Chapter 71

 

Liang Jiancheng generously extended his hand, his long, beautiful hand stopping neatly in front of Liu Xinjun, carrying a clear gesture of friendliness.

Liu Xinjun, however, had no intention of shaking hands with Liang Jiancheng. He placed his hand behind his back, his face darkening, and walked directly to the booth.

He wasn’t pretending—he was genuinely angry.

He had gone to great lengths to come to Haigang, deliberately bringing a whole group of his underlings to “win back his wife.” And what did Ming Xi do? She brought another man right in front of him. Worse still, she flaunted such a handsome “pretty boy” in front of his subordinates. That was basically slapping him in the face.

And this “pretty boy” was indeed quite handsome, even taller than him; how could he not be furious!

Ming Xi: …

She really didn’t understand Liu Xinjun’s thought process. But then again—he was a street thug with the spending habits of a sugar daddy and the ego of a middle-aged local boss. Of course his brain didn’t work normally.

Thinking of the term “pretty boy,” Ming Xi glanced at Liang Jiancheng beside her, feeling even more helpless.

Compared to Liu Xinjun, Liang Jiancheng was the one who had dropped the ball at the critical moment.

She had called him down to help her hold the line and intimidate Liu Xinjun. Instead of providing pressure, he had somehow “blown up the stage.”

Liang Jiancheng looked at Ming Xi with an apologetic yet amused expression. Feeling a little guilty, his tongue subconsciously brushed against his lips.

It was a small unconscious habit he only had when he was younger.

Ming Xi stared silently: …Don’t lick your lips. The more you do it, the more you look the part.

“Let’s talk business first,” Liang Jiancheng seemed to sense Ming Xi’s thoughts and spoke up. What role he was playing didn’t matter now. Getting things settled properly was the priority.

Ming Xi caught a glimpse of his inner thoughts. She felt that Liang Jiancheng was actually enjoying this “pretty boy” role.

Which, honestly… made sense.

Liang Jiancheng coughed sheepishly.

Liu Xinjun, who had already taken his seat, suddenly glanced in their direction and almost exploded on the spot.

Why did Liu Xinjun think Ming Xi was now rich enough to support a “pretty boy”? It was a misunderstanding caused by the information Dezi had given him. As a friend of both Ming Xi and Liu Xinjun, Dezi knew that Liu Xinjun had wanted to come to Haigang to find Ming Xi for a long time. Liu Xinjun’s idea was simple—throw money at her. Dezi, at his wit’s end, concocted a story to dissuade Liu Xinjun: “Brother Liu, you absolutely can’t do that! Ming Xi doesn’t lack money anymore! She’s powerful in Haigang now—she earns her own money! Forget you throwing cash at her—now she can throw money at other people!”

These two sentences had the desired effect, and Liu Xinjun completely idolized Ming Xi.

He had initially thought Ming Xi had come to her senses when he learned she was coming down to pick him up, but it seemed she was showing off her power!

The more Liu Xinjun thought about it, the angrier he became. He was already short-tempered, and now he felt deeply insulted. In a fit of rage, he ripped off his wig and threw it into the metal trash can next to the booth.

This…

Originally, the thick fake bangs helped mask his thuggish aura, but now, with the wig gone, the exaggerated scar running from his head to his forehead was fully exposed… Combined with his vicious expression and murderous glare toward Ming Xi and the “pretty boy” behind her, the aura of a true street gang boss rushed straight at them.

It was truly intimidating.

However, Ming Xi remained calm, having witnessed Liu Xinjun’s aggressive behavior many times before, and didn’t even flinch.

Liang Jiancheng, the man Liu Xinjun called “pretty boy,” was genuinely surprised. His eyebrows twitched slightly, and the word “cool” almost slipped out of his mouth for no reason. Perhaps burdened by his “pretty boy” role, he not only softened his presence but also became more polite.

Before Ming Xi and Liu Xinjun officially began talking business, he thoughtfully stood up and asked: “Brother Liu, what would you like to drink? I’ll arrange it.”

Liu Xinjun curtly tossed Liang Jiancheng three words: “Iced black tea.”

“…Alright.”

Liang Jiancheng smiled lightly and agreed.

Ming Xi rolled her eyes. Someone wasn’t just qualified to be a pretty boy—he could double as a secretary too.

Not long after, Liang Jiancheng returned with two bottles of water and one bottle of iced black tea.

“Brother Liu, your iced black tea.”

Liang Jiancheng politely placed a plastic bottle in front of Liu Xinjun.

Liu Xinjun took it in confusion. Liang Jiancheng’s excessive politeness strangely drained half the aggression from his body in an instant.

Liang Jiancheng finally showed his mature composure. He picked up one of the remaining water bottles, twisted the cap open first, and only then handed it to Ming Xi.

Then, he sat down next to her.

Even though he was curious about the scar on Liu Xinjun’s forehead, Liang Jiancheng politely avoided staring at it.

Earlier in the elevator, when he said he had “run with rough crowds” before, it had only been a joke.

He had grown up under Old Liang’s strict supervision. Even in his hot-blooded youth, his behavior had always stayed within proper boundaries. Later in the US, he had indeed encountered drug users, addicts, and street thieves. Compared to that, people like Liu Xinjun were better described not simply as thugs, but as: exploiters of social loopholes, mild antisocial personalities, and low-cognition opportunistic speculators.

“Brother Liu, I’ve decided to repay the money Ming Decheng owes you. The principal is two hundred thousand yuan. I’ve seen the IOU; the interest rate is three percent per month, which comes to thirty-six percent annually. Let’s be reasonable here. For private lending, only interest within twenty-four percent annually is protected by law. He’s owed you this money for one year now. Calculated at twenty-four percent, that’s forty-eight thousand in interest. I’ll pay you a lump sum of two hundred and fifty thousand. How does that sound?”

In one breath, Ming Xi laid out the entire repayment plan—principal, interest, and legal limits—clearly and decisively.

“…”

Liu Xinjun didn’t feel very good hearing it—not because he disagreed with the repayment plan, but because of the person. He stared at Ming Xi without moving, his brows tightly knit with irritation, a ball of anger churning in his chest. Still, no one argues with money. And Liu Xinjun wasn’t stupid enough to reject it when Ming Xi had come forward on her own to repay the debt.

The twenty-four percent return she proposed wasn’t exactly taking advantage of him either.

He suddenly shook his head and let out a heavy sigh.

Ming Xi tensed up, worried that Liu Xinjun was about to make an exorbitant demand.

Liu Xinjun rubbed his head and muttered in frustration. What he truly felt at this moment was regret—

The Ming Xi in front of him was completely different from the pure, stubborn girl he used to like. How had she changed so fast? His heart filled with unwillingness and a complicated bitterness he couldn’t describe.

To put it plainly… he didn’t like the Ming Xi before him at all. He liked and missed the girl who was tricked into going to Qin Li’s house for dinner, who had panicked until her eyes turned red, who had been scared in an alley yet still forced herself to appear calm. Not this sharp-tongued, clear-minded woman who spoke decisively and logically.

This version was too much. Even if he still had some physical attraction toward her, mentally, he couldn’t accept this version of her.

How was this someone who could be his woman? She could practically be his dad.

“Ah, Ming Xi… you’ve really changed a lot this past year.” Liu Xinjun spoke bluntly, frowning with a regretful tone. “You must’ve had a hard time out there, right? If life was tough, you could’ve told me. You’re just a girl—why be so stubborn and strong?”

Thanks to “good person” Liu Xinjun, the creditor who somehow ended up feeling sorry for her.

Ming Xi pursed her lips and said with a small laugh, “Because I wanted to pay off the debt sooner. If you’re not strong, how do you make money?”

Liu Xinjun understood, yet still felt regretful. When he spoke again, it was half pretense, half sincerity: “Ming Xi, whether you believe it or not, since you still call me Brother Liu, I’ll be honest with you. From the beginning to the end, I never planned on making you repay this money.”

“I know,” Ming Xi replied. She didn’t strike someone who smiled at her. Today, she gave both attitude and courtesy. “Thank you, Brother Liu, for being so understanding. But it’s true that I left Yicheng last year because of the debt. This year, I made some money in Haigang. As long as Ming Decheng doesn’t come back to repay it himself, I can’t just keep being the daughter of a deadbeat who cut ties with his parents. That doesn’t sit right with me.”

Indeed.

Back in Yicheng, anyone who asked around would know about Ming Decheng—the notorious debtor who had two beautiful daughters whose whereabouts were unknown.

Although Liu Xinjun wasn’t highly educated, he had run several businesses and had connections and influence. Ming Xi’s words made him realize she was trying to ingratiate herself with him and express goodwill.

“What do you want?” Liu Xinjun asked.

Ming Xi pressed her lips together. Since he asked directly, she stated her request plainly.

First, she hoped that after paying off all of Ming Decheng’s debts, Liu Xinjun could sign a debt transfer agreement with her. From then on, the debt would no longer be between Ming Decheng and him, but between her and Ming Decheng.

Second, Liu Xinjun knew many people from all walks of life in Yicheng. When she returned to Yicheng, whether doing business or dealing with people, she wanted to be known simply as Ming Xi, not as the daughter of the deadbeat Ming Decheng.

This 250,000 yuan wasn’t just buying back the IOU in Liu Xinjun’s hands; it was also redeeming her reputation and integrity.

“You… are you making a lot of money now?” Liu Xinjun asked the question he cared about most.

“You’re flattering me, Brother Liu. This 250,000 is all my savings,”

Ming Xi said with a generous smile, showing no embarrassment. “That’s why I asked you for a discount. I can only calculate the interest at twenty-four percent annualized rate. I really can’t afford anything higher.”

Liu Xinjun finally understood.

Earlier, he’d felt uncomfortable, thinking Ming Xi was being too assertive. But now, seeing her speak with restraint and bring out all her savings—

This boldness, courage, and determination made Liu Xinjun, a usually domineering and uncouth businessman, feel genuine admiration.

Liu Xinjun stared at Ming Xi for a while, then nodded in agreement.

“Okay, once the 250,000 is settled, when you go back to Yicheng, I, Liu Xinjun, will no longer be your creditor, but your friend. Anyone I’ve dealt with won’t look down on you over credit issues. You’re impressive… way more gutsy than that useless father of yours!”

He praised her several times and gave his promise.

“Thank you, Brother Liu.” Ming Xi finally smiled in relief. “Last year I was immature and careless with my words. I also misunderstood you. If I offended you before, please be generous and don’t hold it against me.”

“I won’t, I won’t…” Liu Xinjun said contentedly, clasping his hands behind his head. His fierce gaze swept toward the person beside Ming Xi and he asked casually, “Is he your boyfriend?”

Ming Xi touched her nose, about to answer.

Liang Jiancheng beat her to it with a joke. “Not yet.”

Liu Xinjun snorted.

Liang Jiancheng also laughed.

Throughout the negotiation, Liang Jiancheng hadn’t spoken much. First, he trusted Ming Xi’s judgment. Second, following her line of reasoning, he thought she had handled everything very well.

It could even be said that she had great courage.

He had met many strong women before—his mother was one of them—but the only one whose strength made his heart stir was the woman in front of him.

“Since everything’s settled, I’ll host tonight and have Brother Liu stay in Haigang one more day. I’ll have my legal team draft the debt transfer agreement. While Brother Liu is here, Ming Xi can finish the payment and put her mind at ease, and Brother Liu can collect the debt properly. That way, neither side makes a wasted trip. How does that sound?”

Liang Jiancheng proposed after some thought.

Liu Xinjun turned his gaze to Liang Jiancheng.

So this guy isn’t just a pretty boy after all…

“What’s your name again? Liang…?” Liu Xinjun had already forgotten.

Liang Jiancheng calmly took out his business card and handed it over. “Liang Jiancheng. Last year I bought a factory in Yicheng, so I go there often. If I remember correctly, Liu is a big surname in Yicheng. The middleman who helped negotiate that deal was also a Boss Liu—Liu Mingyi. Do you know him?”

Liu Mingyi was a well-known figure in Yicheng. Liu Xinjun didn’t know him personally, nor were they in the same circle, but Liu Mingyi carried real influence. Liang Jiancheng mentioning this name was clearly intentional.

Liu Xinjun sighed in compromise. Even if he still wanted to act tough, his tone softened completely. “Alright then, Ming Xi… I see you’re not doing easy either. I’ll take thirty thousand in interest. The remaining twenty thousand—consider it my treat for dinner.”

Twenty thousand less in interest was, of course, wonderful. What was lost was interest; what was gained was goodwill.

Ming Xi’s smile widened: “Thank you, Brother Liu.”

Liu Xinjun decided to give her one more piece of information. Whether true or not, he simply shared what he knew: “Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei… your parents probably fled abroad. I’ve got a friend in Fuko Port who does freight. Back in June he gave me a lead—they likely took a smuggling boat. That ship should’ve gone to the US.”

Ming Xi’s expression stayed calm. After a moment, she responded lightly, “…Oh.”

No wonder there had been no news. So they’d left illegally.

Then… the cured pork hanging by the window—did it go to America too?

A gaze fell on her. Ming Xi lowered her lashes to hide her emotions, pretending not to notice that Liang Jiancheng had naturally looked at her after hearing about her parents.

The next day, using Liang Jiancheng’s lawyer, Ming Xi repaid the money and interest through the most formal and secure process. Liu Xinjun returned the IOU and signed the new debt transfer agreement.

This agreement wasn’t useful to Ming Xi for the time being, but she worried that if Ming Decheng didn’t do well in the future, he might come back to her for support. She’d spent a lot of money, so she naturally wanted to be careful.

The transfer was done via bank transfer, and the agreement was signed at a café next to the bank.

“Thank you.” After everything was done, Ming Xi sincerely thanked Liang Jiancheng.

Liang Jiancheng remained calm. “It’s nothing. Just helping a friend.”

Being her most useful connection—he couldn’t say that lightly.

After the lawyer and Liu Xinjun left, Ming Xi bought two more cups of coffees and brought them over.

“I don’t know how else to thank you, so I added an extra sugar cube for you,” Ming Xi said with a smile.

Liang Jiancheng leaned back casually on the sofa, looking at her leisurely. “Ming Xi, how did you know I like sugar in my coffee?”

Ming Xi couldn’t really explain why she knew. She had simply guessed. The first cup of coffee she drank in Haigang had sugar in it—it was made and handed to her by Liang Jiancheng’s assistant, Mark. At the time, Mark hadn’t asked her what she preferred. He had directly brought her coffee with milk and sugar. It was probably prepared according to his boss’s usual habit.

“Miss Ming is truly clever and thoughtful,” Liang Jiancheng said approvingly.

Ming Xi spread her hands. What good was cleverness? What good was thoughtfulness? She was penniless again.

Fortunately, she felt light, unburdened—and full of boundless energy.

Today was Christmas; the coffee shop was decorated with a beautiful Christmas tree, and exquisite patterns were painted on the glass walls, creating a festive atmosphere.

Ming Xi tilted her head slightly, gazing at the bustling street outside with a mixture of emotion and longing. Then she turned to Liang Jiancheng across from her, gently biting her lip, and revealed her somewhat comical background: “Liang Jiancheng, actually, I’m not my father Ming Decheng’s biological daughter with his wife. They bought me for five thousand yuan.”

If just a moment ago Liang Jiancheng was comfortably enjoying this rare afternoon of coffee with Ming Xi, when she mentioned five thousand yuan, his gaze sharpened. Even as he tried to maintain his composure, his face betrayed disbelief and shock.

What did she mean… bought for five thousand yuan?

“My biological mother—I don’t even know who she was. I don’t know where she came from or how old she was. I only know she took five thousand yuan, gave birth to a child for Ming Decheng, and left. That child was me.”

“Ming Xi…”

“Liang Jiancheng, don’t look at me like that—I’m not telling you this to flaunt my tragic background, nor to get your sympathy. There’s nothing worth pitying here. Very few people know about this—not even Cai Ni.

“I didn’t want to say it. It felt shameful. I was born like a commodity. I’m telling you now because yesterday Liu Xinjun mentioned my parents. You must be wondering why Ming Decheng is so shameless and why Yang Yumei could be so heartless. Ming Decheng really is rotten to the core. Yang Yumei isn’t that terrible—she simply cared more about her own biological daughter. That’s human nature.

“Oh, right, I also have an older sister named Ming Yue. She once studied in the US when our family still had money. When she came back, I saw her once at Bomei Hotel in Yicheng. I watched her get into Ming Decheng’s car. They probably left together…”

Ming Xi recounted her background in a calm and measured manner.

Liang Jiancheng listened in silence, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as a still lake, seemingly calm on the surface but turbulent beneath. His brows remained faintly furrowed the whole time. When Ming Xi spoke calmly, his pupils would occasionally tighten unconsciously, as if her words were touching the boundaries of his emotions and moral perception.

Finally, he suppressed all his heartache and complex emotions and looked at her, asking, “Ming Xi, do you want to find them?”

Including the woman who took the five thousand yuan. If she wanted to find them, he could help her.

“No… I don’t.” Ming Xi shook her head resolutely. The reason she told Liang Jiancheng all this was partly to answer his questions about her parents, and partly to remind him of something. From how he handled Liu Xinjun’s case, she had already realized that Liang Jiancheng was indeed a capable businessman with wide connections and influence.

“What I want is this—if you ever run into those people in the future, or hear anything about my family, don’t treat them as my relatives. And don’t tell me about them either. I’m doing very well now. Really well…”

Ming Xi curved her lips slightly and voiced her request. To show her sincerity, she smiled at him again.

If it were possible…

He really wanted to stand up right now and pull her into his arms.

Liang Jiancheng blinked slightly, then assured her in a relaxed tone, “Alright, I will. I’ve never known Ming Decheng, Yang Yumei, or Ming Yue, neither in the past nor in the future.”

Ming Xi hummed in response. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She didn’t want negative emotions to drain her current energy, so she joked lightly, pretending to be relaxed: “Look at me, I was originally only worth five thousand yuan, but now I’ve paid off two hundred thousand yuan of that person’s debt. If you do the math, isn’t my value forty times greater now?”

Sorry… it was only laughable, not actually funny.

At least, Liang Jiancheng’s expression darkened instantly.

For the first time, Ming Xi wanted to cover her face with her hands, but in the end, she just pretended to pick up her coffee and took a small sip.

“Ming Xi, since you trust me and have told me your secret, I also have something to tell you,” Liang Jiancheng said. The turbulence in his eyes faded, as if it had never existed. Yet the gentleness remained, falling on Ming Xi’s face like soft feathers brushing across her heart.

“What is it?” Ming Xi lifted her thin eyelids, and looked at him curiously.

“Miss Ming, you’re priceless.” Liang Jiancheng expressed it in English, his pronunciation clear and pleasant, a simple word of comfort, yet it sounded like a love confession.

Ming Xi froze slightly. After less than two seconds, she lowered her head, then lifted it again with a bright smile. She nodded seriously twice and replied: “Of course I am.”

…

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