Recalling the scene at the hospital that day, remembering their extensive family connections, and then looking at himself.
Don't bother with that.
A Zhong had no standing to inquire about their affairs. He glanced at the group, then silently withdrew.
His father hadn't returned to the country in a long time. Hearing that A Zhong was taking him back these days, he was so excited he kept packing his luggage.
"Jia Ming, I bought some local specialties for Uncle Zhang and the others. I packed a whole box, and it weighs 23 pounds. Can I take it on the plane?"
"Can you help me see if there's anything else I need to bring? When are we leaving?"
A Zhong paused for a few seconds.
"If you're really in a hurry, I'll book the tickets now."
Zhou Jinxiu came downstairs wearing a set of Zhan Bei Jue's clothes.
He was young after all, and his foundation was good. With a little tidying up, the image of a dashing, wealthy young master returned.
However, due to his worries, he looked dejected and timid.
Zhan Bei Jue, uncharacteristically, walked up to him and patted his shoulder encouragingly.
"Stand up straight, lift your head. Don't look like the sky is about to fall."
"So what if you owe a few million? You won't die. Come on, I'll go with you."
Zhou Jinxiu couldn't quite define his feelings towards him now.
If he felt grateful, Zhan Bei Jue always carried himself with an air of superiority, looking down on him, making gratitude difficult.
If he didn't feel grateful, owing so much money, Zhan Bei Jue was the only one he could rely on now.
He straightened his back slightly, and Zhou Jinxiu's voice was weak as he reminded him.
"It's not a few million, it's ten million."
"He said ten million, and you actually came to acknowledge it?"
Zhan Bei Jue was truly exasperated with him.
When faced with real trouble, he became timid. His usual sharpness vanished completely. He was truly cast from the same mold as his father.
A Cheng and A Biao, the brothers, gathered their subordinates.
Zhan Bei Jue's car led the way, a convoy of over a dozen vehicles, majestically leaving the Zhan family residence.
Zhou Jinxiu proactively called the other party back. Hearing that he intended to repay the money, the other party was naturally pleased.
They provided the name of a clubhouse, and soon, the cars arrived outside.
Zhan Bei Jue led his men upstairs, instructing them to guard the entrance to the private room.
He and Zhou Jinxiu went in.
As the door opened, they unexpectedly found an old acquaintance inside.
These hoodlums' nightlife hadn't ended. Early in the morning, the private room was filled with flashing lights, swirling smoke, and a general atmosphere of debauchery.
Through the haze, Zhan Bei Jue saw Jiang Si Cheng, who was intimately engaged with another man on the left side of the sofa.
He instantly understood why Zhou Jinxiu had been scammed.
"I thought it was someone important. You can't even handle this kind of sissy? You're really embarrassing me."
As soon as the two entered, they attracted the attention of everyone in the room.
Jiang Si Cheng also lazily turned his gaze towards them.
He hadn't expected that the useless Zhou Jinxiu would call his brother for such a small matter.
In Nan Cheng's business circles, especially among the younger generation, everyone knew Zhan Bei Jue.
A Kun, who had initially stepped forward to lend money to Zhou Jinxiu, was no exception.
"Isn't this President Zhan? We didn't expect your esteemed presence, and we apologize for not welcoming you properly. Please forgive us."
"Come, come, quickly take a seat. Make way, everyone move aside. President Zhan, please take the main seat."
Zhan Bei Jue glanced at this group of people with their tangled relationships and disdained to join them.
With his hands in his pockets, he stood still.
"Turn off the lights, turn on the white lights. Stop the music, open the windows."
"I'm here to solve problems, not to indulge in debauchery."
Zhou Jinxiu obediently went to turn off the laser lights, switch on the white lights, turn off the TV, and open the windows.
He returned to his side.
The environment, which had been one of drunken revelry, was instantly normalized by the sunlight and the white lights.
Everyone felt a little unaccustomed to it.
Jiang Si Cheng, in particular, unceremoniously slid off the man he was with and smoothed his clothes.
He looked over defiantly.
Zhan Bei Jue glanced at him and asked Zhou Jinxiu.
"Who did you sign the contract with?"
Zhou Jinxiu pointed at A Kun.
"What about the project partner from back then? Was it him too?"
"No. We can't find that person now. But I met them through A Kun."
Zhan Bei Jue understood, nodded, and extended his hand.
"Let's resolve this one by one. First, repay the money. Take out the contract and let me see it."
Zhou Jinxiu: "I forgot to bring it, but they must have it here."
A Kun cooperated immediately, calling someone to bring the contract to Zhan Bei Jue.
He opened it, glanced at it casually, and then tossed the contract onto the table.
"What's the verdict? If you don't get the ten million from you today, are you planning to sue Zhou Jinxiu?"
A Kun shrugged, putting on an act of being forced.
"President Zhan, we're not like you, doing big business with hundreds of billions in assets. A few hundred thousand or a million is nothing to you."
"We're small-time operators. This is all our capital. He's already delayed for over a month, and I still owe the bank. We all need to eat..."
Zhan Bei Jue's sharp gaze cut off his pretense.
"Do you think I personally came all this way to listen to your nonsense?"
"..."
"Tell me the truth. Why did you scam Zhou Jinxiu? Who instructed you? What do you want to get from him?"
"..."
A Kun was speechless.
Your cousin borrowed our money, it's clearly written on paper, the contract is crystal clear. Listening to President Zhan, does he want to renege on the debt?
"What do you mean we scammed him? What do we want to get from him? President Zhan, your words..."
"There are no perfect crimes in the world. As long as it's not the truth, there will always be a slip-up. Do you want to test my intelligence?"
A Kun: "...President Zhan, I don't understand what you mean..."
Zhan Bei Jue said calmly.
"What I mean is, don't force me to personally intervene and catch you by the collar."
"The police have their procedures. It's normal for them to be hesitant and unable to find evidence."
"But I, Zhan Bei Jue, am not like that. To find what I want, I will use any means necessary. Do you think everyone you hired can withstand my methods?"
"..."
"If even one person cracks, and I find out you were behind it, deliberately trying to humiliate me, Zhan Bei Jue, how do you think I'll settle the score?"
A Kun glanced back at Jiang Si Cheng, his confidence clearly wavering.
"President Zhan, you..."
Zhan Bei Jue interrupted him.
"It's not that there's no solution. After all, as men, we all value our reputation. I understand you."
"This paper is void. Sign a settlement contract, return the two million Zhou Jinxiu gave you in full, and pay an additional three million for emotional damages. Then this matter will be settled."
What?
Their plan foiled, and they not only gained nothing from Zhou Jinxiu but also had to pay him?
Just because he was Zhan Bei Jue?
This was too much!
A Kun's expression changed uncontrollably, and a look of disbelief and anger appeared on Jiang Si Cheng's face.
Zhan Bei Jue sneered.
"You don't agree? I can see that."
"You want to throw away the last shred of your dignity and go down with the ship. Fine, I'll grant you that."