"Brother, I truly cannot come up with that much money!"
"Even if you kill me, it won't help!"
Seeing Qin Chuan's resolute refusal, Hai Kui Sheng panicked and completely gave up.
"You damn it, you really want a missing body part! I'll grant you that!"
Bai Xiaoguang's face was ferocious, and the gleaming dagger at his fingertip flashed with cold light, ready to pierce a hole at any moment.
Hai Kui Sheng, who had just given up, was so scared that he immediately scrambled to his feet, his face a mask of misery, and wailed, "Brother, I really cannot come up with that much money!"
"How much can you produce?"
Hai Kui Sheng's expression was hesitant, and he slowly held up a hand.
Qin Chuan was stunned, then disbelief etched on his face, "Five hundred thousand?"
Hai Kui Sheng also felt embarrassed, licking his lips and saying, "I'm really out of money now. Some of that money was handed over, and some went to pay off my debts. This is all the cash I have on hand!"
Qin Chuan's expression grew colder, and the others also wore grim faces, especially Qin Gang, who clenched his fist again, veins bulging on his arm.
He had just been swindled out of three million, and this person claimed he could only produce five hundred thousand. This was more audacious than trying to fool a child.
"I see you have quite a few vehicles at your car dealership. Let's use those cars to settle the debt then!"
Qin Chuan said after some thought.
"No, absolutely not!"
To his surprise, Hai Kui Sheng vehemently refused, "Those cars absolutely cannot be touched!"
He then continued to plead with a fawning smile, "Brother, if you don't mention this tonight, and I don't mention it, no one will know. But if you touch my cars, it will be discovered very quickly."
"How will I be able to do business after that!"
This time, Qin Chuan was truly enraged by the shamelessness of this fatty pig. He had seen shameless people before, but never one so utterly shameless.
He could no longer tolerate it. He lashed out with a flying kick, striking Hai Kui Sheng in the stomach, and roared, "Damn it, you fat pig! You are truly beyond shameless!"
"Haven't I given you enough face? And you're still not satisfied!"
"Even now, you're still thinking about your business and reputation. When you deceived my second brother, did you ever consider what the consequences would be for him, owing so much money?"
Hai Kui Sheng was sent sprawling to the ground by the kick, clutching his stomach, unable to get up for a long time.
"I'm telling you, the price has gone up. Five million! You must raise it within an hour. Not a cent less, or none of you here will see tomorrow's sun!"
"Xiaoguang, start the timer!"
Bai Xiaoguang had long been unable to restrain himself. Upon hearing this, he grinned excitedly, "You got it! It's one-oh-five now, and the time's up at two-oh-five!"
Seeing Qin Chuan's true anger, a deep regret flickered in Hai Kui Sheng's small eyes, darting back and forth. The others around them also remained silent, filled with unease.
Time ticked by, second by second. Qin Chuan no longer urged Hai Kui Sheng, not even saying a word. Yet, it was precisely this posture that exerted even greater pressure than before.
"I need to make a call! A call!"
Finally, Hai Kui Sheng spoke up.
Bai Xiaoguang immediately looked towards his boss.
Qin Chuan's expression was icy. He said calmly, "Give him his phone. If he dares to leak even a single word from here, you act immediately!"
Bai Xiaoguang returned the confiscated phone to Hai Kui Sheng, his gaze fierce and threatening.
Hai Kui Sheng didn't dare to look further. He expertly found the contacts and was about to dial a number when a voice suddenly cut in, "Add another hundred thousand yuan, and turn on the speakerphone!"
Hai Kui Sheng paused, then said nothing more and began making the call.
This call was to his wife. Everyone clearly heard Hai Kui Sheng instruct her to bring out the gold bars, calligraphy and paintings, as well as cash from the safe.
He also told his wife to go to a specific location where another safe of his was located, containing money.
Even through the phone, everyone heard Hai Kui Sheng's wife cursing profusely, raining insults down on him. Then Hai Kui Sheng's wife started crying, asking what had happened.
"Stupid woman, stop your damn crying, I'm not dead yet, you don't need to mourn!"
"Hurry up, take these things, and drive to... Where is this?"
Hai Kui Sheng stopped mid-sentence and looked around to ask.
Qin Chuan had no idea where it was. He glanced at Hong Jinlong nearby.
Hong Jinlong immediately replied, "The abandoned chemical fertilizer plant in Nancha Village, North District."
After Hai Kui Sheng finished the call, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Third brother, I... I want to talk to her alone!"
Just then, Qin Gang walked up to Qin Chuan and said.
Qin Chuan glanced at Cao Yuqing, who was standing not far away. Cao Yuqing's hair was disheveled, and her face was pale. Seeing Qin Chuan looking at her, she nervously lowered her head.
Qin Chuan withdrew his gaze and said to his second brother, "You can. I hope you won't disappoint me again!"
"She... is not worth you sacrificing so much!"
Qin Gang did not reply. He turned and strode to Cao Yuqing, grabbed her arm, and said loudly, "Come with me!"
The two walked towards a dilapidated courtyard not far away.
"Boss, do you want me to... go and see?"
Chen Jinyu whispered.
Qin Chuan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and refused.
If his second brother couldn't sever this karmic tie this time, he would never interfere again. From then on, they would go their separate ways.
In the abandoned courtyard, Qin Gang dragged Cao Yuqing's arm and pulled her inside.
From beginning to end, Cao Yuqing kept her head down, like a human puppet.
"Why aren't you looking at me?"
Qin Gang asked.
Cao Yuqing kept her head bowed, remaining silent. Her long hair obscured her face, making it impossible to discern her expression.
"Damn it, speak to me!"
Qin Gang roared. Many people outside could hear him, and they instinctively turned their gaze towards the courtyard, their expressions varied.
"You know everything already, what else do you want me to say!"
Cao Yuqing finally raised her head, revealing her pale, pretty face. Faintly, one could still see the purity she once possessed.
Qin Gang stared intently at the figure he had longed for over the past twenty-odd years. This was the first time in his life he had loved a woman so deeply, and it was his first love.
He never expected it to end like this.
Those who have not experienced betrayal cannot comprehend the profound pain. At this moment, Qin Gang's heart was like a knife cutting through it, his face contorted in agony.
"Didn't I treat you well? Why did you do this?"
Qin Gang's eyes reddened, holding back tears.
Seeing Qin Gang's state, Cao Yuqing's expression became complicated, and she gradually began to cry, tears streaming down her face.
"I am not a good woman, and I am not worth doing this for!"
"Qin Gang, there are so many women in this world, find another one!"
Qin Gang clenched his fists, "Then can you tell me, when you first approached me, was it with this intention?"
This time, Cao Yuqing thought for a while, then slowly replied, "Not exactly. When we first met, you helped me at the bar, and I saw you driving a luxury car, so I had a slight inclination to get closer."
"But at that time, the intention was simple: just to play around. After all, I thought that if you could afford a luxury car like an Audi A6, your family background or capabilities must be considerable."
"Later, you indeed lived up to my expectations and quickly made a lot of money through your ventures."
Listening to Cao Yuqing's inner truth, Qin Gang's body trembled uncontrollably.
"When I was scammed out of so much money the first time, did you also follow the instructions of that surname Hai, just like this time?"
Cao Yuqing nodded, "Yes! I had only been in contact with you for a short while when Hai Kui Sheng noticed me!"
Qin Gang felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and another wound was added to his heart.
He endured the immense pain and continued to press:
"What is your relationship with that surname Hai? If you are his mistress, how could he let you flirt with other men outside?"
Cao Yuqing suddenly let out a laugh, "Who said I was his mistress? We are merely in a cooperative relationship!"
"He has power and connections, and I have beauty and a good figure. Isn't this combination perfect!"
Qin Gang could no longer withstand such a cruel reality. His body swayed, and if he hadn't quickly supported himself against the wall, he would have fallen.
However, this was just the beginning. Cao Yuqing seemed determined to make Qin Gang give up completely, ignoring his pain and continuing,
"Over the years, I've been to many cities, and the men I've scammed are too numerous to count on both hands. Those I've slept with are even more. You are just one of them."
"Each of them loved me to death. It's truly laughable!"
"Hee hee!!"
"You probably don't know this, but I was actually a prostitute before. This body has long been rotten beyond repair, so disgusting even to myself. Yet you men find it so appealing, acting like dogs, licking and licking..."
"Ugh!!!"
Almost as soon as Cao Yuqing finished speaking, Qin Gang, thinking of something, squatted in the corner and vomited loudly.
Cao Yuqing, meanwhile, giggled heartily, her laughter devoid of any care.
After a long spell of vomiting, Qin Gang finally stood up. He took a deep breath, suppressing the nausea in his heart, "One last question!"
"Did you ever truly love me?"
Cao Yuqing decisively shook her head, "No! I've never loved you. A woman like me doesn't love anyone!"
*Slap!!!*
Qin Gang raised his hand and slapped Cao Yuqing hard across the face.
The slap was so fierce that it sent Cao Yuqing falling to the ground, her buttocks landing with a thud. Five clear finger marks were imprinted on her face, and a trickle of scarlet blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.
"Whore! Bitch!!!"
Qin Gang spat out the four words fiercely through clenched teeth.
Cao Yuqing, however, continued to grin without a care,
"Heh heh, that slap was good. Qin Gang, if you still treated me the way you used to, I would have looked down on you!"
"Come on, hit me as much as you want. Even if you kill me tonight, I won't resent you one bit!"