Soon, the man named Lao Pan arrived in front of the house driving a black Bentley.
Upon entering, he saw they were also Asian, their demeanor similar to Min'er and the others.
However, they spoke the local dialect of Fucheng, a babbling sound that Zhan Bei Jue couldn't understand.
So, Lao Pan switched to English later.
"At that time, everyone was trying to avoid you. It was only me who was willing to lend you money, wasn't it?"
"This favor alone is incomparable to others. How can you still haggle with me over this interest?"
"Old Shen, you've been doing business for so many years. You tell me yourself, if I hadn't lent it to you, how much could I have earned if I had invested it elsewhere over these past few years?"
"Even if I hadn't invested it, I would have earned a lot by putting it in the bank, right?"
"If it weren't for our years of friendship, I wouldn't have even agreed to lend it to you. Now you complain about the high interest? Don't you realize that without my 3 million, your family of three would not be alive today?"
"Alright, stop talking nonsense with me. It's so late, and you asked me to come all this way, not to listen to your bargaining or your sob stories."
"Can you settle the debt today or not? Just say it! You've owed it for so many years, to be honest, I'm tired of it."
"If you're not going to be reasonable, don't blame me for falling out with you today. Your whole family are now undocumented, unemployed. With just one phone call from me..."
Zhan Bei Jue stepped forward, interrupting Lao Pan.
"So, how much should I pay you now?"
Lao Pan sized him up from head to toe.
He didn't look like a rich man.
It was truly pitiful for Min'er.
First, she had such a father, and then in the latter half of her life, she got such an incompetent husband.
What a waste of such a handsome face.
"So, are you paying for them?"
"That's right, I'm paying for them."
"It's not much, only 5 million. Here, this is the IOU from when the money was originally borrowed."
Lao Pan, that old fox, was very cunning.
The IOU he produced was a photocopy, as if he was afraid they would destroy the original and default on the debt.
Zhan Bei Jue looked at it. It wasn't in English, but he could surprisingly understand the characters.
It was indeed written as 5 million, and the due date had long passed.
Looking at it this way, it was considerate of Lao Pan not to have pressed them for the debt for so long, given their old friendship.
So, he didn't waste any more words.
"I only have 3 million on me right now, take it first. I'll pay you the rest as soon as possible."
Three million?
This kid, who looked so ordinary, actually had some substance.
Lao Pan sized him up again, finding him much more agreeable.
"Alright. You've owed it for so long, I'm used to it. When is the latest I can expect it?"
"Within five months. I'll also add 100,000 in interest. Spread the word that he's paying you back."
Min'er and her father were both stunned by this statement.
Lao Pan was very pleased and nodded repeatedly at Zhan Bei Jue.
"Well done, Old Shen. In this current environment, you managed to find such a young man. Impressive."
"Deep affection and loyalty. To pay back 5 million in one go for you, Min'er has indeed met a benefactor."
"It seems being beautiful does have its advantages."
The father finally held his head high in front of his old friend.
But after the guest left, he scolded Zhan Bei Jue in an unfriendly tone.
"Are you out of your mind? I lent him 3 million, and you're paying back 5 million, which already lets him profit immensely, and you're even adding 100,000 in interest?"
"Are you a sucker? Do you have too much money to spend? If you have so much, give it to me! You're showing respect to this kind of person!"
Min'er couldn't help but argue with him.
"We've owed Uncle Pan money for so long, and he hasn't turned against us. That's already very kind. Even if you didn't give him this 100,000, you shouldn't have spoken so harshly, should you?"
"Isn't everything Ah Shen is doing for your reputation? I think you're the one with a problem, ungrateful!"
The father flared up again.
"What's so harsh about this? You're defending him already? Can't take it? Useless!"
"Let me tell you, a mere 3 million is not enough to marry her off! No way!"
"Let me tell you, my daughter Shen Shijie is no ordinary person. Inquire if you don't believe me, think about our net worth back then!"
"However, a hero doesn't boast of past glories. In short, if you want to marry her, bring me a 5 million betrothal gift. From then on, no matter what, she's yours, and I won't say another word."
"Otherwise..."
"Don't pay him any mind! He's a drunkard who only cares about money!"
Min'er took Zhan Bei Jue's arm and led him into the room.
Her father was still shouting outside, holding a bottle of wine.
"Shen Min'er, have you no shame? So young, and instead of learning good things, you're learning to bring men into your room!"
"I'm telling you, even if you two sleep together, even if you have a child for me, without the betrothal gift, she can't leave!"
"You are my daughter, alive or dead! Besides me, no one has absolute ownership of you!"
"If you dare to defy me, I'll beat your useless mother to death first, and then I'll beat you!"
Min'er had Zhan Bei Jue sit on the bed, and she sat on the floor. They looked at each other.
They talked about things that happened during the competition and caught up on each other's recent lives.
She apologized to him.
"My dad is just like that, he's almost driven mad by drinking. Please don't take his words to heart."
Zhan Bei Jue understood.
In fact, because of having such a father, he felt even more sorry for Min'er and wanted to protect her.
"I will earn money as quickly as possible, pay off the debt, and then take you away. Will you be willing to go with me then?"
Min'er had fantasized countless times in her mind about leaving this place, leaving this dilapidated restaurant.
It was a pity that before she met Zhan Bei Jue, she knew this was an impossible dream.
Now, the dream had suddenly become within reach.
"You're willing to take me with you?"
"Of course. As I said, my second life was given to me by you. We are one now."
"If you are well, I will be well. If we are to leave, we will definitely leave together."
Min'er's heart immediately became excited.
However, "Where will we go?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"I..."
Min'er thought back to her childhood, before coming to Switzerland, she had always lived in a luxurious, warm, and spacious seaside villa.
"I want to go back to my hometown. My mother wants to too. When I was little, the time we spent living in that house was so happy. Mom was beautiful and young."
"I want to go back to Fucheng."
"But... my dad owes more debts in Fucheng. We can never go back."
"How can that be? As long as you want to, we'll just pay off the debts. How can we not go back?"
Min'er's eyes dimmed.
"Tens of millions, that's not a small sum. How can it be paid off so easily?"
Zhan Bei Jue moved off the bed, squatted in front of her, and encouraged her.
"Believe me, Min'er. As long as you want it, I will do my best to earn money and pay off all your debts."
"Then we can live with our heads held high, and no one will dare to stop us wherever you want to go!"