7: On this land, Hong Kong businessmen are not worthy to be my rivals.

After Zhang Shirong finished his cigarette, he even took a leak on a clump of half-man-high weeds in the courtyard.

He shook his crotch, a look of certain victory plastered on his face.

In his eyes, that bumpkin Factory Director Wang, Wang Dalong, had just been putting on an act earlier.

With twenty thousand in cash laid out in front of him, who wouldn't be dazed?

In this day and age, money is king.

In his heart, he was already calculating the profits.

The budget the group gave him was two hundred thousand.

He could get this done for only seventy thousand.

Fifty thousand to buy the factory, and twenty thousand for bribes.

The remaining hundred and thirty thousand would be his personal slush fund, enough for him to keep a starlet in Shenzhen and live comfortably for a good while.

"Hmph, Mainlander, you're still easily manipulated by me."

"Today there's only a remnant shell, to welcome the glorious years~"

Zhang Shirong hummed an out-of-tune Cantonese song.

He strutted back into the office.

"Wang Dalong, how about it? Have you considered it clearly?"

He got stuck halfway through his sentence.

He saw that his envelope containing twenty thousand yuan was still lying lonely on the corner of the desk.

Beside it, however, were three even more eye-catching bundles of big unity—that was thirty thousand!

"Oh, Manager Zhang is back?"

Lin Chuan sat on that creaky wooden chair, looking at him with a half-smile.

Wang Dalong, meanwhile, stood with his back straight, full of confidence.

He grabbed the envelope, not caring if Zhang Shirong's fingerprints were on it, and shoved it directly into Zhang Shirong's arms.

"Manager Zhang, hold onto your money."

"The terms you mentioned earlier—there's no need for us to discuss them."

Zhang Shirong, with his arms full of the envelope, was completely bewildered.

He pushed the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, looking at Wang Dalong and then at Lin Chuan.

"What's the meaning of this? Factory Director Wang, what kind of play are you putting on?"

"Don't tell me you're going to sell the factory to this kid?"

He pointed at Lin Chuan, his eyes full of mockery.

"Factory Director Wang, have you gone senile?

This kid's hair hasn't even grown in yet; what does he know about management? What does he know about a market economy?

Giving the factory to him is being irresponsible with national property!"

"Manager Zhang, you don't need to worry about that."

Wang Dalong waved his hand, his face carrying a hint of triumph.

"Although Boss Lin is young, he gets things done!

He's not only taking over everything but is also willing to pay the workers' settlement fees in full and even rehire them!

This is what a socialist people's entrepreneur should look like!

Unlike some people, whose mouths are full of the stench of money and don't even care about the workers' lives!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shirong's face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

He hadn't expected to be intercepted like this.

And by such a young fellow?

"What did you say? Take over everything? Settle the workers?"

Zhang Shirong pointed at Lin Chuan in a fit of rage, spit flying everywhere.

"Kid, do you know how much money that is?

This factory is a bottomless pit! Do the adults in your family know you're wasting money like this outside?

I'm telling you, doing business isn't playing house!

You're taking out these thirty thousand yuan now to act like a big shot, but when the time comes and you've lost everything down to your underwear, you won't have anywhere to cry!"

He was truly infuriated.

The duck that was almost in his mouth had flown away.

How was he going to explain this to headquarters when he went back?

If the higher-ups found out that he had ruined the entire project because he wanted to embezzle the price difference...

Then he'd be lucky to escape with his life!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Zhang Shirong's triangular eyes stared fixedly at Lin Chuan as if he wanted to eat him alive.

"I advise you to be sensible!

Our group is a large company. If you offend us, you won't have a good time in this industry in the future!"

This was already a blatant threat.

Hearing this, Lin Chuan stood up.

Though he was young, the aura of a superior who had fought his way up instantly made Zhang Shirong's breath hitch.

Lin Chuan walked up to Zhang Shirong, standing half a head taller than him.

He looked down at him.

"Large company?"

Lin Chuan patted Zhang Shirong's shoulder.

"Go back and tell the people behind you that I, Lin Chuan, have claimed this land.

This factory is also mine, Lin Chuan's.

As for you, you want to play games with me on my turf?"

Lin Chuan patted his cheek, the slaps sounding crisp.

"You're not worthy."

"Take your money and get out."

Zhang Shirong's face turned the color of pig liver, and his whole body trembled.

He wanted to curse, he wanted to strike.

But he saw Long Wu standing behind Lin Chuan.

That man, built like an iron tower, was staring at him with the eyes of someone looking at a dead man.

He immediately chickened out.

A wise man doesn't fight against the odds!

Zhang Shirong bit his teeth, clutched the envelope in his hand, and gave Lin Chuan a vicious glare.

"Fine! Fine! You're ruthless!"

"We'll see about this! I'll watch how you die!"

With that, he threw his hand out and fled the office in a sorry state, clutching his bag.

Watching the Jeep disappear into the night like a dog with a broken back...

Wang Dalong couldn't help but laugh heartily, sweeping away the gloom of the past few days.

"Satisfying! Truly damn satisfying!"

"Xiao Chuan! You really vented some frustration for your Uncle Wang today!"

Lin Chuan smiled and turned to look at Wang Dalong.

"Uncle Wang, now that the anger is out, isn't it time to get down to business?

Don't delay; go and notify the uncles and elders.

Tell them the factory hasn't failed. Everyone should clean up; tomorrow we'll collect fruit and start work as usual!

As long as I, Lin Chuan, have a bite of meat to eat, I'll never let everyone just drink soup!"

"Hey! Alright! I'll go right now!"

Wang Dalong's hands were shaking with excitement.

He ran through the night to the employee dormitory buildings behind the factory area.

It was a cluster of old red brick houses where the veteran workers of the Canned Food Factory lived.

The night was deep, but the corridors were bustling with activity.

"What? The factory is alive?"

"A university student bought it?"

"He's even going to pay us wages? Oh my god!"

The news spread through the entire residential area as if it had wings.

The workers, who had been frowning and worrying about next month's rice and flour...

All rushed out wearing their undershirts.

Some even ran out right in the middle of their business after hearing the news of the factory reopening.

They surrounded Wang Dalong, their faces filled with unbelievable joy.

"Old Wang! Are you serious? You're not fooling us?"

"Does that kid from the Lin family really have the ability?"

"It's absolutely true! The money was slapped right on the table!" Wang Dalong's voice was loud and clear. "Xiao Chuan said that as long as we're willing to work, not a penny of the wages will be missing, and they'll even be increased!"

"Oh my! He's a great benefactor!"

"The Lin family's ancestral grave is puffing green smoke! To produce such a capable person!"

"This has saved our whole family's lives! Tomorrow, no matter what, I'm going to kowtow to Xiao Chuan!"

" I'll kowtow twice!"

"I'll do ten!"

"I'll kowtow a hundred times! A hundred times a day! No one better try to do more than me!"

"Hahahaha!"

[Ding! The Host has been generous with wealth, saving the livelihoods of fifty families at the Canned Food Factory, and has gained everyone's sincere gratitude!]

[Fame Points increased by 200!]

[Current Fame Level: Lv2 (200/400)]

Lin Chuan stood by the office window, listening to the faint cheers coming from the distance, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Although his Fame Points hadn't reached Lv3 yet, this move was worth it.

With these fifty loyal veteran workers, half of the future food factory plan was already secured.

One should know that the future richest man in China would be selling drinking water for a long time.

Canned food, juice, water.

The profit in this stuff is enormous!

...At the same time.

A ward in the town center hospital.

"Ouch!"

On the hospital bed, Li Hu still looked like a pig's head.

His crotch was wrapped in thick gauze.

He was awake, screaming continuously, his body twitching from time to time.

By the bed stood a middle-aged man in his forties wearing a black Tang suit.

In his hand, he was rotating two shiny, polished decorative walnuts—a standard accessory for wealthy people in these years.

Clack, clack.

The walnuts rubbed together, making a sound.

Li Hu's biological father, Li Van Shan, had a grim expression.

He was a premier wealthy businessman in Dongan Town, with connections in both the legal and criminal worlds.

On ordinary days, he was a smiling Maitreya Buddha.

But right now, his face was so dark it could drip ink.

"Boss, the doctor said that the young master's... thing, is basically ruined."

A subordinate with a scarred face bowed his head, reporting cautiously, his voice trembling.

"Even if he goes to a big hospital in Beijing, at most they can only preserve the shape. As for using it again, I'm afraid there's no hope."

Crack!

The walnuts in Li Van Shan's hand abruptly stopped.

A burst of furious aura instantly erupted.

"Ruined?!"

"I, Li Van Shan, only have this one sprout! And someone ruined him?!"

He slammed the walnuts onto the floor, smashing them to pieces.

"Who did it? Huh?!"

"Which blind dog did this!"

"I'm going to skin him alive! I'm going to kill his whole family!"

The scarred man was so frightened he fell to his knees with a thud.

"It's that university student from Red Mangrove Village, Lin Chuan."

"Lin Chuan?"

Li Van Shan's brow furrowed, the murderous intent in his eyes deepening.

"A stinking intellectual?"

"Xiao Hu took over a dozen people with him, and he let an intellectual ruin him?"

"What the hell are you bunch of useless trash for?!"

"No, Boss!"

The scarred man explained stutteringly, "That Lin Chuan brought a bodyguard, a big fellow.

I heard his name is Long Wu, and he just retired from the military and came back to the neighboring Kaoshan Village.

That guy is so strong he's simply not human!

In less than two minutes, he took down all dozen or so of our brothers!

Young Master Hu was dazed by a punch from him, and only then did Lin Chuan strike the low blow."

"Long Wu?"

Hearing this name, Li Van Shan's rage suddenly seemed to be doused with a bucket of cold water, coming to a dead stop.

He narrowed his eyes with the peculiar alertness of a veteran of the world.

As a local tyrant who had been around the town for so many years, he was well aware of anyone with a bit of ability inside and outside the town.

Kaoshan Village did indeed have a tough character who went into the army.

I heard he was a Special Forces soldier in the military and even won a martial arts championship.

That kind of person is a true killing machine.

If it were just Lin Chuan, he would have already sent men to chop off his limbs and throw him into the river to feed the fish.

But if a Special Forces soldier with a military background was involved...

This matter became tricky.

Li Van Shan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He was a businessman and a veteran of the world.

To have reached his current position, he relied not just on ruthlessness, but even more on caution.

If that Long Wu really had some incredible connections, or hadn't completely separated from the military...

If he moved against him, he might end up burning himself.

"Boss, should I take the brothers to that kid's house now and kidnap his parents?" The scarred man's eyes flashed with a fierce light.

"Kidnap your mother's head!"

Li Van Shan backhanded him with a heavy slap across the face.

"Brainless thing!"

"Don't you see which way the wind is blowing right now? Is that someone you can just kidnap?"

"And if that Long Wu is really that formidable, you'd kidnap his boss's parents one moment, and the next he'd be sneaking in to take your head!"

He paced around the ward with his hands behind his back.

Looking at his half-dead son on the bed, his heart was bleeding.

But logic told him he couldn't be impulsive right now.

"Don't move yet."

Li Van Shan spoke through gritted teeth, his face grim.

"Go and investigate for me!"

"Investigate the backgrounds of this Lin Chuan and that Long Wu thoroughly!"

"Especially that Long Wu—what exactly did he do in the military, why did he retire, and does he have any network of connections?"

"And that Lin Chuan—where does a poor student get the money to hire such a bodyguard?"

"Investigate clearly before we act!"

"I want to make them wish they were dead!"

Li Van Shan gnashed his teeth.

He wasn't in a hurry.

As the saying goes: a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years.

Only a petty man seeks revenge from morning till night.