Don't be a Kept Man

Chapter 1: Rebirth

On a dark and rainy night, where pale streetlights cast shadows from the roadside greenery into an eerie atmosphere, sits a man in his tiny and narrow rented apartment. He has his eyes closed, so deep in thought that even the racket that is happening outside could not affect him.

"Lu Qi! You bastard! You'd better open this door up! You think you can just run after borrowing money? There is nothing in this world that would be that easy – the money that was borrowed and the additional interest must be returned! Fifty thousand yuan – not a penny less!"

How could it turn out like this......

The man finally opened his eyes and turned on his phone, staring at the screen for a very long time. His finger forcefully swiped on the date display, and he finally believed that he returned to the past, five years ago.

From a small town to the big city, once again penniless, and saddled with debt as a mere university student – it looked like the situation was very bad, but compared to five years later when he had tried to deceive Huo Ming Chen for his wealth and being counterattacked into death together, this was a way better situation.

With the constant yelling outside, Lu Qi finally moved to the doorway. Through the padded door, his voice clearly reached the ears of the person outside.

"3 months later, as per the contract, I will return the borrowed money and interest of thirty five thousand yuan."

"You can make a big fuss, with the worst outcome of calling the police. We can both go to the station, but you have to think carefully, as being a loan shark is against the law. You'll have nothing in the end."

The person outside the door was stunned, and after huffing and puffing for some time, he finally spat out —

"Fuck you! Fifty thousand yuan and no less!"

Lu Qi said,

"Forty thousand yuan, take it or leave it. I can pay it back after working 3 part time jobs in a couple of months. If you don't want it, I can open this door, and you can just take my life."

"......"

The loan shark was probably a novice, and could not understand complicated words. He did not know how to deal with this kind of crafty street smarts, and was bluffed by Lu Qi. If he had been more of a black hearted, cruel man, he would have just chopped off a leg or an arm for his money.

Time was ticking, and Lu Qi was not in a hurry. He even took some time to light up a cigarette. After a while, the pale faced loan shark finally relented.

"All of your identification is with me. I know which school you go to. Your written debt contact is legal, and I can take you to court. At that time, I don't think anyone would be happy."

"Don't worry,"

Lu Qi leaned against the door, narrowing his eyes, with the smoke from the cigarette surrounding him in darkness.

"I will return your money."

In his past life, he was deathly scared of being poor, studying as if his life was on the line to come to the capital. His eyes were full of determination to be at the top, but who could have thought that the difference between a small town and the city was so large.

Someone's one meal could have been your entire month's expenses. Someone's watch could be so expensive that you still can't pay for it even after saving for half a year by not eating or drinking.

This is the world that Lu Qi never could have imagined. A world that he loathes but also longed for in his heart.

He was like a snail, working to climb upwards to a height he doesn't belong to. Until he met Huo Ming Chen......