The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Mr. and Mrs. Lin got up early and began to tidy up the shop.

Lin's mother swept the dusty floor with a broom, while Lin's father wiped the old loom. Both of them had long-lost smiles on their faces.

The shop may be small, but it carries the hopes of the whole family.

Lin Yun and Lin Feng were preparing to go out to pay off their debts. Lin Yun carefully wrapped the banknotes and hid them in her purse.

She looked up at the sky and said, "Brother, let's go early, lest those people come to cause trouble again."

Lin Feng nodded, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes: "Yun'er, we owe you so much this time, otherwise this family would have been ruined."

Lin Yun shook her head and said softly, "We shouldn't talk about these things as family. Let's go."

The brother and sister had just reached the courtyard gate when they suddenly heard a noisy sound of footsteps.

Looking up, Zhao Dahu and Wang Wu, along with several thugs, stormed in menacingly.

Zhao Dahu had a face full of scars and a short knife at his waist, while Wang Wu had a sinister look on his face, his gaze sweeping over Lin Yun, his eyes flashing with an unsettling light.

"Hey, where are you headed?" Zhao Dahu grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "You're not thinking of running away, are you?"

Wang Wu replied in a sinister tone, "You can run away, but you can't hide. Old man Lin, if you can't come up with the money today, don't blame us for being impolite!"

Lin Yun's heart tightened, and she subconsciously gripped her purse tightly.

Lin Feng stepped forward, blocking her way, and said coldly, "Who said we were going to run away? We're on our way to pay back the money."

Zhao Dahu and Wang Wu exchanged a glance, clearly not expecting the Lin family to actually be able to raise the money.

Wang Wu narrowed his eyes and asked suspiciously, "Pay back the money? With your family's poverty, how could you possibly come up with eighty taels of silver?"

Lin Feng straightened his back and said firmly, "Take out the IOU, and we'll settle the debt on the spot."

Zhao Dahu chuckled and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket: "Here's the IOU, in black and white, signed by Lin Feng for thirty taels, plus interest, for a total of fifty taels."

After saying that, he looked at Wang Wu again, "What about yours?"

Wang Wu slowly pulled out another IOU and waved it in front of Lin Yun: "Ten taels of principal, twenty taels of interest, thirty taels in total. Little lady, please read carefully."

Lin Yun glanced at the IOU and sneered inwardly. The interest rate was outrageously high.

But she didn't say much, only indicating to Lin Feng to check the authenticity of the IOU.

Lin Feng examined it carefully and nodded, saying, "It's true."

Lin Yun then took out a silver note from her purse and handed it to Zhao Dahu and Wang Wu: "This is eighty taels. Please return the IOU to us."

Zhao Dahu took the silver note, examined it carefully, and found it to be genuine. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Wang Wu stared at Lin Yun, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Young lady, I didn't expect your family to be so capable, raising the money so quickly."

His gaze lingered on Lin Yun, and he said in a flippant tone, "Could it be that you've been involved in some shady dealings?"

Lin Yun's face turned cold, and before she could speak, Lin Feng angrily said, "Wang Wu! Watch your mouth! This money was earned honestly!"

Wang Wu didn't take it seriously, and instead laughed even more unrestrainedly: "Oh, getting anxious? Looks like I hit the nail on the head?"

Lin Yun pulled back the impulsive Lin Feng and said calmly, "The money has been repaid. Give us the IOU, and we're even."

Seeing Lin Yun so calm, Wang Wu felt a little uneasy.

He reluctantly handed over the IOU, not forgetting to add before leaving, "Young lady, if you ever need money, remember to come find me!"

Lin Yun ignored his provocation and simply tore the IOU to shreds.

Zhao Dahu did not leave immediately. He stared at Lin Yun, his eyes full of inquiry: "Miss Lin, I'm curious, how did you earn so much money in such a short time?"

Lin Yun didn't want to get entangled with him any further, so she said perfunctorily, "This is a family matter, no need for Master Zhao to worry about it."

Zhao Dahu persisted, saying, "Tell me about it, so I can learn something too."

Seeing that Zhao Dahu was persistent, Lin Feng blurted out without thinking, "It was my sister who earned it!"

Lin Yun glared at Lin Feng, secretly annoyed.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dahu became even more curious: "Oh? Miss Lin has this skill? How does she earn it?"

Lin Feng then realized he had let something slip, glanced at Lin Yun's face, and awkwardly shut his mouth.

Seeing this, Zhao Dahu laughed and said, "What, still keeping it a secret?"

Lin Yun said coldly, "Mr. Zhao, the money has already been returned. Is there anything else?"

Seeing that he couldn't get any information out of him, Zhao Dahu could only shrug and say, "Fine, then I won't bother you any longer."

After saying that, he led his men away, glancing back at Lin Yun as he left, a calculating glint in his eyes.

After they had gone some distance, Lin Yun sighed and said to Lin Feng, "Brother, don't tell everyone about family matters, especially ways to make money. These people have ulterior motives; if they find out, who knows what they might do."

Lin Feng lowered his head in shame: "Yun'er, it was my oversight. I will definitely pay attention in the future."

Seeing his sincere attitude, Lin Yun softened her tone: "Let's go, let's go help our parents tidy up the shop."

When the brother and sister returned to the shop, their parents had already cleaned it inside and out.

Lin's father was squatting beside the loom, carefully checking its condition.

Lin's mother was tidying up the new fabrics she had bought yesterday.

"Father, Mother, the debt has been paid off." Lin Yun said with a smile as she walked in.

Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Lin finally breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Lin held Lin Yun's hand, her eyes filled with tears: "Yun'er, thanks to you, otherwise this family would really be finished."

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