Chapter 10 : The Offer They Couldn’t Refuse

It was a quiet evening. The apartment was dimly lit, and the only sound in the room was the soft clicking of a keyboard as Zhao Rui checked his emails.

Then—his breath hitched.

A new email had arrived, anonymously sent, with no subject. He hesitated before opening it.

Inside was a simple message:

"Photography job. One event. No questions asked. Payment: 30 lakh."

Attached was an address and a date.

Zhao Rui stared at the screen, his mind racing. 30 lakh?! That was enough to cover Liang Yue's operation—and still have some left over.

His hands shook slightly. This was too good to be true.

But he didn't care.

This was their only chance.

The Discussion – Fear vs. Determination

When Liang Chen came home, exhausted from work, Zhao Rui was waiting for him at the kitchen table, his laptop still open.

"Chen," Zhao Rui started, his voice serious. "We got a job offer. 30 lakh. One event."

Liang Chen, half-asleep, blinked. "Wait. 30 lakh ? What kind of event pays that much for photos?"

Zhao Rui exhaled. "I… don't know. The email didn't say."

That woke Liang Chen up. He frowned. "That's suspicious."

"I know."

"And you still want to accept?"

Zhao Rui met his gaze. "Yes."

Liang Chen's expression darkened. "Rui, we've been lucky so far. But this? This screams danger. What if it's something illegal? What if we get caught? Or worse—what if we never come back?"

Zhao Rui hesitated for a second. Then he took a deep breath.

"I have to do this," he said quietly.

Liang Chen's jaw clenched. "Why? We already have enough money for Yue's surgery."

Zhao Rui looked away for a moment before whispering, "No, we don't."

Liang Chen frowned. "What do you mean?"

Zhao Rui's voice wavered slightly, but he forced himself to say it.

"Chen… I've been saving extra money. Not just for Yue's operation, but for… yours too."

Liang Chen stiffened. "What?"

"You think I didn't notice?" Zhao Rui's voice was firm now. "The headaches. The exhaustion. The way you hide the pain. You need treatment, Chen. But you'd never spend a single yuan on yourself. So I decided—if you won't save yourself, I'll do it for you."

Liang Chen's hands trembled. "You… idiot."

Zhao Rui gave a sad smile. "Yeah. But I'm an idiot who cares about you and Yue."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Then, quietly, Zhao Rui continued. "This 30 lakh is our chance. It's not just for Yue anymore. It's for you. For our future. I won't let you sacrifice yourself, Chen. Not for me. Not for anyone."

Liang Chen swallowed hard. He wanted to argue. He wanted to refuse. But deep down, he knew—Zhao Rui was right.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Liang Chen let out a deep breath.

"Fine," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "We'll do it."

Zhao Rui's eyes lit up with relief. "Really?"

"But," Liang Chen said firmly, "we stay alert. The moment something feels wrong, we walk away. Promise me."

Zhao Rui nodded. "I promise."

Liang Chen sighed. "God help us."

Zhao Rui grinned. "I think He already did. He sent me into your life."

Liang Chen groaned. "Shut up."

But as Zhao Rui laughed, Liang Chen couldn't help but smile.

This job would be dangerous.

But they were doing it together.

And together, they could face anything.

—