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Join the ServerAt seven o’clock the next evening, Jiang Yu was at home, calling his manager to ask for leave.
The manager didn’t ask many questions:
“Go ahead. Mr. Li’s matter takes priority.”
Jiang Yu hung up, opened his wardrobe, and took out two paper bags emblazoned with luxury brand logos.
He hadn’t even bothered to open the bags and look at what was inside.
As he headed out with the bags, Jiang Qing poked her head out from her room:
“Bro, are you going to work?”
“Not today. I have something to take care of. Go to bed early; don’t wait up for me.”
“Oh… Be careful, then.”
Jiang Yu nodded and closed the door behind him.
Blue Bay Club was one of the most exclusive private clubs in the city. Jiang Yu had only ever seen its imposing building from afar when delivering takeout.
Now, dressed in a simple black jacket and jeans, he looked somewhat out of place in the resplendent lobby.
“Excuse me, how do I get to VIP Room 08?”
The receptionist gave him a once-over. Her tone was polite but distant:
“Do you have a reservation, sir?”
“I was invited by Mr. Li Xiao.”
At the mention of that name, the receptionist’s attitude shifted instantly:
“Ah, a guest of Mr. Li. Please follow me.”
She led Jiang Yu down a corridor carpeted with thick rugs and stopped before a heavy, carved wooden door.
“Here it is.”
Jiang Yu took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
The private room was spacious and lavishly decorated.
Li Xiao sat on the central sofa, wearing a dark gray turtleneck sweater and black dress pants, a glass of wine in his hand.
Two other men sat beside him.
One was about forty-something, wearing an ill-fitting suit, his expression uneasy.
The other, around fifty years old, wore gold-rimmed glasses, a file folder open in front of him.
When Jiang Yu’s eyes landed on the face of the forty-something man, he froze completely.
That face—he would never forget it, not even in death.
Five years ago in court, this was the man who had wailed, “I have no money to pay,” leaving the medical bills and funeral expenses for their parents’ emergency treatment unpaid to this day.
Zhang Chunfeng.
The driver who had caused the accident that year.
Li Xiao looked up at Jiang Yu, his tone flat:
“You’re here.”
Jiang Yu’s fingers tightened, and the paper bags rustled softly.
“Sit.”
Li Xiao gestured to the sofa opposite him.
Jiang Yu walked over mechanically and sat down.
He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Zhang Chunfeng.
Zhang Chunfeng seemed to recognize him too; his face turned even paler, and he lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
“Let me introduce everyone.”
Li Xiao set down his glass, his voice crisp in the quiet room:
“This is Mr. Zhang Chunfeng. I assume I don’t need to introduce him further?”
Jiang Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He said nothing.
“And this is Lawyer Wan.”
Li Xiao gestured to the man with the glasses.
Jiang Yu forced himself to look away from Zhang Chunfeng and nodded at Lawyer Wan:
“Lawyer Wan, hello.”
Lawyer Wan smiled in return:
“Mr. Jiang, hello.”
Li Xiao leaned back slightly and turned to Lawyer Wan:
“Go ahead and explain the debt repayment plan to Jiang Yu.”
Lawyer Wan opened the folder and adjusted his glasses:
“Mr. Jiang, five years ago, Mr. Zhang Chunfeng was sentenced to three years in prison for causing a traffic accident. The civil judgment ordered him to compensate you for medical expenses, funeral costs, death compensation, and other fees. Adding the late payment penalties accrued over the years, as of today, Mr. Zhang Chunfeng’s outstanding debt to you totals three million six hundred twenty thousand yuan.”
Jiang Yu was stunned.
He slowly turned his head to look at Li Xiao.
Li Xiao’s expression was unreadable; he simply watched Jiang Yu calmly.
“Li Xiao…”
Jiang Yu’s voice was hoarse:
“How did you know…”
“I looked into it.”
Li Xiao’s reply was brief, without further explanation.
Lawyer Wan continued, addressing Jiang Yu:
“Currently, you owe Mr. Li Xiao two hundred fifty thousand yuan.
“Mr. Li Xiao proposes the following: you transfer to him the three million six hundred twenty thousand yuan credit claim against Mr. Zhang Chunfeng. Through partial offset of the mutual debts, Mr. Li Xiao will then pay you the difference of three million three hundred seventy thousand yuan. In this way, the creditor-debtor relationship between you and Mr. Li Xiao will be completely settled.”
Jiang Yu glanced at Zhang Chunfeng, then back at Li Xiao:
“Zhang Chunfeng has no ability to repay. The court has investigated for years; he has no assets in his name.”
“Is that so?”
Li Xiao raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to Zhang Chunfeng, his voice turning cold:
“Mr. Zhang, a moment ago I asked you, and you said you have several properties under relatives’ names that can be liquidated immediately. Isn’t that right?”
Zhang Chunfeng’s body trembled, cold sweat beading on his forehead:
“Yes… yes.”
Jiang Yu frowned.
Zhang Chunfeng’s reaction was off.
Five years ago, this man had insisted he was penniless, showing not even a shred of sincerity to pay compensation.
How could he now…
(Flashback: Zhang Chunfeng’s recollection)
Half an hour earlier, Li Xiao had called Zhang Chunfeng into the room alone.
“Zhang Chunfeng, five years ago, you were the one driving in the accident that hit the Jiang family.”
Li Xiao sat on the sofa, not even looking at him, his tone as flat as if he were stating the weather.
Zhang Chunfeng forced a smile:
“Yes… it was me. But I’ve already served my sentence; legally…”
“Legally, the civil compensation remains unsettled.”
Li Xiao lifted his eyes, and they were as cold as ice:
“I’ve checked. The two houses in your hometown county—though registered under your cousin’s name, the purchase money came from you. And the school district house under your daughter’s name.”
Zhang Chunfeng’s face turned deathly pale:
“How… how did you…”
“I’ll give you three months.”
Li Xiao cut him off, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees:
“Liquidate the properties and pay the money. Three million six hundred twenty thousand yuan, not a cent less.”
“Mr. Li… those houses…”
“If I don’t see the money within three months,”
Li Xiao’s voice dropped even lower, each word like a shard of ice:
“then I’ll forget about the debt. But from then on, when you cross the street… you’d better watch out for oncoming traffic.”
Zhang Chunfeng’s legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.
(End of flashback)
Li Xiao turned back to Jiang Yu, his tone returning to its earlier calm:
“You see, Mr. Zhang does have the ability to repay.”
Jiang Yu stared at Zhang Chunfeng’s ashen face, then at Li Xiao, and suddenly understood.
“Then let him pay me directly,”
Jiang Yu said, his tone resolute:
“I can’t just take such a huge sum from you for no reason.”
“For no reason?”
Li Xiao seemed stung by the words, his face darkening.
He stood up and said to Lawyer Wan and Zhang Chunfeng:
“You two, leave first.”
Both of them immediately got up and hurried out of the room.
The door closed.
Li Xiao walked over to Jiang Yu, looking down at him:
“Jiang Yu, can’t you see? Zhang Chunfeng is the type who bullies the weak and fears the strong. If you go after the debt, even if he has the money, he won’t pay. It’s only if it’s transferred to me that he’ll be scared and actually raise the funds.”
Jiang Yu looked up at him, lips pressed tight.
He had to admit Li Xiao was right.
Over the years, he had gone to court countless times, and even the enforcement judge was helpless.
Zhang Chunfeng knew perfectly well that the two siblings had no one to rely on, and that’s why he dared to brazenly default on the debt.
“I can transfer the credit to you.”
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