After helping the woman, Eli stood silently for a moment beneath the flickering streetlight. The cold night breeze brushed against his face, but he barely felt it. His mind replayed her tearful gratitude, and the warm weight of having helped someone in genuine need settled in his chest.
But reality came rushing back just as quickly.
He still had a loan to pay—and the man waiting for that payment wasn't known for patience or mercy.
Eli tightened his grip on the envelope of cash he had withdrawn—28,000 yuan remained after the good deed. With a quiet sigh, he turned and began walking down the dimly lit backstreet, the air thick with the smell of damp concrete and exhaust.
The loan shark operated out of a run-down abandoned factory in the poorest part of town, just a few kilometres away from where Eli lives. The building sat at the edge of a block most people avoided at night, with a rusted metal sign above the door and a red bulb that buzzed faintly overhead.
Eli entered cautiously.
Inside, the air was heavy with cigarette smoke. Men played pool and laughed loudly over alcoholic drinks, but the laughter didn't reach their eyes. A thin, sharp-faced man sitting behind a table in the corner immediately noticed Eli and gave a crooked smile.
It was Mr Liang —the loan shark. He wore a dark leather jacket, gold rings on three fingers, and a look that said he enjoyed having power over desperate people.
"Well, well," Liang said, standing slowly. "Eli. Was starting to think you'd run off."
His voice was smooth, almost amused, but his gaze were sharp Eli could feel them looking down on him
Eli walked over, setting the envelope of cash on the table.
"Here," he said, trying to keep his voice stable so that he could seem confident. "Twenty-eight thousand. As promised."
Liang opened the envelope and began counting, his fingers moving with practiced speed. After a moment, he nodded.
"You're lucky you're on time," he said. "I don't like chasing people."
"I keep my word," Eli said quietly.
Liang looked at him for a long moment.
"You're not like the others who crawl in here," he said, narrowing his eyes. "You've got something different about you. You look calm maybe even too calm.
"Although i would not ask where the money is from, as it is not my business, it better be l from legitimate sources,or else"
Mr Liang said in a harsh tone before walking back to his seat.
Eli looking calm and composed said
"don't worry it's legitimate"
Mr Liang whose sharp gaze rested onto the face of Eli said
"Well kid, go home knowing full well that you have cleared your debt"
As Eli walked home, he breath a sigh of relief knowing full well that he does not have debt tied to his name. And all of this was achieved in only a matter of days thanks to the system, Eli was really grateful for the system because without it, it could have taken years to payback that debt.
On his way back home Eli walked through the familiar streets of the poorest parts of the city which Eli has lived most of his life in.
The part of the city is known as Henxhi. It is a place known for people with no hope,connection or joy. A place filled with beggars,trash on the streets and roads that are not even functional, compared to the rest of the city Henxhi feels hopeless.
Although politicians will promise and swear on their own life's, that they will fix the problems going on in Henxhi and the rest of the city, but immediately after getting Into office, it's like they get amnesia and forget the promises they made, instead them and their friends feed on the people's sorrow so that they can get rich.
In the dragon city, in fact the whole of the country the only ways you can move up in society is to be really lucky or have connections. Some people will say work hard and you will be able to achieve your dreams, but let's be honest what is the point of working hard when someone without experience is put in a position above you just because they are family to someone above you in the company.
The only way in which working hard could work is if you have your own business but goodluck getting the funds and suppliers needed to start the business without a connection.
The Dragon city although heaven to some, to others it might aswell be hell. And Eli is part of the latter.
As Eli approached his rundown rental apartment. He looked at the apartment and its surroundings disappointingly and gave an heavy sigh and thought to himself (" I am going to by a villa and live in the best community ")
With determination Eli went into his home
While laying on the bed, he decided to check the amount of money he has and make a plan on how he can make money and increase his assets.
When Eli checked his balance he realised there was only 10,000 yuan in it. Eli realised that tomorrow as long as he continues to sign in he will be able to earn double the amount. But Eli realised that he has not yet paid the rent which is to be paid in two days time, although his rent is just 2000 yuan. He also needed the money for his mother's surgery. The rest of his expenses totaled up to 1000 yuan.
When he was done calculating his expenses he checked the time on his phone which was barely hanging on. Turns out it was 7:50.
Eli knew he needed to come up with a plan in order to make money.
Eli stood up from the bed and went up to the window and opened it to allow fresh air in. When he looked out the window, people's houses were barely even lit , showing that people are saving on electricity bills. But when he looked down onto his street he found out that people from the community gathered around the women were talking to each other about events that happened in the community, the men where drinking and playing checkers as they argue about politics and the upcoming elections. The children were playing hide and seek , and laughing and cheering was heard when one person was caught. The while street were filled with cheerful voices, on a street lit by a torchlight.
As Eli continued to look down he thought to himself that although people were poor and miserable, at the end of the day there is always a sense of community in Hanxhi.