Chapter 15: Rage and Memories of Her
"Lead the way," Liang Xiaoluo said after a brief hesitation.
Lin Xue took the lead, with Liang Xiaoluo following close behind. The strong smell of alcohol and the deafening music hit her senses. She used to be indifferent to such environments, but after that night, she couldn't stand them.
At the door of a VIP room, Lin Xue spoke with a bouncer, saying, "Tell your boss we're here to pay off my parents' debt."
The bouncer looked at Lin Xue, then at Liang Xiaoluo, before reluctantly letting them inside.
The VIP room was a smoky haze of noise and chaos, and Liang Xiaoluo instantly disliked the heavy atmosphere. But for her father's sake, she endured it.
"Dad!" she called out as soon as she entered.
Her father, Liang Hui, and her stepmother, Lin Meiling, were bound and gagged on a sofa. Liang Xiaoluo ran to free them, but a burly man shoved her back, making her stumble.
"Let go of my father!" she yelled, regaining her footing.
She charged forward again, only to be pushed back once more. She wasn't strong enough to overpower the man.
Liang Hui shook his head desperately, his eyes wide with warning, silently urging her to leave. But Liang Xiaoluo had made up her mind—she wasn't leaving without him.
A man sitting in the center of the sofa suddenly kicked over the coffee table, making a loud crash that silenced everyone.
"Boss Ming," Lin Xue whispered, trembling. She recognized him as the head of the loan sharks.
Ming Ge glanced at Lin Xue and cut straight to the point. "Where's the money?"
Lin Xue stammered, "W-We haven't gathered it yet…"
Ming Ge's expression darkened, and he barked an order to his men. "What are you waiting for? Chop off their hands!"
"No, please don't!" Lin Xue cried, dropping to her knees. "I'll get the money soon, I swear! Just give me more time!"
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. One of the men pulled out a machete and approached Liang Hui and Lin Meiling, ready to carry out the brutal command.
Liang Xiaoluo's heart pounded. Acting on instinct, she darted forward and shielded her father and stepmother with her body. "I'll repay the debt!" she shouted, her voice resolute.
Ming Ge raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh?"
Liang Xiaoluo took a deep breath to steady herself. She pulled the loan agreement Lin Xue had given her from her pocket and slapped it on the table. "The contract clearly states that my father has three days left to repay the debt. You're breaking the agreement by detaining him early. If you're not following the rules, then why should we?"
Lin Xue immediately chimed in, "That's right! You can't do this—there are still three days left!"
Ming Ge's face contorted with fury, and he turned to one of his men. "Is she right?"
The man hesitated before nodding. Ming Ge, feeling humiliated, kicked the man in the stomach. "Useless idiot!"
Turning back to Liang Xiaoluo, Ming Ge growled, "Fine. You've got three days. But if the money isn't in my hands by then, don't expect me to show mercy."
With a wave of his hand, he signaled for his men to release Liang Hui and Lin Meiling.
Liang Xiaoluo rushed to help them to their feet. As they left, Ming Ge's voice followed them. "Don't even think about running. If you try any tricks, you'll regret it."
Once outside, Liang Xiaoluo flagged down a taxi. The four of them piled in and returned to their dilapidated apartment. Inside, the silence was heavy, broken only by the sound of their ragged breathing.
Lin Meiling was the first to break the tension. She locked the door, slumped into a chair, and began fanning herself with a handkerchief. "That Ming Ge! No food or water the whole time! I'm starving. Snowy, go check the kitchen and see if there's anything to eat."
Lin Xue obediently headed for the kitchen, but Liang Xiaoluo blocked her path. Grabbing Lin Xue by the arm, she dragged her back and shoved her toward Lin Meiling. "Do you two enjoy ruining lives? Are you trying to kill us all?"
Lin Xue stumbled to the floor, looking up at her mother with tearful eyes. "Mom…"
Lin Meiling immediately sprang to her daughter's defense. Hands on her hips, she shouted, "Liang Xiaoluo, what do you think you're doing? Don't forget I'm still your stepmother! How dare you treat me like this?"
"Stepmother?" Liang Xiaoluo scoffed, her voice icy. "Have you ever fulfilled even one of your responsibilities as a mother? You've done nothing but cause trouble for my father. What kind of wife are you?"
Lin Meiling's face turned beet red. "Liang Hui! Look at your daughter! Is this how she treats her elders? I'll teach her a lesson right now!"
Liang Xiaoluo stood tall, meeting Lin Meiling's glare head-on, daring her to try.
Before the situation escalated further, Liang Hui intervened, stepping between them. "Enough, Meiling. You said you were hungry, didn't you? Here, take this money and go get something to eat with Snowy."
Lin Xue helped her mother to her feet, and the two left without another word.
As their footsteps faded, Liang Xiaoluo let out a long breath. Her anger hadn't completely subsided, but she forced herself to calm down. She turned to her father. "Dad, you must be hungry too. I'll make you some noodles."
"Xiaoluo." Liang Hui's voice stopped her in her tracks.
She turned back to him. He looked both angry and worried. "Why didn't you go to Seattle to stay with your aunt? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to scrape together the money to send you away?"
Liang Xiaoluo's heart ached, but she couldn't tell him the truth. Instead, she smiled weakly. "Dad, since Mom passed away, you're the only family I have left. How could I abandon you?"
"Xiaoluo…" Liang Hui sighed heavily.
She stepped forward and took his hand. "Please, don't make me leave again."
His eyes darkened with emotion. "I don't want you to go either, but look at our situation. Your stepmother owes five million, and it's due in three days. If we don't pay…"
"Then let's run!" she interrupted. "Let's go somewhere far away where no one can find us. We can leave them behind. Please, Dad."
Her plea was met with a firm shake of his head. "Xiaoluo, I raised you to never abandon your family, no matter what. She's still your stepmother."
Liang Xiaoluo bit her lip to hold back a retort. She's not my mother. My real mother died when I was twelve.
Instead, she forced a bitter smile. "I understand."
Later that night, Liang Xiaoluo wandered the streets, her mind racing. She had three days to find five million yuan—a sum that seemed utterly impossible.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Xiaoluo?"
Startled, she looked up to see a young woman standing before her. The sunlight behind her made it hard to see clearly, but as her eyes adjusted, Liang Xiaoluo gasped. "Suxin?"
Suxin, her best friend from school, threw her arms around her. "It's really you! I was so worried when you didn't come to class for days and your phone was off. What happened?"
Liang Xiaoluo hesitated before forcing a smile. "It's nothing. My dad's been unwell, so I've been taking care of him. Sorry to make you worry."
Suxin didn't suspect anything and laughed lightly. "Silly, you're my best friend. Of course I'd worry."
Liang Xiaoluo smiled faintly, but her heart remained heavy with the weight of the days ahead.