Zhang up the phone and said, "My name's Zhang. Is there any problem with the 500-table banquet I want to book?"
The manager on the other end was clearly shocked. "Mr. Zhang, this is the first time we've had such a big order. But, of course, we can't refuse such a big deal. 500 tables... that's over a million yuan. We'll need a 200,000 yuan deposit to confirm the booking."
"No problem," Zhang replied without hesitation. "Just send me your bank account details, and I'll transfer the money."
The manager, relieved, quickly added Zhang on WeChat and sent over the account information. Zhang immediately made the transfer. After confirming the deposit, the manager quickly gave orders to the relevant departments.
"Quick! We've got a huge order—get the procurement team moving! The kitchen, no more other deliveries today, focus on this banquet! We need to prepare 500 tables within a day!"
After hanging up, Zhang couldn't help but sigh. "Even though money won't be useful in a month, right now, I still need it to buy things." He looked at the 2 million yuan in savings, a mix of his inheritance and personal funds, and couldn't help but feel a little heartache. A good portion of it was already gone, but then again, this could be a good thing. Many people hold onto piles of cash, only for it to become worthless when the time comes. Not everyone gets a chance to spend it before it's too late.
"Still, there's a lot more I need to buy. I need to find a way to get more money," Zhang thought to himself, his gaze falling on his apartment.
This apartment, located in the heart of Tianhai City, was 120 square meters in size. The neighborhood had been built 10 years ago, and now, given the market prices, it was worth at least 4 million yuan per square meter. So, this place was worth at least 500 million yuan.
"Got it!" Zhang's eyes lit up. "I'll just take out a mortgage. That'll give me the cash I need." He chuckled to himself. Borrowing money without having to repay it felt strangely good. Without wasting time, he left his apartment and headed straight to the bank.
While driving, he received a message from Fang: "Zhang, I'm so bored this weekend. I wish I had someone to hang out with."
Zhang glanced at the message but tossed his phone aside. He was more focused on the task at hand. At the bank, Zhang applied for a loan. With the full payment for his property and all the necessary documents in order, the bank processed his request quickly, approving a 4 million yuan loan. Zhang didn't bother to argue; after all, it was free money. Once the paperwork was signed, the bank transferred the funds into his account.
"Now, after paying for the banquet, I've got about 5 million left," Zhang thought to himself. "That should be enough to renovate the house. But I still need to buy a lot of medicine and weapons. This money might not be enough."
He was deep in thought when a guy with yellow hair, looking like a troublemaker, spotted him and walked over with a gleam in his eye.
"Hey, bro, you look like you could use some money," the guy said, grinning.
Zhang glanced up, wary. "Who are you?"
The guy's grin widened. He leaned in and whispered, "Let me guess, you need money, right? And the bank isn't giving you anything?"
Zhang immediately understood. This guy was definitely a loan shark!
Zhang sighed, pretending to be troubled. "Yeah, my business needs cash flow, but the bank just..."
The yellow-haired guy smiled knowingly. "I get it. The banks are a pain these days. A bunch of rules, and they take forever to approve anything. But listen, bro, I can help you out if you need money right now."
Zhang was cautious but played along. "You? Can you really help me? I need millions."
The guy's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah? This sounds like a big deal! I can definitely help. My company specializes in getting people out of tight spots like yours." He pulled out a business card and handed it to Zhang. The card read: "Duoduo Finance Services Ltd." The guy's name was Hu.
Zhang looked at the card, then said, "You guys can really lend me the money? I need 5 million. I can pay you back in three months, no problem."
Hu's excitement grew. "No problem! We can help with that. We're specialists at getting money into the hands of people who need it fast."
Zhang's heart raced. "Alright then. Let's go to your office and talk."
They got into Hu's car and drove to a shabby office building in a quieter part of the city. Inside, it looked like a typical sketchy business. Hu led Zhang to a back office where the company's boss, a burly guy dressed in a fancy suit, was waiting.
The boss introduced himself as Chen, and after a quick exchange of pleasantries, he said, "Mr. Zhang, I hear you need to borrow money. How much are you looking for?"
"5 million," Zhang answered straightforwardly.
Chen raised an eyebrow. "That's quite a bit. But I'll be honest, our interest rates are pretty high. You need to be prepared for that."
Hu chimed in, "Mr. Zhang's business needs cash flow, but once it's up and running, he'll have no problem paying us back, right?"
Zhang nodded, playing the part. "Yeah, I can pay it back quickly. High interest is fine, as long as you can lend me the money."