Everyone turned their heads in the direction of the voice and saw a woman with an imposing aura standing at the door. It was none other than the eldest daughter of the Fan family patriarch, the owner of Cheng Hong Lou—Fan Xiaoyun!
Upon seeing Fan Xiaoyun, Xu Shengbiao, looking disheveled, crawled over and grabbed her leg, crying, "Sister Yun, save me, please save me. That bastard Lu Ming is going to kill me. Look at my face, he’s swollen it."
Fan Xiaoyun glanced at Xu Shengbiao's face. Indeed, it was so badly beaten that his own mother wouldn't recognize him.
"You hit him hard."
Fan Xiaoyun looked at Lu Ming, who was holding a slipper not far away, and said coldly, "Lu Ming, wasn't the last lesson enough? Do you want to be taught another one?"
Lu Ming said nothing and bent down to put on his slippers.
He dusted his hands and said casually, "Sister Yun, this time you've misunderstood me. It's not that I'm bullying him, but that he owes money and refuses to pay. Sister Yun, you tell me, isn't it natural to pay back what you owe? If I ask him for money and he doesn't give it, is it wrong for me to hit him a couple of times? Is it wrong?"
On the surface, it did sound somewhat reasonable.
But… why would Xu Shengbiao owe Lu Ming money?
Xu Shengbiao was rolling in wealth. Over the years, he had made a fortune collecting debts for the Fan family, earning a considerable amount. He always had plenty of cash on him.
Would someone like him need to borrow money?
Even if he needed to borrow money, he would surely ask the Fan family, wouldn't he? How could he borrow from Lu Ming, the live-in son-in-law? What money could Lu Ming possibly have?
Therefore… there must be a trick!
Fan Xiaoyun asked tentatively, "Xu Shengbiao owes you money? How much?"
Fan Xiaoyun thought that if the debt wasn't too large, she would pay it off for Xu Shengbiao. However, what she didn't expect was a thunderclap!
Lu Ming said very seriously, "Not too much, not too little, a total of thirty-nine million!"
Thirty-nine million. For an ordinary person, it was an astronomical sum, far more than one could earn in a lifetime. Let alone Lu Ming, a live-in son-in-law; how could he have lent so much money to someone?
No one would believe such a statement.
Fan Xiaoyun's face darkened. "Lu Ming, don't spout nonsense!"
Lu Ming said very earnestly, "Sister Yun, do I look like someone who spouts nonsense? I am a good person, a very good person. Don't worry, as long as Xu Shengbiao pays back the thirty-nine million he owes me, I will absolutely stop bothering him! What do you think?"
Pay back what!
Although Xu Shengbiao had earned a lot over the years, he definitely didn't have thirty-nine million.
How could he pay it back?
Fan Xiaoyun glared at Xu Shengbiao and asked, "Tell me, how did you owe Lu Ming so much money? What did you need so much money for? Were you building a house or starting a company?"
Xu Shengbiao was on the verge of tears. What was this all about!
He said indignantly, "No, Sister Yun, I don't owe him any money at all. He's talking complete nonsense. He took a hundred yuan from my pocket, then took it back, and then claimed I owed him thirty-nine million. Isn't this just robbery?"
The more she listened, the more confused she became.
Fan Xiaoyun didn't know what to say. How did one hundred yuan turn into thirty-nine million? Was this… a magic trick?
Fan Xiaoyun roared, "Explain it clearly!"
So, Xu Shengbiao recounted everything that had happened before, in full detail, telling Fan Xiaoyun all his grievances.
After listening, Fan Xiaoyun had a general understanding.
This matter was indeed not Xu Shengbiao's fault. It was entirely Lu Ming trying to extort money.
Fan Xiaoyun snorted coldly, "Lu Ming, aren't you going too far? What kind of interest are you charging? Is this how the country's interest rates work? You are simply arrogant!"
Oh?
You know about the country's interest rate regulations?
Lu Ming smiled and retorted, "Since you know my interest rates are wrong, why is it that the Fan family charges such high interest to the fishermen? Fifty percent, daily interest—are your rates compliant? Didn't you set those yourself? If the Fan family can set them, can't I, Lu Ming, set them too? Let's be fair; don't play double standards."
So, this was the catch!
Lu Ming wasn't an idiot, nor was he deliberately framing Xu Shengbiao. Everything was aimed at those fishermen.
Fan Xiaoyun understood. This was about seeking justice for the fishermen.
And so…
Fan Xiaoyun sneered, "So that's your real objective. I understand. You went through all this trouble just to help those fishermen. Lu Ming, you are indeed a good person."
Unexpectedly, Lu Ming waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, no. I'm not a good person, nor am I here to help the fishermen. I'm just here to collect a debt. Thirty-nine million, give it to me."
Heh heh.
Impossible to give!
Fan Xiaoyun took a step forward, blocking Xu Shengbiao behind her.
She said proudly, "Xu Shengbiao is now under my protection, Fan Xiaoyun. You can't touch him. From now on, I will protect Xu Shengbiao. If you touch him, you are crossing me, Fan Xiaoyun!"
Her words were ruthless.
Xu Shengbiao suddenly felt emboldened. He stood up and gave Lu Ming the middle finger, as if to say: Come on, keep showing off, hit me, I'll kill you!
Lu Ming took two steps forward.
Suddenly, a large group of people swarmed in from all directions, surrounding Lu Ming and trapping him in the middle.
These people were all armed with clubs and knives. If Lu Ming dared to take another step forward, they would surely hack him into pieces on the spot.
Ruthless!
Fan Xiaoyun raised her head proudly and said, "In Mist City, anyone I want to protect is untouchable!"
Fan Xiaoyun looked like she had Lu Ming cornered.
Lu Ming chuckled, dusted his hands, and said, "Alright, since Sister Yun wants to protect him, I have nothing more to say."
With that, Lu Ming turned and left.
Xu Shengbiao breathed a sigh of relief. This annoying jinx had finally left.
He said gratefully from behind Fan Xiaoyun, "Thank you, Sister Yun."
But just as Lu Ming had walked no more than five steps, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Fan Xiaoyun, and asked, "Um… Sister Yun, how long are you going to protect Xu Shengbiao?"
Huh?
What kind of question was that?
Fan Xiaoyun was momentarily stunned. "What do you mean? I don't understand."
Lu Ming said very seriously, "It's like this: if Sister Yun protects Xu Shengbiao for a day, then I'll come back tomorrow to get rid of him; if you protect him for a week, then I'll come back next week to get rid of him. If you protect him for a year, then I'll come back next year to get rid of him. So, I just want to ask, Sister Yun, how long are you going to protect him?"