Chapter 54: The Debt Collection Uproar

"You're back?"

Seeing Cao Kun carrying take-out containers back inside, Bai Jing, who was watching television, wore a sweet smile on her face like a wife waiting for her husband to return, and hurried over to greet him.

Taking the food from Cao Kun's hands, she teased, "I thought you wouldn't bear to come back tonight."

Cao Kun had left early in the morning and was only returning now, having spent a full day out.

Able to stay out for so long, Bai Jing didn't even need to guess to know that he must have reached some sort of agreement with Wang Shanshan and had been tied up in their arrangement all this time.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed out until now.

Cao Kun laughed heartily without answering, treating it as tacit confirmation.

Smiling, Bai Jing retrieved bowls and plates from the kitchen, transferring the dishes Cao Kun had bought into them and arranging them neatly. "After being a loyal simp for three years, you finally get to taste meat. Not easy, huh? Got anything to say? Want to give a speech on your feelings about tasting meat?"

"Well..." Cao Kun smiled, taking the chopsticks from Bai Jing's hand. "It's just so-so. After all, it still can't compare to my Aunt Bai."

Bai Jing let out a soft giggle, tapped him with her chopsticks, and sat down opposite him.

"By the way, how did your talk with that unfilial wretch go?"

As she asked, Bai Jing picked up a charcoal-grilled fat pork kidney and placed it on Cao Kun's plate.

This was something she had specifically asked Cao Kun to buy, yet she herself never ate it.

Cao Kun pondered for a moment. Having no intention of hiding anything from Bai Jing, he directly laid out the details of their deal.

Upon hearing the terms, Bai Jing's eyes widened and her small mouth formed a round "O".

"320,000?!"

Bai Jing suddenly shrieked in a tone as if she had seen a ghost, "That unfilial wretch took 320,000 from you?! How on earth did she dare?!"

Working hard for twenty years, Bai Jing and Wang Yifu had only managed to save a total of 800,000 in assets.

And Wang Shanshan, merely going to college for four years, actually dared to demand 320,000 from Cao Kun!

Was she going to school or going to enjoy a life of luxury?

She had completely lost all sense of self-awareness now!

Thank goodness she had broken off the mother-daughter relationship; otherwise, Bai Jing wouldn't even have been able to afford the expenses for those four years of college.

"Maybe girls' expenses are just high," Cao Kun laughed.

"Not 320,000 high!" Bai Jing's hands trembled with anger. "Her college tuition is 23,000 a year, and accommodation is 1,500—that's only 24,500 yuan."

"Four years comes out to 98,000 yuan, and she actually took 320,000 from you."

"Does she plan to eat and drink away 220,000 in four years?"

"She's out of her mind! That unfilial wretch is completely out of her mind. She has zero self-awareness left!"

Seeing Bai Jing so furious that she started breathing heavily, Cao Kun hurriedly comforted her, "Alright, alright. Didn't you say you were washing your hands of her? Why are you still getting so worked up?"

"I'm not mad because of her," Bai Jing glared at Cao Kun. "I'm mad at you!"

Cao Kun was stunned.

What the hell?

Why is it still because of me?

With an expression of extreme vexation, Bai Jing said, "Didn't I tell you to be on your guard against her? She's just a... bitch!"

"She only cares about getting money from you; she has zero feelings for you!"

"I made it so crystal clear to you, and yet—how could you still let her walk away with 320,000? How can you be so easy to swindle?!"

Oh...

So that was it!

Cao Kun gave an awkward chuckle. "So, you're upset that I gave her too much?"

"More than just too much, it's way too much!" Bai Jing said. "I thought you'd give her three or four tens of thousands at most, just enough for her tuition and lodging this year. As for living expenses, doesn't the university have work-study programs? Make her earn it herself!"

"As for the next three years, she can take out student loans, pick up part-time jobs, and earn it herself."

"Instead, I never expected you to let her fleece you for 320,000. You... sigh, how can you be so easily deceived? And this is with me helping you! If I hadn't helped you, you'd probably be played to death by that unfilial wretch!"

"Seriously, I'm begging you, just trust me. There really aren't many good women out there—will you please stop letting yourself be tricked by women so easily?!"

Looking at Bai Jing's exasperated and indignant expression, Cao Kun quickly laughed. "It's not that deep. Besides, it's not like I'm giving the money away for free. I bought 256 hours of girlfriend time, after all."

It would have been better if Cao Kun hadn't said that, but the moment he did, Bai Jing grew even angrier.

"Xiao Kun, I honestly don't know what to say to you anymore. Is she really that good in your eyes?"

"You bought 256 hours... you should've capped it at twenty or thirty hours at most! Was there any need to waste that kind of money?"

"Besides, won't you find a girlfriend in college? How is finding a proper girlfriend not a million times better than that cheap bitch?"

"If you spent that money on your own girlfriend, she would love you to pieces. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Realizing he couldn't win an argument with Bai Jing, Cao Kun could only placate her. "Hey... alright, alright, stop getting heated. The money's already given, let's just eat."

"Can't you get a refund?" Bai Jing said, unwilling to let it go. "I'll go over with you. We'll leave her four tens of thousands at most and make her return the remaining 280,000 to you. If that unfilial wretch dares to refuse, I'll slap her across the face! Treating you like a sucker like this is just too bullying. Come on, let's go get your money back!"

With that, Bai Jing stood up and tried to pull Cao Kun along to settle scores with Wang Shanshan.

Seeing this, Cao Kun was utterly helpless.

He hadn't even taken the 320,000 seriously, yet Bai Jing was taking it harder than he was.

Besides, getting a refund was truly out of the question!

It wasn't because of the ironclad clause he had signed with Wang Shanshan that could not be revoked.

Rather, trailing behind Wang Shanshan's line was a much bigger fish.

A giant fish that had killed him three times in his previous life!

In fact, the scar slicing across the bridge of Cao Kun's nose was caused by this very fish.

If he hadn't possessed a stubborn grip on life, he would have been killed by this monster in prison in his past life.

And Wang Shanshan was the key to luring out this big fish; therefore, he had to keep a tight grip on the Wang Shanshan thread.

However, Cao Kun couldn't possibly explain these inner details to Bai Jing.

Thus, seeing Bai Jing gripping his hand and insisting on dragging him off to square accounts with Wang Shanshan and demand a refund, Cao Kun simply wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her straight into the bedroom.

...

Two hours later!

Cao Kun walked out of the bedroom with a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Bai Jing, who had emerged just a step ahead of him, was already reheating the dishes on the stove and walked out of the kitchen wearing her nightgown.

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear with a small finger, Bai Jing said gently, "Wait a moment, it'll be warmed up in three or five minutes. By the way, are you really not going to go get your money back from that unfilial wretch?"

Cao Kun frowned with the cigarette hanging from his mouth. "Why are you bringing that up again? Are we never going to hear the end of it?"

Bai Jing burst into a giggle, hastily pressing her lips together. "I won't bring it up anymore, I won't! Honestly, I was just feeling bad about your money being wasted. Do you have to look so fierce and scary?"