Debt

"Philosophy..."

Baili Qingfeng listened to the lecturer's lesson.

This philosophy seemed different from the philosophy he had imagined.

The philosophy in his mind consisted of sentences that could move people's hearts, with every word touching the soul.

For example...

Those who couldn't lose weight were forever restless, while those who couldn't gain weight had nothing to fear.

No one was truly left with nothing; at the very least, they still had illness.

The only thing more pitiful than eating alone was having no money to eat.

Lazy people could calmly find a high-sounding excuse for anything they faced.

Every sentence was reasonable and well-founded, worthy of being called a pearl of wisdom.

But what he was studying now...

What was it supposed to be?

He felt that he was straying farther and farther from the path of becoming a philosopher.

After class, Baili Qingfeng couldn't help wondering whether he should change majors.

He glanced at his timetable. He had no more classes that day, so he left the school, changed buses at the station, and returned to his home in Wuhe City.

When he got home, Baili Qingfeng was somewhat surprised to find that Baili Die was actually there.

The time now was...

Three in the afternoon?

"Qingfeng's back."

"Yeah."

Baili Qingfeng nodded. "Are you on leave today?"

"I quit."

Baili Die sounded slightly unnatural when she said this.

"Qingfeng's back?"

Before Baili Qingfeng could ask anything, his father, Baili Hong, called out from outside the courtyard.

Looking at Baili Hong, Baili Qingfeng discovered that although he had only been away for half a month, his whole person looked noticeably older.

"Are you staying for the day or going back tonight?"

Baili Hong asked.

"I'm staying for the day."

As he spoke, Baili Qingfeng looked at Baili Hong. "Don't work too hard. Remember to rest."

"There are all sorts of matters, big and small, at the factory. Someone has to step up and manage them."

Baili Hong gave a bitter smile.

"What happened?"

"Dad's factory incurred several hundred thousand yuan in debt. The factory director ran off, and the bank cut off the funding at this time. The factory can't even pay its workers now. Before leaving, the factory director actually sold the factory to Dad. Just like that, all the debt was transferred onto Dad's shoulders."

As Baili Die spoke, she sounded somewhat resentful. "That factory was worth three or four hundred thousand, and buying it for one hundred and fifty thousand was obviously a problem. Anyone could tell that."

"I worked at that factory for eight years, and I knew Lao Zhou very well. How could I have imagined that he would do something like this?"

Baili Hong was full of regret.

"Where did our family get one hundred and fifty thousand?"

Baili Qingfeng was dumbfounded.

Could it be...

Was he actually a rich second-generation heir hiding his true identity?

"We saved forty thousand over the years, you sold your songs for sixty thousand, and we borrowed fifty thousand."

Baili Die explained.

"That factory still has some potential. If we can clear those several hundred thousand in debt, then invest a little more to get the factory running again, we should be able to earn back the losses before long."

"That factory has four hundred and thirty thousand in debt. Adding the unpaid wages, getting it running again will require at least five hundred thousand."

Baili Die explained.

Five hundred thousand was no small sum.

At a time when newly graduated university students earned only two or three hundred yuan a month, five hundred thousand was equivalent to more than a hundred years of their income if they neither ate nor drank.

"If we sell the apartment, we should be able to raise eighty thousand. Let's get the factory operating first. As for the debts, we'll think of something and see if we can ask the creditors to give us more time."

Baili Hong paused at this point. "If it really comes to it, I'll ask your maternal uncle to lend us a little more."

"Maternal uncle..."

Baili Die fell silent.

As for her maternal uncle's family...

They could naturally come up with five hundred thousand, but...

That side had always looked down on their family. Even if they begged until their tongues fell off, borrowing ten or twenty thousand would probably be the limit. As for five hundred thousand...

Heh.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Baili Qingfeng asked.

"Your job is to study hard. Don't worry yourself over these things."

Baili Hong said. At the end, he added, "It would be best if you could write a few more songs, too."

"I will."

Baili Qingfeng said, "I'll go see Second Grandfather. I'll be back before dinner."

Baili Hong frowned and initially seemed about to stop him, but perhaps he thought of something. In the end, he merely said, "Don't come back too late."

Baili Qingfeng nodded, left the house, and took a car to Sanshun Town on the outskirts of the city.

After Spirit Refining, Baili Qingfeng's hearing and vision had become exceptionally sharp. Before he had even entered Second Grandfather's home in Sanshun Town, he could already hear his second uncle Baili Tianxing's voice from the courtyard. "Now, it's not just Big Brother who's lost his job. Even Qingfeng's father has been dragged into it and manipulated into taking on several hundred thousand in debt. If this continues, they'll be bullying us right at our doorstep. We have to strike back and show them what we're made of."

"No. You only just entered the Nourishing Spirit stage by relying on the visualization diagram. You're no match for them, father and son. What's more, they have people helping them from the sidelines. If you act rashly, you'll drag yourself in as well."

Second Grandfather Baili Changkong's voice followed, carrying a trace of heaviness.

"Don't we still have those old subordinates of General Melbourne..."

"No. Once we let them step forward, things will become even worse. The matter of General Melbourne has yet to be redressed. If those old brothers are exposed, they can come to our door and threaten them. Either they work for the Stability Maintenance Group, or they will be killed outright on the charge of being remnants of a traitorous rebellion... By then, I would be the one who harmed them."

"Eddie and Et, father and son?"

A voice came from inside.

"Qingfeng?"

When they saw Baili Qingfeng, Baili Tianxing and Baili Changkong, who had been arguing, both changed expression.

"Looks like it."

Baili Qingfeng said.

"Qingfeng, you don't need to concern yourself with this matter. I've investigated it clearly. Eddie and Et, father and son, are under a military order. They can stay in Xia Ya for at most four months. If they don't accomplish anything, they'll have to leave. Half the time has already passed. In another two months, we'll have endured it. Once they leave, we'll think of a way to deal with your father's debt together."

Baili Tianxing said.

Baili Changkong waved his hand. "Qingfeng, just study well and practice your martial arts. Don't meddle in adult affairs."

"There are still two months. If they fail to achieve anything, they'll have to leave... In other words, to produce results, their actions will only grow more drastic from here on out? For now, they've merely made my father and sister take on debt and lose their jobs. What about next?"

Baili Qingfeng asked.

"You don't need to worry about that. He wouldn't dare act recklessly. If he truly drives us into a corner, isn't he afraid that we'll fight to the bitter end?"

As Baili Changkong spoke, he glanced at Baili Qingfeng. "In any case, you should focus on practicing your martial arts. Otherwise, even if you wanted to interfere in this matter, you wouldn't have the ability."

"I understand."

Baili Qingfeng answered and did not press the matter further.

"All right, enough about that. Come, come, Qingfeng. Let Grandpa see how your training is going."

Baili Changkong smiled.

"I'm not practicing today. I still have to go home for dinner. My family has prepared food for me. I came this time to ask you, Grandpa, what Qi Refinement is, what Spirit Refining is, and what Three Essences United as One is."

"You've already developed internal force. Next, you should prepare for Qi Refinement Blood Exchange. I really do need to explain it to you properly. You must be careful with the blood exchange step. If anything goes wrong, it's easy to develop a blood clot..."

As Baili Changkong spoke, he pulled Baili Qingfeng down to sit and began patiently explaining.

Once he started, it was six o'clock before he finished.

After more than two hours, quite a few of his doubts had been cleared up.

When he returned home, Baili Qingfeng ate dinner, went straight upstairs, turned on the computer, and entered the six words "Xia Ya Stability Maintenance Group."

A series of related results quickly popped up.

Baili Qingfeng looked through them for a moment, then clicked into one of the websites and memorized the Stability Maintenance Group's office address.

Number 101, Sandalwood Street.