Hearing the serious tone of Wang Youqian on the other end of the phone, Zhang Laosan instantly understood Lin Wan's position in Wang Youqian's heart.
What abilities does this Lin Wan possess that makes Wang Youqian, the dominant figure in Lin'an, value him so highly?
However, no matter what, even if Lin Wan had nothing to offer and was just an insignificant person, as long as he was still valued by Wang Youqian, they had to be careful not to provoke him.
Zhang Laosan thought he needed to give a good warning to his underlings, ensuring they did not offend the esteemed figure...
As his thoughts raced, Zhang Laosan did not delay in responding to Wang Youqian’s inquiry.
“Mr. Lin’s family situation is a bit complicated; back in the day…”
Listening to Zhang Laosan incessantly recount the dusty past of Lin Wan's family, Wang Youqian's frown deepened.
After a long pause, Wang Youqian concluded his contemplation and said solemnly to Zhang Laosan on the phone, “If that’s the case, then go collect the debt. We live in a society governed by law, and repaying debts is a fundamental principle.”
Wang Youqian's tone was now resolute, a sharp contrast to his previous remarks.
After a moment's pause, still worried about Zhang Laosan's approach, he added, “However, do not disturb Mr. Lin. He is my esteemed guest, and I hope you can show him some courtesy and ensure he isn’t bullied by those who lack vision.”
“Ah, Boss Wang, you can rest assured! With your words, I guarantee no one in Lin’an dares to bully Mr. Lin!”
Zhang Laosan was surprised and flattered by being referred to as “General Zhang” by Wang Youqian. His heart tightened as he fully realized Wang Youqian's regard for Lin Wan. He quickly assured over the phone that Lin Wan would not be bullied in his territory.
Upon hearing this, Wang Youqian's frown finally relaxed a little.
He hesitated for a moment, unsure if Lin Wan wanted to reveal his abilities, so he offered a subtle reminder.
“In light of our many years of friendship, I’ll add this: it’s best not to be enemies with Mr. Lin unless absolutely necessary.”
Recalling Lin Wan’s mysterious abilities, Wang Youqian spoke with a hint of awe.
“Otherwise... you’ll have to fend for yourself.”
The call ended.
On the other end, upon hearing Wang Youqian’s serious tone, Zhang Laosan's heart raced, sensing he might have grasped something important.
However, as he pondered, he couldn’t figure out what it was, as if the momentary feeling had been just an illusion.
Narrowing his eyes, Zhang Laosan's expression grew ambiguous.
He knew it wasn’t an illusion. In their line of work, sometimes that fleeting intuition could be life-saving.
He couldn’t wait any longer. He needed to gather all his underlings for a meeting when he got back. He had to ensure that everyone firmly remembered Lin Wan's face and that they must never offend him in the future.
No matter how capable Lin Wan was, even if he were a living king of hell, as long as they did not offend him, his abilities would never come to bear on Zhang Laosan!
After making up his mind, Zhang Laosan took out his phone and called one of his subordinates.
“Hey, is that you, Xiao Si? Follow up on the matter regarding Lin Yao personally. I’m worried those kids might handle it carelessly.”
“What? You want me to be gentle? Are you crazy? Just do what needs to be done! Repaying debts is a fundamental principle, isn’t it?”
“I’m only asking you to follow up for one reason—Lin Yao’s brother, Lin Wan. Be careful; don’t let anything happen to him. He’s a small but important guest that Boss Wang has explicitly asked to protect. I’ll leave it at that; you handle the rest.”
Passing the task to his reliable and capable subordinate, Xiao Si, Zhang Laosan's mind began to stir with new thoughts.
A precious guest, a valuable person. Zhang Laosan wondered if he could get close to this golden opportunity.
He decided to observe first; having a valuable connection was always beneficial...
---
At the same time, just stepping into his home, Lin Yao's fierce demeanor turned pale when he saw the text message on his phone.
“Hello, Mr. Lin Yao. Tomorrow is the final deadline for repaying the loan you processed with our company. The total amount due, including interest, is 532,079.21 yuan. Please transfer the amount to xxx account by 5 PM tomorrow. Failure to do so will be considered a breach of contract, and our company will take action to protect our legal rights. Please be informed.”
Looking at the long string of numbers in the message, Lin Yao’s face turned as ugly as a trapped ghost in the depths of hell, exuding an air of despair and malice.
Bang—
Lin Yao slammed his backpack onto the living room chair.
The force of the backpack caused the chair to topple, the backrest crashing onto the living room floor with a deafening noise.
Kicking over another chair that had been sitting calmly beside him, Lin Yao's eyes turned bloodshot, his face as pale as paper, radiating a sickly aura.
Over fifty thousand yuan! How could he possibly have that much money to repay that damned debt?!
It was all that damned woman’s fault! She toyed with his feelings and cheated him out of his money. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have fallen to this state!
As Lin Yao slumped on the sofa, panting and seething with anger, his phone suddenly rang.
“Hello, who is it?”
Picking up the latest Apple phone that his mother had just bought for him, Lin Yao answered with irritation.
"Hello, Mr. Lin Yao. I am an employee of Chengyi Tianxia Responsibility Co., Ltd., and I am the representative responsible for your case. I am calling to remind you to transfer the loan interest to the company’s account before 5 PM tomorrow. We will not wait for overdue payments. Thank you for your cooperation, and I wish you a pleasant day."
With a slight smile, Si Si, under the curious gazes of his underlings, maintained his smile as he sent Lin Yao the final notice with full energy.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yao's mind exploded with shock.
It was as if he was back in that dim and remote suburb, where a constant buzzing filled his ears.
Lin Yao’s mind went blank, and anger surged from the depths of his eyes like a flood. He said harshly, "Oh, what if I don’t pay it back?"
Huh? Not paying back? So brazenly?
How interesting; someone actually dares to scheme against them. Isn’t this like showing off a big knife in front of Guan Gong, or flaunting skills in the wrong place? The younger generation really has some guts...
Shaking his head in disbelief, Si Si adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses with a cold tone.
"Then you can try it yourself, Mr. Lin Yao, to see the consequences of not repaying."
"…"
Even though the operator on the other end sounded very gentle, inexplicably, a chill began to rise from Lin Yao’s feet, awakening his lost sanity, and a sense of fear started to linger in his heart.
"Do you know that usury is illegal? What you are doing is liable to legal consequences!" Lin Yao said sharply.
Just as his words fell, a soft chuckle came from the operator on the other end.
"Mr. Lin Yao, you can eat recklessly, but you can’t speak carelessly. Our company’s loan interest rate is 24%, which is fully compliant with national standards. If you have any doubts, feel free to take us to court. I believe the law will protect the legitimate rights and interests of us law-abiding citizens."
"In conclusion, it would be better for you to pay up, Mr. Lin Yao."
After a brief pause, Si Si’s tone became slightly expectant. "Of course, if you do not cooperate, our company will take special measures to protect our legal rights."
"But don’t worry, we are good citizens who abide by the law and will not do anything harmful to your personal safety, so please rest assured."
Lin Yao felt a mix of anger and fear, with an overwhelming sense of anxiety and panic, trembling in the sweltering heat of the room without air conditioning.
The call had already been hung up by the operator on the other end, and Lin Yao slumped on the sofa, feeling a despair he had never experienced before.
What should he do...
---
On the other end of the line, in the opinion office of Chengyi Tianxia Responsibility Co., Ltd., a group of muscular men with tattooed arms and shaved heads exchanged uncertain glances at the young Si Si sitting behind the desk.
"Boss, I reckon that guy won't be able to pay up. What should we do then? Should we…?" one tattooed man asked with a fierce expression.
"If he doesn’t pay up..."
Si Si pondered for a moment, recalling what Zhang Laosan had instructed him.
Since the goal was to please Lin Wan, they should make Lin Yao suffer a bit.
With that thought, Si Si was about to speak, but suddenly, a shift in energy made him change his mind.
"If he doesn’t pay back, let’s ruin his reputation, and then..."
In the eager gazes of his underlings, Si Si said slowly, "Then we’ll call the police and let the law give us justice!"
What???
Hearing this, the underlings were dumbfounded.
They were going to call the police? Were they trying to get themselves killed?
"Why are you all so scared? We haven’t done anything illegal."
Rolling his eyes at them, Si Si declared, "This is a society governed by law. If there’s a problem, go find the police!"
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