How does Hee-joo embrace her compassionate nature in the novel, The Vegetarian?

Hee-joo, a fellow patient at the psychiatric hospital, embraces her compassionate nature when she demonstrates unconditional compassion towards Yeong-hye... something that no-one else in the novel offers her. She cares about Yeong-hye, fusses over her and takes care of her, simply because, it seems, Yeong-hye is vulnerable and has no one on her side. She is sensitive and just simply caring, in ways that the members of Yeong-hye's family are not able to be.