Chapter 14: His Childhood Crush Forced Toward the Sex Trade!

Qin Dong strode over. Su Yuru recognized him at once and urgently signaled for him to stay out of it. The thugs were ruthless, and she didn’t want him caught up in her trouble.

Their sleazy-looking leader saw that Qin Dong was alone and sneered. “Who the hell are you? You’ve got a death wish, interfering with Brother Earthworm?”

Qin Dong ignored him and went straight to Su Yuru. “Yuru, what’s going on?”

Before she could answer, Earthworm cut in. “Simple. We’re collecting a debt. Her late husband borrowed a hundred thousand yuan from us and never paid it off.”

Her eyes reddened. “Xiaodong, don’t listen to them. My husband was addicted to cards. He mortgaged this shop to borrow the money. Since he died, I’ve paid them every month—one hundred and twenty thousand altogether.”

“But they say all of that was interest, and I still owe the original hundred thousand.”

Qin Dong’s anger rose. “Her husband borrowed a hundred thousand, and she’s repaid a hundred and twenty, yet you call it all interest? You’re loan sharks. You’re driving her into the ground!”

Earthworm shrugged. “If her husband could have borrowed cheaply from a regular lender, why come to us? We didn’t hold a knife to him. He borrowed willingly.”

Qin Dong turned to Su Yuru. “Call the police. Let them handle it.”

Earthworm laughed. “The police? It’s a private loan dispute, all written down in black and white. They can’t do anything about it.”

Su Yuru wiped away her tears. “Xiaodong, please go. You can’t help me, and I don’t want you dragged into this.”

Earthworm looked at her smugly. “If you can’t pay today, don’t blame us for taking the shop. Or there’s another way: come with us. With your looks, you could work at a nightclub and pay it off quickly.”

His two men laughed. “We’ll be sure to come see you!”

They had coveted her for a long time. They had delayed taking the shop precisely to pressure her into accepting clients. Su Yuru went pale and trembled. She had supported herself since her husband’s death and held to her principles through every hardship. She would rather die than be forced to sell herself to pay the debt.

Qin Dong’s face darkened. Yuru had been the woman of his dreams in high school, and even after several years he had never forgotten her. He could hardly stand by while they tried to force her into the sex trade.

Earthworm grew impatient. “Get lost, kid. Things haven’t been going my way, and I’m in a bad mood. Leave before I make you sorry.”

Qin Dong smiled mockingly. “Things haven’t been going your way? If someone who does things like this had an easy life, heaven would be blind.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“After all the harm you’ve done, haven’t you noticed something wrong with your health? Trouble breathing, chills, a feeling that something unclean is watching you?”

He added, “And when you’re with a woman, do you often find you can’t perform? Medicine doesn’t help, and the hospital can’t find a cause?”

Earthworm’s face changed. “H-how did you know?”

He regretted the words immediately. He had admitted his problem in front of everyone. “You’re talking nonsense! I’m perfectly healthy!”

“Are you? I was going to offer some advice, but if you’re so healthy, there’s no need.”

Earthworm swallowed. The symptoms matched too closely. Trying to sound calm, he said, “A friend of mine has those symptoms. Tell me what’s wrong with him.”

Qin Dong saw through him. “Then tell your friend to make his funeral arrangements. That’s all I can say.”

He fell silent, leaving Earthworm even more anxious. “What do you mean? Explain yourself!”

Qin Dong sighed. “Your friend has done so much harm that he’s attracted something unclean. Malignant yin energy has been eating its way up from his feet. It has reached his heart. He’ll die within a month.”

One of the underlings jumped forward. “Do you think we’re idiots? Trying to scare Brother Earthworm with a childish story like—”

Smack!

Earthworm slapped him. “Shut the hell up!”

The man held his cheek, stunned. Earthworm turned to Qin Dong. “C-can you save me?”

Qin Dong glanced at him. “I can. But why should I?”

Earthworm didn’t get angry. The fact that he could be saved was enough. After years on the street, he knew when to bend; his life mattered more than his pride.

His threatening expression vanished, replaced by a fawning smile. “Brother, we failed to recognize who we were dealing with. I apologize for offending you.”

Su Yuru stared. She had never imagined a few casual words from Qin Dong could subdue these vicious men.

Qin Dong softened his expression. “All right. Since you seem sincere, I can help.”

Earthworm brightened, but Qin Dong continued, “My fee is one hundred thousand yuan, paid in advance. No credit.”

Earthworm understood. The kid had gone to all this trouble to help the pretty widow.

“Money’s no problem. I have far more than that. But how do I know you’re telling the truth?” He wasn’t a fool; the kid might simply have made a lucky guess.