Qi Longbing listened, sowhat surprised, but he still smiled like a sly tiger and said, "Fine, I don’t want your money. However, since you dare not ask for it from Hua Renda, there’s only one path left for you."
"What path?" Hua Xiaomo asked quickly.
"Spend one night with ," Qi Longbing said, his tone as calm as still water.
"What?" Upon hearing this, Hua Xiaomo almost bled internally from anger.
"You said it yourself: no money to give, only your life," Qi Longbing said with a smile, his eyes cunningly shifting as he unabashedly raked his gaze over her body. "Although you have many faults, you’re still a college student. I can reluctantly accept that..."
"So, I can give you two choices. Are you willing to settle this debt once and for all? Or would you prefer to work as bonded labor for the Qi Family for three years to repay it? You decide," Qi Longbing said with a smile, the cunning calculation of a rchant gleaming in his eyes.
Hua Xiaomo glared at him through gritted teeth. "You—don’t even think about it!"
Taking a deep breath, Hua Xiaomo quickly sorted through her thoughts and said, "Although the Hua Clan is to enter into a marriage alliance with your Qi Family, that has nothing to do with . I will absolutely not marry you! Get that thought out of your head!"
Qi Longbing looked at her and suddenly laughed sarcastically.
After a mont, he curled his lips slightly and said, "Marriage alliance..." Qi Longbing deliberately emphasized these two words mockingly.
"Whether or not there’s a marriage alliance is not for you to decide, Hua Xiaomo," Qi Longbing’s voice grew colder as he looked at her, his eyes holding a layer of malice. "And don’t flatter yourself. I never said that I wanted to marry you! And you... must repay the debt you owe ."
Hua Xiaomo looked at him, her eyes darkened. Just what did this guy want!
Her hands tightened slightly. The one balled into a fist was already numb from pain and stained with blood.
"It’s just for a piece of glass... I’ll pay you back," Hua Xiaomo said, grinding her teeth.
"Pay back? How?" Qi Longbing asked with his arms folded across his chest, looking at her nonchalantly. "Rather than selling yourself to soone else, why not sell to ? Think it over!"
Clutching her palm, Hua Xiaomo let the pain seep into her. She suddenly burst into a bright smile. "So this is what wealthy people are like—capricious and shaless, huh?"
"I will pay you back! Just give a little ti," Hua Xiaomo looked at him, a hint of suppressed redness in her amber eyes. Damn it, she should have known not to act so impulsively. A piece of glass for two hundred thousand? Damn, this is robbery!
But if she gave him the money in this bag, how would she afford her tuition fees tomorrow?
"Fine, three days," Qi Longbing said with an indifferent smile.
"Three days? Are you asking to go steal or rob?" Hua Xiaomo looked at him in disbelief.
Qi Longbing walked over to his car and took out a long bandage. "Three days for two hundred thousand. It shouldn’t be too much for you."
Hua Xiaomo looked at him, so infuriated she wanted to curse out loud, but her teeth chattered so much she couldn’t speak. This man must be her fated nesis; she never had any luck whenever she encountered him.
"Wrap your hand with this," Qi Longbing said as he handed over the bandage.
"I don’t want your kindness," Hua Xiaomo said, pushing his hand away. She struggled internally but still loosened her grip on the bag. "Fine, take this... take it."
Qi Longbing glanced at it, a cruel smile on his lips. "This isn’t quite up to two hundred thousand. Co back when you’ve made up the difference."
"Damn it!" Hua Xiaomo stared at him, cursing out loud. "Who just said that leaving the bag was enough?"
To her surprise, Qi Longbing gave a faint smile, his narrow blue eyes filled with cunning. "That was then, this is now."
"..." Hua Xiaomo’s eyes fiercely narrowed with anger. "One month. I’ll pay you back."
"Three days," Qi Longbing repeated unflinchingly.
Anger blazed within her. Hua Xiaomo looked at him, her eyes fiery. If looks could kill, he would have fallen long ago.
"One week," Hua Xiaomo pressed her lips together and said again.
Qi Longbing scoffed internally. He wasn’t accustod to haggling. No one had ever dared to haggle with him before... ever!
"Take this and wrap up your hand well. I wouldn’t want your hand to beco useless, to the point that you don’t even have the strength to repay the money," Qi Longbing said, the corners of his eyes lifting with a cold indifference that lacked any compassion.
Hua Xiaomo stood there stubbornly, showing no intention of taking the bandage from him.
Qi Longbing observed her flushed face and her eyes, which had flashed with rage countless tis. The color combination isn’t bad, he mused.
"Hurry up and take it, or I might change my mind and demand two hundred thousand in three days!" Qi Longbing said with a smile.
"So you agree? One month?" Hua Xiaomo was overjoyed and imdiately stepped forward to take the bandage from his hand.
A muscle twitched in Qi Longbing’s cheek, and his voice slowed. "One week, Miss Hua."
"Fine, one week," Hua Xiaomo bit her lip as she replied. But her hands holding the bandage stiffened. She had no idea where to start, and a wave of irritation washed over her.
Seeing her hesitant to wrap her hand, Qi Longbing’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he stepped forward to grab her elbow. "Let help you."
"I don’t need your help!" Hua Xiaomo couldn’t help but retort. Yet, eting his displeased gaze, she abruptly stopped talking and looked away.
Qi Longbing didn’t say anything. Looking at the cuts on her delicate hands, he couldn’t imagine how she had summoned such strength.
Without further thought, he quickly grabbed the bandage and carefully wrapped it around the back of her hand, looping it around until it was secure. His fingers lingered on her wrist, as if reluctant to let go.
A low voice finally erged slowly, "What are you studying in college?"
Hua Xiaomo quickly retracted her hand and replied irritably, "None of your business!" Then she hugged her bag to her chest. "You don’t have to co looking for . Once I have the money, I’ll bring it to your company."
Qi Longbing had wanted to ask more about her college life, but her distant attitude suddenly chilled his heart. "That would be for the best." Without saying another word, he opened the car door, swiftly inserted the key, and drove off.
The environnt finally quieted down. A gust of wind lifted her disheveled long hair, brushing it against her cheek. It carried a hint of desolation that made her face feel icy.
Hua Xiaomo looked at her injured hand and the destroyed bicycle, the frustration in her heart growing heavier.
Ha! Two hundred thousand... Is that supposed to crush , Hua Xiaomo? She bit her inner lip tightly.
If Hua Renda knew about the trouble she had caused, who knew what he would do? However, to him, it was a minor issue. What was more important was that the marriage alliance between the two families was now off the table.
She was in her senior year of college, with one more year until graduation—she couldn’t give that up no matter what. Plus, over the years, she had secretly saved so money from her private employnt relationship with a certain person, planning to study abroad after graduation, so she couldn’t touch any of that money...
Hua Xiaomo took out her phone, scrolled to a familiar number, hesitated, but still made the call.
"Hello, Little K?" A refined and low male voice ca through the phone.
"It’s , Xia Shuangming. I need to borrow two hundred thousand," Hua Xiaomo got straight to the point. Besides him, she couldn’t think of anyone else who could help her.
There was a mont of silence from the other end, and then a playful tone. "I can do that... but first, give the ’Blue Moon.’"
"No way. I only have one week. The Gasia auction isn’t until October first... I can’t wait until then," Hua Xiaomo said.
"Then I’m sorry. I’m not running a charity here; I might not be able to help you..." Xia Shuangming replied indifferently, rejecting her.
"Wait, don’t hang up, Xia Shuangming. Can’t you just lend it to first? I’ll definitely steal the ’Blue Moon’ for you. My word is my bond. I, Hua Xiaomo, never beg anyone, but this ti, I’m begging you..." Hua Xiaomo’s eyes conveyed a hint of gloom.
Xia Shuangming didn’t respond imdiately. After a while, he finally said slowly, "Little K, this isn’t the first ti you’ve dealt with . You know my temper. Asking for money without having what I want... that’s breaking my rules."
However, soon Xia Shuangming changed his tune. "But, for the sake of our acquaintance, let think about it, and I’ll get back to you later."
"Okay, I’ll wait for your answer. Thank you, Xia Shuangming," Hua Xiaomo said with a forced smile. She knew that he had already made a significant concession.
"...You’re welco," Xia Shuangming replied flatly. He sensed sothing unusual in her voice, but if it didn’t concern his own interests, he couldn’t be bothered to ddle. He soon ended the call.
Hua Xiaomo held her phone, her face showing traces of coldness. Looking at her hand, she feared that going back like this would only make her mother worry. It seed she would have to bother Xiao You again tonight.
「...」
「The next day.」
Hua Renda arrived on ti at the office of the President of Qi Imperial Court. Looking at Qi Longbing seated high on the Osaka chair, he kept offering obsequious complints with a forced smile.
"I’ve already heard about the Hua Clan’s situation, and I sympathize with your predicant. Out of respect for the Old Master, Qi Imperial Court has decided to acquire the Hua Clan," Qi Longbing said blandly, a cunning and sinister calculation visible on his expressionless handso face.
"What? An acquisition?" Hua Renda was shocked. He never expected that the other party wasn’t seeking cooperation, but an acquisition!
A hint of iciness flashed in Qi Longbing’s cool blue eyes. "You can consider it. This is an acquisition proposal. If you agree, sign here. If not, I won’t force you, President Hua."
Hua Renda looked at the acquisition proposal, his eyes stinging. "No... It shouldn’t be like this... President Qi, didn’t we agree before that our families would enter into a marriage alliance?"
"A marriage alliance? Ha... President Hua, you must have misheard. My Qi Family never intended to enter into a marriage alliance with your Hua Clan!" Qi Longbing stated calmly, his handso face showing a hint of scornful aloofness.
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