Pay the Bill.

"..."

"I suppose it's for the justice in my heart."

The man paused, then spoke softly.

Lin Yu frowned, his gaze toward the man growing even more bewildered. He even felt as if the man were speaking some impractical nonsense in his sleep.

The justice in his heart?

What kind of melodramatic line was that?

Did you walk onto the wrong movie set?

It was late at night, and almost no new customers were coming into the tavern.

The man, acting as the bartender, finally had some free time.

He could chat with the person in front of him—someone who, for some unknown reason, seemed quite different from everyone else in this world.

"I believe that everyone has their own version of justice in their heart."

The man lowered his head, carefully wiping a wine glass with a pristine white handkerchief in his hand, and said in a calm tone:

"Some people can't stand seeing the weak being bullied."

"Some people can't stand seeing a man beat a woman."

"Some people can't stand seeing good deeds go unrewarded."

"Some people can't stand seeing fairness and justice being trampled upon."

"Some people can't bear to see a woman cry."

"Some people can't bear to see their brothers suffer."

"There is no hierarchy to these forms of justice hidden in people's hearts."

"It purely depends on personal preference."

"The question is..."

At this point, the man placed the freshly wiped glass upside down on the rack beside him.

He looked up at Lin Yu and asked:

"How much of a price are you willing to pay for your justice?"

In front of the man.

Lin Yu's expression was blank. Realizing that the man wasn't just being cryptic, he couldn't gather his thoughts to answer right away.

Lin Yu did not answer.

The man didn't wait either. He picked up another glass at hand, lowered his head to wipe it, and continued:

"Let me give you a simple example."

"Take today's public opinion, for instance."

"If an old person falls by the side of the road, hardly anyone dares to help them up."

"Those passersby who choose to stand and watch aren't heartless."

"Seeing an old person lying helplessly on the hard, cold pavement with no one to help."

"They also feel a pang of sorrow and reluctance in their hearts."

"They also feel pity for the old person."

"This is the justice in their hearts."

"But they aren't willing to risk being falsely accused and sued for compensation just to pay for this justice."

"If this were years ago."

"Before the news of the elderly running extortion scams became widespread."

"I think many people would be willing to lend a helping hand to the elderly."

"They would be willing to pay the price of some time, effort, or even tens or hundreds in cash."

"To pay for that justice in their hearts."

"But when the price becomes being slandered, a thankless task, massive compensation claims, or even the unbearable disaster of having to provide for the rest of the old person's life."

"Even if the chance of such a thing happening is only one percent."

"People will no longer pay for the justice in their hearts."

"Because the price to pay is simply too high."

"No one is willing to pay for the justice in their hearts anymore."

"Yet, there are always some people in this world."

"They are willing to brave the massive risks and near-zero returns to help up that old person lying on the ground, unable to rise, and send them to the hospital for treatment."

"Nowadays, the public's opinion of such people isn't very friendly."

"They all say this kind of person is stupid."

"Those who put it nicely would say they are naive."

"But in reality, they aren't stupid."

"Nor are they as naive as others imagine."

"We all live in the same world."

"They have also heard those sensational news stories spreading across the internet."

"It's just that the justice in their hearts makes such a fuss that they simply can't ignore it; they have no choice but to pay for it."

"This small handful of people is willing to brave enormous risks for the justice in their hearts, to help up that old person fallen on the ground."

"As for those others who stand by and watch."

"They, too, have one or perhaps several other forms of justice in their hearts that they would willingly pay a massive price for."

"In the eyes of the public, those forms of justice might be worth it, or they might not be."

"But that doesn't matter."

"Because the person who has to pay the price is you."

"It only requires you yourself to think it's worth it."

After listening to the man's long speech, Lin Yu stared blankly at the tabletop, speechless for a long time.

After a good while, he lifted his head somewhat stiffly, looking at the man with a bewildered gaze as he asked:

"So everything you're doing right now is paying for the justice in your heart?"

"Yes."

The man nodded, admitting to it.

"What happened?"

"Do you mind talking about it?"

Lin Yu asked curiously.

The man's movements paused for a moment. After a brief silence, he spoke:

"The matter actually isn't that complicated."

"This friend of mine, his mother got cancer."

"He didn't give up on his mother."

"He chose to mortgage his car and house, raising money everywhere to treat his mother's illness."

"But his mother still passed away from the cancer."

"Months of exorbitant medical bills drained his savings and left him with a massive debt."

"He has no ability to repay it in the short term."

"The debt collectors showed up at his door."

"And unexpectedly took a liking to his wife."

"His wife is a very good person."

"She has always supported her husband, whether in work, life, or the matter of treating his mother."

"Even now."

"When their family of three is on the verge of losing their place to live."

"She hasn't complained about anything."

"She just feels a bit sorry for her six-year-old child having to suffer along with the two of them."

"The debt collectors told her in private."

"That if she was willing to pay a small price."

"They could hold off on repossessing her husband's house and pause the interest."

"Allowing their family to continue to survive."

At this point, the man paused, as if drawing a question mark on this unfinished story, before continuing:

"I can't stand seeing someone do something incredibly right, only to end up with an incredibly tragic outcome."

"So I intend to pay for the justice in my heart."

"How are you paying for it?"

"By working three part-time jobs a day like this?"

Lin Yu pointed out the reality and said:

"Even adding three of these part-time jobs together, you wouldn't make ten thousand a month, right?"

The man had clearly realized this as well. He nodded frankly and said:

"Yes."

"But I have other ways of making money."

"Just give me a little more time, and it should be about enough."