At that moment, an elegant and composed woman wearing sunglasses approached. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Mo?"
Mo Huai nodded and smiled warmly. "Doctor Shu, please have a seat."
Shu Lan removed her sunglasses and walked to the booth. She picked up the drink on the table and took a couple of sips. Only then did Mo Huai get a clear view of her face, and Shu Lan greeted him with a professional smile.
Mo Huai cleared his throat and began, "Doctor Shu, I assume you know why I've asked to see you."
Shu Lan gently set down the drink and responded with a reassuring smile, "Yes, it's about Weiwei, isn't it?"
"Exactly," Mo Huai confirmed, his tone steady. "I want to know everything about her."
Shu Lan sighed and began, "Weiwei primarily suffers from depression and anxiety due to her family background. She is sensitive and suspicious, with emotional instability. She tends to be strong-willed but lacks self-confidence, struggles with negative thinking, and often feels as though she has little control over her life."
Mo Huai listened carefully, his face looking very gloomy.
Shu Lan continued, "But she is the most positive and optimistic of all the patients I have ever met. Even though the Luo family and her fiancé treated her coldly and with disdain, she always took it positively and never had any thoughts of committing suicide. I really admire her for this."
After Shu Lan finished speaking, she glanced up at Mo Huai, who had lowered his gaze, deep in thought.
"I've shared everything I know," Shu Lan said slowly.
Mo Huai remained silent for a long time, lost in Dr. Shu's words. Eventually, he murmured, "Okay."
He fixed his eyes on her and said coldly, "Thank you."
Mo Huai then took out a check from his pocket and handed it to her. "It's a token of appreciation. Please accept it."
Shu Lan took the check with curiosity. Her eyes widened as she silently counted the figures—tens, hundreds, thousands... and finally, five hundred thousand.
She was astonished. Was this really the consultation fee? It seemed excessive. Shu Lan said politely, "Mr. Mo, this is too much. I can't possibly accept this."
Mo Huai simply smiled, stood up, and said gently, "I'm leaving now. Thank you for the information."
With that, Mo Huai walked out of the café with long strides.
Shu Lan stared at the check in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape. She counted the digits once more and held the check tightly in her hand.
Mo Huai placed the check in his wallet with a satisfied smile and left the café.
In his Maybach, he turned on Bluetooth to call Gu Xiu.
At that moment, Gu Xiu was on a medical visit when his phone rang. He answered, "What's up?"
Mo Huai spoke deliberately, "Help me find some books about mental illness."
Gu Xiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "I’ve already got that covered. I’ll mail them to you."
Gu Xiu was well-acquainted with Mo Huai’s needs. He had anticipated the request, having purchased books on depression earlier, and was prepared to send them. He hadn’t expected Mo Huai to call him directly.
"Okay, thanks," Mo Huai replied before ending the call.
——
Zhu Shulan stared at her mobile banking account, her face pale with panic. She blamed her best friend for leading her astray, and her gambling addiction had drained all the 20 million yuan Luo Wei had transferred to her. Now, she still owed two million yuan.
If Luo Jianguo found out, he would not let her go. She sighed deeply, feeling like a puppet with its strings cut, completely lifeless.
"Ring-Ring—"
Zhu Shulan picked up the phone, seeing an unfamiliar number. She hesitated for a few seconds before pressing the answer button. As soon as she put the phone to her ear, a threatening voice snarled from the other side, "When are you going to pay me back? I'll give you a week, or I'll go to Luo's company and create a scene. Maybe we'll have some fun with your daughter, haha..."
The menacing laughter that followed made Zhu Shulan break out in a cold sweat. While she was indifferent to what might happen to Luo Wei, she was terrified of the threats against Luo Qianqian.
Zhu Shulan's voice trembled as she pleaded, "I'm sorry, can you give me a few more days? Two million is not a small amount, and I need some time to arrange the funds..."
The threatening voice on the other end cut her off, "Three days."
Zhu Shulan's entire body shook, her teeth chattering, "How can I possibly pay you back in three days? Please, I beg you."
The voice grew more menacing, "Only three days. If not, I'll collect your daughter's body."
Zhu Shulan's fingers shook uncontrollably as she held the phone, her panic mounting.
"Your daughter's name is Luo Qianqian, right?" the man on the other end said grimly. He had already gathered information about the Luo family. Luo Jianguo was a gigolo who had started the company with the Zhu family's help. The eldest daughter was favored, while the second daughter, an adopted child, was largely ignored. He was confident that threatening the favored daughter would force Zhu Shulan to pay back the debt promptly.
"No, please let my daughter go, please..." Zhu Shulan pleaded desperately, but before she could finish her sentence, the call abruptly ended with a beep.
Staring at the hung-up phone, Zhu Shulan felt a surge of unease.
At that moment, Luo Qianqian returned from outside, her hands full of shopping bags and her face glowing with satisfaction. "Mom, what are you doing?" she asked, noticing her mother’s troubled expression.
"Hey, you're back," Zhu Shulan murmured absently, almost as if in a trance.
"Did something happen?" Luo Qianqian asked, noticing the sadness in her mother’s demeanor.
Zhu Shulan sighed heavily and slumped onto the sofa. "I’m in debt of two million."
Luo Qianqian relaxed slightly upon hearing this, relieved that the situation wasn't as dire as she initially feared. "Didn't Luo Wei transfer 20 million to you before? Two million is nothing compared to that."
She picked up an apple from the coffee table and began eating it leisurely.
Zhu Shulan stammered, "The 20 million is long gone..."
Luo Qianqian, mid-bite, froze and stared at her mother in shock. "What? What happened?"
Luo Qianqian’s eyes narrowed as she regarded Zhu Shulan, mentally scolding her for being so reckless. She quickly masked her frustration and adopted a concerned tone. "Mom, how could 20 million disappear so quickly? What are you going to do now?"
Zhu Shulan lowered her head, looking dejected. "My best friend introduced me to gambling. I became addicted, so..." She glanced at Luo Qianqian. "The debt collectors are demanding two million within three days, or they'll make things difficult for you."
Worried, Zhu Shulan continued.
Luo Qianqian was struck dumb, her face turning red with anger. "Make things difficult for me? Mom, what did I do wrong?"
Fuming, Luo Qianqian crossed her arms over her chest.
Zhu Shulan gently placed a hand on Luo Qianqian’s shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Qianqian, please don’t tell Dad. If he finds out, it will cause a family crisis."
Luo Qianqian’s eyes flashed with irritation as she scoffed.
"Qianqian... Please, just this once," Zhu Shulan begged.
Suppressing her anger, Luo Qianqian changed her demeanor. "Mom, I promise I won’t tell Dad, but how are we going to come up with the two million?"
"Maybe we can pawn my dowry. I still have some savings; it should be enough to cover two million," Zhu Shulan suggested.
Luo Qianqian objected. "That dowry was given to you by Grandpa and Uncle. It can’t be pawned." In her mind, Luo Qianqian was calculating. The dowry was meant to be part of her own marriage settlement, so she couldn't let it be used to pay off debts.
Suddenly, Luo Qianqian had an idea and smiled meaningfully. "Mom, I have a plan."
Since Luo Wei is now involved with the Mo family, two million would be a drop in the bucket for Mo Huai, Luo Qianqian thought.
Zhu Shulan’s eyes lit up. "What’s the plan?"
"If Luo Wei could transfer twenty million to you, she must have at least two million available."
Zhu Shulan slapped her thigh, her face brightening. "Why didn’t I think of that? We’re saved!"
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