C8

Hmph, anyone would be upset if they saved a man out of the goodness of their heart, even going through the trouble of helping him undress, wash his clothes, and clean him up, only to be insulted with money when he wakes up. Soong Qian's lips pouted, her face scrunched up like a dumpling.

Just as Soong Qian was about to sit down for a meal, there was a sudden knock at the door. She frowned and peered through the peephole. Outside stood three burly men, each with a menacing look that suggested they weren't there for a friendly visit.

But Soong Qian knew them. Over the years, to cover her mother's medical bills, she had borrowed from loan sharks at underground casinos. If it weren't for the need to pay off these debts, she wouldn't be singing in those seedy bars every night.

As she thought about this, she opened the door. She had no choice; if she didn't, the men would knock louder, disturbing the neighbors. The last time this happened while she was out, she endured months of judgmental stares from them.

Once the door was open, the three men pushed their way inside, their expressions a mix of disdain and aggression. One of them tapped his foot impatiently. "So, Miss Soong, when are you going to pay back the money you owe us?"

Soong Qian's face immediately turned grim, her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly uncomfortable. Facing three burly men, each nearly twice her size, she chose her words carefully, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Um, I don't have much money right now. Everything I've earned recently has gone towards my mom's medical bills, so..."

"So what?" The man in charge raised an eyebrow at her, a teasing expression on his face. A scar ran across his right eye, making his already fierce appearance even more intimidating. Soong Qian had heard stories about him. They called him Black Bear. He once crippled a man's arm for failing to repay a debt, leaving the man writhing and screaming on the ground.

While Black Bear and his crew watched, they even directed the man to pose in different positions of agony. Confronted by Black Bear's question, Soong Qian's face went through several shades of color, but she forced herself to remain calm. Her voice was soft, her lips trembling slightly, giving her an oddly pitiful look. "I really don't have any money right now. Could you give me a couple of days? I promise I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

Hearing Soong Qian's naive and childish plea, Black Bear burst into laughter, the scar on his face becoming even more pronounced.

Laughing darkly, the bear-like man fixed his fierce eyes on Soong Qian, a cold smirk playing on his lips. She instinctively took a step back in fear. "Miss Soong," he sneered, "you've given us this excuse at least two hundred times. What, still thinking you can dodge your debts?"

"I'm not trying to dodge anything," Soong Qian replied, her face pale and helpless, a pitiful look in her eyes. "I really don't have any money right now."

"No money?" The man chuckled, leaning in closer, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that sent a shiver down her spine, filling her with a sense of danger.