Su Lin smiled. "Xiao Yu, let that little loss go. Don't take it to heart."
"Besides, I've made quite a bit from investments lately. I can lend it to you to treat Uncle Xia."
Xia Shiyu hurriedly said, "No, no, Su Lin, I can't take any more of your money."
Su Lin stopped, pinched Xia Shiyu's little cheek, and smiled. "Who said I was giving you money? I'm lending it to you. You'll have to pay it back later."
"That's so much money. I can't pay it back." Xia Shiyu wore a miserable expression.
Su Lin laughed loudly. "I'm not in a hurry. You can take your time. If one year isn't enough, then two. If two isn't enough, then three."
"I..."
"Tsk... You can accept Ye Feng taking money to invest recklessly, but you won't accept me lending you money?" Su Lin pretended to be angry.
Xia Shiyu hugged Su Lin again. "Su Lin, why are you so good to me?"
Su Lin stroked Xia Shiyu's silky hair. "Because our Xiao Yu is adorable. I like her very much."
"But... but there's also Xiao Wan~!!!"
Smack~!
A crisp slap rang out.
"Xiao Yu, you're hugging me, yet you're thinking about another girl. Focus."
"I..."
Smack~!!
"You still want to argue?"
"Boohoo... Su Lin, I was wrong. You're not a good person at all. You're a big bad guy."
"Hahaha, I never said I was a good person."
Su Lin laughed as he got into the car, his face full of smug satisfaction.
A good person?
He was the Villain, okay?
Being given a good-guy card was the greatest insult to him.
After getting into the car, Su Lin looked at Xia Shiyu. "Do you know how to fasten a seat belt?"
Seeing that Xia Shiyu did not move, Su Lin leaned over and fastened it for her.
Seeing Su Lin's actions, Xia Shiyu felt warm inside, but when she thought of Lin Xiaowan, she became confused again.
She could no longer understand what Su Lin truly wanted.
Looking at Su Lin's distinct-knuckled hands, Xia Shiyu felt a strange sensation lingering in her butt.
"Su Lin... this isn't the road to the hospital."
Su Lin glanced at Xia Shiyu. "It's already past ten. Why are you going to the hospital? To wake your dad, or to wake the other patients?"
"But this isn't the road to my home either."
Su Lin said blandly, "I've never been to your house. How would I know the way there?"
"Then where are we going?" Xia Shiyu asked.
"Of course, we're going back to my house."
"Ah~!!!"
"What are you screaming for? We're both minors. Did you think I was taking you to get a room?" Su Lin looked at Xia Shiyu as though she were an idiot.
"But... you could have taken me home." Xia Shiyu said softly.
"Xiao Yu, what are you muttering about? Speak up. I can't hear you when you're that quiet."
Xia Shiyu looked at Su Lin's face. She could no longer bring herself to say what she had just said and could only ask, "What if Uncle sees us?"
Su Lin sighed. "I've lived alone for who knows how long. Over the course of a year, my dad only comes back for a few days. Don't worry, there's no one at my house."
"Ah, no one!"
"Mm, what kind of look is that, girl? Do you think I'd try something improper with you?" Su Lin said darkly.
"No, no, I was just..."
"Alright, alright. There's something important to do once we get home, so stop talking for now. We're almost there."
As Su Lin spoke, Xia Shiyu had already spotted a row of villas.
At the entrance to the villa district, Xia Shiyu stared blankly at the words Jiangning Huating Luxury Villas.
Though she had never lived in a villa, she had heard of the most expensive villa district in Zhongjiang.
"We're here."
"Get out."
"Oh."
Looking at the huge three-story villa before her, Xia Shiyu thought, I'm already here, so I might as well stay for one night.
She was not worried that Su Lin would do anything beastly.
After all, they had known each other for so long. Other than his "slip of the hand" just now, Su Lin had always treated her well.
After entering the villa, Su Lin had Xia Shiyu sit in the living room while he went upstairs.
Xia Shiyu felt somewhat uneasy, not knowing what Su Lin intended to do.
Just as she was about to panic and call for Su Lin, he came downstairs.
"It's so late, Su Lin. Why are you bringing out paper and a pen?"
Su Lin said blandly, "What else could I be doing? Writing an IOU and signing a contract."
"An IOU? A contract?"
"Of course. Aren't you going to treat your dad?"
"The IOU is for the money I'm lending you. The contract is for how long you'll work for me. Easy to understand, right?" Su Lin raised an eyebrow.
Xia Shiyu nodded. "But how am I supposed to work for you?"
"You'll know once you read the contract. Let me make this clear first: it's entirely voluntary. Sign it if you're willing; if not, leave it alone."
Xia Shiyu's Thoughts
Su Lin walked over and sat beside Xia Shiyu, then placed a template IOU in front of her.
"Just copy this template."
When Xia Shiyu saw the template, her eyes filled with emotion.
"Su Lin, had you planned from the beginning to lend me the money?"
Su Lin nodded. "Of course. Looking across all of Jiangning No. 1 High School, there are only a handful of people capable of helping you. Xiao Wan has the means, but she herself doesn't have that much money. I'm different. I earned my money myself, so lending it to you is no burden at all."
"After thinking it over, I realized I'm the only one who can help you. Xiao Yu, I considered what would happen if I didn't help you."
"If Uncle Xia really died, you'd be completely alone. Your relatives would swoop in to seize the inheritance, and you might not even be able to keep your apartment. You'd have to live under someone else's roof."
"That isn't the outcome I want to see. I still want to see Xiao Yu smile more."
"Su Lin~!!"
Xia Shiyu covered her little mouth with one hand while quickly picking up the pen with the other and signing the IOU.
Ding~! Xia Shiyu's favorability toward the host had reached 90↑ (still rising)
Su Lin smiled at the sight.
Seeing Xia Shiyu pause at the amount field, Su Lin smiled. "Write six hundred thousand first. Uncle Xia will still need to stay in the hospital for a while after the surgery."
"Okay~!!"
Xia Shiyu had already made up her mind. She might not be able to repay eight hundred thousand even in ten or twenty years. She would use the rest of her life to repay Su Lin.
Even if Su Lin wanted to do some excessive things to her, she would be willing.
After all, in this world, the economy in 2002 was only about the same as Earth's in 2010, when most people still earned just over two thousand a month.
Eight hundred thousand was an enormous sum. Not everyone had that kind of money, much less was everyone willing to take it out.
Once she had this thought, Xia Shiyu stopped being so coy.
She moved very quickly and finished signing the IOU within a few minutes.
"Su Lin, shouldn't I put my fingerprint on this IOU?"
"No need. It's just a formality. Why would you need a fingerprint? My house doesn't have any red ink paste." Su Lin chuckled.
"Hehe, aren't you afraid I'll deny it later?"
"Hahaha, Xiao Yu, even if I didn't make you sign this IOU, you'd remember it perfectly clearly."
"Mm, alright."
"The IOU is signed. Now sign the contract."
Before you continue