Chapter 5: A Promise of Repayment

The room fell silent after Song Chen’s final words.

“Tomorrow…” he had said in that deep, calm voice, “…I’m going with you.”

Lin Yue stood frozen beside the balcony doors as rain continued pouring outside the luxury hotel suite. The city lights reflected softly against the glass, wrapping the room in a quiet, intimate glow.

Her fingers tightened around the black card.

“You can’t,” she said softly.

Song Chen raised an eyebrow.

“And why not?”

“This is my problem,” Yue replied quickly. “I already dragged you into enough trouble.”

Xu Kai nearly sighed aloud.

This girl still didn’t understand who she was talking to.

Nobody in Jiang City could stop Song Chen once he made a decision.

But Song Chen simply walked toward the table calmly, loosening the top button of his shirt. The cold CEO aura around him seemed softer tonight, though still impossible to ignore.

“You saved my life,” he said quietly. “That already made your problem my problem.”

Yue’s heartbeat became uneven again.

The way he said those words—

Too natural.

Too sincere.

Dangerously sincere.

She quickly looked away.

“That still doesn’t mean you should involve yourself with my family.”

Song Chen gave a faint, unreadable smile.

“Your family?” he repeated slowly.

Yue immediately fell silent.

No…

Not her family anymore.

A painful shadow crossed her face, and Song Chen noticed it instantly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Only the sound of rain filled the suite.

Then slowly, with trembling fingers and a heavy heart, Yue stepped toward the table again.

Her eyes lowered to the black card.

Two million yuan.

The exact amount needed to buy her freedom.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

After several seconds of silence, she finally picked it up.

Xu Kai looked relieved instantly.

But Yue suddenly lifted her head and looked directly into Song Chen’s eyes.

Her gaze was soft yet stubborn.

“I am taking this 2 million as a loan,” she said firmly, “not a gift.”

Song Chen leaned slightly against the table, watching her carefully.

Yue continued quietly,

“I promise you… I’ll work hard. I’ll take multiple jobs, I’ll continue studying, and I’ll repay every single cent.”

Her fingers tightened around the card.

“I swear it.”

The sincerity in her voice stunned the room into silence.

Xu Kai honestly couldn’t understand her.

Countless people would’ve thrown away their dignity for even one percent of that money.

But this girl…

Even while standing at the edge of despair, she protected her pride like treasure.

Song Chen’s dark eyes softened slightly.

“You think I need your repayment?”

“Yes,” Yue answered immediately.

Her answer came so fast that even she looked surprised afterward.

But Song Chen seemed amused instead.

“And if you fail?”

Yue froze.

For a second, uncertainty appeared in her eyes.

Because the truth was—

She had no idea how long it would take to repay 2 million yuan.

Years?

Maybe even her entire life.

Still, she slowly straightened her shoulders.

“Then I’ll keep trying until I succeed.”

Song Chen stared at her silently.

Something inside his chest moved strangely.

This girl clearly looked exhausted and broken, yet she still refused to depend on anyone.

It was foolish.

But strangely beautiful too.

Suddenly, Song Chen stepped closer.

Too close.

Yue instinctively stopped breathing.

The rain outside blurred the city lights behind him, making the atmosphere feel dangerously intimate.

“You know,” he murmured softly, “most people spend their lives trying to get close to me for money.”

Yue blinked nervously.

“But you…” his eyes locked onto hers, “…keep trying to draw a line between us.”

Her heart began beating wildly.

“That’s because I don’t belong in your world.”

The moment she said it, silence filled the room again.

Something unreadable flashed across Song Chen’s face.

“You decided that very quickly.”

Yue lowered her eyes.

“It’s the truth.”

A rich and powerful CEO.

An abandoned girl sold for money.

Their worlds were too different.

Yet somehow…

Standing this close to him made her feel safer than she had in years.

And that frightened her most of all.

Xu Kai suddenly cleared his throat awkwardly.

“President Song… the security team reported suspicious people near the hotel entrance.”

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Song Chen’s eyes turned cold again.

“How many?”

“Three vehicles. Possibly your third brother’s men.”

Yue’s face turned pale.

“They found this place already?”

Song Chen calmly took his coat from the chair.

His voice became dangerously calm.

“Looks like tomorrow may arrive sooner than expected.”

Yue’s grip around the black card tightened.

A strange feeling suddenly settled in her chest.

Fear.

But not for herself.

For him.

Before she could even understand why, Song Chen suddenly looked back at her.

“Stay behind me tomorrow,” he said quietly.

Yue frowned slightly.

“And if I don’t?”

For the first time, a faint smirk appeared on his lips.

“Then I’ll just have to protect you anyway.”

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