Page 72

The Flying Fish approached Lin Jiahua and glanced coldly at the mess on the ground. He then stepped on the cream puff on Lin Jiahua's tray, squashing it.

The creamy filling oozed out.

He stomped twice more until all the cream puffs on the tray were flattened. Then, he sneered, "Pal, you've done half a day's business today. Where's the money? Hand it over obediently, don't try to play any tricks with us."

Lin Jiahua refused to divulge the information and averted his gaze. "Sorry, I can't give you today's earnings. Otherwise, I won't have the money to restock."

"Funds for restocking?" The Flying Fish burst into laughter at his henchmen, but then his smile vanished as he asked, his face turning menacing. "It's none of our business if you can't afford to restock. Quickly hand over the cash. From now on, I'll come every day to collect from you. If the amount doesn't add up one day, I'll take your two sisters as collateral!"

Lin Jiahua stood up and pushed his glasses, determined not to speak.

His parents erupted in furious curses.

"You good-for-nothing, you're not helping us in our time of need!"

"What about your sisters if you don't pay back the debt? Do you really want to watch them become call girls?"

"As the old saying goes, a father's debt is paid by his son. We raised you, so you must repay the debts we owe!"

Lin Jiahua knitted his brows, enduring the insults from his parents.

Lin's mother scanned the surroundings and finally spotted a black strap peeking out from under a food cart. She rushed over, grabbed the bag, and opened it to retrieve the one thousand Hong Kong dollars inside, preparing to hand it over to Flying Fish.

"You ungrateful wretch, you have the money but refuse to use it to save lives."

Seeing his hidden money exposed, Lin Jiahua reached out to reclaim it while pleading, "Mom, please don't... This is truly my last savings. Without it, I won't be able to repay debts, let alone sustain my living."

"How will your life be a problem?" Lin's father also tried to snatch the money. "There's still government aid to rely on. How bad can it get? If your sister is taken as collateral, you might as well prepare to die!"

Lin Jiahua trembled with despair. He clutched the money tightly, while his father desperately tried to pry his fingers open.

"Dad," Lin Jiahua held onto the cash with both hands, his lips quivering. "Isn't it because of you two that my sister might be taken for debt repayment? Losing at gambling wasn't enough, you had to dabble in stock speculation and borrow from loan sharks."

"I just can't understand. Both my sister and I are your children, so why do I have to bear so much? This one thousand dollars is our lifeline, yet you just don't seem to grasp that."

The gang members stood by, watching the family's spectacle.

Flying Fish, on the other hand, leisurely lit up a cigar.

Amidst the chaos, the three were entangled. Seeing that she couldn't snatch the money, Lin's mother panicked and lifted the oven from the stall to throw at Lin Jiahua.

The oven was about to be hurled through the air.

Fei Yu chuckled and glanced back at his companion. "Everyone says a tiger never eats its own cubs, but I guess that's just a myth."

Before Fei Yu could finish his joke, a wooden stick swiftly struck Lin's mother's arm.

She cried out in pain, "Ow!"

The oven fell and hit her foot.

She screamed again, writhing on the ground while clutching her foot. "My son is beating me! This is unjust! Someone, help!"

"Mother?" Chu Yuening gripped the wooden rod she had just removed from the chair, giving a cold smile. "You? You call yourself A Hua's mother?"

With a guilty expression as she held her foot, Lin's mother struggled to her feet. "Mind your own business. A Hua is my son, and he has to pay for my debts!"

After saying this, she circled around Chu Yuening, examining her up and down before sneering. "I see now. You're A Hua's girlfriend, right? You're so ill-mannered. I would never acknowledge someone like you as my daughter-in-law."

Lin Jiahua was afraid that his friend would get into trouble. He stuffed the money into his pocket. Lin's father tried to rush forward and snatch it back, but Lin Jiahua gritted his teeth and dodged, rushing to Chu Yuening's side.

"NieNie, this has nothing to do with you. Leave now!"

With a wary gaze, Lin Jiahua watched the onlooking gangsters outside. Today, he was bound to receive a beating for refusing to pay up.

But he never imagined that the first one to strike him would be his own mother.

When the oven hit the ground, so did his heart.

Chu Yuening frowned. "How can we just leave in a situation like this? Don't worry, I've already asked someone to call Brother De to alert the police."

Seeing that the spectacle had reached its climax, Feiyu extinguished his cigar, carefully putting the remaining half back in his pocket before casting a glance at them.

"I don't care about your grudges or debts. In short, I need to see the money today, or none of you are leaving."

"Is that so, Brother Feiyu?" Disregarding Lin Jiahua's attempt to stop her, Chu Yuening stepped forward, directly facing the group of gangsters led by Feiyu. She clenched her fists, feeling sweat in her palms.

She took a shallow breath.

"Can we talk?"

The girl's skin was uncommonly fair, with her fluffy long hair cascading over her shoulders. A small mole beneath her litchi-shaped eyes lent a subtle air of detachment. Despite wearing a ubiquitous T-shirt and loose jeans, she exuded an otherworldly elegance that set her apart from the crowd.

Her striking appearance naturally drew catcalls from the rowdy group.

"Flyfish Brother, the pretty lady wants to have a word with you."

"Looking more stunning than Cecilia Cheung, why stick with a pastry boy when you can be with Flyfish Brother?"

Flyfish Brother was taken aback that such a delicate-looking girl would dare to confront them. He gave Chu Yuening a thorough once-over.

"Impressed by your bravery, I'll give you a chance to speak," he said.

Chu Yuening went straight to the point. "Why do you insist on getting Ah Hua's money? A thousand dollars is a mere drop in the bucket compared to three hundred thousand."

Flyfish Brother was momentarily stunned, not expecting such a counterintuitive question from her. Didn't most girls usually prioritize their boyfriends' well-being?

Would you consider accompanying him for a night, perhaps? Or even kneeling before him to beg him not to make things difficult for Lin Jiahua?

"Does the Lin couple look like they can afford to pay?" Brother Flying Fish glanced coldly at the pair, and they trembled in fear once more.