Chapter 468 - 467: Xia Zhiyun Asks for Help

After their afternoon classes ended, Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong left together.

They had an appointment with a renovation team to visit their shop on Xinghua Street, take measurements, and discuss design plans.

「Xinghua Street.」

When Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong arrived, some members of the renovation team they had hired were already there.

The team members let out a huge sigh of relief upon seeing Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong.

’Heaven knew, after they took the job and heard the shop was on Xinghua Street, they had desperately wanted to cancel.’

’The kind of desperation that made them willing to pay a cancellation fee just to get out of it.’

’But... the client was paying way too much. In the end, the studio decided to take the job anyway.’

’Anyway... as long as they abided by the law, didn’t wander off, and kept their eyes to themselves, it should be fine... right?’

"Good afternoon!"

The man in charge greeted Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong, and the others followed his lead.

"Hello. Sorry, we came straight from class and are a little late. The shop is this way."

Qin Sitong stepped forward, taking the lead on communications.

The only reason she could even open the shop was because of the recipes Yun Zijin provided. Since Yun Zijin had always been a hands-off partner, Qin Sitong had naturally taken it upon herself to handle everything.

"Not at all, not at all. Our appointment was for five, and it’s only 4:50. We’re the ones who are early."

’How could the client possibly be late? It had to be that they themselves were early.’

The team followed Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong to the shop’s entrance, where Yun Zijin took a key from her bag to open the door.

When the members of the renovation team saw Yun Zijin take out the key, they exchanged glances.

They gave each other a knowing look and waited silently for Yun Zijin to open the door.

Yun Zijin pushed the door open, revealing the entire interior of the shop to the team.

"This space is quite large. Do you ladies have a particular style in mind?"

They already knew from before that Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong were planning to open a bubble tea shop; it was only the decor style that hadn’t been finalized.

"Given the location, let’s go with a traditional Chinese design."

’The people living in this area are all influential figures, with an average age of around fifty. A traditional Chinese design is more likely to appeal to them.’

"We can do that. We’ll prepare several design drafts, and you two can pick the one you like best."

While Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong discussed the design style, the other members of the studio’s team quickly finished taking all the measurements.

"Sir, all the measurements are done."

Yun Zijin was impressed by their speed, and her opinion of the renovation team rose considerably.

"How long will it take to get the design drafts?"

Yun Zijin looked at the team’s manager, and Qin Sitong turned to look as well.

’The design plans were crucial.’

"Three days at the fastest, five at the latest. For a traditional Chinese design, your package includes five different design drafts, and you can choose one from the five."

’It was true what they said: money makes the world go ’round. This package had been on their price list for ages, but this was the first time anyone had ever ordered it.’

’The manager swore to himself that he would do an impeccable job on this project. If he did, their studio’s reputation in the industry would be solidified.’

"Alright. You have our contact information, so be sure to let us know as soon as the drafts are ready."

After the designs were finalized, the renovation would begin.

They had chosen an all-inclusive package, meaning the studio’s renovation team would be responsible for everything from the blueprints to the construction materials.

"When the clouds hang low, the sky begins to rain..."

The group had just finished their discussion and were walking out of the shop when Yun Zijin’s phone rang.

The renovation team said their goodbyes to Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong, then turned and boarded their studio’s van.

Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong headed for their own car, with Yun Zijin answering her phone as they walked.

"Hello?"

"Yun Zijin, where are you?"

Yun Zijin pulled the phone away from her ear, confirming that the call was from one of her old high school classmates’ numbers.

She hadn’t saved the number, but that didn’t stop her from recognizing it.

"Xia Zhiyun, you’ve got quite a reach."

’To think he even got his hands on a high school classmate’s phone number. She wondered what excuse he’d used to get them to lend him their phone.’

’But that wasn’t the main point. The real question was why Xia Zhiyun was suddenly calling her after all this time.’

"I had no other choice. You still haven’t answered my question."

After the Xia Group was acquired by Situ Wenze, Xia Zhiyun had disappeared. She never expected he would suddenly call her.

"And why should I tell you? Don’t tell me that without the Xia Group, the great Young Master of the Xia Family is so poor he has to come begging to me."

Qin Sitong, sitting beside Yun Zijin, overheard the conversation. She did her best to stare straight ahead and pretend she couldn’t hear a thing.

’Although, based on the conversation, it sounded an awful lot like Zijin’s scumbag of a brother.’

As it turned out, Qin Sitong’s intuition was spot on.

"You... Dad’s in trouble. You have to help."

Xia Zhiyun wanted to deny her accusation, but considering his current situation, he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

Hearing Xia Zhiyun’s words, Yun Zijin arched an eyebrow.

’If Xia Zhengguang was the one in trouble, well, she was willing to listen.’ "Go on. If you tell me a good story, I might consider helping you."

However, Xia Zhiyun failed to notice that Yun Zijin had only said she would *consider* helping, not that she definitely *would*.

"Dad took out a GL Loan. He was planning to... but the person he invested with ran off with all the money. Now the investment is gone, and the people from GL Loan are demanding repayment."

Xia Zhiyun barely had any money himself, let alone enough to pay off Xia Zhengguang’s debt.

The person had already fled, and even if they went to the police, there was no way to recover the money immediately.

Worse, if the person had left the country, the money would likely be gone for good.

Right now, the only solution he could think of was to ask Yun Zijin for the money to pay back the loan.

He had no other choice. He’d tried calling the Xia family’s former business partners, but they either didn’t pick up or just beat around the bush.

They would do anything, it seemed, except lend him money.

"Wow. He’s got some nerve, messing with a GL Loan. If you don’t pay them back, they don’t mess around."

"I tried to talk him out of it, but I failed. Can you..."

Xia Zhiyun simply couldn’t bring himself to say that last word: help.

"You want me to pay off his debt for him?"

Yun Zijin couldn’t imagine he was calling for any other reason.

’She just didn’t understand what Xia Zhiyun was thinking, to actually believe she would help. Did she really look like some kind of bleeding-heart saint to him?’

"Young Master Xia, have you forgotten what your Xia Family has done to me?"

’Did he think that just because Zhang Yiqin was in prison, all their debts were settled?’

’Zhang Yiqin may have been the one to hire the kidnappers, but Xia Zhengguang was the root of it all.’

’If he hadn’t insisted on that marriage alliance, Zhang Yiqin would never have targeted her for Xia Jiajiao’s sake.’

’She’d heard the prospective family for the alliance was some second-rate clan from G City, but while the Xias were busy fighting amongst themselves, that family never even showed its face.’

’They were just hoping to swoop in and profit from the conflict. Wishful thinking.’

"I apologize. But please, can you help? Dad’s getting old. If they take him away, he might not make it out alive!"

"Oh? In that case, I’d think an old man like Xia Zhengguang has little value to them. It’s usually the son who pays the father’s debts. The one in real danger is you, wouldn’t you agree, Young Master Xia?"