Chapter 60

Chapter 60

I stayed on an IV drip until evening.

After everything that had just happened, Meng Yifan and I didn’t dare separate. We were both useless right now, and we didn’t dare let Song Xiaotian leave for the past two days either.

So that night, the three of us shared a room while Song Xiaotian had his subordinates keep watch in other rooms. We all slept soundly that night, and nothing strange occurred.

The next morning, Meng Yifan and I returned to the office.

Song Xiaotian had business to attend to. He told us that someone had stolen something from Du Ruhai, so Du Ruhai would likely be busy searching for it for at least a few days and shouldn’t be coming after us. Although we were still a bit uneasy, we couldn’t keep clinging to him forever.

So, Meng Yifan and I went back to my branch and called the staff from the other branch over for a meeting.

We rarely held meetings. Everyone was young and hated empty formalities; if something needed to be said, we’d say it and disperse. There usually wasn’t much to meet about.

But today, a major meeting was necessary.

Meng Yifan had already received a court summons. Mr. Hu was suing us. He wasn’t just suing us, either; he was also suing the seller of the house, Mr. Ding.

The agency was now embroiled in a lawsuit. These days, being sued wasn’t necessarily a huge deal, but we were being sued because we, as real estate agents, had allegedly violated regulations by selling a Stigmatized Property to a client.

Whether we had actually violated regulations didn’t really matter. What mattered was that we were being sued for it. Clients wouldn’t bother digging deep to see if we were being wronged; in a city this size, there were countless real estate agencies, and clients had endless options.

From the moment Mr. Hu filed that lawsuit, our reputation was trashed.

It was bound to affect business. Once business tanked, Meng Yifan wouldn’t be able to afford to keep two branches running. Furthermore, we had received word this morning that our competitors were spreading rumors, claiming we deliberately sold Stigmatized Properties to clients.

“Everyone knows the situation by now. I originally didn’t want to tell you all this,” Meng Yifan said, looking at all the employees with a sigh. “But on second thought, if I suddenly have to lay people off one day, you won’t be mentally prepared. Jobs are hard to find right now, and some of you have car loans and mortgages to pay. If anyone defaults and the bank repossesses your house or car, I won’t be able to compensate you.”

That got a chuckle out of everyone.

“So, I’ll be blunt. Neither branch has closed a single deal in the last few days. Clients we were already in talks with have all stopped showing up, almost as if they’d all planned it together. I probably won’t be able to hold out for long. Two months at most, then I’ll have to close one of the shops.”

“Everyone… start looking for new jobs as soon as possible. I, Meng Yifan, wish you all a bright future.”

“If anyone wants to stay because they believe I can make a comeback, you’re more than welcome to stay.”

After the meeting, many people were in low spirits.

Most of the senior staff were founding members of the shop. As a boss, Meng Yifan was honorable and had always treated everyone well. No one wanted to see this happen to the business.

Once the meeting ended, I pulled Meng Yifan aside and advised him, “You shouldn’t have said it so early. Now that you’ve said this, many of those with mortgages and car loans will have to resign and leave. These people are all senior employees. If the veterans leave, who’s going to bring in revenue?”

Meng Yifan had a cigarette in his mouth, looking troubled. “The signs of business drying up are already there. It’s precisely because they’re all senior staff and old colleagues-each with mortgages, car loans, and families to feed-that I couldn’t bear to stand in the way of their futures.”
I sighed and said, “‘The righteous don’t do business, and the merciful don’t lead armies.’ Don’t you understand that? You’re the one losing the most with business being this bleak. You finally managed to pull through and open these two shops-are you really willing to close them?”

Meng Yifan was surprisingly philosophical about it. He crushed his cigarette butt under his heel and said, “How could I be willing? But life is about knowing when to let go. At least we still have one storefront. Even if we lose everything, I don’t lack the courage to start over from scratch.”

“In all these years, who have I ever backed down from, besides that bastard Du Ruhai?”

He actually managed to make me chuckle.

Just then, Fang Man walked over.

As soon as Meng Yifan saw her, he wanted to tease her. “Oh, look, it’s my sister-in-law! When are you and our Mo Mo getting married? Why not just do it sooner? You could bring some good luck to my shop while you’re at it, hehe.”

Fang Man’s face instantly turned red-as red as Du Yuwei’s high heels.

“Boss, what are you talking about? Who said I was going to marry him?”

She gave a coy huff, glanced at me, and turned to run back into the shop.

“Hahaha!”

“She’s shy.”

The entire morning passed.

Not a single customer entered the shop.

Just as Meng Yifan had feared, the signs of a failing business were already showing.

At lunchtime, Meng Yifan had no appetite and spent his time squatting outside the shop, smoking.

He smoked one cigarette after another. Though he didn’t say it, I could tell he was hurting.

He was young and had worked hard to open two shops on his own. Now that his business was taking such a heavy hit, how could he not be upset?

Fang Man came out to ask us what we wanted to eat so she could go buy it for us.

I told her anything would be fine.

She pulled me aside and whispered, “Go comfort Brother Meng. I feel like he’s really unhappy.”

I laughed. “You’re not calling him ‘Boss’ anymore? You’ve switched to ‘Brother’ just because he told me to marry you?”

Fang Man’s face flushed again. She gave me a sharp pinch and turned to run off.

I watched her back as she crossed the street.

Right then, a car drove toward her. By all rights, Fang Man was in the crosswalk and hadn’t run a red light.

But that car didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping.

It even sped up!

My eyes widened, and my eyelid suddenly began to twitch violently.

In the blink of an eye, before I even had a chance to react, the car slammed directly into Fang Man. The force of the impact sent her flying more than ten meters away.

“Holy shit!”

Meng Yifan and I practically jumped out of our skins, sprinting toward Fang Man like madmen.

“Fang Man!”

“Fang Man!”

By the time we reached her, she was already unresponsive. There was a massive pool of blood beneath her head, one of her shoes had been knocked off, and one of her legs was snapped, the bone visible through the skin.

I hurriedly told Meng Yifan to call 120, then I charged straight for the car.

“You motherfucker! You animal! Fuck you!”

My eyes were bloodshot as I reached the car door and began kicking it furiously.

The driver hadn’t fled. It was as if he had hit her on purpose; he didn’t even try to run. He just sat inside, face pale, refusing to look at me.

“How the hell were you driving?! How the fuck were you driving?!”

“Get out! You bastard! Get out here!”

A crowd quickly gathered, and Xie Peng rushed out from the shop as well.

Traffic police arrived shortly after, and so did the ambulance.

Fang Man… she didn’t even make it to the hospital.

The doctors at the scene… covered her with a white sheet.

She was dead. She died on her way to buy lunch for me and Meng Yifan.