After listening to this, Xu Yin had a somewhat subtle expression and maintained an eerie silence.
On the other end of the phone, the woman didn’t hear a response, and it seemed like she was a bit stunned. Then, she shouted, “A-Yin? Xu Yin??”
“…I’m here.”
Xu Yin just felt a bit amazed.
In his previous life, he rarely spoke to his parents from a young age… Of course, he wanted to, but his parents didn’t have the time to pay attention to him.
Later, his parents divorced, and he started living in the school during junior high. From then on, he hardly received any calls from his parents.
At this moment, hearing Xu’s mother’s almost… obsequious1TL: Attentive or Obedient tone on the phone, Xu Yin felt quite amazed, and his thoughts drifted for a moment.
He said in a casual tone, “May I ask what’s the matter?”
Upon hearing this, Xu’s mother became enthusiastic.
“Hey, can’t a mother call her son if there’s nothing wrong? Your mother will always worry about you living alone outside!”
In fact, the Xu family was in the neighboring City B, just a little over an hour away by high-speed train.
Xu’s mother first brought up a bunch of things, like how well he’s been sleeping, how she saw him in a recent movie before and didn’t want to disturb him. “Are you tired? Oh, by the way, a while ago, you were trending on social media, mother saw it. Luckily, the matter was resolved quickly, and those who spread rumors should be caught, right?”
After that, she finally got to the point, slowed down her speech, and became more flattering, “A-Yin, you see, your younger brother has been gambling again… We scolded him, really scolded him! But he doesn’t listen. You see, this money needs to be repaid, so…”
She acted as if he would understand.
Xu Yin tilted his head, “Huh?”
Huh?
Xu’s mother was a bit confused.
She quickly said, “We can’t come up with this money, A-Yin. You should transfer some quickly! One million, one million is enough!”
Xu’s mother knew that even if Xu Yin had acted in movies before, the pay he received was pitiful. But she thought, ‘A-Yin recently trended, and that means he’s famous! Celebrities make more money now, right? So, even though my younger son owes only ten thousand yuan, since Xu Yin has money, why not ask for more? Besides, it’s been three months since the last time I begged for money, so why not ask for a bit more!’
Xu’s mother had quite the plan. She knew very well that her eldest son, Xu Yin, wasn’t pleased with their constant begging for money over the years. But what’s the use of being unhappy? He was still her son, and after urging for many times, he’d always obediently submit and pay up.
Unwilling?
It doesn’t matter as long as the money comes through!
Xu’s mother was very happy that her son had turned out to be quite profitable since he started acting in movies. They were finally living the good life!
Today, she made this call with full confidence.
Asking for a million, Xu Yin would probably be very reluctant, but she knew her son. If he resisted, she’d just need to be more assertive.
But just as she was forming this thought, she heard her usually timid elder son say on the other end of the line, “Ah, I don’t want to.”
Xu’s mother: “???”
She stammered, “W-What did you say?”
“I said,” Xu Yin’s voice was gentle, “I don’t have that much money, and I don’t want to give it either.”
Xu’s mother: “????”
On the other end of the phone, Xu’s mother moved the phone away and looked at the call display – it was “Xu Yin”.
Beside her, her husband and younger son waited anxiously, and they urged, “What’s happening? Did he agree?”
Xu’s mother raised her eyebrows, slapped the phone back to her ear, and said angrily, “You don’t want to? Didn’t you hear what I said? Your brother owes ten– No, the debt collectors are at the door, and if he doesn’t pay the money back, they might kill him! Do you want your brother to die?”
Her words hung in the air, and then, unbelievably, a light chuckle came from the other end of the phone.
Xu’s mother couldn’t believe it, “You’re laughing? Your brother’s life is in danger and you’re still laughing!?”
“Owes ten thousand?”
Xu’s mother was at a loss for words. She had accidentally spilled the beans, and she didn’t expect her son to catch it.
“With ten thousand, isn’t that car you bought almost enough?” Xu Yin’s tone remained calm, with a hint of amusement, “Is there anything else? If not, I still have something to attend to. Can I hang up?”
“Wait a minute! You’re telling us to sell the car?! How can we sell the car? You’re not short on money, why would you make us sell our property?!” Xu’s mother declared with righteous indignation.
“Well… Isn’t that car my money? Using my money to cover Xu Guang’s debt, isn’t that your purpose for calling me?” Xu Yin spoke slowly.
Xu’s mother was taken aback, stuttering, “D-Don’t argue with me! You’re my son, and when your mother asks for money, you should give it! Don’t bring up irrelevant things with me!”
“I’ve already told you, I don’t want to.” Xu Yin said gently, “Get some rest, I’m hanging up.”
“Wait a minute.”
But this time, the call was completely disconnected.
Xu’s mother stared at her phone, unable to believe that her elder son had just said those things!
“What’s going on?” Her younger son, Xu Guang, rudely pulled her, saying, “Is he refusing to give?”
“He’s gone mad!” Xu’s mother stood up and shouted, “He’s gone mad! He actually dared to hang up on me!”
“Such a temper?” Xu’s father was surprised. “He’s a big celebrity now, he’s getting a bit arrogant!”
Xu’s mother’s chest heaved with anger.
She paced back and forth in the living room, and Xu Guang, with a sinister tone, said, “Let’s find a reason to trick him back first! We’re already here, does he really think he can have the final say?”
Xu’s mother thought about it, and if they could trick him back home, they could have things their way.
With that in mind, she picked up the phone and called again…
No one answered.
She urgently sent a message on WeChat: [A-Yin, your mom was in a rush earlier. Don’t take it to heart. Do you have some free time in the next few days to come home? Mom will make chicken soup for you!]
On the other end, Xu Yin saw the message.
“Do you need my help?” Wen Congyan, who had been watching the entire phone call, furrowed his brows.
“No need,” Xu Yin looked up and smiled at him, “You don’t have to worry. They can’t do anything to me.”
Xu Yin had only answered the call out of curiosity, and the outcome was exactly as he expected. As for the consequences of hanging up the phone, he wasn’t the least bit afraid.
In the current state of affairs, at least in this world, it’s no longer as simple as certain celebrities’ family members making false appeals and accusations in the news or online to deceive the entire populace.
Of course… from the recent trending topic he was part of, it’s clear that some netizens are still easily swayed. However, incidents involving extreme celebrity family members have occurred more than once or twice. Therefore, at least in this matter, today’s netizens are not so easily convinced.
Not to mention that Xu Yin himself has been careful to retain evidence. Even if his family were to create a fuss, he isn’t worried.
So, he doesn’t want Wen Congyan to get involved in this matter.
Whether it’s to keep his family away from him or to settle the debt collectors for his brother, there’s no need.
Maintaining distance is something Xu Yin can handle himself. As for the latter…
Xu Yin feels that some people should face the consequences of their actions.
Blindly aiding them won’t make them realize their mistakes. It will only make them feel more reliant and emboldened.
Xu’s mother’s claim that they beat Xu Guang every time he gambled is a lie. She irrationally dotes on this “character” that closely resembles her and her husband’s behavior. No matter what trouble Xu Guang gets into, they can’t bring themselves to scold him.
Furthermore, they think the original host didn’t know that they were still gambling themselves. Sometimes, they would combine their own gambling debts with Xu Guang’s and create a false image of Xu Guang being disobedient.
They do have some money; Xu’s parents occasionally take on work. However, the money they earn is just enough to cover their family’s living expenses, not enough for indulgences. So, the original host became their tool to “improve their quality of life.”
They may not dare to engage in high-stakes gambling now, but every time they owe twenty thousand, they can ask the original host for fifty thousand. What will they do with the remaining money? Continue gambling or save it up? If they inadvertently save enough, couldn’t they buy a car with it?
What if they run out of money again? Selling the car is out of the question. With the original host as their personal ATM, they can just keep asking for more!
Life becomes comfortable.
Could the original host not see this?
He could see it, but he couldn’t learn to refuse when confronted by the overbearing Xu’s mother.
Xu Yin, on the other hand, can.
To be blunt, he feels no emotional connection to Xu’s mother.
At this moment, when he saw Xu’s mother’s WeChat message…
Xu Yin smiled.
It was clearly a trap, so why should he fall for it?
Xu Yin had no interest in those melodramatic scenarios where people knowingly put themselves in danger and end up hurting themselves.
So, on the other end, the anxious Xu family received an equally succinct three-word response.
Xu Yin: [Not interested, I guess.]
They: “???”
Damn it, he’s not taking the bait!
Xu’s mother threw her phone down. Xu Yin was not falling for this at all!
“This kid has gone mad!” She was so angry that she was trembling, and she paced back and forth a few more times. Then, she took a brisk step to pick up the phone and called someone named “Liu He”.
Xu’s mother only knew that Liu He had always been Xu Yin’s manager. She had tried to contact Liu He several times to find out Xu Yin’s whereabouts.
It took quite a while for the phone to ring, and the voice on the other end was hoarse, “Hello?”
“Hey, Manager Liu, it’s me, Xu Yin’s mother!” Xu’s mother said softly.
“…Why are you calling me?” Liu He sounded frustrated. “I’m no longer Xu Yin’s manager. I got fired. Qin Yue is Xu Yin’s manager now.”
Xu’s mother had no idea who Qin Yue was!
When she heard Liu He say this, she was dumbfounded. If Liu He was no longer Xu Yin’s manager, did this mean she had no other way to find out about Xu Yin’s situation?
“Well, I, um…” She stammered in her desperation.
Liu He couldn’t be unaware of what Xu’s mother was trying to do. She was probably hitting a wall with Xu Yin again.
It had been like this before. If Xu’s mother couldn’t get money from Xu Yin, she would call Liu He to persuade him or find out about Xu Yin’s whereabouts. Under pressure, Xu Yin usually ended up giving the money.
Liu He had been fired by Wen Yan for quite some time, and he didn’t want to deal with Xu’s family’s affairs.
However, he had a sudden change of heart and casually reminded her, “I advise you not to stir up trouble. Did you see what was trending a few days ago? Do you know who Wen Congyan is?”
“Ah? Is he a big boss?” Xu’s mother absentmindedly replied. She had been playing mahjong all night until the early morning, and her head was spinning. She hadn’t paid much attention to the news. As for her husband and son, they were even more clueless, off somewhere doing who knows what. The three of them weren’t very well-informed about Xu Yin’s situation. They only knew he became famous after saving someone.
They didn’t have many friends or neighbors who knew that Xu Yin was their son. They kept it a secret, fearing that others would find out and come asking for money!
“Big boss,” Liu He sneered. “Do you think he’s a nouveau riche? Check the Forbes list and see where that internet celebrity, Ye Rongrong, is ranked. Then take a look at where the Wen family is on that list and what kind of status Wen Congyan has within the Wen family. The relationship between him and Xu Yin probably isn’t simple. You guys should avoid provoking him. Otherwise, you’ll have to suffer!”
Liu He didn’t know what others thought about Wen Congyan’s role in the recent trending topic. Nevertheless, he could sense that there was something more to the relationship between Xu Yin and Wen Congyan. Even though the idea of Wen Congyan being interested in men might sound unbelievable, after spending so much time in the entertainment industry, Liu He had seen his fair share of unimaginable things.
“This…” Xu’s mother was shocked.
She remembered that there was indeed someone named Wen Congyan involved in the incident that day, but she had no idea of his significant background.
Moreover, Liu He mentioned that the relationship between that person and Xu Yin was not simple…
Could it be that Xu Yin had connected with such a powerful figure? If that were the case, his future prospects were surely bright!
With this realization, Xu’s mother felt like ants were crawling all over her heart.
Now that Xu Yin was taking a firm stance against them, they were in trouble.
On one hand, Liu He was advising them not to provoke further. On the other hand, if they did, Xu Yin could rise to wealth and status in the future, and their family would never be able to catch up.
Xu’s mother was immediately overwhelmed with frustration.
“Is it really impossible? After all, I’m his mother,” Xu’s mother muttered hesitantly, “If I make the news…”
“Oh, you’re still trying that move?” Liu He was on the verge of laughter. “Give it up. Internet users are getting tired of that trick! I’ll say it again, whether or not Xu Yin has recorded a conversation himself, if you make a big deal out of this, and if the Wen family decides to help him, you’ll absolutely regret today’s idea! Of course, if you still don’t believe me, consider my words today unsaid.”
Liu He’s words successfully frightened Xu’s mother.
After hanging up the phone, she nervously relayed Liu He’s words to her husband and younger son.
Xu’s father was full of doubt. “Is this Wen Congyan really that powerful?”
Xu Guang immediately went online to search for Wen Congyan’s name. After finding out the details, he clenched his teeth.
Xu Yin actually knew someone like that… and they had a close relationship…
Jealousy coursed through him.
“Well, I guess so,” Xu’s mother glanced at Xu Guang’s phone screen and patted her chest. “Oh, maybe we should forget about it. We can’t afford to mess with such a big shot!”
“You’re just going to believe that?” Xu Guang said with a sour tone. “Maybe their friendship isn’t that strong. I doubt a big shot like that has the time to meddle in other people’s family affairs!”
That’s what he said.
But whether it was Xu’s mother or Xu’s father, they were submissive outside but domineering at home.
They would shout and scream at Xu Yin, but when facing a real big shot, they wouldn’t dare to utter a word.
After a lot of consideration, the couple reluctantly decided not to annoy Xu Yin any further. If they allowed Xu Yin to seek help from Wen Congyan, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
They could afford to repay the ten thousand yuan, but once they went from luxury to frugality, how would they get by in the future if they couldn’t ask Xu Yin for money anymore?
They had to find a new source of income.
After thinking it over, Xu’s mother bit her lip and said to Xu Guang, “You know that girl, Xiaoyang, right? Make sure her family is wealthy.”
“Oh, yeah, she wears designer clothes and accessories every day,” when he talked about this, Xu Guang also showed some interest. “I just don’t know what her family does.”
“They’re definitely in business,” Xu’s mother whispered. “Don’t think too much about it. As long as you’re sure her family has money. Since she’s interested in you, just take the opportunity to win her over. Once you make it official, you don’t have to worry about her running away.”
Xu Guang’s eyes sparkled.
He nodded.
However, as he looked at the news about Wen Congyan and Xu Yin on his phone, a hint of jealousy still lingered in his eyes.
At that moment, Xiaoyang suddenly sent him a WeChat message: “I want to visit City C for a day on the weekend. Will you accompany me?”
In the end, she added an emoticon with a cute kitten peeking out from behind a wall.
Xu Guang wasn’t fooled by this, he scoffed but couldn’t help glancing at the words “City C”.
He replied, “Sure.”
