At that moment, Cheng Ji was like a god descending from the heavens. He shielded Luo Ying from all the insults and blame.
Luo Ying looked up at his tall and sturdy back through her blurry, tearful eyes. For a moment, she saw the shadow of her father.
The debt collectors targeted him now. They spat as they shouted. "Who are you? Do not mind other people's business!"
"It is only right to pay back debts. We are not being unreasonable!"
"If you cannot pay the debt for them, then get out of here! Do not get in the way!"
"They are suffering, but we are about to die too! Luo Sheng owed us our hard-earned money. He died and left us. How are we supposed to live?"
…
"Stop shouting! Everyone shut the hell up!" Cheng Ji put his hands on his hips and roared. His voice drowned out the noise of the crowd.
The area finally became quiet. The people stared at him like predators.
Cheng Ji waved his hand. "How much do they owe you? I will pay it! Give me the vouchers!"
He sneered with a cold laugh. "Do not try to increase the amount. Do not make fake vouchers. I am not easy to fool. If I find out you are lying, I will send you to prison."
The crowd cheered. They said they would be honest as long as he paid the money.
Cheng Ji gave them his phone number. He told them to ask him for the money. He ordered them to stop harassing the Luo family. If they came back, they would not receive a single cent.
The group left quickly. The neighbors watching the drama also went back inside. They were afraid of Cheng Ji.
Luo Ying felt like her bones had been removed. She collapsed on the ground.
Cheng Ji supported her with his strong arms. "Do not be afraid. It is okay now. Let us go inside."
Luo Ying realized his voice was very pleasant. It sounded like music. It gave her a new source of life power.
"Thank you," she said sincerely. She looked at his face with teary eyes. She bit her lip. "I will find a way to pay that money…"
Cheng Ji frowned. "I already said I would pay it. What way could you possibly have?"
He leaned toward her ear and whispered. "Is your 'way' to come find me? I do not think you have any other options. Oh, right. Jiang Yuqing? Do not bother. You will only embarrass yourself. Truly!"
Luo Ying was shocked. He guessed her plan. She had thought about asking Jiang Yuqing for help. She was her only wealthy friend.
But ten million was a huge number. Jiang Yuqing would have to ask her parents. No one would lend that much money to a poor girl. It was a bad investment. The money would never return.
'But why is Cheng Ji helping me?'
'What does he want?'
Luo Ying felt a chill. She looked at him with suspicion and caution.
A loud cry brought her back to reality. Huang Jingmei was awake.
After the funeral of Luo Sheng, Huang Jingmei only slept and cried.
She could not sleep on her own. She had to take sleeping pills to forget the pain of reality.
She could not accept that Luo Sheng was dead. Luo Xu only cried with her. She was useless.
Luo Ying forced herself to be strong. She hugged her mother to comfort her.
Lu Liangchen arrived. He saw Cheng Ji and became angry. "Why are you making trouble here? Get out!"
He clenched his fists to fight. Luo Ying stopped him. "He helped me drive away the debt collectors today."
"What? They came back?" Lu Liangchen looked at Luo Ying. He saw she was not hurt. He felt relieved. "Why did you not call me? Do not open the door if I am not here!"
"Why should she call you? To watch you get beaten up?" Cheng Ji mocked Lu Liangchen. He looked at him up and down. "Can you fight that many people by yourself?"
"You!" Lu Liangchen was furious. He raised his fist.
[Chapter 8: What Does He Want? (2 / 2)]
Luo Ying handed her mother to Luo Xu. She stood between the two men. "Liangchen! Can you please be calm?"
Lu Liangchen froze. He glared at the arrogant Cheng Ji. Then he saw the exhaustion in Luo Ying's eyes. His anger disappeared. "Yingzi, do not worry. We will find a way."
"What way?" Cheng Ji asked in a mocking tone.
His words were like a fuse. They almost set off the bomb that was Lu Liangchen.
Luo Ying sighed. She turned to Cheng Ji. "Thank you for today. You should go home now."
Cheng Ji stared at her for a few seconds. He looked conflicted. Then he nodded. "Fine. I will leave. Do not worry. Leave everything to me."
He walked away slowly. Lu Liangchen shouted at him. "What do you mean 'leave it to you'? What can you do?"
Cheng Ji looked back with a mocking face. Lu Liangchen wanted to follow him.
Luo Ying stopped him. "He said he would pay the debt for me."
Lu Liangchen stopped moving. He looked back in disbelief. "Really?"
He felt hurt and inferior. He sat on a chair and rubbed his face with his hands.
Cheng Ji's family background made him feel small. In this crisis, he could only fight. He could not do anything else for Luo Ying.
He was not happy that someone was helping her. He felt jealous and angry.
He looked down on this playboy. Cheng Ji only had money. He was not better than Lu Liangchen in any other way.
He did not believe Cheng Ji loved Luo Ying. He thought Cheng Ji just wanted to chase a pretty girl. He would leave her when he got bored.
But now, he hated this rich kid.
He felt even more angry because he could not refuse the help.
Luo Ying did not have the energy to care about Lu Liangchen. She fed some porridge to Huang Jingmei.
Huang Jingmei was tired from crying. She held the photo of Luo Sheng and lay on the bed. She closed her eyes. It was unclear if she was asleep.
"Yingzi, did that man really promise to pay?" Luo Xu asked timidly.
She was a coward. She was terrified of the debt collectors.
"Yes, sister. Do not worry. It is over." Luo Ying looked at her mother. "Your job is to watch Mom. Do not let anything happen to her. I will handle everything else."
Luo Xu lowered her head. Tears fell on her hands. "Dad…"
Luo Ying felt a sharp pain in her heart. She held back her tears. She squeezed Luo Xu's hand. "Do not think too much. We must keep living!"
Lu Liangchen brought meat and vegetables. He cooked for the sisters.
Luo Ying forced Luo Xu to eat. She also ate a lot.
She knew she needed energy to face the future.
The death of her father was like the removal of a protective wall. They were exposed to the cruel world. Every day would be difficult. They had to face it alone.
Cheng Ji disappeared for two days. There was no news. Luo Ying was worried. She thought his promise was just a whim. Maybe he regretted it.
But the debt collectors did not come back. Luo Ying felt a little better. She called Jiang Yuqing for help.
She could not trust a guy like Cheng Ji completely. But Jiang Yuqing was hesitant on the phone. Luo Ying understood immediately.
Her heart fell into the abyss again.
On the third day, Cheng Ji appeared.