In the darkness of night, Yang Sisi's silhouette blended into the shimmering lights, then disappeared from my sight. I stared blankly at the spot where I could no longer see her, lost in thought for a long time, unsure of what to do.

This 4 million was her father's life-saving money that he had entrusted to her. She said that her "grandmother" also had a share, but there was no way to verify this, so no one knew if she was lying. Although the business of Jiulongju seemed to be a sure thing, there is always a chance of something going wrong in any business. If I lost this money, I could spend my whole life trying to pay it back, and I still wouldn't be able to pay it all back.

With these feelings in mind, I lit a cigarette and then shifted my gaze to the distant Erhai Lake...

I couldn't see the details clearly, but I felt that Erhai Lake, illuminated by the moonlight, looked like a large silver plate, inlaid on the foundation of Dali. At that moment, I didn't think about how much garbage floated on the polluted Erhai Lake; I simply thought it was beautiful! I even wanted to become a fish and live there, carefree.

Yes, in real life, there are too many things I cannot bear, including suffering and favors that I do not know how to repay.

...

When I got back to my place, Yang Sisi sent the bank card PIN to my phone. I glanced at it, put the phone back in my pocket, and then stared at Chen Jin, who was smoking.

He smiled and said to me, "I admit you're awesome, you actually sold this shop at the price you said you'd get... but what's next?"

I sat down on the sofa and lit a cigarette. I didn't speak immediately because I hadn't decided whether or not to use the money Yang Sisi had given me.

Chen Jin continued, "We all know that since the Wenzhou people think Jiulongju is a profitable place, they certainly won't just buy this one unit... They may have already contacted real estate agents, and it's possible that some agent has a list of these owners' contacts... Once they make contact, you should know better than anyone what the consequences will be."

I finally spoke up and said, "What would you think if we really couldn't raise the money?"

"Then we should know when to stop... Focus on the commercial operation of Jiulongju and rent out the shops properly..." He paused for a moment, then said with a wry smile, "But it's really a pity. We were the ones who made Jiulongju so popular, but in the end, we weren't the biggest beneficiaries!"

"It's quite remarkable that they were able to achieve this without having a financial advantage."

"Yes, Cao Xiaobei's shop went through us and made over a million yuan in profit in one go. We still have a shop that we bought with a loan, so I'm actually quite satisfied!"

I nodded, and Chen Jin said again, "When we get the money tomorrow, let's pay back the 100,000 yuan we borrowed from Tina last time... I don't like owing women favors."

Chen Jin's words made me even more hesitant. Compared to Tina, I received a full 4 million from Yang Sisi. If this money is considered a favor, how big of a favor would it be?

While I was lost in thought, Chen Jin patted my leg again and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

I quickly replied, "You can decide on this. When we have time, let's treat Tina to a nice meal. These days, someone who's willing to lend 100,000 yuan to a friend is a true friend..." After a slight pause, I added, "Tina treats us as friends, so we can't be ungrateful. You should give her the money, including the interest, at the rate of loan sharks."

“You’re a good friend, so it’s settled then. I’ll send the money, including the interest, to her tomorrow… As for buying the shop, let’s leave it at that for now. Let’s not put any pressure on each other and get some rest.”

As Chen Jin spoke, he got up, stubbed out his cigarette, and prepared to return to his room.

"etc……"

Chen Jin turned around and looked at me.

I took a deep breath, then took out the bank card that Yang Sisi had left me from my wallet. I gently placed it on the table and said to Chen Jin, "There is 4 million in this card... plus the 2 million we will receive tomorrow, it's enough to buy those six shops owned by the brother and sister."

Chen Jin looked at me with an incredulous expression.

I stubbed out my cigarette in the ashtray and then said to Chen Jin in a low voice, "This card was given to me by Yang Sisi. She asked me to help her invest in a few shops, and we'd split the profits 50/50... If you decide to use her money, I have one request... all the property deeds for the shops must be in her name... If you agree, we'll roll up our sleeves and get to work. If you don't agree, then this is the end of it. We'll stop speculating on shops and focus solely on operations and shop rentals."

Chen Jin sat down on the sofa again. After a long silence, he replied to me, "I agree to put her name on the list, but the money our studio has invested is not a small amount... I think the best solution is for our studio to be credited for two sets, and for her to be credited for four sets... That would be fairer."

“I see this issue from a different perspective than you. Investing in commercial properties carries risks, although the chances are small, they are not nonexistent. If the property depreciates or some other unexpected event occurs, her money will shrink. I don’t want her to take that kind of risk… Do you understand what I mean?”

Chen Jin remained silent.

I added, "I'm only stating my position on this matter, not making a choice... After you've weighed the pros and cons, tell me your decision."

“Michael, you’re putting me in a difficult position… If it’s all in your name, I have no problem at all… But if it’s all in someone else’s name, I’m not comfortable with that… Legally, we’ve already given all of our 2 million to Yang Sisi.”

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