From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

Su Qing quieted down, lowering her eyes and remaining silent.

This was the first time I had ever seen her so quiet and forlorn; her usual carefree and proud nature was completely gone.

I won't say anything more; I've long since become numb to the suffering of the lower classes.

Over the years, as a food delivery driver, I've seen too many ordinary people struggling to survive.

They never dared to dream of great wealth and status; their only simple wish was for their family to be safe and healthy.

Even such a small expectation is an unattainable luxury for many people.

Without realizing it, I lit a cigarette, looked up at the dazzling neon lights of the city in the distance, and slowly exhaled the smoke.

The evening breeze swept in, carrying the damp, musty smell of the old stairwells in the urban village, while the scent of Su Qing's high-end perfume lingered around her.

Two completely different auras collided, creating a particularly disorienting effect.

She was once a wealthy heiress standing at the top of the city, but now she sits with me on the rooftop of an urban village.

She was enveloped in the everyday life of the city, as ethereal as an unreal dream.

After a long period of silence, light, tactile footsteps slowly approached.

Turning around, I saw Tuantuan carefully carrying a full plate of barbecue in both hands, slowly walking up to the rooftop step by step.

A soft, childlike voice gently rang out: "Brother, sister, your barbecue is ready!"

I quickly reached out and steadily took the plate, smiling as I said, "Thank you for your hard work, Tuantuan. I saved a lollipop for you."

After I finished speaking, I took out the fruit candies I bought downstairs and handed them to her small palm.

Tuantuan reached out her little hand to take the candy, smiled sweetly with her eyes crinkling, and said, "Thank you, brother. You guys enjoy yours. I'm going downstairs now."

Su Qing suddenly asked, "Tuantuan, how old are you?"

"Sister, I'm six years old and in the last year of kindergarten."

Tuantuan is such a sensible child, the kind of sensible that makes your heart ache.

Su Qing forced a slightly stiff smile and asked softly, "So, do you know you're sick?"

Tuantuan nodded, her little fists clenched tightly, and said, "I know, but I'm not afraid. Daddy will fight the little monsters with me."

Su Qing pursed her lips, unable to say anything for a moment, her face looking rather pale.

After Tuantuan turned around and went downstairs, I brought over a few bottles of chilled beer, gritted my teeth, pried open a bottle, and sipped it while eating the barbecue on the table.

Su Qing then realized and said, "So you bought the lollipop for her?"

I put down my beer and shrugged. "What else?"

Su Qing suddenly reached out and said, "Give me a bottle too."

I was slightly taken aback: "You want to drink?"

"I'll have a drink with you."

She wasn't her usual boisterous self; her emotions were clearly affected by Tuantuan's situation.

I didn't say much, just opened a bottle for her and brought her a cup.

Su Qing poured herself a full glass, tilted her head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

She clearly wasn't a good drinker; after downing that glass of wine, a slightly flushed, uncomfortable blush immediately appeared on her face.

I quickly advised, "If you don't like the taste, don't force yourself. If you get drunk, I'll have to go through the trouble of taking you home."

Normally, she would have retorted long ago, but today she simply shook her head and said, "It's okay, I'll drink it slowly. I should be able to handle one bottle."

I stopped trying to persuade them, picked up my chopsticks, and slowly ate the skewers.

Su Qing also picked up a bamboo skewer and took a bite. After a moment, she nodded gently: "It tastes really good."

I chuckled softly: "I can't go wrong with the places I choose."

She didn't say much, but suddenly asked me, "That child is six years old now. You just said she was diagnosed with leukemia when she was one year old, which means she's been undergoing treatment for the past five years?"

I nodded, took a swig of beer, and replied, "The father and daughter have been in Jiangcheng for less than a year. They had been receiving treatment in their hometown county, but the results were not ideal, so they came here for medical help."

"Treating this kind of disease must be very expensive, right?"

"It's more than just big." I paused, my tone heavy. "I was chatting with Brother Luo earlier, and the doctor said the entire treatment process would cost at least a million."

"All his relatives, even his parents, advised him to give up and just have another healthy child..."

Before I could finish speaking, Su Qing instantly became furious: "How could these people say such things? That was a living, breathing human life! Even cats and dogs shouldn't be abandoned so easily!"

I calmly said, "But Brother Luo never thought of giving up. During the day, he goes to the logistics market to carry goods and do moving, and at night he comes back to run this barbecue restaurant all night, saving every penny to pay for his daughter's medical treatment."

"This is a truly responsible man," Su Qing exclaimed sincerely.

I gave a wry smile and sighed, "But how easy is it to raise a million? An ordinary person could work themselves to death and still not save up such a huge sum of money in their entire life."

Su Qing fell silent instantly, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her eyes.

I glanced at her and said, "What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and eat. Don't just watch me eat."

She shook her head gently and sighed deeply: "If only I had met you sooner. A million is just the price of a few handbags to me, but now I have..."

I was genuinely surprised that Su Qing could say those words, and it shows that she has a kind heart.

Although she usually looks down on everyone and criticizes everyone and everything, there is no denying that she is a kind person at heart.

She poured herself another half glass of beer, sipped it slowly, and said nothing more.

We didn't speak anymore. I looked at the towering buildings in the distance and let my mind wander.

I really enjoy this feeling of letting my mind wander, of not being able to think about the trivialities of life.

I just want to escape all the trivial pressures of life for a short while, with the evening breeze and some alcohol.

Get drunk, and when you wake up tomorrow, you can take on everything again.

Su Qing remained silent, her thoughts unreadable.

A moment later, she followed my gaze to the distant, bustling buildings and asked softly, "What have you been looking at?"

"Come sit over here with me, and look out from my angle, and you'll understand."

Su Qing, her face full of curiosity, quickly moved her plastic stool closer to my side, tilting her head to look into the distance in the direction I was looking.

After looking around for a while, he still looked blank: "Isn't it just buildings outside? There's nothing special about it."

I laughed and said, "I'm not showing you the architecture, but letting you experience the contrast between the two."

"Feelings? What contrast?" She was still completely confused.

I pointed to the scenery in the distance and near: "Look at the nearby area, there is this low and crowded urban village. Further away, there are office buildings and high-end residential areas where every inch of land is precious. The contrast between poverty and wealth is very striking, isn't it?"

Su Qing squinted and examined it closely, then suddenly chuckled, "It really is! When did you discover this viewpoint?"

"When I'm feeling down, I just come here and sit and space out. After a while, I get used to it."

Su Qing suddenly asked a very unpleasant question.