Who's going to be the female lead's simp? Aren't the supporting female characters mor

The workshop of the abandoned textile factory has been transformed into a highly postmodern exhibition hall.

Abstract paintings that are hard to understand are hanging on the mottled red brick wall, and the rusty spinning machine looks like an unearthed artifact under the spotlight.

An expensive fragrance wafted in the air, attempting to mask the faint musty smell.

Shen Yun stood by the ancient well, holding a wine glass in his hand, staring at Li He who had barged in with a sinister look in his eyes.

"Young Master Li, this is a private art exhibition." Shen Yun maintained his outward elegance, but his jaw muscles were already clenched. "If you're here to discuss business, please make an appointment. If you're here to cause trouble... although the Shen family isn't what it used to be, not just anyone can trample on it."

The surrounding investors whispered among themselves, their eyes darting between the two. One was a fallen scion of a long-established wealthy family in Beijing, the other the top henchman of Bai Jingyou, the newly crowned richest man. This drama was far more interesting than any painting on the wall.

"Art? Business?"

Li He seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world.

He tucked the megaphone under his armpit, casually picked up a macaron from the cold buffet table next to him, and popped it into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound.

"Young Master Shen, we're all seasoned foxes, what kind of ghost story are you trying to pull with me?" Li He patted the debris off his hands, pointed at the well, and said, "You just want to package this dilapidated factory as some kind of cultural heritage site, then raise the price and hold the East District's redevelopment hostage, right? 'Eye of Time,' you say? I think it's just an eye for money!"

"Vulgar." Shen Yun sneered, turning to the investors beside him. "Gentlemen, this is why we need to protect this land. Some people only see steel and concrete; they have no understanding of the historical significance."

An investor with a southern accent chimed in, "Mr. Shen is right. I had a master examine this well; the rising steam indicates a wealth-gathering formation. If we develop this place into a high-end club, the mere gimmick of this sweet water well alone can command exorbitant membership fees."

"Mr. Wang has excellent taste." A smug smile appeared on Shen Yun's face. He snapped his fingers, and a waiter immediately came forward with a tray.

On the tray were several unlabeled glass bottles, each with a stylish design, filled with a clear liquid.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the sweet water from the dragon vein that we just drew from the well." Shen Yun picked up a bottle and displayed it elegantly. "After testing, it is found to be rich in various minerals and has a refreshing taste. To celebrate today's exhibition, please enjoy it."

Li He wore sunglasses, and a smug, infuriating smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He didn't say anything, but quietly took two steps back and gestured to the bodyguards behind him.

The bodyguards understood immediately and discreetly took out N95 masks from their pockets and put them on.

The scene was bizarre, but the upper-class people present were too busy indulging in their refined pursuits to notice.

Mr. Wang was the first to pick up a glass of water, swirled it, and brought it to his nose to smell it like he was tasting red wine: "Hmm...it does have a...very special smell. Like the fragrance of the earth."

"That's the natural earthy smell, proof of its pristine state," Shen Yun explained, raising his own glass. "Come on, cheers. To the future of the East District, and to our soon-to-double investment."

"Cheers!"

Several investors raised their glasses, the crystal-clear liquid shimmering alluringly under the lights.

The moment the rim of the cup touched my lips.

The ground suddenly trembled slightly.

"Glug."

A muffled, strange sound came from the depths of the ancient well, like some giant beast letting out a burp.

Shen Yun frowned slightly and looked down at the well opening: "What was that sound?"

"Glug... Glug glug!"

The sound grew louder and more rapid, accompanied by a tooth-grinding screeching sound from the pipes.

Li He's smile widened to its peak. He suddenly raised the megaphone and shouted, "Holy crap! The Dragon King has appeared! Run!"

Before he finished speaking, he turned and ran, his movements as agile as a startled rabbit.

Before Shen Yun could react to what Li He was doing, the ground beneath his feet suddenly shook.

"boom--!!!"

The "Eye of Time," beautifully decorated with flowers and LED strips, instantly transformed into a giant black fountain.

Fifty years of accumulated industrial and domestic wastewater, after being precisely blasted by a micro-engineering robot through the sewage ditch, roared out of the well like an angry black dragon under high pressure, rushing straight to the ten-meter-high factory roof!

The black liquid crashed against the ceiling, then turned into a torrential downpour, indiscriminately covering all living things within a twenty-meter radius.

"ah--!!!"

The screams instantly shattered the so-called elegant atmosphere.

Shen Yun is closest to the wellhead.

His expensive white haute couture suit instantly turned into the color of a spotted dog, and then was completely dyed asphalt.

He was still holding that glass of sweet water, completely stunned, with a few unknown rotten seaweeds hanging on his face.

Mr. Wang, who had just been praising the fragrance of the earth, was drenched in a cold rain. The water he hadn't swallowed came out of his mouth and he vomited violently, bent over.

stench.

A pungent stench, a mixture of hydrogen sulfide, rotting organic matter, and years of sludge, instantly filled the enclosed workshop.

The smell was more intense than a biological weapon, almost suffocating.

"vomit--"

"What is this?! What is this?!"

"My eyes!"

The scene was chaotic. Investors didn't care about manners and pushed and shoved their way toward the exit. Countless people slipped and fell in the black mud.

Only Li He.

He and his men stood at a safe distance from the main gate, holding their phones with flashes going off wildly as they snapped photos incessantly.

"Oh my! Young Master Shen! This look is quite unique!" Li He, wearing a mask, spoke through the loudspeaker, his voice carrying a smug, gloating tone. "This is the dragon vein you were talking about? Is this dragon vein having some kind of stomach problem? Is it having diarrhea?"

Shen Yun wiped the mud off his face, trembling all over.

I don't know if it was from anger or disgust.

He stared blankly at the well, which was still gushing black water.

It’s over.

It's all over.

Cultural heritage, sweet water well, high-end club... at this moment, they all became the biggest joke in the city.

……

Half an hour later.

The open space outside the textile factory.

Several fire trucks have arrived and are spraying water onto the factory.

The sounds of sirens and ambulances filled the air.

A black Maybach slowly drove up and stopped upwind.

The car window was lowered halfway, revealing a cool and handsome profile.

Bai Jingyou held a tablet computer in his hand, on which was displayed a 3D model of the underground pipe network in the East District.

The red dot representing the sewage ditch has now turned into a clear green dot.

"Boss, it's all done."

Li He jogged over, and although he didn't get wet, the smell still made him frown.

He clung to the car window, grinning from ear to ear: "You didn't see Shen Yun's face, it was darker than well water! Those investors ran faster than rabbits, they're probably in the hospital getting their stomachs pumped right now."

Bai Jingyou glanced indifferently at the figure not far away, soaking wet and shivering in a thermal blanket.

Shen Yun slumped down beside the ambulance like an abandoned piece of trash, his eyes unfocused.

"Chen Mo," Bai Jingyou said.

"exist."

"Go and sign the contract." Bai Jingyou's voice was calm and even, as if he were just discussing what to eat for dinner. "Tell Shen Yun that DeepBlue Technology is willing to take over this mess out of humanitarian considerations. After all, addressing environmental pollution is also part of building a smart city."

"What about the price?" Chen Mo asked.

"He wanted 300 million before," Bai Jingyou said, closing the tablet. "Now, 30 million. That includes the land, the factory, and the cleanup costs."

"Thirty million?!" Li He's eyes widened. "Brother Bai, that's too much! This land is worth at least two hundred million!"

"That was before." Bai Jingyou turned his head, looked at Li He, and said with a mocking smile. "Now this is the site of an accident that caused a serious geological disaster and biochemical pollution."

Li He was stunned for a moment, then gave a thumbs up: "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Not only did they get the land, but they also managed to confiscate Shen Yun's last remaining assets."

Chen Mo got out of the car with the documents in his hand and walked straight toward Shen Yun.

A few minutes later, Shen Yun, his hands trembling, signed his name on the document. He had no room for negotiation. Those investors who had just been calling him brothers were now threatening to sue him for commercial fraud and demand compensation for emotional distress.

He needs money, even thirty million would be enough for him to escape this nightmarish city.

After signing the contract, Chen Mo took it back to his car.

"Boss, it's done."

Bai Jingyou took the contract, didn't even glance at it, and casually tossed it onto the back seat.

"Notify the engineering department to start work tomorrow." Bai Jingyou rolled up the car window. "Fill up that well. The main road in the east district will pass through there."

"Yes."

The Maybach restarted and slowly drove away from the wrecked area.

Inside the car, Bai Jingyou leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest.

"Brother Bai, is the Shen family completely finished now?" Li He asked, turning around from the passenger seat.

"Shen Yun is just a clown, not worth mentioning." Bai Jingyou opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the passing night view outside the window. "But acquiring this land means that the game in the East District has only just begun."

He paused, took the coin out of his pocket, and gently rubbed it between his fingers.

"Has the funding arrived in Chenhe's account?"

"We've arrived," Chen Mo replied. "The finance department just sent a message saying that the Chen family's 5 billion is already in the escrow account. However..."

"But what?"

"However, Chen He made a request." Chen Mo pushed up his glasses, his expression somewhat strange. "He said he hopes that his daughter, Chen An'an, can give a speech as a youth representative at the groundbreaking ceremony for the East District project."

"Chen An'an?" Bai Jingyou's mind conjured up an image of a little girl who always wore Lolita dresses, held dolls in her hands, and had eyes as sharp as knives.

The Chen family's little princess is said to be a computer genius, but also an extremely socially awkward person.

"What is Chen He trying to do?" Li He scratched his head. "Isn't this old fox most protective of his daughter? How could he bear to let her show her face in public?"

"He doesn't want her to be in the public eye," Bai Jingyou chuckled, flicking a coin with his finger. "He wants to bind the Chen family and Shenlan even closer together. Marriage is too old-fashioned; he wants to use another method—technological binding."

"So, shall we agree?"

"Why not?" Bai Jingyou caught the coin. "As long as she has the ability. The gates of Deep Blue are open to all geniuses. It doesn't matter if her surname is Chen or Li."

Li He chuckled: "And what about me? Brother Bai, would you call me a genius?"

"You?" Bai Jingyou looked him up and down. "You're a rare treasure. The kind that's like a lucky charm."

"..." Li He's lips twitched. "Brother Bai, that hurts."