Chapter 20
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Chapter 20: Collecting Debts!
As the delicious dog meat was served with rich aromas wafting from the kitchen, the atmosphere in the restaurant grew lively. Everyone couldn’t resist the urge to dig in quickly. Amid laughter and chatter, a chaotic battle for the dog meat began. These young people had not even taken to the skies yet, but their chopsticks danced skillfully in the fray, avoiding any accidental collisions.
Boxes of beer were brought to the table, and before they could be opened with a bottle opener, people began using their teeth and chopsticks in various creative ways. If the restaurant hadn’t been warm, the beer would have turned even colder as they drank, but with the fizzy beer paired with the fragrant broth and warm dog meat, it felt like a delightful mix of extremes. Some who enjoyed stronger drinks started pouring shots of red Star Erguotou. Everyone ate and drank heartily, reveling in the moment.
Suddenly, a cold wind swept into the room, causing everyone enjoying their food and drinks to shiver together.
“Boss, boss, I’m here to collect a debt!” Seven individuals, dressed in thick denim outfits with brightly colored dyed hair and facial piercings, burst through the door. Clearly unfriendly, they stepped onto the tatami without changing their shoes, leaving behind dark footprints.
“Wow, what a crowd! Looks like business is good today!” The rough-looking individuals eyed the restaurant, packed with four large round tables and other diners, blocking every exit. They snickered with insincere smiles before their expressions hardened. “We’re closing now. Everyone leave! Pay up before you go!”
“Hey, hey! I’m talking here! Stop eating and pay the bill immediately!” One young man with half yellow hair kicked the small stool underneath a diner so hard that the unsuspecting diner fell straight to the floor.
Some patrons, unaccustomed to sitting cross-legged on the tatami, used the small stools provided.
“What are you doing?!” The diner protested angrily, ready to argue, but was met with two loud slaps to the face that left him dazed. Seeing the situation turn ugly, a female diner watching quickly tossed down two hundred yuan and pulled the male diner out of the restaurant, wanting to get away from the trouble.
The group of thugs began to order people out, acting brazenly. The restaurant owner, busy serving food, turned pale as he rushed over with several packs of cigarettes. “Come on, everyone, smoke a cigarette, sit down! Just tell me what you want, it’s on me! Let’s talk nicely, alright?”
“What are these guys?!” Chen Haiqing and the others, who were enjoying their feast, all frowned at the scene. The thick denim jackets these thugs wore weren’t just for show; they were armed with the kind of protection that resembled armor in a fight.
“Talking nicely? We’re here to collect a debt! If we don’t bring the money back, we can’t face our bosses! Hurry up! The total is one hundred twenty-eight thousand; gather it now, and then you can leave!” the lead thug, sporting bright red hair and an earring, pushed the restaurant owner forcefully.
“Gentlemen, could you give me a few more days? Business has been slow, and I’m just short a little! You must have miscalculated; I only owe ninety-seven thousand, and I initially borrowed fifty thousand!” The owner, visibly trembling, remained cordial, offering cigarettes.
Unmoved, the thugs snatched the cigarettes and stuffed them into their pockets, scanning the restaurant for any valuables.
The lead thug sneered, “I don’t care about that! Just do as your boss says. We need the full amount today. You know how it is—debts multiply! If you keep stalling, you’ll owe even more. Nobody believes your excuses, Gold Boss. You seem to have money but pretend you don’t. Just last week, a kid owed us ten thousand and wouldn’t pay up. So, his hands ended up getting chopped off to feed the dogs. Some people just don’t learn until they face real consequences.”
The weight of the thug’s words left the restaurant owner pale, his voice shaking as he pleaded, “Please, brother, I can’t cover the bill. I promise to repay you more if you can give me some time! I’ll be deeply grateful, and any time you eat here, it will be on the house!” His desperation was evident; he was risking everything to keep his business alive.
“Enough with the nonsense! The amount I said is the amount! You can blame your son for not learning the right path. If you can’t pay, just hand over this restaurant instead—it will save us all the trouble of coming back every few days. Both you and us have better things to do around here! Time is money!” The thug lit a cigarette, taking a deep puff, then glanced at the remaining diners, clearly displeased. He pointed and barked, “Hey, deaf over there! Hurry up and settle your bills! We’re closing for the night. Get out, quickly!”
The four tables of diners, faced with the sheer number of thugs, were momentarily stunned. The thugs knew better than to start a fight but continued to threaten loudly. Two of them aggressively pushed into the back kitchen.
Immediately, the serving of food stopped as chaos erupted in the kitchen. Staff members were hurriedly ushered out, and everything was turned upside down in a frantic search for money. Even the waitstaff were not spared as they faced harassment while trying to flee, resulting in screams and a scene reminiscent of a robbery.
Other diners, having never seen such chaos, remained silent. Chen Haiqing raised his beer cup toward the lead thug, saying, “Hey, brother! Why don’t you sit down and have a drink with us? Let’s talk over some food. We came here for a meal, after all!”
“Hey, hey! I appreciate the hospitality,” the lead thug replied with sarcasm. Suddenly, he pulled out a long butcher’s knife, slamming it down onto the round table, the blade piercing the surface with a glimmering flash. The sudden violence startled everyone, prompting gasps from the diners. The thug smirked, seemingly pleased with his intimidation tactic, and scanned the table. “Sorry about this, folks; this is just how things are. It’s best you clear out quickly. Let’s consider this a friendly acquaintance.”
The once-bold students felt their courage falter. These thugs were not inexperienced newcomers; they spoke and acted with confidence, ready to escalate things further if provoked.
“I refuse to believe we can’t finish our meal!” A hand slammed down on the table, breaking the tension as Lei Dong, from Qinhuangdao and Lin Mo’s dormmate, shouted defiantly, his face flushed from the alcohol. He was clearly unsettled by the sudden intrusion.
The thugs instantly reacted like fireworks, drawing their long knives once more. This display of intimidation shifted the atmosphere dramatically.
“Oh, so you’ve got guts!” The lead thug narrowed his eyes at Lei Dong. “Looks like I’ve been too generous. Brothers, take this kid for a ‘submarine ride.’ Let him learn the consequences of foolishness!” The thugs rolled towards Lei Dong, intent on dragging him away.
A “submarine ride” was a notorious tactic employed by loan sharks, where they would show up in the dead of night, kidnap the debtor, and torture them repeatedly. This technique ensured that the targets would be thoroughly scared before being released, making them comply under pressure.
“What are you doing?!” The furious students could no longer contain their anger and stood up, glaring at the thugs trying to take Lei Dong for his punishment.
“Listen, my friend. My brother here is right. We just want to enjoy a peaceful meal. We mean no harm. How much does Gold Boss owe you? I’ll cover it! Let’s finish our meal here and talk later. If you don’t trust me, I can write you a check or do a bank transfer right now,” Chen Haiqing interjected angrily, realizing that this meal was turning into chaos and wanting to restore some order. He understood that if they were kicked out today, it would be difficult for him to maintain authority in the future.
“Oh! Look who we have here! Seems like we have a wealthy benefactor! You’ve got quite the attitude!” The lead thug shifted his focus to Chen Haiqing now, assessing him. “Well then, Gold Boss, we really appreciate your kindness. Here’s the deal: you hand over a million, and I’ll walk away without any fuss.”
