A life of success begins with being a landlord.

Dao Zixiong took the wet towel, asked about the specific usage, and then turned and left.

I sighed, feeling uneasy.

I don't know if this will be a blessing or a curse for me!

After spacing out for a while, I calmed myself down and continued reading.

After dinner, Gao Jianfeng called from Gangzhou to say that he had bought train tickets for Sister-in-law Kuai's whole family; the train would depart at nine o'clock the next morning.

Then Gao Jianfeng asked me if he could come back.

After thinking about it, I decided to go all the way and have Gao Jianfeng find a reliable small hotel nearby for Kuai Dasao and her family of three to stay overnight. I also asked Gao Jianfeng to stay and help them get on the train the next day.

Gangzhou Railway Station is also chaotic. If no one takes care of them, who knows what might happen to Sister Kuai and her two children.

Gao Jianfeng didn't care, since all his food, drinks, and travel expenses for the business trip would be reimbursed, so he readily agreed.

I warned Gao Jianfeng: "Be a decent person and don't get any funny ideas about Sister-in-law Kuai."

Gao Jianfeng was both amused and exasperated: "Brother Zu, what nonsense are you talking about? Do you even know how old Sister-in-law Kuai is?"

I grinned mischievously: "When you come back, I'll arrange a beautiful woman for you..."

Sister Tang is right, those who are near the water get the moon first.

Now that I'm the manager of Jin Sangzi and Yin Meiduo, arranging beautiful women for Gao Jianfeng and others is a piece of cake.

After I hung up the phone, Nan Batian called again. It was Xu Ge's idea to invite me to boxing tomorrow morning.

I talked to Nan Batian and felt very sorry for Brother Xu.

Brother Xu took an instant liking to me and taught me all his secrets without reservation. I am deeply grateful and have no way to repay his kindness.

Nan Batian comforted me, "Brother Xu said that our martial arts skills will become increasingly useless in the future, since everyone will be using grenades. It's fate that we can find a successor to pass these skills on."

I'll have Nan Batian ask Brother Xu what he needs, and I'll try my best to give him something.

At 1:30 a.m., Jin Sang Zi was empty.

I called Yinmeiduo to ask, but they said there were no customers left.

I told everyone to close the door and go back to rest.

Xie Xia, Shen Yuerong, and the others were waiting for me in the lobby, chattering away: "Brother Zu, are you keeping your word? Midnight snack, please!"

"Let's go, supper is available for everyone!"

I waved my hand with great fanfare: "The seafood restaurant across the street, we've got the whole place to ourselves!"

All the employees cheered: "Brother Zu is awesome! Long live Brother Zu!"

The seafood restaurants across the street were all preparing to close, and suddenly, more than thirty of us went there.

The boss was overjoyed and quickly greeted him, "Brother Zu, you're here to support me again? What would you like to eat?"

"Stop arguing! Bring out the best food and wine!"

I waved my hand domineeringly, just like Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and Chai Jin from Liangshan.

Before the food was even served, the impatient people had already started drinking.

Several supervisors sat at a table with me, chatting casually.

Qian Yuhuai is getting old, so he didn't come over for a drink.

We're all young people here, and we get along well.

Shen Yuerong drank with me and laughed, "Brother Zu, Jin Sangzi has had several managers, but you're the most down-to-earth and easygoing."

"But you can't play like that to death, or you'll ruin it sooner or later," I said pitifully.

"Don't worry, Brother Zu, we know what we're doing and won't hurt you." Xie Xia raised her glass and toasted me.

Tonight, I can drink.

But I didn't dare drink too much; I tried it slowly.

After several large glasses of beer, the atmosphere became even more lively.

Shen Yuerong asked me, "Brother Zu, are there any good businesses to make money in Dongguan?"

I laughed and said, "Don't you guys make a lot of money as foremen? What, thinking of quitting?"

The foreman here reportedly earns ten to twenty thousand yuan a month.

Shen Yuerong had the best performance. Qian Laogui said that her monthly income could sometimes reach 30,000 yuan.

Shen Yuerong sighed, "Brother Zu, you can't rely on your youth forever. If you could be a boss, who would want to do this?"

"Sister Rong, this is a good job for you, don't overthink it."

I didn't want to argue with people like Sister Rong, so I just casually replied, "Make enough money first, then marry an honest man in a few years and stay home as a wife. Isn't that good?"

Shen Yuerong put her arms around my neck and poured me some wine: "I think Brother Zu is an honest man. I'll marry you in the future."

Xie Xia slammed her hand on the table and pointed at me: "Brother Zu, when you marry Rongrong, I'll give you a 10,000 yuan wedding gift, and I mean it!"

Another foreman shouted, "Tomorrow, put up double happiness symbols on the Jin Sang Zi (a throat lozenge brand) so that Brother Zu and Rongrong can get married!"

The remaining girlfriends stood up, holding their wine glasses: "Wishing Brother Zu and Sister Rong a long and happy marriage, and many children!"

"Everyone, I'm not an honest person, I'm not worthy of Sister Rong! My apologies!"

I quickly admitted defeat and punished myself with a drink.

The streets at two in the morning were desolate and deserted.

Only in front of the seafood restaurant were women chatting and laughing.

I drank with everyone and observed these young faces.

They also experience joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and they have their own dreams.

They also want a love of their own—to marry an honest man and then laugh at the world.

But will they get what they want in the end?

Liu Haomei's editor and writer, Qian Da, said that this is an era full of hope, and as long as you work hard, all your dreams will come true.

Well, let's hope so.

Around 3 a.m., we finished our barbecue seafood feast.

I drove back to Hongxing Village alone.

When I reached Xiancai Road, a motorcycle suddenly rushed out from the fork in the road ahead, wobbled and fell to the ground, blocking my way.

The rider on the vehicle fell off, rolled several times, and lay motionless on the ground.

I quickly braked, craned my neck to look, and wondered whether I should get out of the car to check or call for an ambulance.

In that instant, I glanced at the rearview mirror.

Two more motorcycles came leisurely in from behind.

There was someone in the back seat of the car, carrying a stick.

Something is wrong!

This guy's here to mess with me!

I realized what was happening instantly and broke out in a cold sweat.

In a flash, my mind raced, and without much hesitation, I immediately shifted into reverse, slammed on the gas, and crashed into the two motorcycles behind me.

boom!

There was a loud bang behind the car, and the rear windshield shattered. It must have been an attack by the other party, who smashed it with an iron bar.

At the same time, the back of my car also hit a motorcycle.

The motorcycle veered off course, and the two burly men on it fell into a roadside ditch.

The rider on the other motorcycle, seeing that things were not going well, abandoned the motorcycle and sped into the farmland on the east side.

Bang!

My car's rear wheel got stuck on a motorcycle, and the front of the car lurched to one side.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly, bracing the motorcycle, and continued reversing.

Squeak—!

The motorcycle lay on the ground, being pushed by my car, making a screeching sound.

The two burly men who had abandoned their car chased after them, wielding iron bars and shouting, "Stop! Stop!"

I didn't say a word and continued reversing.

Stopping the car now, am I trying to commit suicide?

Unfortunately, my driving skills are lacking. The sedan forced itself to reverse about ten meters, then with a thud, the car shook, the rear wheels left the road, and the rear of the car fell into a farmland.

Damn it, let's give it our all!

Without thinking twice, I flung open the car door, jumped out, and dashed into the farmland, running wildly in the northwest direction.

Running along the road makes it easy for motorcycles to catch up. Running along the farmland leaves them with no options.

To the northwest lies Sanlichuan. If I can run back, I might be able to get support.

To the southeast is Hongxing Village, which is even closer.

But several burly men blocked my way, and I couldn't walk right into their trap.

"You bastard, don't run away!"

Several burly men followed closely behind, hurling insults and profanities.

The accent sounded familiar, like it was from northern Anhui province.

Damn it, fellow villagers, you guys resorted to dirty tricks too!

I took off running down the farmland, pulling out two short-handled screwdrivers from my waist, ready to fight back.

Ever since I was ambushed by Nan Batian, I've never let my screwdriver out of my sight, I even take it with me when I pee.

Gunshots rang out from behind, echoing through the night sky.

I was startled, and then my foot tripped over some vine, causing a vicious dog that was snatching food to fall to the ground.

"Stop right there, or I'll kill you!"

The three burly men behind them had closed to within twenty meters.

I jumped up in a flash, and without thinking, a screwdriver flew out of my hand!

Whoosh!

The screwdriver shot out in a straight line, hitting the leader's groin.

"Oh my god... your grandma..." The man was hit and fell headfirst into the farmland.

"Follow the arrow!"

I took a deep breath, and the second screwdriver flew out.

But the two burly men behind me seemed to have a sixth sense; they suddenly crouched down and dodged my screwdriver.

I was terrified and turned to continue running.

But I just tripped and fell, and I didn't even realize I'd lost a shoe.

I only realized something was wrong when I started running; my speed suddenly decreased significantly.

As the saying goes, those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to wear, but when it comes to fighting and escaping for your life, the opposite is true. Not having shoes is a big disadvantage.

Without my shoes, I'm guaranteed to lose tonight.

Then I checked my waist, and the screwdriver was gone too.

I had two lighters left, so I stopped and tossed one of them onto my feet.

"You brat, keep running! Keep running!"

When the two burly men saw that I had stopped running, they slowed down and came over, panting and cursing.

Whoosh!

I twisted my waist and kicked my leg, sending the metal lighter flying.

boom!

"Ouch!"

The burly man in front of him fell backward, sprawled out on his back.

The burly man behind him was startled and quickly crouched down, raising his shotgun: "Don't move, or I'll kill you!"

"Go to hell with your grandma, watch the darts!"

I mimicked the other person's accent and cursed, then flicked my wrist to fire a second lighter before turning and running away.

Even if it means death, I'll still struggle!

when!

The lighter hit the big man's hand with perfect accuracy.

The big man winced in pain, and the sprayer fell to the ground.

It's such a shame. If I had two more screwdrivers on me, I might have been able to turn the tide and win tonight!

Lost in thought, I rushed up a high embankment.

Upon closer inspection, I saw a small river in front of me.

Saved!

Overjoyed, I kicked off my other shoe, took off my shirt, wrapped my phone inside, jumped into the river, flipped over and swam on my back, holding the phone in one hand, and escaped to the other side.

Having grown up in the countryside, I'm an excellent swimmer.

I can lift my arms and walk a mile by stepping on water.

The river in front of us is only three zhang wide.

I can swim across in less than two minutes.

The reason I bring my phone is twofold: firstly, because it's valuable and contains many phone numbers.

Another reason is that this thing is my last weapon; it can be used as a flying locust stone.

The burly man behind me, panting heavily, caught up to the riverbank. Looking at me in the river, he raised his sprayer and yelled, "You bastard, don't run! If you run again, I'll kill you!"

"You son of a bitch, come down here if you dare, I'll strangle you!"

I flipped over in the water, still holding my phone, looking quite smug.

Gao Jianfeng and the old squad leader both told me that the pistol was inaccurate; hitting a target from ten meters away was all down to luck.

The other side only has a shotgun, and has already fired three shots.

The remaining bullets might not be enough to kill me.

As we spoke, I had already approached the other side.

I reached out and grabbed a small tree on the bank, then crouched down and climbed up.

"Don't move!"

Two burly men jumped out from behind a trash can on the shore and punched me in the face.

Holy crap, there was an ambush!

I was both shocked and furious. My temper flared up, and I did a "three-no-look" move, elbowing the big man on my right.

What does "recklessly welcoming you at the door" mean? It means disregarding everything, from your head to your backside, and risking your life for you!

To put it bluntly, it's a fight to the death!

boom!

The burly man on the right probably didn't expect me to be so strong. He was so frightened that he clenched his fist, but I rammed into him solidly, sending him flying more than ten feet away before he crashed heavily to the ground.

But at the same time, another big man pounced on me, grabbed my neck tightly, and threw me to the ground.

"Don't move, or I'll bleed you out!"

A gleaming dagger was pressed against my throat.

I froze, staring wide-eyed upwards, panting, "Damn it, friend from which street? Give me your name!"

"Damn it, where are you from?" The other person was taken aback.

"You, your great-grandmother, I'm, I'm from Fucheng in northern Anhui!" I decided to use any means necessary to get on their good side.

I know that there are many heroes in Fucheng who make a living in Dongguan.

I hope I guessed right.

"Damn, we're from the same hometown!"

The other person still wouldn't let go, gripping my neck tightly: "Fellow villager, there's nothing we can do. We've taken the money, we have to do the job. Brother, don't blame me."

"Wait, you...grandmother...damn it, fellow villager, let me...die knowing why."

I gasped for breath and managed to call out, "Who, damn it, is trying to kill me?"