Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 528: Debt Collection at the Doorstep

Chapter 528: Chapter 528: Debt Collection at the Doorstep

After hanging up the call, Gu Fan began to worry, feeling that any ideal company or job was bound to fall apart one day, making it even harder to save face.

"What now, I’m too ashamed to go back home." Just as Gu Fan was fretting, he heard Boss Ding’s voice from the office: "Please don’t withdraw your investment, Brother Lei. Give me more time, I can get through this."

Listening to Boss Ding’s desperate pleading, Gu Fan couldn’t help but sigh. The boss was all grandeur when things were going well, but when times were tough, he seemed to be the most pathetic of all. Boss Ding must have amassed a heap of debt by now.

Gu Fan once heard a joke: A boss who can pay wages is called a boss, who can scold employees when in a bad mood. A boss who can’t pay wages would dare not step into his own company.

Just when Gu Fan was planning to look at some documents, he saw the boss rush out of the office with a bag in hand. As he left, he tossed a comment over his shoulder, "Gu Fan, I won’t be here for a few days. Look after the place. Water the plants if need be. Feel free to knock off early if there’s nothing urgent."

"Really now!" Gu Fan watched Boss Ding leave with reluctance. Even if he could leave work early, he still couldn’t find the courage to go home. What normal company allows its employees to knock off early?

Gu Fan once again felt the sting of trying to save face and live miserably. What if he arrived at the company early in the morning to clean only to find himself having to explain why he was home so early?

"Forget it, forget it, while Boss Ding’s not around, I can use the time to seriously look for a job." That’s what Gu Fan thought. So he fired up his computer and began sending out resumes, hoping he could quickly jump out of this hole.

The next day, Gu Fan came to the company full of hope. He did nothing but surf the web, play some games, and read news about finance and economics to keep up with his studies.

However, as the end of the workday neared, Gu Fan still hadn’t received any interview invitations. He lamented how hard it was to find the ideal job in the ideal company. Perhaps he really had no choice but to stay stuck in this rut.

On the third day, Gu Fan, bored out of his mind and feeling like his brain was empty, was suddenly awakened by a knock on the door. He wondered who it could be. Who would come to this company?

Upon opening the door, he saw a well-dressed man with an impressive aura, clearly a businessman, but with a somewhat unfriendly manner, as if looking for trouble.

Gu Fan opened the door, asking, "Who are you looking for?"

The man strode in, surveyed the company, and asked, "Where’s Boss Ding? Is he here?"

Gu Fan replied, "Sorry, Boss Ding seems to have gone on a business trip."

"A business trip?" The man’s eyebrows furrowed as disbelief appeared on his face. He then continued with, "Where are the others in this company? How come there’s only you?"

To this, Gu Fan just sighed and answered, "Sorry, seems like all the staff have left. I’m just a temp."

"What do you mean, Boss Ding owes me a lot of money, and he thinks he can just disappear, leaving a temp to deal with me? Not on my watch, lads, smash the place up." With his orders, three other men, holding baseball bats, stormed and began to wreak havoc.

"Oh my God, they really are here to make trouble." Gu Fan, seeing what the men were up to, freaked out and quickly tried to reason with them, "Look, Boss Ding would repay you if he could. But smashing up the place is too much."

"Shut up, you, or we’ll beat you up too," the man threatened, even pushing Gu Fan aside.

"You guys!" Watching the perpetrators smashing everything up, Gu Fan knew he would be left to clean up the mess, with no means to explain to Boss Ding. After all, Boss Ding had entrusted the company to Gu Fan before leaving.

The man shouted, "Smash everything, leave nothing behind!"

Gu Fan couldn’t take it anymore. He rushed forward and managed to send one of the vandals flying with a sudden strike.

"Stop this now, or you’ll have me to answer to," Gu Fan warned, his face grim and his body taut, ready for a fight.

Gu Fan’s attack had been effective, leaving the thug in pain and unable to rise. However, his young looks didn’t do much to intimidate his adversaries. The leader snorted, "What’s it to you? Think of what Boss Ding’s payment will cover, not even your medical bills. Gang, beat him up."

The men, armed with bats, rushed to surround Gu Fan, who didn’t give them the chance. He grabbed a chair for defense and hopped around the room, using the tables to evade their attack before launching a counterattack when an opportunity arose.

Initially, Gu Fan didn’t want to hurt them too much. But after taking a couple of blows, his anger was ignited. He twisted the wrist of one of the men, snatched his bat, and launched a fierce counterstrike, hitting one assailant hard on the head, leaving him dazed.

After the fight, Gu Fan knocked down three men, leaving the leader trembling in fear. Gu Fan placed the baseball bat on the man’s shoulder, and coldly said, "You’ve thrashed the place. Unless you pay for it, don’t even think about leaving."

The leader frowned, realizing he had met his match. Reaching into his briefcase, he threw out a thousand yuan bills, then warned, "Well played, kid. Let’s go!"

After watching the troublemakers leave, Gu Fan surveyed the mess they made, sighed and nursed his wounds. "Boss Ding, I’ve done the security guard’s job as well. Guess I’m the only candidate for employee of the year."

Having taken a couple of hits but still protecting the company, Gu Fan felt he could ask for compensation when Boss Ding returned. But little did he know, he would receive a call from Boss Ding in the next moment.

"Gu Fan, I left an important document in the office. Can you buy a train ticket and deliver it to me as soon as possible? Don’t worry, I will reimburse you for the trip. Please, it’s a matter of life and death for the company."

"Okay... all right..." After hanging up, Gu Fan looked up at the sky, asking heaven, "What on earth have I done wrong to get a boss like him?"

Despite his lament, Gu Fan still went to look for the document. Since Boss Ding had described it as a matter of the company’s survival, Gu Fan took it seriously. He figured any unforeseen circumstances might actually occur! Plus, he had nothing better to do, so why not go on this trip and avoid any possible troublemakers showing up again.