It was an utterly ordinary morning, the sky bright and the streets bustling with traffic. Since it was still early, most of the shops along this row, which weren't directly facing the street, hadn't opened yet. Occasionally, a passerby would walk by.
Fan Jia, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, wore a beige jacket with an autumn dress underneath and a scarf wrapped around her neck. Standing at the street corner, she looked around somewhat bewildered, occasionally rubbing her hands together.
By all appearances, she looked like a college student with little worldly experience.
At this intersection, at least three police units were lying in ambush, monitoring Fan Jia's progress through binoculars and communication devices.
You Mingxu and Yin Feng were stationed inside an unfinished second-floor shop, watching through the glass. Occasionally, they would see Fan Jia look up and flash them a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Only then could they vaguely glimpse the lively and capable policewoman she usually was.
After waiting for about half an hour, a man appeared from the other end of the street and walked toward Fan Jia. Fan Jia appropriately feigned a bit of nervousness and anticipation, clutching her canvas bag tightly and rising slightly on her toes.
Even when the man passed by her as if he weren't the person she was waiting for, she still appeared anxious and disappointed, continuing to glance around.
Xu Mengshan muttered over the communication device, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Full marks for acting."
Fan Jia's lips curled upward briefly before drooping again, as if she were tired of waiting. She lowered her head and kicked at some trash by the roadside, looking utterly dejected.
"Are you Fan Lingling?" The man unexpectedly turned back, a smile on his face.
Fan Jia quickly looked up. "Yes, I am! Are you... Apple Bro?"
The man nodded with a smile, and as he got a clear look at Fan Jia's face up close, a noticeable gleam flashed in his eyes.
Fan Jia also sized him up.
Known in the underworld as "Apple Bro" because many college students borrowed money from him to buy Apple phones, Fan Jia had imagined someone like him would inevitably be sharp-faced, sly, and sinister-looking. To her surprise, he was a man who appeared delicate and shy. Apple Bro stood close to 1.8 meters tall but was quite thin, with a fair complexion, smiling crescent-shaped eyes, and a pair of glasses. He wore an ordinary down jacket and jeans, looking every bit like a naive college senior.
According to the police's records, this "Apple Bro" had indeed graduated from Huaicheng University just three years earlier.
"Are you also a student at Huaicheng University?" Apple Bro asked curiously. "How come I've never seen you before?"
Fan Jia put on a flustered expression. "I'm in the Chinese department, and I'm usually a bit of a homebody..."
Apple Bro gave an understanding smile. As if afraid he wouldn't believe her, Fan Jia took out her student ID and handed it to him. Apple Bro glanced at it, nodded, and returned it to her, saying, "It's not that I don't trust you. It's just that Xiao Wei introduced you, so I'm willing to lend you the money. We're all acquaintances, and Xiao Wei is like a little brother to me. It's hard to borrow money these days—everyone's funds are tight. It's only because of our connection and Xiao Wei's pleading that I'm helping you out. So checking your student ID just puts my mind at ease."
Fan Jia cursed him inwardly but wore a grateful expression on her face, nodding repeatedly. "Thank you, Apple Bro, thank you!"
"My car is parked over there. Let's take my car," he said.
Fan Jia hesitated for a moment, then nodded.A white Buick was parked by the roadside, inconspicuous. The two got in, and Fan Jia sat bolt upright, her body stiff. Apple Bro seemed to notice her tension and said, "Don’t be afraid. The loans I offer are all legitimate, and the interest rates are low. I don’t make much money from this—I just want to help juniors who want to start their own businesses. Have some water."
He handed her a bottle of mineral water. Fan Jia’s heart leaped with joy, thinking to herself: There’s something in it, there’s something in it! She unscrewed the cap and took several large gulps. But even after the car had been driving for over ten minutes, she felt completely fine. Clearly, it was just ordinary mineral water.
"Why do you need the loan?" Apple Bro asked.
Fan Jia answered softly, with little confidence, "To start a business."
Apple Bro smiled and said, "Good luck, junior."
If Fan Jia hadn’t known the true nature of these Campus Loan Vicious Scorpions, she might have genuinely believed this person was kind and gentle. Thinking of the real college students who, treated so warmly all the way—with talk of entrepreneurship, legitimacy, and goodwill—would likely have swallowed this sweet poison, easily believing such nonsense.
Especially those female students struggling financially and under immense pressure. This "senior" could easily win their favor and lower their guard.
Tsk, tsk. She’d only heard of venomous beauties. One day, when this gentle senior dropped his mask and revealed his fangs, it would surely be quite a spectacle.
About twenty minutes later, the car pulled up near a home furnishings mall. Fan Jia feigned confusion but didn’t dare ask. Apple Bro parked the car and, ever the gentleman, opened the door for her. "The boss lending us the money has many businesses. Half the storefronts in this furnishings mall are his—he’s a big player. So, he usually works here to keep an eye on things."
Fan Jia: "Oh…"
But they didn’t head into the mall. Instead, they went to a nearby street of storefronts. Fan Jia glanced around—most shops were closed due to the remote location, and business seemed extremely slow. Pretending to understand nothing, she followed him to one of the storefronts.
A white rolling shutter was pulled down, with no house number or sign. Apple Bro whispered, "This is one of Boss Li’s storage spaces. He’s very busy and pressed for time, so he’s meeting us here to lend you the money. Be sharp—show off your communication and social skills. If Boss Li is impressed, he might even recruit you for his company someday."
Fan Jia acted as if she’d just woken from a dream, nodding foolishly a few times.
Apple Bro, still wearing that gentle and polished demeanor, took out a key and opened the rolling shutter. Inside, cardboard boxes were piled high, though it was unclear what they contained. He led her up a narrow, dimly lit staircase with white walls and a concrete floor. As she followed, Fan Jia thought to herself, Make a move on me, make a move on me! She knew her police colleagues had followed them and were watching from the shadows, near and far. Every bit of nonsense spouted by this "pimp" would only draw scorn from the detectives.
Upstairs, it looked somewhat presentable, with a few office desks arranged. A middle-aged man with thinning hair, nearly bald, sat at one of the desks. Hearing them enter, he raised his head with an air of detached dignity before returning to his documents. Beside him sat an ashtray with a half-smoked cigar.Apple Bro led Fan Jia over and said, "Brother Li, this is my junior sister. She's been having some cash flow issues lately and wants to start a business. She'd like to borrow some money from the company. Her startup project is quite promising..." Apple Bro glanced at Fan Jia with a look of familiarity and understanding, "Brother Li, I know her requested amount is small, and you rarely approve such cases these days. Could you make an exception for my sake?"
Fan Jia immediately chimed in with an ingratiating smile, "Hello, Brother Li! Sorry to trouble you!"
Brother Li looked at her, leisurely set down the documents in his hand, and picked up his cigar. "Have a seat."
OpenNovel