IRO's interviews are always very rigorous. Jiang Jianhuan was able to stand out from hundreds of job seekers because of his internship experience at several well-known clothing brands abroad, and all of this was thanks to Shen Zaixi's arrangements.
Before the Jiang family went bankrupt, they were neighbors with the Shen family. The fathers of the two families were old friends, and they even bought houses in the same area, two adjacent villas.
The two children have been playing together since they were little, and they even chose their names together: Jianhuan and Zaixi.
Jiang Jianhuan had been playing behind Shen Zaixi since she could remember. With her short little legs, she would call him "brother" and her pigtails would swing back and forth. Her rosy cheeks were especially cute.
—This is based on Shen Zaixi's recollection.
The two were three years apart in age. From kindergarten to elementary, middle and high school, they had never been apart. Later, after Jiang Jianhuan went to university, Shen Zaixi graduated and went abroad to study. It was at that time that she met Su Mo.
Since the Jiang family's misfortune, all their relatives and friends have avoided them. Only the Shen family has continued to help them, and it is thanks to them that Jiang Jianhuan's life has been slightly less miserable in the past few years.
Thinking of these past events, Jiang Jianhuan felt as if a thousand-pound stone was pressing on her heart. Unconsciously, she had already walked into the alley. Today, she was working overtime and returning home late again. The streetlights, which had only been repaired two days ago, had broken down again for some reason.
It seems there are people here who specialize in stealing electrical wires. After several days of fruitless attempts to catch them, the authorities simply let it go. The streetlights are also left unrepaired. Over time, everyone has gotten used to walking through this dimly lit alley.
Fortunately, some lights from outside could shine in, making the narrow alley less dark.
Seeing the black car still parked ahead, Jiang Jianhuan turned on her phone's flashlight and became cautious. She made her way downstairs without incident, but before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, she heard familiar voices bursting into her ears.
"Miss Jiang, why hasn't this month's money arrived? We brothers had no choice but to come to your door in person to ask you for it."
Jiang Jianhuan's hand trembled, and he almost dropped his phone.
She looked up at the four or five shady-looking young men standing in the open space in front of her, and forced herself to remain calm.
"I damaged a piece of clothing at the company this month. I paid for it, and I will definitely return it to you on time next month."
“That won’t do.” The leader answered without hesitation, stepped forward, and a malicious smile appeared on his face.
"The money must be repaid on time. If not, Ms. Jiang could consider doing some part-time work..."
He reached out and slapped Jiang Jianhuan across the face.
"Miss Jiang is so beautiful, making money shouldn't be difficult for her. If you don't have any connections, I can introduce you to some..."
Jiang Jianhuan lowered her eyes and slapped his hand away.
I told you I would pay you back next month.
The atmosphere instantly became tense. The feigned ease vanished, and the person pretending to be refined revealed their true nature.
"Damn it, I think you're going to refuse a toast only to suffer the consequences, aren't you?"
The man swore and expertly grabbed her hair. Jiang Jianhuan ducked to avoid him and kicked him in the groin.
The curses around him seemed to pierce the sky, and several hands reached out at him simultaneously. Jiang Jianhuan ran out for his life, his breathing heavy in the darkness, his heart pounding as if it would burst out of his chest.
"Damn it, grab that little bitch!"
Footsteps approached from behind, carrying pressure and torment, as if stepping on one's heart. Jiang Jianhuan's mind went blank, with only one thought: he couldn't let them catch him.
As she passed that familiar black car, she felt nothing at all and forgot her usual practice of avoiding it from a distance. She practically brushed past the rearview mirror, her footsteps seemingly right next to her.
"Clang."
The car door opened silently.
The men behind them all stopped in their tracks.
"I called the police three minutes ago."
In the darkness, a familiar voice, slightly deep, still exuding an unyielding coldness, even with a touch of chilling sharpness.
A man in a black coat stood beside the car, calmly holding up his phone, which clearly displayed the call history.
Everyone else was stunned by this unexpected turn of events, but the familiar numbers on the screen clearly revealed the current situation, and the leader cursed.
"Paying back debts is a matter of course, calling the police won't do any good!" he shouted menacingly, his face feigning composure. It was entirely because the man before him possessed such a unique and chilling aura that it inexplicably instilled fear.
The man frowned, seemingly surprised by this reason.
"How much money does she owe you?"
The leader announced a number.
"I don't have enough cash on me, can I give you this first?" Su Mo opened her wallet, pulled out a handful of bills, and the debt collector took them, spat on them, and counted the amount.
Jiang Jianhuan lowered his eyes in embarrassment. His body, which had been hot from running, had turned cold. A gust of cold wind blew, and he shivered for no reason.
"Barely enough." After counting the money, the man patted his palm, looked at Jiang Jianhuan beside him, and threatened in a rough voice.
"I'll let you off this month, but remember to pay me back on time next month!"
He instinctively reached out to push her, but after a look from Su Mo, he reluctantly withdrew his hand and swaggered away with his group of brothers.
The alley returned to silence, the suffocating night pressing down on Jiang Jianhuan's chest with a heavy feeling. Jiang Jianhuan lowered his head and unconsciously moved his fingers.
"What's going on?" Su Mo asked, her voice coming from above, her emotions unreadable.
“My dad’s company went bankrupt and he owes a lot of money,” Jiang Jianhuan replied softly.
There was a moment of silence.
"And what about him?" Su Mo asked, her voice tinged with bitterness, as if she were struggling to speak.
"Huh?" Jiang Jianhuan looked up at him blankly.