Chapter 89: Raising the Price on the Spot

"Listen to me! Even if Vast Horizons goes bankrupt and 'Chronicles of the Martial World' permanently shuts down, I will never ask Lu Ming to come back!" Lu Feng declared. "I refuse to believe that without Lu Ming, Vast Horizons will collapse!"

...

After transferring the money, Lian Youyou stayed at home with her parents for an entire day, but still, there was no sign of Lian Kewei.

"Youyou, why hasn’t your uncle returned yet?" Shi Xuezhen asked anxiously. "Even if he was flying, a day should be enough to come back."

"Grandma, don’t worry," ever since her mother fainted, Lian Youyou had been terrified of anything else happening to her, so she hurried to comfort her, "Maybe it’s a flight delay. The weather hasn’t been great lately. Let me call and check."

Not wanting her mother to hear any bad news, Lian Youyou stepped outside to the courtyard, pulled out her phone, and dialed the same number she had used to call Meng Jiao before.

"Hello, I’m a relative of Lian Kewei," Lian Youyou said, "We’ve sent all the money. Why haven’t you released him yet?"

"All of it? Are you sure?" The voice on the other end was oily and sly. "Do you think Lian Kewei eats and drinks for free here? You don’t think we want interest?"

"You—!"

She knew it—these people were never going to let him go so easily...

She’d been far too careless this time. She should have negotiated the price with them in advance. Or insisted on a handover—money for the person. Now that she’d sent the money, she had no leverage left.

"So how much do you want now?" she asked.

A sly laugh came from the phone. "Not much. Just another ten million."

"Don’t be ridiculous!" Lian Youyou snapped. "Even loan sharks don’t raise rates like this! What if I give you another ten million and you still refuse to let him go? This is outright extortion!"

Noise spilled from the other end—men’s voices and, faintly, Kewei’s wails.

Maybe it was for the best that Kewei got a taste of his own medicine, to teach him a lesson.

"We are extorting you, but we didn’t tie up Lian Kewei and his wife and drag them here. They came of their own free will, gambling as they pleased," the man absolved himself completely. "Listen carefully: either you add another twenty million today, or we cripple Lian Kewei now! If you can’t get us the money today, tomorrow the price goes up by another five hundred thousand!"

This was blatant price gouging!

"Pretty girl, think it over," the man said lazily. "Here’s a suggestion: why don’t you let us cripple Lian Kewei? Then you won’t have to borrow all over and be left with nothing, and we rid you of a family disgrace."

Lian Youyou cursed Lian Kewei mentally, calling him every name under the sun. She was only trying to save him for her parents’ sake—if she’d been the one to raise a useless brat like him, she’d have let the casino deal with him and be done with it. Keeping him around was nothing but trouble.

After hanging up, she called Fan Chi.

"Lian Youyou! What do you want now?" Fan Chi barked as soon as he saw her number. "You’ve gotten the money—when will it end?"

He’d promised her nothing: neither did she come to Yunyun, nor did she change her surname. Yet he was expected to pay off Kewei’s gambling debts.

She was stunned by his sudden outburst. "Why are you so angry?"

"Damn it, your uncle and aunt went to the casino on their own—I didn’t drag them there! They owe their own debts, so why do you keep coming to me?" Fan Chi protested.

That sounded... actually, it seemed like Fan Chi really was innocent this time.

But who told him to bring Lian Kewei and his wife to Macau to win them over?

So, he wasn’t innocent after all. He deserved it!

"Are you sure you had nothing to do with this?" she pressed.

Fan Chi replied impatiently, "Lian Youyou, I’m telling you for the last time. I do know a few people at casinos in Macau. But your uncle and aunt snuck off on their own! I had no idea! I don’t know anyone at that particular casino, and I can’t help!"

With that, he hung up.

Lian Youyou fell back into distress. It seemed Fan Chi was no use either.

What now? Keep borrowing money? Not only was it nearly impossible to find ten million, but even if she did, what if they raised the price again?

Lian Kewei, you’ve ruined your own family.

...

Lu Feng had stubbornly claimed he would never ask Lu Ming to return, but when the finance department delivered the latest reports, he couldn’t keep his composure.

He went to Coastal University and learned that Lu Ming was teaching in Room 202 of the Fifth Teaching Building.

The large lecture hall was packed—every seat taken, with even students sitting on stools in the aisles, brought in from other classrooms, just to hear the lecture.

Lu Feng stood at the door, peering inside—there wasn’t a single spot for him.

He would never have guessed: his cousin, once the most handsome student in school, was now a teacher, and just as popular.

"Hey, which class are you from?" came a voice behind him. Lu Feng jumped, turning to see a middle-aged man with large square glasses. Probably a teacher.

"Which department and major? And your hair—dyed so extravagantly, do you even look like a student?" The teacher pointed at Lu Feng’s bold silver hair. "Who’s your advisor? I need to report you!"

"Sir, you’re mistaken, I’m not a student in this class..." Lu Feng tried to explain, but only got more flustered. "No, no, I mean, I’m not a student at this school..."

The teacher didn’t understand and grabbed Lu Feng, insisting on taking him to his advisor.

"Mr. Wang, this is one of my students. Let me take him back for a talk," Lu Ming, just finished with his class, stepped out to intervene.

Only then did Mr. Wang release Lu Feng’s arm. "Alright then."

Lu Ming watched Wang leave, then turned back, and the gentle smile he’d worn for Wang vanished, replaced by a hint of coldness in his gaze.

"What are you doing here?"

Lu Feng put on a fawning smile. "Cousin, don’t you know why? I’m here to ask you to come... back."

Lu Ming didn’t want Lu Feng mentioning his other identity at school, so he said coolly, "Let’s discuss this in my office."

The two walked across campus—one refined and reserved, the other wild and flamboyant—the contrast drawing curious glances from students and staff.

It was the end of the morning classes, and most teachers had left. The office was nearly empty, save for a girl standing by Lu Ming’s desk.

Lian Youyou and Lu Feng spotted each other at once, and in perfect unison asked, "What are you doing here?"

Lu Ming sat at his desk. Lu Feng hurried to follow, saying, "Cousin, think about it—not just Vast Horizons, but 'Chronicles of the Martial World', you’ve poured your heart into it. Surely you don’t want to see 'Chronicles of the Martial World' vanish forever from the world?"

"Youyou, wait a moment, let me finish my work first," Lu Ming ignored Lu Feng and turned to Youyou with a gentle smile. "I have something to discuss with you."

Lu Feng kept talking to himself, trying to reason and plead, but Lu Ming seemed unmoved. His fingers flew over the keyboard, focused on work, treating Lu Feng like air.

Eventually, even Lu Feng felt bored, and pinned his hopes on Lian Youyou.

"Youyou, have you heard 'Chronicles of the Martial World' is getting a live-action adaptation?"

Lian Youyou, her mind full of Kewei’s troubles, had no patience for his banter. "No."

Lu Feng pressed on, "Youyou, as our spokesperson for 'Chronicles of the Martial World', you’d be the top candidate for the female lead if it goes live-action. You know its popularity—once adapted, box office would be impressive. But if my cousin doesn’t return, who knows how much longer the project can survive?"

She ignored him.

Lu Feng fumed. Were these two colluding?

The silence lasted until Lu Ming tapped the final return key.

As Lu Ming pressed the power button, Lu Feng said, "Cousin, are you planning to keep silent with me forever?"

Lu Ming raised an eyebrow, coolly, "Go on, then."

He’d heard all that Lu Feng had said, but it was mostly meaningless—nothing useful, so he didn’t bother to respond.

Lu Ming’s demeanor was calm, with no hint of familial pressure, but his presence was undiminished.

Lu Feng leaned on the desk, bending toward Lu Ming. "President Lu, what else do you want me to say? I’ve said everything, and you haven’t reacted at all. What does that mean?"

Lu Ming leaned back, tapping the table. "That’s all you have to say?"

"What else do you want?"

Even Lian Youyou couldn’t stand Lu Feng’s stupidity. "You fired him so ruthlessly, and now you’re here begging him back. You should at least show some sincerity, shouldn’t you?"

"Sincerity?" Lu Feng hadn’t even considered that. "What kind of sincerity do you want?"

What could he offer Lu Ming? As the eldest son of the Lu family, he had everything—what more could Lu Ming possibly want?

Lu Ming’s lips curled into a faint smile, his voice smooth and magnetic. "I want you to give up all your shares in Vast Horizons—transfer your entire stake to me."

"No way!" Lu Feng exploded. "That’s too much! All my shares? You certainly have nerve!"

Lu Ming replied, "Then Chairman Lu, please leave. I’ll be watching to see how you turn the tide and rescue Vast Horizons from its misery."