jinjun, being the eldest among them, was somewhat more perceptive. He had clearly recognized the reluctance of Xie Zhuoyin and the other. However, at this moment, he couldn't afford to be cautious. Once in Shangjing, he had to find a place to stay while slowly tracking down his sponsor. Miss Fu Yuan, whom he had met previously, seemed to be a student at Imperial University, and she was reportedly acquainted with the person funding him. Since he intended to find that person and persuade them to continue the sponsorship, this endeavor would not be a task completed in a day or two.

He knew his family situation intimately: if the sponsor ceased payments, his education would certainly end. He had several younger siblings, and an older brother above him; much of the money previously allocated to him had gone toward securing a wife for his brother. If he failed to secure the same level of funding this time, his family would likely refuse to let him continue studying.

Liu Jinjun was only seventeen, having just finished junior high. He had no desire to spend his life confined to the village, working the soil from dawn till dusk like his elder brother, eventually being married off simply because his parents commanded it. He had seen the splendor of the Imperial Capital; the buildings lining the streets were things he had only seen on television, and even the paving stones were finer than the flooring in the wealthiest home back in his own hometown.

This was where he belonged. He refused to return to the countryside. His plan was to convince his sponsor to let him stay in the Imperial Capital, find a school here, and eventually marry a city girl, thereby never having to go back to that impoverished place again!

With his own schemes brewing, Liu Jinjun was naturally disinclined to leave now. Therefore, even after discerning the displeasure etched on the faces of the two men, Xie Zhuoyin and Ning Yuncheng, he feigned ignorance, silently enduring the grateful laughter of the children from his village directed at Gu Yingxi.

Seeing Gu Yingxi’s gentle smile, he felt his heart swell with affection. If he were to marry, it would be a girl like her—beautiful, kind-hearted, and gentle. She was leagues beyond the village wives he had known.

Furthermore, inexplicably, it felt like a gift from heaven; from the very first moment he saw Gu Yingxi, he felt a distinct affinity for her, admiring her nature. To share lodging with her would solve his immediate needs for food and shelter, while allowing him to be near the beauty—a win-win situation. Though he relied on her now, Liu Jinjun was confident that given an opportunity to develop, he would surely rise above his station, establish roots in this bustling Imperial Capital, and eventually repay this girl, who was as kind as an angel.

"Oh, what is your sponsor's name? Brother Yin and Yuncheng are capable men; if there is anything they can do to help, I will ask them to assist you."

Once Gu Yingxi was certain she could help others, she broke into a delighted smile, revealing two faint dimples at the corners of her mouth. She appeared more charmingly cute than she had been moments before, which momentarily stunned Liu Jinjun. His heart felt sweet as he replied, "Her name is Ning Yunhuan."

Ning Yuncheng and Xie Zhuoyin had been sighing inwardly at Gu Yingxi’s casual acceptance of taking in strangers and then offering further assistance. But upon hearing Liu Jinjun state that name, the three of them exchanged glances and were instantly dumbfounded. Ning Yuncheng even exclaimed involuntarily,

"What did you say?"

"Ning Yunhuan," Liu Jinjun repeated. Seeing Ning Yuncheng's strange expression, he frowned slightly and asked curiously, "Do you perhaps know her?"

"If you know her, that would be wonderful!" the girl who had spoken earlier exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. "Ning Yunhuan has sponsored us for a long time. She is such a good person. If you know her and help us now, she will surely repay you the money when she finds out!"

"But didn't Miss Fu Yuan say last time that she was out of the country?" the fourteen-year-old boy added curiously, and the children fell silent again.

Hearing Ning Yunhuan’s name, Ning Yuncheng instinctively felt a surge of discomfort, his face cooling. "She’s back. She returned some time ago. I hadn't realized she was the one you were looking for."

"That's great, Yuncheng! It turns out the people we are helping were sponsored by your sister. This will make finding her much easier." Gu Yingxi went blank for three or four seconds upon hearing Ning Yunhuan’s name. Due to the Lan Lingyan incident, she harbored a subtle grudge against Ning Yunhuan. But since Ning Yunhuan wasn't doing anything wrong here, Gu Yingxi forcefully suppressed the instinctive revulsion she felt. Instead, she smiled at Ning Yuncheng, "Yuncheng, why don't you call her?"

Knowing that these children were sponsored by Ning Yunhuan, Gu Yingxi suddenly lost the inclination to become entangled with them. She still hadn't resolved the Lan Lingyan affair, not to mention that Ning Yuncheng had publicly struck her at school. Although the incident hadn't been exposed due to Lan Lingyan’s intervention, rumors had spread throughout the school. Even with her strong composure, being cursed by everyone for being shameless and two-timing made it impossible for Gu Yingxi to return to school to face further ridicule.

In truth, she resented that the matter hadn't blown up online. While her reputation was preserved, Gu Yingxi, despite her self-deception, vaguely suspected that Lan Lingyan’s actions weren't for her benefit but solely to protect Ning Yunhuan’s reputation.

The thought of this twisted her heart into knots, completely extinguishing any enthusiasm she had for performing a good deed.

"I don't have her phone number." Ning Yuncheng’s expression stiffened. He had always maintained a poor relationship with Ning Yunhuan. Even before he left for England, this younger sister constantly clung to him like a persistent nuisance, which he found endlessly irritating. He would never call her voluntarily. After returning from England, to avoid her further pestering, Ning Yuncheng had even moved to the Ning family's villa in the Blue Mountains, hiding from her to such an extent that calling her was out of the question. Later, this sister had acted as if possessed—no longer clinging to him as before, but instead treating him with extreme hostility. Ning Yuncheng was eager to be rid of her, so why would he ever have her number? Thus, when his beloved asked him to call Ning Yunhuan, Ning Yuncheng found himself in a difficult position.

Gu Yingxi’s expression clearly showed disappointment upon hearing his reply. "Is that so?"

Xie Zhuoyin, unable to bear seeing her look that way, turned to Ning Yuncheng and said coldly, "Can't you think of a way?"

Ning Yuncheng, distressed by Gu Yingxi's disappointment, took out his phone. "Let me call my father first and ask." He brought the phone to his ear and dialed, but after several rings, no one answered on the other end.