The annual hospitalization cost at the U.S. National Cancer Center is sixty thousand dollars, not including the exorbitant fees for various expensive medications and advanced treatment equipment. Such a staggering figure left her, only a sophomore, completely speechless.

Megan Wright's medical report was hidden away by Sophie Baker. Before resolving that enormous treatment expense, she was unwilling to let her middle-school-aged sister and her mother, who had toiled half her life, bear this crushing burden together.

A month ago, after trying to juggle three part-time jobs every day, Sophie Baker ultimately chose to give up. She knew very well that there were only five months left. Even if she dropped out of school and worked twenty hours a day, it would still be impossible to scrape together that huge sum for medical expenses in time. She could not just stand by and watch her mother, who had raised her and her sister through hardship, pass away in five months.

After much inner struggle, Sophie Baker contacted the PR manager of Yunting Nightclub, Lily, a week ago according to a job advertisement in the newspaper.

She knew exactly what kind of place Yunting Nightclub was, and she was fully aware of the nature of the hostess job she was applying for. But did she have any other choice?

Chapter 10: The Red Pill Dispute

After Sophie Baker finished speaking through her tears, Eric Carter fell silent for a long time before finally saying, "To raise over a hundred thousand dollars within three months—this is the real reason you had no choice but to work here? In this materialistic and chaotic world, there are not many children as filial as you."

Sophie Baker nodded blankly, then gently shook her head and said, "Even working here, it's impossible to earn such a huge sum in three months, so... so..."

With a mental age nearing three hundred, how could Eric Carter not guess the deeper meaning behind Sophie Baker's "so"? He frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then quickly pulled out five stacks of hundred-dollar bills half-wrapped in newspaper from his backpack and said, "I don't have that much right now. Here is fifty thousand—take it first. Within a month, I'll raise a hundred thousand dollars for you. Don't refuse. You can consider this money as the betrothal gift from me, Brian Cooper, for marrying Little Emily in the future..."

Without giving her a chance to refuse, Eric Carter took Sophie Baker's coat from the sofa and stuffed the money into both side pockets, not allowing her any opportunity to decline.

Sophie Baker had long since stopped seeing Eric Carter as a child, because in both words and actions, he was far more mature than most adults. Yet when Eric Carter stuffed fifty thousand into her coat pockets, Sophie Baker was still at a loss.

In fact, from Eric Carter's perspective, as long as he completed his foundation-building and cultivated the Five Aggregates True Essence Fire, he could easily refine a basic spiritual pill with some precious but not rare medicinal herbs. Curing leukemia, a disease not all that troublesome, would be a simple matter.

However, in order to dispel Sophie Baker's intention to keep working here without revealing his true identity, Eric Carter still promised to raise a hundred thousand dollars for her. After all, only this way could he get this virtuous and filial sophomore girl to leave this den of corruption for good. Forcing fifty thousand on her was mainly to make Sophie Baker believe that he truly had the ability to raise a hundred thousand dollars within a month.

Sophie Baker pursed her lips and was silent for a long time. Although she couldn't fully accept what Eric Carter said right away, she believed him about seventy percent. Thinking of her mother, who had worked hard all her life and fallen ill from exhaustion, she finally made up her mind and said, "Little Brian, take this fifty thousand back for now. I promise you I won't come to work in a place like this for the next month. If you really can lend me a hundred thousand dollars to treat my mom, I, Sophie Baker, will serve you for life without a single complaint. If you can't raise enough money within the month, that's fine too. I appreciate your kindness. I'm already very comforted that Little Emily has a classmate like you to look after her, but I really can't accept this fifty thousand now—it won't help anyway, and I don't want to owe you too much."

"What a strong-willed and filial girl."

Beneath Sophie Baker's delicate appearance was a core of resilience and strength. Eric Carter secretly admired her and said, "You also said your mother is ill right now. Just use this fifty thousand for now. After all, your mother needs comprehensive care, and there are many expenses. I understand your hesitation—after all, it's hard to fully trust a promise from a ninth grader like me. Stop pushing the money back and forth. Otherwise, I'll just give it directly to Little Emily tomorrow..."

"You promised me you wouldn't tell anyone!" Sophie Baker said anxiously.

"That's right! So just be good and accept this fifty thousand," Eric Carter said, a rare mischievous smile appearing on his lips, leaving Sophie Baker speechless for a moment.

At that moment, the door to the private room was gently pushed open. The charming and smiling Lily swayed into the room, first toasting one by one with the already tipsy Jason Reed, Troublemaker, and the others, then leisurely sat down next to Eric Carter. "Handsome boy, let me toast you," she said, handing over a glass of wine that was already filled.