Chapter 78: Fat Dragon

The Shen family had sold their house and now lived in the old part of the city, an area filled with low, dilapidated buildings. The streets were narrow, pervaded by a foul stench, and cars couldn’t even get through.

“Young master, I’m so sorry to make you come to such a place and get your shoes dirty,” Liu Julan apologized hastily when she saw Lin Yang wrinkle his brow.

“Aunt Liu, don’t misunderstand. I’m only distressed for your family. You once lived in a spacious house, but thanks to your relatives’ scheming, you’re forced to stay here,” Lin Yang replied.

At the mention of this, Liu Julan’s face filled with guilt. “It’s all my fault. I was too trusting and too easily influenced. I never imagined my own younger brother would plot against us like this.”

“Aunt Liu, don’t blame yourself. This isn’t your fault. The human heart is hard to fathom. I’ll make sure you get your money back,” Lin Yang assured her.

“Young master, thank you for your kindness, but they are shameless debtors. If they meant to repay us, they would have done so already,” Liu Julan said helplessly.

“Mom, don’t worry. Brother Lin Yang will definitely help us get the money back,” Shen Youwei chimed in, having seen with her own eyes how Liu Qian had been frightened out of her wits and surely wouldn’t dare not to repay.

The three of them finally arrived at the rented apartment. Since Shen Limin had lost both his legs and struggled to get around, they lived on the first floor. But the ground floor was dark and damp; living there long-term would surely be bad for their health.

“Old Shen, guess who’s here?” Liu Julan opened the door. Inside, Shen Limin sat in his wheelchair watching television.

“Young master?” Shen Limin’s face lit up with excitement when he saw Lin Yang.

“Uncle Shen!” It had been two years since they’d last met, and Shen Limin looked much older, his complexion sallow and his body thin and frail.

Tears streamed down Shen Limin’s face as he gazed at Lin Yang, who now radiated vitality and confidence. If Lin Yang hadn’t run into Shen Youwei at Phoenix Palace, he might never have known how the family of three were living.

“To see the young master again before I die—now I can die without regret,” Shen Limin said, breaking into a cough.

“Uncle Shen, you’re still young. You won’t die so easily,” Lin Yang said, patting his back.

“Young master, you don’t have to comfort me. My health is getting worse every day; I don’t have long left. Perhaps it’s better if I go, so I don’t burden my wife and daughter.”

“Dad, don’t say that. Brother Lin Yang is a skilled doctor—he’ll definitely cure you,” Shen Youwei insisted.

“Nonsense! When did the young master ever study medicine?” Shen Limin protested.

“Uncle Shen, let me check your pulse first,” Lin Yang said, pulling up a small stool and sitting down to take the old man’s pulse.

Shen Limin had tuberculosis, but it wasn’t serious. It was the prolonged exposure to dampness and lack of timely treatment that had made it worse.

“Uncle Shen, this is a minor illness—nothing hard to treat. Please don’t worry,” Lin Yang said. For him, treating tuberculosis was nothing.

“You shouldn’t live here anymore. Move into my house for now,” he suggested.

“That won’t do. In our situation, how could we move into the young master’s home?” Shen Limin shook his head firmly.

“He’s right, young master. You’re a good man, but we can’t be so shameless,” Liu Julan added, also refusing.

“If you say that, you’re treating me like an outsider. Besides, it’s not suitable for recovery to stay here. Move in with me temporarily. Once the Liu family repays you, you can buy another house and move out.”

“If the Liu family were going to repay us, they’d have done it already. That money is as good as lost,” Shen Limin said helplessly.

“Don’t worry, they wouldn’t dare not to repay,” Lin Yang replied.

Under Lin Yang’s persuasion, the elderly couple finally agreed. They packed a few belongings and prepared to move to the Imperial Garden Residence with him.

But as soon as they stepped outside with their suitcases, someone blocked their way.

“So, you’re trying to run? Think you can get away?” The speaker was a bald, heavyset man with a scar on his face and the air of a thug. A thick gold chain hung around his neck.

“Who’s this?” Lin Yang asked.

“The landlord’s brother. He’s the local bully in this area. Everyone calls him Fat Dragon,” Shen Youwei explained. She had always been afraid of Fat Dragon, but with Lin Yang at her side, she felt emboldened.

“Brother Long, we’re not running off. We’re just moving temporarily,” Shen Limin, still in his wheelchair, tried to explain.

“Move if you want, but pay the rent you owe first. If you can’t, then as we agreed before, your daughter pays the debt,” Fat Dragon said, leering at Shen Youwei.

“How much is three months’ rent? I’ll pay,” Lin Yang interrupted, not wanting to waste words with such a man.

“And who the hell are you?” Fat Dragon demanded, sizing up the unfamiliar Lin Yang.

“It doesn’t matter who I am. Just tell me how much you’re owed, take your money, and get lost,” Lin Yang replied.

Fat Dragon noted Lin Yang’s designer clothes and impressive bearing. Clearly, this was someone who wouldn’t mind a little money. But money wasn’t what he was after—he wanted Shen Youwei. He’d had his eye on her for a long time.

“Kid, don’t think you can swagger around here just because you’ve got a bit of cash. You need to know who you’re dealing with. I’m not someone you want to cross. If you know what’s good for you, stay out of this, or you’ll never leave this alley,” Fat Dragon threatened, his face a mass of menace.

“So, it’s not about money at all,” Lin Yang realized, seeing the lust in Fat Dragon’s eyes.

Ignoring Lin Yang, Fat Dragon turned to Shen Limin. “You should be grateful you have such a pretty daughter. If she comes with me, she’ll live the good life, and you two will never have to pay rent again. How about it?”

“No,” Shen Limin replied, his tone ironclad. He would die before sending his daughter into a pit like that.

“Don’t know what’s good for you! My patience is limited,” Fat Dragon snapped, then barked at his two lackeys, “Go, grab Shen Youwei!”

Lin Yang moved in an instant, sending both thugs flying with a single punch. They spat blood on the spot, and Fat Dragon was so startled he nearly jumped out of his skin.

“In broad daylight, trying to kidnap a girl? You’ve got some nerve,” Lin Yang said, advancing on him step by step.

Terrified by Lin Yang’s skill, Fat Dragon didn’t dare make a sound. He turned to run, tripped, and scrambled away so clumsily that Shen Youwei couldn’t help but laugh.

“Young master, that Fat Dragon is a real menace around here. No one dares provoke him. Now that he’s run off, he’ll definitely come back with reinforcements,” Shen Limin said worriedly.

“You take Weiwei and go ahead. We’ll stay here,” he added anxiously.

“Dad, don’t worry. Brother Lin Yang is amazing now. Fat Dragon is nothing but a fat worm next to him,” Shen Youwei said with admiration. To her, Lin Yang was capable of anything.

Even the owner of Phoenix Palace, Wei Dagang, and Wang Shenglan, the vice president’s son from the Grand Commerce Association, hadn’t fazed Lin Yang. What was Fat Dragon compared to them?