Debt is also a skill.
Back in college, I was drowning under student loans, thinking, “What kind of skill is debt?” I complained that youth was painful, but after graduating and entering society, I felt that saying deeply in my bones.
The ability to borrow money for increasingly expensive rentals as I get closer to the company. The skill to buy expensive appliances on a three-month interest-free installment plan. The ability to blow my chances on this month’s gacha and dump next month’s budget on it.
In fact, all of that was a skill.
The bookstore that Lady Tang inherited was no different.
“Even a modern Kang Yoon-ho, let alone the barbarian Kang Yoon-ho, couldn’t buy that kind of bookstore.”
While Wuhan is the provincial capital of Hubei, Yichang is a big enough city to be heard of as the second city. The bookstore that Lady Tang inherited is a building on the main street of that Yichang.
I have no clue how much I’d have to pay to buy such a building.
This bookstore will certainly help a lot with debt repayment upon sale. Therefore, a bit of trickery is necessary.
“At times like this, just make them unable to think straight with a tempting bait.”
To establish a platform for fame in this world, I definitely need Lady Tang’s bookstore.
A bait for debt repayment.
To get the bookstore, let’s shake a tempting bait in front of them and deceive them.
—–
“I’ll bear half the debt, so give me the inherited bookstore? Why would you want that?”
The sharp-faced old man looked at me skeptically, questioning why I wanted a bookstore that seemed too small to bear half the remaining debt.
That’s true. Considering the amount of debt, the bookstore does seem relatively small. A rational person wouldn’t need to take on such a loss.
That’s why the first argument must start not from reason, but from the unreasonable.
“Because that’s where Lady Tang’s grandfather started his business.”
“Where he started his business?”
“Fifty years ago. Lady Tang’s grandfather started with a bookstore and gradually expanded his business. Now that he’s gone, everything he built will vanish into thin air. Lady Tang wishes to inherit that bookstore to carry on the spirit, will, and responsibility left by her grandfather.”
“Now that you mention it, Baek Ga started from a bookstore too…”
The old man gazed into the distance with a nostalgic expression. Did he know Lady Tang’s grandfather? If so, it’s understandable that he would be somewhat cooperative.
An illogical yet convincing argument. The old man and other creditors with graying hair looked at Lady Tang with sympathetic eyes.
“Stop your nonsense! How good of a location that bookstore is! Are you trying to snatch it away?”
“If you eat up that bookstore while bearing half the remaining debt, you’ll end up with a good deal!”
Several creditors yelled loudly, breaking the good atmosphere.
I expected this. For them, debt is a much more important issue than any sympathetic or emotional motivations.
The fact that they would take on such an unreasonable debt likely suggests suspicions about whether the bookstore would yield enough money.
“Just take a look at this for a moment.”
I instructed my person to pass small booklets to the creditors.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a summary of the bookstore’s ledger accounting for the past few years of net profit.”
“What business publicly shows its ledger? Isn’t this a fake ledger?”
“You don’t need to doubt it; several of the creditors have already confirmed the actual ledger.”
I looked over at the few creditors I had previously shown the ledgers to, and they nodded to confirm that the records were accurate.
“The net profit is way too low.”
“This is all you made?”
The creditors exchanged shocked looks as they examined the ledger.
“Unlike 50 years ago, competing bookstores have increased, and they’re struggling with inventory and expenses, resulting in lower profits. Do you really think this bookstore is good enough to manage that heavy debt?”
“The location is good!”
“If you want, I can put this bookstore up for sale as well. Then, Lady Tang will be rid of her debt burden.”
“No, the debt must be taken on…”
Who do they think they are?
“This bookstore must bear the debt. If we sell the bookstore to repay the debt, what will remain for anything? With the remaining money, will you all treat yourselves to a bowl of soup? Ah! It’d be better to buy a drink instead; you’ll surely be sick from debts that will never be repaid!”
“……”
“If you want to repay at least half the debt, there needs to be a hole where money can actually come from. You’re unwilling to part with this measly hole-in-the-wall, but Lady Tang has no reason to bear the moral responsibility of repaying the debt.”
I painted the bookstore as insignificant compared to the debt. I turned a building that could fit a coffee franchise or a hospital into a hole-in-the-wall in an instant.
She seeks to inherit that insignificant bookstore to carry on her grandfather’s will.
She claims she will somehow manage the debt with the puny amount that bookstore makes; are you going to scoff at her noble resolve?
If not, then you all stay here. We’ll leave.
“Cough, cough.”
“Yeah. I guess I should give you some breathing room.”
My argument seemed to have worked; the angry creditors coughed awkwardly and looked away.
Great. It’s your turn now, Hwa-rin. I nodded at Lady Tang as I glanced her way, and she stepped forward and opened her mouth.
“That bookstore is…”
Everyone’s eyes focused on her, able to become a debt party.
“It’s a place filled with memories from when I played with my grandfather when I was young. If my grandfather thought about our memories and left a bookstore behind, then as his granddaughter, I believe I should inherit that bookstore to repay your debts.”
Lady Tang expressed her opinion on debt repayment with a willful voice.
“I’m impressed that the young one thinks of her old man.”
“If only I hadn’t come across this issue today, I would have liked to buy you a meal or two.”
“The old man saying that is quite ridiculous. Still, I’d like to see a grandson of mine have that much skill.”
Perhaps they seemed to find her adorable. The older creditors and those with daughters were whispering with smiles they couldn’t hide.
“A penny you can collect is better than a debt you can’t collect, right?”
“Exactly. There needs to be someone to repay it.”
“They’ll regret it later, but are they not at an age where they can discern right from wrong?”
Even those who didn’t give Lady Tang sympathetic looks were shifting towards the opinion that it would be better to give up the bookstore while laughing at her.
As expected, they’re thinking the way I anticipated.
They perceive her youth as a lack of foresight, assuming she’ll make foolish decisions, thinking she’ll live her life as a slave to debt and die. They don’t realize she’s covering the truth with that youthful misjudgment.
“Then what will you do about the rest of the debt! If you’re going to take on the burden, take on all of it!”
The man who had been laughing at us threw the remaining debt onto us, maintaining his expression.
The logic is good, the ambiance is good.
Now, let’s pull out the final trump card and wrap things up.
“I know where Lady Tang’s mother has disappeared to. The remaining debt can be pursued and collected from her, being the official heir.”
Lady Tang had informed me that she ran away to a mansion in Shaanxi.
“What? You know where she went?”
“Where did she escape to!”
“That is…”
I pulled out the paper in my possession, directing the curious gazes of many onto the document as I spoke.
“If all creditors stamp their seal on this deed that acknowledges the inheritance of the bookstore and the fulfillment of half the debt, then I will inform you when the time comes.”
Now, let’s wrap this up.
—–
“I will stamp it!”
As I handed the document, only a few creditors stamped their seals while the rest just exchanged cautious glances.
Hurry up. If you refuse to stamp, we won’t fulfill the debt.
Contrary to my expectations, there was no intense rejection from the creditors, but they remained seated, only eyeing each other anxiously.
At that moment, the sharp-faced old man rose from his seat, still looking at the small booklets he had handed out earlier.
“Hehe heh, this is quite interesting. Very interesting indeed.”
The old man glanced at a few who had stamped first before shaking the booklet he had given me and approached me—smirking as if he was aware of all my little tricks.
This is troublesome. My instincts aren’t feeling good.
“Will you be stamping?”
Keep your expression in check! I started pulling out another document I had prepared.
“Young fellow, you handle tricks that don’t suit your age quite well.”
The old man spoke in a voice low enough that no one could hear.
Did he catch on?
“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
I feigned ignorance, looking at the old man.
“Hehe heh. You’re putting on a brave front! Do you want this stamp?”
“Of course. Just a lot of signatures and the seal, and…”
“From the looks of it, your blood doesn’t seem to match Baek Ga. Are you perhaps her fiancé?”
“What?”
The shocking suggestion momentarily left me dumbfounded.
“There’s a granddaughter of mine who rarely comes out of my house. Word is she’s quite a beauty in Hubei. What do you say, would you like to be my grandson-in-law and work under me?”
What on earth is this? Am I being headhunted? Or is this just a joke? The sharp-faced old man’s smile was hard to read.
As I stood shocked, I felt a presence beside me.
“Hey… Yoon Ho.”
Lady Tang approached and tugged my sleeve with an anxious voice.
Why is she acting like this? Is she worried I might accept the scouting offer? Hey, if I wanted a peaceful life, I wouldn’t risk my life traveling with you.
I took her shaking hand in reassurance. Hwa-rin, remember you said you’d help. Don’t worry, I’m not planning on going anywhere.
At my reassurance, Lady Tang flinched and drooped her head.
I bowed slightly to the old man before I spoke.
“Thank you for your kind thoughts about this black-haired barbarian, but how can a black dog breathe under the rule of a tiger over the world? I’m content to stay in my own place.”
“A black dog, eh? The one barking before hungry beasts isn’t the black dog, but the wolf.”
The old man put away his smile, giving me a piercing look as if he could see right through me.
“Just a scrawny little wolf barking to protect a friend in trouble. I’m merely grateful for your kind words.”
I again bowed slightly and firmly rejected his proposal.
“Hehe heh. The young wolf doesn’t want to mingle with the old tiger; I can’t help that. But I’ll still stamp it.”
Fortunately, the old man laughed and readily stamped the document for me.
“Ma, the commander of Man Geum Battlefield has stamped it!”
“Commander of Man Geum Battlefield? What is he doing here instead of in the provincial capital? Hurry! Call the top leader!”
“My, how could that picky Commander manage to stamp it!”
Man Geum Battlefield.
They say if you get the title of “Man Geum,” you’ll be one of the richest in the Central Plains in martial arts.
“Hehe heh. I hope to see your face often.”
The old man’s back disappeared as he turned, leaving me surprised.
As soon as the Commander of Man Geum Battlefield stamped the document, all creditors stamped their seals in the blink of an eye.
*
After everything was said and done, inside Baek Ga’s room.
“That careless guy. I thought he’d live his life just hoarding money like me, but in the end, he did a good deed without regrets. Was he hoping to go to a good place?”
The Commander watched the memorial tablet of Lady Tang’s deceased grandfather with a sour expression.
“Commander, you’re going too far.”
The head of guards observed him silently for a while before speaking up.
The Commander was a close friend to Lady Tang’s grandfather, who had missed the funeral today and arrived late.
He quietly offered incense to the memorial tablet of his deceased friend before turning to the head of guards.
“I don’t joke about my family.”
“Then, is it really true?”
The head of guards gaped and asked again.
“Though Baek Ga’s children aren’t impressive, he had a child with a talent for bringing home a good partner.”
The Commander sat down and recalled the young man who had led everything from the front today.
“When it became necessary, I was considering just getting the granddaughter out for myself, but that need is gone now. I never thought he would pull such tricks.”
The Commander couldn’t help but smile faintly at the thought of Kang Yoon-ho.
He took the lead in the situation, cleverly distracting the creditors and clouding their judgment to achieve his desired outcome.
He only looked to be a bit over twenty years old, yet to have that level of skill.
“Hehe heh.”
Seeing the Commander’s knowing smile, the head of guards felt somewhat uneasy.
“I won’t scold you for any of this. But still, a scrawny young wolf… what would happen if he gained weight and sharpened his claws?”
If something tempting is out there, just take it. However, this young man who steps up to help his friend in need. The Commander was someone who could wait for his close friend.
He swallowed the lingering sense of nostalgia as he gazed at his dear friend’s memorial tablet today.
*
“Phew. That was a near miss. I can’t believe he caught on.”
I let out a sigh as I sat inside the bookstore I had barely managed to keep.
“Was it because of that guy, Commander Man Geum, at the end?”
Lady Tang asked with a dissatisfied expression, referring to the Commander.
“Yeah. Turns out he was a friend of your grandfather. If not, we would have been in big trouble.”
“What kind of trouble did you get into?”
Although this situation concerned Lady Tang, I was at the forefront along with the head of guards, so there was a lot I didn’t tell her.
But since things had wrapped up successfully, I thought I could share some good news.
I awkwardly smiled and began to explain.
“In fact, I pulled a little trick. Want to hear about it?”
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