Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Everyone's expressions turned serious.

Mu Wanqing was a little dazed and couldn't help but ask, "But after going through all this trouble, what was it all for?"

Her mind was a bit confused. She knew this was bad for her, but she hadn't figured out the connections yet.

Zhang Dabiao thought for a moment, then slowly said, "Suppose, suppose."

"Ye, Huang, and Ma already knew each other and were part of the same gang."

"Ye has been eyeing you for a long time, but he didn't have the chance. He mentioned it to Ma Mian."

"Huang is a middleman who specializes in introducing people to Ma for loans, and he can earn commissions and kickbacks."

"If you get involved and can't pay back the money, Ye will come out and pursue you again, appearing as a savior, saying he can marry you and pay back the money together when you start working."

"If you get into university and start paying back the money after you get a job, the money will double again. He's only engaged to you, not married you directly, so the debt is still on you."

"Or he could just take advantage of you and then wash his hands of the matter."

"Why don't you pay more? Whether he helps you pay it back or not depends on his mood. The principal of the loan is only 200. It's hard to say whether the extra you pay goes to Ma or into Ye's pocket."

"In the best-case scenario, he, surnamed Ye, is both rich and beautiful. If you marry him, he doesn't care whether he got into university or not. He gets a college graduate as a wife for free. You have to have his children, take care of his family, work to earn money to pay him back, and you should thank him for sharing the debt with you."

"The worst-case scenario is that you'll be completely exploited and left with huge debts, or forced into prostitution to pay off the debts. In the end, you'll end up like those two classmates, either transferring schools to run away or simply disappearing. Transferring schools is just an excuse."

"Simply put, from the beginning their plan was that they wanted both the people and the money!"

Mu Wanqing was almost scared to tears!

Yan Jiecheng remained silent, as he couldn't get involved in this matter. Liu Guangqi frowned deeply, and He Yushui felt a chill and hugged Mu Wanqing tightly.

"No way, Da Biao, maybe it's just a simple loan. We can just pay him back..." Yu Shui said, a little flustered.

Zhang Dabiao lit a cigarette and shook his head: "Maybe, but that's just my worst-case scenario."

"But if, if Mu Wanqing refused the man surnamed Ye today, and the man surnamed Ma immediately came to maliciously collect the debt, then it would prove my suspicion—they are in cahoots, they are a gang!"

Upon hearing this, Mu Wanqing immediately tried to run home, but Aunt Mu was still there. However, Zhang Dabiao stopped her.

"Don't worry, it won't be that fast, and the methods won't be too extreme."

"Because their goal is to force you into a corner, then make you submit to the Ye family, and then your life..."

The rest was self-evident. Mu Wanqing was trembling all over. She never imagined that people's hearts could be so filthy.

"Da Biao, if you don't have enough money, I have more. Let's suffer a loss, we can't fight with these people..." He Yushui was scared.

Zhang Dabiao exhaled a puff of smoke and continued to shake his head.

"It's too late. The reason why the Ye family is pressuring Mu Wanqing at this time is probably because my help in clearing their debts disrupted their plans. They're afraid that I'll just help Mu Wanqing pay off her debts again, and then the fat sheep will get away."

"And now that they know about my existence and my abilities, I've become their target. I reckon that the guy surnamed Huang was behind the last report about me engaging in speculation and profiteering."

"Now that the man surnamed Huang knows about what happened in our courtyard, then perhaps they also know that you, He Yushui, are rich. We've all been targeted."

"We all have a few common characteristics—we have some money, we're young, and we don't have any elders or our elders can't back us up—we're easy to bully."

"No way? In broad daylight, if we go to return the money, what tricks could they possibly play?" Rainwater was now thinking of paying to avoid trouble.

"As soon as we go to repay the money, they have all sorts of ways to make it impossible for us to pay, such as manipulating the IOU or damaging something to demand huge compensation."

"If we go there, we'll fall into their trap."

"Let the fat sheep go? That's impossible."

"Pay off the debt? That's even more impossible. They want to get both the person and the money. Where can you find such a good sheep? How could they possibly let this opportunity slip by?"

Later generations developed various types of microloans, loan-to-loan programs, student loans, and fruit loans...

These kinds of incidents happen all the time, and there are even cases where victims are tricked into recruiting more victims, turning them into perpetrators...

How could I possibly let you go?

Zhang Dabiao made no attempt to hide it; he assumed the worst about others.

These days, young girls have never seen anything like this before.

"So what do we do? Call the police?"

Liu Guangqi shook his head: "Da Biao's statement is just speculation, without any evidence. In the end, it can only be classified as a private lending dispute, and mediation will be the main approach."

Zhang Dabiao nodded in agreement. That was indeed the case. Even if they went to find those two female classmates, who knew what kind of dirt they might have on them? It was hard to say whether they would come forward to testify.

"You should report it to the police, but reporting it to the local police station won't help."

"Only when the case is reported to the Municipal Bureau's Economic Crime Investigation Division as a gang-related economic crime, involving extortion and blackmail, and when there is more than one victim, will it attract attention."

These days, the whole country is tightening its belts to pay back money to the north, and yet some people are still doing this kind of thing. It would be strange if the Municipal Bureau's Economic Security Department didn't take it seriously!

They will investigate any signs of economic crime!

"That's not enough, there's still no evidence." Liu Guangqi rubbed his temples.

"What do you think they'll do next?" Zhang Dabiao suddenly changed his mind.

Liu Guangqi thought for a moment: "Going to their door to collect the debt is inevitable, then we'll see how Mu Wanqing reacts."

"If Da Biao, you lend money to Mu Wanqing, and Mu Wanqing goes to pay it back herself, they'll find an excuse saying the money isn't enough, or they'll make you go there in person, that's why—"

"Please enter the urn."

"If you don't lend it and ignore it, that guy surnamed Huang will probably find out more, and then that guy surnamed Ye will come and issue an ultimatum to force Mu Wanqing, which is—"

"The true intentions are revealed when the map is unrolled."

Zhang Dabiao gave Yan Jiecheng, who had just spoken, a disdainful look—[So you think you're the only one who knows idioms?]

"So, Da Biao, what should we do?"

Zhang Dabiao glanced at Liu Guangqi and Yan Jiecheng: "This is very dangerous. They're a gang. What if they retaliate?"

Liu Guangqi smiled and said, "If we don't have the chance to catch spies, can't we at least catch a criminal gang?"

"We can't miss such a great opportunity to make a name for ourselves!"

Yan Jiecheng gritted his teeth and nodded: "When two armies meet on a narrow path, the brave one wins. Now that we know, we can't just ignore Mu Wanqing, nor can we ignore the criminal in the neighboring courtyard, can we?"

"What if they try to scheme against us someday? This kind of method is impossible to guard against!"

"Okay, then, shall we play with them?"

"Let's play!"

"Invite the enemy into the trap, reveal the true colors, and then lure the snake out of its hole!"

"We don't need evidence, we just need the Economic Security Department to take this seriously!"

So Zhang Dabiao explained his plan to the group in detail.

------------

1. Mu Wanqing pretended that she hadn't borrowed any money and went home crying;

2. We need at least two of Liu Guangqi's close classmates or cadres, preferably those working in the public security, procuratorate, or judicial system, to accompany him as witnesses. These third-party witnesses will be more convincing. We will invite them over shortly.

3. Zhang Dabiao compiled all his deductions into a written document, especially including his speculations about the two girls, the various possibilities he deduced, and their next actions. He then reported this to the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Economic Security Division for initial investigation, or at least to establish a police report. Of course, whether the Municipal Public Security Bureau believed him or not was irrelevant; if they did, it would be better if they sent someone to cooperate and witness the proceedings.

4. Yan Jiecheng and Guangqi's classmates followed the man surnamed Huang to see if he went to inform the man surnamed Ma and to confirm their connection.

5. If you go there, the person surnamed Ma will most likely come to collect the debt in the afternoon or evening. Yan Jiecheng lives in the front yard and will bring people to provide support and protect Mu Wanqing's family if there is any disturbance.

6. Zhang Dabiao cannot go, indicating that he is unwilling to get involved in this matter. Then we will see if the man surnamed Huang will go to Ye Liangshen to confirm their connection. Yan Jiecheng will then lead his men to follow and witness this.

7. Then the next day, Ye Liangshen will issue another ultimatum to Mu Wanqing, and the man surnamed Huang might even chime in—this is the last glimpse of his true intentions;

8. Mu Wanqing refused again, saying that she would go to Zhang Dabiao to borrow money to repay the debt. The man surnamed Huang would naturally report the news. Yan Jiecheng continued to lead people to follow and witness. If the man surnamed Ye was also there, it would further prove that there was a relationship between them.

9. Zhang Dabiao should take Mu Wanqing with him, and it would be best if Liu Guangqi's classmate, who is also a cadre, could also be brought along as a witness. If it were a colleague from the Economic Security Department, that would be even better—go and return the money to see if any further trouble will arise—this would be going along with their wishes and luring them into a trap.

10. If there's no trouble, we'll just take the loss and pay back the money, and everything will be fine. But if there is trouble, then the rest of the matter will be left to the Economic Security Department.

We don’t need any evidence at all; the Economic Security Department will find the evidence on its own!

This was Zhang Dabiao's plan to lure the snake out of its hole!

Yan Jiecheng scratched his head: "Isn't this just testing the waters?"

Zhang Dabiao – [So you think you're the only one who knows idioms?]

Liu Guangqi and Yan Jiecheng were excited; they finally had work to do! Yu Shui, however, was completely bewildered: "What about me? You guys all have work to do? What am I supposed to do?"

"Pay up, you rich little lady! I don't have enough money!"