"I'm in debt? You must be mistaken. I've never even applied for a credit card!" Zhang Xinyi scoffed, as if she had heard a joke. She looked at them mockingly. "Get out of my way! You're just trying to scam me. I, Zhang Xinyi, am not easily fooled!"
The bank employees had long since encountered people like Zhang Xinyi, who refused to admit their debts. One of them rummaged through his bag, pulled out a bill, and handed it to Zhang Xinyi.
"Ms. Zhang, if you don't believe us, you can look at your overdue bill."
Zhang Xinyi glanced at the bill suspiciously, and when she noticed the bank's name, her eyes widened.
She recognized the well-known bank. The bill also indicated "Zhan Corporation."
Zhang Xinyi continued to read. Every expenditure was meticulously recorded, and none of them were small amounts. Each swipe was over a hundred thousand, with the lowest being tens of thousands.
How could this be? She wasn't crazy enough to spend so much money!
Zhang Xinyi looked at the account the money had gone into. The more she looked, the more familiar it became. When she saw the date in the corner, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning and froze in place.
These were all places Mu Linjing had taken her to shop that day. And the expenses from buying clothes for those classmates later were all on her account!
But that card clearly belonged to Mu Linjing! Even during the time she was hiding out, she frequently visited that store, exchanging cash by buying and returning clothes.
"No... are you mistaken? All these expenses were made using Mu Linjing's card. How could they be on my account!"
Zhang Xinyi, on the verge of a breakdown, ran her fingers through her hair. Her eyes were wide, and her hand holding the bill trembled slightly.
"Ms. Zhang, we don't know what happened to you, but unfortunately, all the money you spent was borrowed by yourself from the bank." The men gestured towards the interest on the bill, saying considerately, "You see, you need to repay not only the principal but also the interest. We're here today to remind you that it's time to pay up."
Zhang Xinyi then noticed the interest on these expenses. As time went by, it had compounded like a snowball, growing larger and larger. Never mind the principal, she couldn't even afford the interest!
"No, you must be mistaken. I never applied for a credit card; I've always used Mu Linjing's card!" Zhang Xinyi shook her head in disbelief, nervously gripping the strap of her bag.
This action reminded her. A spark of inspiration struck Zhang Xinyi. She quickly opened her bag, desperately searching for that membership card. But as she got closer to the crucial moment, she couldn't find it.
This cursed bag!
Zhang Xinyi was both anxious and angry. She flipped her bag upside down and shook it vigorously, dumping everything onto the floor with a clatter.
The golden membership card rolled to Zhang Xinyi's feet. Flustered, she bent down, picked it up, and handed it to the bank employees.
"It's this one! I used the membership card that Mu Linjing opened!"
The employees were amused by Zhang Xinyi's actions. The golden appearance was all too familiar to them.
"Ms. Zhang, this is the credit card you opened yourself. Look at the account holder and card number on the overdue bill. If you still don't believe us, you can verify it."
Zhang Xinyi gritted her teeth nervously, her hand holding the credit card trembling. Not believing it, she compared the numbers one by one.
When the last digit matched, Zhang Xinyi's mind went blank. The humiliation of being deceived surged through her.
"But Mu Linjing clearly said this was a membership card!" Zhang Xinyi attempted a final struggle, denying it in a disheveled state, her appearance quite pathetic.
"Ms. Zhang, this is a form of credit card with a membership card format that we collaborated with Zhan Corporation on. We never said a membership card couldn't be a credit card," the bank employees explained to Zhang Xinyi in a gentle tone.
At this point, no matter how slow Zhang Xinyi was, she understood that she had fallen into Mu Linjing's trap.
Damn it, Mu Linjing dared to deceive her! So, everything from the beginning was a setup!
Zhang Xinyi furiously threw the card on the ground, stomped on it several times, then glared fiercely at the employees and shoved them aside!
"Get out of my way! I'm going to find Mu Linjing and settle this!"
"Ms. Zhang, why don't you repay the money you owe the bank first!" The bank personnel, having finally caught up with her, were not about to let Zhang Xinyi go and tried to stop her.
A burly man blocked her path. Cornered, Zhang Xinyi snarled and lunged forward, biting the man's arm hard and kicking him wildly. While they were in disarray, she, with her messy hair, escaped the encirclement.
The bank employees pursued relentlessly. Zhang Xinyi, slippery as a loach, darted into a narrow alley. The wind whistled past her ears. Zhang Xinyi dared not slow down, running until she was in a place where no one could see her before finally stopping.
She leaned against a moss-covered wall and slowly crouched down. In the silent alley, only Zhang Xinyi's heavy panting could be heard. Her eyes showed vigilance, and she uneasily observed her surroundings.
The sky gradually darkened, and the surroundings became even quieter. Zhang Xinyi calmed her breathing, feeling an emptiness in her heart.
She was left with an empty bag and the overdue bill clutched in her hand. She had dropped everything else, fleeing in a panic without picking them up.
"Mu Linjing, you liar, show yourself!"
Zhang Xinyi shouted hysterically. She slowly let go of her hand, and the overdue bill fluttered down onto the bluestone slabs. The enormous amount stared back at Zhang Xinyi.
With this much debt, she wouldn't be able to repay it in her lifetime! And now she was stranded...
Night fell, and lamps lit up, accompanied by the sounds of warm laughter and joy.
The more Zhang Xinyi thought about it, the sadder she became. Tears streamed down her face. She hugged her knees and cried softly, afraid that the debt collectors would hear her and come after her.
"Zhang Xinyi." A sudden call startled Zhang Xinyi, making her jump. She looked towards the source of the voice and saw a beautiful but unfamiliar woman.
"Who are you? How do you know my name!" Zhang Xinyi was stunned for a moment, then looked at the woman warily, quietly backing away, preparing to flee.
"Zhang Xinyi, you look rather pathetic." The woman approached Zhang Xinyi unhurriedly. She curved her red lips, reached out, and pinched Zhang Xinyi's chin, lifting it. Her eyes scanned Zhang Xinyi's current disheveled state.
"Let go, who are you?"
Zhang Xinyi fiercely slapped the woman's hand away, then wiped her chin in disgust with her clothes.
"I was going to let you guess, but seeing how they've treated you, you probably don't have the brain for it."
The woman let out a delicate laugh. She met Zhang Xinyi's gaze, her red lips moving.
"I am Bai Qing."