"Xiaofen, today I really did come in all sincerity to apologize, and I want to give you whatever compensation I can!" Kang Zhaoming said. "Just now when I passed through the shantytown, I saw what looked like another demolition mobilization meeting outside? Your family is going to be relocated, isn't it? Buying a new house will take money. Let me come in first, and we'll talk."

"What do you mean? You want to give me money?" Xiaofen found it almost beyond belief. She had long since seen through Kang Zhaoming's heartless, ungrateful nature, so the idea that he had come to give her money was hard to credit.

"That's right. I hurt you back then, and it was my fault. Now your leg is in bad shape, and treatment costs money. I'm prepared to pay you a lump sum, as atonement for what I did before!" Kang Zhaoming nodded.

"Really?" Xiaofen still did not quite believe it, because Kang Zhaoming's words and behavior today were simply too absurd, as if he were a completely different person from the Kang Zhaoming she had known.

"Of course it's real!" Kang Zhaoming said, nodding. "Xiaofen, don't doubt my sincerity. It's no good standing here on the doorstep. You don't want outsiders to overhear the business between us, do you? That would be awful. You have a life of your own now—let's go inside and talk."

"Say whatever you have to say right here. Every neighbor in this building has gone to the demolition mobilization meeting; besides me, there's no one around." Xiaofen still showed no sign of letting Kang Zhaoming in.

"Is that so... well, that'll work too." Kang Zhaoming figured that since everyone had gone, it was just as well to talk here, so he went on: "Xiaofen, we're both adults now. As for the past, who was right and who was wrong—let's not bring that up. I'll pay you a one-time compensation of five hundred thousand. How does that sound?"

"Five hundred thousand?" Xiaofen was badly startled. The mere fact that Kang Zhaoming was offering compensation had already seemed unimaginable to her, and now this sudden talk of such a huge sum as five hundred thousand made her genuinely suspicious of his intentions.

"Yes. But after you take this money, we'll have to sign a brief agreement. I hope you won't go spreading the story of what happened between us to anyone else, including the people around you and so on..." Kang Zhaoming said. "After all, your current boyfriend is my cousin. If you keep bringing these things up, it won't look good for the Kang family..."

"Is that all?" Xiaofen was still doubtful. Kang Zhaoming's reasoning did sound plausible, but the key question was: was there anyone in the Kang family who didn't already know? Last time at the birthday banquet, hadn't Kang Zhaoming exposed his own shame and said it himself?

"Yes. If you don't believe me, take a look at the agreement first. So long as you can do these few things, the five hundred thousand is yours!" With that, Kang Zhaoming took an agreement out of his bag and handed it to Xiaofen.

Xiaofen took the agreement and read it. It really did say what Kang Zhaoming had said—just that she was not to pursue the past, nor speak of it to anyone else. That was all, and in return she would receive a one-time compensation of five hundred thousand yuan.

In fact, Xiaofen had no intention of pursuing Kang Zhaoming for what had happened in the past. Part of it had been her own foolishness; even if she did pursue it, what could she really do to him? In a thing like this, one side had been willing to do the hurting and the other had been willing to take it; there was no way she could hold him accountable.

But Xiaofen did not want Kang Zhaoming's money. Poor as she was, she had her pride. Wei Zhao was Tang Yun's boyfriend, and even if Wei Zhao tried to give Tang Yun money, Tang Yun would refuse. How much less could she accept it from Kang Zhaoming, an ex-boyfriend who had only ever hurt her?

Yet Xiaofen also knew that her family truly needed the money. Torn, she could not make up her mind on the spot, and decided to call Kang Xiaobo and talk it over.

Early this morning, before Kang Xiaobo left for school, he had phoned Wei Zhao. Today Qibing Real Estate was coming to the shantytown again to discuss the demolition. Kang Xiaobo was a little worried about Xiaofen, afraid her family would be taken advantage of; but he was an unimportant person whose word carried little weight, and he knew that even if he went, it would be useless. So he wanted Wei Zhao to accompany him.

Today Wei Zhao was driving Gu Mengyao's Audi A5. Since the young lady herself had allowed him to drive it, Wei Zhao saw no reason to refuse.

The car drove up to the school gate, and Wei Zhao honked twice. Kang Xiaobo was startled; he had never seen this car of Wei Zhao's before.

"Boss, your car..." Kang Xiaobo stared at the Audi A5 in surprise.

"Gu Mengyao's." Wei Zhao smiled. "Get in. Li Cihua blew up my car, and as a matter of fact, even if you hadn't asked, I was going to go find him anyway. Let's head to the shantytown and demand the money from him."

The verbal agreement Wei Zhao had reached with Li Cihua the day before had effectively come to nothing. The explosion of the car afterward had already torn their ties apart. Li Cihua refused to believe that Wei Zhao didn't know how the car had been blown up, and so the two sides were once again locked in tension. Not only had the five hundred thousand been handed over for nothing, but Wei Zhao was even coming back to demand compensation for the car!

"Uh... Li Cihua blew it up?" Kang Xiaobo was a little stunned.

"It's a long story," Wei Zhao said. "We'll talk on the way."

"Boss, I'm really putting you out!" Kang Xiaobo felt a little embarrassed. As a follower, he had never been able to help Wei Zhao with anything; instead, he was always troubling Wei Zhao to help him. Now even Xiaofen's family affairs were being piled onto Wei Zhao.

"It's nothing. I told you I was going to find Li Cihua anyway." Wei Zhao didn't find it troublesome in the slightest. That was simply his nature—toward friends he was genuinely sincere and never asked for anything in return.

In the car, Wei Zhao told Kang Xiaobo all about going with Tang Yun's family to demand money from Li Cihua the day before, and also explained why the car had been blown up.

"My god!" When he learned that the collapse of Qibing Tower this time had once again been Wei Zhao's doing, Kang Xiaobo was staggered. His boss was simply too remarkable—the other side had built the building twice, and he had made it collapse both times...

Kang Xiaobo was utterly convinced. Making someone's building collapse and then making that someone pay for your car—such a brilliant, dazzling feat was something only Wei Zhao could pull off.

Just before they reached the shantytown, Kang Xiaobo's phone rang. He fished it out and saw that it was Xiaofen.

Kang Xiaobo's heart tightened. Could something have happened? He answered at once and said urgently, "Hello? Xiaofen? What's wrong? Boss and I are on the road. Wait for me—we'll be there soon!"

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