**Chapter 3: A One-Week Extension!**
"Who are you people?"
Seeing that the men looked far from friendly, Han Xinyan immediately shielded Shen Jiayue behind her, her face full of vigilance.
"Who are we? We're naturally your husband's benefactors!"
The bald man's eyes gleamed with amusement as he sized up Han Xinyan.
"Shen Fei? You're here for Shen Fei?"
Hearing this, Han Xinyan instinctively took a few steps back with Shen Jiayue.
The bald man, however, turned his gaze to Shen Fei.
"Well, well, Mr. College Boy. Not answering calls or texts—did you really think you could just disappear? Pay up! Including interest, you owe us 320,000 yuan!"
"…He owes 320,000?"
Han Xinyan stared at Shen Fei in disbelief, her heart sinking into despair.
"That's right! Not a small amount, huh? You're his wife, aren't you? Shouldn't you help shoulder some of this burden?"
The bald man raised his eyebrows with a sleazy grin and began walking toward Han Xinyan.
At this moment, Shen Fei spoke up.
"If you want money, fine. But lay a hand on my wife, and I swear you'll regret it!"
With that, Shen Fei grabbed a beer bottle from the coffee table and smashed it forcefully, shards flying everywhere.
As the sound echoed, memories of his past life flooded back into Shen Fei's mind.
On this exact day in his previous life, his twenty-year nightmare had begun.
These loan sharks, who made a living off usury, had tracked him down to this very apartment. That day, Shen Fei had stood mute and powerless as his wife, Han Xinyan, was harassed right in front of him.
Later, they beat him to a pulp and forced him to kneel, begging for an extra week to repay the loan. But 320,000 yuan of high-interest debt—how could it possibly be repaid in just a week?
A week later, with no money and nowhere to run, he had been captured again. To his surprise, they let him go after another beating.
It wasn't until later that Shen Fei discovered the truth. Desperate to save him, Han Xinyan had borrowed the money from a wealthy businessman who had been pursuing her. In exchange, she had agreed to marry him.
But her married life was far from happy. The man turned out to be abusive, treating Han Xinyan worse with each passing day. Even Shen Jiayue, then only three, suffered physical abuse multiple times.
The suffocating despair eventually drove Han Xinyan to her breaking point. One night, she sent Shen Jiayue back to the apartment while Shen Fei lay drunk, unaware. That same night, Han Xinyan ended her own life by jumping off the wealthy man's building.
Only then did Shen Fei realize the truth—that everything was his fault. His gambling, drinking, and irresponsibility had destroyed his family and driven his wife to her death.
Now that fate had given him a second chance—to return to the very moment when tragedy had begun—he was determined to change everything.
"Well, well, Mr. College Boy, you've grown a temper, huh? It's just a beer bottle—who hasn't seen one before?"
The bald man sneered and advanced toward Shen Fei.
"You dare threaten me? Are you looking to die? Boys, get him! Teach this punk a lesson!"
At his command, the other thugs swarmed around Shen Fei.
In his previous life, Shen Fei had trained in martial arts after becoming wealthy, gaining formidable combat skills. But in his current, weakened state—his body ravaged by years of smoking and drinking—he was no match for them.
As the thugs punched and kicked him, Shen Jiayue burst into tears.
"Daddy! Waaa! Stop it! Don't hit my daddy!"
If not for Han Xinyan holding her back, the little girl would have run straight to Shen Fei.
Han Xinyan, meanwhile, watched the scene with cold indifference. She felt no sympathy—only a strange sense of relief.
This useless man deserved a beating!
Suddenly, from the center of the beating, Shen Fei let out a roar. He gripped the broken beer bottle, struggled to his feet, and charged at the bald man. Pressing the jagged glass against the man's neck, Shen Fei aimed directly at his carotid artery.
"Stop! Everyone, stop!"
The bald man's previous arrogance vanished, replaced by fear.
"Hey, hey, Mr. Shen, let's not get crazy here! We're civilized people, right? Violence won't solve anything! Think about it—if you kill me, what do you gain? You'll just end up in prison!"
Even a hardened loan shark knew that desperate people could do anything. He genuinely feared Shen Fei would take his life.
Shen Fei was afraid, too, but he gambled on who would back down first.
Pain shot through his body, but he ignored it.
"Give me one week! Just one week! I'll pay you back in full, with interest!"
"Just put that down! We can talk about this!" the bald man stammered nervously.
"One week! That's all I'm asking. Yes or no?" Shen Fei pressed harder, drawing blood from the man's neck.
"Fine! Fine! One week! No more!" the bald man screeched.
Hearing this, Shen Fei released him.
Though no written agreement was made, Shen Fei chose to believe him.
"Boss Heng!"
The bald man's lackeys rushed over to him.
"Get out of here!" the bald man barked, covering the bleeding spot on his neck. He glared at Shen Fei.
"Shen Fei, I'll give you one week, just one! If you don't pay up, I'll kill you myself!"
"Let's go!"
The thugs left as quickly as they had arrived.
The room fell silent, save for the sounds of Shen Fei's heavy breathing, Shen Jiayue's sobbing, and Han Xinyan's icy stare.