My Medical Skills Give Me Experience Points Chapter 1412 - 562: Trust Me Once, Cold and Indifferent Family Bonds (Part 2)

Trust is the bedrock upon which a person stands. Though maintaining integrity is a challenge, once achieved, it allows one to remain as steadfast as a mountain in society. Currently, within the eyes of her colleagues and herself, Zhou Can is perceived as such a trustworthy individual.

"Tell me what I need to do," she stated, choosing to listen first.

"It's straightforward. You must continue to engage with the shadow investor. I surmise this investor is likely more anxious than anyone, as only one final step remains to shatter my medical career. This situation presents a significant advantage for you. Just as a fish sees the bait but not the hook, people often see the benefits without recognizing the danger. When the opposing party is at their most desperate, securing that fifty thousand will be relatively easy."

Zhou Can's analysis of the situation was delivered with apparent calmness.

"I must be clear: do not assume signing an agreement will automatically grant you the money. I have some suspicions about the investor's identity; countless doctors have fallen victim to their schemes. Your priority is to obtain the funds at this critical juncture, which is the safest course of action. They require your testimony in court. When the time comes, you can agree to testify, but only after the other party has made the full payment first."

After absorbing Zhou Can's strategy, she inquired with concern, "What will become of you?"

"Do not fret, I have my own means of resolving this," Zhou Can replied with a confident smile.

"Very well, the fundamental plan has been laid out for you. When the opposing side contacts you, seize the opportunity to demand payment upfront. Refuse to testify unequivocally without it; it is rightfully yours. Once you have the money, simply fulfill your commitment. Do not concern yourself with my situation."

Zhou Can never disclosed the existence of his other contingency.

This wasn't entirely due to a lack of trust, but rather a firm adherence to the principle that "secrecy yields success, while indiscretion leads to ruin."

Until everything is finalized, never reveal your plans to others.

Otherwise, good intentions are prone to failure when spoken of, while misfortunes tend to spread rapidly.

"Understood, I will follow your advice." With Zhou Can's evident confidence, her doubts vanished, and she readily agreed.

"Even with the fifty thousand, it might not be enough to cover the high-interest loan, correct?" Zhou Can was unsure of the exact remaining debt.

"At the very least, I can pay off a portion, and I will devise a way to gather the rest," she responded. Selling her house was likely still an option within her means.

Attempting to sell a house rapidly often results in an unfavorable price and an uncertain timeline for receiving the funds.

"You initially borrowed a principal of seventy thousand in total, is that correct?"

"Yes!"

"And how much have you managed to repay so far?"

"I've repaid approximately thirty thousand. However, the interest on this high-interest loan is incredibly steep; I still owe over a hundred thousand."

"Do you possess the loan contract?"

"I do!"

"Once the time comes, I will assist you in attempting to resolve this. After you receive the fifty thousand, do not rush to make a repayment. I will seek someone to help you settle the principal and the standard interest, aiming to get the remaining amount waived."

Zhou Can had initially hesitated to get involved in this complicated situation.

However, he realized that offering partial help would be futile; even with the fifty thousand, she would remain trapped in a bottomless pit. True assistance meant resolving the issue entirely.

"Alright, I will trust your plan." Hearing Zhou Can propose a method to help her eliminate some of the illegal interest, she couldn't help but feel immense joy.

"Please give me the loan contract, and tomorrow I will find someone to review it."

"Okay!" She went into the inner room, searched, and produced a contract folder.

Zhou Can opened the folder and examined the documents. The high-interest loan contracts were a labyrinth of treacherous clauses, causing him considerable anger.

"We have concluded our discussion on this matter. Let us now address your family situation. While we are merely colleagues, and I should not typically interfere in your personal affairs, I fear that even if I help you clear this debt, you might fall into another financial predicament later. If that happens, my efforts this time would ultimately be meaningless."

Zhou Can spoke with directness.

Individuals often possess unfortunate traits that evoke disgust.

She possessed a promising future, yet her own choices had led her to this dire state.

Some individuals are excessively soft-hearted, harboring a lifelong fear and reverence for their parents, rarely daring to disobey their commands. Certain parents excel at emotional manipulation, exerting tight control over their children.

As parents, they ought to treat all their children with impartiality.

Every child deserves to be treated equally.

Yet, numerous parents show an instinctive favoritism towards their sons or the child who is more agreeable. Ironically, these favored children are often the most helpless.

This is because they understand that as long as they approach their parents, they can invariably find a solution to achieve their desires.

Lacking funds for marriage, they turn to their parents.

Without money to purchase a house, they still seek parental assistance.

After marriage, still needing funds for a car, they again rely on their parents.

...

Once self-centeredness takes root, such individuals become incapable of fending for themselves. Why strive when everything is handed to them?

Frequently, these pampered offspring are the most self-serving.

To put it plainly, once their parents cease to be useful, they are unceremoniously cast aside. It's not uncommon for them to deny their parents residence in their newly acquired homes. Even if the wealth originated from the parents' hard-earned money, or was extracted from siblings, the son often views it all as rightfully his, an entitlement.

"Sigh! This time, I have truly seen their true colors and must avoid such foolish errors moving forward..."

As she spoke, her family's narrative gradually unfolded.

She was the elder of two children, born a year before her brother.

It was evident that her parents had desired a son, a common reason for subsequent closely-spaced births.

Generally, it is advisable for a woman to wait approximately three years after childbirth before conceiving again, allowing her body adequate time to recuperate.

Her parents consistently showed preference for her brother, a clear indication of their deeply ingrained patriarchal beliefs.

The choicest food was always served to her brother first.

Similarly, when it came to apparel and footwear, she was often given hand-me-downs from other families or inexpensive items from street vendors. Her brother, however, invariably received the finest selections from retail stores.

Throughout her academic journey, her performance was consistently outstanding.

Achieving doctoral student status abroad at such a young age undeniably points to exceptional talent and unwavering dedication. Otherwise, a prodigy relying solely on innate ability, but lacking discipline, often withers away in obscurity.

Upon entering high school, her parents suggested she forgo university.

After all, marriage eventually awaited every young woman.

Later, having gained admission to the nation's premier Imperial University, she had to implore her parents to permit her college attendance.

Her parents begrudgingly contributed a portion of the tuition, leaving her to secure the remainder. Contrastingly, her brother, who was rather wayward and couldn't even gain entry into a standard high school, was directly enrolled by their parents in a private institution with an annual cost of sixty thousand.

Subsequently, when he took the college entrance examinations, he failed to qualify even for third-tier institutions. Nevertheless, his parents financed his attendance at a diploma mill.

Jiang Wei understood from a young age that she was at a disadvantage compared to her brother. Therefore, to pursue her studies, she embraced work-study programs, took on employment during both summer and winter breaks, and diligently labored to fund her own education.

Later, when the chance to study abroad arose, her accumulated savings proved insufficient. She knelt and pleaded with her parents, eventually receiving a sum of thirteen thousand as support. Her parents frequently cited this amount as evidence of their immense sacrifice.

Even after her graduation and the full repayment of the thirteen thousand yuan, her brother's wedding and subsequent home purchase prompted her parents to resort to emotional manipulation once more.

They suggested her annual salary was substantial, deeming it perfectly reasonable to assist her brother by taking out a loan.

This high-interest loan was, in reality, orchestrated entirely by her brother and his family, taken out in her name.

Confronted with familial obligation, she chose to endure the burden in silence.

It was only when she discovered the loan's exorbitant interest rate and the terrifyingly escalating debt that panic set in, realizing her inability to repay it.

When she contacted her parents and brother regarding this predicament, their response was notably dismissive.

They asserted that her salary was high and she should resolve the issue independently.

During her most desperate moments, when Jiang Wei sought financial assistance from her parents to partially settle the debt, fearing threats from loan sharks, they remained steadfastly unmoved.

Her brother's reaction was even more callous; he berated her, accusing her of feigning distress.

He further alleged that she was hoarding funds for a future husband and labeled her as selfish.

In that moment, she completely severed her illusions about her parents and brother, recognizing the profound ruthlessness that familial affection could conceal. They harbored no regard for her well-being.

After absorbing her story, Zhou Can let out a sigh.

It was difficult for him to intervene in their deeply personal family affairs; his only recourse was to allow her the space to find her own enlightenment.