Chapter 469 - 468: 30 Million, Not Much?

Yun Zijin’s words plunged Xia Zhiyun into despair.

"I... I’m your brother, at the very least. It’s an undeniable fact that we didn’t grow up together because of some strange twists of fate.

Back then, Dad didn’t even know you existed. The one who abandoned you was your own birth mother.

Even if you have to hate someone, it shouldn’t be us.

I don’t need a lot, just thirty million. Once I’ve paid off the GL Loan, I’ll work myself to the bone to pay you back."

Yun Zijin’s words served as a stark reminder, making him even more desperate to get the money from her.

The uncles who once treated him like their own son now couldn’t wait to sever all ties with him, let alone lend him money.

Now, Yun Zijin was his last and only hope.

Xia Zhiyun knew that thirty million was nothing to Yun Zijin, but he didn’t dare bet on whether she would be willing to give it to him.

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

To be honest, for a brief moment, Yun Zijin was actually tempted by his words, but she quickly suppressed the feeling.

’Lending him the money is out of the question, but... Xia Zhiyun is, at the very least, my blood-related brother. Even if I don’t acknowledge him, it won’t stop other people from associating us.’

’If Xia Zhiyun becomes too much of a disgrace, it’ll drag down my own image.’

"As for the money, I’m not going to lend it to you. However... you did say that we’re at least related by blood. I couldn’t live with myself if I just stood by and watched you die.

So, how about this? You tell me the name of this GL Loan company, and I’ll have a word with them.

Since you don’t have the money, then... you can just work off the debt.

I’m sure that with Young Master Xia’s talents, you’ll earn back that thirty million in no time.

However, with the interest compounding, it might be more than thirty million by then. You’ll have to... work really hard, big brother~

So, what do you think? It’s a pretty good suggestion, isn’t it? Send me the name of the GL Loan company, and I can get this sorted out for you today."

Yun Zijin’s tone was perfectly calm, even bordering on gentle, but whatever she said made Xia Zhiyun’s expression grow darker and darker.

"Do you really have to be this cruel?"

He didn’t have to be a genius to know that any job arranged by GL Loan wouldn’t be a legitimate one.

And because of his debt, those people would surely squeeze him for all he was worth.

"What kind of talk is that, big brother? I’m actively trying to solve this problem for you.

You can’t possibly expect... me, someone who never enjoyed a single day of life as an heiress of the Xia Family, to pay back thirty million for you, can you?

Young Master Xia, you’ve really got it all figured out, haven’t you?"

’This Xia Zhiyun,’ Yun Zijin thought, ’has some serious nerve.’

"Haven’t you ever considered what kind of jobs GL Loan would arrange for me? They’d make me do..."

Xia Zhiyun couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence, but Yun Zijin knew exactly what he was trying to say.

’So what if it’s... that kind of work?’ she thought. ’A job is a job. There are no high or low professions, only personal choices.’

’Not that she’d encourage it, but if she met someone in that line of work, as long as they weren’t some manipulative, two-faced schemer, Yun Zijin wouldn’t look down on them.’

"That’s your problem. My only responsibility is to talk to them and arrange for you to work off your debt. What kind of work you’ll be doing is not something I can control."

And even if she could, Yun Zijin wouldn’t want to.

A single Xia Zhiyun wasn’t worth her meddling in his affairs.

As for her offer to call and talk to them, it was just a matter of having someone else handle it. It wouldn’t be any trouble for Yun Zijin herself.

"You!"

Xia Zhiyun had a sinking feeling that Yun Zijin was doing this on purpose.

She was willing to talk to the GL Loan company for him; she could have easily negotiated an extension or an installment plan. But no, she had to insist on him working off the debt.

None of the businesses under GL Loan were legitimate. If he got involved, there was no guarantee he’d ever get out.

"If you want my help, this is the only solution I’m offering. If you don’t want it, then let’s just hang up.

You should be grateful I’ve even given you this much of my time."

Yun Zijin even felt she was being too soft-hearted, giving Xia Zhiyun so much time to talk.

It was quiet on Xia Zhiyun’s end for a while. Yun Zijin knew he hadn’t hung up; he was just weighing his options.

Otherwise... who knew when he’d get another chance to get through to Yun Zijin.

After a long silence, Xia Zhiyun finally spoke. "Fine. Help me talk to the GL Loan company. I’ll go work off the debt."

Hearing the obvious exhaustion and lack of energy in Xia Zhiyun’s voice, Yun Zijin felt a stir of emotion.

’Xia Zhiyun was just unlucky to be stuck with parents like that,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, with his abilities, he could have at least become a manager at some small company.’

’With that kind of financial situation, he would have been more than comfortable, even if not fabulously wealthy.’

’Too bad he was born into that family. It just goes to show, being born is a skill in itself.’

"Just send me the loan agreement."

’These kinds of offline loan shark operations always have airtight contracts. They’re written to be legally gray—predatory agreements, no doubt.’

’But because it’s an agreement signed voluntarily by an individual, even if some of the predatory clauses are unenforceable, most of the terms are still legally binding.’

’In a situation like this, taking them to court wouldn’t give him much of an advantage.’

Xia Zhiyun quickly sent the contract to Yun Zijin, who immediately forwarded it to Mei Lin with instructions on what needed to be done.

Mei Lin replied quickly. A small matter like this was something she could have anyone on her team handle.

As soon as she received the contract, Yun Zijin hung up, not caring about Xia Zhiyun’s reaction on the other end.

Xia Zhiyun, of course, felt like there were still a million things he hadn’t explained and wanted to call Yun Zijin back.

"Um... could I have my phone back, please?"

The call had lasted nearly an hour, and the girl now knew that Xia Zhiyun was shouldering a thirty million debt.

’Sigh, just when she thought she’d finally found a promising catch, she finds out he’s thirty million in debt and has a good-for-nothing father to support.’

’In a situation like that, it didn’t matter how handsome he was; he was off the table.’

’You get married to improve your standard of living, not to become a one-woman poverty relief program.’

"Sorry about that."

Xia Zhiyun was reluctant to give it up, but seeing the look on the girl’s face, he handed the phone back.

After all, he hadn’t paid for it. It wasn’t right to monopolize someone else’s property for so long.

Meanwhile, after Yun Zijin hung up, Qin Sitong gave her a gossipy look. She was dying to know what the two of them had talked about.

"It was Xia Zhiyun. You know who he is, right?"

Everyone in Yun Zijin’s circle knew about Xia Zhiyun.

A spineless, scummy brother whose every interaction with Yun Zijin ended on bad terms.

Qin Sitong nodded, showing she understood.

"He’s in debt and wanted me to pay it off for him. As if I have that kind of money just lying around."

"You did the right thing. You can’t lend him a single cent, or it would definitely just be money down the drain."

It was safe to say that Qin Sitong’s impression of Xia Zhiyun couldn’t possibly be worse.