Qin Ran had been in this world for almost twenty years.
She had always considered herself lucky; whether in her past life or this one, fate had been kind to her. In her past life, she was the eldest daughter of the Qin family. Though her parents didn't love her much, she never lacked for money. In this life, though she was born in an orphanage without parents, she was fortunate enough to be bound to a system.
The system's name was simple and straightforward: the Cashback God of Wealth System. The only catch was that she needed to bind herself to someone else. After binding, she would have to spend money on that person to receive cashback herself. The rate was 100:1—spend 100 yuan on someone else, and she'd get 1 yuan in return. As the amount she spent increased, so did the cashback ratio.
Qin Ran realized this when she hadn't even learned to walk yet, sitting on the floor of the orphanage, pushing a small ball around. She watched as the welfare workers and the orphanage director spoke in hushed tones. After they finished, one of them gave Qin Ran a sympathetic look before leaving. From that day on, the orphanage became her home.
Initially, the system urged her to quickly bind herself to someone—whether it was the orphanage director or a kind-hearted friend. After five years, as Qin Ran stood in the corner, clutching a doll and watching others, the system grew desperate, thinking: even if she binds herself to a dog, it would be better than nothing.
But Qin Ran still refused to bind to anyone. Perhaps because her previous life had been so smooth, she wasn't particularly attached to money. She didn't see the point in having too much of it. She wasn't someone with strong desires. In her past life, even with plenty of money at her disposal, she was content being a homebody. In this life, though she was an orphan, she believed she could live comfortably using the knowledge in her head.
Her attitude frustrated the system to no end. By the time Qin Ran turned fifteen and still hadn't bound herself to anyone, the system had become resigned. Qin Ran was someone who preferred to work part-time at a convenience store near her school rather than bind herself to someone.
However, everything changed when Qin Ran was sixteen and in high school. She developed feelings for someone—a girl two years older than her named Yu Shuman. It was a cliché story, but Qin Ran never forgot the day she first met Yu Shuman. At that time, Yu Shuman was eighteen, in her third year of high school, and preparing to go to university.
But misfortune struck Yu Shuman's family. Her mother was diagnosed with leukemia, requiring not only a huge sum of money for treatment but also a compatible bone marrow donor.
Qin Ran first heard of Yu Shuman when the school organized a donation drive. Though she wasn't willing to bind herself to the system for money, she was indeed poor, unable to even find five yuan in her pocket. Just as she was about to be asked for a donation, a classmate who had known her from middle school intervened, saying, "Don't ask Qin Ran. She and that senior are probably both pitiful cases. Qin Ran grew up in an orphanage without parents and doesn't have a penny to her name."
Hearing this, the person asking for donations awkwardly left her alone, but Qin Ran remembered the name Yu Shuman.
It had a nice ring to it.
That was Qin Ran's first impression of Yu Shuman, but the moment that really etched her into Qin Ran's memory was when she stayed late after school to finish her duties as a class monitor. By the time she went to take out the trash, the sky had already darkened, and the sunset had painted the clouds in shades of red and pink, making the horizon look especially beautiful. The sunset was so mesmerizing that Qin Ran paused to admire it.
When she finally remembered she had to rush to her part-time job, she quickened her pace, intending to throw out the trash and leave quickly.
But then she heard someone crying, stopping her in her tracks. Qin Ran wasn't one to meddle in other people's business, nor did she feel obliged to comfort someone just because they were crying. But this girl's sobs were so heart-wrenching that they made Qin Ran feel uneasy. In the end, she followed the sound, finding a girl crying behind a flower bed.
This was her first encounter with Yu Shuman. At the time, Qin Ran looked rather silly, wearing an outdated pair of glasses and holding a trash can. Realizing her appearance wasn't the best, she set the trash can down and walked over slowly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, offering it to Yu Shuman.
Qin Ran was poor, and buying tissue paper in small packs was too expensive, so she opted for a reusable handkerchief.
Yu Shuman was sitting by the flower bed, her ponytail drooping over her shoulder, hiding her face. The last rays of sunlight touched her hair, turning it a warm golden color. She seemed to hear Qin Ran's footsteps but was too shy to look up, wiping her tears with her hands instead.
When Qin Ran got closer, Yu Shuman finally looked up and saw the handkerchief.
Yu Shuman was momentarily taken aback, surprised that anyone still carried handkerchiefs. Qin Ran's handkerchief was particularly cute. It was mostly white, with pink stitching around the edges, neatly folded, with a small pink rabbit embroidered on the side.
Perhaps it was the unexpected sight of such a handkerchief that made Yu Shuman suddenly burst into laughter.
"Really? A little rabbit?"
Qin Ran found it hard to describe what she saw in that moment. She stood there while Yu Shuman sat by the flower bed. When Yu Shuman looked up, her eyelashes were still wet with tears, and the sunlight that kissed her hair also illuminated her face. The light outlined her jawline, making her features even more beautiful. But none of this could compare to the moment when she smiled through her tears.
Despite her tear-streaked cheeks and the droplets clinging to her lashes, when she saw the little rabbit, Yu Shuman laughed, her eyes crinkling with joy. The tears caught the sunlight, sparkling like tiny gems, and her smile was so bright and genuine, as if the little rabbit had completely cheered her up.
After a moment, she reached out, took the handkerchief from Qin Ran, and said, "Thank you," as she wiped her tears and even blew her nose with it.
At that moment, Qin Ran had only one thought: the handkerchief was dirty and couldn't be used again.
But Yu Shuman patted the spot beside her on the flower bed, inviting Qin Ran to sit. At that moment, Qin Ran had to choose between sitting with this strange girl she'd never met before or hurrying to her part-time job before she was late. She chose to sit.
Yu Shuman wiped her face clean and pocketed the handkerchief without a second thought, despite it being soaked with her tears and snot. She turned to Qin Ran and said, "Sorry you had to see that. I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I'm Yu Shuman, a senior in Class 1 of the third year. Thanks for the handkerchief. I'll buy a new one and return it to you later. Which class are you in?"
Qin Ran's thought was: so this is the Yu Shuman.
At that moment, she also understood why Yu Shuman had been crying. Anyone facing such circumstances would break down in tears. She thought about how Yu Shuman didn't need to repay her. After all, Qin Ran might be poor, but she wasn't starving, and Yu Shuman's situation was probably worse than hers.
At the very least, Qin Ran had a wealthy system bound to her. There was no way she'd end up destitute.
But Yu Shuman was different. She was genuinely burdened by financial worries, and if she didn't come up with the money, she would be planning a funeral. Qin Ran knew that money wasn't everything in this world, but it was enough to hinder many people. She was grateful for the fortune she had, yet she resented the importance of money.
On a whim, Qin Ran asked, "Were you crying because of money?"
Yu Shuman was taken aback, then smiled. She tilted her head, the sunlight filtering through her hair, making her smile look almost ethereal. Qin Ran heard her say, "Of course. Money is the most difficult thing to deal with. But money is just money—it comes and goes. You've probably heard about my family's situation. I'm planning to sell our house at a lower price to get the money for my mom's treatment."
When she spoke about money, her voice was tinged with bitterness, but as she continued, her tone grew more optimistic. Even though her situation was bleak, Yu Shuman was like a rising sun.
"By the way, what's your name? Which class are you in? I still need to return your handkerchief."
Yu Shuman asked again, and this time Qin Ran answered, "My name is Qin Ran. I'm in Class 3 of the first year."
To Qin Ran's surprise, Yu Shuman had heard of her. She laughed heartily and said, "What a coincidence—we're both the poorest kids in school! And I'm your senior, yet you had to see me like this. How embarrassing." She laughed it off, stood up, and took a couple of steps forward. "I have to go to the hospital now. Thanks for the handkerchief. I'll bring you a new one in a few days. Wait for me!"
With the setting sun at her back, Yu Shuman waved to Qin Ran, her smile as bright as ever, even in the darkest time of her life.
In that moment, Qin Ran didn't want to see that smile fade. But binding the system to Yu Shuman felt like cheating, and Qin Ran wasn't willing to do that. She decided to bury the memory, not taking Yu Shuman's promise to return the handkerchief too seriously. She figured she'd just take care of herself—there was no need to expect a return of the handkerchief.
As it turned out, Qin Ran was right. For Yu Shuman to cry like that, her situation was far worse than she had let on. She even took a month off from school. As a notable figure in the school, Yu Shuman's situation was on everyone's minds. Even if Qin Ran wasn't paying attention, she couldn't avoid hearing about Yu Shuman from others.
Qin Ran didn't plan to do anything for her, until a senior from Class 1 came to the classroom door.
"Is Qin Ran here?"
When she stepped out, the senior handed her a neatly wrapped box. Inside, she found a handkerchief folded with care. "Yu Shuman asked me to give this back to you."