Chapter 19: Compensation, One Thousand Yuan

"Lin, please, calm down," Director Wang urged hurriedly.

Although Lin Shaowen’s words were highly inappropriate, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. After all, he was the victim; could she really expect him to smile and bear it?

Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu were dumbfounded. They had clearly watched Qin Huairu enter Lin Shaowen’s room and had even had Yan Bugui and the others keep watch all night. How could a living, breathing person just vanish?

"Are you people just messing around?" The neighborhood security team cursed a few times and turned to leave.

The Rolling Mill’s security department also glared at Yi Zhonghai and his cohorts with hostile eyes. They had expected to catch someone in the act of adultery, only to find it was nothing but a farce.

"When you get back to the plant, you'll be in for a real treat," the security guards threatened before leaving as well.

Director Wang frowned as she looked at Jia Dongxu and the others, sighing, "Jia Dongxu, even though you and Qin Huairu are divorced, that’s a matter between the two of you. Why drag Lin into this?"

"Director Wang, I..." Jia Dongxu's face turned beet red, but he couldn't get a word out.

"Director Wang, I want to press charges. I want them to face legal consequences," Lin Shaowen said, pointing at Yi Zhonghai and the others.

"Lin, I support you." Director Wang agreed immediately. Since Lin had been falsely accused by this group, he had every right to report them. The neighborhood office would also hold a meeting to address this, and none of them would escape the consequences then. After shooting a glare at Yi Zhonghai, she left.

"Lin Shaowen, I know you’ve hidden Qin Huairu. Name your terms... let’s settle this," Yi Zhonghai said, taking a deep breath.

"I haven't seen Qin Huairu," Lin Shaowen rolled his eyes. "Settling this is simple... one thousand yuan."

"What?" Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

"You thought I didn't know you reported me to the Rolling Mill, didn't you?" Lin Shaowen said dismissively. "Without one thousand yuan, you can all go ahead and prepare to become vagrants."

Yi Zhonghai and the others were silenced. If this matter were to escalate, being fired from their jobs would be a certainty. Furthermore, seeing Director Wang’s stance, if Lin really did press charges, they would be in serious trouble.

"One thousand yuan, and you get Jia Zhangshi released," Yi Zhonghai proposed his own condition.

"That’s a separate price," Lin Shaowen said languidly.

"How much do you want?" Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth.

"Five hundred." Lin Shaowen held up his right hand.

"Five hundred? Why don't you just go rob someone?" Jia Dongxu flew into a rage, but Lin Shaowen slapped him, immediately bringing him back to his senses.

"You green-hatted cuckold, I’m not asking for your opinion."

"Green-hatted cuckold?" Shazhu muttered, but upon seeing the murderous look in Jia Dongxu’s eyes, he immediately looked away.

"Fifteen hundred... get it to me by noon, or the offer is off." Lin Shaowen dropped this statement and turned to leave to buy breakfast.

Lei Dali happened to arrive in the courtyard and chased Yi Zhonghai and the others away like stray dogs, having learned that his employer had been falsely accused.

In the middle courtyard, the group huddled together, sighing. They hadn't gained any advantage and now had to cough up a huge sum of money.

"Hey, where do you think Sister Qin went?" Shazhu asked curiously.

"You’re worried about that now? Is your head filled with paste?" Jia Dongxu yelled angrily. He was the most miserable of them all; his mother was locked up at the mill, his wife was missing... and he was, dammit, divorced. What was the point of any of this?

"Look... I’ll put up one thousand; the remaining five hundred, you two, Old Yan and Old Liu, can split," Yi Zhonghai suggested.

"Why should we?" Yan Bugui immediately refused. "This was entirely your idea; I didn't do anything."

"Exactly, Old Yi, you were the one leading this," Liu Haizhong added, equally dissatisfied.

"Do you dare say you weren't eyeing Lin Shaowen’s house? Or his furniture?" Yi Zhonghai narrowed his eyes.

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong exchanged glances and fell silent.

"Fine, if you’re not willing to pay, I’ll go tell Lin Shaowen to go ahead and sue us." Yi Zhonghai made a move to leave, but the two of them grabbed him.

"We'll pay, we'll pay, alright?" Both of them had families to feed; if they lost their jobs, their households would truly be finished. Especially Yan Bugui, who was supporting a family of six on a meager salary of thirty-odd yuan.

At noon, Lin Shaowen was dozing off on his newly made rocking chair when Yi Zhonghai and his group arrived.

"Here is fifteen hundred. Count it," Yi Zhonghai said, his eyes bloodshot. Shazhu and Jia Dongxu—one was his choice for old-age support, the other was his "thug." He had to pay this money, but it truly pained him. Nearly a year's wages were gone.

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong felt as disgusted as if they had swallowed a fly; they hadn't caught the fox and had instead ended up reeking of trouble. Who wouldn't find that unlucky?

"Say, everyone, would you like to take a look at my furniture? Why don't you look a few more times and then think of another way to frame me?" Lin Shaowen said with a smile. "I’m still missing a television at home; why don't you all pool some money for that too?"

Jia Dongxu and Shazhu clenched their fists but dared not move. Aside from the fact that they couldn't beat Lin Shaowen, Lei Dali and his apprentices were standing to the side, tools in hand, eyeing them like predators. One wrong move and they’d likely have their skulls cracked.

"Enough nonsense. Where is the letter of release?" Yi Zhonghai’s face was ashen.

"Here." Lin Shaowen grabbed a crumpled ball of paper and tossed it at his face.

"You..." Yi Zhonghai felt deeply humiliated, trembling with rage.

"You can choose not to take it," Lin Shaowen shrugged.

"Let’s go." Yi Zhonghai signaled for Shazhu to pick up the paper.

"Wait..." Jia Dongxu looked at Lin Shaowen, his voice cold. "Lin Shaowen, where is Qin Huairu?"

*Smack!*

Jia Dongxu was knocked to the ground by a single slap.

"Lin Shaowen, why are you hitting people again?" Yi Zhonghai was livid.

Shazhu took a step forward with a hostile gaze, but Lei Dali and the others immediately surrounded him with hammers and clubs.

"What are you trying to do?" Yi Zhonghai barked.

"If you touch my boss, I’ll smash you to pieces today," Lei Dali threatened.

Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui were trembling with fear; they had never seen such a scene before.

"Jia Dongxu, I’ll say it one more time: I haven't seen Qin Huairu. If you dare to harass me again and ruin my reputation, I will beat you every single time I see you. Now get out."

Lin Shaowen roared, and the group fled in a panic.

He had sent Qin Huairu away that morning. The fishing ring could store living things, but while inside the small space, a living being would remain in a state of suspended animation, never realizing the secret of the ring. Although Qin Huairu didn't know how she had gotten out, the shock of her divorce from Jia Dongxu left her no time to ponder. She took the hundred yuan Lin Shaowen had given her and returned to her parents' home; she had to tell her family about the divorce.