Darkstone Code-Chapter 974 - 972: A Paragraph

The loan interest rates in the Federation are at 5.7%, and they fluctuate greatly. After all, every industry is developing now and everyone needs money.

Therefore, the loan interest rate will fluctuate at any time, and sometimes there can be a difference of more than 1%, which is quite unstable.

Currently, it’s at 5.7%, but it may increase or decrease later, which is quite normal.

In contrast, the deposit rate is less than 3%, around 2.8%. Putting money in the bank now isn’t very worthwhile; it can’t even beat inflation.

This might also be why people in the Federation don’t like to save; they prefer to spend the money rather than put it in the bank to deal with sudden issues.

"What’s your monthly earning ability?", the Legal Officer took out a piece of paper and started calculating.

The shop owner thought for a while and stuttered, "About 900 to slightly more than 1000, not much."

The Legal Officer whistled, "This income is not considered low in Bupen."

The "Minimum Wage Act" does not have a "guiding" significance; in other words, it’s just a minimum limit, an explanation.

The local minimum wage in Bupen is close to 300, but most people can get more than 300, around 350 or 380.

Workers in other industries earn a bit more, reaching over 400 bucks only, except for financial practitioners, lawyers, and dentists, who earn higher salaries, but that’s person-dependent.

Some don’t earn more than ordinary workers, but some have long broken through the ceiling of the word "salary."

Around 1000 bucks, it’s really not considered little.

Moreover, he lied.

Actually, his shop can provide him a profit of 1350 bucks a month; he doesn’t want to reveal so much, just wants to keep a little trump card for himself.

Soon, the Legal Officer calculated some numbers and then explained to the couple, "I recommend choosing a five-year repayment plan; it might be even cheaper than bank loans!"

The shop owner asked nervously, "If five years, how much do I have to repay monthly?"

He already completely forgot about other things and started seriously considering repaying the money.

"About 1800 bucks or so," the Legal Officer put down the pen and wrote down some calculation formulas.

The couple exchanged a glance, and the shop owner shook his head, "Too much."

The Legal Officer kindly reminded, "If you go further, the fees will increase annually in a tiered manner, making it less economical, but there are advantages as well."

"The bank can only offer you five years, but we can give you longer."

"What’s your bottom psychological price? How much can you give monthly?"

The shop owner thought seriously, "About... four or five hundred bucks?"

The Legal Officer quickly calculated a similar result, "If you can accept a twenty-year repayment term, you only need to pay us 650 bucks monthly."

bucks, although a lot, if you grit your teeth, you could manage, and it’s twenty years.

The shop owner’s wife asked keenly, "Then how much do we have to repay altogether?"

The Legal Officer looked at the document in hand, "About seventeen thousand, not quite."

The number made the couple fall silent instantly; they have to repay nine thousand more, and every month remains a bit tight.

After a while, the shop owner said in a low voice, "Too much; we only borrowed a little over eight thousand, this is definitely more than what the bank would ask!"

"But the bank won’t allow you a twenty-year loan, sir. Five years later, if you can’t repay, they’ll take your house and kick you out."

"Whereas we can offer a super long repayment period of twenty years, eight thousand, twenty years, spread over daily, it’s only a dozen bucks."

"This deal isn’t a loss."

"If you don’t choose, the court will enforce, they’ll auction your house by bank entrustment, your outcomes are the same."

Another long silence followed, but this indeed surpassed the couple’s understanding, borrowing eight thousand, needing to repay seventeen thousand, that’s too much.

"Do you have children?", the Legal Officer suddenly asked, bringing the two back to reality.

"Yes, we have children."

"Are they in middle school?"

The shop owner was very honest now because he owes a large sum of money, facing the creditor’s representative, "No, they are still in elementary school."

The Legal Officer smiled and asked, "Planning to go to college?"

The couple both nodded, and the wife said, "Yes, if his studies support him to do so, we will send him to college."

"It seems he needs a good environment, living environment, family environment, study environment..."

This seemingly unrelated sentence had a kind of terrible power, the man’s face looked grim, pursing his lips, he exchanged glances with his wife for a moment and then heavily spoke those lines.

"I accept your terms."

Yes, just like this special envoy said, the bank won’t allow you to borrow for that long, and if they don’t borrow from here, they’ll ultimately lose their house.

Then they can only move to a chaotic place, because houses in those dirty and poorly maintained communities are cheap.

They are home to gamblers, prostitutes, gang members, thieves, and thugs, and then their children will have to attend cheap public schools, which are also filled with these people and crime.

For the sake of their children, they have to make a choice.

"I’m glad you made the right choice. You don’t have to be too pessimistic. I have some plans here that can save you some expenses..."

Then he took out some documents again, detailing the display case issue, but from then on, Every Moment would no longer cover any display case fees.

At the same time, they required the store owner and his wife to wear the uniforms provided by Every Moment in the store, which had Every Moment’s advertisements on them.

They also have to recommend Every Moment’s cigarettes to every customer who comes to buy cigarettes— 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"If they’re buying our cigarettes, there’s no need to recommend them," the legal officer smiled, "Including the renovation of the storefront, starting from the sixth year, you can reduce your monthly payment by a hundred dollars."

This wasn’t a difficult calculation, in the end, they could save more than ten thousand dollars.

If these words were said before they made a decision, they wouldn’t be as moved as they are now. Without further persuasion, they reached an agreement and arranged to sign the formal contract the next day.

As collateral, it was still the house, but the conditions were relaxed. If they couldn’t repay the money in three months, Every Moment would then respond.

Look, this is the mercy and generosity of Mr. Lynch!

So damn kind!

But such a kind suggestion from a kind person is not liked by everyone.

"Some people refused the agreement we offered, Mr. Lynch..."

The next morning, sitting in the office, the head of the legal department continued to discuss the matter, "They’d rather sell the house than accept our agreement."

Lynch smiled indifferently, "That’s their right. We can’t interfere with others’ choices. The charter grants them the right to choose freely, we need to respect them."

"I remember there’s an execution period after the judgment is made, right?"

The head of the legal department nodded, "Yes, they have two weeks as a buffer. If they can’t fulfill the judgment results within two weeks, they must file a request for delayed execution to the court."

"Does the request get supported every time?"

The head of the legal department shook his head, "If we insist on execution, the court will most likely support our demand, because we are the plaintiffs, the victims."

Lynch was quite satisfied with the legal professionalism of the head of the legal department. He pointed at the head with a pen, "Assign someone to keep an eye on it, don’t give them a chance to apply for a delay."

The head of the legal department turned his eyes and understood Lynch’s idea. If they couldn’t pay back the money within the deadline, and Every Moment refused to postpone, they would have to follow procedures.

They would entrust a bank to auction these people’s real estate to raise money. When a third-party bank auctions it, any price it fetches wouldn’t be surprising.

For something worth a hundred thousand, getting fifty thousand in an auction would already be very conscientious.

"I know what to do."

In the evening, while having dinner with Catherine, Catherine also talked about the issue.

"Many people say you’re sucking blood..." She was about to return to Curilan City to submit her internship report, and then the school would have to write evaluations for her.

These things seem unimportant, but they are actually very important. You never know when someone will pull out these documents, pointing at those remarks, making people embarrassed or happy.

This dinner was just before she returned the next morning.

Manipulating the knife and fork, Lynch replied, "I’ve always believed that if you make a mistake, you have to take responsibility. Escaping isn’t a solution."

"Even if you can’t afford it, you have to grit your teeth and do it!"

In his previous life, even when he was locked in a small room, he didn’t appeal. He knew at the moment someone pressed down on his shoulder, the ending was already decided; the rest was just a formality, a process.

He took responsibility for the mistakes he made, so he hoped others would too. If someone hurt him and wasn’t willing to do so, he would make those people understand that the cost of escaping was often more severe than taking responsibility.

The girl’s smile carried a bit of melancholy; although she spent little time with Lynch, there was an inexplicable sense of closeness, because she knew Lynch was also in this city.

Now that she was leaving, a faint melancholy and sadness hovered around her.

Lynch was sometimes very romantic, sometimes very good at breaking the mood.

"What do you think about education reform?"

"Huh?" Catherine didn’t react for a moment. Education reform, reform what?

Lynch picked up the napkin beside him to dab the oil off his lips, took a small sip from his wine glass, "Education, reform, you know, the current education system is a failure. That’s also why we didn’t go to college!"

"It should almost evolve to the next stage..."