After dinner, Xie Baolian retired to her room early, feigning sleep. In reality, she wanted to give the two of them more time alone, and there was a more important reason: she longed to hold her grandson.
That night, Li Haochen not only was excused from household chores but also enjoyed the service of a devoted beauty who attended to his every need, massaging him, pouring tea, and offering fruit. Li Haochen even wished he could stay sick for a couple more days; it was no wonder children nowadays loved to get sick.
Li Haochen didn't push his luck; any more boldness might have resulted in a painful pinch to his ear. Seeing that it was still early, he took Murong Yanran for a moonlit stroll by the sea.
They arrived at the beach outside the village, slipped off their slippers, and stepped onto the soft sand, the sea breeze feeling wonderfully comfortable.
In the distance, a few flashlights were blinking, likely from people catching sand crabs. The couple held hands, savoring the tranquility, walking along the edge of the beach. Along the way, they saw many couples embracing and kissing passionately under the coconut trees. Fortunately, there were no more intimate displays, and Li Haochen and Murong Yanran consciously steered clear to avoid disturbing their sweet moment.
They were no longer novices, so seeing such scenes didn't stir much reaction. Young people, after all, understood.
"I'm going home for a few days soon. My cousin is getting married. Do you have time?"
"What day is it?"
"The 12th. I need to go back a bit early."
"The 12th? That might not be possible. I have a reception duty for a provincial leader..."
Li Haochen's disappointment flashed and quickly subsided as he comforted her, "It's alright. I'll take you home at the end of the year."
The November night was no longer warm. If one wore thin clothing, it could feel a bit chilly. Murong Yanran brushed her arm as if about to speak when Li Haochen squatted down. "It's getting cold. I'll carry you back."
"Okay."
Murong Yanran nestled onto Li Haochen's back, her arms wrapped around his neck, a sweet smile on her face…
The next morning, Murong Yanran woke up to a phone call, her smile unbroken.
"What's wrong? So happy?"
"It is rather happy. The regional general managers from two travel companies, Tuniu and Ctrip, are coming to discuss cooperation this afternoon. If we reach an agreement, the annual tourist volume will be very large."
"Really? That's great." Li Haochen was also happy for Murong Yanran. The situation had turned around. As long as there were no obstacles with the seafood supply, there would be no major issues. Once the other boat was ready and coordinated with their own resources, it could support a fifth of the hotel's needs. Even if the remaining four-fifths couldn't be secured, the hotel wouldn't collapse.
"Then I'll head off first. I need to go back and prepare the documents. Don't wait for me for dinner tonight."
"Hey, hey… Take it easy!"
While Murong Yanran's hotel flourished, bringing her smiles, Mu Zhengtao was shrouded in gloom.
He had been determined to crush Binhai Grand Hotel and seize the land to undertake a grand project. Unexpectedly, policies changed, and the high-speed rail station was no longer being built. The news almost made him spit blood with anger.
During the deep-sea fishing competition, he had spent over a billion to acquire seafood, only to be outmaneuvered by the Hong family, leaving the catches to rot in the sea. The losses were devastating.
"Damn it, why did they stop the high-speed rail? And that damned Hong family." Mu Zhengtao downed an entire glass of foreign liquor in one gulp and slammed his fist onto the table. The wine glasses on the table were sent crashing to the floor and shattered. His nerves of pain seemed to have gone numb.
"Alright, what's the use of giving up? This isn't something we can control. Small ventures do small things, big ventures do big things. If the share is reduced, we just shrink our scope. The family isn't going to starve without this share. This money is enough." Zhang Ziqi took the wine bottle from Mu Zhengtao's hand and carefully cleaned up the scattered glass shards.
"Alas… Some things can't be undone." Mu Zhengtao lit a cigarette, gazed into the distance, and felt a sense of helplessness.
"How has Shaoyang been recently? He's so big now yet still so ignorant, always causing trouble. How can we entrust the family to him in the future?"
"Don't worry, Old Liu is quite reliable. If it weren't for Old Liu's advice last time, Shaoyang wouldn't have resolved the issue so smoothly. I spoke with him yesterday, and Shaoyang has been much more focused lately."
"Mmm…"
Liu Zhenhua is reliable? He's extremely reliable, truly a Hollywood director level trickster, who had left Li Haochen utterly bewildered. The staged kidnapping and extortion scheme not only swindled Mu Zhengtao's money but also earned Mu Shaoyang's unsuspecting trust.
Meanwhile, in a villa in New York's affluent district, the two were hunched over the table, scrutinizing the script's details. That's right, the one million US dollars they had conned from Mu Zhengtao last time had been mostly spent. Currently, Mu Shaoyang was studying the script designed by Liu Zhenhua, preparing to swindle his father's money again.
Seeing Mu Shaoyang so seriously engrossed in his studies, Liu Zhenhua inwardly sneered. Looking at the idiotic Mu Shaoyang was like looking at countless banknotes.
"Young Master, don't blame me. Blame your stingy old man. I've followed him for so many years, and he's never given me any benefits. Your life or death depends on your luck." Liu Zhenhua narrowed his eyes, a malicious glint flashing across them before quickly returning to his deferential butler demeanor.
"Uncle Liu, I feel this part isn't detailed enough. I've made a slight modification. Like this…"
Upon hearing this, Liu Zhenhua couldn't help but give Mu Shaoyang a big thumbs-up. He was thinking even further ahead, with each step interlocking, making it impossible not to believe.
"Young Master, I've realized you have immense talent in this area. The plan is too perfect. If you were to make movies, you'd definitely become famous."
Liu Zhenhua's flattery sent Mu Shaoyang into a daze. He waved his hand grandly, "Hahaha, I think so too. Since the plan is complete, let's celebrate tonight. One for Russia and one for Japan, then we can switch things up, eh, hehe!"
"Young Master, you have fun. I'm too old and my strength is failing."
"Alright, then you help me arrange it. I'll go take a bath first."
Liu Zhenhua picked up the perfected plan by Mu Shaoyang, watching his retreating back, a slight curve to his lips, revealing a sinister smile. "This is a plan you've personally perfected. I wonder how you'll feel when the charade becomes reality, hehe!"
After calling two sexy women for Mu Shaoyang, Liu Zhenhua clutched the plan and walked out. His own future happiness was at stake, so Liu Zhenhua had to rehearse every step thoroughly before implementation.
Inside, Mu Shaoyang, seeing the two sexy sirens Liu Zhenhua had arranged for him, could no longer contain himself. The little blue pill was already taking effect, and he immediately rushed forward, like a wolf in a flock of sheep, laughing excitedly, with the vigor of a thirty-second gallop.
While Mu Shaoyang was lost in a tender embrace, Li Haochen was busy equipping his yacht, the "Starry Night." He first went to the hardware store to buy a 24V 4500lb electric winch, then visited Huang Haibo's stainless steel shop.
"Uncle Bo, are you busy?"
"Oh, Haochen. Long time no see. What's up?"
Li Haochen then explained his idea.
"Haochen, this will have to be done on your boat on-site. Otherwise, if the dimensions aren't right, it won't be good."
"Alright, then I'll trouble you."