Xu Tingsheng had originally been worried that he might not be able to get through to Fang Yuqing at this time.

  However, Fang Yuqing picked up the call almost immediately. Over the phone could be heard drunken lyrical howls into a microphone as well as the ringing laughter of women. It did not have to be asked for it to be known that this was definitely Fang Yuqing having gone to hang out with his good-for-nothing friends with Yuqing having returned home for the winter holidays.

  After picking up, Fang Yuqing immediately said, “Hello, Xu Tingsheng? Hey, don’t misunderstand. I’m not messing around outside; I’m just accompanying my friends for a bit. You definitely can’t tell Yuqing about this……”


  Having no time to listen to his blabbering, Xu Tingsheng directly interrupted him, saying earnestly, “Yuqing, I need your help.”


  This was the first time Xu Tingsheng had ever said ‘help’ to Fang Yuqing in earnest in all their interactions thus far.

  Hearing from his tone that something was wrong, Fang Yuqing left the room he was in and found a quiet place to speak in, his tone turning serious, “Don’t say it like that. Just say whatever’s the matter; I’ll definitely help however I can.”


  Xu Tingsheng told him in detail about the events of that night as well as the underlying reasons behind it, finally asking, “Do you think that you might be able to resolve this?”


  “The heck, just a mere bureau chief actually dares to be so arrogant?” Fang Yuqing’s fury over on the other end of the phone was one that could not be quenched.

  “This bureau chief-how do I put it? He can be considered a local snakehead over where we are, with a little of the feeling of ‘the heavens are distant and monarchs far away’, having gotten used to lording over the area and getting away with things. This kind of person might instead be more difficult to deal with,” Xu Tingsheng explained.

  “Yeah,” Fang Yuqing thought about it before saying, “I understand what you mean. I’ll head home immediately to think of a plan. You wait for my call.”


  Xu Tingsheng hung up the phone and consoled his mother and sister a little before asking, “Mum, how much does our family still have left right now?”


  Mrs Xu took out a bank card and handed it to him, saying, “This here is the money that your Dad intended to open a new branch with. There’s a little over a million yuan inside……Don’t save it. When asking people for help, use what money you’ve got to use.”


  “It’s not that. The person I’ve just asked for help-it’s not an issue of money with him,” Xu Tingsheng said, “What I’m worried about is that after the news have spread, there’ll probably be many people knocking on our door asking for money tomorrow. We should ready ourselves for these first, lest these people run over here and stir up a commotion, falling nicely into the schemes of others.”


  “They……they will do this?” Never having experienced such things before, Mrs Xu asked rather astonishedly.

  “People have always been like this, more inclined towards kicking others when they’re down than sending them aid in their time of need,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “What do we do then? Our family has basically invested almost all of the 7 million odd yuan that we got from the collective investment! How might we be able to take out so much money at once?” Mrs Xu grew somewhat worried.

  This was not the time to hold anything back as Xu Tingsheng consoled her, “It’s fine, I have a few hundred thousand as well. The accumulated two over million should be able to help us hold on for a while. I just hope……that not everyone will come so urgently clamouring for their money back.”


  Xu Tingsheng didn’t hold too much confidence as he said that last sentence. Human hearts had never been so easily graspable by anyone. Sometimes, even one’s relatives and friends might be amongst those rushing over to come kick them when they’re down.

  Not even considering where Xu Tingsheng had gotten this much money from in all of her anxiety, Mrs Xu seemingly muttered to herself whilst simultaneously also telling Xu Tingsheng, “No, I’ll think of something else later. I’ll try to borrow some money.”


  Xu Tingsheng knew that Mrs Xu’s social circle had expanded by quite a bit since the Xu Family’s rise to prominence. However, most of these people would merely have been trying to get close to her with the power and potential of the Xu Family in mind.

  Now that the Xu Family was in trouble and Mrs Xu was trying to borrow money from them……Xu Tingsheng didn’t think this would work out very well at all.

  “Mum, you should stay at home. Leave these matters to me; you won’t be able to borrow any,” Afraid that his mother would be spurned by those she tried to borrow from, Xu Tingsheng spoke frankly.

  Mrs Xu shook her head, persisting, “I’ve still got to try nonetheless, or I won’t be able to sit still. I’ve got to try, I’ve got to try! Tingsheng, Mum’s got to try……”


  Mrs Xu having said so, Xu Tingsheng felt that he really couldn’t stop her. If he persisted in not allowing his mother to do something for their family now, Mrs Xu’s mind might only descend further and further into chaos.

  At this point, Xu Tingsheng could only say, “Alright, you go try then, Mum. Just remember not to force yourself too much. Our family’s not at that point yet. If you can’t borrow the money, forget it. Don’t beg them.”


  “Yeah,” Mrs Xu said.

  Xu Tingsheng thought for a moment before elaborating, “If someone is really willing to lend you the money, Mum, remember to tell them this-Our Xu Family bears this debt of gratitude, and will forever remember this day.”


  Xu Tingsheng possessed the confidence that however this matter eventually ended, just based on his advantage from rebirth alone, that which gave him foreknowledge of the next twelve years of events, the Xu Family would not fall. Even if the Xu Family collapsed this time, they would definitely stand back up once more.

  Therefore, these words he had asked Mrs Xu to convey actually held great weight. For those who sent them aid in their time of need, the Xu Family would remember this debt; he, Xu Tingsheng would remember this debt.

  And as for how much this debt was really worth, it was something they would only be able to understand if the day so came. Sadly, no one knew how valuable this opportunity to cause Xu Tingsheng to be indebted to them actually was.

  Mrs Xu was successively rejected by all those acquaintances she asked.

  Xu Tingsheng sat in the bank. Because the withdrawal sum was too great, he had to wait for the bank to gather up the necessary cash.

  Over this period of time, Xu Tingsheng received a great many calls. Many of them were made asking for money. Not speaking excessively, Xu Tingsheng committed them all to memory, asking them to wait at the Xu family home whereupon he would return all their money before noon.

  Because there was only his sister at home, Xu Tingsheng also specifically called Huang Yaming, Fu Cheng and Song Ni, getting them to go over to his house and accompany his sister.

  Afterwards, Xu Tingsheng received an unexpected call. The caller was Wang Jingfang. Not long after Xu Tingsheng’s rebirth, that fella had sold his pig farm and gone off to join the army, Xu Tingsheng having been unsuccessful in his attempts to persuade him.

  The two had not talked much since then.

  “Tingsheng, I received a call from home this morning. My Mum says that your family’s in trouble. Now, I’ve already applied for leave and come outside. Tell me your account number. I still have a little over eight thousand left; whether or not it’s enough to use, I’m just going to send it over.”


  This was what Wang Jingfang immediately said, no questions asked. He hadn’t even asked for Xu Tingsheng’s opinion or verification, just immediately applying for leave and coming out.

  Wang Jingfang only had eight thousand yuan. Eight thousand yuan was very little. Considering the sum that Xu Tingsheng currently needed, it was but a drop in the bucket.

  However, this eight thousand yuan was actually also a lot, being greatly significant. Xu Tingsheng estimated that this might be all of Wang Jingfang’s current savings. He might not even have left any single bit of it for himself at all.

  Perhaps Wang Jingfang had done so mentally prepared that he might not be able to get back any of his money. That was something that he could accept. Meanwhile, there was also no way he could possibly know what this eight thousand yuan today might bring to him in the future.

  It was precisely such feelings that were the most precious.

  Xu Tingsheng did not refuse him. He very straightforwardly hung up the phone, sending Wang Jingfang his bank account number. Whether or not there would be use of this eight thousand yuan later on, he also had to keep it now, thereby accepting Wang Jingfang’s goodwill.

  After that, it was Old Zhou who called. After hanging up, Old Zhou kept his wife in the dark in rushing over to the bank, directly withdrawing thirty thousand yuan and stuffing it in Xu Tingsheng’s pocket.

  Fang Yunyao came over after a lesson. She gave him twenty thousand. Xu Tingsheng knew that Fang Yunyao just had that little bit of wages every month, also having to constantly send money back to her poor family back in her home village. This was possibly all her savings that she had accumulated up till now, perhaps even the dowry that she had been secretly saving up.

  Before this, Huang Yaming, Fu Cheng and Song Ni had already taken out all the money they could spare and were able to borrow and given it to the Xu Family.

  There were more others who did not know about all that was currently happening to Xu Tingsheng, such as his university roommates and friends. Xu Tingsheng felt that there was no need to let them know about all this. As for Old Wai and Li Linlin, Xu Tingsheng had not mentioned it to them as well, only having called Old Wai to ask him to keep proper watch over the platform over this period of time, with him likely being rather busy over this period.

  Apple was another one who was not in the know. Xu Tingsheng had instructed Song Ni not to tell her about it. Currently, she should be in a critical period.

  Around 11am, Xu Tingsheng obtained the money, packed it in a huge bag, threw it into the car and drove off for home. At a time like this, he did not care about any potential bemusement over why he was able to drive.

  Not long after the car had moved off, it was brought to a halt by an SUV.

  As Xu Tingsheng was about to explode, the door of the SUV opened. Libei Senior High’s Vice Principal Lou exited his car, standing beside Xu Tingsheng’s car window and handing him a cigarette as well as a stack of money.

  “I don’t have the habit of saving, so I don’t have much money, only thirty thousand. Still, those of us who’re into sports have wide connections. I know quite a few people from all over the place; you can rest assured that your father won’t suffer any injustice inside,” Vice Principal Lou said.

  Whilst being rather astonished at Vice Principal Lou’s actions with the two of them after all not really being that close, Xu Tingsheng did not reject him, receiving the money and saying sincerely, “Thank you, Uncle Lou.”


  Xu Tingsheng’s form of address had changed from the previous Vice Principal Lou to Uncle Lou.

  Vice Principal Lou broke into uproarious laughter, “With this ‘Uncle’, you’ve been caught by me now. I tell you, you’re not allowed to change this in the future!”


  “Also, you don’t have to be so polite. I’ve specifically gone to understand many things regarding you. Therefore, in doing all this, other than liking you, there’s actually also another reason……”


  “In this round against Libei’s local snakehead, it may be that not even one out of a hundred people are optimistic about your Xu Family’s chances. I’m smarter than all of them. I believe that you will be able to make it through this. Therefore, I’m betting all-in on the Xu Family.”
……

  When Xu Tingsheng returned home, the Xu Family’s front lawn was already filled with people. Those who were unable to sit could only stand.

  Amongst them were many people Xu Tingsheng did not recognise, but he recognised some of Mr Xu’s friends, some of their neighbours and even two of Mrs Xu’s sisters as well as his paternal aunt.

  Xu Tingsheng opened the car door, dumping the huge bag of money that weighed at least twenty kilograms onto the ground.

  He told Huang Yaming and Fu Cheng who had been keeping watch over the house on his behalf, “Help me to match the invoices and return the money. Make sure that they write receipts, especially their names……it all has to be written clearly.”


  “I’ll go cook lunch for you.”


  An apron-clad Xu Tingsheng prepared lunch in the kitchen while Huang Yaming and Fu Cheng compared the invoices one by one, returning the money and claiming the receipts.

  Some of those who were here came to feel doubtful and uneasy. It was because that huge bag of money really was too dazzling and obtrusive, and also because Xu Tingsheng was acting too confidently, too composedly. Some of them began to hesitate, beginning to feel that the Xu Family might really be able to tide through this crisis.

  This was the effect that Xu Tingsheng wanted, also being a chance that he was giving them.

  Mrs Xu returned, handing Xu Tingsheng a hundred thousand yuan as she walked into the kitchen, “I went to ten over families. This is all I got.”


  Xu Tingsheng asked, “How many families lent this?”


  Mrs Xu replied, “Just one.”


  Xu Tingsheng asked, “Friend or relative?”


  Mrs Xu answered, “Friend, a friend whom I came to know not long ago.”


  Xu Tingsheng nodded, keeping the money, “Let’s note this down then. Mum, you go and rest first. I’ll cook lunch.”