Ten minutes later.
Cheng Xiaofan, flanked by Miller and Melina, emerged from the villa, his hands behind his back, exuding an air of confidence.
He stopped six meters away from Degel.
Immediately, a security guard brought over a rattan chair in a Chinese style and placed it before Cheng Xiaofan, saying respectfully, "Mr. Cheng, please be seated!"
Cheng Xiaofan nodded slightly and, with a bold posture, sat on the rattan chair opposite Degel.
Another security guard stepped forward to hold a parasol for Cheng Xiaofan, fearing he might get sunburnt.
Two more guards carried a tea table from inside the villa, upon which were placed three cups of steaming hot tea. Melina and Miller sat on either side of Cheng Xiaofan.
Melina picked up a cup of tea from the tea table and brought it to Cheng Xiaofan's lips, saying with a smile, "Darling, please have some tea!"
Cheng Xiaofan took a small sip, closed his eyes, and nodded, saying, "Mmm, not bad, it still has the fragrance of my Chinese tea!"
"Mr. Cheng, please save me!" At this moment, Degel pleaded with Cheng Xiaofan desperately.
Cheng Xiaofan, as if just noticing Degel, widened his eyes and asked with feigned confusion, "Eh, excuse me, old man opposite, who are you?"
"..." Hearing this, Degel almost choked to death with anger.
I just spoke with your father-in-law, Miller, on the phone, and you're still asking me who I am?
Is there anyone in this world as mischievous as you?
He could only suppress his inner rage and the indescribable pain he felt, and said with a pained expression, "To Mr. Cheng, I am Degel!"
"Ah, so you are Degel!"
Cheng Xiaofan seemed to realize suddenly, and his face lit up with a smile, saying, "I remember now, the two assassins who appeared at the Chinatown archway last night, wanting to kill me and Melina, were sent by you."
"Am I right?"
Degel stared at Cheng Xiaofan's smiling face, his hair standing on end.
Why was this kid so happy talking about this matter?
He nodded repeatedly and said, "To Mr. Cheng, it was my momentary confusion, a moment of madness, that led me to do something so inhuman."
Cheng Xiaofan chuckled and said, "Degel, I finally understand. You rushed here today specifically to apologize for sending assassins yesterday, am I right?"
"..." Degel really wanted to say that the reason he rushed here today was to ask for help to remove the strange poison from his body.
But after hearing Cheng Xiaofan's words, he dared not deny them.
He quickly nodded and said, "Yes, yes, yes, Mr. Cheng, you are absolutely correct. I am here today to apologize to you!"
Cheng Xiaofan nodded and said, "It's good that you know your place and apologize to me, otherwise, you really wouldn't have lived to see tomorrow."
Degel said, "Mr. Cheng, I'm sorry, truly sorry!"
Cheng Xiaofan waved his hand and said, "Don't just say sorry, I don't like empty words, give me something substantial!"
Degel asked, completely bewildered, "Mr. Cheng, may I ask what 'substantial' means?"
Cheng Xiaofan's brows immediately furrowed, saying, "Degel, are you an idiot, not knowing what 'substantial' means?"
Degel said, "I really don't know, please tell me directly!"
*Slap!*
Cheng Xiaofan slammed the table and shouted, "Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know?"
*Thump!* Degel was so frightened that he slid off the stool and knelt on the ground, saying, "To Mr. Cheng, I truly don't know!"
"Alas!"
Cheng Xiaofan shook his head at this, saying, "It seems it has become your habit to beg others for money, and you don't know that sometimes you need to show respect to others."
"Encountering an idiot like you, I have no choice but to enlighten you. The so-called 'substantial' means US dollars, do you understand?"
Degel nodded and said, "US dollars? Oh, I understand, Mr. Cheng, you want me to give you US dollars!"
Cheng Xiaofan said, "You're smart!"
Degel's mouth twitched several times and he said, "Mr. Cheng, my US dollars are what I earned, why should I give them to you?"
"Get out!"
Cheng Xiaofan roared furiously, "Security guards, throw this Degel out!"
What an unreasonable wretch!
No wonder Halley said his uncle was a miser and I wouldn't be able to get any money from him. It's true.
No money, yet you want me to cure you?
Do you think I'm some kind of saint?
As the security guards rushed forward, Degel screamed, "Mr. Cheng, save me, I feel like I'm dying!"
Cheng Xiaofan sneered upon hearing this and said, "What does your impending death have to do with me?"
"If you're going to die, die outside, don't dirty this courtyard!"
"No, I don't want to die!"
Degel quickly shouted to Miller again, "Mr. Miller, I know Cheng Xiaofan listens to you. Please put in a good word for me and ask him to save me!"
Miller shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I can't find anything about you worth speaking a good word for. Let Xiaofan decide this!"
Degel then turned his gaze to Melina and said, "Miss Melina, you are the most outstanding talent in our country. I hope you can persuade Mr. Cheng to save me!"
Melina sneered upon hearing this and said, "Degel, last night, I almost lost my life to assassins. Do you still have the nerve to ask me to put in a good word for you with Cheng Xiaofan?"
"Hic!" Degel was choked speechless.
Cheng Xiaofan patted Melina's shoulder a few times and said, "Let's go back inside, don't bother with this guy who values money over his life!"
"After today, he's definitely dead tomorrow!"
Just as the two were about to turn away, Degel, who had just gotten up from the ground, again collapsed to his knees and shouted hoarsely, "Mr. Cheng, save me!"
"How much money do you want, I'm willing to pay it!"
Cheng Xiaofan then turned around, his eyes filled with sarcasm, and said, "Degel, it seems you are a very death-fearing person!"
Degel's mouth twitched a few times.
He said, "To Mr. Cheng, you are right, I truly fear death. I don't want to die, I want to see the sunrise every day!"
Cheng Xiaofan walked back, with Melina's arm around his waist.
He sat back in his original rattan chair, sneered, and asked Degel, "How much money are you willing to pay to buy your life?"
Degel immediately said, "Mr. Cheng, you set the price!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. What if this Mr. Cheng asked for an exorbitant amount?
Then, Degel added, "In the eyes of outsiders, my assets are vast, but in reality, I don't have much liquid cash on hand."
"I am willing to give you all the cash I have in the bank to buy my life!"