Before getting out of the car, Wang An asked Han Xiaomin
"What was the name of that old bastard who owes you money again?"
Looking at the pharmacy's signboard, Han Xiaomin spoke with a face full of hatred
"His name is Ma Xingyao."
Wang An nodded and was about to exit the car when he suddenly turned back and said
"Right, give me the IOU Ma Xingyao signed. Once that's done, just wait in the car. No need to get out."
Turning around, Wang An then said to Wang Li and Mu Xueli
"When you get out in a moment, pick up a couple of bricks or stones first. Then, once we go inside, follow my lead, alright?"
As he spoke, Wang An took the IOU, opened the car door, and stepped out.
After Mu Xueli and Wang Li got out, they immediately followed Wang An's instructions and picked up two handy stones from the roadside.
Once the two were ready, Wang An strode toward the entrance of the pharmacy.
Upon reaching the door, he delivered a kick. With a loud "clang," the pharmacy door was kicked clean off along with the doorframe. As the door panel and frame slammed onto the ground, they let out another thunderous "bang."
To be fair, wooden doors of this era were truly sturdy; even with Wang An's powerful kick that tore down the frame, the door panel itself remained unbroken.
Immediately after, Wang An shouted loudly into the pharmacy
"Ma Xingyao, get your ass out here and pay your debts!"
This move of Wang An's was called "seizing the initiative with the first shout," a tactic he had used most frequently in his previous life when helping people collect debts.
The main reason was that the people one dealt with when collecting debts were, for the most part, not good sorts. If you asked them for money politely, you were guaranteed not to get it.
Therefore, from the very beginning, one had to seize the initiative and project an aura that they were ready to kill the other party at any moment.
However, to put it bluntly, this move was essentially a bluff. It was best if the money could be scared out of them; if not, he would simply move on to the next tactic.
The sound of the door being kicked, the crash of it hitting the ground, and Wang An's booming shout instantly made the several clerks in the pharmacy shudder.
The few customers who were currently getting their prescriptions filled were also filled with terror, looking at the three of them entering with great fear.
After shouting, Wang An yelled at the customers
"Go, go, go! All of you get the fuck out! Go buy your medicine somewhere else; we're closed!"
Although Wang An's words were unpleasant, they sounded like a pardon to the customers. Without hesitation, the customers turned and left, visibly quickening their pace as they passed by Wang An's group.
Once the customers had left, the clerks remained standing there, not daring to utter a single word.
However, it was evident that these clerks felt no sense of loyalty to the pharmacy; otherwise, they would have at least come out from behind the counter to negotiate with Wang An or square up for a fight.
Seeing that the clerks remained silent, Wang An took the initiative to walk up to one of them and asked
"Where's Ma Xingyao? Where the fuck did he die off to?"
The clerk didn't dare speak, his eyes full of terror, but he quietly raised his hand and pointed very discreetly toward the innermost door.
Wang An understood. He knew that this fellow named Ma Xingyao was certainly hiding in the inner room, too afraid to come out.
Thus, Wang An turned to Wang Li and Mu Xueli and said
"Smash the windows first."
Hearing this, Wang Li and Mu Xueli were incredibly obedient. They immediately hurled the stones in their hands at the windows. Following a series of "crash and shatter" sounds, four panes of perfectly good glass were smashed to pieces.
As the glass shattered, the door to the inner room finally opened. An old man, roughly 60 years old, walked out with a face full of forced smiles, speaking in flattering tones
"I was unaware that distinguished guests had arrived. This old man failed to welcome you in time; please forgive me, please forgive me."
As the saying goes, one does not strike a smiling face. Wang An retracted his previous aggression and said with a cold sneer
"So you're the one called Ma Xingyao?"
The old man immediately replied
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. It is indeed this old man."
Wang An didn't indulge Ma Xingyao's refined way of speaking at all. He sat down heavily in a chair with an imposing air and continued to sneer
"I thought I'd have to smash this whole damn shop of yours before you'd come out. Fine, since you're out, hurry up and settle the debt."
As he spoke, Wang An slapped the IOU onto the counter. Slapped onto the table along with the IOU was Wang An's large Type 54 pistol.
The moment he saw the gun, Ma Xingyao instinctively took a step back, his eyebrows twitching involuntarily.
Then, Ma Xingyao forced a sliver of a smile, swallowed hard, and picked up the IOU with trembling hands.
With a quick glance, Ma Xingyao knew exactly which debt Wang An had come for.
Consequently, Ma Xingyao placed the IOU back on the counter and said with a flattering smile while reaching into his pocket
"Little brother, please stay calm, stay calm. I'll pay the money right now, I'll pay it right now."
Wang An stared coldly without speaking, looking at Ma Xingyao with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Soon, Ma Xingyao pulled a stack of cash from his pocket and began counting it with his shaking hands.
Looking at Ma Xingyao holding a pile of cash, Wang An's contempt for him grew even stronger.
To be honest, a character like Ma Xingyao could only bully weak women like Han Xiaomin; if he had faced any man with a backbone, he probably would have paid the money back long ago.
Of course, the reason Ma Xingyao was paying so readily was likely due to Wang An's initial "seizing of the initiative," the immediate smashing of the glass, and the Type 54 currently sitting on the counter.
Without exaggeration, who wouldn't feel numb seeing a Type 54 sitting right there?
Finally, Ma Xingyao counted the money, digging through every pocket to gather a thick stack of bills, combining small change and large notes until he had gathered exactly 956 yuan. Only then did he hand the money to Wang An.
Wang An had been watching Ma Xingyao count, so he didn't count it after taking it, but he spoke again
"Currently, the lowest lending interest is 3 cents per month. You've delayed this for a month and a half, so that's 45. Plus, it was quite a hassle for us to come here, so you pay 20 yuan for gas. That's 65 in total. Pay up."
Ma Xingyao never expected that interest and gas money would be added. Thus, he asked tentatively
"In our line of work, there is no such thing as interest yet."
Wang An didn't even look at Ma Xingyao's old face. He kept his head down and shouted
"Old Five, keep smashing."
Wang Li replied casually
"Aye, you got it."
Before Wang Li could even move, Ma Xingyao said anxiously with a miserable face
"Don't smash, don't smash! I'll pay the interest, I'll pay the interest!"
As he spoke, he turned and ran back into the inner room, quickly returning with 65 yuan. His speed was incredible; he feared that if he didn't, Wang An and the others would continue smashing the glass.