"Spit it out already. Did you get the money? Are you ready to pay off your gambling debts?"
On the phone's screen, Brother Dao looked furious, staring fiercely at Su Gang.
"Brother Dao, I've been bullied! You have to back me up!" Su Gang pleaded, his expression shifting as he quickly plastered on a servile, flattering smile.
"...Fine. Since you're not completely useless, go on. Tell me which bastard dares to mess with my brother," Brother Dao said, his eyes widening as he nodded reluctantly.
"It's him! The ungrateful wolf the Su Family raised for four whole years! Not only did he steal the pharmaceutical factory's recipe, but he also dared to hit my sister!" Su Gang grinned from ear to ear, his face filled with pride. "Lin Fan! Open your damn eyes and take a good look! This is Brother Dao of Black Tiger Hall, a top figure in Haicheng's underworld!"
"Kneel down now! Apologize to my sister and to us! If we're not satisfied, don't even think about seeing tomorrow!" he shouted, turning the screen toward Lin Fan. He spoke as loudly as he could, as if afraid the bystanders wouldn't hear him.
Sure enough, as his voice trailed off, the two unfamiliar beauties' expressions changed, and they exchanged another glance. Even the stoic Lin Fan seemed a bit shaken.
"Hmph, scared now, are you? All it takes is one word from Brother Dao, and you, Lin Fan, will have to grovel!" Seeing this, Su Gang was inwardly thrilled, his lips curling into a smug smile. He completely failed to notice that on the screen, Brother Dao's eyes were widening in horror, his face a mask of someone who had just seen a ghost.
"Alright, then kneel," Lin Fan said, nodding. His gaze, however, was fixed on Brother Dao on the phone's screen.
A violent shiver ran through Brother Dao. The intense fear of having wet his pants at Lin Fan's hands instantly engulfed him once more. Without a word, he rolled off the bed, dropped to his knees, and began slamming his head on the floor, leaving the other patients and medical staff in the hospital room staring in bewilderment.
"Hey, why aren't you kneeling yet? My patience is limited!"
Seeing Lin Fan remain indifferent and hearing no sound from the phone, Su Gang grew annoyed. He turned the screen back toward himself, intending to get Brother Dao to say something more intimidating. The next moment, he froze, completely stupefied.
What am I seeing? The usually formidable Brother Dao... is actually kneeling before the phone on the nightstand, frantically kowtowing!
Around him stood a crowd of people, pointing and whispering as if they were looking at a lunatic.
"Brother Dao, what... what are you doing..." Su Gang's throat went dry, a terrible premonition slowly creeping into his heart.
"Stop fucking standing there! Are you trying to get me killed? Hurry up and kneel! Beg him for mercy!" Hearing Su Gang's voice, Brother Dao raised his swollen forehead and threatened him fiercely. "If you miss a single kowtow and he isn't satisfied, believe me, I'll send people to wipe out your entire family!"
Su Gang sucked in a sharp breath.
What the hell is going on? Am I insane, or has the whole world gone mad?! You're the number one enforcer of Black Tiger Hall, a man who can kill without batting an eye. How can the mere sight of Lin Fan scare you into acting like a kicked dog?
Su Gang's face was a mask of disbelief. Zhang Meili and the others, who had been waiting to enjoy the show, also looked at each other in dismay. Didn't Su Gang say that getting Brother Dao involved would make Lin Fan piss his pants in fear and obediently admit defeat? So why was it the other way around, with Brother Dao the one scared witless and about to crack his own skull open?
"Su Gang! Su Gang, did you fucking hear me? Kneel down now!"
"Kowtow! Hurry up and kowtow! If you don't obey, I'll send men to kill your whole family right now!"
The harsh words, coming through the phone, grew increasingly desperate, his voice now laced with an unmistakable undertone of panic.
THUMP!
Cold sweat beaded on Su Gang's forehead, and his face turned beet red. Although he had no idea what was happening, he didn't dare disobey Brother Dao's command. The man was more than capable of carrying out his threats. With no other choice, Su Gang reluctantly dropped to his knees before Lin Fan. Bracing himself, he began knocking his head against the ground.
For a moment, the mourning hall fell into a dead silence, broken only by the sound of kowtowing echoing both from the phone and within the room.
"Enough. Get lost. You're an eyesore," Lin Fan finally said after a long while, waving his hand dismissively at Su Gang on the ground. His expression was like that of someone swatting away a noisy fly.
Hearing this, Brother Dao felt as if he'd received a pardon. "Thank you, thank you for your generosity..." he stammered from the hospital, hastily nodding his thanks before quickly hanging up.
Back in the mourning hall, Su Gang scrambled to his feet, thoroughly humiliated. He hid behind a baffled-looking Zhang Meili, so ashamed he wanted to bury his head in his pants.
"Su Gang, what the hell happened? The guy you called is totally unreliable!" Zhang Meili jabbed Su Gang's forehead forcefully with her finger, her expression one of utter disappointment.
"I... I don't know either... Maybe Brother Dao mistook him for someone else?" Su Gang mumbled, too ashamed to lift his head.
I wanted to use Brother Dao to threaten him, but I ended up getting threatened by Brother Dao instead... Dammit, the mere thought of it is infuriating!
"You're such a good-for-nothing. I shouldn't have counted on you!" Zhang Meili's chubby face darkened as she signaled to Yang Tingting.
Luckily, we have a backup plan. Otherwise, we really would have lost all face in front of Lin Fan!
"Lin Fan, open your damn eyes and look! Do you know who she is?" Zhang Meili snapped.
Yang Tingting understood the cue. She gracefully clutched the arm of a thin-faced woman, and they both stepped forward together. Both women lifted their sharp chins, their faces exuding a sense of superiority.
"This is my good friend, Liu Fang. She's currently a senior manager at Yuandao Properties," Yang Tingting announced. "Never mind your little clinic; she manages the properties on most of this entire block!"
"...What are you trying to do?" Lin Fan's heart sank, his jaw tightening.
"Lin Fan, the rent your mother, Lin Suxin, paid for this shop is about to expire," the thin-faced woman, Liu Fang, said with a nod, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "I'm here to inform you that if you don't sign the lease renewal tonight, I'll have someone clean out the shop and evict you tomorrow."
"Furthermore, market rates in this area have risen. The rent will increase by half, and you must prepay for three years in one lump sum!"
This was blatant, intentional harassment. Yuan Youwei and Mrs. Xue exchanged looks, their expressions changing. Zhang Meili and her group, meanwhile, all wore cold smiles. Even Su Gang straightened his back, feeling emboldened once more.
They were certain Lin Fan couldn't produce the money. If he didn't beg them for help, he and his mother's ashes would be out on the street.
"Lin Fan, don't blame me for being heartless. You brought this on yourself!" Su Mengqing wheezed, managing to steady herself, her eyes brimming with pure resentment. "Hand over the recipe and all the other valuables your mother left behind. Then, I might let you keep this little clinic."
"...I never imagined you could be this vicious."
Facing pairs of mocking eyes, Lin Fan fell silent for a moment, then laughed out of pure rage. "You're right, I can't cough up the rent right now... You want the recipe? Fine! I'll give it to you!"
Pulling out his phone, a flash of anger crossed his eyes as he began tapping furiously at the screen.
I had originally intended to spare the Su Family out of respect for Mr. Su Sr.'s past kindness. Now it seems... I was far too soft-hearted!