Gao Wu: I'll enjoy the benefits, but you'll bear the side effects.

Upon hearing this, the other person seemed to have heard something shocking and absurd, and instantly curled the corners of their mouth into a cold smile.

That smile was like a sharp icicle under the eaves of a winter house, full of mockery and ruthlessness. The sound squeezed out from between his teeth seemed to carry the most biting ice shards from the icy plains beyond the Great Wall, cold and hard.

"How could your sister possibly owe money to loan sharks? I said she owes money, so it's fine. What do you know, you little brat? Get it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he took a step forward, and the thuggish aura of a street thug emanating from him suddenly intensified like a burst dam, almost materializing and completely enveloping Xu Rourou, making it difficult for her to even breathe.

"I don't want to waste my breath on you. You'd better listen to me properly!"

The thug roared, veins bulging on his neck.

"Your sister owes a lot of money, it's a huge sum that could knock you out with its weight. I have to get it all back, not a single penny less!"

As he spoke, he extended a short, greasy, thick finger and waved it menacingly in front of Xu Rourou's eyes, as if that finger could transform into a weapon at any moment.

"I don't want to waste any more time talking to you. Just give me your sister's contact information now, or I'll make you regret it!"

Xu Rourou's face flushed red with anger, like a ripe tomato, and her eyes burned with fury, as if they could breathe fire.

Without hesitation, she firmly and directly denied it: "I didn't! I don't know!"

Before the words were finished, a sharp "snap" resounded like a thunderclap in the cramped and oppressive space.

A slap, carried by the wind, landed heavily on her face.

Xu Rourou's head was jerked to one side by the force of the blow, her mouth instantly split open, and blood seeped out, slowly dripping down her chin.

My ears were buzzing, as if hundreds of bees were buzzing around inside.

She never expected that these people would actually dare to lay a hand on her. In an instant, anger, humiliation, disbelief and other emotions surged into her heart like a turbulent tide.

Her face was extremely ugly, her features were twisted and deformed by extreme anger, her clenched fists cracked, and her nails dug into the flesh of her palms. She wished she could break free of her restraints right now and fight him to the death!

She gritted her teeth, and just as she opened her mouth, those harsh curses were already on the tip of her tongue, but at the last moment, reason was poured over her like cold water, and she instantly returned to her senses.

Realizing she was now isolated and helpless, tied to this chair, and that any rash resistance would only result in more painful treatment, she ultimately shut her mouth in despair, though her chest continued to heave violently, revealing her inner resentment.

Faced with this situation, it was truly a difficult predicament, as if one were trapped in a thicket of thorns, unable to move forward or backward.

It has to be said that, given the current situation, what lies before us is a problem that is covered in thorns and makes it impossible to know where to begin; its difficulty is beyond imagination.

Xu Rourou was filled with helplessness and despair. She complained to herself, "There are always life-threatening things happening every year, but this year it seems like they've all made a pact, one after another, and they're all life-or-death matters."

Meanwhile, the thug who had hit Xu Rourou was already like a defeated rooster, slinking back to a corner, trembling as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

As soon as the call connected, he immediately bowed and scraped, his back bent like a drawn bow, his tone obsequious and urgent:

"Brother, this is Huang Laosi. We've found that girl's sister, but she's broke. We searched her entire body, and her pockets are emptier than her face. It seems she hasn't been in contact with her sister for a long time."

As he spoke, he kept glancing at Xu Rourou, his eyes revealing a hint of guilt, like a thief caught red-handed.

"Otherwise, let's do it the old way and sell this girl to those places. That way we can at least recoup some of our costs."

As he spoke, his voice grew softer and softer, almost inaudible, as if he knew how immoral the matter was and his conscience was aching.

"I don't mean anything by it, but this amount of money is just too big. If we don't get it back soon, I'm worried the boss won't let us off the hook, and then none of us will be in good shape. What do you think..."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone before a steady yet undeniable voice came through, like the tolling of a great bell, making Huang Laosi tremble:

"Fourth brother, listen to me. Don't consider this matter for now. As for anything else, don't think about it for the time being. We need to be careful in our actions. Don't do anything reckless or cause me trouble. Now, just do what I say and focus on what you're supposed to do. Don't act on your own. Do you understand?"

Just as I hung up the phone, the next moment, accompanied by a chilling creak, someone pushed the door open and entered. The newcomer was an extremely tall middle-aged man, his black trench coat fluttering behind him like a bat spreading its wings in the dark night, exuding an oppressive aura that made it hard to breathe.

He strode forward with steady, powerful steps, his leather shoes making a thumping sound on the ground, each step seeming to tread on the hearts of everyone present.

Upon seeing this person, Xu Rourou's eyes widened in shock and disbelief, as if she had seen a mysterious visitor from outer space. Her astonishment was plain to see.

"Mr. An, what are you doing here?"

Her voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, sharp and urgent, filled with barely suppressed surprise, echoing in the quiet room.

The person in front of me stood there upright, his posture still elegant. It was none other than An Zhilin, one of Xu Wenfeng's former business partners.

In the few times they met, this man was always dressed in a suit and tie, his hair was neatly combed, and he exuded a refined and gentle temperament. He often had a polite smile on his face, which left Xu Rourou with a fairly good impression.

But now, he appeared brazenly in this dark, damp, and filthy place filled with the smell of decay. The stark contrast was like a bolt from the blue, making Xu Rourou realize instantly that things were far more complicated and unfathomable than she had imagined, and that a huge and secretive black web must be hidden behind it.

Seeing Xu Rourou tightly bound to the chair with thick rope, her hair disheveled and looking utterly wretched, An Zhilin leisurely removed his gloves, lightly twirling two fingers together, a half-smile on his face, and then slowly said:

"Young lady, I think you understand what I mean. I'm not here to waste your time. Everyone is busy, there's no need to beat around the bush."

He leaned slightly closer to Xu Rourou, his eyes conveying a sense of pressure.

"Your sister took 50 Alliance Coins from me with the intention of marrying me. Are you aware of your sister's situation?"

He straightened up, straightened his collar, and then changed the subject, adopting a tone of earnest advice.

"To tell you the truth, as long as your sister can return this money to me, everything else is negotiable. Besides, your father and I are so familiar with each other, we see each other all the time, how could I possibly harm you two? But if you don't get this money back, then don't blame me for being untrustworthy, and it will be awkward for everyone."

Xu Rourou was so angry that her chest heaved violently. She simply did not believe that her sister would take money from them. In her mind, although her sister was a bit stubborn, she was definitely not the kind of person who would cheat and swindle.

Moreover, deep down, she particularly despised this hypocritical bastard in front of her, who put on airs in front of others but resorted to such despicable means behind their backs.

Upon hearing these words, she merely gave a cold snort, a snort filled with disdain and contempt.

An Zhilin frowned, his eyes instantly turning cold as he stared intently at Xu Rourou:

"Little girl, what are you humming about? I'm talking to you nicely, don't be ungrateful."

He emphasized, enunciating each word clearly, "I still stand by what I said: your sister needs to get her money back!"

Xu Rourou shook her head violently from side to side, a few strands of hair were thrown off and messily covered her face, which was full of anger, but she didn't care about that at the moment.

She gritted her teeth and forced out the words through gritted teeth:

"I don't know where my sister is, and I don't know what the situation is right now. Anyway, you'll have to figure it out yourself."

After speaking, she paused, then abruptly raised her head, meeting An Zhilin's seemingly gentle yet calculating eyes head-on without fear. Her gaze was full of provocation as she loudly proclaimed:

"Besides, if my sister doesn't get the money back for you, are you going to kill us both?"

Her tone was so assertive, as if she were the one in control.

An Zhilin seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world, and suddenly a smile appeared on his lips. But the smile was merely superficial, so cold that it didn't even reach his eyes, revealing a chilling hypocrisy.

"I can't do murder. I'm just a businessman, and I only do what I should do."

He tilted his head slightly, looking at Xu Rourou with a half-smile, then changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat threatening.

"However, I have already arranged a banquet at Jinling Restaurant. If I don't get the money or the person, then I'm afraid I'll have to make do with you."

As he spoke, he reached out his well-maintained hand and slowly, gently, pinched Xu Rourou's chin, lifting her face slightly with a little force, as if appraising a precious antique, carefully examining her face while muttering to himself:

"I can only let you attend the wedding with me. Don't worry, I'm a good person. At least your dad thinks highly of me. You won't suffer if you follow me." His words were full of arrogant confidence.

Hearing such outrageous words, Xu Rourou's eyes instantly reddened with anger, as if a raging fire had been ignited within them, and the reins of her reason were completely broken by her fury.

She struggled violently, twisting her body in the chair, pulling on the ropes with all her might, wishing she could break free immediately, pounce on him, tear his mouth apart, devour him alive, and take his life.

Upon seeing this, An Zhilin's expression changed slightly. He quickly withdrew his hand, took a large step back, and a smug yet contemptuous smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Be careful, don't ruin this face. I'm going to use it to do something very important, understand?"

After saying that, he gave Huang Laosi a warning look that swept like a sharp arrow.

Old Huang nodded hastily, his face instantly plastered with an extremely fawning smile, his bowing and scraping manner resembling that of a dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy.

"Don't worry, the brothers will keep a close eye on him and won't delay your business."

After saying that, An Zhilin casually tossed the hem of his trench coat and turned to leave.

His leather shoes stomped on the ground, making a series of crisp and rhythmic sounds, each echoing in the silent and eerie space like deadly drumbeats.

The figure gradually disappeared into the distance until it vanished without warning behind the door, leaving only a faint scent of cologne mixed with the smell of decay, lingering in the air.

Huang Laosi then slowly shifted his gaze back to Xu Rourou, a cold smile slowly spreading across his face. The smile was full of ill intent, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue. His eyes darted around, clearly he was racking his brains to devise some wicked plan.

"Little girl, you're really lucky to have caught my older brother's eye. You're very fortunate."

Huang Laosi spoke in a loud, sarcastic tone. As he spoke, he slowly circled around Xu Rourou, his rough hands moving restlessly. Every now and then, he would reach out and tug at her hair, pulling hard, making Xu Rourou wince in pain.

Or he might pat her on the shoulder with such force that it felt like he was going to break her apart, a flippant yet provocative gesture.

"But you little brat are interesting, you're quite stubborn. If it weren't for how pretty you are, I would have already taught you a lesson."

He abruptly stopped, bent down, leaned close to Xu Rourou's ear, opened his mouth reeking of cigarette smoke, exhaled a foul, pungent breath, and said viciously:

"I'm giving you a chance. Call your sister and get this sorted out for me right now, or you'll be sorry."

As he spoke, he shoved a worn-out, scratched telephone next to Xu Rourou with a loud bang, his eyes filled with a naked threat, as if he could devour her alive the next second if she dared to disobey.

Xu Rourou's heart skipped a beat, and her mind raced like a high-speed precision machine.

She was aware of her current situation, and after thinking about it, she immediately changed her mind.

As things stand, I am bound tightly with ropes and cannot move at all. It seems that there is no way to escape. Since that is the case, I can only pretend to cooperate, pretend to obey, silently accept everything, and then look for an opportunity to get away.

"Alright, I agree to this."

She slowly raised her head, her gaze calm and firm, looking directly into Huang Laosi's eyes, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly,

"I'll try to contact my sister, but if I can't, then you can't keep targeting me, after all, I've tried my best!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Laosi beamed with joy, his face crinkling into a deep wrinkle that resembled a chrysanthemum.

After all, if he could actually get the money back, he, as the lowly errand boy, would definitely reap a lot of benefits as well.

"Hurry up, I'm waiting for your good news, did you hear me?"

He grinned, revealing a set of uneven, yellowed, rotten teeth, his eyes gleaming with a greedy and eager light, as if he couldn't wait to grab the money in his hands.

However, he didn't completely let his guard down. He didn't go far, but just stood there, staring intently at Xu Rourou with a smile. His gaze was like superglue, stuck to her, not letting her make the slightest move go unnoticed.

Helpless, Xu Rourou could only slowly reach out and pick up the phone, her fingers trembling like fallen leaves in the autumn wind as she dialed the number.

She dialed Gao Jie's number, and taking advantage of the brief moment when Huang Laosi's attention was distracted by a bird flying by outside the window, she conveyed the situation in a special way, speaking very quickly and subtly.

"Sister, it's me, Rou Rou..."

She tried hard to suppress her inner turmoil and make her voice sound as calm as possible.

"Why did you set up another voicemail account? Listen to me, I've been caught by Huang Laosi, and you'd better give them back their 50 right now!"

Huang Laosi vaguely sensed something was wrong. He took a step forward and reached out to grab the phone. In the next moment, Xu Rourou seized the fleeting opportunity, exerted her strength, and slammed the phone heavily to the ground.

With a loud crash, the phone shattered into pieces, its parts scattering all over the floor like a shower of flowers.

Huang Laosi instantly flew into a rage, like a wild beast that had been provoked. He immediately stretched out his thick hand and grabbed Xu Rourou's neck tightly.

"Little girl, you're trying to play tricks on me, aren't you? You definitely didn't call your sister just now, otherwise why would you smash your phone?"

He tightened his grip, and Xu Rourou's face turned red as she struggled to breathe.

Xu Rourou's eyes widened, and she managed to squeeze out the words through clenched teeth:

"My sister made me throw it, saying that this was the only way to ensure safety, otherwise if you catch us, neither of us will be able to escape."

A hint of cunning flashed in her eyes as she silently prayed that this excuse would work for the time being.

Old Huang frowned, looking at Xu Rourou with suspicion, and loosened his grip slightly.

"Very well, if you try to play any useless games with me, I'll make you pay. I'm warning you, if your sister doesn't bring the money over soon, I'm really going to get back at you!"

After saying that, he temporarily let Xu Rourou go, walked to the side angrily, and occasionally turned back to glare at her.

Actually, Xu Rourou did call Gao Jie just now, and she was very careful to reveal all the key information.

Gao Jie, who was holding his phone at the time, was completely confused and looked puzzled.

"Huang Laosi, who is that?" He paced back and forth, anxious and worried, but his mind was a jumbled mess and he couldn't make sense of it.

Without a second thought, Gao Jie, knowing the urgency of the situation, immediately grabbed the phone and rushed to find Boss Qi. Upon meeting him, he eagerly pressed him for details about Huang Lao Si. Boss Qi, upon hearing the name, was utterly surprised, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Old Huang, what do you want with him? That kid is not someone to be trifled with. In this area, everyone frowns when you mention him. Moreover, that guy has quite a complicated network of connections, with some influence in both the legitimate and underworld circles. You didn't offend him, did you?"

Gao Jie was extremely anxious and didn't have time to explain in detail. He only vaguely mentioned his friend's matter and urged him anxiously:

"Boss Qi, the situation is urgent! Don't ask so many questions, just help me!"

Seeing his expression, Boss Qi knew things were definitely not simple. After thinking for a moment, he said to him:

"There's not much I can do to help you right now. This Huang Laosi's family lives near your school. Go there and wait. That kid probably looks like this."

As he spoke, he took a photo out of his pocket and handed it to Gao Jie.

Gao Jie took the photo, glanced at it briefly, memorized the image, and immediately turned to wait.

He was filled with anxiety, secretly thinking that as long as he found Huang Laosi, he would naturally be able to find Xu Rourou by following the clues.

However, he couldn't help but worry, wondering about Xu Rourou's current situation...