Chapter 3: Rich Woman?

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Rich Woman?

"Oh..."

Jiang Fan glanced at the caller ID. "It’s Qing. What’s up?"

"Fan, about the money for the end of the month... could you possibly give it to me by the fifteenth? My dad fell off his motorcycle and needs surgery, so..."

"No problem. I owe you that money, and I’ll definitely pay you back."

Jiang Fan nodded. "Don’t worry. I’ll definitely scrape together ten thousand yuan for you by the fifteenth."

After hanging up, he immediately glanced at the date and let out a long sigh. ’It’s already the thirteenth... only two days left...’

On the way back, he counted all the money he had on him one more time.

In the end, all he came up with was a cold, hard number: one thousand two hundred and thirty-four yuan.

’Still short eighty-eight hundred. Looks like I’ll have to borrow some from Wu Qiang.’

He then returned to his rented room to wait for Wu Qiang to come back from his food deliveries.

Calling it a "rented room" was being generous; it was actually a basement. Without the lights on, you couldn’t see a thing, and a strong, musty smell permeated the air.

Around noon, his roommate, Wu Qiang, finally pushed the door open and came in.

"Hey man, you’re just in time. There’s something I need your help with," Jiang Fan said, forcing a smile.

"Hold on, don’t say it. Let me guess."

Wu Qiang waved his hand. "You want to borrow money from me?"

"Ha! My parents gave me life, but it’s my brother who truly knows me!"

Jiang Fan slapped his thigh. He’d just been wondering how to broach the subject, and here Wu Qiang had seen right through him.

"Man, if I’m not mistaken, you’re trying to pay off that bitch’s debt, aren’t you?" Wu Qiang’s expression darkened.

"Yeah. Qing’s father broke his leg, and they need the surgery fee by the fifteenth. I have to get it together," Jiang Fan said with a nod, his face weary.

"Dude, I don’t mean to criticize, but how can you be so thick-headed?"

Wu Qiang couldn’t help but chide him. "That money was spent on that bitch’s medical treatment. What does it have to do with you anymore?"

"But I’m the one who borrowed the money in my name," Jiang Fan said with a bitter smile.

"I know, but didn’t she abandon you? Even if you’re the one paying it back, you shouldn’t let her have it so easy," Wu Qiang said, his face filled with indignation.

As it turned out, Jiang Fan once had a college girlfriend named Sun Xiao. The two of them had been deeply in love.

Later, when Sun Xiao was diagnosed with cancer, it was Jiang Fan who had scraped together eight hundred thousand yuan from every possible source to pay for her treatment.

Sun Xiao had promised to marry Jiang Fan as soon as she recovered. But to his complete shock, what he received in the end was a breakup letter.

The reason for the breakup was simple: Jiang Fan was now eight hundred thousand yuan in debt and couldn’t give her the life she wanted.

And that was why Wu Qiang was so incensed.

"Man, let’s not dredge up the past. I’m short nine thousand yuan. I have to ask you for a favor."

Jiang Fan forced a bitter smile. In truth, he was furious about it too.

But he had no choice. His friends and relatives had lent him the money because they trusted him. No matter what, he had to pay it back.

As for Sun Xiao, he had no intention of just letting it go.

"Dude, take a good look at me. Do I look like I have ten thousand yuan lying around?" Wu Qiang stood up and spun in a circle.

"Fine. I’ll figure something out myself then."

Jiang Fan knew Wu Qiang’s situation was no better than his, so he immediately dropped the idea.

’But in my current state, who would possibly lend me money?’

At that thought, his mind immediately jumped to that good-looking bitch.

’If it weren’t for her, how would I have lost my job?’

’No, I can’t just let this go.’

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Just as he was about to blow a gasket, Wu Qiang suddenly leaned in close.

"By the way, man, was that rich lady from earlier today hot?"

"How did you know she was a rich lady?"

Hearing this, Jiang Fan turned to look at Wu Qiang, surprised.

"I... uh... I heard Station Chief Yang say she was some rich lady. He said if she hadn’t complained, you wouldn’t have been fired," Wu Qiang stammered.

"So, did Yang Bapi badmouth me too?" Jiang Fan asked.

"That’s not important. I just wanna know, was the rich lady hot or not?" Wu Qiang asked, his eyes gleaming.

"Hot as hell. She’s got curves in all the right places, but she’s a nasty piece of work!" Jiang Fan said through gritted teeth. "Hey, why are you asking? You want to hit on her?"

"Get real. A woman like that would never even look at a guy like me," Wu Qiang said with a laugh and a wave of his hand, then quickly changed the subject. "By the way, you looking for a job?"

"A job?"

Hearing this, Jiang Fan looked at Wu Qiang, confused. "You’re going to find me a job?"

"Yeah, and it’s a high-paying one. You in or out?" Wu Qiang nodded emphatically.

"A high-paying job?"

Jiang Fan frowned, then chuckled. "Get outta here. If you had a chance like that, why would you give it to me instead of taking it yourself?"

"Well, uh... they have requirements. You have to be over five-foot-nine, and you have to have a ’good air about you.’ It’s probably for a security guard or something," Wu Qiang quickly explained.

"Makes sense. I’m taller than you and better-looking, too."

Jiang Fan nodded. "But are you sure it’s a high-paying job?"

"Positive. Dude, would I lie to you?" Wu Qiang nodded emphatically.

"Fine. When’s the interview?"

Although Jiang Fan was skeptical, he didn’t really have a choice in his current situation. He had to check it out, whether it was a real opportunity or not.

"She said to meet tonight at nine o’clock, at Anting Coffee," Wu Qiang replied.

"Anting Coffee... wait a minute. It’s like she already knew I’d agree to go?" Jiang Fan frowned, sensing something was off.

"Man, you’re being way too cautious. You think I’d trick you?"

Wu Qiang teased, "Besides, you’re eight hundred thousand yuan in debt. What’s left for anyone to scam you out of?"

"That’s a fair point."

Jiang Fan nodded. ’He’s right. A scammer would probably take one look at me and give me some money out of pity.’

"Oh, right. Spruce yourself up a bit tonight. Don’t go looking like that," Wu Qiang added.

"Why? Are they looking for a pretty boy or something? Why do I need to get all dressed up?"

Jiang Fan said dismissively, "By the way, how’d you even find this ’high-paying job’? Did you have to sell your ass?"

"You’re the one selling your ass! Just hurry up and get ready. You should probably head out a little early," Wu Qiang said with a wave of his hand.

Although Jiang Fan still had his reservations, he had promised Qing that he would get her ten thousand yuan. For now, he could only bite the bullet and go.

A little after eight that evening, Jiang Fan changed into his best clothes.

This consisted of a pair of faded old jeans and a black short-sleeved shirt that had been washed until it was pale. With that, he headed to the meeting place.

Anting Coffee was a very high-end coffee shop in Haining City.

Jiang Fan had delivered a few orders here before, but he’d never actually been a customer. The cheapest cup of coffee cost fifty yuan...

Soon, following the information Wu Qiang had given him, he arrived at the coffee shop’s second-floor terrace.

Wu Qiang had told him that he was meeting a rich lady in a long black dress named Xue.

When he got to the second floor, Jiang Fan glanced at the time on his phone. It was already 8:40 PM.

’Good, not late.’

He breathed a sigh of relief and scanned the second-floor terrace. He saw only one occupied table.

And as it happened, the person at the table was a woman in a black, hip-hugging dress.

’Could she be the rich lady Wu Qiang was talking about?’

Muttering under his breath, he walked up quickly behind the woman. "Hello, are you Xue?"

"Hm?"

The woman paused for a moment, then slowly turned her head.

"It’s you?!"

When Jiang Fan got a clear look at her face, a wave of uncontrollable rage surged through him.

Because this woman was none other than the unreasonable rich lady from that morning who had gotten him fired—Miss Yin!