Volume One: High School Days Chapter 085: A Visit

Before leaving, Yagyu instructed Ren Xiadong to transfer another half a million to the man in the mask and told him to treat his woman well. After all, this daughter was willing to borrow from loan sharks for his sake. He also advised the masked man’s girlfriend to cherish him, since he would do anything for her. Once the masked man left, Yagyu took Ren Xiadong to meet Tang Xin.

Given Yagyu’s current capabilities, a single phone call could shut down that student loan company, but he wanted to play along first, curious to see exactly how they exploited students.

“Drive slowly, don’t let me lose you!” Yagyu joked with Ren Xiadong, and each got into their own car and left.

This was Yagyu’s plan: let Tang Xin infiltrate the company as a university student, gather detailed information, then let them believe Tang Xin was a big client. Just when they were elated, Yagyu would suddenly announce their closure—showing them what it meant to fall from paradise to hell.

“Damn, doesn’t this feel just like a honey trap?” Ren Xiadong said after taking a sip of wine.

Yagyu invited Tang Xin to his home, and at the dining table on the first floor, explained his plan to Tang Xin and Ren Xiadong.

“Whether it’s a honey trap or not, you mean you want me to use my looks, right? Let me be clear, I absolutely won’t send them that kind of video!” Tang Xin protested.

Yagyu, full of mischief, wouldn’t let them back out and assured Tang Xin, “Don’t worry, you don’t have to send anything—just get to know their business model. Besides, Ren Xiadong and I will be with you the entire time.”

Tang Xin, seeing Yagyu’s playful mood, replied coquettishly, “Alright, but only this once. After all, I’m a girl—you two better protect me.”

Yagyu and Ren Xiadong simultaneously clutched their chests, faces pained, and cried out, “Can you not do that? Our hearts can’t take it.”

“What’s wrong?! You two having heart attacks?” Tang Xin retorted in a tough tone.

Yagyu immediately protested, “Why did your tone change so suddenly? Why pull me back to reality?”

Tang Xin, amused by Yagyu’s quick change of expression, couldn’t help but say, “You switch faces faster than a dog!”

“I’ll have you know, no one’s ever said that to me! Today… Never mind, I’ll forgive you, since you’re helping me.”

With that, Yagyu quickly finished his meal and had Tang Xin add the company staff’s contact via chat app. Earlier that morning, Yagyu had gotten the masked man’s contact.

The conversation went as follows—with Ren Xiadong using Tang Xin’s phone to chat.

“Hello, is this the student loan company?”

“Yes, do you need financial assistance?”

“Yes, I do. At the start of this semester, I lost my tuition fee. I’m afraid to tell my family, and I still owe the school. My advisor said if I don’t pay, she’ll notify my parents.”

“Oh, don’t worry. We’re here to serve students. How much do you need? For how long?”

“One hundred thousand.”

Watching Ren Xiadong chat, Yagyu exclaimed, “Damn! Even overseas tuition isn’t that expensive for one semester!”

Ren Xiadong stayed silent as another message arrived.

“One hundred thousand? Which school are you at? That’s expensive!”

“Yes, but I need one hundred thousand.”

“Well… it’s not impossible. Send a photo of yourself first so we can see how much we can lend you.”

Ren Xiadong hurried to find a photo on Tang Xin’s phone, but Yagyu stopped her. “Act like a real girl—no girl would send it so readily. Chat a bit longer before sending!”

Ren Xiadong replied, “Why do you need a photo?”

“We determine the loan limit based on looks.”

“So the prettier you are, the more you get?”

“Not exactly—looks determine the limit, figure determines if you can get the money.”

“Figure? What do you mean?”

Yagyu and Ren Xiadong exchanged wicked smiles. The company really believed they were talking to a student.

Then another message came: “We need collateral before lending. You record a video for us—it determines how much you can borrow.”

Ren Xiadong was thinking how to reply when another message arrived: “Send a candid photo first, so I can estimate your limit.”

Yagyu grabbed the phone and handed it to Tang Xin. “Send a photo—you don’t have to open your album.”

Tang Xin picked a rather sexy photo and sent it. She handed the phone back to Ren Xiadong. Seeing the photo Tang Xin sent, Yagyu and Ren Xiadong both swallowed hard and glanced at Tang Xin’s chest. Ren Xiadong asked Yagyu, “Is it really that big in person?”

Yagyu recalled when they first met, Tang Xin deliberately pulled down her neckline for him to see her cleavage. “I remember it is.”

Tang Xin’s phone vibrated repeatedly. Yagyu and Ren Xiadong quickly looked—a barrage of lascivious emojis from the other side.

“So sexy, so beautiful. You can definitely borrow a lot from us. Follow my instructions, and I’ll transfer money tonight.”

“Alright, what are your instructions?”

“First, take off all your clothes—completely. Hold your ID and record yourself head to toe, preferably two minutes long. Send it to me, and I’ll transfer money tonight.”

“Huh? But… I’m worried… my video might leak.”

“Don’t worry, we guarantee confidentiality. You’re so gorgeous—you can borrow a lot. Opportunities don’t wait.”

“I’m still worried. Is it safe? How can I trust you?”

“We’re a company. If you don’t feel safe, you can come to our office, and I’ll explain everything myself. Honestly, I’m doing this because you’re pretty—if it were someone else, I wouldn’t bother.”

Yagyu seized the phone again. “Got them.”

He replied, “Alright, send me the address. I’ll come over. Also, I’m scared but I need the money. Can I bring two classmates with me?”

“Sure. Your classmates must be beauties too—they can learn about it. Maybe they’ll need us in the future.”

Once the location was sent, Yagyu put on his coat and took the two along in his own car, rather than Ren Xiadong’s, which only seated two.

On the way, Yagyu glanced at Tang Xin in the rearview mirror. “Aren’t you surprised where we live?” In this city, such villa districts were regarded as luxury neighborhoods for the truly wealthy.

Eyes closed in the back seat, Tang Xin replied, “From the moment I met you, you’ve constantly surprised me—so much so that nothing shocks me anymore. That day in the luxurious private room, surrounded by prominent figures, you made them bow to you. Even if you told me your identities, I doubt I’d understand.”

Yagyu, seeing Tang Xin’s closed eyes in the mirror, said nothing more and focused on driving.

Yagyu circled the company building twice without finding the entrance. “I’ve heard locals here always need GPS to go out, but even with GPS I can’t find it today!”

The city was surrounded by mountains, with complex terrain and even more complicated roads.

After another circle, Yagyu finally found the entrance to the underground garage. Parking the car, the three took the elevator up to the seventeenth floor of the office building. After exiting, Tang Xin messaged, “We’ve arrived.”

Inside, the layout was more like an apartment, with many doors—each a different company doing all sorts of business.

Soon, one door opened. A man in a suit, about twenty-five or twenty-six, walked out smiling. At first glance, his attire gave the impression of an insurance salesman.

He smiled until he saw the two men with Tang Xin, and his smile vanished. As he approached, he said, “I thought you were bringing two female classmates. Hello, I’m Zhao—just call me Manager Zhao.”

“Hello, Manager Zhao. We came to learn about your company. If it works for us, we’ll borrow as well,” Yagyu replied with a smile.

Manager Zhao led them inside. “We only serve female students. We don’t provide for male students.”

Yagyu understood—before returning here, he had worked at a bank. Though unfamiliar with campus loans, he’d heard about them.

“I explained everything on the phone. Now you’re here, you should feel reassured. Just record the video as I said, leave your student ID with me, and I can lend you fifty thousand. But if you can’t repay, we’ll take certain measures.” Manager Zhao, with two men present, acted tough. If Yagyu and Ren Xiadong weren’t there, he might have tried to manipulate Tang Xin into dinner or something else.

Yagyu looked around the so-called company—barely the size of a bedroom, with a table, a few chairs, a computer, and two single sofas. Two people sat on the sofas, presumably the bosses.

Yagyu asked, “If we borrow fifty thousand, how much do we need to repay in the end?”

Manager Zhao bluntly replied, “The fee is five percent per week—so in seven days, that’s 2,500 in fees.”

“So in a month, the fees alone are ten thousand. If payment isn’t made, what measures do you take?” Yagyu pressed.

Manager Zhao, sipping tea, pointed at Tang Xin. “With her looks and our arrangements, she could repay everything in two months. It’s not so much measures as us helping her find ways to repay.”

“So you really go to great lengths, don’t you? Truly painstaking efforts!” Yagyu’s words were laced with irony—on the surface, praise, but the real meaning was to point out their exploitation of students.

Manager Zhao, not catching the sarcasm, thought he was being praised. “It’s all for poor students. A little extra work is nothing.”

Yagyu asked again, “Hard to believe such a small company has so much money for students. Is there a bigger company backing you?”

One of the bosses replied, “You’re pretty sharp. Our supporting company is Ruiyun Technology, one of the city’s top ten companies. Our financial resources are strong.”

Hearing Ruiyun Technology, Yagyu sent a text to Zhou Jin: “Send me Ruiyun Tech’s boss’s number.” Soon, Zhou Jin replied: “President Wu, 130xxxxxxxx.”

Yagyu lit a cigarette and said, “How many students’ futures have been ruined by your hands?”

“Watch your words! We’re helping people!” Manager Zhao replied angrily.

Yagyu slammed the table, pointed at Manager Zhao, and shouted, “You’re leading students astray! You’re ruining their lives!”