Chapter 226: Chapter 225: Stop Teasing Her Is this Liu Ergou trying to give me a high-interest loan?
. Then the interest will compound over and over until I canāt pay it back, and then Iāll have to offer myself in marriage to him. The thought made Hu Jingās face turn deathly pale.
This Liu Ergou is far too scheming, far too terrifying. I canāt imagine marrying him! With this thought, Hu Jing decisively refused.
"Forget it! Iām not borrowing money from you, and Iām done talking. Just let me go! At worst, Iāll go to Anqing and find a job. Iām not farming corn anymore!"
Saying this, Hu Jing tried to break free from Liu Ergou and leave.
Watching her struggle, Liu Ergou was momentarily at a loss.
Whatās going on? Werenāt we having a perfectly fine conversation a second ago? How did she suddenly turn on me? She didnāt just refuse me, she wants to leave. Seeing the anxious look on Hu Jingās face, Liu Ergou seemed to understand something and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, Hu Jing, youāre a bit too timid!" Liu Ergou said, still laughing. "I was wondering why you suddenly changed your mind. Come clean, were you afraid I was going to give you a high-interest loan?"
Upon hearing his words, Hu Jing, who had still been struggling, froze on the spot, completely bewildered. After a few seconds, a silly smile crept onto her face.
Seeing her expression, Liu Ergou couldnāt resist tapping her on the head.
"What are you thinking? Iām a law-abiding citizen. How could I possibly engage in loan-sharking?" he said. "Rest assured, Iāll lend you the money under normal terms, with no interest!
"I remember you need 300,000 in startup capital, right? Iāve done the math, and that figure must include the cost of leasing the land!
"Iāve already leased this plot. While I canāt give you all fifty acres, I can set aside twenty for you, so you can save on that cost. Factoring that in, I can lend you 150,000 for your startup. How about that? It should be enough, right?"
Hearing Liu Ergouās proposal, Hu Jing was completely dumbfounded.
Then, looking at him with suspicion, she asked in disbelief, "Youāre lending me so much money without any interest? What are you really after?"
The moment the question left her lips, Hu Jing realized a pair of large hands were wrapped around her waist.
Snapping back to reality, she quickly broke free from Liu Ergouās grasp and stumbled back several steps, crossing her arms protectively over her chest. She stared at him with a guarded expression.
"Iām warning you, donāt you get any ideas!" Hu Jing said, her face a mask of terror.
However, Liu Ergou simply smiled, then put on a lecherous expression.
"Heh heh heh, Hu Jing, listen to yourself," he chuckled. "Why do you think Iād lend you the money? Take a good look at yourself. Besides your body, what else do you have to offer?"
At his words, a look of panic washed over Hu Jingās face, and she staggered backward again. She didnāt stop until her back was pressed against the wall.
"You, you... you..."
Hu Jing stared at him, stammering his name, unable to form a complete sentence.
Seeing that she was thoroughly frightened, Liu Ergou finally stopped, though he wished he could keep teasing her.
I have to admit, city girls are really something else. Theyāre so easy to fool; she believed everything I said.
With this thought, he burst into another round of laughter. After a good while, he finally stopped, no longer in the mood to tease her.
Instead, he said with a serious expression, "Alright, alright, Iāll stop teasing you. Look at your reaction! If I were actually trying something, youād probably die of fright, wouldnāt you?
"Iāll be straight with you. I really wonāt charge you a single penny of interest.
"If youāre asking why, letās just say Iām doing a favor for someone.
"However, after your corn is successfully harvested, you just have to give me 1% of the total profit!"
Hearing how simple his request was, Hu Jing looked at him in disbelief.
Ah, so I was overthinking things. And here I was, thinking he was after my body! Ugh, how embarrassing! Instantly, her face turned as red as an apple.
Though she was blushing, her mind was racing, calculating the profit share Liu Ergou had proposed.
Giving up 1% of the total profit sounds like a raw deal, but when I think about it, itās only 1%. Just then, Liu Ergou suddenly added, "Let me be clear. This 1% isnāt a one-time thing. Itās forever. Every time you grow a crop of corn, I get my cut. Understand?"
Hearing his clarification, Hu Jing didnāt think twice and made her decision on the spot.
"Fine! Itās just 1%, not 50%. Thatās perfectly acceptable. I agree to your terms!"
Hearing her agree, Liu Ergou nodded.
"Good, as long as you agree!
"But before that, you have to help me with something. Thereās a lot of work to do around the house, and Iām a bit overwhelmed! Come on, letās go!"
With that, Liu Ergou went back into the house, grabbed a hoe, and shoved it into Hu Jingās hands.
"The weeds in my field have gotten a little out of control the last couple of days, and I canāt keep up. You can help me hoe them!"
After speaking, he led the way outside.
Hu Jing stared at the hoe in her hands, utterly dumbfounded and at a loss for what to do.
I may have a degree in agriculture, but my focus was on genetics! I donāt know the first thing about actual farm labor. She stared at the hoe, spacing out for more than ten seconds before she found her voice.
"Seriously, Liu Ergou? Youāre going to make a beautiful woman like me go out and hoe your fields for you?" she asked in disbelief. "What on earth are you thinking?"
Walking ahead, Liu Ergou called back over his shoulder, "Whatās there to think about? I have too much work and I canāt handle it all, so youāre going to help. Now stop dawdling and letās go!"
For a moment, Hu Jing was truly speechless. She could only meekly follow behind Liu Ergou with the hoe, ready to head to the fields.
I have no choice; Iām the one borrowing money, after all. And most importantly, I donāt even have the money yet. I have to be this subservient for now. Nearby, Wu Guifang saw Hu Jing trailing after Liu Ergou with the hoe and had to stifle a laugh. She quickly moved to intercept him.
"Ergou, stop messing around," she chided. "What kind of farm work can a young woman like Jingjing do? She probably canāt even tell the difference between rice shoots and weeds. Stop teasing her!"
Seeing his ruse had been exposed, Liu Ergou chuckled.