Uncle Shazhu, a simple-minded man in a courtyard house, persuades people with reason.

There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world! When you're navigating the world, you're bound to get hurt sometimes. If you can intimidate someone, they might come back to make things difficult for you later.

He Ping'an prided himself on being a smooth operator, and even though he had cursed Lou Bancheng's ancestors countless times in his mind, he remained outwardly composed and cheerful. Thinking about it carefully, Lou Bancheng was probably just as smug...

"Sir, all the dishes have been served. According to custom, it's time to offer a toast to the head chef..."

Following the maid's words, Lou Bancheng pretended to have just remembered, slapped his forehead, and apologized repeatedly:

"Look at my memory, no wonder I didn't recognize Brother He... Hurry up and go ask the chef to come up."

He Ping'an watched Lou Bancheng's performance with amusement. If he still didn't realize at this point that the old man had hired He Daqing as his chef, he might as well jump into the Yongding River and feed the turtles!

"Safety……?"

He Daqing's unexpected voice, unsurprisingly, entered the living room.

Lou Bancheng promptly bowed and apologized, "Brother He knows Chef He...? Oh, right, you both share the surname He!"

"Hey... Ignorance is no excuse. Besides, without Mr. Lou's generous donation, my brother and I wouldn't be able to enjoy such good food!"

He Ping'an also got up, but ignored Lou Bancheng's act and instead pulled the bewildered He Daqing to his seat. Anyway, according to the rules of Tan Family Cuisine, there is a seat for the chef at the table.

"Brother, come and sit down! This is the main dish of Tan Family Cuisine, 'Eight Treasures of the Sea,' which you always talk about, right? I have to try your cooking!"

Mr. Lou and I are like brothers; you are my elder brother, and therefore Mr. Lou's elder brother as well. You are the most senior person here. Sit down, don't be shy! Make yourself at home!

Sitting in the main seat, Lou Bancheng was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to bend over or not. He glared resentfully at He Ping'an, who acted as if he were no outsider. This little brat surnamed He didn't follow the rules of the underworld!

He Daqing frequently visited the homes of high-ranking officials and wealthy people, cooking for them. Even if he hadn't eaten pork, he'd seen pigs run. The cook was the guest's elder brother; what good could the host possibly be up to? He looked apologetically at He Ping'an:

"I'm not eating. Zhu Zi and his sister, and the people in the backyard are all waiting for me to come back and cook!"

He Ping pretended to consider it for a while, then shook his head regretfully:

"What a pity! You've prepared such a huge feast, yet we won't get to taste a single bite. Go rummage through the kitchen and take all the leftover ingredients; we'll consider it a robbery! When the People's Liberation Army enters the city, we peasants will surely feast on a few of the rich, and have a good time!"

He Ping'an smiled at Lou Bancheng, "Am I right, Mr. Lou?" but his eyes were full of undisguised sarcasm.

"Safety!"

A surprised female voice from outside the door broke the awkward silence of the banquet. The young girl wore a well-fitting long-sleeved dress, her cute bun hairstyle revealing her fair neck, paired with a few simple pieces of jewelry, making her look simple and elegant.

"Xiaohui, you look beautiful today, really!" He Ping'an nodded in affirmation.

"Really?" Lou Xiaohui blushed and accepted the answer without question, then looked around. "Where's Bai Ling? Didn't she say she was coming?"

Neither of them felt the excitement of a long-awaited reunion, because the very night He Ping'an returned to Beiping, he had already gone for a romantic stroll. If it had been He Ping'an, now that he'd tasted the world, the pretty girl's makeup today would be a cheongsam, red lips, and wavy hair!

He Ping'an reached out to tidy up the stray hairs at her temples, his movements intimate and natural. "I've found some new clues related to the case. Bai Ling has gone to solve it!"

Lou Xiaohui shook her head regretfully: "That's such a pity!"

As a scumbag, He Ping'an naturally ignored the joy in the young woman's eyes. He simply shook his head and said, "Yeah!"

He Daqing left with a full haul, leaving Lou Zhenhua as the most miserable person at the entire banquet. Watching his daughter and his "enemy" being so affectionate, he almost coughed up blood, the two of them not even exchanging a glance.

In the northwest corner of the Lou family's residence, He Ping'an entered the young beauty's villa openly for the first time. He went upstairs as if he knew the way perfectly, leaving the servants sent by Lou Bancheng looking at each other in bewilderment.

After a passionate kiss, the pretty girl collapsed into He Ping'an's arms, letting him play with her large member.

A scumbag should act like a scumbag; he should offer warmth anytime, anywhere. Noticing the young woman's low spirits, He Ping'an, still busy with his work, asked with concern:

"What's wrong, Xiaohui? You seem out of sorts today?"

Lou Xiaohui rolled her eyes, pinched He Ping'an's waist a few times with her delicate hand, and then complained with slightly red eyes:

"My father said that the Communist Party was militarily overwhelming. He wanted my mother to leave Beiping and go south to Hong Kong and Kowloon to find my eldest brother! He also wanted... he wanted me to leave with my mother!"

He Ping'an's eyes flickered slightly, and the corners of his mouth lifted a little. He tightened his grip on the young beauty.

"I understand. Your father, as a businessman, believes in risk diversification; you can't put all your eggs in one basket. And your eldest brother, as the eldest son of the legal wife... has a natural legal sense. He can easily inherit your father's overseas network of connections, making him the most suitable candidate!"

Furthermore, our Party has always practiced monogamy, and a rogue like your father can only have one wife. Your elder brother is away, while Lou Tanshi's children are in Beiping. Your father has clearly made his choice!

"Then what should I do? My father said that you Communists have to report to the organization before you can get married. He also said that your organization will not approve of you marrying someone of my status!"

Tears finally welled up in her slightly reddened eyes, and He Ping'an gently patted the young woman's back. "It's okay! I'll go to Hong Kong and marry you!"

"Hmph... You've been exposed! Weren't you planning to take me as your concubine from the very beginning? All that talk about hard work and dedication, you were just lying to me!"

There aren't that many fools in the world, just infatuated people who willingly let themselves be deceived! He Ping'an held her jade hand tightly:

"How could that be? You know the situation our party was in back then. How could I possibly think that far ahead? I was just a little greedy, and I happened to have some trump cards up my sleeve, which is why I dared to make that promise to you!"

"Hmph... I think you just don't want to marry me!"

"Really, I have a real identity in Hong Kong and Kowloon, and I can get married there!" Seeing that Lou Xiaohui was still not satisfied, He Ping'an had no choice but to make a promise:

"How about this, I'll go to Hong Kong and Kowloon to hold our wedding first. That way, you won't be a concubine anymore!"

Lou Xiaohui's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course!" He Ping'an nodded readily.

Lou Xiaohui was the first to hold a wedding; Bai Ling was the first to get a marriage certificate; Liu Rusi? Hmm… the first to get pregnant! In the world of scumbags, there are always many firsts!

He Ping'an made a series of promises, finally coaxing the pretty girl into offering her affections.

While He Ping'an was displaying his true colors as a scumbag, in a luxury apartment building on Garden Avenue in Manhattan, New York, Liu Rusi was basking in the morning sunlight on her balcony. A maternal glow shone on her alluring face!