Tenfold cashback: How I manipulated my ex-girlfriend on the plane

Lin Shiyu was silent for a few seconds, then said in a low voice, "The principal plus interest, it's about... over two hundred thousand."

More than 200,000.

For Chen Mo now, this amount is just a fraction of a cashback payment.

But he didn't directly say "I'll help you pay it back," because that would be too deliberate and hurtful. Lin Shiyu's self-esteem was already almost shattered, and he didn't want to kick it while it was down.

"How much do you earn a month working at a bar?" he asked, changing the subject.

"...When things are good, it's seven or eight thousand; when things are bad, it's four or five thousand." Lin Shiyu's voice grew softer and softer.

"When are you going to pay it back?"

Lin Shiyu did not answer, because she knew that with this income, after deducting rent and living expenses, it would take her at least three to five years, or even longer, to pay off the debt of more than 200,000 yuan.

Moreover, the interest on the debt is compounding every day.

Chen Mo pondered for a moment, then said, "I have a suggestion for you, listen to it."

Lin Shiyu raised her head, her red and swollen eyes looking at him.

"I'm working on a project recently and I need some manpower." Chen Mo's tone was casual, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary. "Come help me, the monthly salary is 20,000, room and board included. After a year, I'll give you a one-time bonus of 200,000."

Lin Shiyu was stunned.

Her eyes were wide open, her lips were slightly parted, and there were still tear stains on her face, making her look somewhat comical.

"What...what did you say?"

"Monthly salary of 20,000, room and board included, and a bonus of 200,000 after a full year." Chen Mo repeated, "I can help you pay off your debts first, deducted from your salary."

Lin Shiyu remained silent for a long time.

She looked at Chen Mo, her eyes a complex mix of emotions, like a tangled mess. There was gratitude, guilt, hesitation, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Why are you helping me?" she finally asked, her voice soft. "We...we're just college classmates, not that close. You don't need to..."

"There's no reason," Chen Mo interrupted her. "Just think of me as having too much money to burn."

Lin Shiyu was almost amused by his words, but she quickly suppressed the smile that had just appeared on her lips.

She knew that Chen Mo was giving her a way out.

A dignified step, one that doesn't require kneeling to receive it.

"What is your project...?" she asked.

"I'll talk to you later." Chen Mo stood up. "Let's settle the bill for tonight's drinks first, then let's go."

"Where to?"

"I'll take you home." Chen Mo took out his phone, glanced at the time, and said, "It's almost ten o'clock. It's not safe for you to go home alone."

Lin Shiyu opened her mouth, wanting to say that she was used to walking alone at night, but she swallowed the words back.

She stood up, her high heels clicking softly on the floor. Having drunk quite a bit, her steps were unsteady, and she swayed slightly, instinctively reaching out to steady Chen Mo's arm.

Chen Mo's arms were strong and powerful, and you could feel his warm body temperature through the fabric of his jacket.

Lin Shiyu blushed slightly and quickly released her grip.

"sorry……"

"It's nothing." Chen Mo didn't pay any attention and turned to walk towards the bar.

He told the bartender to hold onto the 50,000 yuan deposit for now, and deduct the bill for tonight's table from it. The bartender clearly recognized Lin Shiyu, and looked at Chen Mo with a bit more curiosity, but didn't ask any further questions, and nodded.

As the two stepped out of the bar, the night wind, carrying the dampness of the river, rushed towards them, making Lin Shiyu shiver.

She was only wearing a thin sundress and a denim jacket, which offered no protection against the chill of a winter night in Jiangcheng. She hunched her shoulders and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to retain some body warmth.

Chen Mo glanced at her, and without saying a word, took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

His body heat still lingered on the jacket, along with a faint scent of laundry detergent.

Lin Shiyu's body stiffened for a moment. She wanted to refuse, but Chen Mo had already turned and walked to the side of the road, raising his hand to hail a taxi.

She watched his back as he walked away, wearing only a white T-shirt in the cold wind. His broad shoulders and upright back looked exceptionally reliable under the streetlights.

Her nose started to sting again.

But this time she held back and didn't cry.

The taxi arrived quickly, and Chen Mo opened the back door for Lin Shiyu to get in first.

Where do you live?

"South of the city...towards the urban village," Lin Shiyu gave an address, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

Chen Mo frowned. The urban village in the south of the city was one of the most chaotic areas in Jiangcheng, a melting pot of all sorts of people with terrible security. For a young girl like her to live in such a place…

He didn't say anything, got in the car and sat next to her.

The taxi drove onto the riverside avenue, the neon lights outside casting flowing shadows on the glass. The car was quiet, with only the low rumble of the engine and the hissing of the heater.

Lin Shiyu sat in her seat, draped in Chen Mo's jacket, her hands resting neatly on her knees. She was still wearing those cheap stockings, a small run at the knee revealing her fair skin underneath.

Chen Mo noticed, but didn't say anything.

After driving for about twenty minutes, the scenery outside the window changed from tall buildings to low-rise houses and narrow alleyways. The streetlights became dimmer, and some sections of the road were completely unlit, with only the car headlights illuminating a small patch of the road ahead.

Finally, the taxi stopped at the entrance of an alley.

"We've arrived," the driver said.

Chen Mo paid the fare, and the two got out of the car.

The alley was dark, with only a single, dim streetlamp casting a faint glow in the distance. The ground was uneven, puddles of rainwater that had fallen sometime during the night. The walls on both sides were covered with stickers of small GGs, and piles of garbage lay in the corners. A damp, musty smell permeated the air.

Lin Shiyu walked ahead, her high heels clicking on the uneven ground, nearly twisting her ankle several times. Chen Mo followed behind her, his eyes scanning their surroundings warily.

After walking for about five minutes, Lin Shiyu stopped in front of an old residential building.

There was no unit door at the entrance of the building, and the stairwell was dark. You could hear the sound of a television and a child crying coming from an apartment upstairs.

"I've arrived." Lin Shiyu turned around and looked at Chen Mo. "Thank you... for tonight, and... for work."

Her voice was very soft, almost ethereal in the night breeze.

Chen Mo was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant and asked, "Which floor do you live on?"

"Sixth floor."

"No elevator?"

"no."

Chen Mo paused for two seconds, then said, "I'll take you up."

"No need, I can manage on my own..."

"I'll take you up," Chen Mo repeated, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

Lin Shiyu bit her lower lip and did not refuse again.

The two climbed six flights of stairs in the dark. All the lights in the stairwell were broken, and only Chen Mo's phone flashlight illuminated the steps. Lin Shiyu's high heels made a crisp sound on the concrete stairs, echoing in the empty stairwell.

The first room on the right on the sixth floor.

Lin Shiyu took out her key and opened the door.

Behind the door was a very small single room, only about fifteen square meters. A single bed stood against the wall, its sheets faded from washing. Opposite was a simple cloth wardrobe, next to which sat a small table and a plastic chair. In the corner were an induction cooker and a small refrigerator, and a few pieces of clothing hung on the wall.

The room was simple, but very clean. A small succulent plant sat on the table, its lush green color standing out vividly in the otherwise drab room.

Lin Shiyu stood at the door, somewhat embarrassed. She clearly didn't want Chen Mo to see where she lived, but now she couldn't hide it anymore.

"Sit anywhere... though there's not much to sit on." She chuckled self-deprecatingly and bent down to pick up a piece of clothing from the chair.

As she bent over, the hem of her pencil skirt rode up a bit more, revealing the black lace trim at the top of her thighs.