C9 Surviving the Disaster(2)

However, at that moment, Hua Yuyan, seated across from him, spoke with earnest conviction, "Yes, Yu is definitely very handsome!"

This statement took Yang Lishan by complete surprise.

Such a comment would have been expected from anyone else, but coming from Hua Yuyan, it was unthinkable.

Hua Yuyan herself was quite accomplished and surrounded by many capable young men, setting her standards exceptionally high.

To her, an average appearance was already on par with that of a male deity, so for her to compliment someone's looks was nearly impossible.

Moreover, Hua Yuyan had known Yang Yu since childhood, making them extremely familiar with each other.

The closer the relationship, the more likely they were to develop aesthetic fatigue, akin to how siblings might view each other as plain, while outsiders see them as stunning.

Hua Yushi was in disbelief upon hearing her sister's words, but within seconds, she eagerly turned to Yang Yu and echoed, "Yu really is handsome!"

Suddenly, it wasn't just Yang Lishan who was taken aback, but Yang Yu himself felt disoriented.

"Could it be that my parents have kept this from me all these years, never telling me that I'm actually handsome?" Yang Yu wondered to himself.

"Given Yu's looks, it's only natural for him to inherit the estate," Hua Junliang affirmed with a nod.

Others might jest with Yang Yu, but not Hua Junliang, who was always serious and not one for jokes.

"I knew it all along!" Yang Lishan exclaimed, slapping Yang Yu's shoulder with gusto and bursting into a triumphant laugh, his pride written all over his face.

Subsequently, the group breezed past the topic of Yang Yu inheriting Kung Tianhua's estate, turning what was once an illogical situation into something completely justified.

"Now that Yu has money, let's use it to pay back our relatives and friends!" declared Yang Lishan.

Paying off debts promptly was a cornerstone of Yang Lishan's principles, a testament to his integrity and fairness.

"Mom, let's give each household an extra ten percent as a token of our gratitude," suggested Yang Yu.

At this moment, Yang Yu was burdened with the Super Rich System, and his biggest concern was figuring out how to spend money.

Spending ten million before midnight was no small feat.

For a high school student, splurging on three hours at an internet cafe after school was already a luxury. Yet, the best internet cafe near the school charged a mere five yuan per hour.

This was a mere trifle compared to the daily missions of the Super Rich System.

Luckily, after consulting with the system, Yang Yu learned that repaying debts counted as spending.

With that in mind, he aimed to pay back as much as possible.

His father readily agreed, and while his mother hesitated, she raised no objections.

The first repayment was naturally directed to Hua Junliang, or Uncle Hua.

Adversity reveals true friends, and during the Yang family's crisis, Hua Junliang's family had been a pillar of support.

Now that Yang Yu had the means, he was eager to repay their kindness.

However, Hua Junliang and his family were reluctant to accept the money.

"Brother Yang, your family has just gotten through tough times. Prioritize others with your money; I'm not in a rush!" Hua Junliang insisted.

"Exactly, Uncle Yang. Manman has only just recovered from her illness, and you've only just cleared your name. This is the time for you to use your money, not worry about repaying debts!" Hua Yuyan chimed in.

"Our families are so close, there's really no need for this!" Hua Yushi added.

It was only after persistent insistence from Yang Lishan and Yang Yu that Hua Junliang accepted the principal amount.

But when Yang Yu tried to give him an additional hundred thousand yuan, Hua Junliang flatly refused.

Leaving the Hua household, Yang Lishan and Lyu Huan accompanied Yang Yu as he continued his mission to repay other benefactors.

Meanwhile, Luo Deshou had been in low spirits recently. Instead of heading straight home after work, he met up with a few friends to drown his sorrows in drink.

As a government employee with a degree of authority, he was no stranger to people seeking favors, and thus, he was never short of fair-weather friends.

After a night of heavy drinking, it was well past midnight when a wobbly Luo Deshou finally made it back home.

As soon as he opened the door, Luo Deshou was greeted by a flying pillow, followed by his wife's furious shout, "You have the nerve to show your face here!"

Catching the pillow, Luo Deshou leaned against the doorframe and peered inside, only to see his wife's brother lounging in the house.

"Get over here!" his wife snapped, yanking Luo Deshou into the living room. "My third brother's been planning to buy a house. I told you last year he needed to borrow fifty thousand yuan from us. You said yes, so why on earth did you lend it to someone else?"

"There was trouble at the Yang's," Luo Deshou mumbled, struggling for words.

"Trouble at the Yang's? What about my brother's trouble? Yang's been arrested and is facing jail time. How could you possibly lend him money? When is he ever going to pay you back?" she berated him.

Lately, Luo Deshou had become numb to such rebukes.

"It's not that I want to criticize you, but at your age, you should know better than to act on impulse. Sure, you and your colleague were close, but that was then. He's made his bed, and yet you're still covering for him. Losing money is one thing, but aren't you worried about dragging yourself down too?" his father-in-law chided, his frustration palpable.

"You'll be lucky to get back thirty thousand in five years, let alone the full amount. You had agreed to lend it to me for a storefront purchase. I'm not asking for much, just a return that's double what the bank would offer. In five years, that could have easily been an extra twenty thousand for you!" The middle-aged man, clearly Luo Deshou's third brother-in-law, chimed in with a mix of disappointment and anger.

Amidst the barrage of criticism, Luo Deshou could only stand in silence, taking it all in.

He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for his ill-considered decision to lend money to Yang.

"Just look at Sister Zhang across the street. Her family isn't as well-off as ours, and they didn't ask to borrow a dime. Anyone with half a brain knows who to lend to and who not to. Only a fool like you wouldn't see it!" His wife's scolding continued unabated.

"Enough with the pointless talk. Our brothers are all here now. Let's go to the Yang's and get our money back!" The third brother declared, rising to his feet and pulling Luo Deshou towards the door.

The others in the room rose to their feet as well, a group of more than a dozen people.

"No, asking them for money now would be like signing the death warrant for the entire Yang family. I can't do that!" Luo Deshou's conscience wouldn't allow it. He understood that the fifty thousand yuan was a lifeline for Yang Lishan and his family.

"You spineless fool, giving away money to others and then making excuses when it's time to collect!" His wife erupted in anger, "If you don't bring that money back today, I'm filing for divorce!"

The middle-aged woman was pulling out all the stops, her dramatics almost earth-shattering.

The commotion spread as the others joined in, turning the room into a scene of utter chaos.

"Fine, fine, fine—I'll go!" Luo Deshou, left with no other option, reluctantly agreed.

But as he made his way to the door, he was taken aback to see three people standing at the entrance. The man in front was under fifty, with a robust build and striking features—it was none other than his colleague, Yang Lishan.