Soon, the man named Lao Pan arrived in front of the house in a black Bentley.
Upon entering, they were also Asians, their demeanor similar to Miner's.
However, they spoke in 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, but I was the one willing to lend you money, wasn't I?"
"This kindness alone is incomparable to others. How can you still haggle with me over this interest?"
"Old Shen, you've been in business for so many years. You tell me yourself, if I hadn't lent it to you, how much could I have earned by lending it out over these past few years?"
"Even if I didn't lend it out, if I put it in the bank, I would still earn a lot, wouldn't I?"
"If it weren't for the sake of our many years of friendship, I wouldn't have been willing to lend it to you at all. And now you complain about the high interest? Don't you realize that if it weren't for my 3 million, could your family of three have survived until now?"
"Enough, stop talking nonsense. It's so late, and you've made me come all this way. I'm not here to listen to your haggling or your sob stories."
"Can the money be settled today or not? Just tell me! You've owed it for so many years, honestly, 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's words.
"So, how much should I pay you back now?"
Lao Pan looked him up and down.
He didn't look like a rich man.
It was truly pitiful for Miner.
First, she had such a father, and then in the latter half of her life, she had such an incompetent husband.
What a waste of such a beautiful face.
"So, are you paying for them?"
"That's right, I'm paying for them."
"It's not much, just 5 million. Here, this is the IOU from when the loan was made."
Lao Pan, that old fox, was very cunning.
The IOU he produced was a photocopy, as if he were afraid they would destroy the original and renege on the debt.
Zhan Bei Jue looked at it. It wasn't in English, but he could surprisingly understand the words.
It indeed stated 5 million, and the due date had long passed.
Looking at it this way, it was considered good of Lao Pan not to have pressured them to repay 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 for now. I'll pay you the rest as soon as possible."
Three million?
This young man, who looked so ordinary, surprisingly had some substance.
Lao Pan looked him up and down again, finding him much more agreeable.
"Alright. You've owed it for so long, I'm used to it. By when at the latest?"
"Within five months. I'll also add 100,000 in interest. Spread the word that he's repaying the money."
After he said this, both Miner and her father were stunned.
Lao Pan was very pleased and nodded repeatedly at Zhan Bei Jue.
"Well done, Old Shen. In this environment now, to find such a young man, impressive."
"Deep affection. To pay back 5 million in one go, Miner has truly 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 reprimanded Zhan Bei Jue unceremoniously.
"Are you out of your mind? I lent him 3 million, and you're paying back 5 million, which already makes him richer than he could ever imagine, and you're still adding 100,000 in interest?"
"Are you a fool? Do you have too much money to spend? If you have too much, give it to me! You're showing filial piety to this kind of person!"
Miner couldn't help but retort.
"We've owed Uncle Pan money for so long, and he hasn't turned on us, which is already extremely considerate. 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 sake? It's for your reputation! I think you're the one with the problem in your head, ungrateful!"
The father exploded again.
"What's so harsh about this? You're defending him already? You can't stand it? Useless!"
"Let me tell you, a mere 3 million. You think you can marry her off? No way!"
"Let me tell you, my daughter, Shen Shijie's daughter, is no ordinary person. Inquire about us, our net worth back then!"
"But a hero doesn't boast of past glories. In short, if you want to marry her, bring me 5 million in betrothal gifts. From then on, no matter what happens, the person is yours, and I won't say another word."
"Otherwise..."
"Ignore him! He's just a drunkard who only cares about money and not people!"
Miner pulled Zhan Bei Jue's arm and went into the room.
Her father was still shouting outside with a bottle of wine.
"Shen Miner, can you have some dignity? So young, and instead of learning good things, you're learning to bring men into rooms!"
"I'm telling you, even if you two sleep together, even if she has my grandchild, without the betrothal gifts, she can't leave!"
"You are my daughter born, and you will be my daughter dead! Besides me, no one has absolute ownership of you!"
"If you dare to go against me, I'll beat your useless mother to death first, and then beat you!"
Miner had Zhan Bei Jue sit on the bed, and she sat on the floor. They looked at each other.
They talked about some events during the competition and caught up on each other's recent situations.
She apologized to him.
"My dad is just like this, he's almost driven crazy by drinking. Don't take his words to heart."
Zhan Bei Jue understood.
In fact, it was precisely because of such a father that he felt even more pity for Miner and wanted to protect her.
"I will earn money as quickly as possible, repay the debt, and then take you away. Will you be willing to go with me then?"
Miner had fantasized countless times in her mind about leaving this place, leaving this dilapidated diner.
It was a pity that before meeting Zhan Bei Jue, she knew this was an impossible dream.
Now, the dream suddenly felt within reach.
"You're willing to take me with you?"
"Of course. I told you, you gave me my second life, and we are one now."
"I can only be well if you are well, and if we are to leave, we will definitely leave together."
Miner's heart immediately fluttered with excitement.
However, "Where shall we go?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"I..."
Miner thought of 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 as well. When I was little, the time we spent living in that house together was so happy, and my mother was so beautiful and young."
"I want to go back to Fucheng."
"But... my dad owes even more debt in Fucheng. We can never go back."
"How can that be? As long as you want to, we'll just repay the debt. How can we not go back?"
Miner's eyes dimmed.
"Tens of millions, it's not a small sum. How can it be repaid so easily?"
Zhan Bei Jue moved off the bed and squatted in front of her to encourage her.
"Believe me, Miner. As long as you want it, I will do my best to earn money and repay all your debts."
"Then we will live honorably, and no one will dare to stop you wherever you want to go!"