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Cheng Lang sighed softly. The male lead of a tragic romance was still a person. Aside from following the path demanded by the plot, he deserved a happy ending beyond the story's predetermined setting.

The system remained silent in Cheng Lang's mind. By protocol, it should have reminded Cheng Lang not to create unnecessary complications that might trigger a butterfly effect and disrupt the plot's normal progression. But the system said nothing.

It believed that someone as clever and cunning as Cheng Lang would surely complete the mission flawlessly.

Unaware of the instant understanding between Cheng Lang and the system, Shen Huaiyu took a deep breath and asked Cheng Lang, "What do I need to do?"

"For now, there's nothing you need to do." Cheng Lang said, "By the way, when your family held the funeral, did you keep those receipts?"

Shen Huaiyu shook his head. "My uncle handled the funeral arrangements from start to finish. I was only responsible for paying."

Cheng Lang said nothing. This answer had been within his expectations.

"It's fine." Cheng Lang reassured him. "It doesn't matter whether you have the receipts. Do you remember what was bought and what procedures were followed when your family held the funeral? There should at least be some sort of list, right?"

Shen Huaiyu shook his head again. Ashamed, he said, "My parents had just passed away then, and my younger brother was lying in the hospital, unconscious. Something so terrible had happened to our family, and I was dazed all day long. I didn't pay attention to many things. But I have a good memory. If you let me think about it, I'll definitely remember."

Shen Huaiyu asked, "...Can I make an itemized list? Would that help?"

"Of course it would!" Cheng Lang encouraged him. "To strike a snake, strike it seven inches from the head. Since we're going to collect this debt, we need to be thoroughly prepared. We absolutely can't give your uncle a chance to argue his way out of it. List every expense you remember, then go to the bank and print out your transaction records. I can compare your list against market prices... Every unfair penny you spent will be ironclad evidence of his scam."

Upon hearing that, Shen Huaiyu immediately said, "I'll go to the bank at noon today."

Cheng Lang gave Shen Huaiyu an encouraging look. Then he suddenly remembered something and asked, "...How did Lu Chengxuan react when you turned him down? Did he force you?"

Shen Huaiyu shook his head. "No, he didn't."

Cheng Lang breathed a sigh of relief.

In the original novel, Shen Huaiyu had initially rejected Lu Chengxuan's offer to keep him, too. Yet Lu Chengxuan had said he did not care, only to turn around and resort to forceful possession—illegally detaining him, getting him expelled, and even threatening Shen Huaiyu with his younger brother's life. Shen Huaiyu had no choice but to resign himself to it.

As for now, since Lu Chengxuan had not displayed the madness he had in the original novel, that meant there was still room to negotiate. "Don't worry about Lu Chengxuan for now. Let's first find a way to spread the news that Lu Chengxuan bought your family's house from your uncle for 7.8 million. At the very least, your uncle's relatives and friends need to know."

Cheng Lang asked Shen Huaiyu, "Do you know what kinds of people your uncle usually associates with?"

Shen Huaiyu thought for a moment. "My uncle is the president of the city's Calligraphy and Painting Association. The people he sees often are mostly local scholars and painters. Oh, right—Professor Tan from our Archaeology Department is also a close friend of my uncle's."

"Professor Tan?" Cheng Lang found the name familiar. After thinking about it, he asked the system, "Is he that old-fashioned fossil who kept making things difficult for Shen Huaiyu in the original novel?"

The system remained silent. It merely brought up a passage from the original novel in Cheng Lang's mind.

Cheng Lang sneered. He remembered that, in the original novel, Shen Huaiyu's classmates and teachers had all loathed him. Cheng Lang had originally assumed that, after learning Shen Huaiyu was being kept by Lu Chengxuan, their disdain had stemmed from the pride inherent in scholars. After all, people who studied archaeology and ancient texts tended to have a bit of a lofty, disdainful streak. But now, it seemed there was more to the matter.

Cheng Lang analyzed, "Your uncle is someone who cares about his reputation. He must be terrified that his embezzlement of your family's property will be exposed. For all we know, he may have been badmouthing you in front of his relatives and friends." Saying things like Shen Huaiyu had willingly fallen into depravity and disgraced the family name.

Cheng Lang gave Shen Huaiyu a suggestion. "Go to class today. If you run into Professor Tan, you can mention the house to him."

A house worth less than three million had been resold for 7.8 million. No matter how lofty Professor Tan was, or how prejudiced he might be, he would probably be able to sense that something was wrong. Shen Huaiyu only wanted to plant a seed of suspicion in Professor Tan's mind. Ideally, Professor Tan would spread the news himself.

Professor Tan was a senior professor in their school's Archaeology Department and a renowned local archaeologist. His words carried considerable weight within the field. If he was willing to speak out for justice, it would be far better than Shen Huaiyu and Cheng Lang, two young men, charging in with nothing but their words.

Shen Huaiyu had not thought that far ahead. He blinked and stared blankly at Cheng Lang. "You suspect that my uncle has been speaking badly about me in front of Professor Tan?"

"Money moves people's hearts. Nothing is impossible." Cheng Lang looked at Shen Huaiyu's darkened expression. "Don't think too much about it. Getting the money back is what matters."

Shen Huaiyu nodded. He had sensed it too: Professor Tan, who had once treated him kindly, had been very cold toward him these past few days. Shen Huaiyu had originally thought Professor Tan might have learned about him working at White Jade Capital. That was why Shen Huaiyu had been studying from dawn to dusk, hoping to change Professor Tan's poor impression of him through his grades.

Shen Huaiyu had never considered that Professor Tan's change in attitude might be because of his uncle. He did not dare imagine just how rotten people's hearts could be if that were true.

"By the way, do you know Tea Whisking?" Cheng Lang asked knowingly. He remembered that in the original novel, Shen Huaiyu had used Tea Whisking to distract himself out of boredom after Lu Chengxuan illegally detained him. Lu Chengxuan had accidentally discovered it and even shown it off in front of his business partners.

"I do. But I'm not very good at it," Shen Huaiyu said, not understanding why Cheng Lang had suddenly asked about it.

"The milk tea shop needs a gimmick for its promotion." Cheng Lang patiently explained. He wanted Shen Huaiyu to understand that their main task now was making money. Settling accounts with his uncle was also about getting money back, not taking revenge for what his uncle had done. One could not put the cart before the horse.