Because there is still such a thing as conscience!

"Kid, are you sure about this? That's ten thousand yuan!" Big John was a bit surprised by Michael Bolton's decisiveness.

"That's right!" Michael Bolton said firmly. Ten thousand yuan to save a person—it's worth it!

"Chengzi!" At this moment, the sound of a bicycle braking came from behind. David Thompson pushed his bike over. "Need any help?"

"Young Thompson, what, you know each other?" Big John was a bit surprised to see David Thompson coming over.

"He's my good buddy!" Although David Thompson didn't really know what was going on, he still decided to back up Michael Bolton.

"Since he's Young Thompson's close friend, then there's no problem!" Big John's face immediately showed a friendlier expression. "Alright, you guys go ahead, we'll be off now!"

Soon, Big John and his group disappeared without a trace.

"You know those people?" Michael Bolton asked curiously.

"My dad has some connections with their boss!"

Chapter 11: One Lifetime, Two Brothers

"My dad has some connections with their boss!" David Thompson said casually.

Michael Bolton understood. He wasn't just an ordinary student. To do business in China, it's normal to have ties to both the legal and the less-than-legal sides, especially for someone like David Thompson's father, who became wealthy early in the reform era. People like that usually have connections everywhere; otherwise, their business couldn't have grown so big.

Michael Bolton glanced at David Thompson. At this moment, David Thompson was sweating all over, wearing only a tracksuit with a jacket over it in the cold weather. There was a basketball in his bike basket—he must have just finished playing.

"I'm sorry, I'll do my best to borrow the money!" Emily Carter said apologetically, head lowered. Hearing that Michael Bolton had taken on a ten-thousand-yuan debt for her, she was suddenly panicked. That was ten thousand yuan, not a hundred—how could Michael Bolton possibly get that much?

"Where are you going to borrow the money from?" Michael Bolton said with a smile. He naturally had a way to get it, otherwise he wouldn't have made such a promise. But how could Emily Carter manage it? If she could, she wouldn't have been forced into this situation.

"I'm sorry!" Emily Carter just kept apologizing.

"What's going on?" David Thompson asked from the side.

"It's nothing, just that Emily Carter's family owes Big John ten thousand. I'll help her pay it back within a month!" Michael Bolton said.

"Need my help?" David Thompson looked at Michael Bolton in surprise. As far as he knew, Michael Bolton wasn't the type to be a pushover, and ten thousand yuan wasn't a small amount. Why would he make such a promise?

Could it be that he likes Emily Carter? But it didn't seem like it—Emily Carter wasn't pretty, with long hair covering half her face and thick glasses.

Michael Bolton certainly wasn't a pushover. It was impossible for him to go bankrupt helping a classmate he barely knew. He just couldn't bear to see Emily Carter's life ruined over ten thousand yuan. More importantly, to him, ten thousand wasn't that much, and he definitely had a way to solve it. That's why he made the promise.

"No need, I can handle it!" Michael Bolton said with a smile.

David Thompson looked at Michael Bolton in surprise. Ten thousand yuan wasn't a small sum—how was Michael Bolton going to get it? His family didn't have that much money.

"Don't worry!" Michael Bolton said confidently. "You should head home first. They probably won't bother you again for now. I have something to do, so I won't walk you back!"

Hearing that he wouldn't walk her home, Emily Carter's face flushed. For Michael Bolton, it was just a habit, but among students, unless you were very close friends, only couples would walk each other home.

"Thank you, then... I'll head back now!" Thinking of this, Emily Carter quickly thanked him and hurried away.

Watching Emily Carter walk off, David Thompson grinned and said, "Hey, Chengzi, you don't have a thing for Emily Carter, do you?"

"Stop gossiping!" Michael Bolton said with a laugh. "Lend me your phone!"

David Thompson handed his phone to Michael Bolton. By this time, it wasn't uncommon for students to have cell phones, and David Thompson's was the latest model.

Michael Bolton dialed his home number, feeling extremely nervous. He had been reborn, and was about to see his family again. In his previous life, he had drifted and struggled away from home, not seeing his family for years.

"Hello, who is this?" His mother's voice came through the phone, just as Michael Bolton remembered.

"Mom, I'll be home a bit late today!" Michael Bolton said. He had decided to go to the Song family's suburban villa today and dig up evidence of their crimes.

"Where are you going?" his mother asked.

"Nothing, just having dinner at David Thompson's place today, so I won't be home for dinner. You guys go ahead and eat!" Michael Bolton said. "David Thompson is right here with me!"

"Alright then!" His mother didn't ask further and hung up.

Seeing David Thompson's puzzled look, Michael Bolton smiled and said, "Come with me to the suburbs!"

"The suburbs? That's pretty far. What for?" David Thompson asked. Going to the suburbs would take at least over an hour.

"To find evidence to bring down the Song family!"

...

Over an hour later, on the grassy field beside an old villa in the suburbs, two figures moved about.