Xiao Heng sneer with ridicule: “There’s no way that you can’t even have five cents on you ba.”
“Who are you looking down on.”
One still needs to maintain their dignity regardless of how penniless they are, Lu Yan spoke while fishing out the cash from his trouser pocket once again.
Lu Yan is currently mounted on top of the motorbike, the distance separating between him and Xiao Heng is approximately half an arm’s length. He leans forward, with two pieces of fold up paper bill sandwiched between his figures, he then tuck the cash within Xiao Heng’s wide open blouse collar: “Keep it safe, that's a vast amount of cash.”
Lu Yan can see his collarbones at a glance along this angle, this young master has quite a decent physique, a cloth hanger1……. But he couldn’t see anything distinctly further downwards.
[1]: Original: 衣架子. Translates to cloth hanger, but it’s a metaphor for a good figure.
“What are you intending to do,” Xiao Heng pulls the “vast amount of cash” out of his blouse collar with an expression which looks as if he had the intention of deliver him a round of beating, “……take it back.”
What’s with wrong with fifty-five?
It’s the labouring citizens’ hard-earned money made through blood and sweat.
“Take it.”
Lu Yan didn’t receive it.
It’s quite rare for this young master to be able to repeat himself for the third time: “Take, it.”
Lu Yan still didn’t receive it.
Xiao Heng directly got rid of his cigarette, taking two strides forward, and pressed him down against the vehicle tactlessly.
Lu Yan was held down in his place without any warning.
“Don’t mess around,” Xiao Heng wanted to find a place to set his hands on, but there wasn’t a spot Lu Yan could tuck the cash into when he was pinned down lying on his stomach like this. In the end, he simply stuffed the money into the back pocket of his jeans. “You keep it to yourself. It won’t be of use to me.”
“…..”
His jeans were already tight to begin with, and the sensation of Xiao Heng tucking things inside of it was a bit too distinct. Lu Yan didn’t think much of it when he tucked the money into the other’s blouse collar a moment ago, but now he understood that there were some places you can’t just randomly tuck things into: “F*ck! Where are you tucking it in!”
Xiao Heng didn’t reply, but once he was done stuffing in the cash, only then did he let go of the other.
Lu Yan rested his elbow on top of the vehicle. He had two imprints left on him the moment he got up, and he felt the sense of failure; though it was him who’d gone rogue and provoked the other first, the other party was way fiercer, and returned back the provocation as a result.
Facts have proven that Xiao Heng truly wasn’t short of money.
Once he opened up his wallet, two whole rows of credit cards were shown inside.
Xiao Heng casually picked one out from the bunch.
The several fellows by the side, who had just been beaten up, would’ve never thought that his purpose for coming here was so he could repay bills, and in a trance, they spoke: “You, you’re gonna help her pay her bills? One million and two hundred thousand?”
Lu Yan also asked: “You’re really paying on her behalf?” Lu Yan originally thought that Xiao Heng, at most, would help out by exchanging a few words with the debt collector. After all, this modus of gaining profit was very shameless. In addition, there wasn’t any relative relation nor ties of kinship between him and Kang Ru.
If Lu Yan didn’t make a wrong guess, then not only are they not exactly related nor do they have any ties of kinship, the child should’ve been borne by Kang Ru and his father… Was he always so tolerant towards the women his father brought back these days?
Yet, as Lu Yan spent half a day pondering, the young master spoke out three words:
“I am rich.”
“……”
Alright.
I am aware that you are rich.
Too rich that you can’t even spend it all.
The leader of the bunch crawled up from the ground, retrieving a few things from the truck and then rushing back. It wasn’t until he walked closer did Lu Yan see that he carried back a mobile POS terminal system. He had a joyous expression that went beyond words on his face, as if he didn’t at all mind the beatings he suffered earlier: “We accept credit cards, you can use a method that’s convenient for you, both cash and credit card payments combined are also okay.”
[3]: Mobile POS terminal hardware system for processing card payments at retail locations.
Their preparations have been indeed done thoroughly.
Xiao Heng swiped his card.
1.2 million, both said and done.
Didn’t even bat an eyelid.
Lu Yan now realized that he could never truly comprehend the world of these wealthy individuals.
These guys usually run about busy with handling affairs. In addition to a cash register, the truck had official stamp seals and even loan agreements. It was stocked with everything.
[4]: A Loan Agreement, also known as a term loan, demand loan, or a loan contract, is a contract that documents a financial agreement between two parties, where one is the lender and the other is the borrower.
Within ten minutes’ worth of effort, both Kang Ru’s loan agreement and debt repayment certificate were placed inside an archival file folder, and was delivered over to Lu Yan: “Why are you giving this to me?”
“Bring it back and deliver it to her,” Xiao Heng said, “You can just drop it by.”
“……”
Alright.
I am aware that you are rich.
Too rich that you can’t spend it all.
Leader of the bunch crawl up from the ground, retrieving some stuff from the truck and rush back. it’s not only until he walks closer that Lu Yan identifies that it’s mobile POS terminal 2. With a joyous expression on his face that is indescribable by words, as if he doesn’t mind the round of beating he suffered earlier: “We accept credit cards, you can use a method that’s convenient for you, both cash combine with credit card is also okay.”
[3]: Mobile POS terminal hardware system for processing card payments at retail locations.
Preparations are indeed thorough.
Xiao Heng swiped his card.
1.2 million, both said and done.
Not even batting an eyelid.
Lu Yan realize now that he truly doesn’t comprehend the world of those wealthy individuals.
These guys usually run about busy with handling affairs, in addition to the cash register, the truck has both official stamps, and even loan agreements4, stocked with everything.
[4]: A Loan Agreement, also known as a term loan, demand loan, or a loan contract, is a contract that documents a financial agreement between two parties, where one is the lender and the other is the borrower.
Without the effort of more than ten minutes, both Kang Ru’s loan agreement and the debt repayment certificate thus were wrapped with in an archival file folder and was deliver over to Lu Yan: “Why are you giving this to me?”
“Bring it back and deliver it to her,” Xiao Heng said, “You can just drop by.”
Dropping by it’s sure quite convenient, just right next door to him.
Lu Yan opens it up once again to check through it to make sure that no paper documents are missing: “I can also deliver it to her by giving you a hand.”
Although the course of events is all a bit too rocky, but this matter can consider to be settled with contentment.
He tows his motor bike along side Xiao Heng as they both walk towards the outside of the parking lot after Lu Yan finishes putting away the archival file folder.
The instant as they bypass the large green trash bin which momentum couldn’t be underestimated, it’s unknown as to whether if Xiao Heng was the one who chuckled a laugh of ridicule initially, or if it’s Lu Yan himself who couldn’t tolerate it: “…. Don’t you laugh, do you assume I want to push it? This f*cking dame place only has a single trash bin!”
Xiao Heng indicate that he doesn’t want to listen to him sprouting nonsense at all.
“......” Lu Yan rubbed his nose and changed the topic of the conversation. “Didn’t see you driving a vehicle today. How are you gonna get back later? Hail a taxi?”
Xiao Heng grunted out an “un” and asked in response: “Any cigarettes left?”
Lu Yan directly throws the whole package to him.
After throwing it over, there was no need for Lu Yan to stay here any longer. However, it’s not until he came across a red light after driving two hundred meters away that he stopped and looked back to check the people behind him through the rear-view mirror, and saw that Xiao Heng still hadn’t left the spot he was in. That guy is currently resting on the stairway, smoking away with wounds all over, only lowering his head after taking two drags from the cigarette — his demeanor was completely out of tune with his original temperament that even his posture almost appeared fragile. The outer suit that he took off during the fight earlier was thrown aside by his feet.
It’s already deep into the night.
In addition to the square of Feng Huang Plaza which is still brightly lit, the other areas close to the parking lot basically doesn’t have no other light sources, not even street lights. Xiao Heng’s whole body is shrouded in a void of darkness.
Lu Yan felt for no reason that his current image seems really much alike those homeless stray cats and dogs. Of course, in Xiao Heng’s case, he should definitely be the athletic type of breed5.
[5]: Clarification here, Lu Yan is talking about dogs and cats’ breed.
The red light ahead flashed twice.
……
However, homeless.
Lu Yan retracted his gaze, realizing that his assumption is overly absurd.
-
Only at noon the next day then did Kang Ru return to the building.
In order for Lu Yan to greet her, he especially set his alarm clock, he still haven’t had lunch yet when Kang Ru is climbing up the stairs. His temporary lunch buddy Wei ge is currently sitting beside him and listening to the narration about his heroic deed of recklessly pummeling the usurious loan company from last night.
“Five individuals on the opposition,” Lu Yan spoke while picked up a slice of eggplant with his chopsticks. “It didn’t come as something to consider trivial to me that there were five of them, I folded up my sleeves and charged ahead—”
Despite Wei-ge feeling perturbed over the exciting fight scenes, he still harbored a trace of reasoning. He picked up a greasy slice of braised eggplant with his chopsticks, lamenting: “Yan, that’s really unlike you ah.”
Lu Yan never thought that his lies actually would get exposed by the other: “What misconceptions do you have against me ge?”
Wei ge: “What misconceptions do you have against yourself?”
Wei ge has inhabit in this building much longer compared to Lu Yan, he has quite a thorough understanding about Lu Yan’s nature of using words rather than action. Moreover when he does truly take action…….
“Even when you’re allowed to do so, you couldn’t even take on a single person back when the demolition company made a comeback.”
Wei ge spoke with a tone which is brimming with reminiscent: “I still remember the appearance of yours when others almost send you flying in no time…..”
“…..”
Once Lu Yan listens up to this point, he extends his hand and take away the tableware that Wei ge is currently holding, pointed towards the door afterwards: “You, scram.”
Wei ge: “what’s up about it, didn’t we decided upon that if I lend you my vehicle, in return you should treat me a meal ma.”
Lu Yan used one of his foot to prop up from the floor, walk towards the cabinet and flip through it for a while, and he only find a cup of braised beef noodles in the end: “See if this favor suits the taste.”
Wei ge is simply flabbergasted: “??? Are you human?”
Those two created a ruckus for awhile.
When Wei ge is standing at the entrance holding his braised beef noodles, Kang Ru happens to appear.
She nevertheless has on the attire from last night, she couldn’t even cover up the dark circles under her eyes even though she applied a think layer of concealer.
“She is arriving, arriving.” Wei ge leap through the door, saying: “She has returned.”
Lu Yan brings along the bowl which he wasn’t able to return last time plus the archival file folder, opening the door and exited. Standing in front of Kang Ru, saying: “I’ve request you to lend it to me last time, but never got to return it. And there’s also this, someone entrusted me to deliver it to you.”
Kang Ru glance twice at him.
She totally didn’t expect that once she opens the archival file fold, there will be two contracts inside. One of them in which she is already so familiar with that she unable to be any further familiar with it, this is the one which has complicated her for whole total five years, it’s also her nightmare each night of when those black characters on the white sheet of paper evolves into a trenchant edge and constantly hinder her loan contract, and the final signature which was signed by herself.
But it’s also not as familiar to her in fact.
Because she haven’t detailly observe the contents of this contract at the time before signing it, the little sisters which works in the same factory told her: “There’s definitely no issues regarding the contract, my cousin will of course provide you the lowest interest rate, even lower compare the bank, so there’s no need for you to worry”
As she tightly held on the pen, and signed her name stroke by stoke in front.
Originally, Kang Ru is similar to all those ladies who came to Xiacheng Locality for work, bearing her simple aspirations of wanting to search for a bigger business opportunities within a larger city.
“You couldn’t pay the debt yet? ——Won’t you just think of a way yourself?”
“Young lady…… I am providing a job here, quick profit, why don’t you consider it?”
Countless pairs of hands pull her towards the abyss.
She felt herself gradually rotting from the core.
If you can persist with your eyes closed in this lifetime, therefore persist longer, go to hell if you can’t persist anymore.
However the occurrence of the infant was indeed an incident, she has been to a small sized abortion clinic once, and has already settle the payment, but she shove the doctor away in end and ran out barefooted after climbing up from the hospital bed ——cause she is aware that she will regret her decision later in the future, she nevertheless shove away all those frigid medical equipment.
But all that remorse couldn’t compare to the moment when the infant is given birth, it was like the whole world has lighten up a bit for her.
-
Kang Ru dumbfoundedly flip over the contract, realizing there’s an extra sheet behind it.
On the sheet written:
The so-call debt owed by contractor party B6 Ms. Kang Ru has been fully compensated, the agreement deemed to have taken effect initially, there will not be any obligatory relations between Ms. Kang Ru and our company from now on.
[6]: Party B refers to an individual is usually the one who claims their own needs and requirements from party A who is the provider.
Lu Yan has never seen anyone who broke down like this before.
She tightly gnaws on the back of her palm, leaning downwards slowly, the purse she is carrying slide off of her shoulder, then a supress cry spilling out between her clenched teeth, with tears dripping down, patter against the floor.
-
[Lu Yan]: I’ve already handed over the stuff.
[Xiao Heng]: en7
[7]: an acknowledgment. (PS: interpret from original context)
[Lu Yan]: she weeps constantly, repeatedly apologising, asking the whereabout of the child. Are you gonna bring the child here tomorrow?
[Xiao Heng]: en
The other party gave an acutely perfunctory reply no matter what he sent over, doesn’t even bother converting the “en” into Chinese.
Kang Ru used up her entire strength from crying, Lu Yan supported her back to the room, then did he type back reply.
[Lu Yan]: Are you a bot repeater? Can’t you change your phrasing ma?
Xiao Heng’s messages this time around become even more simplistic.
[Xiao Heng]: o
……
After Lu Yan is done wiping the dishes, Xiao Heng took the initiative sending a several messages to clarify.
[Xiao Heng]: Preparing condensed milk, not convenient to type.
The other one is an audio voice message.
Lu Yan clicks on it, hear the word “Sha” emerged out initially, but the young master paused his speech a bit, before continuing to say: “Thanks.”
You intend to say pop punk just then ba???
-------------------------------------------------------------
The author has something to say:
Xiao Heng: When will I become the new next-door neighbour?
*Huang: ?
(T/N: abbreviation of the author’s name)
Translated by: Piggybank 🐽
Edited by: Muku/Yukki