One million three hundred thousand had turned into two million in an instant. Ma Lan was immediately beside herself with joy, though she could hardly believe it.
She turned to Zhou Huaxin, her face full of delighted surprise. "Is this two million really for me?"
Zhou Huaxin hurriedly nodded. "Of course. It's all yours!"
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Ma Lan was immediately thrilled.
The other elderly men and women saw that Ma Lan had received two million, seven hundred thousand more than her principal, and went wild with excitement. Since her money had been returned, theirs should be returned with interest too, right?
A few of them took the lead and asked, "Manager Zhou, what about our money?"
Manager Zhou hurriedly looked at Master Hong Wu.
Master Hong Wu was reluctant to cough up the money he had already swallowed, but this time he had angered the young master of the Ye Family. He might even lose his life if things went badly, so he could no longer afford to worry about the money. "Return it!" he blurted out. "Return it all! For Mr. Ye's sake, return everyone's money with interest!"
The crowd immediately erupted in excited cheers.
But then Ye Chen suddenly said coldly, "Master Hong Wu, these people have nothing to do with me. What do you mean, you're doing this for my sake? Are you trying to morally blackmail me?"
Master Hong Wu jumped in fright and blurted out, "Mr. Ye, what do you mean? I'm a fool. I don't understand..."
Ye Chen said, "Their money has nothing to do with me. Return it if you want, and don't if you don't. But if you dare say you're returning it for my sake, don't blame me for turning against you right now!"
These old men and women had been mocking him alongside Ma Lan just moments ago. Why should he help them collect their debts now?
On the contrary, not only would he refuse to help them collect their debts, he would also make sure Master Hong Wu understood that returning their money would offend him instead!
Master Hong Wu understood at once and blurted out, "Don't worry, Mr. Ye. I understand!"
With that, he said to Zhou Huaxin, "Only return the money belonging to Mr. Ye's mother-in-law. Don't return a cent to anyone else!"
"What?!" The old men and women who had been ecstatic moments ago all went mad. Some even burst into tears and wailed.
Others loudly begged Ye Chen to show mercy, but he turned a deaf ear.
How had that bunch of shameless old fools mocked and insulted him just now?
Now that they saw he could keep Master Hong Wu in check, they wanted his help?
Fuck them!
Seeing the old men and women erupt in an uproar, Master Hong Wu suddenly roared, "All of you, shut the fuck up! If anyone says another fucking word and disturbs Mr. Ye, I'll fucking kill them!"
The old men and women immediately fell silent...
Master Hong Wu looked over at Wang Yunkai, who stood frozen to one side, and blurted out, "Mr. Ye, is this young master Wang a friend of yours?"
Ye Chen glanced at Wang Yunkai, who hurriedly begged, "Ye Chen, Ye Chen! Save me, Ye Chen! Quick, tell Master Wu we're good friends! I'm begging you!"
Ye Chen snorted coldly and said to Master Hong Wu, "I don't know him. Keep your promise and let him go once you've finished beating him."
Master Hong Wu understood at once and ordered his men, "Fuck, keep hitting him! This little son of a bitch pisses me off just looking at him!"
Terrified, Wang Yunkai wailed, "Ye Chen! I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai! I'm begging you to save me, please..."
Ye Chen looked at him and said coldly, "You and I aren't related, and we had no quarrel or grudge, yet you mocked me again and again. Now you're begging me to save you? Wake up and stop dreaming!"
Wang Yunkai broke down in tears. "Ye Chen, I really know I was wrong. Please save me..."
Seeing Ye Chen's displeased expression, Master Hong Wu immediately shouted at his men, "Fuck, you useless idiots, why haven't you started yet? Are you looking to die?"
Several of his men jumped in fright and hurriedly grabbed Wang Yunkai by the neck and hair, then slapped him hard again and again.
Soon, Wang Yunkai's mouth was full of blood and several of his teeth had been broken, but they still showed no sign of stopping. Every slap was delivered with tremendous force!
Master Hong Wu put on an ingratiating smile and asked Ye Chen, "Mr. Ye, are you satisfied with how this is being handled?"
Ye Chen nodded. "All right, that's enough. I have to go."
Master Hong Wu hurriedly handed Ye Chen his business card with both hands and said deferentially, "Mr. Ye, this is my contact information. If you need anything in the future, just give me an order. I'll come whenever you call."
Ye Chen grunted in acknowledgment and casually tucked the card into his pocket.
Then he said to his mother-in-law, Ma Lan, "Mom, it's getting late. Let's go home!"
Although Ma Lan had been slapped a few times, she had made seven hundred thousand in the end, so she was grinning from ear to ear. She looked at Ye Chen with pride all over her face, feeling that her son-in-law had really brought her honor!
Ye Chen picked up the money and prepared to leave with Ma Lan, but the elderly men and women crowded around him, saying eagerly, "Oh, Ye Chen, I misjudged you earlier. I never imagined you were so capable. You're young and accomplished!"
"That's right, Ye Chen. You're so handsome, a dragon among men at first glance. My son-in-law can't hold a candle to you."
"Could you speak to Mr. Zhou for us and get our money back too? That's our hard-earned money!"
Ye Chen frowned deeply and said coldly, "Why should I help you? Don't you all look down your noses at everyone? If you can't get your money back, ask your own sons-in-law for help!"
With that, he strode away.
Hearing this, everyone was filled with regret.
It was all their own fault. Why had they picked on Ye Chen for no reason? Now their chance to recover their hard-earned money had gone up in smoke...
At the thought, some were so angry they slapped themselves twice on the spot. Others collapsed onto the floor, dazed and wailing for their parents. This was their coffin money! Without it, they were finished!
But there was nothing they could do. If they had anyone to blame, it was themselves for running their mouths, and for not having a good son-in-law like Ye Chen.
On the way home, Ma Lan smiled ingratiatingly and asked Ye Chen, "Ye Chen, how do you know Master Hong Wu? Why was he so polite to you?"
Ye Chen laughed it off. "How could I know someone like him? I just called a classmate who has the ability to make Huaxin return the money."
Hearing this, Ma Lan was immediately disappointed.
She had thought Ye Chen possessed some great ability she hadn't known about, but it turned out he had still asked someone else for help.
As a result, much of her enthusiasm was extinguished in an instant.
Fortunately, she had gotten her money back and made an extra seven hundred thousand, so her opinion of Ye Chen had improved somewhat.
She said to him, "Ye Chen, you have to keep what happened today a secret for me. Don't tell anyone. I may be old, but I still have to save face, don't I?"
Ye Chen gave a helpless smile and had no choice but to agree. "I understand, Mom."