【Local Desires Abound】(Episode 2) Author: Laughter from the Coffin

Author: Laughter in the Coffin
Word Count: 61503

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2

Episode Synopsis:

Just as he was wondering how to face the awkward situation of a drunken escapade, Zhang Dong unexpectedly received a request from the intelligent young woman Xu Hanlan, asking
him to use his connections to resolve a politically charged lawsuit for her…

While chatting with the old restaurant owner about buying the restaurant, Zhang Dong unexpectedly learned from the owner about
the background of the Lin Yan sisters, and even the reason why Lin Yan had remained a virgin for many years after marriage…

Chapter 1: Panic

Zhang Dong's head spun, and he felt an immense sense of unease. This feeling was hard to describe, like
being called to the teacher's office after doing something wrong as a child. Zhang Dong hadn't experienced this kind of anxious unease in a long time; it could
even be described as a turmoil. He had no idea how to face Lin Yan.

The gate on the third floor was open, and as soon as Zhang Dong came up, he heard a woman's voice, seemingly complaining,
with a hint of anxiety.

Zhang Dong felt his head buzzing. Looking at the open door, he took a deep breath before slowly walking over.

Inside the room, a sophisticated young woman sat on the sofa playing on a tablet, appearing calm and gentle.

The repulsive old woman was also there, looking impatient and muttering to herself.

The round-faced Sister Li, whom Zhang Dong had seen yesterday, sat to the side playing on her phone, saying, "
Lin Yan, don't be so stingy with a few pennies. The machine's broken; you should get someone from the shop to fix it."

"It's alright, it's alright, it's been fixed before, just a minor problem."

Hearing Lin Yan's soft, seductive voice, Zhang Dong trembled, his heart pounding uncontrollably.
As he took off his shoes and walked inside, his mind went blank; he didn't know how to face the
woman he had drunkenly raped just yesterday.

Lin Yan's long, wavy hair was loose, and her purple dress accentuated her graceful figure, her snow-white
thighs alluring. Lin Yan seemed oblivious to Zhang Dong's arrival. While rummaging through her toolbox for a screwdriver, she said

apologetically , "It'll be done soon." "If it's really not working, just get a new one. This thing keeps breaking down every few days," the repulsive old woman said impatiently. "Yeah, why charge so much for water? It's so annoying to be staring at this broken machine all day," Sister Li said, feigning a coquettish tone, but her disgusting appearance almost made one vomit at the baby's one-month celebration. The intellectual young woman, however, said nothing. Seeing Zhang Dong enter, she nodded slightly and continued playing on her tablet , looking very focused, seemingly engrossed in something. "What's the problem?" Zhang Dong asked nervously, forcing a response. "You're here." Lin Yan's hand holding the screwdriver froze. She turned to look at Zhang Dong, her beautiful eyes filled with resentment and anger, but for some reason, also with a hint of restraint. "Well, I was delayed a bit because of dinner," Zhang Dong said cautiously. After all, Lin Yan was carrying weapon, and although he knew he couldn't say this in front of so many people, Lin Yan might suddenly decide to hit him, so it was better to be safe than sorry. "I don't know, the tape is stuck." Lin Yan's pretty face flushed slightly, whether from anger or embarrassment, she seemed a bit awkward. She slammed the screwdriver on the table and said bluntly, "You fix it, it must be something wrong with the tape." "Okay," Zhang Dong said awkwardly, walking forward with his head down. "I'm sweating so much, I'm going to take a shower first. I haven't even brushed my teeth since you dragged me out of bed!" Lin Yan said hesitantly, seemingly unwilling to face Zhang Dong. She suddenly turned and walked out of the room, apparently to take a shower in Zhang Dong 's room. "Hey, what are you taking a shower for! We'll be one short for a game once it's fixed!" Sister Li immediately shouted in dissatisfaction. "It's alright, this guest can make up the numbers, ignore her." The intellectual young woman spoke up, though her gaze swept over Zhang Dong meaningfully. "Didn't you see all those hickeys on her neck? Old Chen planted them last night, didn't he?" the older woman lewdly said. "She probably hasn't showered yet, otherwise she'll smell all over the place, making you old sluts all horny." "Young man, please hurry up and fix it!" Sister Li urged immediately, not being polite. Zhang Dong felt embarrassed listening to their words, thinking: That wasn't Old Chen's doing, it was me, Zhang Dong! Lin Yan probably didn't notice and that's why she wore that nightgown. When she came in, I saw all those hickeys on her neck. Damn it! If Old Chen had seen them, would I still be alive? Zhang Dong sighed and could only bury his head in fixing the machine. The structure of the mahjong table wasn't complicated, and the parts inside were so simple that there wasn't much to study. It was just a few loose . Zhang Dong tightened the screws, turned on the power, and it was fine. "See? I told you Old Chen needed to learn how to repair machines, otherwise what's the point of having a grown man like him!" Sister Li was already itching to get started, and immediately stood in front of the mahjong table, shouting, "Come on, come on, get in position!" The sophisticated young woman put down her tablet, pushed up her black-rimmed glasses, and walked over. The repulsive old woman was carrying several bottles of drinks when she came over. "Are you waiting for Lin Yan?" Zhang Dong said cautiously, after all, he had something on his mind and really wasn't interested in playing mahjong . "Stop nagging! You won so much yesterday, and you think you can run away today? No way!" The old woman glared at him, half-jokingly scolding, "You just hold your place for now, and when Lin Yan finishes washing up and wants to play, you can give way." "That's right! Are we supposed to just wait here like this?" Sister Li also complained. The sophisticated young woman had already chosen her position, and with a smirk, she said, "Just hold your place for now, otherwise we'll have nothing to do." "Okay." Once the sophisticated young woman spoke, Zhang Dong felt embarrassed to refuse again, otherwise it would seem like he was being coy. After everyone was seated, the dice were rolled, and the first hand of cards was dealt according to East, South, West, and North. As soon as the cards were revealed, Zhang Dong was dumbfounded. He thought, "Isn't it said that if you're unlucky in love, you're lucky at gambling? I , how come my luck at gambling is improving now? " Gambling has different superstitions in different regions; some are strict, some aren't. Zhang Dong considered himself one of those who weren't strict, having no taboos. He didn't care about things like not offering cigarettes to fellow gamblers or not putting your arm around their shoulder. But there was a strange saying that gambling with women was bad luck, especially if it involved a "white tiger" (a male prostitute), which was even worse, potentially leading to...

Even a strong birth chart might not be enough to suppress bad luck; it could lead to financial loss to ward off misfortune. In short, women born in the Year of the White Tiger are considered unlucky, and gamblers
are very superstitious about this.

This hand started with five pairs, enough to make seven pairs immediately, and a meld would result in a perfect hand of pairs. The hand was
unusually . Zhang Dong felt his head buzzing. He lit a cigarette to calm himself. Although his mind was in turmoil, he knew he was gambling, and he
didn't want his money to become the old monster's feed.

Three miscellaneous tiles: East Wind, Two of Characters, and Three of Bamboo—a three-draw hand. Zhang Dong was still a little dazed.
In the first round, he picked up his tiles and froze. He thought, "No way, this is so weird! The
first tile I drew was East Wind! Seven pairs to win?"

Zhang Dong was stunned. Such good luck was too unpredictable. He didn't know
if it was good or bad. Normally, with this kind of luck, he would be in high spirits and dominate the game. But for some
reason, now that the hand was good, Zhang Dong felt even more uneasy.

Seeing Zhang Dong's dazed expression after drawing his cards, the old woman impatiently urged, "What are you dawdling for?
Hurry up and play your cards!"

"Okay!" Zhang Dong replied somewhat blankly, hesitating for a moment when choosing his cards, thinking: I'll just wait for
the three of bamboo , but it's not easy to win with three of bamboo.

To be honest, Zhang Dong didn't want to win the first hand.

Zhang Dong casually discarded the two of characters, thinking: It's unlikely I can win by self-drawing with three of bamboo, and it probably
won't be that easy to win against someone else either.

The good hand he had made Zhang Dong a little uneasy, feeling that his good hand was a bit like a curse.

"Pong!" The woman sitting to his left was an intellectual young woman, she immediately ponged the two of characters and casually discarded a big card.

"Draw your cards, don't be so slow." The old woman was still sitting to Zhang Dong's right, she was a bit impatient, and she
immediately started nagging when she saw Zhang Dong dawdling.

"Hmm, okay!" Zhang Dong was in a mess, but looking at the old woman's repulsive face, he sneered inwardly:
Not much else, but too much talk, let's see how long I can wear you down today! "I don't even care about self-drawing anymore, I'm going to win this hand!"

As he spoke, Zhang Dong's hand reached out, casually touching the tiles. He froze, cold sweat
pouring down his face. He thought, "Damn! Is this some kind of supernatural thing? The feel, the arrangement of the tiles… when did
the three of bamboo become so easy to feel?"

Zhang Dong's mind went blank. He touched the tiles again, confirming it was indeed the three of bamboo, and was speechless, his hand frozen
in mid-air, unable to utter a word. He thought, "It's incredibly supernatural!" He had just secretly sworn an oath,
and now he'd actually won! It's unbelievable

! "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and play!" Not only the older woman, but even Sister Li, sitting opposite Zhang Dong, spoke
impatiently .

The sophisticated young woman looked over, not saying anything, but also wondering why Zhang Dong was playing so dazedly today
. She wondered, "Could he be cursed?"

"No way! There are gods watching over us. I keep my word. I'm not going to win with this three of bamboo today." Zhang Dong hardened
his heart, facing the temptation of money, extremely agitated. His hand trembled, and he discarded the three of bamboo he had drawn himself.

In the second round, he drew a five of characters. Zhang Dong was furious: "Can you still draw a five of characters now? My luck
isn't that good!" He thought, "If someone discards it, I'll win no matter who it is!" With this thought in mind, Zhang Dong immediately discarded
the other three of bamboo.

"Such a good hand? You're breaking up a pair of three of bamboo to make a mixed suit? Are you going for bamboo or characters?"

The old woman and Sister Li chattered, while the intellectual young woman lowered her head and pondered, asking somewhat jokingly,
"What's wrong? Such a beautiful hand in the first hand, should we continue?" "It's a bad hand, a bad hand," Zhang Dong
quickly replied politely.

Zhang Dong had a good impression of this intellectual young woman; at least she was quiet and gentle, and her gentle speech
made people very comfortable.

"Just be patient and you'll get it," the sophisticated young woman said with a gentle smile, perhaps genuinely believing
Zhang Dong had a bad hand.

After only two rounds, the repulsive old woman had already won three rounds, seemingly with a big hand of Wan (characters). She
arrogantly covered her tiles, laughing triumphantly, "You all better watch out, don't give away points! I'm going to win by self-draw
in !"

Her hand was indeed quite intimidating. Sister Li, her face dark with anger, cursed and played cards one at a time, barely
drawing any.

Looking at the table, Zhang Dong, who had been waiting for a big win, seemed just as unlucky as Sister Li; the
two opponents didn't seem to have the strength to compete.

The sophisticated young woman, after two rounds of melds, kept drawing and discarding whatever she could, seemingly ready to win.
However words, shaking her head and smiling, lost in thought.

After a few more rounds, Sister Li abandoned her winning hand, discarding her tiles to play defensively.

The sophisticated young woman was definitely ready to win; judging from her discards, her hand seemed quite good.

Zhang Dong kept holding onto the 50,000 tile, thinking: "I didn't want to win this first hand anyway. If I draw a dangerous
tile, I'll break up my pair and discard it, leaving you to struggle alone."

After two rounds, the old woman revealed a West Wind tile and, after collecting the winnings, exaggeratedly waved goodbye
while shuffling her tiles, shouting, "Winning on a Kong! Winning on a Kong! I'll win big and crush you all!"

It seemed she had drawn a Wan tile. The old woman's eyes lit up, causing everyone's hearts to skip a beat. Then, her wrinkled
brows furrowed again as she threw down the tile, cursing, "Damn it, why did I draw this
thing!"

Perhaps the old woman thought everyone else had discarded their tiles, so she was afraid of being Konged herself, and discarded the
tile carelessly.

Zhang Dong squinted, and before he could even see the tile clearly, the sophisticated young woman's eyes lit up. She pushed the tile down abruptly and
giggled, "I won! A pair of pairs, a big win after a Kong!"

"What?" The old woman was dumbfounded, staring at the mahjong tiles in disbelief.

The sophisticated young woman's hand consisted of three eights of bamboo, a pair of fives of characters, and a pair of fours of bamboo—a winning hand that would normally be a triplet.
Now having won by kong, it was the maximum possible winning hand.

Zhang Dong, only then noticing the old woman had discarded a five of characters, immediately waved his hand and said with a grin, "Wait, I
won too

!" "Holy crap! A double win from a kong!" Sister Li exclaimed in surprise, unable to hide a hint of schadenfreude.
"What a coincidence, I also have a big win!" Zhang Dong said with a grin, completely ignoring the old woman's already purple
face.

"Seven pairs! This hand is uncanny!" Sister Li exclaimed exaggeratedly, but such a rare hand was indeed seldom
seen.

"What bad luck! Did I run into some villain today?" The old woman spat a few times, then abruptly
flipped over her tiles, cursing, "What can I do with such a beautiful hand? The eight of Wan just wouldn't come, but I got a five of Wan instead
, and a perfect pair at that, giving me a huge double win!"

The old woman's hand consisted of a pair of eights and nines of Wan, quite beautiful indeed, but she couldn't keep the five of Wan.

The sophisticated young woman looked at Zhang Dong's hand and laughed, "Pretty impressive, actually waiting for the five of Wan. If you change your hand,
you'll have a huge winning hand."

"Hehe, I dare not challenge the Wan suit," Zhang Dong said modestly, thinking: Whatever makes you happy. If
I draw a three of bamboo in the second round, you'll be crying.

The old woman was furious, slamming her tiles down, but was still urged to take her chips.

It turned out the old woman was extremely unlucky today; when she flipped over her chips, the fat on her face twitched,
and you could clearly see the wrinkles on her face spasming.

"How many chips? Show them to others!" Sister Li urged.

"Damn it, this is so unlucky, what's the point of playing mahjong!" The old woman pushed the chips away with a dark face,
holding the money as she cursed, "What kind of crazy hand is this! I've been playing mahjong for so long, and I've never missed a double win.
Damn, this is so unlucky."

Despite her cursing, she couldn't lose a penny; the old woman was truly cursed, her luck was terrible .

According to the rules here, a double win means you have to pay out of your own chips. Her chips
were .

Zhang Dong, seeing this, suppressed his laughter.

The sophisticated young woman seemed very happy with this win, a faint smile always on her lips.

The old woman, cursing, opened a bundle of ten thousand, calculated that her family had eight hundred and forty yuan. This first hand had
cost her more than a thousand yuan, making her unable to stop complaining.

Sister Li, standing to the side, made sarcastic remarks, her expression one of enjoying the spectacle. The old woman rolled her eyes, annoyed, and
said, "Don't be so smug! This money of mine is loan sharking; I charge interest when I lend it out."

"Fine, lend me more, I'm happy to!" Sister Li retorted, immediately engaging in a verbal battle with the old woman.
Zhang Dong and the sophisticated young woman exchanged a smile.

The two who won remained silent, while the loser started arguing with the onlookers.

Afterwards, everyone shuffled the cards again.

Having received this first bad hand, for some reason, Zhang Dong felt much calmer. Perhaps gambling easily
makes one focused and numb; although his mind was still a little chaotic, it wasn't as uneasy as before.

However, Zhang Dong couldn't help but drift into a daze, thinking of last night's intoxicating pleasure and
the clear hickeys on Lin Yan's body today. He felt a surge of heat in his heart, his blood boiling uncontrollably.

Even just from this simple fantasy, Zhang Dong's genitals began to show signs of engorgement.

They played for over an hour. During this time, Zhang Dong and the sophisticated young woman were relatively even, mostly
winning with small hands and rarely getting any bad hands. Sister Li, on the other hand, won the most, laughing while constantly making sarcastic remarks. Not only did the
older woman, who had lost three times, look even darker, but Zhang Dong himself felt an urge to tear her mouth apart; that woman's mouth was too foul.

Over this period, Zhang Dong and the sophisticated young woman had mixed results, winning around a thousand yuan each, while
the older woman, perhaps under the influence of aphrodisiacs, consistently won with small hands, accumulating nearly three thousand yuan.

Time passed slowly, and Zhang Dong felt his hand was getting worse. He was also increasingly anxious about what Lin Yan had
been doing for so long. He thought: "Could this woman have let the three of them hold me up, then use the excuse of taking
a shower to go and call the police?"

Zhang Dong's mind was in turmoil, growing increasingly panicked. He thought: "Just taking a shower? Over an hour
is way long! She's been soaking in the water for ages! What is she planning to do!"

His thoughts were in disarray, and his mind was no longer on the cards. In his frantic play, Zhang Dong discarded several small winning hands, one of which
resulted in a double win for a small hand.

These discards were all random; logically, they shouldn't have led to such losses. But Zhang Dong was
panicked and had no time to strategize.

After losing several hands in a row, he not only lost money but also several hundred yuan.

The old woman's face beamed with glee, her sarcastic remarks seemingly unrelated to the fact that she was
the biggest loser.

At this moment, Zhang Dong was furious. Although he wanted to ignore the old woman, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. Just
as Zhang Dong was about to retort with a few sarcastic remarks, the door creaked open.

Zhang Dong jumped, quickly turning around, only to be disappointed.

It wasn't Lin Yan, but Lin Ling.

Lin Ling seemed to have been running around outside all day; her face was flushed, making her look exceptionally innocent. Her ponytail was glistening with
sweat , adding a touch of allure. Her pure white lace t-shirt and denim shorts accentuated her slender figure, and the sweat
made her youthful body even more captivating.

Lin Ling appeared exhausted; upon entering, she glared fiercely at Zhang Dong before grabbing a bottle of ice-cold drink and gulping it
down .

"Ling'er, it must be hot outside, right? Take a rest," the sophisticated young woman said considerately.

"It's alright, I'll get used to it. Where's my sister?" Lin Ling shook her head, glancing around before asking.
Whether intentionally or not, she scanned her surroundings, avoiding any look at Zhang Dong.

"She's probably sleeping in that room over there," Zhang Dong said hastily, as if seeing a lifeline.

"You guys go ahead and call, I'll go find her," Lin Ling said politely, immediately running out.

Compared to Lin Ling's slender figure, her dark brown bag looked rather bulky and
outdated , completely unsuitable for her.

"Get your cards! What are you staring at?" At that moment, a new round began, and the older woman, seemingly experiencing a stroke of good luck,
immediately urged him on.

"Oh, okay."

Zhang Dong was flustered and distracted, unable to concentrate, losing nearly a thousand yuan in several rounds
, all with hands he shouldn't have been playing.

Zhang Dong grew increasingly agitated, while the older woman beside him seemed even happier. The sophisticated young woman glanced at Zhang Dong,
said nothing, her large eyes darting around, lost in thought.

By 4 PM, Zhang Dong had lost 3,000 yuan. His face grew increasingly grim, and he had almost no
desire to joke and chat with the sophisticated young woman and the others. It wasn't that he was heartbroken about losing money; after all, he still had over 10,000 yuan from yesterday, so
overall was still winning. But he was very anxious because Lin Yan had said she was going to sleep, but he hadn't seen her for a long time. Lin Ling had said she was going to look for
her, but she hadn't returned either. He didn't know what the two sisters were planning. Anyway, it was a matter of life and death.
He'd accept the knife if they called the police.

But this inexplicable stalemate felt like a quick, painless kill; this aimless
waiting was the most agonizing thing.

The three sophisticated young women's phones started ringing incessantly, all asking about dinner.
It seemed like they were constantly having dinner parties. The older woman and Sister Li were even showing off to each other, constantly mentioning
the names —all seemingly high-end establishments in the city.

As five o'clock approached, just when Zhang Dong was on the verge of collapse and madness, the door suddenly creaked open
.

"Quite a lively fight," Lin Yan's soft, seductive voice immediately made Zhang Dong's bones melt.

Turning around, Zhang Dong felt a nosebleed coming out.

Lin Yan was dressed incredibly provocatively. Her already extremely sexy figure, combined with this outfit, was simply breathtaking.
Her toenails were painted a light pink, and her pale purple high-heeled sandals created an alluring, delicate beauty,
making one yearn to hold and caress her exquisite feet. Her long, slender legs, encased in black stockings, were exquisitely shapely,
exuding an irresistible allure. A black leather mini-skirt paired with a seemingly casual yet suit-like shirt
added a touch of femininity to her dignified appearance.

The tight-fitting clothes accentuated Lin Yan's already stunning figure, especially her prominent breasts and
rounded , pert buttocks, sparking countless fantasies and imagining the sensations of rear-entry penetration.

Lin Ling, following behind Lin Yan, wasn't as stunning, but her casual attire
gave her a fresher look than during the day. Her dark blue dress and cute cartoon slippers, combined with her simple outfit, amplified
her youthful charm. Especially when she walked in, her ponytail swayed, making her look even more
endearing and pitiful.

"Oh, all dressed up like that, where are you planning to pick up men tonight?" the older woman said sarcastically.
Despite her own losses, seeing Zhang Dong's misfortune, she seemed to have found a scapegoat, and her wrinkled face
softened slightly.

"Yanzi, you should change your clothes." The sophisticated young woman smiled gently. "You wore the
same outfit should buy some trendy clothes."

"Wearing the same clothes for two years, you're so frugal." Sister Li said exaggeratedly, "I have a good figure, I'd look stunning even in a
burlap sack ." Lin Yan glared at them fiercely, her gaze wandering away from Zhang Dong's stare.
She put one arm around the sophisticated young woman and said intimately, "How's it going? Looks like you're having a good time today."

"I'll win a little." The sophisticated young woman looked at Lin Yan's radiant outfit and asked suspiciously, "Why are you dressed
like this? Do you have something planned for tonight?"

"No, I've arranged to go out for dinner. Want to come along?" Lin Yan said enthusiastically, "
I don't have . After dinner, we'll see if we play mahjong or go somewhere to sing karaoke. It's been a while since I've had any entertainment."

"Someone as stingy as you is treating us to dinner?" The older woman laughed sarcastically. "Did I hear that right?
I just had a checkup recently, and I haven't been hallucinating."

"Who said I paid? Someone else did!" Lin Yan snorted, glancing at
Zhang Dong silent.

The women chattered on for a while, a real headache. Zhang Dong, listening nearby, felt dizzy.
Their rapid-fire speech made it almost impossible to understand what they were saying, but one thing was certain:
Lin Yan specifically chosen him to be the sucker.

But Zhang Dong had no interest in treating anyone or having a meal. He couldn't very well bring it up in front of so many people
, and it wasn't that he was worried about the money, but he felt strangely uneasy. The less Lin Yan got angry, the more uncomfortable he felt
; this slow, agonizing feeling was unbearable. He had no idea what Lin Yan was thinking.

This commotion had also ruined his mood for playing mahjong; it was almost six o'clock.

Lin Yan checked the time and urged, "We can continue playing tonight. I've already booked a table at the old restaurant;
they won't hold it if we're late."

"The old restaurant again?" Zhang Dong was speechless. Since arriving in this small town, he'd eaten almost every meal
there .

"Yeah, I'm a little hungry." The sophisticated young woman pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Then let's
end it here for now. We can continue playing tonight if you're free."

"I have to go home first." Sister Li looked at her phone, shook her head, and said, "My brat only knows how to play on the computer
all day . If I don't go back, he won't even eat. I'd better go back and cook for him
. You guys eat."

"Where's your nanny?" the sophisticated young woman asked curiously.

"She went back to her hometown for a few days. Sigh, I can't let the child go hungry." Sister Li said affectionately, then started packing
her things.

"I'm not going either," the older woman said. "My shop is still busy, and I need to go back to settle the accounts.
I haven't tallied the money for today yet. I'll come back around 8:30. Take your time eating, no rush."

"Really? So busy!" Lin Yan said anxiously. "It's rare for us to get together! You always come
to support us, and I'd feel bad if I didn't treat you today."

"It's alright, I really don't have time."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the older woman left first, hitching a ride with Sister Li.

The sophisticated young woman left her bag, laptop, and other belongings inside, only taking her phone.

Lin Ling and Lin Yan seemed to ignore Zhang Dong, chatting and laughing with the sophisticated young woman as they went downstairs, practically
treating Zhang Dong as if he were invisible.

Zhang Dong followed behind Lin Yan and the others with trepidation, watching the three women's backs, his mind wandering,
his thoughts racing.

Even though they were the same type of woman, even though they had the same physical structure, Lin Yan, Lin Ling, and the sophisticated young woman exuded
completely different allure, each with their own unique charm.

Lin Ling, youthful and lively, possesses a captivatingly pure and charming personality, making one yearn to savor the elasticity of her youthful body and
the delicate tenderness unique to her age.

Lin Yan, needless to say, exudes a seductive charm with every laugh and conversation. Her beautiful face and fiery figure make her a truly alluring
and seductive woman, a woman so
captivating that men often don't know where to look at her at first glance—her appearance and figure are both irresistibly alluring. Facing her, hormones begin to flare; any normal man
would find it impossible to resist the urge to possess her.

The intellectual young woman is elegant and quiet, speaking in a gentle and soothing manner, making one feel comfortable. Her attire is dignified and graceful, and her
very voice radiates a noble and intellectual aura. Her delicate features possess a unique charm that makes one's imagination run wild.
Imagine how alluring she would be without those black-rimmed glasses, and what she would be like in bed? Would she be a gentle, submissive
little bird , or a wildly daring woman full of surprises?

Like orioles and swallows among a hundred flowers in a garden, each with its own unique fragrance and allure!

Zhang Dong's mind was buzzing. He inwardly cursed himself for being shameless, looking at
beautiful women , and even recognizing these words. Back in school, he only read fantasy novels like Wesley;
where did these words come from?

In short, sleeping with them would definitely be a unique experience!

Chen Dashan yawned at the counter. Seeing everyone come down, he immediately stood up and said eagerly, "Are you
going out to eat?"

"Yes, brother-in-law, we're going to the old restaurant," Lin Ling said somewhat embarrassedly. "You hold my place
for now. I'll watch over things after we eat, and you can go get some sleep."

Chen Dashan's face was greasy; he had been up all night, and his eyes were red.

Hearing Lin Ling's words, Chen Dashan shook his head and said with a simple smile, "Take your time, I
can manage ."

"What do you want to eat? I'll bring it back for you later," the sophisticated young woman said.

But strangely, Lin Yan, the wife, ignored Chen Dashan and instead fiddled with
her phone as she walked out the door.

Chen Dashan didn't seem annoyed at all, but happily smiled and said, "Then bring me some braised pork knuckle rice."

"Brother-in-law, I'll pack some dishes for you to have with your drinks," Lin Ling said.

"Okay!" Chen Dashan nodded hurriedly, smiling very simply and happily.

"Hurry up! Tell me, what's there to say!" Lin Yan seemed impatient and
called out irritably at the door, looking quite annoyed.

"Um, brother-in-law, wait a moment." Lin Ling seemed to respect Chen Dashan, calling him "brother-in-law" repeatedly, while
Lin Yan 's attitude was strange, not only indifferent but also showing some dislike for Chen Dashan.

Zhang Dong couldn't get a word in edgewise, but felt awkward and didn't know what to say. He gave Chen Dashan a few cigarettes
and left.

It was past six, lunchtime, and the old restaurant was predictably bustling. Zhang Dong and his companions
were stunned ; it was impossible to pass through. The alley was packed with motorcycles and bicycles, leaving no room to walk.

Many cars were also parked outside, further congesting the alley. Lin Yan and Lin Ling, however, were used to it. They glanced
at it and immediately led Zhang Dong and the sophisticated young woman to take a longer route, entering through the alley ahead.

Where could they find a place to eat these days? Not only were restaurants packed, but even the open space behind them was filled with broken tables and
people.

Zhang Dong clicked his tongue in astonishment, saying, "This kind of business is probably more profitable than selling heroin."

"That's why so many people still crave it," Lin Ling unconsciously chimed in, but immediately realized something,
shutting her mouth and glaring at Zhang Dong.

"Yanzi, where are you booking?" the sophisticated young woman asked softly.

"Don't worry, we're neighbors, so we know each other well. I booked the pavilion over by the vegetable garden." With that, Lin Yan waved
, and a pedicab immediately stopped.

"Go that way..." the sophisticated young woman said, seemingly thinking it was a bit far. Looking at the
traffic congestion, she figured driving there would be suicide; the narrow road was practically impassable.
After flagging down two pedicabs and agreeing on a price, Lin Yan got in first.

However, as soon as she got in, Lin Yan was in a dilemma. A pedicab could only seat two people. She was annoyed and didn't want to
sit with Zhang Dong, and naturally, she didn't want Lin Ling to be squeezed in with this scumbag. But Zhang Dong and the young woman weren't close, and
it wouldn't be appropriate for them to sit together.

Lin Yan frowned slightly, glared at Zhang Dong, and said irritably, "This ride is bumpy.
It's uncomfortable for someone as big as you to squeeze in. Go flag down another one yourself."

"Oh, okay," Zhang Dong said with a wry smile, not daring to say anything more.

The roads in this small county town aren't great, mostly narrow lanes. Human-powered tricycles and motorcycles are everywhere
; these are the most convenient modes of transportation here.

Four people, three vehicles. After Lin Yan told them the location, the driver set off, clearly familiar with the area.

The tricycle moved slowly, offering a unique sense of comfort that inexplicably calmed everyone.

Zhang Dong silently smoked, his gaze fixed on the chatting and laughing Lin Yan and her sister, and the ever-gentle
young woman . Looking at the tranquility of the small county town at dusk, a strange sense of solace seemed to soothe his anxious heart after a long day.

The road to the pavilion wasn't too far, not too short. Walking would be tedious, but driving seemed too close,
as it would be quick.

Walking slowly along the river led to a more open area. Large tracts of farmland stretched along the riverbank,
connected by a small stone bridge too narrow for even cars. On the other side were bustling vegetable gardens.

Zhang Dong dutifully paid the fare. Before he knew it, Lin Yan and the others had reached the other side of the river. Zhang Dong
knew Lin Yan was deliberately ignoring him, so he didn't think much of it and quickly followed.

The door was made of bamboo; although aesthetically pleasing, it offered little protection against thieves. Several cars were parked by the bridge, indicating
a large number of people were dining there, but it was clearly not open to the public, making it much quieter than the restaurants.

A young man, who appeared to be a minor child laborer, was greeting customers at the entrance. Upon seeing the three vibrant and beautiful women, he
visibly paused, but quickly stopped Lin Yan and politely asked, "Ma'am, do you have a reservation
? We're fully booked today."

"Yes, we do. My surname is Lin," Lin Yan immediately gave her phone number.

The young man checked it, nodded, and said solicitously, "This way, please. Your table is by the lotus pond."
Zhang Dong and his group slowly walked inside. As soon as they entered, they heard the barking of many dogs, indicating that the place kept a lot of
dogs. Chickens, ducks, and geese were running around everywhere, and a complex smell permeated the air—a mixture of the
pungent and an indescribable fragrance—the aroma of vegetables? Or flowers?

Zhang Dong looked around curiously. He had grown up in a big city and rarely went
to the countryside. Even when he did, it was usually to a farmhouse catering to tourists, where he might go rafting or pick strawberries.

The gravel path was short, flanked by large vegetable fields planted with all sorts of seasonal vegetables. Behind the fields was a
pond, not small, filled with lotus flowers, all in full bloom, their fragrance filling the air.

The lotus leaves were a vibrant green, and he could even see several small frogs hopping around on them.
The blooming lotus flowers, their pink petals peeking out from the dappled sunlight, appeared both pure and alluring.

Five bamboo pavilions stood on a lotus pond. Lotus ponds are generally not very high, so this type of
architecture , while novel, is quite common in the south and wouldn't require a large construction project.

Four of the pavilions were already full of people, seemingly engaged in social gatherings. Everyone was dressed smartly, spending more time
talking and drinking than eating.

The younger brother led Zhang Dong and his group into the pavilions, immediately hanging up some sachets and lighting
several mosquito coils before carefully turning on the lights, instantly brightening the space.

Zhang Dong then noticed that the pavilions were completely enclosed by almost airtight insect netting. This type of netting is
generally used to repel mosquitoes, which explained the younger brother's use of mosquito coils. Eating in such an environment was indeed pleasant, but
the sheer number of mosquitoes in southern summers was unbearable for most people, especially in fields and ponds, which are insect hotspots.

The south is humid, and insects are always abundant in places with grass and water, especially in hot areas.

Zhang Dong suddenly shivered, looking at the frolicking frogs on the lotus leaves, thinking: "There must be
plenty of snakes in a place like this. What if a snake suddenly appears after I've only eaten a few bites? That would scare me to death!"

The table and chairs were made of wood, not rosewood or anything like that, but clearly old furniture, heavy and
sturdy, making them feel very stable to sit on.

"Want a drink?" Lin Yan asked politely as soon as she sat down, but perhaps suddenly remembering
what happened last night, her smile froze, and she glared at Zhang Dong fiercely.

"Sister, no way," Lin Ling also hesitated, giving Zhang Dong a similarly unforgiving eye roll.
Zhang Dong felt like crying, speechless, thinking: "I didn't even dare mention drinking. I've been sitting here
like a submissive wife, not daring to utter a single word, and now I'm being dragged into this again?"

"Have some!" Unexpectedly, the seemingly refined and intellectual young woman nodded and
said with practiced ease, "But don't drink baijiu, it'll make you feel hot in this weather. I'm afraid I'll gain weight from beer. I wonder if you still have any of
the mulberry wine brewed here? If you do, chill it, it tastes really good."

Chapter Two, The Intellectual Young Woman Asks for a Request

"Yes!" The younger brother nodded and flattered, "Big sister, you really know your stuff. We don't have
much of the mulberry wine we brewed in the spring left. The master said it will definitely be sold out before autumn. If you don't drink it now, you'll have to wait until next year."

"What kind of fresh fish do you have today?" Lin Ling asked greedily, seemingly very hungry, and
said , "Oh, right, I'd like that braised meat platter!"

"The boss is here today, and according to the rules, we don't take orders." The younger brother said with a troubled look.

The sophisticated young woman nodded and said, "Understood, calculate per person. Just tell the kitchen to bring out the best dishes
, don't worry about the price, as long as the food tastes good."

"Okay!" the waiter replied and went to get busy, seemingly unsurprised by the generous words.
Perhaps people who come here to eat appreciate such generosity.

Zhang Dong finally understood. This old restaurant was a predatory business. Now that he thought about it carefully, this restaurant had neither a menu
nor a sign. If you didn't know your stuff, don't come. At most, the waiter would tell you what to eat, and it seemed that the dishes
changed frequently due to the season.

Judging from the vegetable garden, it seemed to be a place to entertain relatives and friends. Compared to the noisy restaurant environment, it was
indeed much better. However, what was outrageous was that there were also predatory terms here. The owner didn't
let you take orders, meaning you could only eat what was served, or else it was your choice. To run a business like this was simply too arrogant.

The sophisticated young woman seemed to sense Zhang Dong's confusion and explained with a smile, "It's always been like this here. When
the boss he's definitely trying out some new dishes. And when they go to the market, they buy whatever's fresh and good,
so there's no menu. Basically, they make whatever the kitchen has."

"To run a business like this, that's impressive!" Zhang Dong shook his head, still disagreeing with this series of
domineering terms. He felt that if this restaurant were in the city, it would probably be out of business in less than three days.

"If business over there wasn't so good, the old man wouldn't have bothered to cultivate this vegetable garden." Although Lin Yan felt
awkward, she still spoke up to avoid making the atmosphere too awkward. "Everyone has their moments of weakness. The
old man can't afford to offend the officials in this town and county, so he had to build these pavilions by the pond. There are many rules,
and the decorations are shabby, but it's still packed every day."

"That's good, more money to be made." Zhang Dong wondered: Others are afraid of less business,
why is this old man afraid of more business?

"He's also afraid those officials will dine and dash," Lin Ling said, clearly mocking the country bumpkins.
"Many restaurants in this town used to be driven out of business by those officials. It's a lie to say the old man isn't afraid
, so he never lets anyone owe him money at this restaurant, and he charges two hundred yuan for tea as soon as a table sits down,
like ."

"What?" Zhang Dong was dumbfounded, thinking: Two hundred yuan for tea? Are you kidding me!
A meal in this run-down place sometimes doesn't even cost two hundred yuan, and he charges you the moment you sit down? That's ruthless!

"That's part of his shrewdness," the sophisticated young woman smiled, clearly implying something else.

The Lin sisters listened, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Zhang Dong pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized what was going on. He glanced at the tables next to him, which seemed to belong to officials,
shook his head, and sneered, "This old man is really shrewd! If he didn't exploit these people's masochistic tendencies,
he probably would have gone bankrupt long ago if he ran the business like everyone else."

Everyone has a masochistic side, sometimes they don't realize it, but many things become clear once explained.
Like this old restaurant, the food is undeniably delicious, but without those strange rules, it probably wouldn't have
thrived .

As soon as you sit down, they collect money for tea; the service is indifferent; after you finish eating, they practically kick you out. In this
era where the customer is king, all of this seems to contradict this. But it's precisely this that triggers
a kind of —accustomed to being greeted politely, being neglected while eating here
satisfies a somewhat twisted feeling within them.

The rumors that seemed to be all bad actually elicited very different reactions—these days, what kind of
high-end restaurant can't you find? If you have money, what kind of service can't you expect? When friends get together for drinks and boasting,
everyone can name a few fancy restaurants from all over the country. Talking about places with great service is commonplace, but that's just a vulgar
topic. Yet there's this one restaurant that ignores its customers, even seeming to want to kick them out.
They give you a cold shoulder as soon as you walk in, and when they serve your food, there's no one to greet you. You have to find a seat yourself after you enter.
If there are no seats, you have to squat in the back. Sometimes they don't even provide a stool. If they're in
a
bad mood, they won't let you order; if you don't want to eat, get out. If they sell out, no one cares. If you want to eat during peak hours, you have to queue like everyone else. They don't care about the money. Their arrogant attitude often makes people want to experience it,
and after experiencing it, it becomes a topic of conversation to show off.

The place is shabby and old, but the prices are outrageously high, and they don't even have a sign. It's as if they don't
want customers to come back. This kind of gimmick immediately arouses people's curiosity and sensationalism.
It allows some people who are used to comfort to find a humble sense of alienation here, a twisted and perverse sense of novelty.

No wonder the business is so prosperous. Zhang Dong smiled and thought that this old man had a good grasp of people. If this
restaurant greeted customers with a smile, the business probably wouldn't be so good.

"This vegetable garden has never been owed a single penny since the day it opened." The sophisticated young woman seemed to
admire the old man's business acumen. Pointing to the tables nearby, she said with a smile, "These people come here
for the sake of face. Look at the surroundings, and you'll understand why the old man made it so simple."

The pond wasn't large, and from there, one could faintly hear the conversations at the other tables.

Lin Yan and her sister were completely confused, but Zhang Dong immediately understood. So the old man had built it
so simply to prevent people from owing him money. The conversations and meals at the surrounding tables were all clearly visible, and no one wanted to
lose face.

This small town, this county, wasn't that big. Most people who came here knew each other to some extent. Under
these circumstances, who would dare to say they didn't have enough money and ask for a loan? Of course, if they actually asked,
the old man probably wouldn't dare refuse, so he simply built it this way. To save face, no
one had ever owed him money.

Imagine if it were a private room, the kind of room these people prefer. Calling the manager over and asking to pay the bill
wouldn't be a big deal. But in this environment, they couldn't bring themselves to say it; everyone was afraid of
being laughed at.

Although it's normal to eat and then pay in advance within the organization, it would inevitably lead to teasing from
acquaintances . These old men weren't willing to risk being laughed at by their colleagues for a few dollars, so
they couldn't possibly owe money in public.

"Damn it, old people who don't die are bound to be cunning!" Zhang Dong cursed after figuring it out, thinking: This old man
is a real fox, so cunning it's chilling.

"The old man is good at judging people and knows how to run a business; that's why his business is so successful,"
the sophisticated young woman nodded, her words revealing her admiration for the old man.

"A cunning old fox!"

Zhang Dong recalled his conversation with the old man earlier that day. He seemed serious and dignified, like a kind elder;
you'd never guess the shrewd calculations hidden beneath that facade.

"What are you two talking about?" Lin Ling was completely bewildered, having no idea
what Zhang Dong and the sophisticated young woman were discussing.

"So mysterious," Lin Yan muttered, equally annoyed, unable to join the conversation.

At this moment, Zhang Dong clapped his hands, looking embarrassed, and said, "We've been chatting for so long, and I still don't know your
name? I'm so sorry."

"Hehe, me too," the sophisticated young woman smiled, seemingly admiring Zhang Dong's quick wit. She parted
her lips and said, "My name is Xu Hanlan, I'm probably a few years older than you, you can just call me Sister Lan."

"Little brother Zhang Dong, hehe," Zhang Dong chuckled sheepishly.

At this moment, Zhang Dong sensed something was off. He had been chatting and laughing with Xu Hanlan, while the Lin sisters
had been left silent, ignored. Before they could even confront him, he was acting all high and mighty—this
attitude was really…

Then, Zhang Dong could feel the Lin sisters rolling their eyes at him again. He immediately wiped away his cold sweat, shut
his mouth, and dared not speak again.

"You seem to know a lot. Judging from your accent, you're not from Xiaoli Town, are you here to do business?" Xu Hanlan
started to chatter, asking politely.

"No, no!" Zhang Dong quickly shook his head, avoiding the gazes of Lin Yan and her sister. He dared not continue
talking ; if they kept chatting like this, it would feel like he was insulting their intelligence.

"No? Then what are you doing in this godforsaken place?" Lin Yan's pretty cherry-like mouth
was full of gunpowder as soon as she spoke.

"This...this..." Zhang Dong scratched his head, unsure whether he should talk about his family's old, trivial matters.

"No one's going to shut you up, what are you being so coy about!" Lin Yan glared at Zhang Dong, seemingly also
curious about what this city guy was doing in this small town.

The service here was really bad; it was almost to the point that nobody paid any attention to them. The waiter had been gone for half a day and still hadn't
brought any tea.

Having nothing better to do, Zhang Dong briefly recounted the events, including his time in the countryside and his
mother's birthplace, omitting his father's property in Guangzhou and the seemingly nouveau riche older brother who dug up graves.
These were considered personal matters and unnecessary to mention, and besides, he feared it might tempt Lin Yan to blackmail him.
Although society values truth, goodness, and beauty, Zhang Dong had to be cautious. This wasn't out of petty suspicion,
but rather a reflection of the realities of society; anything could happen, and prevention was always better than cure.

After Zhang Dong finished his brief explanation, Xu Hanlan paused, then suddenly shook her head and said, "That's
true , but you might not find any descendants of the Chen family in Chenjiagou. There aren't many residents left."
"Hmm, is it because of the demolition and reservoir construction?" Lin Yan asked疑惑地问道, and for some reason,
her icy expression softened upon hearing this.

"If they weren't going to demolish it, most of the people there would have already left!" Lin Ling rarely spoke, and her
gaze towards Zhang Dong softened considerably, no longer displaying the stubborn indifference she had shown before.

Zhang Dong felt somewhat bewildered, surprised by the change in attitude from the Lin sisters, but still
asked , "What's wrong with Chenjiagou Village? Isn't it a remote, impoverished area? Why is there talk of demolition?"

"They're building a reservoir there!" Lin Ling said, "Chenjiagou gets flooded several times a year, and there's some kind of
lake nearby, I forget what it is. After the government sent people to survey the area last time, they designated it as a new hydroelectric
reservoir , so some people have already moved out, and others are still negotiating, but I don't know
where that meager compensation will be enough for them to move to?"

"Huh? Moved? Where to?" Zhang Dong immediately became anxious upon hearing this.

Although Zhang Dong was unfamiliar with the Chen family, they were still his mother's family. His mother had passed away when he was young, and he
had always felt guilty towards the Chen family for raising him. His father had also been concerned about this matter on his deathbed. He had finally come all this way to Xiaoli
Town; what was the point of coming if he couldn't find them?

"This…this isn't certain…" Lin Ling was a little frightened, not expecting Zhang Dong to suddenly become so agitated.
"Why are you jumping around like that? Who are you trying to scare!" Lin Yan immediately scolded
him, clearly startled by Zhang Dong's attitude.

Before they could exchange more words, the young man ran over, carrying a bamboo basket. He placed the tableware and lotus leaf water inside
on the table, grinning, "Please have a seat, everyone. The chef will check the head count before serving the dishes."
"So troublesome?" Zhang Dong muttered discontentedly, thinking: Why does this old man have so many rules? "

There's no other way; the chef is just worried about wasting food." With that, the young man left.

No one was in the mood for further jokes. The Lin sisters seemed lost in thought, while Xu Hanlan, showing
some , suddenly asked, for reasons unknown, "Zhang Dong, since you've lived in the provincial capital for so
many years, do you know anyone in the discipline inspection commission or the province?"

"People in the province? I think I do, but I don't know their positions." Zhang Dong searched his memory.
He knew two or three people, but they were all low-ranking officials, one was a driver for some leader, a
temporary worker without even a permanent position.

"Oh, think about it, see if you know anyone in the political and legal field?" Xu Hanlan's attitude suddenly became somewhat
eager , and she seemed a little anxious. "It would be best if you also knew someone in the media. I'd like to ask you to do me
a favor."

"What? Is there trouble for you, Sister Lan?" Zhang Dong scratched his head, thinking: What kind of people do I know? They're
all wasting their lives, good at drinking, gambling, and whoring, but useless at getting things done. How many of them have any real skills?

At this moment, Xu Hanlan stopped talking and sipped her tea.

Lin Yan, for some reason, cautiously said, "It's like this, a relative of mine is retiring in the next
year or two , but for some reason, someone has submitted some dubious evidence to the higher authorities,
and it seems they've started an investigation."

Although Lin Yan spoke earnestly, it was obvious to everyone that this so-called "relative" was very close to Xu Hanlan. Being
reported just before retirement was more like a fall from grace being bullied. Zhang Dong, being a shrewd man, immediately understood the situation
. His eyes darted around, and he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"The specific problem lies with the demolition." Seeing Zhang Dong's lukewarm attitude, Xu Hanlan knew that
beating around the bush she simply said directly, "When he was in office, he led the demolition work at the New City Station. At
the end of last year, there was a violent protest, and in the end, the person set himself on fire."

"How big of a fuss was that?" Zhang Dong felt a headache coming on, thinking: Do they think everyone living in the provincial capital knows high-ranking officials?
I don't know many officials, but I know a lot of thugs and hooligans.

"It hasn't come to light yet." Xu Hanlan's face was somewhat bitter, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she sighed, "
But the truth will eventually come out. The connections we found aren't very strong, and now we hear that
people from the provincial TV station are chasing after us after the information was submitted. This is going to be difficult."

"Didn't you spend money to settle things?" Although Zhang Dong didn't want to get involved in this mess, he
asked habitually after hearing Xu Hanlan's words, and wondered to himself: Why are you telling me this? I'm just a passerby, even if I
commit rape here, it'll be a fleeting moment. Why are you telling me this?

Judging from Xu Hanlan's words, the perpetrator must be a close relative of hers, otherwise she wouldn't be so
concerned . The fact that this matter hasn't been exposed for so long proves that this person or Xu Hanlan's family has certain abilities and
managed to suppress the matter at the time. At this point, someone is digging up old grievances, likely driven by vested interests.
Therefore possesses this information is certainly not an ordinary person; they must be a powerful figure in officialdom. For someone nearing retirement
to be dragged into this is tantamount to stabbing a dying person in the back.

Such a desecration of a corpse is something only someone with immense hatred would do. Zhang Dong is not
unaware if such a person has risen to a certain position, it proves they are not acting rashly. Digging up old grievances
to persecute others suggests they have ulterior motives, perhaps seeking other benefits through this matter.

"We've spent money, quite a lot." Xu Hanlan glanced meaningfully at Lin Yan, then
said calmly, "The demolition work with the family is easier to negotiate now, but they're asking for 250,000 yuan for the life lost in the self-immolation.
We initially wanted to settle with compensation, but someone fanned the flames, and later they demanded an exorbitant 800,000 yuan,
which is absolutely impossible."

"That's definitely extortion," Zhang Dong laughed, his tone tinged with mockery. He thought to himself: What a joke,
when did human lives in China become so valuable?

"Yeah, if no one was causing trouble, they wouldn't dare ask for that much," Xu Hanlan nodded, not
denying Zhang Dong's words.

For an ordinary citizen to dare to ask for such a sum, there must be someone instigating them, and that person must be
quite powerful. Asking for that amount doesn't necessarily mean they'll actually receive it, but they want to use it to escalate the situation.

"800,000 yuan…tsk tsk, when did human lives become so valuable?" Zhang Dong quipped.

"Zhang Dong, do you have any connections in the province?" Xu Hanlan hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I
know we're not close, and there's no need to discuss this so deeply with you. We could indeed scrape
together , but we can't afford to suffer such a huge loss. If you have connections to resolve this,
you'll naturally receive a share of the benefits."

"I'm not thinking about benefits right now, but why don't you spend some money to resolve this?" Zhang Dong
looked at , beginning to consider the matter.

Actually, when it comes to demolition and relocation, there are two main parties: one is the real estate developers. Although these people are mostly
local thugs, their influence in the area is extremely formidable. They lack nothing in terms of money, power, and influence; how could they not handle something?
If things escalate, at most it'll just be a matter of paying to avoid further trouble. Secondly, this matter involves the local government, which
certainly has many powerful tools at its disposal. They can use the guise of economic development to carry out demolitions, and driving people to self-immolation is nothing new.
However, if someone is obstructing the process, then the person in charge of the project will inevitably be implicated. Frankly, there's an
element of political infighting involved. Nobody can truly understand what those smiling faces in government offices are really thinking.

Judging from Xu Hanlan's tone, they seem to be willing to pay to avoid trouble, but the person obstructing is clearly...
Clearly unwilling to let the matter rest, they were willing to spend the 800,000 yuan, but the other party was clinging to this handle and
seemed determined to destroy them. "We'd like to spend money to buy some peace and quiet, but we can't find a way,"
Xu Hanlan said, her brows furrowed.

"Zhang Dong, can you try to help Sister Xu?" At this moment, Lin Yan, who had been indifferent all day, hesitated for a moment,
then suddenly said with a
pitiful

look, "Sister Xu's family is in trouble right now, and we're not having an easy time either. If she can't solve this problem, my family's shabby restaurant will have to close down." "What does this have to do with you?" Zhang Dong smiled bitterly in surprise, unsure of what
to do in the face of Lin Yan's words.

"I owe Sister Xu more than 200,000 yuan." As she spoke, Lin Yan lowered her head somewhat embarrassed, but then, as if
remembering something, she immediately glared at Zhang Dong fiercely.

That glare was deadly! It was more of a seductive look than a glare. Zhang Dong felt as if
his bones were melting, but a certain part of him seemed to be hardening slightly.

"Yes, brother, if you have a way, please help Sister Xu." Lin Ling spoke up, pleading
pitifully , "We've been borrowing money everywhere to pay back Sister Xu's debt, but we haven't been able to raise enough.
I went out all afternoon to collect debts, but I only managed a few thousand yuan. You know we only have a small hotel,
and it's only half-rented. Where would we get so much money to pay back? If Sister Xu has trouble, we won't be able to stay in business.
"

"Alright, stop talking to me about this. It has nothing to do with me!" Zhang Dong's mind
was , and he began to carefully consider the details.

"Zhang!" Lin Yan's face flushed red, and she suddenly slammed her hand on the table, gritting her teeth, "Let me tell you, if Sister Xu has
a problem, I won't have a good time either. If I don't have a good time, I'll definitely drag you down with me. Don't think I'm joking!"

"Shut up! No one will think you're mute if you don't speak!" Zhang Dong was having a headache, but he
wasn't afraid of Lin Yan's threat at all. He snorted coldly and said in an unfriendly tone.

"Yanzi, Ling'er, stop talking for now, let him think about it." Xu Hanlan was reasonable; seeing Lin Ling
about to ask for help, she immediately waved her hand to stop her.

Lin Yan, though angry, only grunted and sat down, staring at
Zhang Dong with hostility.

"Eight hundred thousand yuan… to settle this, including favors, it'll probably be more than that." Zhang Dong, having
been through the ups and downs of life, thought for a moment, sorted out the relationships, and vaguely felt there was something wrong.
"You're experienced, I won't lie to you."

Xu Hanlan was slightly taken aback, suddenly flustered by Zhang Dong's piercing gaze. She finally sighed
and said, "With our connections, building up the network layer by layer is a bottomless pit. We can certainly come up with eight hundred
thousand yuan , but I'm afraid it's far from enough."

"Where is the priority?" Zhang Dong was eager, his mind starting to calculate his
network of connections in the provincial capital.

"The media." Xu Hanlan pondered for a moment and said, "This is what we're most worried about.
Although our family has some power, we're still just minor local officials. Once this gets out, it'll definitely cause a huge uproar. I'm afraid even if
we have money , no one will dare to take it, and this matter will drag on endlessly."

"I do know people in the media." Zhang Dong's eyes lit up, but he immediately pretended to be troubled.
He looked at Lin Yan, then at Lin Ling, gritted his teeth, and said with some difficulty, "To be honest, I don't want
to owe anyone a favor easily, but since Yanzi asked, I can't refuse. However, if you want to settle this matter,
give me a bottom line. I can help you negotiate. As for the rest, we can only talk about this later."
"I... what does this have to do with me!" Lin Yan panicked for a moment, unlike her aggressive demeanor today, and
lowered her head .

"How much do you think you need?" Xu Hanlan gave Lin Yan a meaningful look, then eagerly
asked Zhang Dong.

Using favors to curry favor is a timeless tactic, and Zhang Dong naturally understood this. Although he was pleased that
Lin Yan's attitude had changed somewhat, he still looked troubled and said, "I don't understand their line of work, but there must be
a price. You need to give me at least a bottom line so I can negotiate; otherwise, I can't even open my mouth."

"As long as it doesn't appear on TV or in the newspapers, 250,000 yuan." Xu Hanlan thought for a long time before gritting her teeth and
offering a price, but she still couldn't hide her worry as she said, "I hope your connections are strong enough. I'm very willing to spend this money, but I
don't want to waste it, do you understand?"

Seeing Xu Hanlan's resolute attitude, Zhang Dong's first thought was that it seemed their mortal enemy
had really used his connections to expose them, and Xu Hanlan's people must have gotten wind of it too; otherwise, she wouldn't be so eager to
avoid public attention and allow the situation to escalate further.

This girl really is an official! While pondering this, Zhang Dong looked at Xu Hanlan's dignified suit and
beautiful face, and felt a slight itch in his heart, unable to resist fantasizing about the allure beneath her clothes.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand yuan? You underestimate the prices in the provincial capital." Upon hearing this, Zhang Dong felt a slight sense of
unease, but still sneered, "At this price, this bribe could go to your county's propaganda department. I doubt
the newspapers in this small county would publish anything. Of course, since you don't run a newspaper here, this money is probably wasted
."

"Give me a number!" Xu Hanlan's expression shifted between light and shadow. Finally, she sighed and said with a bitter smile, "
How much will it cost to settle this matter completely?"

"Double it." Zhang Dong calculated in his mind and immediately made an outrageous demand.

"Five hundred thousand yuan? Are you kidding me?" Xu Hanlan immediately became anxious. Her usually gentle and intellectual face
flushed red, and she said angrily, "I'm warning you, don't think this is an opportunity to extort money.
I'm not afraid of finding connections if I'm willing to spend five hundred thousand yuan on favors. Why would I need to talk to you!"

"Are you sure those connections you've found will work?" Zhang Dong lit a cigarette and sneered disdainfully.

"It's impossible to get such a high price. You'd better think it through before you speak." Xu Hanlan's expression was unfriendly. Clearly, she
had heard some rumors and was very dissatisfied with Zhang Dong's exorbitant asking price.

"The price you gave me isn't even fair, so why did you ask me for help?" Zhang Dong chuckled, giving a sarcastic snort
.

"Within the number you mentioned!" Xu Hanlan thought for a moment, then said through gritted teeth.

"By the way, why are we negotiating like this?" Zhang Dong didn't think there was anything wrong with the price, but he looked at Xu...
Hanlan, who had been gentle and tender, suddenly became aggressive. Feeling a little annoyed, she teased, "Sister Lan, we're
not related. I don't even know why I'm helping you. Why are you telling me so much?"

"What do you mean?" Xu Hanlan glared at Zhang Dong.

From the moment he met Xu Hanlan, she had always been gentle and intellectual, as calm as water. This rare
display of anger on her face added a touch of charm, making Zhang Dong find it increasingly amusing. He smiled and said, "I owe you a favor by doing your job.
I don't even know what benefit I'll get from it." "Alright, I don't want to talk about anything else."

Xu Hanlan was somewhat annoyed, but after thinking for a moment, she calmed herself, glared at Zhang Dong, and said, "As for benefits,
I can give you a fee. As for the rest, regarding Yanzi's matter, if you don't want trouble, you'd better help me.
Otherwise don't expect to have
an easy time in this small town. Although I, Xu, am from a small town, dealing with you in Xiaoli Town is a piece of cake."

"What is it?" Zhang Dong's heart skipped a beat, knowing the answer already.

"Sister Lan, this..." Lin Yan was startled and hurriedly tried to speak.

"You know what you're doing!" Xu Hanlan's attitude was surprisingly firm. She reached out to stop Lin Yan from speaking, her beautiful and deep
eyes fixed on Zhang Dong. She threatened, "Help me handle this, and I guarantee Yanzi won't pursue it. Otherwise,
no matter how capable you are in the province, I'll lock you up now with solid evidence, and you won't be able to do anything about it." "
A threat threatened."

Zhang Dong was immediately furious. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, glaring fiercely at Xu Hanlan. The frustration
and insecurity turned into anger. If he didn't vent now, Zhang Dong wondered if he would suffocate.

Lin Yan was taken aback by what she heard. Shy and frightened, she grabbed Xu Hanlan's arm and said anxiously, "Sister Lan,
didn't you promise me—"

"It's none of your business!" Xu Hanlan was also agitated. Meeting Zhang Dong's angry, wide-open eyes,
she snapped, "If my family suffers, you won't escape either! Don't forget your little hotel still owes me over 200,000
yuan. If I hadn't lent you the money, would you be living such a comfortable life?"

Her words were rather harsh, and Xu Hanlan clearly regretted them afterward. However, the emotion was fleeting
; she stubbornly turned her head away, unable to look directly at Lin Yan's stunned expression.

At this moment, the hushed argument had attracted the attention of others. Lin Ling was anxious, her eyes slightly moist,
looking as if she was about to cry. She whispered, "Sister Lan, don't be angry. My sister didn't mean it!"

Lin Ling's words were incoherent; she was clearly terrified.

At this moment, Lin Ling turned her head, looking pitiful and panicked, and said to Zhang Dong, "Brother Zhang, please stop talking
. Sister Lan is only so agitated because she's in trouble. She's usually very good to my sister. Please don't make her angry,
okay ?"

"This... Zhang Dong, you..." Lin Yan was shocked and her face paled. She seemed to want to be forceful, but her
trembling voice revealed her panic. You could even tell from the pain on her face that Xu Hanlan's words had hurt her
deeply.

"Enough!" Zhang Dong took a deep drag on his cigarette and glared fiercely at Xu Hanlan.

Not long ago, Zhang Dong thought Xu Hanlan was intellectual and gentle, but now, after just a few words, she was so
domineering and unreasonable, even using such a reason to threaten him. Zhang Dong couldn't help but think: Indeed, women are all
ruthless creatures who turn their backs on people without hesitation.

Xu Hanlan was right; this was Zhang Dong's biggest worry. The drunken rape from last night still made
him uneasy. He just hadn't expected Lin Yan to tell Xu Hanlan about it, which made him increasingly
angry. He couldn't help but glare at Lin Yan.

Lin Yan was startled and immediately lowered her head, not daring to meet Zhang Dong's gaze. She completely forgot that she was the biggest victim.
Perhaps it was the blame in Zhang Dong's eyes, or perhaps it was Xu Hanlan's harsh words, that left her caught
between , completely lost and panicked.

"Do you even have any connections?" Xu Hanlan said impatiently. "If not, I don't want to waste
time talking to you about this. I don't want to listen to your boasting. Who knows if you even have the ability to make this money?"

In fact, Xu Hanlan's strategy was correct. What men fear most is being looked down upon, especially by a
woman .

Zhang Dong was instantly enraged. He stood up abruptly, pointed directly at Xu Hanlan's nose, and rudely cursed,
"Don't be so arrogant! You're just a nobody local official. I
can't be bothered with your dirty business! I think that little bit of money isn't enough. If you're so capable, settle it yourself! Believe me, I can make sure you can't settle this
even if you pay!"

"You really do have connections!" Unexpectedly, Xu Hanlan, far from
being angry at being pointed at like that, breathed a sigh of relief and gave Zhang Dong a gentle smile.

Damn it, I've been tricked by that bitch! Zhang Dong immediately realized this and felt even more annoyed. He immediately sat down,
slammed his hand on the table, and said irritably, "I don't have time to listen to your nonsense, and I have no obligation to help you with this!
Find someone else to do what you need to do. I don't have time to deal with your dirty business. Don't make it seem like I'm after your money." Xu
Hanlan smiled silently, her gaze lightly sweeping to the side.

Lin Yan, blushing with shyness, trembled at Xu Hanlan's gaze. She hesitated for a moment, then
finally reached out and tugged at Zhang Dong's sleeve, pleading softly, "Zhang Dong, please help Sister Xu, okay?
Help me too, please?"

The way Lin Yan, with her alluring presence, spoke made her seem even more fragile and unbelievable.

While Zhang Dong remained silent, Lin Ling, blushing, gritted her teeth and said softly, "Brother Zhang,
please, if you have a way, please help us, okay?"

Faced with the sisters' weak pleas, their words even carried a hint of coquetry; their soft, sweet
voices almost melted one's bones. Zhang Dong felt a little dizzy, unsure what to do.

Just then, Zhang Dong's phone on the table suddenly rang. The extremely strange ringtone startled him
half to death.

"Little swallow, wearing a flowery dress, comes here every spring. I asked the swallow why you come, and the swallow said, '
The mountain road here has eighteen bends, the nine roads are linked in nine loops…'"

Amidst a rapid ringing, a name familiar yet annoying to Zhang Dong appeared on the phone screen—
Big Head.

Zhang Dong immediately cursed inwardly: Speak of the devil! This bastard hasn't contacted me for over half a year
, why is he calling me now? Is this some kind of miracle, or a damn dream come true?
" I bet you'll have a change of heart and pay me back!"

The three women, including Lin Yan, were startled by the eerie ringtone and remained silent.

Zhang Dong took a deep breath, answered the phone, and immediately burst into a tirade: "You bastard, you still remember to look for me!
Didn't you always turn off your phone? You motherfucker, you owe me money and then disappear, what's with turning off your phone all the time? Are you afraid I'll
throw paint on your house?"

"Damn! Dongzi, where does your anger come from?" The voice on the other end of the line sounded a little guilty, but
stubbornly laughed and cursed.

"I'm just furious! You whore, haven't you screwed me over enough?" Zhang Dong said, standing
by the pavilion, continuing to curse while carefully keeping a distance to avoid being overheard by Lin Yan and
the .

Big Head chuckled awkwardly, saying, "No way! I was short on
cash because I had to pay off my credit card debt. You know I'm getting poorer and poorer, I haven't played mahjong for over two months. I just wanted to relieve my itch today."

"Enough nonsense! What's up?" Zhang Dong had been thinking to himself, but his tone was still impatient
.

"Um... when did you transfer your place to Ah Long?" Big Head asked cautiously, almost
awkwardly, as if someone was listening nearby.

"I already transferred it! Don't play dumb with me. Didn't anyone tell you you were going?" Zhang Dong took a deep drag on his
cigarette and said rudely, "You know how poor I was a while ago. I'm practically on my deathbed now. You better give me back
that 10,000 yuan, or I'll find a quiet night and go to your workplace to write a blood oath and hang myself!"

"No, I'm really short on cash lately!" Da Tou almost cried, saying, "I finally had some
spare money to play mahjong, but I didn't expect to lose so badly. I'm not very familiar with A Long, and he's
confiscated my work ID and ID card."

Zhang Dong thought: This bastard lost money again! A Long and I are good friends. This fat guy probably
didn't know about the gambling den when he first went there. A Long let him play because he was a regular customer, but he didn't bring much
money and now he's probably in debt.

"How much did you lose?" Zhang Dong's mind raced, and he started thinking of a plan.

"More than 20,000 yuan," Da Tou said weakly. It was truly a stroke of luck that

this opportunity came knocking on their door. Da Tou worked at the provincial television station. His family, besides those at
the TV station , mostly worked at newspapers. While their power wasn't overwhelming, the older generation had a strong foundation, and the younger generation was numerous, making them a powerful local force in the industry. However, Da Tou was a notorious womanizer and gambler. His monthly salary of nearly ten thousand yuan was far from enough to cover his expenses, not even counting bonuses and allowances. He was heavily indebted, owing a fortune to credit cards and other people. If it weren't for his wife being a high-ranking executive in news review and having a strong personality, his family's fortune would probably have been squandered long ago. Da Tou was quite famous in that circle. Although his life was miserable due to his henpecked husband, at least his wife had money. If he were caught soliciting prostitutes, his family would be in deep trouble. As for his gambling, his wife might complain, but she would still contribute money to pay off the debts. This was the reason Zhang Dong allowed him to incur debt in the first place. Once the idea formed in his mind, Zhang Dong immediately feigned difficulty and said, "Really? Big Head, old debts haven't been settled and new ones are piling up. You're not trying to make me take the fall, are you?" "You're familiar with Ah Long, just give him a heads-up," Big Head said confidently. "Don't you know how much I earn a month ? Besides, all my money is with my wife, are you afraid I'll run away?" Damn it! Money with your wife! You might as well say your wife has plenty of money. Zhang Dong cursed inwardly, then looked at Xu Hanlan. He wanted to speak directly, but after thinking about it, he held back. If things were too easy to resolve, he wouldn't be able to negotiate a higher price with Xu Hanlan. But if he went to her door asking for help, he was afraid Big Head would overcharge. In short , speaking rashly would definitely not do any good, at least not now. Zhang Dong thought for a moment, then told Da Tou to let A Long answer the phone, and whispered, "Brother Long, pay Da Tou's debt to the customer in cash first, and put it on my tab." "Really?!" A Long asked hoarsely, "Dongzi, it's not that I don't trust you, but if you ask , I can make you owe as much as I can. Don't mention 20,000 yuan, I wouldn't even blink if it were 200,000 yuan. But you don't need to take on this debt for Da Tou. Everyone in this circle knows he's a gambling addict!" "It's okay, I'm confident in my ability to handle things with him." Zhang Dong pondered for a moment and instructed, "Give him back his work ID, but keep his ID card for now. Also, have him sign an IOU; that's the rule." "Okay, sure." Although A Long didn't know what Zhang Dong was planning, he didn't ask any further questions. "Are you still gambling over there?" Zhang Dong asked tentatively, thinking: I just transferred the 50,000 yuan I borrowed from him yesterday, and now I'm in debt again. Sigh! Although it's true that "borrowing and repaying makes it easy to borrow again," Zhang Dong, having been in the game for so long, had a good reputation despite being broke . Asking for money wasn't difficult for him, but his biggest fear was asking others for money, afraid of incurring favors, and afraid of suddenly not being able to repay. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself at his own noble character . "He's still here. He stopped because he didn't have the money. We're short one player right now, and I was waiting for him to pay me back before I went down to fill in." Ah Long seemed to have moved away a bit, his voice less noisy. "Give him cash, make it 50,000 yuan so he can continue playing." Zhang Dong hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Write my name on the IOU, and remember to put your fingerprint on it." "Dongzi, isn't that unnecessary?" Ah Long kindly advised. Ah Long was one of the few brothers Zhang Dong could really talk to. During his time in the game, Zhang Dong knew many shady characters, but few he truly trusted. Ah Long was one of them. Although they weren't life-or-death friends, they were easy to talk to about money. Big Head gambles when he has money, accumulating debt when he loses, and indulging in lavish lifestyles and whoring when he wins. Even if he manages to win back his losses, the money simply can't withstand his extravagant spending. Zhang Dong understands this perfectly well and is grateful for Ah Long's kindness, but he still insists, "It's alright, I know what I'm doing. Just give him the money and let him focus on his gambling ." "Understood," Ah Long agrees without further questioning. "I'll wire the money to you in the next couple of days." Zhang Dong feels good; after all, there's someone who cares about him. Although he has many friends, few are as close as Ah Long. "No need, I'm not short of cash," Ah Long says. "Alright, since you've asked, let's leave it at that. Come back quickly after you've finished dealing with things over there; the brothers are waiting for you to have a good drink." "No problem!" Zhang Dong laughs, and after chatting for a few more minutes, he hangs up.

"How did things go?" Xu Hanlan asked impatiently as soon as Zhang Dong returned to his seat.

Chapter 3, A Sexless Marriage

"I'll get back to you tomorrow. I'm not at work right now, so I don't know." Zhang Dong waved his phone,
looking helpless.

He already had a pretty good grasp of the situation, but he didn't know how to maximize his profits.
"Oh, okay." Xu Hanlan seemed thoughtful, and when she looked at Zhang Dong again, her originally gentle eyes held a hint
of unpleasant defensiveness.

The Lin sisters remained silent.

At this moment, the young man carrying a tray walked over, followed by a dirty old man.

The old man's white vest was covered in grease. He paused for a moment as he approached, then immediately smiled and said, "Who
is ? It's Principal Xu!"

"Grandpa, how's business lately?" Xu Hanlan said politely, her gentle smile like
a spring breeze.

"Not bad. You're not still thinking about buying the restaurant, are you?" The old man's
eyes lit and he patted Zhang Dong's shoulder, laughing, "You're here to eat too?"

"Grandpa, you've got a strong hand." Zhang Dong felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, thinking: Wow, that was quite
a blow . The grease on his hand didn't bother him, but it really hurt.

"You're here just in time. There's a dish you can try." The old man was about to say something when someone called him from the vegetable garden. He
immediately responded, "Wait, don't eat too much. I'm still testing a new dish. Here, have a taste." "Okay."

Zhang Dong nodded, and the old man ran off. It seemed business was good; even he had to come out and serve customers.
The young man didn't say much, quickly putting down the vegetables and getting busy.

As soon as her younger brother left, Lin Yan asked with some doubt, "Sister Lan, are you also thinking of taking over the old restaurant?"

"I've had that thought before," Xu Hanlan nodded, saying somewhat helplessly, "This place has always been very profitable, and
many people have their eyes on it. However, the old man is concerned about my family's connections and is afraid that we'll be late with payment after signing the contract, so
he's been avoiding me and those officials."

"What were the terms?" Zhang Dong was immediately tempted upon hearing this.

The old restaurant's business was excellent, and theoretically, 250,000 yuan wouldn't be too much to take over, but the old man was
too shrewd in his calculations, wanting to take care of his apprentice and also afraid of being taken advantage of, so he was reluctant to sell it to
officials . Moreover, upon careful consideration, his offer of 150,000 yuan seemed too low.

"A 300,000 yuan investment, half of the shares." Xu Hanlan looked at Zhang Dong meaningfully and said, "Some people say
the old man is short of money, apparently because his daughter lost money investing abroad. But many people care about his old restaurant,
so some of the rumors might not be true. If the so-called 250,000 yuan sale of the old restaurant were really that good
, a whole bunch of people would be lining up at his house with cash from morning till night."

"Half? What's going on?" Zhang Dong frowned, thinking: What exactly is the old man up to? "He's only
selling half, not all of it," Xu Hanlan said in a much gentler tone. "He wants to divide the other half in two,
keeping one half under his own name and giving the other half to his apprentices. So before selling, he completed all the formalities and
clearly stated the terms."

"The old man is quite shrewd," Zhang Dong nodded in agreement. "He urgently needs money and wants to go abroad, so
selling half of his shares is normal. However, he and his apprentices together still own half, so the buyer will have to
get To put it bluntly, the old man is still leaving his apprentices a way out."

"Yes, that's why many people get a headache when they hear that," Xu Hanlan sighed. "The old restaurant is like a
golden goose , but once the terms are set, not many people can accept it. Spending so much money but not being able to make decisions
is a real headache for business people."

Just as Zhang Dong and Xu Hanlan were about to speak again, Lin Ling's stomach suddenly growled. Lin Ling's pretty face immediately
turned red , and she lowered her head in embarrassment.

Lin Ling's adorable appearance made Zhang Dong smile kindly, only to be met with a fierce glare from her.

"Eat first, then head back quickly." Seeing this, Lin Yan hurriedly picked up her chopsticks and urged everyone to eat.

"Okay, sure." Xu Hanlan smiled and picked up her chopsticks, her gaze constantly glancing at Zhang Dong.

The night wind had already picked up, and Zhang Dong had arranged to go back and continue playing mahjong with Sister Li and the old woman after dinner, so there wasn't much
time for idle chatter. Therefore, Zhang Dong quickly picked up his chopsticks and began to examine this dinner, which he had no choice in.

The first dishes served were one main course and two soups. The soup was a bit disappointing; it looked like a slow-cooked old-fashioned chicken soup. The chicken soup
was exceptionally delicious, with a layer of yellow oil floating on top. Perhaps because some cabbage had been added during the cooking process, it
wasn't greasy.

The taste was somewhat different from the usual chicken soup. Some unidentifiable plant leaves floated in the soup, probably more than
ten kinds. Common ingredients like goji berries were not mentioned, but the only one Zhang Dong recognized was agarwood leaves; he didn't know the others
.

Perhaps it was the leaves that gave the chicken soup a unique flavor amidst its blandness—not particularly
fragrant , but very appetizing, leaving one wanting more.

Besides his creativity, the old man also copied a few things. Next to the soup was a small bowl containing
finely chopped ginger, scallions, and cilantro—the standard three ingredients for a Northeastern hot pot—but with the addition of local
celery. The aroma was a bit too strong, but it was refreshing.

"Here, Ling'er, eat more," Xu Hanlan said with a gentle smile, placing a piece of snail meat on Lin Ling's plate.

These snails were quite large, typically weighing around four pounds when harvested; in the south, they were commonly called "sounding snails."

The preparation of conch is quite simple. After removing large pieces of conch meat, a skilled chef carefully slices them thinly, making
the meat as even as paper. Then, a pot of hot water is boiled—a process commonly known as blanching.
The conch meat is briefly blanched, just cooked through, and immediately removed from the water. This tests the chef's mastery of heat control; overcooking makes the meat tough and
difficult to chew, while undercooking leaves it undercooked and unable to remove the fishy smell. Only this perfect doneness
brings the natural fragrance of the conch.

The conch meat was blanched perfectly, possessing a light, fresh taste from the sea, with a subtle fishy aroma that is indescribably fragrant. A touch of wine was probably added to
the blanching water to remove any fishy odor.

The sauce resembled soy sauce in color, but it was clearly a homemade concoction with a different recipe. Its flavor was very mild, adding
a finishing touch without compromising the unique taste of the conch meat itself.

The second dish surprised Zhang Dong; it was the same stuffed fish dish he had for lunch, made by
stuffing , steaming it first, and then deep-frying it. It looked almost identical, except this time...
"How's the preparation of the ingredients?

" "This is quite delicious, you should try it." Lin Yan picked up a piece of food and took a bite. Her eyes lit up immediately, and she diligently
served food to Lin Ling and Xu Hanlan. When it was Zhang Dong's turn, she hesitated for a moment, then glared at him and
ignored .

Zhang Dong immediately felt bored, picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of food, and began to savor
the key to improving the dish.

When he tasted it, the fishy smell was significantly reduced, and there was an indescribable
fragrance in his mouth—not greasy at all, yet unusually strong in aroma. It was hard to figure out what had been added,
or perhaps it was a change in the way the fish paste was made.

Most of the dishes that followed were seafood and river fish, or seasonal vegetables.
Cooking these ingredients at their best time of year, when they were of the highest quality, easily yielded a unique and delicious flavor.

The meal was quickly finished, and no one was interested in tasting the long-awaited Sangzi wine.

Perhaps because of Xu Hanlan's family matter, the atmosphere during the meal was always strange, and no one spoke.
The Lin sisters seemed quite uneasy, unsure of what secrets lay between them.

Although the food was good, everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts, making the meal less than enjoyable.

Seeing that it was almost time, Zhang Dong called his henchman to pay the bill.

The meal wasn't expensive, but the price was comparable to a typical high-end restaurant.

After nightfall, the vegetable garden wasn't as pleasant, with mosquitoes everywhere.

Just as Zhang Dong and his companions reached the door, they saw the old man sitting leisurely in a grand chair, humming a tune. A steaming pot of gongfu tea sat on
a low table , looking very relaxed and content.

"Are you full?" The old man opened his eyes and smiled slightly.

"Yes, I'm full. I have other things to do, so I'll be leaving now." Xu Hanlan stepped forward with a smile and said gently, "
Grandpa , please reconsider our offer. I'm very sincere about taking over this place."

"I'll think about it some more," the old man chuckled, clearly just going through the motions.

After a brief chat, Zhang Dong and his group were about to leave when the old man looked at Zhang Dong and said, "Young man,
aren't going to ask me how I improved that dish?"

"I'll ask next time," Zhang Dong rolled his eyes, thinking: You won't tell me unless I ask. So you
've been waiting here just to show off to me? What a waste of time.

"Zhang Dong, keep the old man company and have a good talk," Xu Hanlan said thoughtfully. "We'll
head back . Yanzi slept all afternoon and is in good spirits; she'll play mahjong for you for a while."

"This…" Lin Yan immediately looked troubled.

Needless to say, Lin Yan was short of money. Zhang Dong thought for a moment, realizing they had something to say and he
shouldn't be there, so he tactfully nodded, took out 10,000 yuan and handed it to Lin Yan, saying, "It's alright, you can play mine
. Don't be nervous."

"Then we'll be going now," Lin Yan said, feeling a little embarrassed. Just as she was about to say something, Xu Hanlan stopped her
and led both Lin Yan and her sister away.

"Come, let me show you." The old man chuckled, his greasy hand immediately reaching out,
eagerly pulling Zhang Dong to see his kitchen.

"Oh, okay." Zhang Dong was stunned, barely having time to think.

The vegetable garden was quiet; the old men eating weren't too noisy.

Inside the kitchen, besides the apprentices and waiters, only two chefs were busy.

The old man gave a brief introduction: the two chefs were his two most capable apprentices. The fat one was called Fatty,
who managed the vegetable garden; researching new dishes was almost entirely his job. The other, thin one, was called Dumb Boy, who managed the business
at . Although he also researched new dishes, managing that kitchen didn't free up much of his energy.

Dumb Boy wasn't actually mute; he was just honest, simple, and quiet. The old man had initially trusted him and wanted to put him in charge of
purchasing , but because of his honesty, he was often ripped off by vendors, so the idea was dropped.

Dumb Boy and Fatty Ah are both locals, married, and have stable incomes, living more
comfortably . They respect the old man, who is also very approachable and kind.

The kitchen was well-stocked with ingredients, and the old man personally demonstrated the process of improving the dish.

The cooking method was similar to before, but he put more thought into the filling. He first marinated
the fish ; a small amount of low-alcohol rice wine effectively removed the fishy smell and softened the paste,
significantly altering the texture of the fibers.

Previously, he had only used fish to stuff chicken intestines, making the dish too bland. While it was fine to eat,
thanks to the chef's excellent control of the heat during frying, the blandness was a major flaw.

Crispy on the outside, bland on the inside, the sausages, glistening with oil, were tasteless inside—the previous attempt was
somewhat of a failure.

The fish paste was first marinated in white wine, then mixed with a sauce to balance its bland taste. Next, celery,
soaked shiitake mushrooms, and fresh galangal were washed, chopped, and juiced. These fragrant juices were then fully infused into the fish,
preserving its freshness and adding flavor.

While it tasted good, there was still room for improvement.

Behind the kitchen was a fishpond made of pebbles, containing many fish ready for slaughter. The water was running,
with a pipe at one end supplying river water and a mesh screen at the other, allowing the fish to expel as much mud and sand as possible.
Their daily feed consisted of egg whites and a small amount of corn, and they wouldn't be ready to eat for at least a week.

There was a small table beside the fishpond. Ah Fei and the mute boy diligently prepared several dishes to accompany the drinks. The old man sat
in his armchair, sipping his homemade rice wine, and chuckled, "Young man, your name is Zhang Dong, right?"

"Yes." Zhang Dong nodded, enjoying the tranquility of the countryside night and sipping his chilled beer. He felt very
comfortable; if it weren't for all the mosquitoes, it would be perfect.

"Principal Xu has been wanting to buy my restaurant for quite some time, and she's not the only one eyeing it
. Actually, I'm leaving soon, so I don't need to worry about so much, but I'm a bit stubborn,
and I don't want to give up easily before I understand some things," the old man laughed.

Xu Hanlan was actually the principal of the only middle and high school in the town—Xiaoli Town Middle School! Zhang Dong was
genuinely surprised when he learned this. He had originally thought Xu Hanlan was either an official's wife or a leisurely noblewoman, but he hadn't expected her to be
a teacher , and a head teacher at that.

The old man, named Cai Xiong, gave Zhang Dong a meaningful look and said, "At first I thought you were here to
help her get a pardon, but then I realized it didn't seem like it. After all, if you were going to help someone get a pardon, who would hire someone who doesn't even know which way is north or south? "
"You know outsiders?"

"Grandpa, why not sell to those officials?"

This was exactly what Zhang Dong was wondering about. Cai Xiong's concerns were understandable, but there was no need to generalize.
Surely, there were a few trustworthy people among them?

Cai Xiong sighed, perhaps because Zhang Dong was from out of town, and then slowly revealed his concerns.

This old restaurant was thriving, with many attached plots. Including this vegetable garden, there were three plots in total
. One plot was used to grow rice and vegetables, and many fish were raised in the shallow water of the rice paddies. These fish grew by eating fallen
rice and insects. In this area, these fish were called rice paddy fish, and they were the restaurant's main source of fish. The other
plot was a pond near the mountain. In addition to fish, the pond also raised many Muscovy ducks and lionhead geese.
A manage it. The chickens raised on the mountain were free-range chickens that ate the leftover vegetables and grains from this area,
which were also supplied to the old restaurant.

The old restaurant's high-quality ingredients are mostly self-sufficient, and behind the expensive prices lies a low cost basis;
the profit margin is probably more astonishing than outsiders perceive.

Initially, Cai Xiong only offered the price for the dilapidated restaurant itself; he didn't intend to sell the other three plots, planning to
leave his apprentices. Although the land wasn't valuable, it contained good resources, at least ensuring their livelihood.

Cai Xiong knew that whether the officials who bought the property owed him money was another matter, but they would definitely spend lavishly on
renovations. Moreover, relationships are paramount in officialdom; if a bunch of people came to dine and dash, they couldn't say anything, and
the restaurant would eventually be ruined.

Various concerns made Cai Xiong hesitant to sell easily. Furthermore, some people wanted to buy the three plots together,
offering ridiculously low prices. After much deliberation, Cai Xiong finally hoped to sell to a shrewd businessman with connections. He
could lower the price and have his apprentices partner with him, making his departure more secure.

Zhang Dong didn't understand why Cai Xiong was saying all this. He drank two cans of beer and asked with a smile, "Old man, you
've thought of everything. But you can't force things. Even if you've thought of everything, what good will it do? It won't all
go your way! I think you should just estimate all the properties together and find a wealthy person to invest half.
Besides... without the mute and the others, I doubt you'd get a good price for this place."

At this point, Zhang Dong hesitated for a moment, then explained from an outsider's perspective, "Everyone who buys this place
has one concern: if you sell it, the kitchen chefs won't stay. Actually, everyone has their own thoughts.
Having multiple shares in a business isn't a bad thing, but you've thought things through too much, which has created a lot of problems for yourself."
"You're right, I've been thinking the same thing lately." Cai Xiong nodded approvingly, saying, "However, one
thing I won't change is—I absolutely won't sell it to those officials. As for wealthy people, I'll think about it some more. In short, if I
sell half of this vegetable garden and restaurant, there should be quite a few people interested. As long as the price isn't too low, and the person is good at
business, I won't be picky."

Cai Xiong wasn't worried about the resale price, but rather the operation after the sale. If it were an official in town,
there would be too many connections involved. If those people came and ate and dashed, and the owner kept treating people to meals to build relationships, it would be difficult for the
restaurant not to go bankrupt.

"Well, please have a seat, I should go."

Zhang Dong finished his beer and couldn't sit still. After all, he was still thinking about Lin Yan's matter and really wasn't in the mood
to chat with Cai Xiong, since it had nothing to do with him.

"Okay." Cai Xiong was clearly a little reluctant, but he still got up to see him off.

The mute boy and Fatty were still busy in the kitchen, only offering polite smiles in acknowledgment.

After seeing him off all the way to the vegetable garden and across the bridge, Cai Xiong sighed and said, "I had some connections with Old Lin. He's gone
, leaving behind two daughters who aren't doing well. To be honest, if my daughters weren't short of money, I would have liked to
give them this shop as collateral, but I can't do that favor."

Old Lin—that sounds like Lin Yan's father? Zhang Dong perked up immediately, quickly taking out a cigarette to light for
Cai Xiong, and asked with interest, "Grandpa, do you know about her family?" "Yes," Cai Xiong sighed
.

Zhang Dong was incredibly curious, and under Cai Xiong's gloomy gaze, he pulled him back, and as soon as he sat down, he opened a bottle of wine, drinking and asking about the inside story. Cai Xiong was a little puzzled, but still told Ah Fei to heat up the snacks. It seemed this wasn't a secret in the area, and Cai Xiong squinted as
he slowly recounted the story . The Lin family used to be quite wealthy. At least when Cai Xiong had just taken over the restaurant and was still penniless, Old Man Lin could be described as extremely rich. In those days, he was often more successful than Cai Xiong. Old Man Lin's hometown was in the mountains. When he was thirteen or fourteen, he was unwilling to spend his life farming in the mountains. In those days poverty was everywhere, and even in town, there weren't many jobs available. After leaving the mountains, Old Man Lin begged his way to the city. He first worked as an apprentice in a restaurant to earn a living, and later did many other jobs to make ends meet: a porter near the train station, a fruit vendor, and even tried his hand at cheating people at the station. He was arrested once during a crackdown, but because of his young age, he was only detained for a few days. At that time, Old Man Lin realized that petty theft was unsustainable, so he noticed the nine-to-five shopkeepers and began to think about ways to make money. Through an introduction, Old Man Lin got a job with a construction team. In those days, even in the South, private construction teams were rare, and the team he worked for was one of the very few individual contractors. Old Man Lin was young and not fully developed, unable to do heavy work, but he was sweet-talking and hardworking, quickly winning the favor of the experienced craftsmen. Old Man Lin enjoyed being close to these craftsmen, learning their skills. Although they sometimes grumbled , they were all willing to teach him. The construction team boss respected these craftsmen and, consequently, took a liking to this clever young man. The workers and craftsmen came and went in the construction team, but Old Man Lin persevered for ten years, finally becoming a well-rounded expert. That was the peak of development in the South, and construction work was so plentiful that people lined up to hire him, and the boss was raking in money, his neck almost breaking from the weight of the gold chain. Old Man Lin worked for another two years, then took on some apprentices and told the boss he was leaving. The boss was taken aback, but after more than ten years of relationship, he didn't make things difficult for Old Man Lin, settling his wages and even giving him a personal donation to start a business. Old Man Lin immediately packed his bags and resolutely returned to the city, ready to become a boss.

Back in the city, Old Man Lin ate nothing but cold steamed buns for three months, pulling strings everywhere. Finally, his superb
skills and then-fashionable interior design style made him an overnight sensation.

At its peak, his construction team numbered nearly a hundred, including apprentices and laborers. Many of the young men
shared his early ambitions, willing to accept lower wages just to learn a stable
skill.

During that period, Old Man Lin thrived, his gold chain growing ever thicker.

While mobile phones existed then, there was no signal in the city, so he wore two constantly ringing
pagers, becoming a wealthy and handsome figure, attracting envious glances wherever he went.

Back when banknotes were in small denominations, Old Man Lin would practically carry the payments in sacks,
driving nearly mad with worry.

In the years of reform and opening up, Old Man Lin confidently walked at the forefront of the times. Even today,
he'd be a legendary figure.

The workers' sheds back then were filthy and chaotic, with extremely poor living conditions. It was considered a blessing if the food contained any oil or
meat
. The workers' living and eating conditions were appalling. Old Man Lin's team was large and the work schedule was tight, so the workers rarely had holidays. During holidays, many workers' wives and children would come to visit, making accommodation a real problem. At that time, there were several separate sheds on the construction site.
Old Man Lin occupied one as his boss's room, and the others were mostly for his visiting children. Of course, there were also special brothels
—couples couldn't get intimate in the sheds; back then, it wasn't open to the public, and
the workers certainly couldn't afford to spend money on rooms.

Those brothels were quite humane; the broken beds creaked and were almost falling apart from use.

While living on the construction site, the young and successful Old Man Lin listened to these sounds and women's moans every day. His
long- hormones were boiling over, and he was constantly distracted, fantasizing about almost every woman who passed by.

One night, Old Man Lin, drunk, went to the neighboring shed and, amidst the girl's cries, climbed onto
her bed, venting his long-suppressed desires amidst the bloodstains.

The girl was a high school student; her father worked as a bricklayer on a construction site.

After being violated, the girl sobbed on the bed. Old Man Lin, pulling up his pants, felt a pang of guilt.

The girl had come to visit her father during summer vacation; her mother had run off with someone long ago, and her father had been
working hard to support her education and food.

The truth couldn't be hidden forever. When the affair came to light, everyone cheered, praising the bricklayer for his good fortune—
his daughter would soon become the boss's wife.

People's thinking was simple back then. Old Man Lin was young and wealthy, and before the bricklayer could even feel angry, he was
subtly influenced by this sentiment, also believing it was a blessing for his family.

Old Man Lin wondered if it was due to strong genes, but the girl became pregnant on the very first try. His
parents in the mountains were eagerly awaiting a grandchild, and despite her reluctance, the girl married him through tears, becoming
a clueless landlady and enjoying a comfortable life.

Feeling guilty, Old Man Lin treated the girl very well, and she accepted the marriage
. Life was relatively peaceful for a time.

The wedding was grand, and Old Man Lin's wealth pleased the old bricklayer.

Ten months later, a girl was born. In those years of patriarchal values, this
disappointed and his parents. Before her postpartum period was even over, she started trying for a second child.

Two or three years later, the second child was also a girl, leading to constant ridicule.

After giving birth to two children, Old Man Lin's mother, already weak, became depressed from these comments and
passed away soon after, before Lin Ling was even a month old.

During that period, the Lin family suffered a series of misfortunes. The old bricklayer, standing up for his daughter, beat up Mr. Lin and was subsequently
arrested. Then, problems arose with the settlement of payments for two construction projects in the city. Next, a nearly completed construction site was halted
due to fraud by the partner, becoming an unfinished building.

Misfortunes never come singly. Two years of continuous bad luck nearly depleted Mr. Lin's
savings. The money he had earned disappeared, some of it turned into unfinished projects, and he wouldn't receive payment until the problems were resolved. With the cash flow cut off,
his business gradually declined.

Mr. Lin used all his savings to settle all wages owed, officially closing his business, and returned to Xiaoli Town, depressed.

He drowned his sorrows in alcohol every day, hiring a nanny to care for his two children. He was constantly drunk, sometimes paranoid
that his deceased wife was coming for revenge, sometimes saying he had given birth to two jinxes. In short, he made life
unbearable .

As the two children grew older and more sensible, although life wasn't exactly difficult, they were obedient and
did chores well, even at a young age, and their grades were good. However, perhaps out of fear of their father, Mr. Lin, who was an alcoholic, they were very quiet;
even the neighbors said they weren't lively at all.

It wasn't until Lin Yan entered junior high school that Mr. Lin remembered his responsibilities as a father.

Although he was still a father, after so many years of decline, besides a small property, Mr. Lin didn't have
much and decided to make money quickly.

Fortunately, after quitting his business, Mr. Lin had built up good relationships and didn't owe anyone a penny.
When he wanted to return to his old trade, although he was a bit out of touch with the times, many of his former workers had become foremen or master craftsmen. With these
connections, he quickly found work.

Although he didn't earn as much as before, at least he could live a stable life. Thanks to his old connections,
Mr. Lin's business in the county flourished, and he successfully started his second business in middle age.

Just when people were praising Old Man Lin's good fortune, a disaster shattered the family.

The construction industry at the time was largely unregulated. After observing the situation for a while, Old Man Lin gritted his teeth and took out
loans to secure two large projects in the county town. One was a department store under development, which later became involved in a case of embezzlement
of state-owned assets. It was seized by the court, construction stopped halfway through, and all the money invested
vanished. Unless you were extremely wealthy and powerful, no one dared to touch that building. In

those days, construction teams usually advanced funds, and payment was only received upon completion and acceptance. Old Man Lin was devastated; his investment was as good as gone, the project manager was in prison, and even with his connections, no one could offer him any hope in this complicated case. This almost wiped out all of savings. But the second project was what truly drove Old Man Lin to despair. It was a bridge construction contract in the county. In theory, there shouldn't have been any disputes or other problems; with connections, there was no need to worry about the settlement. But in those days…

Neglecting safety, an accident occurred at the construction site: a pile driver collapsed in the middle of the night, crushing the workers' sleeping
shed , resulting in six deaths and over thirty injuries. It caused a sensation, becoming a major case in the city and a negative
example of unsafe construction practices. The construction site was ordered to cease operations.

An investigation team arrived and found almost everything substandard. The superiors immediately made a decision, and Old Man Lin was
arrested. His previous advance payments for the project were lost, and he was also required to pay the workers' compensation and
medical expenses, as well as compensation for any disabilities incurred after recovery.

This accident completely devastated Old Man Lin. He sold his house and the shops he had intended to keep for his retirement,
but even scraping together enough money didn't solve the problem. Finally, Old Man Lin jumped to his death.

Afterwards, the matter gradually subsided, and few people pursued the issue of the now homeless Lin Yan and her sister.

"What about Chen Dashan?" Zhang Dong was most curious about this. Lin Yan and Chen Dashan were supposed to be husband and wife, but something
seemed very strange about them.

"I don't know what he's thinking..." Cai Xiong smiled bitterly, seemingly equally perplexed.

After the Lin family went bankrupt, they received some compensation. While few of the workers' families caused trouble, some did.
If Old Man Lin had been able to recover the money he'd been stuck with on the unfinished building and the outstanding construction payments, dealing with these issues
wouldn't have been difficult, and he might even have had some savings. But the reality was, that money was just a number; it was definitely gone.

Chen Dashan was a foreman working for Old Man Lin. He had saved some money over the years, and this whole affair
had nothing with him. However, his father was dying then. He was the only son; both his older sisters
were married. His father died without a grandchild, unable to rest in peace.

Chen Dashan was heartbroken. He had been injured in a construction accident years ago, and even if he married, he
wouldn't children. He was a filial son, and the old folks' talk of marriage to bring good luck tempted him. But then he thought about his
physical condition and became dejected. Who would want to marry a man like him, unable to have children?

At that time, Lin Yan and her sister were homeless and stayed with their former neighbors. The elderly couple in the mountains didn't welcome
them ; when they tried to seek refuge with them, they were almost kicked out because the older generation said they were jinxes, responsible
for their father's death.

Lin Yan was in her early twenties then, watching her father struggle to breathe his last. Chen Dashan
then his sights on her. Lin Yan knew about his health issues, but Lin Ling was still young, and they had no choice
. Tearfully, they agreed to Chen Dashan's conditions and became his wives.

Lin Yan was dressed as a bride and brought before Old Man Chen, carrying a small red marriage certificate.

The old village doctor took Lin Yan's pulse and lied to Old Man Chen, saying she was pregnant.

Old Man Chen, seeing how beautiful his wife was, was overjoyed. In his final moments, he ate two large bowls of rice, and
two days later he passed away peacefully.

During that time, Lin Yan reluctantly became Old Man Chen's wife, busy with the funeral arrangements.

Chen Dashan felt guilty and treated Lin Yan with extreme caution.

However, Chen Dashan's situation wasn't news in the area; people sneered that it was a
waste of talent—a beautiful woman stuck in cow dung, a man who couldn't even get an erection marrying such a pretty wife.

After handling the funeral arrangements, Chen Dashan, both out of guilt and because Old Man Lin had once helped him and
supported his business, didn't turn his back on her. At that time, someone owed Old Man Lin a large sum of money and, after being chased for a long time,
offered a dilapidated building as payment. Chen Dashan moved out of his home, intending to make a living off the building.
Lin Yan, having received money from Chen Dashan, finally paid off the compensation, and the workers' families stopped causing trouble. The Lin
sisters finally ended their life of fear.

However, the sisters remained uncertain about what would happen next.

At that time, the building was worthless; the new town hadn't been built yet, the location was remote, and even the dilapidated dirt
road was difficult for motorcycles to traverse. Even with the building, they didn't know what kind of business to start.

Finally, Chen Dashan gritted his teeth and used his remaining savings to renovate the ground floor storefront, selling small dishes and renting out a few beds
to passing villagers, barely managing to make ends meet for his family.

At that time, Lin Ling was a burden brought along by her sister after her marriage. At an age when she could only cry, she
remembered that Chen Dashan had taken care of her, so she treated him well.

Lin Yan, however, always felt that Chen Dashan was ungrateful and opportunistic, so she was always cold and even somewhat disgusted by him
.

Later, the old town was redeveloped, and the location of their dilapidated building became a popular tourist attraction. However, at that time, their money
was only enough to survive, and they had no extra money to do anything.

Chen Dashan's savings had long been exhausted, and he occasionally relied on odd jobs to make ends meet. After all, Lin Yan had just graduated, and Lin
Ling was still studying; every day cost money.

Finally, somehow, they found Xu Hanlan. Lin Yan mortgaged the building and borrowed
250,000 renovations. The interest rate was higher than the bank's, but still below the standard for usury.

In this small town, only someone like Xu Hanlan had the spare money to lend.

The hotel renovation only cost a little over 100,000 yuan; the other 100,000 yuan was used to pay off debts. After all, Lin Yan
and her sister had spent a lot of money in those years, which put a strain on Chen Dashan. He had borrowed some money, and there were still compensation payments to one or two people that
hadn't been settled. When these people came to their door, he could only pay them off with money, so the money didn't stay in his hands for more than a few days.

At this point, Cai Xiong sighed, "Life is truly unpredictable! I thought that once the swallow's wings were strong enough, it would fly away
, but I didn't expect that the couple hadn't broken up yet. Thinking about it, it's really tough on this girl."

"Yes," Zhang Dong didn't have so many feelings, but he felt contemptuous: Chen Dashan can't even get an erection anymore,
yet he still wants to take someone else's daughter as his wife. Is there no justice? Such a beautiful woman, he can only look at her but not use her. It's really a waste
!

"Sigh, never mind." Cai Xiong sighed, stood up, and rubbed his back. "I don't
know how they manage, but it's for the best. Back then, Da Shan used all his savings to raise those two sisters,
so he's repaid Old Lin's kindness wholeheartedly. But this messy debt, I wonder when it will ever
end ."

Thinking about it, the relationship between Lin Yan and Chen Da Shan was strange. Old Man Lin had helped Chen Da Shan, so logically there was
a debt of gratitude. When trouble came, it was only right that Chen Da Shan helped the Lin sisters; he couldn't be too demanding.
But in the end, Lin Yan reluctantly became a member of the Chen family, caring for the old man until his death. Then Chen Da Shan's behavior became
somewhat opportunistic.

Afterwards, Chen Da Shan could have spent some money to sever the relationship, but the Lin sisters, who were desperate at the time...
There was nothing he could do. Lin Yan must be heartbroken, getting divorced at such a young age.

He wondered what Chen Dashan was thinking; perhaps out of guilt or something else, he poured his heart and soul into supporting
Lin Yan and her sister's education and life, and he and Lin Yan seemed like a real married couple.

The entanglement between the two was a tangled mess, making Zhang Dong dizzy just thinking about it.

Undeniably, Chen Dashan was a good person; he was helpless in the situation, but he had delayed Lin Yan
for so long. Overall, he had both good and bad points, and it was hard to know how to comment on this complex
relationship.

He also wondered what Lin Yan and her sister were thinking. Perhaps the family tragedy had numbed them, leaving them
resigned to their fate; perhaps their mother's early death from depression had left a shadow in their hearts. In any case, with such
a dramatic turn of events , Zhang Dong didn't believe they could maintain a calm mind.

Life was like a soap opera full of unexpected twists and turns, so damn melodramatic.

Cai Xiong was tired and wanted to rest early, so Zhang Dong said goodbye to him.

As Zhang Dong walked out of the vegetable garden, he couldn't help but curse. So this was the inside story. Xu Hanlan had
actually exorbitant interest rates, probably hoping to use the spare cash to make some money for expenses. No wonder Lin Yan had
been looking so worried lately; she was being pressured by debt collectors.

Thinking about it, at least Chen Dashan had taken responsibility, but his temper was far too good.
He had endured Lin Yan's coldness for so many years. Zhang Dong knew he didn't have such a good temper, so his opinion of Chen Dashan
was subtly changing.

The road was dimly lit, the streetlights were weak, and Zhang Dong walked along, his mind preoccupied with the matter.

The matter itself wasn't complicated; it was the thoughts of these people that seemed strange to outsiders. Why
were Lin Yan and even Chen Dashan content with this bizarre situation?

Lost in thought, Zhang Dong reached a bustling street; it was almost ten o'clock.

Seeing the hotel lights in the distance, Zhang Dong shook his head, trying to clear his mind, wondering
how . Would Xu Hanlan be instigating her behind his back?

Sigh, Xu Hanlan seems harmless, but she's actually quite cunning. I hope she doesn't cause me any trouble.
Zhang Dong sighed inwardly, both curious about Lin Yan's thoughts and wary of Xu Hanlan using this matter to threaten him.

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