"Can't we just find Tang Yanran's maternal cousin to help mediate now?"
Chen Wanli frowned and said, "The matter is already resolved. There's no need to ask her cousin for help!"
Zhang Yuehong sneered. "I was against Tang Yanran marrying you from the very start. Dapeng kept saying you had good character and only fell ill by accident. Who would have thought that after recovering, you'd turn out to be such good-for-nothing trash!"
"You didn't dare protect Tang Yanran at the hospital, and now you're all talk again!"
Tang Yanran lowered her head in silence. She, too, was utterly disappointed with Chen Wanli's performance at the hospital.
Chen Wanli felt choked with frustration and couldn't be bothered to explain. He picked up the box of tea leaves and walked straight into the kitchen. "Dad, someone gave this tea to me. It should be pretty good. Keep it for yourself!"
"Hahaha, good, you're so thoughtful!" Tang Dapeng still wore a smiling face.
Zhang Yuehong stood at the kitchen entrance and snapped ungratefully, "Who would give you anything good? Who knows what roadside junk you bought to fool your father-in-law? You really are a filial son!"
"This is top-grade Dahongpao!"
Before Chen Wanli could finish, Zhang Yuehong rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, full of sarcasm. "Oh, it's good tea alright — good tea for boiling tea eggs!"
With that, she barged right into the kitchen, grabbed a few eggs, and tossed them into the pot. She tore open the tea leaves Chen Wanli had brought back, dumped a little over half the package straight in, and actually started boiling tea eggs!
She shot Chen Wanli a defiant look before storming out of the kitchen in a huff!
Chen Wanli's mouth twitched. Tang Dapeng didn't believe it was any sort of top-grade tea either, so he comforted Chen Wanli, saying, "Forget it, your mother is just like that. Don't pay attention to her, let her fuss."
"..."
Just then, a knock at the door sounded.
Zhang Yuehong instantly put on a smiling face and hurried to open the door.
"Haimin, Shuya, come on in, come in!"
Zhang Haimin was in his forties, a bit short, dark-skinned, and wiry. Being a police officer, he carried quite a bit of authority.
His wife, He Shuya, was just an ordinary middle-aged woman, except she had a habit of looking down her nose at people.
As soon as she stepped inside, she scoffed, "Third Sister never invites us over for nothing. What made you think of treating us to dinner today?"
"Come in, come in and we'll talk!" Zhang Yuehong said ingratiatingly.
The moment they entered, Tang Yanran stood up to greet them.
Chen Wanli stood up as well.
He Shuya looked Chen Wanli up and down a few times, then asked Tang Yanran, "Is his illness still not cured?"
"It's cured," Tang Yanran said.
He Shuya curled her lips and shook her head. "Even if someone who's had mental illness recovers, they have no future. What kind of employer would dare hire someone with a history of mental illness?"
"Just keep him honestly farming in your family's medicinal herb garden from now on!"
After those few remarks, Zhang Yuehong's face had turned beet red. If she weren't asking a favor of them, she would have blown her top long ago.
Unable to vent her burning anger, she could only take it out on Chen Wanli. If not for this jinx of a son-in-law, would she have to swallow this kind of insult?
Zhang Haimin gave a hearty laugh and said, "I'll go see what good food brother-in-law is making!"
With that, he headed toward the kitchen.
"Hey, the kitchen's a mess, just wait in the living room for dinner!" Zhang Yuehong said hurriedly, chasing after him.
Once inside the kitchen, Zhang Haimin's eyes inadvertently swept over the tea box on the windowsill, and his eyelids twitched.
That tea box looked somewhat familiar. The last time he went to a Security Directorate meeting, the top superior, Director Shen, was drinking that exact kind of tea.
He had heard that tea cost hundreds of thousands per catty; only people from Director Shen's level of family could afford to drink it.
"Brother-in-law, how's the medicinal herb garden business doing?" Zhang Haimin asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
"Same as always! Hahaha, just getting by!" Tang Dapeng replied casually.
Seeing Zhang Haimin staring at the tea box, Zhang Yuehong assumed her cheap goods were making a fool of her. She laughed awkwardly, "Just some everyday tea for boiling tea eggs, don't let my brother laugh at us."
With that, she quickly tucked the tea box away and brought out another canister. "This is old Tang's good tea, I'll brew this for you!"
Zhang Haimin's mouth twitched. "Sis, you're boiling tea eggs with tea that costs hundreds of thousands per catty, and serving your brother tea that costs three thousand a catty? You really take the cake!"
"Huh?" Zhang Yuehong's smile froze on her face. "Are you kidding me? This tea costs hundreds of thousands a catty?"
Seeing the playful smile on Zhang Haimin's face, she realized her petty-minded brother must have misunderstood, and she yanked open the rice cooker.
As soon as the lid came off, a wave of rich tea fragrance immediately hit the air, and sure enough, there were seven or eight eggs sitting in the pot.
"What a terrible waste of natural treasures!" Zhang Haimin winced, his mouth twitching with regret.
Only then did Zhang Yuehong seem to believe it. Instantly, annoyance and shame washed over her. Oh god, she had used nearly half a package of tea worth hundreds of thousands to boil eggs... What kind of stupid thing had she done!
Tang Dapeng's jaw dropped in shock as well.
"Wanli said a friend gave it to him, I thought it was just ordinary stuff..." Zhang Yuehong said with a dark, sheepish expression.
Zhang Haimin chuckled. "Maybe I was wrong. Anyway, my family is out of tea. Regular tea is fine too, I'm not picky!"
Saying that, he snatched the tea box, grabbed two tea eggs, and walked out of the kitchen.
Zhang Yuehong was dumbfounded. That was Dahongpao worth hundreds of thousands a catty! She really wanted to get it back.
Tang Dapeng frowned and lowered his voice, "Forget it, we're asking him for a favor anyway! Consider it a thank-you gift."
"It's all that Chen Wanli's fault for not making it clear!" Zhang Yuehong complained.
"Wanli did say so. Who told you not to believe him!"
"..."
Listening to it all from the living room, Chen Wanli found it quite amusing, but couldn't be bothered to get involved.
Soon, the dishes were ready, and the family sat down at the table.
"Haimin, let me propose a toast to you. Among all our relatives, you're the one doing best — a bureau chief at forty. You'll definitely keep rising in the future!" Tang Dapeng raised his wine glass.
"Our Haimin is highly valued by Director Shen of the Security Directorate. Who knows, he might get a promotion right after the new year," He Shuya said, her eyes beaming with pride.
"Then that's all the more reason to congratulate you on your impending promotion! Let's have another drink!" Tang Dapeng said with a smile.
Flattered, Zhang Haimin started floating a bit. "Ah, being at the Security Directorate isn't as comfortable as being chief here. Don't look at me as just the deputy, I'm in charge of executive operations!"
"All the big and small figures around here have to show me some respect!"
Chen Wanli kept his head down and just focused on eating. Tang Yanran kicked him under the table, signaling him to toast his cousin.
Instead, Chen Wanli raised his head, looked blank for a moment, and then put on a dawning realization. He picked up a full pair of chopsticks of sweet and sour fish and placed it in Tang Yanran's bowl.
"Dad makes this dish really well, have a taste!"
"Pfft!" He Shuya caught the couple's little interaction and instantly burst out laughing.
Tang Yanran blushed furiously. It was too embarrassing — was Chen Wanli's illness cured or not? Was he an idiot?
After three rounds of drinks, Zhang Haimin breathed out alcohol fumes and said, "Brother-in-law, you invited me to dinner, so you must have something on your mind, right? Go ahead and say it. I won't guarantee I can pull it off, but if I can, I definitely will!"
"You can definitely handle this. The day before yesterday, at the birthday banquet for Yanran's uncle, Han Feihu ran up a tab, and people came and made a scene right at the banquet."
"To protect me, Wanli got into a fight with the debt collectors. Now things are messy, and we'd like you to help smooth things over."
Tang Dapeng laid out the matter in just a few words.
Zhang Haimin gave a loud burp, glanced sideways at Chen Wanli, and said, "Brother-in-law, it's not that I'm lecturing you, but you've got to keep your son-in-law under control. In this day and age, there are far too many people we can't afford to offend!"
"Your family just runs a small business. If you provoke the wrong trouble, it'll cost you your entire fortune!"
"Besides, people were collecting a debt from Han Feihu, so why on earth did your son-in-law jump into it?!"
"..."
Tang Dapeng felt displeased, but didn't blow his stack. He smiled and said, "It just happened by a twist of fate. The one calling the shots that day seemed to be a guy named He Laosan, along with a few flunkies."
Hearing they were mere thugs, Zhang Haimin breathed a sigh of relief. "That's a minor matter. Those punks see me like mice seeing a cat. But it'll definitely cost some money. Prepare fifty thousand, and I'll settle it for you!"
"Fifty thousand?" Tang Dapeng gasped.
The Tang family had some savings, but fifty thousand wasn't a small amount either.
"Brother-in-law, getting things done these days doesn't work without spending a bit of money." Zhang Haimin grinned, a flash of smugness in his eyes.
"I have a good relationship with my Third Sister, that's why I'm only charging you this much. Anyone else could wave cash in my face and I wouldn't lift a finger."
Zhang Haimin talked a good game, but inwardly he was sneering coldly.
*You expect me to work for you for free without giving me money? Who the hell do you think you are?*
*Your family boils tea eggs with tea worth hundreds of thousands; what's fifty thousand to buy peace?*
Chen Wanli finished eating, wiped his mouth, and said, "Cousin, Dad didn't make it clear earlier. Actually, the person I beat up was Fifth Master Huang's subordinate. Oh, and today I also beat up Fifth Master Huang himself. Are you sure fifty thousand will cut it?"
The whole family stared intently at Chen Wanli. Judging by his tone, he made fifty thousand sound like loose change. Whose side was this guy on? Even a prodigal son wouldn't act like this!
...
...
...
Chapter 16: Who Can't Brag?
Hearing the name "Fifth Master Huang," Zhang Haimin froze. That was definitely not someone a mere precinct bureau chief like him could handle.
However, the words were already out of his mouth, and judging by the look of it, Tang Dapeng would have to fork over a million, let alone fifty thousand.
As for whether the matter actually got resolved, that wasn't his concern.
When the time came, he'd just claim the money was spent.
As for Tang Dapeng's family, who grew medicinal herbs—to put it bluntly, they were just farmers, maybe landowners at best.
Even if they realized he had pocketed the money, they'd have to swallow it and grin, given how much they'd need to rely on him in the future.
Zhang Haimin puffed up his whiskers and glared. "You brat really have guts, daring to mess with Fifth Master Huang's people! If you provoke Fifth Master Huang, you'll lose a layer of skin even if you survive. Fifty thousand won't cut it at all!"
As soon as he said that, even Tang Dapeng grew nervous. "Haimin, really can't it be handled?"
"Hiccup! It's going to cost more — a million!" Zhang Haimin let out another loud burp before speaking.
"A million?!" Zhang Yuehong let out a direct shriek. She had long known this cousin of hers was a skinflint who would pluck a goose as it flew by, but she never expected him to open his maw so wide.
Chen Wanli gave a chuckle. "Then forget it. The family can't cough up a million. I'll handle it myself!"
Seeing the cooked duck about to fly away, He Shuya's eyes turned red.
"Wanli, you're still clueless. If your cousin thinks it's a tough issue, is that something you can handle on your own?"
"If you could handle it, would your father-in-law have had to look for your cousin?"
Chen Wanli found this cousin quite repulsive. If he were genuinely trying to help, asking for a bit of money wouldn't be a big deal.
But it was obvious these two had every intention of taking the money and doing nothing!
If a million could settle Huang Shuyue, would he really be one of the underground overlords who made Song Siming rush over in person just hearing his name?
With things said to this point, everyone's expression turned ugly.
Just then, a series of urgent knocks sounded at the door.
Tang Yanran got up to open it.
Standing in the doorway were seven or eight men. The leader wore a t-shirt, his exposed arms covered in full-sleeve tattoos, looking rakish and trashy—anyone could tell at a glance he was no good.
"Where's Chen Wanli?" The tattooed man lit a cigarette, took a drag, and blew the smoke right into Tang Yanran's face.
Before Tang Yanran could speak, the group pushed their way straight in.
"You must be Chen Wanli, right? Young Master Li said you took a million of his. Is that true?!"
The tattooed man took another puff, wearing an arrogant expression.
"Yes, and you are?" Chen Wanli asked with a smiling expression.
"My name is Zhao Min, and Li Tianyang is my friend! He asked me to help him collect a debt. Here's how it is: you return one million two hundred thousand right now, and we'll call it even!"
Zhao Min watched the tables at an underground casino. Li Tianyang was a regular there, and after bumping into each other a few times, they became familiar.
When Li Tianyang came over to play yesterday, he complained that someone had scammed him out of a million. Zhao Min volunteered himself to come help Li Tianyang get the money back.
Chen Wanli grinned. "Understood. Go back and tell Li Tianyang that last time was a repair fee — compensation for his car. If he's not satisfied, I'll make him pay another million. Clear?"
"Are you out of your damn mind? How are you talking to Brother Zhao?" a lackey behind Zhao Min pointed at Chen Wanli and shouted.
Chen Wanli pointed at Zhang Haimin, who was standing dumbfounded nearby, and said with a smile, "You know who this is, right?"
"If you want to collect debts, you'd better ask if he agrees!"
Zhang Haimin cleared his throat, put on an official tone, and was just about to speak when Zhao Min suddenly slammed his palm down on the table.
"I'm Fifth Master Huang's man! I don't care who the hell he is, collecting a debt is completely justified!" Zhao Min boldly stated his backing.
Zhang Yuehong and Tang Dapeng exchanged glances, their faces turning green. How on earth did they end up owing a million to people like this?
In a few short sentences, Tang Yanran explained how Li Tianyang had engineered a car crash and tried to extort them, only to end up paying a million instead.
Hearing this, Zhang Haimin looked at Chen Wanli with surprise.
*Well, well, he's even more ruthless than me!*
He immediately began scheming how to dismiss these people and then jack up the price even further. One million was too little — it had to be at least two million!
With that thought, Zhang Haimin looked at the thugs and put on a stern front. "You've all flipped the heavens! Daring to break into a private residence, is there any rule of law left?"
"Old man, cut the crap with your endless bullshit! I'm collecting a debt for Young Master Li Tianyang!" Zhao Min gave Zhang Haimin a slap right on top of the head.
He Shuya flew into a rage. "My husband is the bureau chief of the Binnan District Precinct! You're being too lawless!"
Zhao Min laughed, tilted his head, and one of his lackeys delivered a sharp backhand slap straight across He Shuya's face.
"If he's a bureau chief, then I'm the Director of the Security Directorate! Who can't brag?"
Normally, if Zhao Min heard the word "bureau chief," he might have quivered a bit.
But this time, Li Tianyang had promised that whatever million he got back would go straight to him, Zhao Min.
Zhao Min owed over eight hundred thousand at the casino. If he didn't pay up soon, his life would be on the line — what did he care whether the person in front of him was a real chief or a fake one?
"Bunch of piece-of-shit losers! Hand over the money, or I'll slice every last one of you today!"
As he spoke, Zhao Min pulled out a dagger and waved it menacingly.
The thugs he brought along were all red-eyed gamblers facing heavy losses; they weren't scared in the least, let alone aware of how much weight a precinct chief actually carried.
To intimidate the room, Zhao Min deliberately slapped Zhang Haimin a few more times.
Chen Wanli lazily watched his "cousin" take a beating. This guy named Zhao was truly adorable; by some rough mathematical approximation, wasn't this practically helping him vent his anger?
He figured he could spare Zhao Min a few punches later, Chen Wanli thought to himself.
Seeing Zhang Haimin and his wife getting beaten, Tang Yanran couldn't sit still anymore. She said in a deep voice, "The money, I can pay it ba—"
Before she could finish, Chen Wanli interrupted, "Let's take the money outside to talk! Our business shouldn't drag innocent people into it, right?"
As soon as those words left his mouth, Tang Dapeng panicked.
Going outside with these lawless thugs — could anything good possibly come of it?
Tang Yanran instinctively grabbed Chen Wanli's arm.
Zhao Min sneered. "You think you can just go outside because you say so? Wouldn't I lose all my face?"
Chen Wanli narrowed his eyes, a flash of impatience crossing his face. He shook off Tang Yanran's grip, stood up, whirled around, and kicked Zhao Min straight toward the front door.
Following up with a swift stride, he delivered another kick that sent Zhao Min tumbling right out of the doorway.
Seeing this, the pack of thugs swarmed out after him.
Someone closed the apartment door behind them.
With bloodshot eyes, Tang Dapeng rushed to follow them out, only to be grabbed firmly by Zhang Haimin. "Those hooligans don't know their own strength when they hit people — going out there is just marching to your death!"
Tang Yanran urged anxiously, "Hurry and call the police!"
Tang Dapeng stared straight at Zhang Haimin. "A policeman is sitting right here! Hurry up and call your men to get this sorted out. And Fifth Master Huang's matter—handle them both!"
"One million, I agree to it!"
Zhang Yuehong opened her mouth to protest, but ultimately nodded along as well.
Zhang Haimin looked thoroughly battered, yet at the mention of money, his eyes lit up with greed.
He had just taken a beating, so if he didn't fleece this fat sheep now, when would he?
"Brother-in-law, it's not that I'm raising the price on you, but you saw these fellows—they didn't even respect my authority as bureau chief. One million probably won't cut it! My word doesn't carry enough weight; I'll have to get a major leader to help!"
"It'll take two million!"
"Two million it is, then," Tang Dapeng said through gritted teeth.
In her heart, Zhang Yuehong cursed Chen Wanli as a troublemaker, but in the end, she didn't voice any objection.
"Don't worry, brother-in-law. Money makes the mare go, and with this sum, I guarantee I'll find a big shot to sort this out for us."
Zhang Haimin never expected Tang Dapeng to actually agree. While urging Tang Dapeng to transfer the funds, he pulled out his phone and put on a show of making calls.
...
Outside the apartment, Chen Wanli had no intention of reasoning with this pack of bastards.
With a flurry of swift moves, he knocked them all flat on the ground, dragged them into the elevator like dead dogs, and dumped them right outside the building entrance.
Bruised, battered, and furious, Zhao Min demanded, "I roll with Fifth Master Huang! Do you even know who Fifth Master Huang is?"
"If you dare touch Fifth Master Huang's people, the Master won't let you off without skinning you alive!"
Chen Wanli laughed. "Even a weasel standing right in front of me wouldn't dare talk like that, you know?"
Zhao Min sneered. *What a blower! Fifth Master Huang might not talk big, but he'll beat the shit out of you!*
Unable to swallow this insult and still wanting the money, he decided to call the casino manager. At worst, he'd split fifty-fifty of the million.
Pointing a finger at Chen Wanli, he spat, "You've got a big mouth, kid, just you wait while I call for backup!"
Zhao Min muttered into his phone off to the side for a while, and when he returned, his arrogance was even worse.
Chen Wanli couldn't be bothered to go back inside and face Zhang Haimin's hypocritical face, so he simply stood at the doorway to see what kind of ruckus these punks could stir up.
Before long, a convoy of five black Mercedes-Benzes pulled up one after another. Over a dozen thugs spilled out of the cars first, and stepping out from the last vehicle was none of other than Huang Shuyue.
...
...
...
Chapter 17: Give Me an Explanation Right Now
When Zhao Min saw Huang Shuyue, he was completely dumbfounded. *Was the casino manager that incredible? He actually managed to invite Fifth Master Huang himself?!*
"Fifth Master Huang is here in person! Kid, let's see how you die today!"
Zhao Min gritted his teeth and glared at Chen Wanli.
Chen Wanli curled his lips and cast a sympathetic look at Zhao Min.
The next second, Zhao Min's jaw dropped, hanging open and unable to close for a long time.
That terrifying, god-like Fifth Master Huang in his eyes was actually smiling warmly, reaching his hand out from afar as he walked straight toward Chen Wanli!
"Mr. Chen, I was blind before. I've come here specifically to apologize!"
As soon as he drew close, Huang Shuyue grabbed Chen Wanli's hand in both of his. "Mr. Chen's words are as good as gold, every single one of them came true — you truly are a divine being!"
The expression on Zhao Min's face froze solid. Not only was Fifth Master Huang not here to back him up, but he was acting this polite and respectful toward Chen Wanli?
"Heh, your token of appreciation is quite something!" Chen Wanli pointed at Zhao Min and his gang.
Huang Shuyue paused in confusion. "I—I don't know these people?"
"He claimed to be one of Fifth Master's men!"