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墨書 Inktalez
I said I didn't owe anyone money and didn't even know who was outside. The Department Head knew a bit about my family situation and was also somewhat puzzled. Looking at me, he didn't think I was lying, so he pulled me to the school entrance and pointed at a man outside holding a gasoline can, asking, "You really don't know him?"
I took a closer look. The man was wearing a wrinkled suit and had large, thick glasses on his face. I recognized him almost immediately. Who else could it be but Mr. Lu, the one who had approached me last time to buy the Goddess of Wealth?
I quickly told the Department Head that I did know him; he had once asked me to sell him an Amulet, but I truly did not owe him any money. The Department Head said that regardless of the situation, I should clarify things with him first.
Reluctantly, I had no choice but to walk out with the security guard. Mr. Lu was standing at the school gate, still holding the can in his hand. He had seen me long ago and was mumbling something under his breath.
I stopped just a few meters away from him and said, "What’s the problem? Who owes you money?"
Mr. Lu glared at me and said, "It's you who owes me!"
"That's ridiculous!" I shouted angrily. "You're slandering me! Who owes you money? Do I need to ask you for money?"
The Department Head also came over and said to Mr. Lu, "Sir, if Shen really owes you money, please provide evidence. As long as there is evidence, the school will handle it fairly."
I rolled my eyes and said, "What evidence could he possibly have?"
"Who says I don't have any?" Mr. Lu shouted back, then pulled something out of his pocket and held it up, saying, "This is the evidence!"
Many people turned to look, and when they saw what it was, they all looked confused. The Department Head looked puzzled too because what Mr. Lu held up was the Goddess of Wealth that I had sold him before. The Department Head, not knowing the details of this matter, asked, "Sir, what is this thing…"
"It’s the Amulet he sold me!" Mr. Lu shouted. "He used this thing to scam me out of one hundred thousand yuan!"
The Department Head was somewhat shocked and looked at me, asking, "Did you sell this to him for one hundred thousand?"
I nearly spat blood in disbelief and said, "If I could sell this for one hundred thousand yuan, I'd have gone to an auction house as a host long ago! I only sold this Amulet to him for fifteen hundred; that’s the market price—didn't charge him a penny more!"
The Department Head responded with an "Oh," and asked Mr. Lu if that was true. Mr. Lu nodded in agreement, which made the Department Head even more puzzled. He said that since you only sold it to him for fifteen hundred, how could you say you scammed him out of one hundred thousand?
Mr. Lu then explained to the Department Head that when he bought the Amulet initially, he intended to use it to turn a profit in stocks. However, months passed without any increase in stock prices; instead, they kept falling. Just yesterday, he had sold everything at a loss—starting with one hundred thousand yuan; now he only had a little over ten thousand left—he had lost so much that he couldn't even find his way home.
That’s why he came looking for me to settle the score.
Department Head finally understood the real reason. He frowned and said to me, “Shen, this is where you went wrong. Amulet is a manifestation of faith; how can it be used to deceive people?”
I replied, “Who deceived him? I already told him that Amulet cannot change the overall trend; it only helps enhance one’s luck. But this isn’t a real Buddha; it can’t defy fate! If you don’t believe me, ask him if I didn’t say that at the beginning!”
Department Head would naturally ask, and Mr. Lu did not deny it. He simply said, “But you told me that Amulet could make stocks rise!”
I really wanted to slap him and say, wasn’t it you who pressured me into saying that stocks could rise? I said it couldn’t influence stock trends, and you claimed I didn’t know how to do business, lecturing me for ages. Otherwise, why would I go against my conscience and say such irresponsible things?
Mr. Lu glared at me and said, “I didn’t expect you to not only deceive people but also lack gratitude. I was teaching you how to do business; instead of thanking me, you’re trying to cheat me! I don’t care; today you must compensate me, or I’ll set myself on fire right here and haunt you as a ghost!”
Department Head rubbed his forehead. After a while, he seemed to understand what was going on and said to Mr. Lu, “You were the one who asked him to tell you that stocks could rise; how can you blame Shen for that?”
Mr. Lu angrily replied, “You, as a teacher, are being unreasonable! I asked him to say it to teach him about business, but he can’t deceive me! If it can’t happen, then it can’t! Why did he have to say it could? Isn’t that clearly trying to cheat me? How can you, as a teacher, lack even this basic sense of morality?”
Department Head’s face darkened. He patted my shoulder and said, “Shen, you need to handle this matter properly.”
After saying that, he stepped back a few paces, appearing as if he no longer wanted to get involved. I was so angry my teeth were grinding; how could I encounter such an unreasonable client? It felt like a stroke of bad luck.
Mr. Lu’s words were overheard by students watching from the doorway, and everyone burst into laughter. No one thought he was in the right, but their attitude had no effect on Mr. Lu. I insisted that I was not at fault; all the blame lay with me. If I deceived him, then I should take responsibility. Whether or not he pressured me into saying that was another matter entirely and should not be conflated!
Damn it, is this conflating things? It’s clearly the same issue!
Each side had its own reasoning; since Mr. Lu refused to leave, I naturally wouldn’t agree to compensate for his losses. In the end, he actually poured gasoline over himself and pulled out a lighter. This terrified Department Head, as allowing someone to self-immolate at the school gate would severely damage the school’s reputation. Regardless of who was right or wrong in this situation, he could not allow it to happen.
After the standoff dragged on for too long, the school’s Vice Principal arrived as well. He wanted to invite Mr. Lu into the office for a discussion instead of holding up the lighter and scaring everyone.
To be honest, at that moment I really wished Mr. Lu would just ignite the lighter already. What’s the point of talking with someone like him?
Making money should be a joyful thing; instead, he turned it into a source of frustration.
However, Mr. Lu wouldn’t listen to reason at all. Anyone who tried to approach him would hear the lighter clicking ominously. With all that gasoline on him, even a small spark could set him ablaze. As a result, no one dared to move closer. Mr. Lu declared that he would give me five minutes; if I didn’t admit my mistake and compensate him within those five minutes, he would immediately self-immolate.
The Vice Principal and Department Head stood there with grim faces, looking at me and saying, “Shen, what do you think…”
My stubborn temper flared up, and I said, "What are you looking at? I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I admit my mistake? He was just talking nonsense; what does that have to do with me?"
The School Leadership had no way to intervene. In this matter, I really hadn't done anything wrong. It was just that Mr. Lu's perspective was quite different from that of ordinary people, which led to an irreconcilable conflict.
As time passed, more and more people gathered outside the school to watch the commotion. Seeing the situation escalate, the faces of several members of the School Leadership turned dark as coal.
At that moment, a car pulled up nearby, and soon after, Second Uncle squeezed through the crowd. Barulan and Ajan Dong flanked him like bodyguards. I was surprised to see Second Uncle, and he looked equally surprised. He approached and asked me what was going on, why there were so many people gathered, and if I had caused trouble again.
I felt extremely frustrated and recounted the situation with Mr. Lu to Second Uncle. After listening, Second Uncle turned to look at Mr. Lu and then walked straight over.
When he reached Mr. Lu, Second Uncle first sized him up as if he were observing a giant panda. Mr. Lu looked wary, pulling his hand back slightly as if guarding against having his belongings snatched away, and asked, "What do you want?"
Second Uncle replied, "Nothing much, just wanted to ask if you have a wife and kids."
Mr. Lu hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying, "Yes."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sharp sound of a slap. I was stunned because Second Uncle raised his hand and slapped Mr. Lu across the face. Five finger marks instantly appeared on his cheek. Mr. Lu instinctively covered his face, looking dazed.
Second Uncle didn't give him any time to react; he swung his hand back again and slapped him once more while scolding, "You have a wife and kids but don't work properly? You come here causing a ruckus! Do you want to die? Why not take your wife and kids with you to jump off a building? Seeing a man like you makes me furious; what kind of upbringing did you have?"
As he spoke, Second Uncle punched and kicked at Mr. Lu. Mr. Lu instinctively covered his head, causing his lighter to fall to the ground.
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