Chapter 138: Are You All Right?

Zhang Mingyang was at an age full of youthful vigor back then. The young girl was truly beautiful.

"My name is Zhang Mingyang," he introduced himself.

"I'm Cai Yan," the girl said with a smile.

"That's a lovely name..."

That was the first time Zhang Mingyang and Cai Yan met. The encounter seven years ago turned them into close friends. At that time, Zhang Mingyang had just returned home after being discharged from the military, and Cai Yan had just failed her college entrance exams and was preparing to repeat the year. That summer, the two were inseparable, and Zhang Mingyang slowly became a friend to whom Cai Yan could tell anything.

"What do you want to do in the future?" Cai Yan asked him one day.

"I... I haven't thought about it. Maybe I'll just get a job?"

"Have you never thought about going to school?"

Cai Yan's question stumped him. For Zhang Mingyang, studying was the hardest thing in the world. He shook his head. "Maybe not."

He knew Cai Yan's dream was to get into university, but he had never once considered leaving Donghai. After that conversation, their relationship seemed to grow distant. The summer was coming to an end. Zhang Mingyang's father found him a job in the supply and marketing system, and his first day of work fell on the same day Cai Yan went back to school. He had promised to pick her up after school, but he was delayed by work; by the time he arrived at the school, she was already gone.

Zhang Mingyang felt a sense of loss. As he was walking home, he heard Cai Yan's voice coming from a nearby alley. He ran inside, anxious. It was the same scene as before, only this time, there were five or six men surrounding her. The leader was in his forties, pot-bellied and bald.

"Damn it, behave yourself, little girl. If you come with me, I promise you'll live a life of luxury." As the bald man spoke, he reached out and touched Cai Yan's thigh.

"Stop!" Zhang Mingyang shouted and charged forward.

But this time, he wasn't dealing with mere street punks. Before he could even get close, he was beaten to the ground. The bald man even kicked him several times. Later, when some passersby appeared, the men left in a rage. Although Cai Yan was unharmed, Zhang Mingyang had been kicked in his most vulnerable spot. From that day on, he lost part of his manhood.

Later, Cai Yan was accepted into the university of her choice and left Donghai. Zhang Mingyang's condition made him afraid to get close to any woman; he didn't want to ruin anyone's life. Seven years passed in the blink of an eye. This secret was known only to him; he had never told a soul. Even on the night Cai Yan left Donghai, when she had offered herself to him, he had turned her away.

***

The next day, just as Xu Fei finished washing his face, the courtyard gate was kicked open.

"Xu Fei! Is Xu Fei home?" Ma San walked in with two henchmen.

"What are you yelling for?" Xu Fei walked out of the house and stood in the courtyard, staring them down.

"Oh, you are home? Well, how about it, Xu Fei? It's been a month, have you got the money ready?" Ma San glanced at him, convinced that Xu Fei wouldn't be able to come up with the funds.

"The money is ready."

"Oh?" Ma San paused. "What did you say? You have the money?"

"Of course."

"Fine, hand it over."

Xu Fei went back into the house and quickly brought out the money Zhang Mingyang had given him the day before. "Take it and get out!"

He handed the cash to Ma San, who counted it. "This amount is wrong."

Xu Fei frowned. "What do you mean, Ma San? Are you trying to play me? How is it wrong?"

Ma San sneered. "Xu Fei, the amount you owe me was from a month ago. With the interest compounding, it's obviously not the same figure now."

"What are you talking about? Didn't we agree that I would pay back the principal at the end of the month?"

Ma San curled his lip. "That was then. I've changed my mind now, so what? It's my money, so I make the rules."

"You!" Xu Fei glared at him. "Aren't you just cheating me?"

"Haha, you're right, Xu Fei. I, Ma San, am cheating you—what are you going to do about it?"

"I've given you the money. Whether you take it or not is up to you, but I don't have any more."

"Oh, Xu Fei, are you trying to welch on me?" Ma San shook his head with a cold laugh. "Do you even know who you're dealing with?" He looked toward the house. "Fine, if you don't have the money, I have a solution. Like I said before, let your wife come with me, hahaha, and I'll wipe the debt clean."

"Damn you!" Xu Fei stepped forward in a rage.

"What are you doing?" Ma San backed away, and his two men immediately stepped in front of him, blocking Xu Fei. "I'm telling you, don't think that just because you're tall, you can do anything to me. I've seen plenty of your kind. If you hit me, you'll just end up owing me even more!"

"Fine, name your price, and I'll pay it," Xu Fei said, knowing he couldn't afford to get entangled with such people.

"Price? Hmph, fine. You've paid the principal, but the interest for the month comes to fifty thousand."

"What did you say?! Fifty thousand?"

Ma San nodded. "What, do you think I'm lying? Let me calculate it for you: the interest doubles every day. Thirty days in a month, compounding interest, thirty times over..."

As Xu Fei watched Ma San calculate the debt, he longed to kill him with a single punch. This kind of usury was truly vicious.

"Well? Did you understand what I said?" Ma San held up a hand. "Fifty thousand. Pay up."

Xu Fei knew he didn't have that kind of money, and even if he did, how could he pay? This was pure bullying! But if he didn't come up with fifty thousand today, the interest would just keep ballooning tomorrow and the day after.

"Ma San, are you trying to drive me to my death?" Xu Fei looked at him, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists.

"Xu Fei, don't say that. Didn't I tell you? If you can't pay, it's fine—just give me your wife, and let her settle the debt for you."

"Shut up!" Xu Fei pointed at him, trembling with rage. "This is all the money I have. Take it or leave it. Now, the three of you, get out of my house!"

Ma San's face darkened. "What, are you trying to act tough with me?" Seeing Xu Fei turn back toward the house, Ma San waved his hand. "Smash the place!"

The two henchmen grabbed shovels from the yard and headed straight for the main house.

"Let's see who dares!" Xu Fei rushed out of the house wielding a kitchen knife and charged at Ma San. The two henchmen immediately turned to protect their boss. Xu Fei raised the knife to strike at Ma San's head.

*Bang!*

Xu Fei's blade never landed. Instead, one of the henchmen swung a shovel down, striking Xu Fei directly on the head.

"Argh!"

Xu Fei's body shuddered, and he collapsed to the ground. Du Man, who had been watching the situation from inside, rushed out and threw herself over him.

"Xu Fei! Xu Fei, are you alright?"