Chapter 295: A Rejected Confession

Nianzi Mountain Village. The Li Family!

At the crack of dawn, Long Zhanjun got up!

After a quick wash, he made his way from the new house to the Li family’s old residence.

At the old residence, Li Shankui was already up, leading the big red mule and the big black horse out the door. He planned to take them for a walk outside and let the two beasts roll around in the loose soil.

It is in the nature of mules and horses to roll around; there are three main benefits to this: first, it relieves fatigue; second, it serves as a mud bath; and third, it relieves itching.

That’s why everyone in the village who keeps large animals knows that every morning, or after finishing work, they must lead these animals to an open area to roll around a few times.

In Li Shankui’s eyes, this big red mule and the big black horse were undoubtedly the Li family’s most loyal servants. While his son was away, he had to make sure to take good care of them.

As soon as he stepped outside, Li Shankui spotted Long Zhanjun and immediately smiled and nodded at him.

The old man wasn’t one for many words, so this served as his greeting.

Long Zhanjun returned the smile and said, “Uncle, I’m going to fetch some water!”

“No need. You’re our guest—how could I possibly let you keep doing this?” Li Shankui replied.

“It’s no problem!”

With that, Long Zhanjun walked out into the courtyard, a pole in one hand and two empty buckets in the other, and left the Li family’s old residence.

Seeing that Long Zhanjun insisted on fetching water, Li Shankui didn’t try to stop him, but the look in his eyes grew even more approving.

This young man is a good one—hardworking and down-to-earth!

He couldn’t help but think of his third daughter. If she could find a young man like this in the future, he’d have peace of mind.

Inside the house, Tang Xue and Li Na had already woken up. Hearing Li Shankui and Long Zhanjun talking, they came out to see what was going on.

But they were a little too late; all they saw was Long Zhanjun’s retreating figure as he walked away, carrying a bucket on a shoulder pole.

Seeing that Long Zhanjun had indeed gotten up early again to fetch water for them, Li Na felt even more pleased with this man.

Tang Xue looked at her, her eyes practically sparkling, and knew her cousin was hopeless!

“Sister Na, it’s clear Brother Long is a man who knows how to take care of a household. If you really like him, you should tell him sooner rather than later!”

Li Na nodded and said, “Maybe I should wait a little longer?”

“What are we waiting for?”

“Well… we’ve only known each other for a few days. Wouldn’t it be a bit awkward to bring this up with someone right now?” Li Na said, her face flushing slightly.

“Na, you’re not backing out, are you?”

“No… I’m just afraid I’ll scare him off!”

Li Na was a woman who lived life to the fullest—her thoughts were always a bit different from most people’s, and she wasn’t afraid of what others might say.

But this was, after all, a bit too sudden. She was afraid that if she brought it up out of the blue with Long Zhanjun, she might scare him off.

Tang Xue paused for a moment, then thought carefully about Long Zhanjun’s personality.

Although he wasn’t the shy type, he didn’t exactly seem like the kind of person who would date.

She really wasn’t sure how he would react if her cousin were to confess her feelings to him directly.

“So what do you want to do? I’ve told you, Brother Long can’t stay at our place for more than a few days!” Tang Xue said.

Hearing this, Li Na couldn’t help but furrow her brows.

She’d finally found someone she actually liked and who was a suitable match—she didn’t want to let him go.

Right now, she was afraid of being rejected by Long Zhanjun, and she was also afraid that once he went to Beijing and met girls from the big city, he wouldn’t think much of her anymore.

After thinking it over for a while, Li Na steeled herself and said immediately, “Forget it. I’ll go talk to him right now. Whether it works out or not, I’ll at least get everything out in the open with him first!”

“I’m rooting for you!” Tang Xue said, pumping her little fist.

“Don’t make fun of me if I fail, though!”

“I won’t make fun of you. At most, I’ll…”

After that, the two girls began whispering to each other!

A short while later, the sound of a wooden pole creaking under the weight of a water bucket, along with the heavy footsteps of a man, could be heard outside the front door.

Peering out through the open wooden door of the kitchen, the two girls saw Long Zhanjun returning from outside, carrying his shoulder pole.

Tang Xue immediately whispered to Li Na, “Sis Na, it’s up to you now!”

Li Na’s face flushed slightly, but she nodded anyway!

To spare Li Na and Long Zhanjun any awkwardness, Tang Xue immediately returned to the west room; it wouldn’t be appropriate for an outsider to be present during such a moment.

Long Zhanjun had no idea anyone was waiting inside to confess their feelings to him, and he soon arrived at the front door.

He first set the carrying pole down by the door, then picked up a bucket of water in each hand and carried them into the kitchen.

With practiced ease, he poured the water into the water jar, then carried the empty buckets back outside, intending to fetch another load!

Just as Long Zhanjun turned to leave, Li Na suddenly called out, “Brother Long, wait a moment!”

Hearing her voice, Long Zhanjun stopped immediately and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Um, I…”

But just as Li Na was mustering the courage to come clean with Long Zhanjun, the sound of a car engine suddenly came from outside the gate, and immediately after, Li Gang stepped out of the car.

Spotting the two people at the doorway, he waved and called out, “Brother Long, come here a sec—I need to talk to you!”

Hearing the voice, Long Zhanjun immediately grabbed the bucket and hurried toward the front gate, leaving Li Na standing there, completely dumbfounded.

Once he reached Li Gang, Long Zhanjun asked with a hint of surprise, “Captain Li, what brings you here so early in the morning?”

Li Gang replied immediately, “Here’s the thing: Brother Li Yi called me yesterday. I told him about your situation, and he wants you to head to Beijing as soon as possible!”

“Really?” Long Zhanjun said, his face lighting up with delight.

“Yeah. Pack your things. I’ll take you back to the county seat in a bit, and then you’ll head to Beijing with two others!” Li Gang said.

“Alright!”

“By the way, is your wife up yet? Brother Li Yi asked me to pass her a message.”

“She should be up by now. Go in and tell her yourself. Besides, I need to say hello to them too!” Long Zhanjun said.

“Alright!”

Then the two of them walked together into the courtyard.

Just then, Tang Xue emerged from the house with a sulking Li Na. They, too, were curious to know why Li Gang had come over so early in the morning.

As soon as he reached Tang Xue, Li Gang said, “Sis-in-law, I got a call from Brother Li Yi yesterday. He asked me to tell you he’ll be back in three or five days, so don’t worry!”

“Really? How is he doing now?” Tang Xue asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

“He should be doing pretty well. He also asked me to tell you that the store is up and running, and business is booming!” Li Gang added.

“That’s truly wonderful!”

At that moment, Long Zhanjun also spoke up: “Sis-in-law, Miss Li Na, Brother Yi told me to hurry to Beijing, so I’m leaving right now. I’ll come visit you and Uncle Li next time I have the chance!”

Hearing this, Li Na was momentarily taken aback and asked immediately, “You’re leaving right now?”

“Yeah! Brother Yi seems pretty urgent about it!” Long Zhanjun said.

“But… but…”

Tang Xue knew it wasn’t the right time to bring this up, so she immediately cut her off and said, “Brother Long, since that’s the case, we won’t keep you. Have a safe trip!”

“Alright!”

After that, Long Zhanjun took Li Gang over to the Li family’s new house to retrieve his luggage.

He placed the keys back in their original spot—under the half-brick on the windowsill—before getting into Li Gang’s jeep.

Back at the Li family’s old house, Li Na watched the jeep drive away, feeling a sense of emptiness in her heart.

“Xiao Xue, why didn’t you let me speak just now?”

“What good would it do? He’s not staying anyway!” Tang Xue replied.

“Then what should I do?”

“I’ve already figured it out for you. When Li Yi comes back, have him assign you to Beijing too. Then the two of you will be together every day. If you still can’t win him over by then, there really won’t be anything else we can do!” Tang Xue said.

Hearing this, Li Na’s eyes lit up instantly, and the gloom on her face vanished.

After watching Jiang Longcheng and Ye Jianhua’s car drive off into the distance, Li Yi stood rooted to the spot for a long time.

He knew full well that things at the cotton mill were about to get turbulent!

Given Jiang Longcheng’s temperament, he would never rest until he had thoroughly investigated Gao Shubin, Tong Shouliang, and the others.

Of course, Li Yi’s mention of “bad luck” and “falling victim to schemers” was merely an excuse, but that didn’t mean he was speaking without basis.

In fact, the people he’d mentioned were indeed no good—they were thoroughly depraved and guilty of heinous crimes.

Take Gao Shubin, for instance. As the deputy director of the cotton mill, he may not rank very high, but he’s still a power player within the factory.

The reason Li Yi had Jiang Longcheng investigate him was mainly because this guy was about to do something utterly despicable—set fire to the cotton mill’s main warehouse!

The reason Gao Shubin wanted to set the mill on fire was directly related to the power struggles within the factory.

Where there are people, there is a power struggle; and where there is a power struggle, conflict is inevitable.

As a key unit in Beijing’s textile industry, the State-Owned Second Cotton Mill naturally involved substantial interests, and the relationships among the factory’s leaders were far from harmonious.

In fact, aside from Jiang Longcheng—the factory director who had risen through the ranks thanks to his connections—none of the remaining three deputy directors were pushovers.

Among the three deputy directors, He Tianming, the top-ranked one, was a “parachute appointment,” transferred to the cotton mill from the railway system several years ago.

At 32, he was in the prime of his career, full of youthful vigor and ambition.

The second deputy director, Chen Rui, came from a logistics background and was relatively older; while he didn’t harbor such grand ambitions, he hadn’t given up on competing for the director’s position either.

Deputy Director Chen usually comes across as a total nice guy—a fence-sitter who plays both sides—but behind the scenes, he’s a shrewd schemer.

The third deputy director, Gao Shubin, is a homegrown cadre of the cotton mill. Starting as a procurement officer and working his way up to workshop director, he has gradually climbed to his current position as deputy director and enjoys a certain degree of prestige within the factory.

However, while Deputy Director Gao puts on a good show in public, behind the scenes he is full of all sorts of unscrupulous schemes and has a long history of misconduct.

These three men usually can’t stand the sight of one another; they feel unsatisfied unless they’ve exchanged a few barbs. The entire factory is in a state of chaos because of their infighting.

After all, when the leadership above isn’t united, those below have no choice but to pick a side; otherwise, they simply can’t survive.

Of course, if there’s a strong leader at the top to keep things in check, that’s one thing; but if not, the situation becomes serious.

Although Jiang Longcheng wasn’t particularly capable, he was the son of a high-ranking official with a solid political background; his family’s influence and connections spoke for themselves.

On top of that, he’s a ruthless character—if anyone dares to cross him, he’ll make sure they suffer for the rest of their lives.

So, with him keeping them in check, the deputy plant managers didn’t dare to go too far.

But after Jiang Longcheng was assassinated in my previous life, the selection of a new plant director immediately became the focal point of the power struggle among these three deputy directors, and the conflict quickly escalated.

To bring down his most formidable rival, He Tianming, Gao Shubin resorted to all sorts of underhanded tactics behind the scenes—from smear campaigns to writing accusatory letters—leaving no stone unturned.

He Tianming, however, was not to be outdone. He immediately countered Gao Shubin’s actions with even more cunning tactics.

Upon investigation, he discovered that Gao Shubin had been taking kickbacks in the cotton mill’s raw material procurement, and that the materials procured through him had serious quality issues.

To get to the bottom of the matter and bring Gao Shubin down for good, He Tianming personally conducted an investigation deep within the factory’s various raw material warehouses and production workshops, gathering a wealth of evidence.

However, these matters could not be hidden from Gao Shubin, who had deep roots within the factory. Upon learning of this, he was utterly shocked!

He knew that once He Tianming reported the evidence to higher-ups, his fate would be far worse than simply losing his position as factory director—he might even be taken out and shot. After all, the repercussions of certain matters were simply too severe.

Immediately, he summoned several trusted confidants to discuss a countermeasure.

After some secret deliberation, they decided to go all the way and silence the witness by killing him!

So, they quietly and deliberately leaked information to He Tianming’s people, claiming that a shipment of cotton mixed with sand and fibers would soon be delivered to Warehouse No. 2, luring He Tianming and his team to the warehouse area at night to gather evidence.

In reality, Gao Shubin and his men had already poured gasoline inside that warehouse well in advance.

Upon hearing the news, He Tianming and his men fell right into the trap.

That night, after He Tianming and his three confidants had quietly slipped into the warehouse area, Gao Shubin’s men set fire to the dozens of tons of cotton inside the warehouse and locked the doors from the outside.

The fire not only killed He Tianming and his three trusted aides, but also completely destroyed the raw materials Gao Shubin had procured but hadn’t yet had a chance to use.

Not only did they silence their rivals, but they also destroyed all the evidence in the process—a truly ruthless move.

Finally, Gao Shubin and his associates framed He Tianming and his group for arson.

Their reasoning was that He Tianming had planned to burn the raw materials in the warehouse under Gao Shubin’s supervision in order to drag him into the scandal and disqualify him from competing for the position of factory director.

Since Gao Shubin had already bribed the investigators looking into the matter, the case was quickly and absurdly settled.

What was most infuriating was that, having eliminated his formidable rival, Gao Shubin successfully became the director of the cotton mill.

After taking office, Gao Shubin began a massive purge of dissidents; whether they were He Tianming’s people or those of his predecessor, Jiang Longcheng, they were all targeted for elimination.

In his previous life, Li Yi had also been driven out of the cotton mill by that bastard at this very time; one could say he had personally experienced that incident.

Only, at the time, he hadn’t understood all the twists and turns involved!

The truth behind this matter wasn’t exposed until eight years later.

At the time, the cotton mill was undergoing bankruptcy restructuring. During an audit of the factory’s accounts, it was discovered that Tong Shouliang, then deputy director, was suspected of embezzling state assets, and an investigation was immediately launched against him.

Shortly thereafter, Tong Shouliang was arrested.

In an attempt to atone for his crimes, he eventually confessed to the incident, implicating Gao Shubin.

It was only then that the truth behind that major scandal from eight years ago finally came to light!

Although Jiang Longcheng hadn’t died young as he had in his previous life, the power struggle between the deputy directors of the cotton mill hadn’t yet escalated, much less reached a fever pitch.

However, Li Yi dared not take any risks. After all, the fire had broken out at night, and with it being winter, the evening winds were particularly strong, causing the flames to spread rapidly.

Not only did it engulf Warehouse No. 2, but it also reduced all eight large warehouses in the entire warehouse complex to ashes.

Moreover, after the fire broke out, all the factory’s employees, officials, and nearby residents rushed to put it out, ultimately resulting in 17 heroic firefighters being consumed by the flames—a tragedy of the gravest proportions.

Among those who died, there were quite a few faces familiar to Li Yi!

Besides, you can’t guard against thieves forever.

Scoundrels like Gao Shubin should have been weeded out long ago; otherwise, whether it was Jiang Longcheng or the factory’s staff and management, they would remain in constant danger.

That is why Li Yi reminded Jiang Longcheng to be wary of these individuals and, ideally, to investigate them.

He was confident that, given the Jiang family’s resources, investigating a few people like this would pose no problem.

At 9:30 p.m., he saw off the last table of customers.

After tidying up the shop, Li Yi told Dongzi, Qiangzi, and the others to head back to their rental apartment to rest, while he stayed behind alone.

Li Yi knew full well that Jiang Longcheng was the type who couldn’t keep a secret.

Given his personality, no matter how late it was, he was bound to come looking for him.

Sure enough, not long after Dongzi and the others left, the roar of a car engine echoed outside the shop.

Li Yi didn’t even have to think to know that it was definitely that guy.

In all of Beijing, there were few people who dared to drive so brazenly.

A few minutes later, sure enough, Jiang Longcheng pushed open the door and walked in.

What Li Yi hadn’t expected, however, was that Ye Jianhua was right behind him.

“Weren’t you supposed to be taking that young lady somewhere? What brings you back?” Li Yi asked curiously.

“I wanted to chat with you, so I tagged along with Old Jiang!” Ye Jianhua said with a smile.

“What’s the deal with that girl? You’ve changed your tune pretty fast.”

But before Ye Jianhua could answer, Jiang Longcheng chimed in from the side, his voice tinged with a hint of urgency: “Brother Li Yi, forget about this guy’s nonsense for now. Just tell me—what exactly did you figure out?”

It was no wonder Jiang Longcheng was so anxious. Ever since Li Yi had left that morning, he hadn’t felt quite right.

After all, Li Yi’s gift for prediction was truly remarkable—it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a true prophet.

If he said bad luck was coming his way, it certainly wouldn’t be anything good.

So all day long, Jiang Longcheng had felt as if he’d swallowed a dead fly—uncomfortable and sick to his stomach.

It wasn’t until this afternoon, when Li Yi told him it was a “malicious person” causing trouble and offered to help track them down, that he finally felt a little better.

He’d planned to ask Li Yi who this troublemaker was as soon as he got off work, but he never expected that little bastard Ye Jianhua to butt in. What the hell was that all about?

Ye Jianhua, however, wasn’t buying it. He rolled his eyes at him and retorted, “How is this a ‘mess’?”

Li Yi just smiled and said, “Are you two planning to stand here at the door and talk?”

The two glared at each other, then walked into the shop and found a table by the window to sit down.

“What’d you like to drink?”

“Tea, and a beer!”

Li Yi poured a glass of beer for Jiang Longcheng, then brought over a teapot and two cups.

As he poured tea for Ye Jianhua, he turned to Jiang Longcheng and said, “I’ve figured out what’s going on with you. I’ll tell you in a minute!”

“I’m actually curious about Old Ye and that young lady. Let’s hear what’s going on first!”

Although Jiang Longcheng was anxious inside, since Li Yi had said that, he could only nod.

Ye Jianhua let out a long sigh and said, “I really never imagined that Ying’er had secretly liked me for eight years…”

At those words, Li Yi and Jiang Longcheng both widened their eyes, as if they’d just heard some earth-shattering gossip.

“Ying’er must have been only 14 eight years ago. How could she have fallen for you at such a young age?” Jiang Longcheng exclaimed in surprise.

Ye Jianhua smiled and began to tell the story of him and Lin Ying.

It wasn’t really anything special—just a pretty cliché “knight in shining armor” story.

The thing is, Ye Jianhua had completely forgotten about it, but he never expected that Lin Ying had kept it in her heart all this time and had quietly fallen for him.

And she’d been harboring those feelings for a full eight years!

Originally, Lin Ying thought there was no future for her and Ye Jianhua. After all, people these days tend to marry young, and by the time she grew up, Ye Jianhua’s kids might already be old enough to help out with the chores.

But to her surprise, Ye Jianhua was an exception—at 25, he still had no plans to get married.

This gave Lin Ying hope. She quietly asked her mother to inquire about Ye Jianhua’s situation, which led to the two families discussing marriage.

After talking with Lin Ying today and learning about all this, Ye Jianhua was deeply moved.

After hearing Ye Jianhua’s words, Li Yi’s lingering doubts were finally resolved.

He had always found it a bit strange that the girl from the Lin family, with such excellent qualifications, would be willing to marry a guy like Ye Jianhua—and that she ultimately committed suicide because of his betrayal. It turns out there were so many underlying reasons.

Judging by Ye Jianhua’s current state, it seemed his past-life self might not have understood these details either, which ultimately led to that tragedy.

In this life, now that he understood the full story and knew what a wonderful person that young woman was, perhaps things would turn out differently.

But when it comes to matters of the heart, who can say for sure?

Jiang Longcheng’s reaction, however, was even stronger than Li Yi’s. He couldn’t help but say, “Are you planning to turn over a new leaf, you rascal?”

“What do you mean, ‘turn over a new leaf’? At most, I’m just a prodigal son returning home!” Ye Jianhua retorted.

Li Yi looked at him and said, “It’s certainly commendable that you’re thinking this way, but I must remind you: loving someone is a lifelong commitment, not just a fleeting novelty!”

“If you can’t commit to that, then you’d better not go flirting with that girl!”

“Don’t worry, I’m serious this time!”

Then Ye Jianhua added, “Also, I’m planning to start working in my uncle’s department, so I won’t have many chances to hang out with you guys from now on!”

Jiang Longcheng was momentarily taken aback, then sighed and said, “You’re really planning to retire from the scene, aren’t you?”

“I’ve got no choice. I can’t very well get married and still have Ying’er support me—that would be too embarrassing!” Ye Jianhua said.

“You’re right. Never mind. It’s a good thing you’re settling down!”

Jiang Longcheng then turned his gaze back to Li Yi and said, “This guy’s done for—he’s about to fall into the grave of marriage. Let’s talk about my situation instead!”

Before Li Yi could say a word, Ye Jianhua asked curiously, “What’s wrong with you now?”

Jiang Longcheng grimaced and said, “Brother Li Yi says I’m in for more bad luck…”

Ye Jianhua had just lifted his water cup to take a sip when he heard this and immediately spit it out.

Luckily, Li Yi wasn’t sitting directly across from him; otherwise, that would’ve been a real spectacle.

After coughing violently a couple of times, Ye Jianhua finally recovered and said, “Is that for real? Man, you’re really unlucky. Did you cross some kind of misfortune god or something?”

“I’m baffled too. You’re about to hit the jackpot, and I’m stuck with nothing but bad luck. It’s so unfair!” Jiang Longcheng said with a sigh.

Li Yi glanced at him and said, “Alright, cut the crap. I told you before—you’ve got a petty person out to get you this time!”

“Hmm, Brother Li Yi, have you figured out who it is?”

“I have. From what I can tell, three of the people who came today are in conflict with you!” Li Yi said, his words coming as a shock.

“Three? That many?”

“Yeah. First is that bald guy sitting right next to you on the left!”

“Gao Shubin? Is it him?”

“Yes. His fortune clashes with yours. As long as he’s there, you’ll either die or get hurt!”

Li Yi continued, “The second is the guy sitting right across from you, next to those two—one’s a chubby little guy, and the other’s a tall, lanky one!”

“Tong Shouliang and Yang Guangbi—what’s wrong with them?”

“They’re both radiating murderous energy, and they complement that guy surnamed Gao perfectly. Never mind, you wouldn’t understand the technical details anyway. In short, you need to be careful around these people!” Li Yi said.

“Then I’ll find a way to get them out of the factory,” Jiang Longcheng said.

“No need. No excuse would be appropriate, and it’d just invite gossip!” Li Yi said.

“Then what should I do?”

“Here’s what you do: as soon as you get back, start investigating these people right away. Start with the department’s finances, then look into their personal financial situations and their relationships. I’m sure you’ll find something!” Li Yi said.

“Alright!”

“Don’t let those incompetents at your factory handle it. Ask your second older brother for help—use professionals!”

“Okay! I’ll do as you say!”

Li Yi then added, “Also, as soon as you have evidence, take them into custody immediately. Be careful—those guys might do something desperate!”

“Got it!”

“And one more thing… Never mind. Just take care of this first, and we’ll discuss the next steps later,” Li Yi said.

Jiang Longcheng felt rather put off by Li Yi’s half-hearted response, but considering Li Yi’s temperament, he ultimately decided not to press the matter further.

However, he silently vowed to himself that once he returned, he would thoroughly investigate those bastards. If they truly posed a threat to him, he would make them regret ever being born.

Now that they’d gotten the answers they sought, neither of them felt like staying any longer.

After chatting for a little while longer, they left Li Yi’s shop!

At 6:30 p.m., the Grassland Beef and Lamb Grill & Hot Pot Restaurant hit its peak rush hour as cadres from the Capital’s State-Owned Second Cotton Spinning Mill arrived!

Today, the mill’s leaders were both delighted and puzzled. The plant manager, who had berated them mercilessly at a special meeting that afternoon, had suddenly announced that evening that he was treating them to dinner.

And the venue wasn’t the factory’s canteen, but that barbecue and hot pot restaurant just down the street.

Lately, as Grassland Beef & Lamb’s reputation has grown, many at the factory have heard of the place.

Those who’ve been there rave about it, while those who haven’t know it’s pricey.

It was said that a quick meal there would set you back at least ten yuan.

Good grief, even though they were cadres, most of them were only earning Grade 5 or 6 wages—that is, 51 to 76 yuan.

Even Jiang Longcheng, the factory director, only made 101 yuan a month—he wouldn’t dare spend that much here.

So when they heard Jiang Longcheng was treating them to a meal here, everyone was thrilled.

Once they arrived, Jiang Longcheng immediately gave Li Yi a nod, then led them into a private room.

Since there were about thirty officials of various ranks from the factory, they took up three private rooms.

Afterward, Li Yi personally served the dishes and demonstrated how to grill the meat.

Of course, this was just for Jiang Longcheng’s benefit, to lay the groundwork for what was to come.

However, just as he had settled Jiang Longcheng and his group and returned to the front desk, Li Yi spotted a familiar figure—Ye Jianhua.

What surprised Li Yi even more was that this guy was actually accompanied by a pretty young woman.

As soon as Ye Jianhua walked in, he glanced around the room and then said with a smile, “It’s pretty crowded today!”

“It is. Who’s that behind you?”

Although Li Yi already had a hunch, he asked anyway.

“Lin Ying—my future wife!”

Then Ye Jianhua turned to Lin Ying and said, “Ying’er, this is Li Yi, a good friend of mine and Brother Longcheng’s!”

Lin Ying was quite pleased to hear Ye Jianhua introduce her this way. Her face flushed slightly as she said, “Hello!”

Li Yi hadn’t expected Ye Jianhua to bring her to his shop, so he immediately replied, “Hello, future sister-in-law!”

At that moment, Ye Jianhua spoke up again: “We came over because we wanted to treat Ying’er to your grilled and boiled meat. You decide what to serve!”

“Sure. You two go find a seat first; I’ll head to the kitchen to get things ready!” Li Yi said.

“Sure!”

After Li Yi left, Ye Jianhua led Lin Ying to a table by the window and sat down.

Lin Ying was clearly dining at a grilled and hot pot restaurant for the first time; she found it somewhat surprising and couldn’t help but take a closer look around the place.

Then, she remarked with some surprise, “The decor here is so distinctive—simple and elegant, yet still warm and inviting. The designer really knows their stuff!”

Ye Jianhua knew that Lin Ying was studying interior design and aspired to become an excellent designer.

“This is all the work of my friend Li Yi. I remember when he first rented this place, it was just a dilapidated warehouse, but he transformed it into what it is today in less than twenty days!”

“He’s really amazing!” Lin Ying said, looking astonished.

They say experts see the craftsmanship, while laypeople just see the spectacle.

Brother Jianhua might not know much about the shop’s design, but as a design student, how could she not see it!

Although the shop’s decor looked relatively simple and didn’t scream luxury, it perfectly aligned with the minimalist design philosophy currently popular abroad.

Minimalism and simplicity are two entirely different concepts; minimalism isn’t merely about being simple. Although the decor of this shop is simple, the craftsmanship—from the tables and chairs to the windows and ceilings—is meticulous and refined, exuding a distinct sense of modern charm.

When these elements come together, they offer guests an exquisite lifestyle experience—which seems to be exactly what the mentor described as a designer’s ultimate goal.

But just then, Ye Jianhua smiled and said, “That’s nothing. What Li Yi is truly good at is his keen insight into people and situations!”

“Huh?”

“Ying’er, did you know? Just a few days ago, Brother Li Yi read my fortune…”

Before he could finish, Lin Ying exclaimed in surprise, “Fortune-telling? Brother Jianhua, you actually believe in that?”

“I didn’t used to, but now I’ve woken up!”

“Why?”

“All because of Brother Li Yi!”

“Oh, him…”

“Brother Li Yi told me a few days ago that good things were coming my way. As soon as I got home, my mom said she wanted to set us up, and within a couple of days, it was all settled!” Ye Jianhua said.

“That really is a coincidence!” Lin Ying said with a smile.

“It really isn’t a coincidence. Brother Li Yi’s exact words were, ‘Good fortune is coming your way, but fortune and misfortune are hard to predict!’ He also mentioned before that if I didn’t rein myself in, I’d end up in jail!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lin Ying frowned and said, “How can you talk about people like that? And you still call him your brother?”

Ye Jianhua shook his head with a wry smile, then said, “Ying’er, actually, we should all be grateful to Brother Li Yi!”

“Why?”

“If it weren’t for his warning, I would have treated our relationship as a political marriage. Given my personality, I probably wouldn’t have taken the time to truly get to know you, and I wouldn’t have realized… that you felt such deep affection for me!”

Ye Jianhua continued, “The end result might have been that I would have deeply hurt you, and eventually, the Ye and Lin families would have developed a rift and become enemies!”

Hearing Ye Jianhua’s words, Lin Ying froze, then couldn’t help but shudder.

“So, you suddenly came to see me today because of his warning?”

Ye Jianhua nodded and said, “Yes. To be honest, before this, I hadn’t planned on getting married, and I don’t want my marriage to become a tool for a family alliance!”

“If my family really insists on arranging a marriage for me, I won’t refuse—but I won’t be a good husband either!”

“And what about now?”

“Right now? If that person were you, I’d settle down and be a good husband!” Ye Jianhua said.

“I trust you!”

Lin Ying then added, “Ever since you rescued me from those thugs that year, I’ve believed you were my Prince Charming. That’s why, no matter how many suitors I’ve had over the years or how much my family has pressured me, I’ve never agreed to marry anyone.”

“As long as you haven’t married anyone else, I’ll wait for you for as long as it takes!”

Although this wasn’t the first time Ye Jianhua had heard Lin Ying say this, he was still deeply moved. He simply couldn’t imagine that a young girl like her had quietly harbored feelings for him for eight years.

“I’m sorry, Ying’er, I really didn’t know…”

Just as Ye Jianhua was about to express his apology, a startled voice suddenly rang out: “You… what’s going on here?”

Ye Jianhua and Lin Ying turned to look and saw that Jiang Longcheng had somehow appeared beside them, staring at them in utter shock.

His expression was as if he had witnessed something utterly unbelievable.

“You… what are you doing here? What’s going on with the two of you?” Jiang Longcheng asked again.

Ye Jianhua smiled and said, “Can’t you tell? From now on, Ying’er is part of the Ye family!”

“Wait a minute. You were all gloomy just a couple of days ago, and now she’s part of your family? Even a dog’s face doesn’t change as fast as yours!”

Then Jiang Longcheng turned to Lin Ying again and said, “Little Ying’er, if you really want to marry this guy, have your brother and sister agreed?”

Lin Ying immediately blushed and said, “It doesn’t matter if they agree or not—as long as I’m willing, that’s all that matters!”

Hearing this, Jiang Longcheng felt as if he’d turned to stone.

At the same time, his conviction that Li Yi was a charlatan grew even stronger.

Wow, that’s what you call a crystal-clear prediction—this is exactly it!

Hearing the engine fade into the distance, Jiang Longcheng let out a sigh of relief.

Seeing his reaction, Li Yi couldn’t help but chuckle. “He’s your third uncle, yet you look like a mouse facing a cat. What’s going on?”

Jiang Longcheng replied immediately, “You’re absolutely right. In our family, my third uncle is definitely the one whose word carries the most weight!”

“Especially for us younger generations—even my grandfather can’t hold a candle to him!”

“Why is that?” Li Yi asked curiously.

“Because my third uncle is a tough guy—he’s not afraid to crack down hard!”

“What does his toughness and willingness to crack down have to do with you guys? Does he dare beat up you younger ones?”

“You’re thinking too small. My third uncle beating us younger generations is an everyday occurrence—it happens all the time!”

“No way, I wouldn’t have guessed that!” Li Yi said, somewhat surprised.

“My third uncle is only seven years older than my older brother, and as my grandmother’s youngest son—her pride and joy—she dotes on him terribly.”

Then Jiang Longcheng added, “So, while in other families uncles give way to their nephews, in our family it’s the exact opposite—all the nephews have to give way to their uncles.”

“Haha, your family is really something else!”

Jiang Longcheng sighed and said, “Ah, it’s a bittersweet story. Ever since we were kids, my older brother would constantly get into fights with my third uncle, and every time he’d end up with a black eye and a swollen face.”

“If any of us dared to talk back, we’d get the same brutal beating from my third uncle. After a while, we all came to fear him!”

“I thought so—you’ve got a real psychological trauma from all that beating!” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“That’s exactly it. Anyway, in our family, I’m not afraid of anyone except my third uncle!” Jiang Longcheng said.

“Come on, if you’ve been beaten into having a psychological trauma, what’s there to brag about?”

Li Yi then glanced at his watch and realized it was almost four o’clock.

He figured Dongzi and the others would be arriving soon, so he definitely wouldn’t be able to get any sleep.

Li Yi said, “Do you need anything else? If not, I’ve got to get back to the kitchen.”

“Wait… um, can we chat for a bit?” Jiang Longcheng said immediately.

“Talk about what?”

“You said this morning that I was going to have bad luck again. I’ve been on edge all day, couldn’t even eat, and I’ve lost weight…”

“Cut it out… cut it out. With a body as sturdy as an ox, you probably wouldn’t lose weight even if you didn’t eat for ten days. Hearing you say that makes me feel embarrassed, not just disgusted!” Li Yi said.

“Then just tell me exactly how I’m going to get into trouble at DXMBang. They say good people don’t say a word, but you’re not like that at all—you’re leaving me hanging!”

“You want to know?”

“I do!”

“Then tomorrow, bring all the mid-to-senior level managers from your factory to my restaurant for a meal. After we eat, I’ll tell you!” Li Yi said.

“Don’t be like that. If you need money, just say so. I’m not the kind of guy who’d turn you down for a few bucks…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi shot him a withering look and retorted, “Do I look like the kind of person who needs a few bucks from you?”

“Then what’s this about?”

“You’ve been cursed by a malevolent spirit. I’ll help you root out that spirit!” Li Yi said, his words startling.

“Afflicted… by a malevolent spirit?”

“Yep. I won’t get into the technical details, but you’re definitely dealing with a malevolent influence!”

Li Yi continued, “And I’d wager the troublemaker is right here in your factory. The most likely culprit is one of your managers. Just bring them over—I’ll take one look and know exactly who it is!”

Jiang Longcheng naturally trusted Li Yi’s words. Besides, he’d gotten a sense of how Li Yi’s shop operated over the past few days—there was really no reason for him to rip him off.

“Alright, I’ll bring them in tonight!”

Jiang Longcheng added, “Damn it, I’d love to see who’s been screwing me over behind my back!”

“Alright, if you’re done, get the hell out of here. I don’t have time to entertain you right now!”

With that, Li Yi headed straight for the kitchen!

Jiang Longcheng didn’t get angry; he just smiled and left Li Yi’s shop.

……

Turning back to Ye Jianhua, after returning from Li Yi’s place, he didn’t go home but headed straight to the military housing complex where the Lin family’s second branch lived.

Of course, he didn’t dare say outright that he was there to see Lin Ying.

After all, she was still a recent college graduate, and with such a critical time at hand, asking her out so directly would surely scare her off.

So, he simply said he was there to see Lin Ying’s older brother, Lin Yi.

Lin Yi was his best friend from childhood; back when they lived in the same compound, the two families often visited each other.

But later, after the second son of the Lin family got promoted, they were assigned a house in the military housing complex, so the whole family moved here.

Since the distance was quite far, Ye Jianhua didn’t visit as often, but he’d still come by a few times a year.

But he had never felt as nervous as he did today!

As for the Lin family, all four children of the second son and their spouses were home—after all, the third son’s marriage to a member of the Ye family was a major event for the household.

In truth, the eldest son, Lin Yi, and the eldest daughter, Lin Sha—both already married—weren’t particularly in favor of this match, while the youngest, Lin Li, who was still quite young, didn’t really care either way.

Lin Yi and Lin Sha had grown up playing with Ye Jianhua; they knew exactly what kind of person he was.

Although Ye Jianhua hadn’t committed any major misdeeds and wasn’t exactly a spoiled rich kid, he certainly wasn’t a model of virtue—he was definitely a womanizer.

Their youngest sister had such an innocent nature—if she married him, she’d surely be taken advantage of!

So, when they heard about this, they assumed their parents were trying to arrange a marriage alliance with the Ye family, and figured their little sister wouldn’t agree to it.

Consequently, as soon as they learned of the situation, they immediately asked their younger sister, Lin Ying, what she thought of it.

But to Lin Yi and Lin Sha’s surprise, their little sister didn’t show the slightest resistance to the idea—in fact, she was… quite looking forward to it.

Both of them were seasoned adults; how could they possibly miss the way their little sister was acting like a lovesick teenager?

Plus, since their parents were also very supportive of the idea, they knew there was no turning back.

Lin Yi decided to have a serious talk with Ye Jianhua; some things needed to be made clear in advance to avoid trouble later on!

The moment that thought crossed his mind, the home phone rang.

After hearing the guard’s announcement at the door, Lin Yi was completely stunned.

Was this guy reading his mind? He’d just been thinking about having a chat with him, and now here he was.

He quickly said goodbye to his family and headed out the door!

Arriving at the main gate of the residential compound, Lin Yi sure enough saw Ye Jianhua standing right outside.

“I was just thinking about looking for you, and here you are—what a coincidence!” Lin Yi said.

Ye Jianhua replied somewhat awkwardly, “Well… it’s been a while since we’ve hung out, so I thought I’d drop by and catch up with you, Lin.”

“I know exactly what you’re up to. You never think of me unless you need something. Spit it out—what’s this all about?” Lin Yi said.

“Well… I wanted to see Xiao Ying,” Ye Jianhua stated his purpose.

Lin Yi frowned and asked immediately, “What are you up to, you rascal?”

Ye Jianhua had nothing to lose, so he replied immediately, “I just want to ask Xiao Ying what she thinks.”

“Is that all?”

“You know my situation, Lin. I’m really afraid of hurting Ying. If that happens, how could our two families ever get along again?”

Ye Jianhua continued, “So I plan to talk to Xiao Ying first to see if this match is a good fit. I don’t want our families to end up unhappy because of what’s going on between Ying and me!”

Seeing how sincere Ye Jianhua was, and considering his family’s stance, Lin Yi felt it was only right to let the two of them talk.

He immediately borrowed the phone from the security office, dialed his home number, and called his younger sister, Lin Ying, downstairs.

And so, Ye Jianhua finally met his fiancée!

Beiguan Village. BBQ and Hot Pot Restaurant!

By the time Li Yi had cleared away the leftovers and cleaned up, it was already 3:30 PM.

After seeing off the complaining Ye Jianhua, he was just about to take a short break.

After all, he’d been up since 5:00 a.m. and hadn’t had a moment’s rest yet—even a steel-willed person would be worn out by now.

However, just as he closed the shop door from the inside and was about to curl up in the chair by the front desk for a while, he heard urgent knocking from outside.

When Li Yi returned to the door with a frown, he was surprised to see Jiang Longcheng standing there, and behind him was a middle-aged man with a weathered look.

“Brother Li Yi, open up—it’s me!”

Li Yi opened the door with a sigh and said, “You sure know how to pick your timing. You didn’t show up until I’d finished cleaning. Was that on purpose?”

“No, I…”

Jiang Longcheng was at a loss for words right now. He desperately wanted to tell Li Yi, “Do you think I wanted to come? I was practically forced to come!”

But seeing the “Icy-Faced Yama” standing right beside him, he dared not get angry, let alone say anything more!

Seeing the look of utter helplessness on his face, Li Yi had no interest in listening to his excuses. He cut straight to the point: “Alright, spit it out. What’s the deal?”

Jiang Longcheng replied immediately, “I’m just here to show you the way today. It’s my third uncle who wants to see you!”

Hearing this, Li Yi’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively glanced at the man standing beside Jiang Longcheng.

Gray-haired, with a cold expression—it was him, all right!

Thanks to Jiang Longcheng, Li Yi had paid quite a bit of attention to the Jiang family in his previous life, so he had a general idea of what the second and third generations of the Jiang family were really like.

So Li Yi had always known that Jiang Longcheng’s grandfather had three children, all of whom were sons.

Jiang Longcheng’s father, Jiang Shirong, was the eldest son, and his second uncle was Jiang Shiming; both had retired from ministerial-level positions.

However, the most accomplished member of the Jiang family was not Jiang Shirong or Jiang Shiming, but Jiang Longcheng’s third uncle, Jiang Shiying.

Uncle Jiang, who had a head of white hair by middle age, was undoubtedly a legend in the political arena; he struck fear into the hearts of officials throughout the southeast with his ruthless methods.

During his three-year tenure as the head of a certain province, he personally sent 10,086 officials to prison.

Though ruthless, he was not one to simply crack down indiscriminately; under his leadership, both the economy and public order in his jurisdiction were remarkably sound.

Consequently, his reputation was polarized among both officials and the public. In political circles, he was infamously known as the “White-Haired Butcher,” while among the common people, he was hailed as the “White-Haired Just Judge.”

Although Li Yi had no connection with this man in his previous life, he was still aware of his reputation. He simply hadn’t expected to encounter him so soon in this lifetime.

As Li Yi looked at Jiang Shiying, Jiang Shiying was also sizing up Li Yi.

Li Yi’s first impression was that he was young, but after exchanging just a few words with his nephew, he realized this young man was no ordinary person.

From their conversation, it was clear to him that this young man actually outshone his nephew.

That was no small feat!

He knew his nephew’s temperament all too well—ever since he was a child, he’d been the type who feared nothing and wouldn’t back down even if he hit a brick wall.

Looking at all the third-generation young people in the compound, aside from his eldest nephew—who had fallen on the front lines—who could subdue him with his fists, he had never seen him submit to anyone.

Now, to be spoken to like this by this unknown youngster and not get angry—it was clear this young man had some real skill.

With that in mind, Jiang Shiying extended his hand and said, “Jiang Shiying, Uncle Jiang Longcheng’s third uncle!”

Li Yi also extended his hand, gave it a light shake, and said, “Li Yi!”

“Comrade Li Yi, I’ve come to see you today mainly to ask you about something!” Jiang Shiying said.

“Is it about the Prozac?”

Li Yi had previously heard from Jiang Longcheng that the medicine had been procured for his third aunt—that is, Jiang Shiying’s wife.

Given that, Jiang Shiying’s visit must certainly be about the medication or the illness.

“Yes, we’ve already had someone bring the medicine back!”

“That fast?”

To be honest, Li Yi was genuinely surprised by the Jiang family’s speed.

This was the 1980s, after all. By Li Yi’s estimation, it would take the Jiang or Ye families at least a week or two to obtain Prozac from Eli Lilly.

But he never expected they’d managed it in just over two days—the speed was truly astonishing, especially considering it takes over a dozen hours to fly from the U.S. to Beijing.

Jiang Shiying didn’t dwell on the matter and immediately said, “Although we’ve obtained the medication, the supplier mentioned that it’s only just been developed and hasn’t undergone clinical trials yet. They advise against administering it to patients.”

“So we’re really torn right now—we don’t know what to do!”

Li Yi paused briefly, then said in a grave tone, “Since you’ve come all this way, it means the patient’s condition is not looking good. We simply don’t have time to wait for the drug to be tested. You want to take a chance, but you’re not confident about the outcome, are you?”

“Yes.”

“If the patient is experiencing low mood, reduced interest, slowed thinking, lack of initiative, self-blame and guilt, poor appetite and sleep, and is exhibiting suicidal thoughts and behaviors—then go ahead and administer that medication. You’ll be satisfied with the results!” Li Yi said calmly.

Prozac contains the active ingredient fluoxetine, which is specifically designed to treat depression; it can be considered a targeted treatment for depression at this stage.

It is particularly effective for depression triggered by emotional trauma, such as that experienced by Jiang Shiying’s wife.

Of course, for his own protection, Li Yi didn’t make any guarantees.

Jiang Shiying’s eyes lit up instantly, and he asked right away, “How long will it take to see results?”

“If it works well, you’ll start to feel a difference in a week, see noticeable results in a month, and your body will gradually recover in three to five months!”

“That fast?”

“Yes, but this condition is highly dependent on medication. Whether the patient can fully recover and wean off the drugs depends on their individual circumstances!”

“I understand!”

After that, Jiang Shiying looked at Li Yi again and said, “If this medicine can truly save my wife’s life, I’ll owe you one!”

“No need—it was no trouble at all!” Li Yi replied.

“We’ll talk about that later. I’ve got a good handle on the medicine situation now!”

After saying that, Jiang Shiying turned to Jiang Longcheng and asked, “I’m heading back to the old family home. Are you coming with me now, or are you going back to your little run-down factory?”

“Um… Third Uncle, you go ahead. I’ll have a few words with Brother Li Yi, then I’ll head back on my own in a bit!” Jiang Longcheng said.

“Alright!”

With that, Jiang Shiying paid no further attention to Jiang Longcheng and walked straight toward the door.

Before long, the sound of a car starting up could be heard outside the shop.

Nianzi Mountain Village. The Li Family!

In front of the thatched cottage at the old family home, Long Zhanjun was chopping hay with Li Yi’s father, Li Shankui.

Beside the massive hay cutter, Li Shankui placed bundles of dry grass in the right spot, while Long Zhanjun pressed down on the blade stroke by stroke.

With each cut, the buckwheat and wheat straw stalks were sliced into one-inch-long pieces, making them easier to feed to the mules and horses!

Normally, this was a task handled solely by Li Shankui and his wife, but since their eldest daughter was about to give birth, Zhang Yuehong had been taken to the county seat a few days earlier by her son-in-law to care for her.

As a result, for the past few days, the big red mule and the big black horse had been eating only unchopped dry hay.

Not only is it hard for them to chew, but it’s also a huge waste.

So today, after the old man got up, he asked his third daughter to help him chop the hay; otherwise, the small amount of hay the village had allocated to their family would simply not be enough to last until next summer.

Seeing this, Long Zhanjun naturally stepped in without hesitation, taking Li Na’s place so he and Li Shankui could get to work.

Chopping hay is grueling, backbreaking work—just like chopping vegetables at home. You have to cut the hay into small pieces, and there’s an entire hayloft to go through.

As a result, the two men worked straight through from morning until around three or four in the afternoon. Aside from a brief rest during lunch, they worked nonstop the entire time.

While the two men were cutting hay, Li Na was busy cooking in the kitchen, and Tang Xue sat on a stool nearby watching her!

“Oh, Sister Na, you’re done for!” Tang Xue said, for no apparent reason.

Li Na, while vigorously scooping cured pork out of the lard jar with a spoon, replied, “Why would I be done for?”

“They say a daughter who’s married off is like water that’s been poured out—she’ll always favor her husband’s family. You’re not even married yet and you’re already thinking about feeding him well; once you’re married, won’t you spoil him rotten?” Tang Xue teased.

“Don’t talk nonsense—it’s not even close yet!” Li Na said, looking a bit embarrassed.

“I can see it now—Brother Long is definitely going to be the third son-in-law of the Li family. He’s not only won you over, but he’s won Dad over too!”

Tang Xue recalled how, during lunch, her usually taciturn father-in-law had been full of praise for Long Zhanjun. She knew right then that her father-in-law was very pleased with him.

Plus, her father-in-law had always been a bit worried about Sister Na’s marriage prospects. If Long Zhanjun was willing to marry Sister Na, her father-in-law would certainly give his full approval.

Li Na’s face flushed, but she said nothing.

To be honest, she was indeed very pleased with Long Zhanjun.

She’d already felt a connection with him yesterday, but she hadn’t expected that early this morning, Long Zhanjun would come over from the new house, then head off carrying a shoulder pole and a bucket.

She had no idea how he’d found the well, but before long, he returned carrying a load of water.

After filling the water jar, he picked up an axe and went to the woodshed, chopping a large pile of rotten wood.

This display instantly boosted his image to a perfect score. The more Li Na watched him, the more she felt he was a down-to-earth, hardworking man—someone who knew how to make a life.

“Sis Na, when do you plan to make your move?” Tang Xue asked.

“Um… let’s wait a little longer. Isn’t it a bit too soon to talk about it now?”

Tang Xue sighed and said, “It is a bit early, but if you don’t act now, I’m afraid you won’t have another chance later!”

“How could that be?”

Tang Xue replied immediately, “I reckon Brother Long won’t be staying at our place for much longer!”

“What do you mean? Are you saying he’s about to leave?”

“Yeah. After all, my older sister is about to give birth, and I have my prenatal checkup coming up soon. Li Yi should be back any day now. When he returns, Brother Long will definitely be sent to Beijing by him. You don’t have much time left!”

“Alright, I’ll think about how to approach this and act as soon as possible!”

“Okay!”

……

Beijing. The Jiang Family Mansion!

As a family that survived the catastrophe, the Jiang family holds immense influence in the capital, and their residence is no exception.

This place was originally the residence of a minister during the Qing Dynasty. Though not overly opulent, it has been preserved remarkably well.

However, since some of the Jiang family’s younger generation had taken up posts in other regions, while others had moved out due to the distance from their workplaces or because their employers had provided housing, most had moved away.

Now, aside from the patriarch of the Jiang family, only the third branch of the family remains here.

At that moment, the atmosphere in the main hall was extremely tense!

The core members of two generations of the Jiang family were gathered together, and everyone’s gaze—including that of the patriarch—was fixed on a medicine bottle on the table.

Yet no one spoke, and the atmosphere in the room was stifling.

“Shiying, this decision rests with you. Tell me, should we give Yun’er this medicine or not?” Old Master Jiang said in a deep voice.

Hearing his father’s words, the gray-haired Jiang Shiying hesitated.

It had been a few days since his nephew, Longcheng, had told him there was a way to treat his wife’s illness and had provided him with the name of the medication and the company that developed it.

Although Jiang Shiying didn’t hold out much hope for this—after all, he’d encountered countless such situations over the past twenty years, each time brimming with confidence, only to have his hopes shattered and end in disappointment—

But now he had no other options. He could only adopt a “nothing to lose” attitude—whether it worked or not, he had to give it a try.

What if a miracle happened?

He immediately tapped into his network, and within just two days, he managed to obtain the medication from a company in the U.S. called Eli Lilly.

However, the person who helped him obtain the medication also brought some news: although the drug had been developed, it hadn’t yet passed clinical trials.

In other words, it was unclear whether the drug would be effective or if it might cause side effects.

So the source advised them to avoid taking it if possible, or to wait a few months before taking it, because by then the pharmaceutical company’s clinical trials would likely have yielded results, making the risks relatively lower!

Precisely for this reason, although the medicine had been obtained, the entire Jiang family hesitated to make a decision about whether or not to give it to his wife.

“Third Brother, if it doesn’t work, so be it. We’ll find another way,” said Jiang Shirong, the eldest son of the Jiang family, with a sigh.

Jiang Shiying took a deep breath and said, “Eldest Brother, we don’t have time to waste. The doctor said that given Yunyu’s current condition, she has at most three months left!”

“Do you want to try it?”

Jiang Shiying said nothing, but suddenly stood up and addressed his father: “Father, I’m going out for a bit. We’ll make a decision when I return!”

“Are you going to find that young man?” Old Master Jiang asked in a deep voice.

“Yes!”

“Go ahead, but be careful!”

“Okay!”

With that, Jiang Shiying grabbed the coat beside him and headed straight for the door.

Before long, the sound of a car engine could be heard outside.

At that moment, in the conference room of the Second State-Owned Cotton Mill, Jiang Longcheng was holding a meeting with the factory’s mid-to-senior-level managers to discuss how to navigate the crisis the factory was facing.

Just as he was getting into his stride, there was a sudden thud—the conference room door had been kicked open.

“Damn it…”

Jiang Longcheng was about to lose his temper, but when he saw the person walking in, he froze like a goose with its throat clamped shut, and the words he was about to say died in his throat.

“Come out here. You’re coming with me!”

“Alright!”

With that, Jiang Longcheng didn’t dare utter a single word of protest. He grabbed his hat from the table and followed the man out, leaving the assembled officials in the conference room staring at each other in disbelief!

PS: Brothers and sisters, this book updates with two chapters daily, totaling about 5,000 words. Updates are posted between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM; I recommend reading them the next day! It’s not that Lao Cang doesn’t want to update—it’s just that juggling two projects is too much to handle. Please forgive me!

Stepping out of the office, Li Yi couldn’t help but sigh.

Jiang Longcheng really was a unlucky guy—he’d just shaken hands with the Grim Reaper, and now he was about to face another massive ordeal.

In his previous life, Li Yi had spent over three months at this cotton mill, so he was naturally well aware of what had been happening there recently.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the State-Owned Second Cotton Mill was soon to be engulfed in a massive man-made disaster of unprecedented proportions.

This disaster would not only reduce the mill’s main warehouse to ashes but also claim the lives of many people.

Originally, this incident had nothing to do with Jiang Longcheng; after all, in his previous life, he had already died in an accident by this point.

When a person dies, it’s like a lamp going out; naturally, the matter had nothing to do with him.

Of course, taking the fall for it was a different matter.

But now that he had rescued him from the criminals, and since he was still the factory director, he would naturally be held primarily responsible if anything went wrong at the mill.

However, this matter was a bit complicated and couldn’t be explained in a few words.

Li Yi decided to give him a heads-up for now, just to put him on guard, and he’d find an opportunity later to explain the whole thing in detail.

After returning from the cotton mill, the shop was indeed already bustling with customers!

Although there were only three tables of customers, Dongzi and the others were already hard at work!

Li Yi didn’t disturb them but returned to the front desk. While preparing to welcome the arriving customers, he began thinking about his plans for the next phase.

Long Zhanjun’s arrival was a huge relief to Li Yi!

Compared to his second older sister Li Lan, as well as Dongzi, Qiangzi, and the others, Long Zhanjun’s abilities in every respect were far superior.

Over the years, he’d been focused on treating his mother and younger sister’s illnesses, and since most of the kids under his care were orphans, he’d had to lead them in making a living.

So, over the years, he had been quietly running a small business on the side.

Given these circumstances, the fact that he’d managed to save several thousand yuan over the past few years clearly showed he’d already figured out the ins and outs of business.

All it would take was some proper guidance, and he’d soon be able to stand on his own.

At the very least, with him there, I wouldn’t have to worry about things in the capital.

By then, with a shop here in the capital and a farm back home, I would have effectively established a complete chain from production to sales.

If managed well, not only would he make money himself, but he could also help the villagers get rich.

The only problem was that the current policy environment wasn’t very favorable.

Before that document was issued in 1987, business was allowed, but expansion couldn’t be carried out without restraint.

Otherwise, with Li Yi’s intellect and business acumen, he was confident he could expand his barbecue and hot pot chain to every major city in northern China within three years.

But unfortunately, this remains nothing more than a pipe dream.

If he were to actually go through with it, the fool Nian Guangjiu would be his role model.

So regarding his plans for the future, Li Yi’s idea is to focus on making money over the next few years—as for the business itself, he’d rather not draw too much attention to it for now!

This may sound contradictory, but in reality, it isn’t—making money and running a business are two different things.

While doing business is certainly about making money, making money doesn’t necessarily depend on doing business!

In his previous life, Li Yi started by trading mountain produce, then moved into farming, but what ultimately propelled him into the ranks of the super-rich was real estate and venture capital.

In short, in his previous life, he endured a great deal of hardship and suffering, but he also accumulated a wealth of experience!

Although he doesn’t necessarily have to replicate those exact ventures in this life, they have given him tremendous confidence!

……

It was another busy lunch rush, and by the time he saw off the last table of customers, it was nearly 3:00 PM.

After a quick bite to eat, Li Yi once again sent Dongzi and the others back to their rented apartment to rest, while he stayed behind alone to clean up the leftover food.

Just as he was busy, he saw Ye Jianhua rush in!

“What are you doing here?”

Ye Jianhua said with a grim expression, “Brother Li Yi, help me out!”

“Calm down and explain. Besides, I’m just an ordinary guy—if you’re really facing eighty-one trials, I don’t have seventy-two transformations up my sleeve!” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“Brother Li Yi, I’m not joking. My mom went to the Lin family today to ask for her hand in marriage, and they agreed. They said the engagement is in a couple of days. I’m done for…”

“Hold on, it’s just getting married. Look how scared you are!” Li Yi said.

“It’s all because you scared me!” Ye Jianhua said, sounding a bit aggrieved.

“So how do you want me to help you?”

“Um… I haven’t figured it out yet!”

“Forget it. Let me ask you instead—what’s the deal with the bride?” Li Yi asked immediately.

“Her name is Lin Ying. She’s a direct descendant of the Lin family, and I think she just graduated from college this year!”

“Anything else?”

Ye Jianhua thought for a moment before continuing, “The girl is quite pretty, and her personality is decent enough. To be honest, I get along pretty well with her older brother, but as for her, I’ve only met her a few times—I don’t know her very well!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Since you’ve come to me to ward off this disaster, I’ll tell you what I know. But there’s one thing you need to understand: Good advice falls on deaf ears when someone is destined to die, and compassion cannot save those who have chosen their own path!”

“I’ll just say what I have to say, but whether you listen or not is up to you!”

“Alright, Brother Li Yi, speak up—I’m listening!” You Shuai said solemnly.

“Actually, the key to resolving this lies with you. The problem stems from you, not the girl!”

Li Yi continued, “Actually, the most important thing you should be doing right now isn’t asking me—it’s asking yourself!”

“Ask myself what?” Ye Jianhua asked, puzzled.

“Ask yourself: do you want to spend your whole life chasing women and living the playboy’s life, or do you want a stable, secure home?”

“Well…”

“It’s not like you don’t have other options. If you want to be a playboy for the rest of your life, as long as you don’t get involved with the daughters of prominent families, no one will stop you.”

Then Li Yi changed the subject and continued, “But if you want a beautiful, virtuous wife and a stable home, you’d better put an end to your wandering ways and tighten your belt!”

Ye Jianhua paused briefly, then nodded and said, “Brother Li Yi, you’re right!”

Just then, Li Yi suddenly added, “I think you should have a chat with that girl named Lin Ying!”

“Talk about what?”

“Ask her what she’s thinking. You said she’s good-looking, well-educated, and comes from a top-tier family—so why on earth would she be interested in a guy like you?” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“Don’t talk like that—it sounds like I’m some kind of loser!” Ye Jianhua shot Li Yi a withering look.

“You and Jiang Longcheng are cut from the same cloth. You’re not exactly scum, but you’re not much better either!”

Li Yi continued, “She’s such a great girl, not even that old, and she’s got so many options. Why on earth did she pick you? Don’t you find that strange?”

Hearing Li Yi’s words, Ye Jianhua couldn’t help but furrow his brow, his mind filled with doubts.

It was true. Although the Lin family’s influence didn’t match that of the Ye family, they were a distinguished military family who wouldn’t stoop to using their children’s marriages as a means of forming alliances with other families.

In other words, for him and Lin Ying to be together, the girl herself would have to give her consent.

So why would she agree to marry him?

After a long silence, Ye Jianhua suddenly said, “You’re right. I need to ask that girl myself!”

As he spoke, Ye Jianhua stood up to leave, only to be held back by Li Yi.

“You think you can just leave after asking your questions? It’s not that easy—you’re staying to help me clean up first!”

Ye Jianhua: &%%￥%……

Jiang Longcheng hurried to the factory gate and immediately spotted Li Yi talking with Old Qiao.

“Why did you come here today without giving me a heads-up?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “You didn’t come to my place, and I don’t have a phone there—how was I supposed to tell you?”

“That’s true!”

Then Jiang Longcheng added, “This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go inside.”

“Alright!”

Then Li Yi turned to Old Qiao, who was still in shock, and said, “Comrade Old Qiao, thank you!”

“Uh… You’re welcome!”

Once inside the factory grounds, Jiang Longcheng asked as they walked, “By the way, Brother Li Yi, did you come here today for a specific reason?”

“Yeah, I’d like to borrow the phone in your office,” Li Yi said.

“Use the phone?”

“Yeah, I need to call home about something. You’re my only hope!”

“Haha, I thought it was something serious. Come on, let’s go to my office!”

The two then went together to Jiang Longcheng’s office.

But as soon as they walked in, Jiang Longcheng noticed that several heads of the Sales Department were still there—even Secretary Wang was present.

“Wang, pour some water for Brother Li Yi!”

Then, Jiang Longcheng turned to the middle-aged men standing nearby and said, “You lot, head back to the office first. Get to work figuring this out. If you can’t resolve the issue, you’ll all be facing disciplinary action!”

The men breathed a sigh of relief, each gave a brief reply, and then turned to leave.

Li Yi didn’t hesitate. He immediately walked over to the phone and dialed the number!

After a series of “beeps,” Li Gang’s voice came through the receiver: “Who is this?”

“It’s me, Li Yi!”

Hearing Li Yi identify himself, Li Gang on the other end laughed and said, “You’ve been gone for so many days—what made you think to call me now?”

“Heh, besides you, I don’t have anyone else to call!”

“You’re such a guy—you always have to be so blunt. Just spit it out—what’s up?”

Li Gang clearly knew that Li Yi hadn’t called all the way from Beijing just to chat; there must be a reason.

“I need you to do me a favor, and I’ve got a question for you too!” Li Yi said.

“What is it?”

“Go to my house and tell my third older sister to get in touch with my second older sister and Liu San. Tell them both to come to Beijing to help me!”

“Sure!”

“What I want to ask you about is Li Yeqiao. How are things on his end now? Has the matter been resolved?” Li Yi said again.

“It’s basically settled!”

“What do you mean ‘basically resolved’? Be more specific!”

“The verdict’s been handed down. He wasn’t implicated, but he was dismissed for dereliction of duty!”

Li Gang continued, “The credit union demoted him to a branch in a rural township, but Old Li wasn’t having it, so he handed in his resignation. However, the credit union wouldn’t let him go, so Old Li ended up butting heads with them!”

“They can’t just refuse to let him go on a whim. Tell Old Li for me that if he’s willing, he can come over with my second sister and the others this time!” Li Yi said.

“Alright!”

“Then write down my address. I’m currently living at No. 6 Courtyard in Beiguan Village, Beijing. I also run a restaurant called Grassland Beef and Lamb on the main street of Beiguan Village. You’ll find my place as soon as you get here!”

“Got it!”

“Alright, I’m counting on you for this!”

As Li Yi was about to hang up, Li Gang suddenly said, “Oh, right—there’s something I forgot to tell you!”

“What is it?”

“A friend of yours came to find you from Qin Province. He happened to run into me, so I brought him to your place!” Li Gang said.

Hearing the words “Qin Province,” Li Yi immediately thought of Long Zhanjun and asked, “What’s his name?”

“Long Zhanjun!”

“Hahaha, so he’s finally here. In that case, you don’t need to notify my second sister. Just have Long Zhanjun bring Liu San over!” Li Yi said.

“Got it!”

After exchanging a few more words, Li Yi hung up the phone.

Seeing that Li Yi had finally finished speaking, Jiang Longcheng immediately said with a smile, “From what you’re saying, you want to have someone come up from your hometown to help you out?”

“Yeah, business at the shop is pretty busy. My few guys just can’t handle it all on their own!”

Li Yi continued, “Also, I have some things to take care of back home in a few days, so I’ll have a couple of guys come over to help watch the shop for a while!”

“You’re going back to your hometown?”

“Yeah!”

“When are you leaving? That kid Jianhua still wants you to help him out!” Jiang Longcheng said.

“Watch what?”

“Haha, that guy’s been nearly driven to despair these past few days. His family’s arranged a marriage for him, and he doesn’t know what to do!” Jiang Longcheng said.

Li Yi hadn’t expected this to happen so soon. He replied immediately, “It won’t do any good to ask me. He’s got to figure this out on his own!”

Jiang Longcheng looked at Li Yi, then said seriously, “Brother Li Yi, Jianhua… is there really a chance he could end up in jail?”

“It’s not a possibility—if he doesn’t rein in his temper, he’ll definitely end up in jail. Not even the Ye family can protect him!” Li Yi said with absolute certainty.

He wasn’t worried that Jiang Longcheng might doubt him; in Jiang’s eyes, he was just a charlatan anyway.

“Yeah, I get it. I’ll try to talk some sense into him!” Jiang Longcheng said.

“Don’t worry about him for now. You should focus on yourself first!”

“Me?”

“Yeah, your forehead is looking ashen and gloomy right now—that’s not a good sign,” Li Yi said.

“What do you mean?”

“The ‘Heavenly Palace’ refers to the forehead—the area between the hairline and the brow ridge—which governs the ‘Minister of Works,’ ‘Central Righteousness,’ and the ‘Sun and Moon Corners.’ For those in power and high positions, the Heavenly Palace is slightly raised, with smooth, rounded bone structure. Viewed from the side, it appears full and plump, like a slice of pork liver hanging on the forehead.”

Li Yi continued, “If this area is dull and gray, those in high office will face legal troubles. For ordinary people, it portends the ruin of their family business, financial losses, and a decline in family fortune. In other words, you’re in for some bad luck!”

“I…”

Jiang Longcheng was somewhat dazed. Had the spirit of misfortune possessed him? He had just survived a life-or-death ordeal, and now, after only a few days, was he about to face more misfortune?

If anyone else had said this, he certainly wouldn’t have believed it.

But since it was Li Yi speaking, that was a different matter entirely.

After a brief silence, Jiang Longcheng asked in a grave tone, “Brother Li Yi, can you tell where the trouble lies? Is there a way to avert it?”

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “Judging by your facial features, it seems you’re facing setbacks in your career. You might want to look for the cause in that area!”

Jiang Longcheng immediately replied, “My career?”

“Yes. Your current livelihood is this rundown factory. Something bad must be happening there, and it will eventually affect you!” Li Yi said.

Jiang Longcheng thought it over carefully. The situation at the factory had indeed been grim lately. If those backlogged goods couldn’t be sold, it was entirely possible that he would be implicated.

With that in mind, he nodded immediately. “Alright, I get it!”

Li Yi nodded without saying much more. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was nearly 11:30. He figured the restaurant would be getting busy soon.

He then said a quick goodbye to Jiang Longcheng and left his office!

Beijing. Beiguan Village!

Early in the morning, Li Yi returned from Dong’an Market once again!

The flatbed tricycle he’d hired to haul the goods was loaded to the brim with meat and vegetables—three whole boneless sheep alone, over a hundred pounds of beef, plus a large quantity of pork, chicken, and all kinds of fresh seasonal vegetables.

Over the past few days, as the plump cattle and sheep from the grasslands had gradually gained a reputation among the local elite, a steady stream of customers had been coming in every day.

Although the prices at the barbecue and hot pot restaurant weren’t cheap—the average bill per person was nearly ten yuan, and it ran even higher if you ordered some fine wine—

However, the patrons here are either corporate executives or government officials—or, like Jiang Longcheng, children of officials from large government compounds. To be honest, these people certainly aren’t short on money.

It’s not that they’re particularly wealthy, but rather that no matter how much they spend, their organizations will reimburse them.

Whether it’s fair or not is another matter, but that’s the reality!

And that’s exactly why, in recent days, Li Yi’s restaurant—which specializes in grilled and hot-pot meats—has become a popular spot for the local elite to gather and treat their guests.

With more customers coming in, the restaurant’s revenue has naturally been climbing steadily, and profits have been growing rapidly.

From making just 4 yuan in profit on the first day to earning 1,000 yuan a day now.

That’s practically raking in the cash!

Dongzi and the others had already finished cleaning up. When they saw Li Yi and his group return, they immediately came out to help unload the goods.

After watching the tricycle driver ride off, the group immediately got to work, preparing to welcome the lunch crowd.

There’s no doubt business has been booming lately, but everyone has also been busier than ever.

In recent days, everyone—including Li Yi himself—had been severely sleep-deprived.

Every day, they had to head to the market early in the morning to stock up—buying meat, vegetables, and occasionally spices and beverages.

Once back at the shop, they had to quickly marinate the beef and lamb, as well as prepare the other ingredients.

Apart from the occasional one or two hours of rest after their lunch shift, they were busy the rest of the time.

In just a few days, the younger staff members were already on the verge of breaking down.

Most importantly, there are some tasks in the restaurant that men simply aren’t cut out for—such as picking and washing vegetables, or scrubbing pots and drying dishes—which girls handle far more efficiently and thoroughly.

In fact, Li Yi had considered hiring a few women to help, but upon reflection, he decided against it.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t hire them—it was that he didn’t dare to, because these days there’s this damn “eight-person rule.”

That is, if you hire eight workers, you’re considered a capitalist, and that constitutes exploitation.

In reality, this was just an example someone had thrown out, yet some people treated it as a “golden rule,” using whether the number of employees exceeded eight as the standard to determine if exploitation existed, or whether one was a sole proprietor or a private business owner.

No, you can survive!

If you do, you’ll be shut down!

Moreover, this debate persisted until the issuance of “Document No. 5” in 1987, when a clear conclusion was finally reached.

Before that, anyone who dared to employ more than eight people would certainly be arrested and made an example of.

Li Yi wasn’t that reckless, so he certainly didn’t dare to be so bold!

But this wasn’t a sustainable solution. After some deliberation, Li Yi decided to transfer a few more people from his hometown.

By bringing in people from his own family, he wouldn’t have to worry about being accused of hiring outsiders.

The first people who came to Li Yi’s mind were his second older sister, Li Lan, and Liu San’er. Although his second older sister hadn’t had much formal education, she had a knack for business.

Having her help run the shop wouldn’t be a problem, and with her keeping an eye on things, he could take some time off to visit home.

As for Liu San, that kid goes without saying—having him tag along to handle procurement or whatever would definitely be a good fit.

With that in mind, Li Yi decided to contact his family as soon as possible.

Since writing a letter would take too long, and sending a telegram might not convey the details clearly and could even scare people, Li Yi decided to make a phone call.

However, since there was no phone at home, Li Yi decided to call Li Gang at the county bureau and ask him to pass the message on to his family.

He knew the county bureau’s number, but there were no public phones nearby. After much deliberation, Li Yi thought of Jiang Longcheng at the cotton mill.

Since there was still some time before the midday rush, Li Yi immediately asked Dongzi, Qiangzi, and the others to watch the shop while he walked straight to the nearby cotton mill.

…….

Standing once again at the entrance to the cotton mill, gazing at the four large characters “Fine Spinning, Fine Weaving” at the very top of the gate and the wooden sign reading “State-Owned Beijing Second Cotton Mill,” Li Yi felt a mix of emotions.

In his previous life, he had spent three and a half months here—the most difficult period of his life.

Li Yi didn’t know what his life would have become if it hadn’t been for Jiang Longcheng and the cotton mill taking him in.

It was a pity that a factory with such a glorious history

was ultimately swallowed up by the surging tide of the times, becoming just one of the countless state-owned factories that went bankrupt in the 1990s.

And the workers here now would eventually join the ranks of the countless laid-off workers.

Just as Li Yi was lost in thought, he saw a middle-aged man in a blue work uniform emerge from the guardhouse at the entrance.

He gave Li Yi a few careful glances before saying, “Comrade, I see you’ve been standing here for a while. Is there something you need?”

Old Qiao, an ordinary employee in the cotton mill’s security department, was kind-hearted, helpful, and widely regarded as a good-natured soul.

Li Yi smiled and said, “Hello, I’m a friend of your factory director, Jiang Longcheng. I need to speak with him. Could you please call the factory office for me?”

“You’re a friend of our factory director, but I’ve never seen you before.”

Knowing he didn’t believe him, Li Yi immediately replied, “Comrade, there’s no need to doubt me. Why don’t you just make the call? It won’t take much time!”

“What’s your name, then?”

“Li Yi!”

“And your workplace?”

“No need to go into that. Just tell the factory office staff to let Jiang Longcheng know that Li Yi is here to see him!” Li Yi said.

“But…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take full responsibility if anything goes wrong!”

Old Qiao was skeptical, but being the easygoing sort, he returned to the reception area and dialed the factory office.

Back at the factory office, Jiang Longcheng had just finished a routine meeting and was in the middle of reprimanding several heads of the sales department.

Since the start of the year, the factory had seen a steady decline in orders, leading to a severe backlog of unsold products.

Now, their upstream partner units were demanding payment for raw materials, while the factory’s own products remained unsold—a situation that had already severely impacted the factory’s profitability.

Jiang Longcheng knew full well that if things continued this way, their State-Owned Second Cotton Spinning Factory might end up following the same path as the neighboring foundry—having to beg the city government for money.

This was a scenario Jiang Longcheng was determined to avoid at all costs, so he had no choice but to pressure the heads of the Sales Department to find ways to move the factory’s backlog of products and quickly recoup funds.

However, the heads of the sales department were equally at a loss; they had already exhausted every possible solution, yet the results were negligible.

Just as they were bracing themselves for Director Jiang’s wrath, a sharp knock suddenly sounded at the office door.

Hearing the sound, the sales department staff all breathed a slight sigh of relief.

“Come in!”

“Squeak!”

As the office door swung open, everyone watched as Secretary Wang from the Executive Office wiggled her hips as she walked in. She approached Jiang Longcheng and reported, “Director, there was a call from outside saying a young man named Li Yi is here to see you. He claims to be your friend!”

Upon hearing the name “Li Yi,” Jiang Longcheng froze on the spot.

Then he hurriedly said, “Call the security guard immediately and tell them to bring the person in… Never mind, I’ll go down there myself!”

With that, Jiang Longcheng stood up from his seat.

He then hurried out of the office, leaving the sales department staff staring at each other in confusion.

It was late at night, and all was quiet!

On the large heated bed in the west room of the Li family’s old mansion, Tang Xue and Li Na lay side by side.

Tang Xue was pregnant and not feeling well, so ever since Li Yi had left for the capital, Li Na had been taking care of her.

Worried that Tang Xue might bump into things while getting up at night, and concerned that she might be afraid of the dark sleeping alone in a room, the two had been sharing the same bed every night.

Young people stay up late; after lying down, neither of them felt sleepy, so they chatted quietly.

Just then, as the sound of snoring rose and fell from the next room, Tang Xue knew her father-in-law had fallen asleep.

Suddenly, she turned to face Li Na and said, “Sister Na, something’s wrong with you!”

“Huh? What’s wrong with me?”

“You’re being a bit too friendly with Big Brother—you’re practically scaring him!” Tang Xue said.

“R-really?” Li Na asked, sounding a bit guilty.

“Yes, absolutely. You even invited him to stay at our place!”

Tang Xue continued, “Be honest—have you got a crush on him?”

Tang Xue and Li Na were already very close friends; otherwise, Li Na wouldn’t have taken Tang Xue back to her place when she was drunk, nor would she have felt so guilty after Tang Xue and her younger brother crawled into bed together.

It was entirely because she truly regarded Tang Xue as a dear younger sister.

And that’s exactly why the two of them could talk about absolutely anything.

“Not really. I just think he’s a pretty unique guy!”

“Unique? How come I didn’t notice that?” Tang Xue frowned.

“I heard you and Xiao Yi talk about it—he’s a military veteran and a real fighter!”

“Is that what makes him special?”

“Not exactly, but he not only gave up his job for his mother and younger sister, he also worked tirelessly to earn and save money for their medical treatment. Someone like that is so responsible and dedicated—he’s definitely someone you can entrust your life to!” Li Na said.

“But… but he’s already 28!”

“So what if he’s 28? I don’t mind his age!”

As soon as she said that, Li Na regretted it—she’d just given herself away!

When she saw the teasing look on Tang Xue’s face, she immediately realized she’d been tricked: “You little brat, when did you get so sneaky? Just you wait until I get my hands on you!”

Originally, she’d intended to tickle Tang Xue like she’d done before, but when she saw the woman thrust her stomach forward, adopting a defiant posture that seemed to say, “Go ahead if you’re not afraid of hurting your own nieces and nephews”—a look that practically begged for a spanking.

But the more she acted like that, the less Li Na dared to make a move.

She knew full well that ever since Tang Xue had become pregnant, the girl’s status at home had skyrocketed.

Not to mention that even her own brother, Xiao Yi, couldn’t hold a candle to her.

Seeing Li Na’s look of wanting to take her down but not daring to, Tang Xue was instantly even happier.

After laughing for a moment, Tang Xue asked straight away, “Sis Na, are you really sure about Brother Long?”

“I don’t know, but I just feel comfortable around him—we click!”

Tang Xue thought of her and Li Yi, and instantly realized that her third cousin had already fallen for him.

She had no idea what Li Yi would think when he found out about this—he’d spent his own money to help Long Zhanjun pay for his mother and sister’s medical treatment, and now he’d gone and thrown in an older sister too!

What was that all about?

Was she letting the wolf into the house, or losing both her sister and her money?

But when she thought about the situation of her own best friend and sister-in-law, she realized she was already 23, about to turn 24.

At that age, she was definitely considered an “old maid” in the village, and finding a suitable match would be incredibly difficult.

The truly capable ones get engaged at seventeen or eighteen and married in their early twenties.

Those who aren’t married by twenty-four or twenty-five are either from poor families, or they’re unattractive—or both.

If she could really end up with Long Zhanjun, that wouldn’t be so bad. But when she thought about Long Zhanjun’s family, Tang Xue couldn’t help but frown.

If it were anyone else, she wouldn’t say a word, but since this was her best friend and cousin, Tang Xue felt she should give her a heads-up.

So, adopting a serious tone, she said, “You’d better think this through carefully—his family situation is quite complicated!”

“What’s so complicated about it?”

“First of all, his mother and sister are both in poor health. Although they’ve had surgery, they’ll still need to take medication regularly to manage their conditions. With two such ‘medicine pots’ to support, the financial burden on the family is bound to be heavy.”

Tang Xue continued, “On top of that, he doesn’t have a steady job right now and is deep in debt. If you marry him, you might end up having to help pay off those debts and live a life of hardship!”

The issues Tang Xue raised were all very practical concerns. She could only speak so frankly because they were close friends; after all, she genuinely wanted her best friend to find a good home.

Never mind great wealth and prestige—at the very least, she needs to be free from financial worries. After all, a poor couple faces a hundred sorrows!

“I’m not afraid. We’re both healthy and able-bodied—how could we possibly not make it work?” Li Na said firmly.

“So what are you planning to do?” Tang Xue asked.

“I… I haven’t decided yet. Anyway, he’s staying at our place for the next few days, so I want to get to know him a bit first!”

“And then what?”

“If I still think he’s a good guy after that, I’ll go after him and make him marry me!” Li Na said, her words coming as a shock.

“Sis Na, you’re so bold!” Tang Xue exclaimed in surprise.

“Not as bold as you. Besides, I learned this from you!”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“You were bold enough to sneak up on our little Yi while he was drunk and take advantage of him. Compared to you, I’m nowhere near as bold…”

Before she could finish, Tang Xue pulled the blanket over her head and went into full ostrich mode…

At that moment, Tang Xue was filled with a million regrets. If she’d known it would end up like this, she definitely wouldn’t have told Li Na any of that the other day.

This is a lifelong black mark against her!

With this on her record, she’d never be able to recover!

…….

The Li Family’s New Home!

While Tang Xue and Li Na were sharing girls’ secrets, Long Zhanjun was also tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Although this trip to the North hadn’t gone entirely smoothly, it had given him a better understanding of Li Yi.

It was clear that Li Yi’s family wasn’t born into wealth—you could tell just by looking at the way his father and sister dressed.

Li Yi’s father, in particular, barely spoke three sentences during the entire meal—he was clearly the type of honest, down-to-earth old farmer.

Although he didn’t know where Li Yi had gotten the money, it took tremendous courage to come up with that much cash to help him under those circumstances.

Although Li Yi’s situation differed greatly from what he had expected, it only deepened his admiration for Li Yi’s character.

Aside from Li Yi, the rest of the Li family also left a deep impression on him, especially Li Yi’s third older sister.

If he had to describe this third sister in one word, it would undoubtedly be “passionate as fire”!

To be honest, if it weren’t for her repeated pleas to stay, he certainly wouldn’t have stayed here today.

After all, he wasn’t a blood relative of the Li family, and with unmarried women still living in the household, it would be rather inconvenient to stay at their home without invitation.

But unable to resist his third sister’s insistence, he eventually stayed.

Although he had settled in, Long Zhanjun still felt a bit uneasy.

Fortunately, considering he was an outsider after all, they had arranged for him to stay in the new wing of the house, which meant being alone actually made things less awkward.

But Long Zhanjun silently reminded himself that as a guest in someone else’s home, he had to make an effort.

He decided to get up early the next morning and go to the Li family’s old residence to help with whatever chores he could manage—carrying water, chopping firewood, and the like—so he wouldn’t be living off the Li family’s generosity.

What he didn’t realize was that the more he went out of his way to help, the more Li Na would see him as a reliable person—and the harder it would be for him to ever leave the Li family’s doorstep!

Meanwhile, Li Yi, far away in the capital, was equally unaware that the right-hand man he’d been waiting for had already arrived in Nianzishan Village—and was even staying at his family’s home.

What he found even more unexpected was that his third older sister—who had never shown the slightest interest in romance—had suddenly taken a shine to Long Zhanjun.

If he didn’t return soon, he might just find himself with a brother-in-law out of the blue by the time he got back.

In short, events were taking a turn Li Yi could never have anticipated!

Nianzi Mountain Village. The Li Family Ancestral Home!

Just as Tang Xue hurried out of the house, Long Zhanjun and Li Gang had already gotten out of the jeep.

Looking at the small village before him, with its mud-brick houses scattered everywhere, Long Zhanjun was completely stunned. He simply couldn’t believe this was the place where Li Yi had grown up.

Even more unimaginable was that this low, dilapidated courtyard was Li Yi’s home.

Back when Li Yi had paid for his mother and sister’s medical treatment, he hadn’t hesitated for a moment—he’d pulled out ten thousand yuan without a second thought.

That’s why Long Zhanjun had always assumed Li Yi was some wealthy young heir from a high-ranking official’s family.

But the scene before him shattered that image of Li Yi in his mind completely!

Yet, the more he saw this, the more grateful Long Zhanjun felt toward Li Yi.

After all, if someone with 10,000 yuan helps you with 100 yuan, they might be doing it out of pity or simply because they want to help.

But when someone has only 100 yuan and gives you 99 of it, that shows they truly treat you like a brother.

Clearly, Li Yi was the latter.

With that thought, Long Zhanjun’s resolve grew even stronger—he was determined to stick with Li Yi from now on.

Just as his thoughts were racing, a woman suddenly emerged from the courtyard. He looked closely—it was none other than Li Yi’s wife!

At that moment, Tang Xue also recognized Li Gang and Long Zhanjun. Although she was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t Li Yi who had returned, she still quickened her pace and opened the courtyard gate.

“Brother Long, what brings you here?”

Then Tang Xue glanced at Li Gang standing beside her and asked in surprise, “Captain Li, how do you know Brother Long? And why did you bring him here?”

Long Zhanjun replied immediately, “I arrived in the county this afternoon and happened to meet Captain Li. When he found out I was looking for you, he kindly drove me over!”

Li Gang smiled and said, “Comrade Long Zhanjun has only just arrived in the county, yet he’s already helped us crack a theft case and turned the suspect over to the county bureau. To show my gratitude, I brought him over!”

Just then, Li Na came out as well. Although she didn’t know Long Zhanjun, she recognized Li Gang, and immediately said, “Xiao Xue, please invite them both inside to talk!”

Tang Xue caught on immediately and said with a smile, “I was so caught up in talking that I forgot to invite you inside. Come on, let’s go inside first!”

After that, the group went inside together.

Since Tang Xue had difficulty moving, Li Na immediately poured water for Li Gang and Long Zhanjun. She glanced at Long Zhanjun and asked, “Are you a friend from Xiao Xue’s hometown?”

“Yes, my name is Long Zhanjun!”

“My name is Li Na, Li Yi’s third older sister!”

Li Na continued, “So you’re Long Zhanjun. Yi’s mentioned you before—he said you’re quite the fighter!”

“No, no one can fight as well as Brother Yi!”

Long Zhanjun had witnessed Li Yi’s fighting prowess firsthand—he was practically a human Tyrannosaurus rex.

If he were fighting for his life, he might be able to beat him, but in a fair fight, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

Li Na took this as mere modesty and smiled, saying, “You two chat while I cook dinner for you!”

For villagers, the most important thing when guests arrive is to cook a meal, and Li Na was no exception.

“No… no, we’ll wait a bit and eat back in the county town. Don’t go to the trouble!” Long Zhanjun and Li Gang said in unison.

Of course, Li Na wasn’t going to listen to them. She immediately went into the kitchen and got to work.

While Li Na was cooking, Long Zhanjun struck up a conversation with Tang Xue.

“Sis-in-law, I heard Yi-ge went to Beijing?”

Although Li Yi was six or seven years younger than Long Zhanjun, Long Zhanjun was happy to call him “Brother,” so naturally he had to address Tang Xue as “Sister-in-law.”

At first, Tang Xue found it a bit odd, but since Li Yi didn’t object, she gradually got used to it.

“Yeah, he’s been gone for about twenty days now!” Tang Xue replied.

“Do you know his address in Beijing?”

“No, I don’t. When he left, he just said he was going to Beijing to see if there were any opportunities; he didn’t have a specific place to stay!”

“Hasn’t he written home in all this time?”

“No, he doesn’t seem to have the habit of writing letters. But come to think of it, he should be coming back soon—after all, my eldest sister is almost due!” Tang Xue said.

Hearing this, Long Zhanjun immediately breathed a sigh of relief and said, “That’s good. Then I’ll head into town to wait for him!”

Just then, Li Na, who had been busy in the main room, suddenly said, “Why go into town? That’ll cost a fortune. Just wait for him here at home!”

Long Zhanjun hurriedly replied, “No need to be so polite—I’ll go to town anyway!”

Looking at these two or three mud-brick huts, he felt it might be a bit inconvenient.

“It’s fine. You can stay in the new house when the time comes. It’ll just be you, so it won’t be inconvenient at all!”

Long Zhanjun felt that Li Yi’s older sister was being far too hospitable, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

Tang Xue also noticed Long Zhanjun’s awkwardness and immediately changed the subject: “By the way, Brother Long, has the case been closed?”

Long Zhanjun naturally knew exactly what Tang Xue was asking about and replied immediately, “It’s already been resolved!”

“So what about them…?”

“Tang Jizhong was sentenced to 20 years for multiple offenses; Li Hongmei got 8 years; Tang Lei got 7 years; and Tang Meiqin got 18 years!” Long Zhanjun said.

Hearing this outcome, Tang Xue fell silent.

Although this was indeed the outcome she had hoped for, when the verdict was actually handed down, she wasn’t as happy as she had imagined; instead, she felt a sense of sadness and sorrow.

It took Tang Xue quite a while to compose herself, and then she asked, “What about the others?”

“Who are you asking about?”

“Tang Bing and the rest of the Tang family!”

Long Zhanjun continued, “Under pressure from her grandparents, Tang Bing married Liu Ermaozi, but her life hasn’t been easy—she gets beaten every day!”

“And after Tang Bing was beaten, she’d go back and cause a scene with her grandparents. She even pushed the old lady to the ground, sending her to the hospital. Life for the rest of the Tang family hasn’t changed much, but because of this incident, the Tang family’s reputation in the county has been completely ruined, and none of them are doing very well!”

“Also, Tang Lei’s fiancée married someone else, and Tan Cheng lost his job, so he’s not doing well either.”

Actually, there was something else Long Zhanjun hadn’t mentioned: the fact that the Tang family’s reputation had spread so quickly throughout Yong County was largely thanks to him.

There were also some matters Li Yi had instructed him to keep confidential; he hadn’t mentioned them to Tang Xue, as those required a separate report to Li Yi.

After hearing about these people’s current situations, Tang Xue nodded and said nothing more.

Learning that none of them were faring well put her mind at ease.

Ever since discovering her true origins, she had completely regarded these people as strangers… no, as enemies.

After a long silence, Tang Xue asked again, “Is there any news about my biological mother?”

“No!”

Long Zhanjun continued, “Old Xiao went to the provincial personnel department earlier to try to access Ye Lingwan’s file, but they replied that no such person exists!”

Hearing this, Tang Xue said with a hint of disappointment, “Perhaps they’re no longer with us…”

Before she could finish, Long Zhanjun cut in, “I don’t think so!”

“Huh?”

“Old Xiao went back to the provincial office a while ago and, citing a major case, requested that higher authorities intervene. When they arrived at the personnel department with the municipal bureau’s request for assistance, the other side still refused to cooperate—but this time, their excuse was that they had no authority to access the records!” Long Zhanjun explained.

At that moment, Li Gang, who was standing nearby, suddenly interjected, “If even the Municipal Bureau doesn’t have the authority to access personnel files, that really does raise some questions.”

“Captain Li, what’s really going on here?” Tang Xue asked immediately.

“There are generally two scenarios here. The first is that the person under investigation holds a special status—for example, a high-ranking state official or someone in a sensitive position,”

Li Gang continued, “The second scenario is that her family members are extraordinary—for instance, her husband or father holds a privileged position. But regardless of which one it is, your mother’s background is likely far from simple!”

Hearing this, Tang Xue was completely stunned!

She had never imagined that her biological mother’s identity would be so difficult to investigate, much less that her mother might be someone of such exceptional standing.

For a moment, her mind was in turmoil!