As a newcomer to this place, no matter how powerful you are, as the saying goes, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake, and you'll inevitably bring yourself endless trouble.
This gesture made Gu Zhong feel genuinely grateful.
“Miss Gu is a sensible person—and this—Miss Ling, if you really wish to come along, I would be more than happy to do so.”
Seeing that Gu Zhong had made concessions in his words, Third Brother stopped pressing Ling Yan, and everyone was more willing to avoid trouble.
"Miss Gu, please—"
Gu Zhong lifted her foot to follow, but given the current situation, she had no choice but to agree on the surface and could only wait for another opportunity to escape.
Unexpectedly, Lingyan grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
Gu Zhong looked at her, puzzled, unable to figure out what she meant by this.
"You dare to jump into a dragon's den or a tiger's lair? You'd better believe me."
Lingyan leaned close to Gu Zhong's ear and whispered something.
Seeing her so confident, Gu Zhong's curiosity was piqued, so he obediently stopped and prepared to see what method Ling Yan planned to use to deal with this troublesome gang.
Finally, extremely impatient with the dragging things out between the two women, Third Brother directly signaled his men to step forward and forcibly take Gu Zhong away.
"Inspector Wang—"
Ling Yan raised an eyebrow, looked up and called out to them from behind.
Upon hearing the words "police inspector," Third Brother's heart skipped a beat—this woman actually had connections with the police?
Although money can indeed bring power and influence, and has become deeply entrenched in Hong Kong Island over the years, the things it does are ultimately shady.
In the past, even if they were arrested for committing crimes, there were always people behind them who could bail out the high-ranking officials or push their underlings in to suffer the consequences.
In recent years, however, due to the drastic changes in the situation, the carefree environment no longer exists, and the frequency of crackdowns has become more and more frequent. Many gangs have been wiped out for going too far, becoming the chickens used to "kill the chicken to scare the monkey".
Knowing that the old methods could no longer be used, and with everyone feeling insecure, most gangs began to "launder" their image, at least on the surface, to appear legitimate.
Find a few more backers in secret, avoid any unnecessary conflicts, keep a low profile, and don't let things escalate to the point where they can't be resolved openly. Then everyone can live in peace.
Money Gang started as a lending company and has transformed itself into a seemingly legitimate financial company.
Debt collection is no longer as violent as before. At least they dare not cause bloodshed in broad daylight. They can only pretend to be polite and take the person away first, and then do whatever they want with them quietly.
They didn't want to bring their shady dealings to the police's attention. If they had made prior arrangements, that would be fine, but if they encountered a fool, even if they managed to smooth things over in the end, it would definitely displease their superiors.
Mice are afraid of cats, and those who live in the underworld are always afraid of those in uniform—this is an age-old truth.
"Miss Ling, you're not kidding me—"
Third Brother threatened while glancing back.
Then they saw a middle-aged man in a sharp suit stride toward them. His steps were very regular, clearly indicating that he had undergone rigorous training. He had a straight posture and exuded a dignified and authoritative aura, with a subtle sense of pressure from a superior who was giving orders.
Ling Yan shrugged. She wasn't bluffing; with so many people surrounding them, she wouldn't get a chance to escape by just fooling around.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Third Brother broke out in a cold sweat, knowing that the job his eldest brother had entrusted to him was now completely ruined.
How did I happen to run into him here today?
This man was indeed a policeman, and a senior inspector at that, a face that could often be seen on television—Wang Qixiang, who had been highly valued in recent years.
There are rumors that he will be promoted to chief inspector this year.
If it were just that, Brother San wouldn't be afraid. Even if he's the Chief Inspector, there are still Superintendents and Chief Superintendents above him.
Unfortunately, Wang Qixiang was specifically tasked with dealing with these gangsters.
Many of the large gangs that had been entrenched for years but collapsed overnight were taken down by him and his men. It was thanks to these achievements that he was able to gain the appreciation of his superiors at a young age and rise rapidly through the ranks.
"What are you doing? Are you blatantly threatening and intimidating us?"
Police Inspector Wang walked up to them, his thick, sharp eyebrows furrowed, and demanded an explanation in a stern voice.
"Inspector Wang—it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding—"
Third Brother put away his bandit-like demeanor, put on a smiling face, and bowed and scraped, looking exactly like a lackey.
"This is it. Miss Gu's father left behind some things, but he's gone now—we wanted to ask her to handle them—"
"Something? Is it something you do, like loan sharking?"
Inspector Wang snorted coldly, his words full of hostility.
Gu Chao left the Money Gang with nothing but loan shark IOUs and nothing else.
Inspector Wang was quite familiar with the Money Gang.
He has always abhorred the lending culture in Hong Kong. Many gangs have been difficult to eradicate because they hold such a huge chain and money bag, yet the authorities have been reluctant to make a firm decision to rectify the situation, which has allowed these cancerous tumors to harm the people.
While most borrowers are to blame for their own actions, it is their families who suffer innocently.
However, these gangs have now been intimidated and have become more discreet, making it impossible for him to catch them in the act. For the time being, he had no way to deal with them and could only let them continue to do evil in the shadows.
“This—Inspector Wang, you can’t say that. We’re a legitimate financial company; paying back debts is a matter of course—”
Third Brother quickly retorted with a grin, leaving no room for error.
Although Gu Zhong had already guessed the Golden Money Gang's intentions pretty much, when he actually received confirmation, he still cursed the deceased old man in his heart once again.
"The person is dead. Go to court and demand justice. What are you doing blocking that girl's way here? Threatening or intimidating her? Creating trouble?"
Police Inspector Wang was not going to be fooled. He kept a straight face and questioned the suspect, acting as if he were interrogating a criminal.
"Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! Absolutely not!"
Third Brother denied it repeatedly. If this crime were pinned on them, they would at least have to spend a week in jail. It wouldn't hurt them, but it would be embarrassing and might even displease the boss.
"It's all written down in black and white, this debt can't just disappear—it's a hundred million, Inspector Wang. If we can't collect it, the company will be in serious trouble—"
He put on a pitiful look; it's a real pity that Third Brother isn't an actor with such acting skills.
Upon hearing this debt, everyone present gasped in shock. Inspector Wang glanced at Gu Zhong in astonishment, but still stubbornly defended him.
"There's no such provision in the law."
However, as everyone knows, there are unspoken rules, even if the law doesn't specify them. If the debt were very small, someone could mediate and clear it up. But it happens to be a huge debt.
"Sigh—although there's no such rule, but Inspector Wang, Miss Gu, and Miss Ling—"
I'm a person who gets things done, and this project is indeed too big. I haven't even factored in the interest. If I can get the principal back today, it will be a good ending for everyone.
Otherwise, Miss Gu will have to give us an explanation so I can finish what I started—”
The implication is that either Gu Zhong should repay the money on the spot, or she should accept the debt and let it accrue interest.
But now, Gu Zhong has no way of coming up with so much money; in the end, there's only one way.
It was only because Inspector Wang was present that Third Brother behaved so restrained.
Where is the IOU?
Ling Yan, who had been playing a supporting role and letting Inspector Wang handle the negotiations, saw that the current situation was already the best possible one, and after thinking for a moment, she asked.
"What, Miss Ling, are you going to pay off Miss Gu's debts?"
Having spent many years in the underworld, Third Brother had developed a keen ability to read people's expressions and instantly discerned her thoughts.
"Take this check to the Bauhinia Bank, and you can get the amount you want."
Taking out her pen and checkbook, Lingyan immediately wrote out a huge check and handed it over.
"Miss Ling, you really are—rich and powerful."
Police Inspector Wang paused for a moment, then uttered a heartfelt remark.
The members of the Money Gang did not immediately accept the check, seemingly doubting its authenticity.
"You can rest assured, Miss Ling is a reputable businesswoman with government guarantees. Would she lie to you?"
Finally, it was only after Inspector Wang coldly snorted that their doubts were dispelled.
"Then—thank you very much, Miss Ling—"
Third Brother had his follower take out a file folder, handing it to Ling Yan while reaching out to take the check.
However, this action was thwarted.
"Miss Ling, I don't need you to pay off my debts."
Gu Zhong stopped his third brother's hand from reaching for the check, stubbornly refusing to accept Ling Yan's kindness.
“Ms. Gu, I think it would be better for you if I were the creditor.”
With a sigh, Ling Yan turned her head and looked sincerely at Gu Zhong.
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Author's Note:
Ahhhh, thank you so much, little angel Mo Yuxi, for the grenade and the pot-boiled chicken!
And there's also a huge amount of nutrient solution from little angel lance111!
There will be another update later, probably after midnight, haha.
//Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 00:17:48 on December 1, 2021 and 21:21:39 on December 2, 2021!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the grenade: Mo Yuxi (1);
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: lance111 (150 bottles); Half (20 bottles); Moyuxi (10 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 98 The Newly Rich CEO and the Fallen Heiress (Part 4)
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"Moreover, it would be best if this matter could be settled today."
Seeing a hint of wavering in Gu Zhong's eyes, Ling Yan pressed her advantage.
Once you get entangled with gangs like the Money Gang, you'll face endless trouble unless you completely dismantle them.
After all, Inspector Wang couldn't protect Gu Zhong every moment. His intervention today to intimidate and mediate, which led Third Brother to propose a de-escalation plan, was already more than enough and the best he could do at the moment.