Superstar Assistant [GL] - Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Li Muqiang walked toward Zhao Zhonggang with an expressionless face. “So, your plan is to have your daughter pay off your debts for you?”

Zhao Zhonggang nodded frantically. “Yes! Just a few months ago, her salary was only a few thousand yuan, but now she’s making forty or fifty thousand a month! Plus, she hasn’t even received the bride price from her marriage yet. She’s pregnant now, so her in-laws will definitely give her money for the birth. It won’t take long—I can definitely pay back everything I owe you!”

Li Muqiang smiled. “And I suppose you could also demand that her partner hold a wedding for her so you can use the gift money to settle the account too, right?”

Zhao Zhonggang’s eyes lit up. “Exactly! Boss Li, you’re absolutely right! Rest assured, I will definitely be able to pay it back!”

Li Muqiang stood up and turned to look at Zhou Tiantian, speaking with a meaningful tone. “My old classmate, your stepfather wants to host a wedding for you. How big of a red envelope do you think is appropriate for me to give you?”

The words “old classmate” made Zhao Zhonggang freeze on the spot. His eyes, which had been full of hope, were slowly overtaken by despair.

Zhou Tiantian looked at Zhao Zhonggang coldly. “My mother is divorcing him. Whether I have a wedding or not has nothing to do with him. How much I make has nothing to do with him either. He made these debts; he pays them himself.”

Panicked, Zhao Zhonggang scrambled forward a few steps on all fours until he reached Li Muqiang’s feet. Clutching Li Muqiang’s leg, he pleaded, “Boss Li, no, she’s lying! Didn’t we agree? My family would help me pay. Boss Li, you know me—if my family doesn’t help, I won’t be able to pay you on time. You wouldn’t turn away good money, right?”

A sneer curled Li Muqiang’s lip. “This time, I think I will turn away the money.”

Zhao Zhonggang’s face grew paler as the despair in his eyes deepened. He realized things were spiraling out of his control.

Watching Zhao Zhonggang’s despair, Zhou Tiantian felt as if she were seeing her past self. To be able to make the man who destroyed her previous life feel the same hopelessness she once felt every single day was incredibly cathartic. “Uncle Zhao, did you think I came back unprepared? Boss Li was my high school classmate. I met with him yesterday. Our friendship is deep; even if I insisted on paying your debt, he wouldn’t accept my money. Besides, I never intended to give the money I worked so hard for to a gambler like you!”

Zhao Zhonggang looked up at Boss Li, hoping to hear something different, but Li Muqiang plunged him into the abyss once more. “Tiantian is right. Even if she tried to pay, I wouldn’t take it. Furthermore, I heard she came back to help her mother divorce you. I heard you’re unwilling to sign, so I came today to see if I could help her out.”

Zhao Zhonggang began to shake, letting out a desperate roar. “I won’t divorce! I won’t! If we divorce, there’s no one to pay the debt! Boss Li, if you want your money, I can’t divorce. I don’t have any money of my own!”

Li Muqiang kicked him away. “What? Are you threatening me? You should ask around—I’ve never failed to collect a debt. I have plenty of people working for me who don’t have families; one more won’t hurt. If you can’t earn the money yourself, I have ways to make you earn it!”

“No! I won’t divorce!” Zhao Zhonggang’s eyes turned bloodshot. He screamed like a madman. “Han Ping, you bitch! I won’t divorce you! You have to help me pay! If you dare divorce me, I’ll kill you!”

Han Ping was no longer afraid of him. Ever since Zhou Tiantian stood by her side, her fear had gradually evaporated. “Zhao Zhonggang, your words don’t matter anymore. Since I’ve decided to leave, my daughter and Boss Li won’t let you off. You will divorce me!”

“I won’t!” Zhao Zhonggang screamed.

Zhou Tiantian looked at him with cold indifference. “Do you think refusing a divorce will help you escape the debt? Fine, don’t divorce. But I hear Boss Li has many ‘methods’ for making money. I’ll have him take you away to work day and night in total darkness. Since you’re still married, all your earnings will be joint marital property. Once the debt is paid, the money will go straight to my mother’s card. She can squander your hard-earned money however she likes. And if she runs out, she can just borrow more from Boss Li, and you can pay that back too!”

“I like that idea,” Li Muqiang agreed.

Li Ziyu nodded. “And one more thing, Boss Li. This man bullied our Tiantian in the past. I’d appreciate it if you looked after him ‘extra well’.”

“No! You can’t do this!” Zhao Zhonggang collapsed.

“Why not?” Zhou Tiantian countered. “Isn’t this exactly how you treated us? You treated my mother like a servant and me like a money-making tool. You beat and cursed us whenever you felt like it. We never had a single good day with you—we weren’t even treated like humans! Now it’s your turn to taste that life. Since you don’t want to divorce, then you must work yourself to death like I used to, and every cent will go to us so we can enjoy ourselves.”

Li Muqiang added, “No problem. They need people in Africa lately. I’ll have someone process the paperwork and ship him out immediately. Part of his earnings will pay the debt, and the rest goes to the mother and daughter. He can pay slowly; with interest, it’ll take a lifetime. Meanwhile, Auntie can collect a monthly living allowance and live the high life!”

The prospect of such a dark future terrified Zhao Zhonggang completely. He wouldn’t have believed Zhou Tiantian alone, but with Li Muqiang backing her, he knew he was finished. If he divorced, he could eventually start over once the debt was clear. If he stayed married, he would lose his freedom forever.

“I’ll divorce! I’ll divorce!” he shouted. “Whatever you want! I’ll pay my own debts! After this, we have nothing to do with each other!”

When he saw Zhou Tiantian holding Han Ping back, he panicked even more. “I mean it! I’ll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau right now!”

Li Ziyu sneered. “A moment ago you didn’t want to leave, and now we don’t want you to leave. I think a fixed monthly income for Auntie sounds like a great deal.”

“But we just talked about divorce!” Zhao Zhonggang pleaded. “If we divorce, she won’t have to deal with my debts! She can find someone else to take care of her! Isn’t that better? Why the sudden change? Boss Li might make her pay!”

“I won’t,” Li Muqiang said simply.

Zhao Zhonggang turned to Han Ping, using a pleading tone for the first time in his life. “Didn’t you want a divorce? I’m agreeing to it! Let’s go!”

Han Ping felt a wave of relief seeing him so pathetic. She didn’t want any more entanglements with him; his life was ruined anyway. “Fine. Let’s go get the divorce now.”

This time, Zhao Zhonggang was incredibly efficient. It wasn’t long before the paperwork was finalized.

After the divorce, Zhao Zhonggang fled as if fleeing a plague. Li Muqiang looked at Zhou Tiantian and Li Ziyu and sighed. “Are you leaving already? Let’s have a farewell dinner. Who knows when we’ll meet again.”

Li Ziyu stepped in front of Zhou Tiantian. “We have a flight to catch. No time for dinner.”

Li Muqiang laughed helplessly. “Talk about burning bridges after crossing them!”

Li Ziyu nodded matter-of-factly. “Exactly.”

Zhou Tiantian pulled on Li Ziyu’s wrist and said to Li Muqiang, “We should be the ones treating you to thank you for your help. Things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly without you.”

Li Ziyu grunted softly.

Li Muqiang was surprised. “Li Ziyu, you actually listen to Zhou Tiantian now? I thought you were the tough one!”

Li Ziyu scoffed but didn’t deny it.

The three of them went to a famous restaurant in Z City with Li Muqiang. During the meal, Han Ping kept thanking him. He laughed and said, “Auntie, no need to thank me. Tiantian is an old friend. I actually liked her back in the day. If I’d known she was your daughter, I would have stepped in sooner—”

“Heh.” Li Ziyu interrupted coldly. “Are you bored? Because I can find some work for you to do.”

Li Muqiang roared with laughter. “I never knew teasing you was this much fun. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have been afraid of you in high school. Even if I couldn’t get Tiantian, teasing you is entertainment enough.”

Li Ziyu rolled her eyes. Han Ping looked at Li Muqiang, then Li Ziyu, and finally Zhou Tiantian. Zhou Tiantian smiled and patted her mother’s hand.

Back at the hotel, Zhou Tiantian visited Han Ping’s room. Seeing that Li Ziyu hadn’t followed, Han Ping asked, “Tiantian, did that Boss Li really pursue you before?”

“Not exactly pursued,” Zhou Tiantian said. “He wrote me a love letter, and Li Ziyu cornered him in the classroom to teach him a lesson.”

“Ziyu is so protective,” Han Ping mused, then looked worried. “But she’s a girl too. Since you two have a child and are together…”

Zhou Tiantian said firmly, “Mom, what’s wrong with being a girl? Uncle Zhao is a man, but he’s nothing compared to Ziyu.”

Han Ping fell silent. She had seen how well Li Ziyu treated her daughter. Her daughter had chosen a difficult path, but her eye for people was far better than her own.

Zhou Tiantian comforted her mother and stepped out, only to find Li Ziyu leaning against the hallway wall with a smile. The door had been left slightly ajar.

“What were you telling your mother just now?” Li Ziyu teased.

Zhou Tiantian walked toward their room. “Nothing.”

Li Ziyu followed, laughing. “You were praising me, weren’t you? I heard it.”

“That wasn’t a praise,” Zhou Tiantian insisted.

“I don’t care,” Li Ziyu smiled. “I think it was. And you told her you insisted on being with me, right?”

Zhou Tiantian turned to glare at her, but Li Ziyu leaned in and kissed her cheek. Zhou Tiantian’s face turned bright red as she hurried into the room.

The next day, they returned to B City. Li Ziyu took Han Ping to the apartment the company rented for her. “Auntie, you’ll stay here. Tiantian and I usually live here too. She’s close to her due date, so I’ll have to trouble you to look after her.”

Han Ping said quickly, “It’s no trouble! She’s my daughter. But will it be inconvenient for you two? Maybe I should rent a place nearby.”

“Nonsense,” Li Ziyu said, handing her a card. “This is for you. Swipe this for whatever you need to buy.”

Han Ping didn’t dare take it, and Zhou Tiantian felt they were taking too much advantage of Li Ziyu. But Li Ziyu was insistent. “Getting Tiantian pregnant was my ‘fault,’ and taking care of her is my responsibility. You should be here to enjoy yourself, but instead, you’re looking after Tiantian. How could I let you use her money?”

Zhou Tiantian finally said, “Mom, take it.”

Han Ping took the card and looked out the window at the B City skyline, tears of emotion filling her eyes.

The next morning, Han Ping got up early to make breakfast. When the two woke up, Li Ziyu said, “Auntie, why are you up so early? I can cook.”

Han Ping felt a bit awkward. “How could I let a celebrity cook? You need to take care of yourself.”

Zhou Tiantian knew her mother needed to be useful to feel at peace. “Ziyu is busy with work; let my mother handle the house.”

The table was set, and Han Ping watched happily as they ate. During breakfast, Li Ziyu’s phone rang. It was her father, Li Hongcai. After listening for a bit, Li Ziyu’s brow furrowed. “Why are you trying to introduce a boyfriend to me again? Are you trying to force me into a business marriage?”

Li Hongcai snapped back, “My company is big enough! I don’t need a business marriage! I just thought the young man was decent!”

Li Ziyu’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Dad, call my mom. If she likes him, I’ll consider it.”

She hung up on him, leaving him fuming. His daughter was still in her rebellious phase and always crossed him, yet he could do nothing about it. He called his ex-wife, Zhong Yanjun.

“I found a match for Ziyu,” he said. “The son of the Cai family. What do you think?”

“…”

Silence followed. Li Hongcai said, “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’ I’ll arrange the meeting.”

Then came the shouting from Zhong Yanjun: “You’re getting more senile by the day! Thank God we’re divorced, or you’d have ruined my life too!”

“What did I do wrong now?” Li Hongcai asked, bewildered.

“Ziyu’s baby is about to be born, and you’re introducing boyfriends? Are you trying to break up her family? If that’s not being sick in the head, I don’t know what is!”

Li Hongcai froze. “Huh?”