Qingshan

Chapter 2: Relatives

Luo City, Central Gardens.

Chen Shuo and Wang Huiling stood before the main gate of a villa. On the beige perimeter wall hung a wooden sign: “Central Gardens, 33rd Lane, Peace and Happiness.”

Wang Huiling sneered, “When your elder brother and his family first moved here, your sister-in-law kept inviting us over for barbecues, as if they were the only ones with a villa and a yard! She never missed a chance to show off!”

“Well, now you have a villa too,” Chen Shuo said smugly. “If your husband wasn’t so clever, would you be living in a villa now?”

Wang Huiling looped her arm through Chen Shuo’s, beaming. “My husband is the best!”

Chen Shuo pressed his finger to the fingerprint scanner, and the door swung open, revealing a magnificent high-ceilinged living room with a sparkling crystal chandelier and imported Italian full-leather sofas.

However, on the coffee table in the center of the room sat a black-and-white portrait of Chen Ji’s deceased parents, with fresh fruit placed before it as an offering.

Wang Huiling clicked her tongue in disapproval, “What a bad luck. How can they put a portrait of the dead in the living room? Doesn’t Chen Ji know any better? It’s so unsettling! Even if he doesn’t find it creepy, what about guests? How awkward would that be?”

With a clatter, Chen Shuo carelessly tossed the memorial portrait into the garbage bin.

He still remembered asking his older brother for a four million yuan loan to start a business.

Back when he wanted to start a significant business venture with a partner, he’d asked his older brother for 4 million yuan. His brother, claiming he wasn’t cut out for big business, had only given him twenty thousand to open a small supermarket—treating him like a beggar.

Wang Huiling sank into the leather sofa, running her hands over its surface. She looked at the 100-inch LCD TV across from her and said happily, “Imagine how comfortable it would be to watch dramas here! They were truly living the high life.”

“Forget about TV. Let’s go upstairs and find the property deed quickly. I remember they bought some gold too—let’s find that as well.”

On the second-floor hallway, certificates of achievement adorned the wall: “Honor Student,” “Luo City Chess Competition First Prize”—all belonging to Chen Ji.

Wang Huiling grimaced at the sight. “Every time we came here, your sister-in-law would drag us for a tour. She just loved to brag. Let’s throw these away quickly—they’re an eyesore.”

Unable to bear the sight any longer, she immediately began ripping all the certificates off the wall and tossing them on the floor.

As they opened each bedroom door, they found Chen Ji’s room stacked with books—mostly military science, detective novels, spy thrillers, and numerous scientific encyclopedias.

On the desk lay an acceptance letter from the PLA University of Foreign Languages.

Chen Shuo and Wang Huiling rummaged through the room, discarding anything that belonged to Chen Ji’s family. It seemed only by removing these traces would the house truly belong to them.

Back in the living room, Chen Shuo scratched his increasingly thinning scalp. “Wait, where’s the property deed? Where did Chen Ji put the property deed?”

“Do you think he suspected something and hid it somewhere else?” Wang Huiling asked anxiously.

“That’s impossible. Old Liu said he still thinks we’re doing this for his own good.”

Wang Huiling quickly added, “And we are! After his parents died, he shut himself in the house all day. If this continues, he’ll definitely have problems—he’s already disconnected from society!”

Ding dong.

The doorbell rang.

Chen Shuo paused. “Who could it be at this hour?”

He went to open the door. Outside stood a middle-aged man in a black Tang suit with dark skin and a crew cut that accentuated his sharp features.

“Where’s Chen Ji?” the man asked.

Chen Shuo eyed him suspiciously. “Chen Ji isn’t home. Whatever business you have, you can tell me. I’m his uncle.”

“Uncle?” The middle-aged man pushed past Chen Shuo and entered the house. Only then did Chen Shuo notice another man following behind.

This second man was completely bald with a scar over ten centimeters long, stretching like a centipede from the crown of his head to the back of his skull.

“Who are you?” Wang Huiling backed away in fear. “We’re going to call the police!”

The middle-aged man looked around casually. “My friends call me Brother Pao. I run a small lending business. This is my little brother, Er Dao. Don’t be scared—Er Dao’s scar looks frightening, but it’s just from an accident when he fell at a construction site. His mind doesn’t work too well now, and he’s a bit stubborn.”

Brother Pao continued, “We’re here because Chen Ji used this house as collateral for a loan. He called this afternoon saying he couldn’t repay it, and asked me to take possession of the property.”

“What?!” Wang Huiling was shocked. “What right does he have to mortgage this house? This house is ours!”

“Oh?” Brother Pao said calmly. “The certificate has Chen Ji’s name on it. What does it have to do with you?”

“How much did he mortgage it for?” Chen Shuo asked nervously.

“Fifteen million,” Brother Pao said, settling comfortably onto the sofa. “We’re reasonable people. We do business by the rules. As long as customers can repay the principal and interest, we live in peace. But I’ve taken a liking to this house now. No need to repay the money—the house is mine.”

“No way!” Wang Huiling shrieked. “Chen Ji is mentally ill now. Any mortgage contract he signed isn’t valid.”

This reminded Chen Shuo, who quickly added, “That’s right! Chen Ji is mentally ill. We have his diagnosis right here!”

Brother Pao frowned.

He looked at the date on the diagnosis paper and laughed in disbelief. Chen Ji had arranged for him to collect the house tonight but had suddenly produced a diagnosis report. It was a blatant attempt to cheat him. He could understand being unable to repay a debt, but trying to play him for a fool was unacceptable.

“So, this is your little game, is it? You coordinated this scam together? Kneel,” he commanded.

“What?” Chen Shuo could hardly believe what he’d just heard.

Er Dao asked, “Boss, kneel where?”

“In front of me.”

Before Chen Shuo and Wang Huiling could react, Er Dao dragged them before Brother Pao and kicked the backs of their knees, forcing them to kneel.

Brother Pao bent down and stared at Chen Shuo. “I’ve been around the block for years. I’ve seen everything. You think you can pull a fast one on me? Let’s break a finger first, then talk properly.”

Er Dao asked, “Which finger?”

“The index finger.”

“Which joint?”

Brother Pao rubbed his eyebrow in frustration. “The second joint.”

Their conversation was bizarre. This Er Dao followed instructions robotically, doing exactly as Brother Pao told him.

Er Dao’s hand clamped down on Chen Shuo’s index finger like a vise, and with a crack, he precisely broke the second joint.

“Ahhh!” Chen Shuo screamed in agony.

“I’m calling the police!” Wang Huiling shouted.

Brother Pao: “Er Dao, slap her.”

“How hard?”

Brother Pao sneered. “Hard enough that she sees her great-grandmother.”

Er Dao pondered for two seconds, then wound up and delivered a resounding slap that sent Wang Huiling’s vision spiraling into darkness.

After the slap, Er Dao observed Wang Huiling’s expression, then turned to Brother Pao and seriously said, “She probably saw her.”

Brother Pao took the diagnosis report from Chen Shuo’s hand. “I’m a reasonable man. Since Chen Ji says he can’t repay the loan, the house is mine. That should be the end of it. But I hate being lied to. You tried to con me, and you will face the consequences.”

“No!” Chen Shuo’s mind began to clear amidst the pain. “That’s not right! We didn’t try to con you! Chen Ji did! We were tricked too!”

“Oh?”

Chen Shuo’s forehead dripped with sweat from the pain in his finger. “Chen Ji said he couldn’t repay the loan and arranged for you to take the house. But I know his parents left him at least thirty million! He can’t be short of money! He didn’t need to mortgage the house, and he certainly could repay your loan!”

This information caught Brother Pao by surprise. Chen Ji wasn’t short of money?

As Chen Shuo explained, his mind raced. Chen Ji’s behavior at Qingshan Hospital that afternoon had all been an act. It was designed to make them bring back the diagnosis report to provoke Brother Pao with the diagnosis report while ensuring his own safety in the hospital.

That’s why Chen Ji chose a notorious loan shark instead of a legitimate bank!

Brother Pao pondered. “Chen Ji? He seemed quite timid and honest. You’re not trying to trick me, are you?”

He recalled his impression of Chen Ji during the contract signing. The young man had been exceptionally shy and reserved.

Could a sheltered student like that be capable of outsmarting everyone?

Seeing his hesitation, Chen Shuo continued, “Can’t you see he fooled me too?! I didn’t even know about the mortgage contract until now. Doesn’t that prove something? And you want this house, right? He can repay you any time. Once you deal with me, he’ll just buy the house back. You’ll only earn a bit of interest! He’s playing you!”

Brother Pao smiled faintly. “So, you’re saying I’ve been used by a high school student?”

“He’s not a high school student. He was specially recruited into the PLA University of Foreign Languages.”

Brother Pao raised an eyebrow. “That school teaches more than just languages. They also train military diplomats… Interesting. Where is Chen Ji now?”

“Qingshan Mental Hospital!”