Chapter 131: A Tiger Stranded on the Plains Falls Prey to Dogs

Zheng Huayu finally signed the contract.

Under the scorching sun, he stood drenched in sweat. Having neither washed nor slept since the previous night, the heat caused a disheveled, unkempt odor to rise from his body—a truly pathetic sight. His assistant looked at him with such disgust that he stepped far away, muttering, "Damn it, to think you've become such a wreck just because you have no one to serve you. You really are a piece of trash."

Zheng Huayu heard every word, but he had no choice. He could only endure it all as he signed his name on the termination agreement and the notice of breach of contract. The assistant was right about one thing: Zheng Huayu was no longer of any value to the company. If he didn't comply, there was no telling what the company would do to him next.

If he signed the contract and paid the money, even if it meant losing his liquid assets and mortgaging all his fixed property, he would still have a way out. In this era where traffic is king, notoriety is still a form of fame; he could simply move his career abroad. But if he refused to sign, and the company decided to sabotage him behind the scenes, he wouldn't be able to handle it. Even if they didn't resort to underhanded tactics, a simple lawsuit for unpaid debt would label him a "dishonest debtor," stripping him of the right to fly or take high-speed trains—let alone go abroad to earn money.

Thus, Zheng Huayu signed.

Watching him be so obedient, his former assistant—now his debt collector—gave a mocking laugh. "Good! If you had acted this way sooner, you wouldn't have been kicked by me. You've been cursed at for so long; you really are a masochist."

With that, he snatched the signed contract from Zheng Huayu’s hands and inspected it carefully. Satisfied, he nodded, tucked the document neatly into his briefcase, and glanced at Zheng Huayu. "Since we worked together once, I'll give you a piece of friendly advice: the clock on this contract starts from the moment you signed. You have one week to scrape the money together."

"In seven days, the full ten million must be transferred to the company account. Otherwise, I can't guarantee that the board of directors won't take drastic measures against you."

Zheng Huayu put on a fawning smile, bowing repeatedly. "Yes, yes, thank you, brother. I will definitely get that money into the company account on time. I won't make things difficult for you!"

Watching Zheng Huayu grovel like a dog, the assistant curled his lip and walked away from the hotel entrance. Only when the man had completely disappeared from sight did Zheng Huayu lift his head, curse under his breath, and spit toward the direction the assistant had vanished.

"Pah! Damn it, a fallen tiger is bullied by dogs!"

"Don't look at yourself so highly. You were nothing more than a dog by my side, and now you dare to bark at your master!"

"Just pray I never make a comeback! Otherwise, the first thing I’ll do is kill you, you piece of filth!"

The more he cursed, the more invigorated he felt, as if his words were some kind of hex that could cause harm to the assistant from afar. After venting, the knot in his chest finally began to loosen.

"Hmph! It’s only ten million, right? I'll just start over! I can earn that back in no time!"

"Those brainless fans don't care about my reputation anyway. Maybe if I move my career abroad, they’ll be foolish enough to follow me there!"

"Money is money no matter where you earn it. Heh, just you wait! The river flows east for thirty years and west for the next; never look down on a young man who is down on his luck!!!"

As he spoke, Zheng Huayu felt a sense of resolve. At that moment, the sun didn't feel scorching anymore; it felt warm, as if it signaled his rebirth.

Ah! Bathing in the sunlight, I am about to be reborn!

With visions of a bright future, a blissful smile on his face, Zheng Huayu walked out toward the main street. He didn't even need to return to the company; he was free at last. He decided to find a companion for the night, take a bath, and truly unwind, cleansing himself of his past so he could ascend to greatness. If not now, when?

However, the moment he stepped onto the road, he heard the sound of sirens rapidly approaching. A line of police cars screeched to a halt in front of him, blocking his path.

Zheng Huayu: ???

He watched as a team of armed officers with handcuffs emerged and charged toward him. His smile vanished. "W-what are you doing?!"

"Hands on your head! Get on the ground, don't move!" the officer shouted. "We have received reports that you are involved in illegal activities, including drug use and trafficking, organized lewdness, and tax evasion!"

"Now, stop resisting immediately and come with us to the station for investigation!"

Hearing this, Zheng Huayu’s face turned deathly pale with terror. "No... I didn't do those things! On what grounds are you arresting me?"

As he spoke, he couldn't stop himself from backing away. Seeing him retreat, the police assumed he was attempting to flee and surged forward. Panicked and feeling guilty, Zheng Huayu let out a strange cry and turned to run.

The chase was on, and he had nowhere to hide. The officers pursued him relentlessly. Zheng Huayu kept looking back, his eyes filled with panic and despair. Finally, exhausted, he was surrounded by officers approaching from all sides.

Zheng Huayu looked up in terror, wanting to fight back, but seeing the heavily armed police, his resolve crumbled. He realized there was no escape. Without further resistance, he waited for the officers to approach and slap the handcuffs on him.

While searching his belongings, the police discovered drug paraphernalia and a small amount of narcotics on his person. Zheng Huayu had no room to argue. He was arrested, loaded into a police car, and taken to the station.

On the way, Zheng Huayu stared out the window at the passing scenery, his mind flooded with memories of the past. He broke down and sobbed. He knew he was truly finished this time.

Zheng Huayu had once been a vibrant and passionate musician on stage, but now, all of that had slipped away from him.

Meanwhile, Su Chen, who had been sleeping in until nearly noon, was jolted awake by his ringing phone. Dazed, he picked it up and saw an incoming call displayed on the screen. The name of the contact was Xu Fangyuan.