After I Funded Her, I was Attacked

Seeing Tina's anxious and flustered expression, I smiled and said, "Tina, I was planning to ask you to go shopping. I overheard them talking about the mall. Are you going out? Let's go together; it's been a while since we last shopped."

As soon as I finished speaking, Tina's face turned pale, just like when I first met her.

Back then, I was in a rural area with my teacher for an event.

She wore oversized adult clothes that hung loosely on her, and her eyes were filled with envy.

When no one was around, she quietly stood beside me and said timidly, "You're so lucky. I wish I had a teacher like that... I wish I could go to school."

Without hesitation, I called my parents overseas and told them I wanted to sponsor a girl to go to school.

I still remember her expression when she heard those words—her lips trembled, and her dirt-streaked face was a mix of tears and smiles.

We became best friends after that, and everything I had, she shared.

But unlike her, I didn't have other friends.

It wasn't until later that I discovered she had been telling others that I was a child she brought out of the mountains—shy and introverted.

To appease her gambling-addicted father, I transferred him a hundred thousand every month to ensure he wouldn't bother Tina.

At that time, her eyes were full of gratitude.

To repay me, she would tell me about every classmate's behavior, claiming they bullied others.

After witnessing it once, I completely believed her.

So, when she suggested I move off-campus during college, I immediately bought a place.

Since I was preparing to take over the family business, I decided to take online courses from home.

Little did I know, she used this opportunity to spread rumors at school that I was living off wealthy men and that my money was dirty.

Yet she treated me well, saying everyone has their own choices and that being poor wasn't my fault.

Since we had both come from the same high school, everyone quickly believed her.

In front of me, however, she showed a different side, constantly badmouthing our roommates, just like she did in high school.

Now, she was trying to drag me out again, whispering in my ear, "You have no idea how awful these people are. If I don't go shopping with them and buy them things, they'll isolate me in the dorm!"

Our roommates overheard the word "shopping" and started pointing fingers at me.

"Shopping? She just wants Tina to buy her things again. So shameless!"

"Exactly! I saw online that some women wear clothes and return them before the refund period ends. It's disgusting!"

With every word they said, Tina's face grew paler.

In the eyes of the entire school, I was the one being sponsored by Tina.

Any nice thing I had was seen as having an improper source.

To them, I was dirtier than a sewer rat.

And the source of all these negative perceptions was this friend I considered my bestie.

Feigning ignorance, I smiled at Tina, whose expression was becoming increasingly unnatural.

When we got to the store, I was about to go in when she pulled me aside and whispered, "Yuna, the store clerk has already sent the new items to you. You don't need to go in. It'll be crowded and annoying later, and they're hard to please!"

I raised an eyebrow, smiling as I headed into the store.