Chapter 5 What will you use to repay

Jiang Sinián didn't see what Ruan Qing had sent, but the audience in the live stream clearly did. That's because the camera in the live stream focused on the chat history on Ruan Qing's phone.

[Anonymous Viewer 1:

"Not sure who this person is. What's their relationship with Qing Qing? Can they really borrow 500,000? If it's just a casual relationship, they wouldn't ask for such a big amount, right?"

"I guess this person isn't anything good! Not worthy of our Qing Qing! I don't agree with this relationship!"

"I also disagree!"

"Am I the only one who hates that jerk who just grabbed Qing Qing's hand?"

"It's only been a short while, and Qing Qing is already being called. Can't you guys be a bit more assertive? Unlike me, I'm just going to chill! Honey!"]

Taoyuan Road, Fengya Bar.

The lights flickered rapidly, alternating between brightness and darkness. The air was filled with the scent of smoke and alcohol, and the dance floor was crowded with people moving wildly, with the music so loud it was deafening.

In a corner of the bar sat a man dressed in trousers and a white shirt. The trousers accentuated his long and straight legs, and his white shirt was buttoned up all the way to the top, giving off a restrained aura. He was very handsome, but unlike Jiang Sinián's sinister demeanor, he exuded a gentle and refined air.

He held an unlit cigarette between his index and middle fingers, lazily watching the crowd dancing in the center of the dance floor. He was alone, with others seemingly instinctively avoiding the area around him.

Suddenly, the man felt a vibration in his hand. He lifted it from where it rested on his phone.

It was his phone, someone had sent him a message.

The man picked up his phone and opened the message.

[Little Lamb: Hello, can you lend me 500,000? I'm at the entrance of Fengya.]

The man didn't mock the amount of 500,000 like an ordinary person would. Instead, he smirked faintly, typed out a reply, and then tucked the cigarette behind his ear before beginning to type.

[Gu Zhaoxi: Are you in some kind of trouble? Don't worry, I'll help you. I'm at Fengya right now, I'll have someone come get you and we can talk in detail.]

Although the man seemed somewhat indifferent, the words he sent out were like those of a caring older brother to a younger neighbor.

[Little Lamb: No need to trouble yourself, I'll come in to find you.]

After Ruan Qing replied, he turned the screen of his phone towards Jiang Sinián. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Ruan Qing's thumb conveniently covered the word 'million.'

As if he were borrowing five hundred instead of five hundred thousand.

Ruan Qing cautiously glanced at Jiang Sinián and softly said, "I'll go in first, my friend is waiting for me."

Jiang Sinián naturally didn't notice how much money Ruan Qing was borrowing because his attention was focused on the reply. Although he found the caring tone somewhat displeasing, he also knew that being too aggressive would likely scare the teenager.

"I'll go in with you."

Ruan Qing didn't refuse, and the two entered the bar.

The bar was incredibly noisy, and Ruan Qing seemed completely out of place in such an environment. The gazes directed at him made him feel increasingly nervous and uneasy.

Moreover, there were just too many people; it was difficult to find anyone in such an environment.

The sudden entrance of the teenager and the man attracted the attention of many people in the bar.

The teenager, dressed in somewhat oversized clothes, appeared somewhat delicate. Although his face was obscured by a mask, his beautiful eyes were visible, definitely not ugly.

Moreover, there was a purity and innocence in the teenager's eyes, coupled with an aura of naivety, making some people unable to resist the urge to act.

After all, most people who came to bars weren't particularly pure-hearted.

"Hello, are you Mr. Ye Qing? Mr. Gu is waiting for you," a rather rough-looking man appeared in front of the two, politely addressing Ruan Qing.

When others heard the name 'Mr. Gu,' some reluctantly withdrew their gaze, but a few still lingered on the teenager.

Ye Qing was the name currently associated with Ruan Qing's body.

Feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny of strangers, Ruan Qing instinctively moved closer to Jiang Sinián before nodding slightly in response.

"Please follow me."

After hesitating for a moment, Ruan Qing ultimately followed behind the man.

Jiang Sinián followed suit.

The tall man led the two until they were a short distance from the bar counter, then stopped.

"Mr. Ye, Mr. Gu is waiting for you over there," the man said politely, gesturing toward the man sitting at the bar counter.

Ruan Qing followed the man's gesture and looked at the man sitting at the bar counter. After murmuring a quiet 'thank you' to the man who had led the way, Ruan Qing headed towards the bar counter.

Jiang Sinián also wanted to go over, but he was stopped by the tall man.

The tall man smiled apologetically yet firmly at Jiang Sinián, "Sir, Mr. Gu doesn't like strangers getting too close to him."

From this position, the bar counter was clearly visible, and Jiang Sinián didn't insist on going over.

Of course, this was mainly because the teenager's subconscious attempt to please him just now had softened his stance.

Ruan Qing slowly approached the man, feeling nervous and uneasy as he greeted him, "M-Mr. Gu, h-hello."

Perhaps it had been too long since he initiated a conversation with someone, as his voice began to tremble uncontrollably, like a bullied kitten.

Gu Zhaoxi's eyes showed a hint of surprise at the sound, then he gently replied to the teenager, "Long time no see. How have you been lately? Sit down and let's talk."

Gu Zhaoxi's voice was slow, giving off a soothing feeling that was incredibly pleasant to listen to, imbued with a touch of gentleness and tranquility, giving people a sense of warmth and serenity.

Ruan Qing awkwardly sat down opposite Gu Zhaoxi, his nervous hands obediently resting on his lap, appearing exceedingly well-behaved.

Gu Zhaoxi picked up an empty glass from the side and poured a drink for Ruan Qing, pushing it towards him, while also pouring one for himself. "Have you encountered any problems recently? If you don't mind, I can be a listener."

Ruan Qing's gaze fell on the drink pushed towards him by the man, but he quickly averted his eyes without reaching for it, beginning to stammer out an explanation.

Perhaps he wasn't good at communicating with people, and it seemed like this was the first time he had spoken so much. His face turned red with nervousness, resembling a ripe peach with even the corners of his eyes tinged with a hint of pink.

Ruan Qing briefly recounted the experiences of the original owner during this period, without any embellishments.

After listening, Gu Zhaoxi rubbed his thumb against the glass gently, smiling softly. "You should know that I'm not a charity."

Ruan Qing looked up at Gu Zhaoxi, seemingly not understanding what he meant.

Gu Zhaoxi tapped the glass in his hand with his index finger. "Five hundred thousand is not a small amount. What will you use to repay?"

"I... I don't know," Ruan Qing said helplessly, biting his lip. His hand, resting on his knee, clenched tightly, causing his already fair skin to turn even paler. "I will definitely repay you."

Gu Zhaoxi neither confirmed nor denied it, but instead pushed his own glass towards Ruan Qing, his gentle voice carrying an air of insistence. "Drink."

Ruan Qing looked at the drink in front of him, his face paling. "Mr. Gu, I... I don't drink."

Gu Zhaoxi chuckled lightly. "When borrowing money from someone, you should show some sincerity, don't you think? Otherwise, it's difficult for me too."