Chapter 1 Romantic Sauna

In the Longcheng Island Kou District, inside the Romantic Sauna Club, Yang Dong walked out of the sauna room, tore off the bath towel around his waist, revealing a full back tattoo, bent over, and sat down in the huge hot tub.

Beside him, Yu Zheng lay on the massage bed in the pool, muttering with his eyes closed, "Zhou Peng is gone, Jing Yan is also dead, it's scary!"

Yang Dong was the president of the Island Kou District Stevedore Association. He had fought his way up from the bottom, and every move he made exuded a strong, rough aura. "This pig, fattened for a year, is bound to die in the first month of the year. In recent years, our Stevedore Association has been grabbing resources and meddling in councilor elections, spreading the business wider and wider. Now it's so fat it's dripping with oil. Whether it's the number of members or the radiating industries, it's all mouth-watering. So if I were Lao Li or Commander Tan, there's no way I could let go of this fat pig! Now it depends on who's more skilled and can snatch it."

Yu Zheng opened his eyes: "Then who do you think can grab it?"

Yang Dong wiped the sweat from his face: "Who the hell can say for sure, even God can't figure it out! But now it looks like Lao Li has a slight advantage, after all, he holds the power of the government."

"It won't work if you can't say for sure!" Yu Zheng slowly sat up and reached for the teacup from the food tray floating on the water. "...We're stuck in the middle of two groups of people, it's very uncomfortable, we have to choose a direction."

Yang Dong was a little stunned when he heard this: "Old Yu, didn't we already have a direction?"

Yu Zheng took a sip of tea: "You mean Zhang Ming?"

"Yes." Yang Dong replied without hesitation: "We didn't change our position when Zhou Peng died, now you want to change employers again? Isn't that unnecessary?!"

Yu Zheng was almost sixty years old this year. He was a true social old-timer, with a very complex mind and many considerations: "Didn't you just say that Lao Li has the advantage now!"

Yang Dong reached for a piece of watermelon from the food tray, nibbled on it, and replied: "He has the advantage, that's right, and he's likely to win in the end, but what does that have to do with us?"

"If Tan Hengqiang loses, how can it not be related to us?" Yu Zheng retorted.

"Oh, Old Yu, you think about things too complicatedly, you're too worried about gains and losses." Yang Dong wiped the corner of his mouth and frowned, "Even if Tan Hengqiang loses, so what? At worst, we'll just quit the association? With the garrison protecting us, are you still afraid of not having a way to make money?"

Yu Zheng was silent for a long time: "But what if one day, Tan Hengqiang is unwilling to protect you anymore?"

"...!" Yang Dong looked speechless: "Why wouldn't he want to protect us? I'm obedient, I can make money for him, and I don't take up any resources. We'll just be dogs in peace, and he'll give us a doghouse that can shelter us from the wind and rain, isn't that a win-win situation?"

Yu Zheng slowly shook his head: "I still don't feel at ease. If Lao Li wins and successfully supports Wei Xiangzuo to power, then all the results of our years of hard work in the Stevedore Association will be like throwing money down the drain. And the value we show on Tan Hengqiang's side is not very high, and he might abandon us too..."

"Old Yu! If you look at the problem like this, then people can't live." Yang Dong said casually: "Some scientists even say that there will be drastic changes on Earth in a hundred years, and humanity will be extinct! So what? If we hear this, are we just going to stop living? Are we going to hang ourselves tomorrow?!"

Yu Zheng held the teacup and did not respond.

"Don't think so much. Five years ago, who would have thought that the Mexican government army would fight so beautifully? And beat the rebels so helplessly?! Three years ago, who would have thought that the president of our Stevedore Association could die?" Yang Dong curled his lips and replied: "Tonight, the two of us are sitting here, you know you're taking a bath, but tomorrow morning, can you say for sure which bed you'll be sleeping in? Maybe in a while you'll go back and get a call from some woman, and you won't go home tonight! Right?"

Yu Zheng looked at Yang Dong with a strange expression: "Did you secretly take money from Tan Hengqiang? Is that why your position is so firm?"

Yang Dong was obviously stunned for a moment: "No! Zhang Ming only gave money once, but didn't we both return it all?"

"Really?" Yu Zheng asked.

"Oh, why would I lie to you about this, I really didn't take Zhang Ming's money." Yang Dong replied very seriously: "I just think we can't waver anymore. Now that we've contacted Commander Tan, let's stick to our position, do our best, and leave the rest to fate! I think that even if things fail, if we work hard, people won't treat us badly."

"Okay, then let's do as you say." Yu Zheng seemed to be persuaded and lay back on the massage bed with his eyes closed.

Yang Dong grinned at him and asked softly, "Do you want me to call one over to taste your hookah?"

"No, I'm tired."

"Haha, then I'll go."

"Go!" Yu Zheng waved his hand.

After the two finished talking, Yang Dong left the pool and went out to find a place to have fun.

Yu Zheng looked at his back with a complex expression.

Half an hour later, Yu Zheng left the sauna club, sat in the car, and dialed a number: "Tell the other side, I'm willing to meet them."

"Okay!"

...

In Zha Nan District, in front of the Su family compound.

After Su Tianyu and Da Xiong finished eating at home, they came out for a walk together.

"...Little Yu, is Third Sister in love?" Da Xiong asked with his head lowered, his face green.

Su Tianyu turned to look at him: "Yeah, she's in love."

"Oh, that's good too."

"Brother, some things can't be forced." Su Tianyu understood Da Xiong's thoughts and patted him on the shoulder: "...Just like Mingyuan and Wen Xiaorou, they even got their marriage certificate, but they still got divorced in the end."

"I understand... I understand...!" Da Xiong was a simple yet complex person. If his life hadn't been stable recently, and if he hadn't made a name for himself in the amateur league, he would never have had the courage to give Third Sister a gift.

Before leaving Longcheng, Da Xiong had very little confidence in himself and was very inferior.

But after entering the amateur league, with his hard work, he almost swept a weight class and cultivated his confidence. But as soon as he came back, everything changed.

The two walked under the streetlights, and Su Tianyu said softly: "To be honest, my Third Sister is several years older than you, the two of you aren't a good match in age, and your personalities are even more mismatched. You have a good impression of her, maybe just because she's kind and took care of you a lot when she was in the sanitation department, but that's not love, brother! Later... I'll introduce you to a good girl, definitely the right size for you!"

Da Xiong slowly raised his head and whispered: "...No... no need, I'll focus on my career first! I also wish Third Sister to find a good family, I... I'm not a pervert!"

"Haha, good!" Su Tianyu nodded.

The two walked and talked, their figures stretched long on the dark street.

...

Two days later.

Gu Baishun's mother's funeral was held, and Su Tianyu, who had been waiting for several days, also went to attend the funeral.