Chapter 5
The atmosphere at the table turned tense.
Su Zhishi lowered their head to pick up some food, but kept their gaze on the other two.
Wu Xiaojiu pursed his lips awkwardly. At that moment, his phone vibrated.
The contact showed: Sis.
It was Wu Yuting.
As soon as he picked up, Wu Yuting’s anxious voice poured out.
“Xiaojiu, are you free now? Don’t let your brother overhear this call-something’s happened at home.”
Wu Xiaojiu’s expression grew solemn.
The worry in Wu Yuting’s tone was unmistakable.
He hurriedly called out to the System in his mind, asking why something had happened to the Wu Family before the three-day deadline was up.
The Blue Orb only replied:
“This is a punishment, because Long Aotian’s Favorability has dropped into the negatives.”
Wu Xiaojiu felt a chill run down his spine.
Meanwhile, Wu Yuting’s voice on the line was tinged with tears.
“Could you send back some of the ¥200,000 I gave you this morning? Dad’s run into a bit of trouble and we need the money for medical bills.”
She seemed to realize that her tone made it all too obvious that the Wu Family was on the verge of collapse.
Wu Yuting quickly forced a laugh. Even through the phone, she tried hard to sound cheerful.
“If you’ve already spent the ¥200,000, then that’s fine. When the bank unfreezes our account, I’ll withdraw more. Just enjoy yourself-I’ll hang up now.”
The line went dead.
From start to finish, Wu Xiaojiu hadn’t said a word.
Once his phone screen returned to normal, he immediately transferred the ¥200,000 back.
He then turned to the other two and forced a bitter smile.
“I might have to go home for a while.”
Su Zhishi looked at him with an unreadable expression, then finally lowered their gaze and nodded silently.
Bo Suihan, of course, had no objection.
Wu Xiaojiu got into the Maserati under cover of night.
He sped straight toward the Wu Family Old Mansion.
Halfway there, he suddenly hit the brakes.
“How much does the Wu Family need right now?”
The Blue Orb in his mind replied with two words.
“One billion yuan. Host, I’ve told you from the beginning: Long Aotian’s Favorability is tied to your life and the fate of the Wu Family. As long as you perform well, both you and the Wu Family will thrive.”
Sweat broke out on Wu Xiaojiu’s forehead.
He turned the car sharply, the tires screeching against the ground.
Rain was pouring down in torrents as he pulled into the car dealership in the middle of the night.
A bright red sports car, DJ music pulsing from within, slowly rolled into the showroom.
A young boy sat in the driver’s seat.
He raised his head and looked at the staff, his face pale.
The employees, seeing his youth and the Maserati, figured he must be from a wealthy family. They assumed he was there for service or maybe to buy a new car.
To their surprise, the boy opened the door, pointed at the Maserati, and asked,
“How much is this car worth? I need cash urgently and can sell it cheap right now.”
The staff’s eyes widened.
“This car is one of only two limited editions worldwide, and was released for a limited time only. Both were auctioned abroad, and yours must have come from a resale. Its price should be much higher than the original.
Wouldn’t it be a pity to sell it now?”
Wu Xiaojiu didn’t expect to pay off the full one billion yuan. He just wanted to lighten his family’s burden a little.
After receiving the thirty million offer.
He withdrew some cash from the 4S dealership, braved the rain, and bought an electric scooter from another shop.
Riding through wind and rain, he finally made it back to the Wu Family Old Mansion.
His hair, which had been styled and set that morning, was now a mess, drenched and ruined by the rain.
He finally drove back to the old mansion.
But all he saw was a truck blocking the entrance.
The truck was already loaded to the brim, but workers were still coming and going in the courtyard, carrying things in and out.
The workers, braving the rain, chatted idly as they moved items.
Their tone was full of sighs.
“Who knows who the Wu Family offended? The project that was already in their hands suddenly changed owners. I heard all the other contracts tied to that project have also fallen through.”
“Exactly. On top of that, they owe over a hundred million in penalty fees. The head of the Wu Family was so furious he ended up in the hospital. Now his whole family is taking care of him.”
“I saw the Wu Family’s wife and daughter today. But what about that son of theirs, the one who was always spoiled and hanging out at bars and all sorts of places? With such a big incident, how come he’s nowhere to be seen?”
The voices were a jumble.
Wu Xiaojiu felt as if struck by lightning.
He stopped the electric scooter, worried the heavy rain would ruin it, so he took off his shirt and jacket and draped them over the scooter.
He dashed inside alone, braving the rain.
His nearly naked figure startled the workers.
Though Wu Xiaojiu was drenched and disheveled, his face was still highly recognizable.
As soon as he looked up,
a worker nearby exclaimed in surprise.
“Where are my sister and my mom?”
“First Central Hospital.”
Upon hearing this, Wu Xiaojiu turned and left.
The electric scooter, already damaged by the rain, blared its horn incessantly all the way.
Wu Xiaojiu kept his head down, feeling the disapproving stares of passersby as the torrential rain poured down.
He gritted his teeth and asked the System,
“Why is the punishment so severe? Besides, what did they do wrong?”
“I want him to like me too, but Long Aotian is clearly not interested in me. The closer I get, the more he dislikes me.”
“That’s because you’re pursuing the wrong strategy. But don’t worry, Host, I’ll help you. Right now, Long Aotian is penniless and taking shelter under a bridge in this downpour. Invite him to the hospital to resolve things with your sister.”
“With a favorability that only decreases, maybe there will be a change.”
Wu Xiaojiu knew.
His only choice now was to follow the System’s instructions.
Even though he didn’t feel much for this family he’d only just arrived in less than a day ago,
that didn’t mean he could just watch the three of them lose their lives for no reason.
A scooter, blaring its horn,
rolled into the space under the bridge, glistening with rain.
Beneath the arched bridge,
the riverbed was completely dry.
Raindrops fell on the damp mud,
filling the air with a terrible stench.
And in such a place,
Wu Xiaojiu saw Bo Suihan’s tall figure squatting, his slender, fair fingers poking at a toad.
He was wearing the same thin white T-shirt from yesterday, shorts that didn’t reach his knees, and a pair of old cloth shoes completely soaked through.
The rain was heavy, but it was still clear to see his mouth moving.
Getting closer,
he could distinctly hear:
“Toad, toad, when will I be able to find the real culprit who brought disaster to my family?”