Xu Jiaqi glared at him. This kid was so rude.
However, she didn't know why, the ruder he was, the more she seemed to like it.
For example, when he was pushing her to the brink in bed, the horribly offensive words he whispered in her ear felt like a nimble and fiery enforcer, digging deep into her heart.
Frank, upon hearing Lu Chen's words, was practically grinding his teeth in anger. He ignored Lu Chen, staring intently at Xu Jiaqi, and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Miss Xu, I admire you greatly. If you agree, from now on, all the riches and honors of the world will be yours. What I have, you will have. And your father, he can gamble as much as he wants; I'll give him the money!"
"My father will never gamble again! If he gambles again, he's not my father!" Xu Jiaqi retorted, equally enunciating each word. "And you, Frank, you and your stinking money disgust me!"
Frank's face turned ashen.
At this moment, Lu Chen decided to launch a direct attack.
It's just two million US dollars, thirteen or fifteen million Chinese yuan. He had roughly that much on him, and could perhaps get a little more from Shangguan Bei—it wasn't difficult!
However, that still needed to treat Sergei. Let him dream on!
This Frank is utterly tactless.
Just as Lu Chen was about to speak, Ryusei spoke first: "Frank..."
"Don't interfere in this!"
Frank turned his head sharply and immediately shouted to stop him.
It seemed he had been prepared all along. He then said fiercely, "Ryusei, I've already given in to you time and time again. Don't force me anymore. This is my business; I can do what I want. Don't interfere!"
Ryusei's eyes revealed a mocking smile. She said calmly, "I'm not interfering. I just want to take care of something first."
As she spoke, she clapped her hands.
Immediately afterward, three women strode in from outside the hall, all stunningly beautiful.
Two of them were carrying a large leather suitcase, looking quite strained.
They placed the suitcase on the coffee table.
Then, Ryusa stood up, walked to the coffee table, and lightly touched the large leather suitcase with one hand. She then gave Lu Chen a seductive smile: "Director Lu, these are all your things."
Lu Chen was stunned. My things? What do I have in your hands?
Such a large suitcase—could it contain a person?
"Please," Ryusa said gently, gesturing.
Lu Chen walked over, puzzled, and opened the large leather suitcase. Instantly, he froze! Everyone present was stunned, their eyes practically glowing green.
Inside the suitcase were stacks and stacks of banknotes! And all of them were bright green banknotes. These were all US dollars.
"Five million US dollars, not a penny less," Ryusa said. "Director Lu, this is all your money."
"All my money?"
Lu Chen was still frowning. How did he suddenly have so much money, five million US dollars?
At the current exchange rate, five million US dollars is equivalent to over thirty million Chinese yuan.
Frank, standing to the side, seemed to have realized something; his brows furrowed deeply, filled with sorrow and anger. He couldn't believe his sister, Ryusei, had actually done this.
But it was true!
Ryusei said, "Director Lu, I saw you participate in a racing competition and achieve a great victory. I admire you greatly. There was a prize for that race; the first place winner was five million US dollars. To make things easier for you, I sent someone to handle this and get the prize money for you."
Lu Chen knew that these racing competitions would have prizes, but he hadn't expected the prize to be so high, nor that he would actually receive it. It wasn't about racing in the first place; it started as a rescue attempt, and later it was about humiliation. He never imagined that Ryusei would actually send someone to take his prize money.
Frank was so angry his hands and feet turned ice-cold. Wasn't Ryusei betraying him?
Ryuse gave him a triumphant smile and said casually, "Alright, Frank, what you do next is up to you. My job's done. Now, I'll just watch the show from the sidelines."
You haven't done enough!
Frank was furious; he knew he was doomed this time.
Sure enough, Lu Chen immediately started asking Xu Zhou detailed questions about the two million dollars in interest. After a flurry of calculations, the total interest was five hundred and thirty-nine thousand four hundred and eighty-three dollars.
Without hesitation, Lu Chen had Xu Zhou and Xu Jiaqi count out the corresponding principal and interest from the box. Then, he borrowed eighty-three dollars from Ryuse.
A large, messy stack of bills fell from the coffee table to the floor.
Lu Chen stared coldly at Frank and said coldly, "Evenly settled!"
Frank was almost dumbfounded.
Lu Chen continued, "Also, Frank, because I despise your character, please don't ever say you invited me to treat Mr. Serge. You're not worthy! If it weren't for Miss Ryuse helping me get this five million US dollars, I would never have treated Serge again. If you try to threaten me, no way!"
His tone grew increasingly serious: "From now on, I'm treating her grandfather because of Miss Ryuse, and it has nothing to do with you. Understand? Also, if you dare to lay a finger on my Jiaqi, please understand this: even if you can hold up half the sky in Yunzhou City, I won't be afraid of you! If you have the guts, let's fight!"
The last sentence was chillingly menacing.
He then roared, "Pay back the IOU! Hurry up!"
Frank gritted his teeth, wanting to say something, but Ryuse calmly said, "Frank, I'm just reminding you. Just do as Director Lu says. Before you do anything, please think about your grandfather's life!"
So, Frank, like a defeated rooster, went to get the IOU. Xu Zhou thanked Lu Chen profusely, while Xu Jiaqi gazed at him with eyes more tender than water, as if pouring out her boundless love.
Lu Chen repeatedly said there was no need to thank him; he had also benefited greatly! Indeed, five million US dollars minus a little more than half, the remaining amount converted to Chinese yuan, was still around fifteen million!
This was equivalent to not only recouping his investment in Angel Kindergarten but also making an extra 50% profit.
Lu Chen was overjoyed; he hadn't expected money to be so easy to earn.
It was already night, and Liu Sha invited Lu Chen, Xu Zhou, and Xu Jiaqi to stay for dinner. Not only was a lavish dinner prepared, but a lively bonfire party was also planned afterward.
This bonfire party also invited some dignitaries residing in the surrounding villas.
The manor-style villa was large enough to accommodate everyone dancing and singing around the bonfire.
In a dark room on the third floor of a villa next to the venue, a pair of venomous eyes were fixed on Lu Chen's figure outside.
If those eyes could shoot arrows, Lu Chen would already be riddled with holes.
The owner of those eyes was Frank.
At this moment, he stood by the French windows, clenching his fists tightly, gritting his teeth as he said:
"Even Ryuzha is helping him, that woman who betrays me at every turn! I'm her own brother! Lu Chen, do you think I can't do anything to you?"
Behind him, from the deep darkness, a chilling voice suddenly rang out: "Young Master Frank, Miss Ryuzha is suspicious. All the renowned doctors we've searched for around the world, those we might have some confidence in, all know about assassination. On the surface, it seems like our enemies are behind it. But..."
He paused slightly.
"But what? Speak!" Frank said harshly.
"But my men have discovered that the mastermind behind this is not so simple; it might even be connected to Miss Ryusei," the mysterious voice said.
"Is that possible?" Frank jerked his head. "You mean, she ordered the murder of those renowned doctors? Why would she do that? Doesn't she want Grandpa to recover?"
"Has Young Master Frank forgotten that recovering Master Seger's illness is only the first step? The second step is to resurrect all the family's supposedly dead? And Miss Ryusa has always opposed this."
The voice grew increasingly sinister: "Her stated reason for opposition is that if people who are nominally dead come back to life, and in large numbers at that, it will shock the world. And we all know she has a strong desire for control over the family; she wants to be the complete leader of the family's future. Once the supposedly dead come back to life, she won't be able to control them."
In the darkness, Frank's teeth clenched. He said coldly, "Ryusa, you truly are my sister! But if you completely control the family, won't I be finished? I won't let you have your way!"
Then he asked in a low voice, "Mark, what's your solution? And preferably, you can also eliminate Lu Chen!"
The man hidden in the darkness, named Mark, let out a chilling laugh: "Yes, we'll seize the opportunity to capture Lu Chen, confuse him, take him to Australia, and force him to submit! I have a thousand ways to make him obey!"
In the darkness, everything fell silent, save for Frank's breathing.
About half a minute later, he spoke, his tone as menacing as a demon: "Very good! Mark, immediately make the arrangements. At all costs, capture Lu Chen and take him to Australia! Don't alert him, don't let Liusha know, and make sure it's a swift and decisive victory!"
"It would be my pleasure to serve you."
The voice in the darkness spoke softly, growing increasingly ethereal until it vanished completely.
Frank looked out the window, then at Lu Chen, who was gathered around the campfire, holding Xu Jiaqi's hand in one hand and a pretty young woman's hand in the other. He smiled coldly: "Lu Chen, don't think you can blackmail me by refusing to treat my grandfather's illness. Once I catch you and take you to Australia, you'll know just how dangerous it is to piss me off!"