On the third day of the Lunar New Year, the banks reopened, and Lin Guicheng set off early with a few men to the county town. They went from one bank to another, exchanging all the cash they had brought into smaller denominations. By the time they finished, it was already past noon. Back at the Lin household, Lin Fang and her siblings hadn’t yet returned from their maternal grandmother’s place with their mother, leaving Lin Yuanmin alone at home. On New Year’s Eve, after the children had gone out to set off fireworks, Lin Yuanmin and his wife had already discussed the debt repayment plan with Lin Guicheng. He was waiting specifically for Lin Guicheng’s return.
“Guicheng, Fang is still young. Is it really appropriate to have her personally repay the debts? I’m worried some sharp-tongued people might hurt her feelings.” Though the matter had already been settled, Lin Yuanmin still felt uneasy. His daughter might seem clever, but she had always been sheltered under the family’s wings and had never faced any real hardship.
The two brothers had agreed to repay the debts as soon as possible so they could focus on expanding their business without interference. If creditors saw the Lin family prospering in the county town, they might keep coming to demand repayment, which could create a bad impression among outsiders—making it seem like the Lin family was unreliable. This would not only harm their business but also hinder their growth.
Worse still, some greedy creditors might even demand extra compensation, causing unnecessary trouble.
Because the debts were substantial, all six adults in the Lin family—except Yan Ping—including Lin Fang, were assigned to repay a portion.
Lin Guicheng had already instructed Sun Siyuan and others to reorganize the five account books based on Lin Tuo’s suggestions. The debts were now categorized into five books, each assigned to a different family member.
Lin Yuanmin, Dong Huixin, Lin Yong, and Lin Tuo were responsible for repaying debts owed to their respective relatives and friends. Lin Fang was tasked with repaying a smaller portion owed to nearby creditors. Besides giving her some experience in handling matters independently, this arrangement also considered her health—she wasn’t yet fit for long, bumpy journeys.
Compared to children from another world, the kids in this world were much more innocent. A girl of Lin Fang’s age in that other world might already be a mother, sharp-witted and worldly. But here, girls her age were still coddled by their parents, shielded from hardships. Lin Fang, however, was different—her soul wasn’t that of a child.
Though he thought this, Lin Guicheng couldn’t say it aloud. Instead, he reassured Lin Yuanmin in another way: “Brother, with Mutou accompanying Lin Fang, unless someone is blind, no one would dare give her trouble.”
This had also been agreed upon beforehand. Each family member repaying debts would be accompanied by one of Lin Guicheng’s men—both to carry the heavy bags of money and to act as bodyguards. Carrying large sums of cash was no joke.
Lin Guicheng and his men were all skilled in martial arts, capable in both labor and combat. Even at his company’s headquarters in Liangping City, these six workers were no ordinary men.
Sun Siyuan, for instance, usually wore an impassive expression, but when he turned serious, his face turned icy, radiating an intimidating chill. Anyone unfamiliar with him would shudder at a single glance, let alone dare to scheme against him. Lin Guicheng knew this best—Sun Siyuan was the most skilled among them, personally trained by Lin Guicheng himself.
There was another detail in the repayment process: the Lin family would only inform creditors that someone was willing to repay their debts on their behalf. The debts would still technically remain, just transferred to a single “big boss.” The accompanying worker would then verify the amount from the account book and hand over the money, ensuring the Lin family never physically handled it. This reinforced the impression that the Lin family had no real autonomy.
Lin Fang was scheduled to resume her calligraphy classes in the county town on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. By then, most workplaces would have reopened, even if many employees only showed up briefly. This was also an opportune time to pull strings and get things done smoothly. So the two brothers had agreed to settle the debts swiftly. Once Dong Huixin returned with the children, they would split up to repay the money.
Lin Yong and Lin Tuo had already borrowed motorcycles. Lin Guicheng, with the most prestige, had driven a car from Liangping City. Along with the motorcycle assigned to one of his workers and Rouqiu’s own bike, they divided into five groups to expedite the process.
Over the next two and a half days, the five family members rushed around. The worker team leader accompanied Lin Yuanmin, two workers went with Dong Huixin, Lin Yong and Lin Tuo each had one worker with them, and Sun Siyuan acted as Lin Fang’s dedicated escort. Lin Guicheng stayed behind to oversee operations, while another man guarded the Lin household. Yan Ping was kept at home with the children to prevent any opportunistic troublemakers from taking advantage.
“Grandma Gao, I’ve come to repay the money. It really shouldn’t be a child like me doing this—my parents should be the ones to show you proper respect. But our family owes so many debts that my parents and brothers have to go farther away to repay them. You’ve always been so kind to me—you won’t hold this against me, right, Grandma Gao?” This was Lin Fang’s first stop.
“Repay money? What money?” The loan had been so long ago that Grandma Gao had forgotten.
“It’s the money you lent us for my medical treatment.” Lin Fang gestured to Sun Siyuan. “This is someone from the company where I work. His boss admires my mother’s cooking skills and agreed to advance the money to repay our family’s debts so she can focus on preparing food for his company. Once we earn enough, we’ll repay him.”
Grandma Gao was astonished. “Good heavens, how can such a good thing exist? Is this boss trustworthy? Don’t let yourselves be cheated.”
Lin Fang subtly blocked Sun Siyuan—though she wasn’t tall enough to fully obscure him, she diverted Grandma Gao’s attention. His suddenly darkened expression might frighten the old woman.
“Oh, forget it. I’m just an old widow—what do I need so much money for? Besides, it wasn’t much. Keep it as New Year’s money.” Grandma Gao finally remembered but waved it off.
“Grandma Gao, we must repay you. It’s only right to pay back what we owe. Even though I’m young, I understand this principle. And just because I’ve repaid you doesn’t mean I’ll ignore you—I’ll still take care of you in the future. Please accept it.” Compared to her own grandmother, Lin Fang felt much closer to Grandma Gao, and her words were sincere.
Sun Siyuan showed Grandma Gao the account book, counted out the money from the bag, and handed it to her. There were over a dozen unpaid entries, totaling around a hundred yuan.
Glancing at Sun Siyuan’s stoic face, Grandma Gao finally took the money. “Fine, I’ll keep it. I know your family has taken on a big project now. It might seem like money is coming in fast, but emergencies happen. If you ever need money urgently, don’t hesitate to ask. I may not be able to help much, but even a little can be useful.”
“I understand, Grandma Gao. You’re the best.” Lin Fang was deeply moved—Grandma Gao’s words were just as sincere.
The second household Lin Fang visited was the one her family worried about most—Lan Xiang’s family. They were among the largest creditors, with nearly a thousand yuan still unpaid.
After relations between the two families soured, Lan Xiang’s mother had come demanding repayment several times. Lin Yuanmin had managed to pay back some, but the amount was too large to settle all at once. When Lan Xiang’s father found out, he scolded his wife—shrewd as he was, he understood the danger of pushing someone to desperation. Only then did Lan Xiang’s mother back off.
Before they even reached Lan Xiang’s doorstep, Sun Siyuan had already exuded a chilling aura. Since Lin Guicheng intended to tie his fate to the Lin family, he had naturally investigated everything about them. Lan Xiang’s family was one he had deliberately marked for cold treatment.
Lin Fang also instinctively sharpened her senses, probing the atmosphere of Lan Xiang’s home. Lan Xiang’s father wasn’t home—only Lan Xiang sat in the yard, likely sunbathing, while her mother seemed to be in the kitchen, busy with something.
Rumors in the village claimed Lan Xiang’s father had a mistress outside. Lan Xiang had once been beautiful, and her father had hoped she’d marry a city official to benefit his business. But now that her legs were crippled, and her mother—once a beauty—had aged into a foolish woman, Lan Xiang’s father had lost patience with them. He hadn’t even returned for the New Year.
At the gate of Lan Xiang’s courtyard, Lin Fang deliberately stepped louder. Sun Siyuan, who had been five paces behind, quickened his stride to stand slightly behind her right shoulder. Lin Fang glanced back at him with a smile, signaling that the mother and daughter posed no real threat.
The gate was wide open. The moment Lin Fang stepped inside, Lan Xiang—already alerted by the noise—snapped, “What are you doing here?”
“Repaying money.” Lin Fang answered bluntly, uninterested in wasting words. Lan Xiang’s family had lent them a significant sum, which had been crucial in saving her life. But given the current state of their relationship, no amount of gratitude would earn her a kind word. Why bother?
Lan Xiang was indeed sunbathing, seated in a wheelchair with a blanket over her legs, hiding their condition. Her once-rosy cheeks were now pale, and she had lost weight, but her spirits seemed stable—unlike the rumors of her being hysterical or suicidal. Perhaps she had been, but she had since calmed down.
“Repay money? Hmph. How much this time—ten yuan? Or just eight mao?” Lan Xiang’s tone dripped with disdain.
“I can’t repay it myself. A big boss is covering our family’s debts—all of them are being transferred to him.” Lin Fang had no interest in bickering and kept her explanation brief before falling silent.
“A big boss is repaying your debts? How much this time? Can he cover it all?”
No sooner had Lin Fang spoken than Lan Xiang’s mother emerged from the kitchen. Instead of the expected sarcasm, she cut straight to the point, her urgency startling Lin Fang. The usually domineering woman now seemed almost desperate—had she fallen on hard times?
“Brother Sun?”
Lin Fang called softly, stepping back. Sun Siyuan moved seamlessly between her and Lan Xiang’s mother. From behind him, Lin Fang introduced, “This is the big boss’s representative.”
Lan Xiang’s mother opened her mouth to speak but froze upon seeing Sun Siyuan’s icy expression. He flipped open the account book to Lan Xiang’s family’s page, turning it for her to see.
“Auntie, do you have your own records?” When Sun Siyuan remained silent, Lin Fang spoke up.
Lan Xiang’s mother nodded. “Yes, but not as detailed as yours.”
“Then please bring them out. It’s fine if yours aren’t as complete—we’ll repay based on our records. But you’ll need to hand your ledger to him and sign ours.”
Though Sun Siyuan blocked her view, Lan Xiang’s hostility was palpable. Lin Fang’s tone softened but remained firm.
The exchange was swift—ledger for money. Once done, Lin Fang wasted no time on pleasantries and turned to leave.
“Hmph. Selling yourself to a big boss at such a young age—your whole family’s shameless.”
Lan Xiang’s venomous words reached Lin Fang before she had gone far. She paused, frowning, and turned back—only to find Sun Siyuan’s figure already vanishing back into Lan Xiang’s courtyard.
A few seconds later, Sun Siyuan reappeared before her, composed as ever. From Lan Xiang’s yard, not another sound was heard.
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