Chapter 592: Extra 005 Encounter (One more update)
“Give me some time, I’ll figure out a way to scrape the money together and pay you back!” Mu Cidian said calmly.
“How long?” The man demanding the debt asked harshly.
After some thought, Mu Cidian said, “Three months.”
“Are you kidding me?” The man’s face changed instantly, filled with rage.
“I just got out of jail and right now, even if you cut off our hands, we won’t have any money to give you. But if you give me a deadline, if I still can’t repay you after three months, I’ll offer you both my hands!” Mu Cidian was seriously negotiating terms with the man.
“You think you can fool me? Three months, with your current situation, can you come up with the money?”
“Absolutely.”
“Why should I believe you!” The man was still fuming.
“You can see our situation right now, even if you cut off my hands or kill us, you won’t get a cent. But if you give me time, just three months, you have nothing to lose if I can’t pay you back. After all, who knows,” Mu Cidian said calmly, “I might be able to repay you. If you don’t give me this deadline, you can say goodbye to your 50,000 yuan!”
The man looked Mu Cidian up and down as he listened to him.
He didn’t expect this unimpressive-looking man to make so much sense.
He gave it some thought.
It’s not like he hasn’t been owed money for a while now.
He abruptly pushed Mu Cidian away, very roughly, “Let me tell you, this is your last chance. Three months. If you can’t come up with the money, you and your mother will never find peace!”
“Thank you.” Mu Cidian expressed his sincere thanks.
Even though the man’s brute force almost pushed him over, he was used to enduring.
In prison, he had always been beaten up.
Couldn’t make a sound.
Couldn’t ask for help.
The consequences were even worse if he did so.
The man left with his people.
The door slammed shut heavily.
Only when these people had left did Wan Quan breathe a sigh of relief, she asked her son, “Can we have the money in three months?”
“I’ll try my best.” Mu Cidian, having seriously studied many negotiation techniques, especially controlling the timing of a compromise, knew it helped in reaching an agreement.
For this situation, three months would be the maximum limit the other party would accept, anything beyond this line, negotiations would collapse immediately. This was the longest time he could buy for himself.
Wan Quan was actually very confident in her son.
From childhood to adulthood, be it studies or career, he had always been far superior to his peers, he matured much earlier than most, she believed that her son could provide the luxurious lifestyle that she once had, by then, she would put an end to Xin Zaozao.
With these thoughts in mind, Wan Quan asked, “So Cidian, how did your job hunting go today?”
Mu Cidian paused for a moment, then nonchalantly said, “No word yet. I’m considering applying to a few more places, to have more options.”
“Someone of your caliber should be picky about jobs, you need to negotiate for the best benefits you can. Understand?”
Mu Cidian nodded, hiding the truth, “I’m going to head out again.”
“Come home for dinner. I’ll cook and wait for you,” Wan Quan quickly replied.
“Do we have groceries?”
Wan Quan looked back and responded, “When you come back, buy some meat. I haven’t eaten any in days.”
“Okay.”
Mu Cidian left the house again.
This time, he swallowed his pride and looked for job openings at a few more places, the reasons for his rejection were either straight to the point – the company does not hire people with criminal records, or he was told to wait for news at home.
Generally, waiting for news at home means not getting any news.
He walked the streets of Jin City.
For the first time, he truly felt what it was like to be “a stranger in one’s own town”.
He paused his steps as he stood before a lamppost.
A job advertisement was posted there.
He just stood there.
Silent, staring...
He stood there for a long time.
He went to the site mentioned in the ad.
A construction site.
“I’m just here for a look. Mr. Wu, you don’t need to be so polite. Feel free to go about your business, I’m just taking a casual stroll.” Xin Zaozao seemed quite gentle.
But her gentleness now was different from before.
Her present gentleness came off as imposing.
The foreman didn’t dare to leave, claiming hastily, “It’s no problem, I’ve already delegated my tasks. Let me accompany you.”
Xin Zaozao didn’t say much else.
She knew very well that these contractors were most afraid of being inspected and then required to make corrections.
Song Lifei was also by Xin Zaozao’s side at the moment.
Actually, he hadn’t planned on coming to the construction site today. But after a meeting about a partnership, as they were on their way back, Xin Zaozao suddenly said she wanted to review the construction progress, so they came.
Sometimes, Song Lifei thought, Xin Zaozao was so serious and diligent in her work, it would be unfair if she didn’t have a good ending.
In fact...
She was already very influential in Jin City.
When people talked about powerful women, the first name they would think of was hers!
In the dirty and messy construction site...
Xin Zaozao was scrutinizing every detail of the construction.
Compared to the progress made since her last visit, the progress made this time seemed rather large. Whenever there was an unusual situation, like construction going too quickly, she would wonder if there were quality issues.
After conducting a round of inspections and reviewing the contractor’s procurement lists and construction schedule, in short, confirming that there was nothing irregular, she turned to leave. But just at that moment...
“Clang!”
A violent noise suddenly rang out from not too far behind them.
It seemed like something had fallen.
Everyone on the site was startled by the sound.
Xin Zaozao’s heart tightened, and she quickly asked, “What happened?”
“I’ll go check it out, I’ll go check it out!” The foreman rushed over.
He saw a piece of rebar lying on the ground, not knowing from how high it had dropped, but obviously, regardless of its height, if it fell on someone, it wouldn’t be good.
The foreman turned pale with fright.
Because at that moment he saw a man lying under the rebar.
Others quickly lifted the rebar off him.
The foreman rushed over, “How is he?”
Mu Cidian was enduring the pain.
The intense pain.
To him, the moment the metal pipe hit his shoulder, knocking him down, it was as if he had lost his breath.
Through the difficulty, he said, “It’s nothing.”
Saying it was nothing, he slowly started to stand up.
It should have been just a superficial injury.
The rebar probably only fell from about 2 or 3 meters, not high enough to be life-threatening.
Startled to almost crying at that moment, the boy said to Mu Cidian, “Brother Mu, are you okay? If it wasn’t for you saving me just now, I would be the one lying under the rebar. Thank you, thank you!”
Mu Cidian waved his hand dismissively.
At that moment, it was difficult for him to say anything.
“Regardless, I’ll take you to the hospital.” The foreman quickly offered.
Mu Cidian shook his head.
Actually, it wasn’t necessary. He could just buy some medicine and rub it on himself, and he would be fine.
He was just about to refuse...
But then he heard a familiar voice. She sounded neither hasty nor slow, as if she was accustomed to facing anything without being surprised. She asked, “How is he?”
Mu Cidian’s body stiffened suddenly.
He was with his back towards her.
He didn’t turn around.
“Does he need to go to the hospital?” Xin Zaozao continued to ask.
She looked at the injured man with his dusty white shirt, the torn sleeve on his rear facing elbow, revealing his bloody wound. Perhaps there were other injuries hidden under his clothes, and this man didn’t even make a sound!
“I can take him, I can take him.” The foreman quickly assured, “I’ve had a look just now, fortunately, they all appear to be superficial wounds. There’s nothing serious, nothing serious.”