"Brother Yi! I beg of you...!"

Even as Yang Hai was forcibly removing him, Ren Xingsheng desperately kept pleading with Yi Anguo, but Yi Anguo was in no mood to pay him any mind.

Yi Anguo called Ou Xiaolong, his voice sharp with dissatisfaction. "You told Ren Xingsheng I could help him, didn't you? You know perfectly well that he and I don't get along. Why would you send him here to disgust me? If I'd known you'd pull something like this, I never would have helped you in the first place."

Ou Xiaolong immediately understood what had happened. Ren Xingsheng had angered Yi Anguo, and now Yi Anguo was angry with him too. A wave of regret washed over him.

"Brother Yi! He backed me into a corner, so I had no choice but to say a little. I even told him you'd never help, but I didn't expect him to actually go find you," Ou Xiaolong hurriedly explained. "I'm so sorry. If I'd known he was that shameless, I never would have told him anything. I figured he wouldn't have the gall to ask you for a favor, especially after how badly you two fell out last time."

"I don't want to hear from anyone else that you've been telling people I helped you, or that I have money and power," Yi Anguo said, his voice laced with annoyance.

Yi Anguo preferred for everyone to mind their own business; he didn't want to make a mortal enemy out of anyone. While he wasn't afraid of offending Ren Xingsheng, it was always better not to burn bridges if it could be avoided. If their paths diverged, they could simply see less of each other and speak even less when they did. There was no need for a complete falling out. Today's incident, however, had burned that bridge completely. The relationship was now shattered beyond repair.

Yi Anguo originally thought the matter was over and didn't give it much thought. He had no idea it was far from finished.

The next day, Zhuo Weidong called. He said that Ren Xingsheng's father, Ren Guangcai, had approached him. He was asking Zhuo Weidong to appeal to Yi Anguo, hoping that if Yi Anguo was able, he would help the Ren Family get through their current crisis.

"Brother Zhuo, you know as well as I do that Ren Xingsheng has always looked down on me, and I can't stand him. We haven't spoken since our falling out, so why on earth should I help him?" Yi Anguo said with a sense of helplessness. "If the tables were turned today, and I was the one in trouble, needing his help, do you think he would help me?"

Zhuo Weidong was silent for a moment before saying, "Ren Guangcai is a senior figure in Shenzhen's local real estate scene with significant influence and an excellent network. I couldn't just turn him away. But if you don't want to help, then don't. I'm just going through the motions. You don't need to feel pressured or worry about making me look bad."

Yi Anguo couldn't help asking, "If Ren Guangcai has such a big name and a strong network, and is a local powerhouse, he should be able to borrow money. Plenty of people should be willing to help him! Why would he come begging to me?"

Zhuo Weidong laughed and explained, "Having a big name and strong connections is one thing. It certainly makes getting things done more convenient, as people are willing to give him face.

"For instance, Ren Guangcai came to me because he heard that you and I are close. He hoped I could persuade you to help them through this crisis.

"What was I supposed to do? Naturally, I had to give him some face and promise I'd try to talk to you.

"After all, I'm only advising you, not forcing you. And since it costs me nothing, there's no downside for me. Plus, I earn a favor in the process. Of course, I had to 'help'!

"But whether you listen to my advice is your business, not mine. If you decide to help him, my reputation grows, and Ren Guangcai's debt to me becomes even greater. If I ever need his help in the future, how could he possibly refuse?

"He owes me a favor that he'll have to repay sooner or later.

"But if you're unwilling to help, it's no loss to me. I can say I did my best, and Ren Guangcai will still owe me for the effort.

"So why would I refuse to do something that only benefits me and causes me no harm? It's the same for everyone. As long as their own interests aren't at stake, nobody will refuse an opportunity to do a small favor and give someone face.

"Face is a matter of mutual respect, and that's how connections are built. But when it comes to concrete interests involving cold, hard cash, that's another matter entirely. At that point, 'face' goes out the window. Even the best relationship can't compete with tangible benefits.

"So don't worry. I'm just passing on a message for someone else. Even if I were the one asking for your help, you'd have every right to refuse if there wasn't something tangible in it for you. I wouldn't blame you at all.

"To be honest, Ren Guangcai's company is facing a massive crisis. It's questionable whether they'll even survive it.

"Even if you do decide to help him, I'd urge you to think it over very carefully. No matter how great the potential rewards, the risk is equally immense. If his company doesn't make it and goes bankrupt, all your money will go down the drain."

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