C13 He Was Determined!
"I'll repay the money! Just put me down, please!"
Lee Yunqing's face was beet red, having just been dangled in mid-air by Ye Yufei's single hand. For a moment, he genuinely feared for his life.
His acrophobia was severe. He had initially wanted to buy a top-floor duplex to live in, but given his fear of heights, he had settled for this place instead.
"When will you repay the debt? Don't drag your feet this time. If you don't cough up some cash today, we're not leaving your place. Besides, you two seem pretty lonely. Having a few more people around could liven things up, don't you think?"
Ye Yufei was clearly enjoying himself. To handle someone like this, he knew he had to resort to such ruthless tactics. Being too soft-spoken would likely mean never seeing his money again.
"Right now! Let me down, and I'll make a call. I'll scrape together some money for you today, but I can't pay off the entire sum all at once. I'll give you part of it now and figure out how to cover the rest later."
Shaking uncontrollably, Lee Yunqing's plea finally got through to Ye Yufei, who contentedly let him down.
"Get those IOUs over here. Let's see which one he's willing to pay off first. And don't let him hold them—he might tear them up, and then we'd have no way to collect."
Ye Yufei gave Tang Xiaofeng a timely reminder. It was a close call; Tang had nearly handed over all the IOUs he was holding.
Sitting on the ground, looking utterly worn out, Lee Yunqing had never imagined he'd find himself in such dire straits, especially at the hands of these young punks.
"Take a look at which one you'd like to pay off first. The total comes to about a hundred million. I suggest you tackle the larger amounts first. We're not trying to swindle you. Just start with these, which come to fifty-two million."
Tang Xiaofeng flicked the IOUs in his palm. Lee Yunqing opened his mouth to argue but, catching Ye Yufei's stern gaze, he thought better of it and held his tongue.
"Is there any chance you could ask for less? If I pay all this back, my wife and I will be left with nothing to live on. Surely you can leave us some means of survival. If I'm dead, how will I be able to pay you back?"
Lee Yunqing looked at them with a pitiful expression. It was the first time Tang Xiaofeng had seen his uncle appear so weak. When he had come to borrow money before, he was as arrogant as could be, with his nose in the air as if he owned the place.
"No, the amount is exactly right. I know you have that much money on hand. There's no need for me to investigate again, but if I do and find out you have even more, then you'll have to pay back a little extra."
Ye Yufei dragged a stool over and sat down in front of him. Hearing this, Lee Yunqing quickly shook his head. He was acutely aware that his affairs wouldn't stand up to scrutiny. If they dug up the slightest hint of impropriety, even his emergency funds would be at risk.
"Come with me," he said with a grave look, leading them to the back bedroom. Upon entering, they immediately sensed something was off. The curtains were drawn, and the room was filled with drying equipment, clearly indicating his concern about moisture.
From beneath the bed and the cracks in the wardrobe, he pulled out numerous bags and tossed them at their feet, one after another.
"Here's the money you're asking for. But there's only fifty million. I'll need a few more days for the rest."
Lee Yunqing winced as he relinquished the bags; he had safeguarded them so carefully for so long, and now he had to hand them over.
"Take these bags out," he instructed. "And remember, Mr. Lee, the promises you made to me. I'll be back to check on you soon. Make sure you double your efforts to settle your debt quickly!"
Before leaving, Ye Yufei deliberately taunted him with words meant to provoke. Lee Yunqing had no desire to listen; he just wanted them to leave as quickly as possible.
"Alright, I've done what I came for. In the future, don't act so timid, especially you, Tang Xiaofeng. How are we supposed to start a business together if you're this faint-hearted? I fear you'll faint the moment we sit down with potential partners. And don't forget to remind your father about the investment he promised."
With a friendly punch, Ye Yufei left in his car, reveling in the thrill of the confrontation, particularly with someone as obstinate as Lee Yunqing.
Upon arriving at his doorstep, Ye Yufei spotted a sapphire blue car parked at the entrance from a distance. He surmised that the sparkling paint job was custom-ordered, a luxury not readily available to the average person.
The car likely belonged to Miss Mu. Her father, Mu Xun, had recently made headlines citywide when he purchased the vehicle for his daughter.
"Yufei, can we talk?" Mu Yanrou approached him as he parked his car. Her smile caught him off guard; she hadn't been this amiable before.
The haughtiness she once carried seemed to have vanished, likely a result of recent reprimands from Mu Xun.
"We don't really have anything to discuss. I said all I had to at your grandfather's birthday celebration," Ye Yufei responded, fidgeting with his car keys, clearly uninterested in engaging with her. Her temperament was ill-suited for the life of a lady of her standing, requiring tolerance for their volatile nature and possibly dealing with an overbearing father.
The stress of living with such people was overwhelming. Ye Yufei preferred the freedom of solitude.
"You've got it all wrong about me and Chu Yunfei. My dad and grandpa have been lecturing me, but I'm innocent. There's truly nothing between us—it's not what you imagine," Mu Yanrou pleaded, her voice laced with sorrow and her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to spill.
Ye Yufei offered a wry smile. He had been clear at the banquet, and her showing up now was nothing short of masochistic.
"It doesn't matter what I think. If there's really nothing between you two, you don't need to worry about being wronged by others. Besides, our families have called off the engagement. I was explicit last time: from now on, I'd prefer you stay out of my sight. I have no desire to speak with you," he stated firmly.
With that, Ye Yufei walked away. Lingering would only give Mu Yanrou false hope; it was best to be direct.
As the Ye family's door shut, Mu Yanrou, seething with frustration, climbed into her car and dialed her father's number.
"Dad, please don't make me see Ye Yufei anymore. He's set on calling off the engagement and barely spoke to me before he walked away."