Urban System: Beautiful lady, I really didn't steal your black stockings!

After an unknown amount of time, Cheng Zhe slowly backed away.

Shen Yating's cheeks were so red they were almost bleeding. Her eyes were lowered, and she dared not look at him or speak. She sat stiffly in her seat.

Looking at her flushed cheeks and tense body, Cheng Zhe broke the silence first and asked directly, "Which hospital is your mother in? Show me the medical bills and all the estimated costs afterward."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yating's face, which had been filled with shame and embarrassment, finally broke into a smile.

The heat in the carriage intensified once more, and his kisses rained down on her cheeks and neck, releasing years of pent-up emotions.

Shen Yating was initially stiff and at a loss, but under Cheng Zhe's guidance, her tense body gradually relaxed. She could only passively endure this tender moment, her breathing becoming more and more rapid, and she gripped Cheng Zhe's clothes tightly.

The two lingered in the cramped carriage for a long time until Shen Yating's body went limp and her cheeks flushed, at which point Cheng Zhe finally stopped.

He straightened his collar, then reached out to tidy Shen Yating's messy hair, and calmly instructed, "Fasten your seatbelt."

Shen Yating nodded obediently, then awkwardly fastened her seatbelt with her head down, her ears still burning red, not daring to look up at him.

Cheng Zhe started the car and drove away smoothly from where he stood.

The carriage was quiet throughout the journey. Shen Yating sat sideways, her hands on her lap, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside the window, but unfocused, the blush on her cheeks lingering.

Arriving at the hospital entrance, Cheng Zhe parked the car and got out first.

Shen Yating followed closely behind him, her back slightly bent and her head lowered, like a submissive young wife being led around, obedient beyond belief.

"Which ward?" Cheng Zhe asked, turning around.

Shen Yating quickly raised her head, whispered the ward number, and then quickly lowered her head again, following him toward the inpatient department.

Along the way, whenever she encountered medical staff or other patients' families, she clung tightly to Cheng Zhe, not daring to say a word. Her obedient demeanor was a far cry from the embarrassment and panic she had shown when asking for help earlier.

Pushing open the ward door, Cheng Zhe immediately saw Shen's mother lying on the hospital bed. She was pale, had an IV drip in her body, and was breathing weakly, clearly indicating that she was seriously ill.

Seeing this, his doubts vanished instantly.

Shen Yating followed her in, still standing behind Cheng Zhe with her head down and her hands clasped in front of her, looking as obedient as a frightened little rabbit.

She didn't dare to approach or make a sound, but simply stayed quietly by his side. Occasionally, she would glance at her mother on the hospital bed, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes, before quickly lowering her head again to await Cheng Zhe's reaction.

The ward was quiet, with only the rhythmic dripping of the IV fluid from the tubing breaking the silence.

Cheng Zhe stood not far from the hospital bed, his gaze fixed on Shen's mother's pale face, his brows furrowed as he silently observed her condition.

Shen Yating kept her head down the whole time, even her breathing was very soft.

Suddenly, Shen's mother on the hospital bed trembled slightly with her eyelashes, and then slowly opened her eyes a crack.

At first, her vision was a little blurry. She blinked hard before her eyes gradually focused. The first thing she saw was her daughter standing at the foot of the bed, and the tall, unfamiliar man beside her.

Shen's mother tried to sit up abruptly, her weak arms gripping the bedsheet tightly, and she managed a hoarse voice, "Girl...who is this?"

Her gaze swept over Cheng Zhe with wariness, then she couldn't help but take a few more glances. Seeing that he was neatly dressed and had a composed demeanor, she turned to her daughter and hesitantly asked the question that had been on her mind.

"Is this your boyfriend?"

Upon hearing the word "boyfriend," Shen Yating's cheeks instantly flushed, even hotter than they had been in the train carriage.

She subconsciously moved closer to Cheng Zhe, nodded slightly, and said with a hint of joy, "Mom, don't worry about the money... he'll find a way to help us."

As she spoke, she glanced quickly at Cheng Zhe, then quickly lowered her head again.

While Mrs. Shen breathed a sigh of relief, her brows furrowed again.

She leaned against the headboard, catching her breath. Her face was still pale, and her voice carried a hint of weakness, yet couldn't hide her displeasure: "Girl, how could you do this..."

She paused to catch her breath, her breathing slightly unsteady: "Although our family is going through a tough time right now and we desperately need money, you can't just do whatever you want."

"Mom~~" Shen Yating quickly raised her head and interrupted her mother with a slightly coquettish tone when she heard that her mother had misunderstood.

"It's not what you think, I didn't just pick him randomly..."

Before Shen Yating could finish speaking, Cheng Zhe took a step forward and spoke up to ease the awkwardness in the ward: "Auntie, you've misunderstood."

He nodded slightly, his attitude respectful: "My name is Cheng Zhe. Ya Ting and I were high school classmates. We were very familiar with each other before, but it's not the kind of casual relationship you're thinking of."

"Classmate?" Shen's mother was stunned. The wariness in her eyes gradually disappeared, and she looked up to examine Cheng Zhe.

"So that's how it is... Auntie misunderstood." After confirming that the other party was not someone her daughter had randomly chosen for money, Shen's mother finally felt much relieved, and even her breathing became easier.

With a sincere look in his eyes, Cheng Zhe fabricated, "My name is Cheng Zhe. I've been with Yating for over a year, but I've been too embarrassed to tell you and haven't had a chance to bring her home to meet my parents."

He glanced at Shen Yating beside him and continued, "Yating encountered some difficulties at home this time. At first, she was too embarrassed to tell me and held back for a long time. Only today did she finally swallow her pride and tell me the truth."

"Don't worry, Auntie. Now that I know, I won't ignore it. I'll take care of your medical expenses and Ya-ting's debts. You don't need to think about anything now, just focus on getting better."

After saying that, Cheng Zhe reached out and pulled Shen Yating, who was standing next to him, into his arms.

Shen Yating stiffened slightly, clearly not expecting him to make such an intimate move, and her body was still a little uncomfortable.

But when she met Cheng Zhe's steady gaze and felt the warmth from his palm, her tense body softened, and she gently nestled in his arms.

Seeing the two so intimately together, the last trace of doubt in Shen's mother's eyes vanished. They truly seemed like lovers who had known each other for a long time and had a deep affection for each other. Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was finally completely at ease.

She looked at Shen Yating and said with a hint of reproach, "You brat, you have such a good boyfriend and you didn't bring him home sooner. If you had told your father earlier, he could have met his future son-in-law..."

When she said the words "your father," Shen's mother's voice suddenly choked up, tears welled up in her eyes, and she sadly stopped talking.

The atmosphere in the ward instantly became somewhat somber.

Shen Yating noticed her mother's change in mood, quickly lifted her head from Cheng Zhe's arms, tugged at his sleeve, and said to her mother, "Mom, you're still weak, don't think about these things too much, resting is the most important thing."

"It's getting late, so we won't disturb your rest any longer. We'll come to see you again tomorrow."

As she spoke, she took Cheng Zhe's hand and gently walked out of the ward.