"What's going on here?" Wang Yu observed his surroundings with curiosity.
"What else could it be? A bunch of loan sharks," an older worker sighed from the side.
"Loan sharks?"
"Yeah, Xiao Liu's husband gambled away a fortune and ran off. After the divorce, he left her and their daughter to suffer.
It's a pity her daughter is seriously ill and has to stay in the hospital, costing a lot of money every day."
The older worker spoke with a face full of sighs and sympathy.
"This girl is truly remarkable, good at everything inside and out. It's just unfortunate she married the wrong man. Now, those debt collectors can't find her husband, so they're harassing her."
Listening to the workers' hushed discussions, Wang Yu began to understand.
"He and I are already divorced. How is the money he owes you after the divorce my business? The debts he incurred before the divorce, I will definitely try my best to repay you."
Liu Lu said calmly and composedly to the bald, burly man.
"Repay? With what? You've already started working at the Red Moon Dance Hall, serving customers. And you're still pretending to be pure and refusing to sell yourself.
The bald man chuckled disdainfully. "As for the money your deadbeat husband owes, he's skipped town, so who am I going to find if not you? You have to pay, whether you want to or not. Otherwise, we'll have to go after your daughter, since father's debt is daughter's burden!"
"You... my daughter is innocent." Hearing the bald man's words, Liu Lu's expression completely changed, losing the calm composure she had moments before.
"Heh, in this world, who is innocent and who isn't?" the bald man sneered dismissively. "Let me tell you, if you owe money, you must..."
Before the bald man could finish speaking, he was interrupted.
Wang Yu parted the crowd and stepped into the center. "How much does she owe you?"
"What?"
With a slanted, triangular eye, he looked Wang Yu up and down disdainfully. "Are you trying to be a hero, trying to show off by helping her pay off the debt?
Let me tell you, her husband owes us a full 5000 yuan. Do you understand 5000 yuan? I bet you poor devils have never seen so much money in your lives. Hahaha!
Are you planning to help him pay?"
The bald man's expression was filled with contempt. After all, Wang Yu's work clothes, faded from many washes, made him look like just another ordinary worker.
Especially his youthful appearance, he seemed like a reckless hothead.
The boss of the Nine Dragons of Changhe Street had seen plenty of such inexperienced youngsters who had never been beaten by the harsh realities of life!
"5000 yuan!"
As soon as the bald man uttered the figure, the surrounding crowd started whispering.
Although everyone knew Liu Lu's husband owed a large gambling debt, they hadn't expected it to be this much.
It was truly as the bald man said; many of these honest, hardworking laborers had never seen so much money in their entire lives.
"5000 yuan! You only owed less than 200 yuan before. Even with the added 100-plus yuan later, it should be at most 300. How did you get to 5000?"
Liu Lu's expression was tinged with despair and anger.
"Heh, do I not charge interest when I lend money? I'm not running a charity. With the interest compounding, charging you 5000 is already fair. I've even waived the extra change.
The bald man put on an expression of benevolence, acting condescendingly.
Then, he looked at Wang Yu disdainfully again. "So, kid? Are you still going to help her pay? Did hearing this number make your scalp tingle and you want to back down?"
"I..." Wang Yu was about to speak when the older worker from before grabbed his sleeve.
"Young man, don't be impulsive. He's deliberately trying to provoke you into agreeing. Once you agree, they'll force you to sign an IOU, and then these people will hound you every day to collect the debt. This kind of bottomless pit of usury will never be filled!"
The worker's voice was low as he spoke softly into Wang Yu's ear.
"I see. Thank you for the reminder, uncle." Wang Yu nodded in thanks, then looked up at the bald man again.
"Well? Are you going to back down? You haven't even grown up yet and you're trying to play tough. You're wasting my precious time. I can't let this slide. You'll have to give us a hundred or so to buy cigarettes and tea."
The bald man laughed heartily, hands on his hips, legs spread in a compass-like stance. "Of course, if you crawl under my legs, I can consider forgiving you. How about that?"
As he roared with laughter, the other burly men around them also surrounded Wang Yu.
"This is between me and them. It has nothing to do with others. You can deal with me."
Liu Lu stepped forward, trying to pull Wang Yu behind her, but she couldn't budge him.
"Don't worry." Wang Yu stopped Liu Lu's movement and turned to the bald man. "Is 5000 yuan enough?"
"That's right!" the burly man said unceremoniously.
"Alright, let me make a phone call." Wang Yu said calmly and walked towards the gatehouse of the steel mill, knowing there would be a phone there.
"Haha, you really think you're somebody, putting on airs. What's wrong with letting you make a phone call? Let's see if you can call someone or get some money?"
The burly man sneered disdainfully, and the people around him parted to let Wang Yu pass.
Then, under everyone's gaze, Wang Yu slowly entered the gatehouse and picked up the phone.
"Hey, you should leave quickly." Liu Lu's eyes showed a hint of pity as she whispered to Wang Yu. "These people are vampires; you can't afford to offend them."
"It's fine," Wang Yu's voice was calm as he slowly picked up the receiver and dialed.
"Hello? It's me, Wang Yu. Could I speak to Old Ma from finance? Uncle Ma, please arrange for someone to deliver 5000 yuan in cash to the steel mill. Yes, I need it for something.
The cost can be deducted from my personal salary and bonuses, treated as a loan to be repaid later. It's okay, I know... Yes, just have Brother Hu and the others deliver it."
After a string of instructions, Wang Yu hung up the phone.
"What? Did you borrow the money?" the bald man asked, glancing sideways at Wang Yu, having clearly heard his conversation.
"Yes, it will be here soon," Wang Yu replied calmly.
Not long after, the roar of engines could be heard. Brother Hu and his group arrived on their brand-new mopeds, exuding an imposing aura.
"Little factory director, here's the money you asked for. Count it."
Brother Hu rushed to Wang Yu's side and pulled a stack of bills from his pocket – all crisp hundred-yuan notes.
They had actually brought 5000 yuan!
Everyone present was stunned, some even gasping in disbelief.
So much money! Who was this kid? He just pulled out such a large sum!
"Mm." Wang Yu nodded but didn't take the money. He turned to the bald man instead.
"Here's 5000 yuan. Bring out the IOU and any other receipts for the money her husband owed you."
"Wait, I've changed my mind."
The bald man glanced at the wad of cash in Wang Yu's hand, looking somewhat surprised.
With his extensive experience, he could tell at a glance that this stack of bills likely amounted to 5000 yuan.
"It was 5000 yuan before, but because my brothers had to come here to collect the debt, there are various fees for their trouble, lost wages, and emotional distress."
The burly man sneered, his expression one of absolute confidence that he had Wang Yu cornered.
"So, you still need another 5000. That makes a total of 10,000 yuan!"