Why the hell am I, Candy Sim, being tasked as the company's guarantor representative?! Christ, I should be running the company operations side by side with dad! Apparently I am "too inexperienced" to handle that so I have to start working my way up from the bottom. Come on, just because I spent more than a year after my University graduation full-time partying with my parents' money doesn't mean I "lack passion". I just want to enjoy myself to the fullest before stepping into this dull working world for the rest of my life.
And there's that dullness coming along as I wait at one of the debtors' flat for the debt collection agency to arrive. On my instructions, the debtor has already gone hiding elsewhere in the city while I handle the rest. Imagine having to anticipate a group of "ah bengs" (I suppose that term is the rough equivalent of a "redneck" in America) shouting and banging at the door, embarrassing the debtor or guarantor in front of their neighbours. Well, I may not live here, but these debt collectors' abusive, ugly remarks are still taking a toll on me. My dad wants me to negotiate debt restructuring but absolutely refuses giving a single cent away. The real objective for me as a "representative" is that I have to endure these jerks by playing for time over a period of many months, even years, until the debt collection agency gives up.
Finance is so complicated, all these admittedly shady cost cutting measures just to boost profitability in my father's company. Working hard to retain our wealth we are, Crazy Rich Asians we're not!
To my surprise, only one guy shows up at the doorstep without any commotion, a Chinese guy who I think is in his early 30s. He's in smart casual attire, a collared T-shirt and a pair of khaki pants. He sports crew-cut black hair with a plain average looking face that I probably won't be able to pick out from a crowd. But that still won't hide his ruffian-like past typical of his ilk in the licensed debt collection agencies - Ugly old tattoos of dragons with dull and faded ink adorns both his arms, covering up to his forearms almost like a long-sleeved shirt, along with that not-so-sophisticated english coming from a rough male voice.
Once inside the flat, he introduces himself as Mark Ong, offering his hand for me to shake, and I took it hesitantly. Mark calls himself the lead consultant from the KYS Rogan Agency, having mannerisms quite different compared to that of his colleagues. For starters, he's not as rude as I thought. Make no mistake though, he's not my type. Only well-groomed, well-accomplished gentlemen with a penchant for sophisticated topics would catch the attention of this urbane lady.
Without asking, he casually sits on the black sofa in the middle of the living room, as if this is his own home.
"Can use incense burner? Make me more comfortable." He smiles as he takes out a lighter and a brown ceramic pot with a phallic looking shape, setting the latter on the coffee table. Weird.
I shrug, allowing him to go ahead with it - Not my home anyway. However, something at the back of my mind is repeatedly screaming: GONG TAO, GONG TAO, GONG TAO - That folklore about black magic enchanting people to fall in love with their spellcaster, ringing in my head like crazy. But my training tells me to only think logically - So back to business it will be.
"Ms. Sim, my colleagues complain many time about you."
"So?" My arms cross defensively, as I stare at him with an impatient face.
"Your company big name I know, but rep cannot make decision on behalf of guarantor. Don't think we idiots, we know what your company trying to do. Your face every time show up when my guys go to different homes."
I scoff with a chuckle.
"Mr. Ong, don't preach morality with me. Instead of getting a real job, you guys go around pretending to uphold justice when you are no better than those loansharks, except that our government licenses you to do your nonsense."
"Hey hey hey, we don't loan, we only help people recover debts. And we don't vandalize houses okay? We just here to get paid, end of story."
"Whatever, come back again next week and maybe I will have a repayment plan ready," I wave him away, and he begins trying to reason. And by reason, I mean becoming more persistent in insisting that we settle this now.
It is then I get a whiff of the incense burning a few paces from me. The smell is exceptionally strong; it's weird but not unpleasant, almost like a lavender aroma. I am actually kind of thankful for that, my frayed nerves from regular interaction with low-lives demanding money are quickly soothing down.
"You know, Ms. Sim, I can suggest a faster way to solve our problem."
"Which is?"
"You don't like my guys come over disturb you, we also don't like to come over scream and shout each time. What if my suggestion allow you finish your job faster?" He suggests with a small smile with a glint in his eye.
"Oh I'm not paying a single cent," I sat on the sofa opposite him, smirking back at him.
"No need to pay at all, want to hear more?"
"Hmmm, sure," I muse as I take a deep breath. This sofa is getting really comfortable, rapidly calming me. Maybe Mark is getting onto something we can both talk about.
"You go think, if we write this off as bad debt, your problem solved already right?"
I nod. My company would no longer need to waste time and resources running circles around these agencies. But what needs to be done to end this bad debt as soon as possible?
"Got a debt restructuring procedure you can do, we reduce the debt amount unofficially. Repeat until zero. Then become bad debt. Guarantor no need pay anything!"
Something tells me this sound too good to be true, but I shut that inner voice up and lean closer with interest, motioning for Mark to continue. He sounds like someone I can trust. Or at least let's hear what he has to say. Mark stares into my eyes, pondering.
"So Ms. Sim..."
"Call me Candy."
"Candy, you so pretty. I don't know why you work here."
I blush in response to his sudden flattery, and chuckle a little.