After the opening of Yaochi Garden, Yang Jian began to prepare for the wedding.
The marital home was in Chengguan, but the wedding was to be held in his hometown. As the Yaochi Hotel was still under renovation, the banquet had to be booked at the Xinqiao Grand Hotel.
Biao Biao and Liang Liang were responsible for sending out invitations, while Jing Yongli was in charge of contacting the banquet emcee.
Yang Jian, accompanied by Lu Yao and their son, toured Yaochi Garden. It featured a Suzhou-style garden with small bridges and flowing water, winding paths, a sea of blooming azaleas, and the thrilling Journey to the West Palace.
The most attractive feature was the viewing platform by the Xiao Sha River. This platform, one hundred meters wide and a kilometer long, was adorned with greenery and various amusement facilities, including a roller coaster, go-karts, and a Ferris wheel, all well-equipped and not even available in Chengguan.
There were also water activities, primarily boat rides, with a dedicated beach and swimming pool.
"Dad, this place is so fun! Can we come again tomorrow?"
Yang Zhengyuan, having had a blast at the amusement park, was reluctant to leave.
Yang Jian held him and said, "Zheng Zheng, you can come here every day because it's all ours."
"Wow, it's all ours? Does that mean it's free?"
"Yes, it's free. You can play however you want."
"That's great! I'll live with Grandpa and Grandma here every day from now on."
Lu Yao chuckled, "You wish. In a little over a month, you'll be going to kindergarten in Chengguan. You can only come visit Grandpa and Grandma during holidays."
"Mom, isn't there a kindergarten here?"
Yang Zhengyuan clearly didn't want to leave Yang Li Village.
Lu Yao wasn't sure if there was a kindergarten there, so she looked at Yang Jian.
Yang Jian was also unsure. "There's a primary school here. I don't know about kindergartens. By the way, Yaoyao, if Zheng Zheng goes to school in Chengguan, won't you have to stay there long-term? I was planning to hand over the management of Yaochi Garden to you."
"I can't manage it. I'm not good at business. My mom has already spoken to the Experimental Middle School. I'll go back to teaching next semester; that's the profession I love the most."
"Is it necessary to work so hard? We're not short of money now."
"It's not about money. I love teaching and interacting with children. If you make me do nothing all day, I'll feel very uncomfortable."
"Alright then, I support whatever you want to do. The quality of education in Chengguan is good, and Zheng Zheng needs to go to school there too."
As they were talking, Feng Wu called.
"Xiao Wu, what's up?"
"Brother Jian, someone is looking for you at the security department."
"Who is it?"
"He said his name is Wu Laizi, and he just got out of prison."
"Wu Laizi?"
Yang Jian was surprised. Lu Yao's expression also changed upon hearing the name. This person was her nightmare. She had almost forgotten about him over the years, and now, just a few days after his return, he had shown up again.
"Brother Jian, do you want to see him? If not, I'll send him away."
"How many people are with him?"
"Two, but only he came in. The other one stayed in the car."
"Tell him to wait, I'll be right there. Search him and the car for any weapons."
Now that he had a wife and child, Yang Jian was extra cautious. Someone like Wu Laizi was dangerous and had to be guarded against.
"Brother Jian, should I go with you?"
Lu Yao also wanted to know why Wu Laizi had come looking for them.
Yang Jian thought for a moment and said, "You don't need to go. Take Zheng Zheng home. Don't let him see you and the child."
Lu Yao took the child and rode a sightseeing car back to Yang Li Village.
Yang Jian, however, headed to the security department alone.
"Brother Jian, they didn't bring any weapons, and they even bought a lot of gifts."
Feng Wu was already waiting at the entrance.
Yang Jian glanced at the car parked outside and followed Feng Wu into the security department office.
Wu Laizi, with his head shaved, immediately knelt on the ground upon seeing Yang Jian.
Yang Jian was taken aback. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Mr. Yang, I just got out of prison. I haven't gone home yet, so I came to your place first to apologize. I'm sorry for hurting your girlfriend and sister before. I was blinded by my impulses. I was wrong. You can do whatever you want with me, beat me or kill me."
This approach was taught to him by Shen Bing. Only by admitting defeat could Yang Jian possibly let him off the hook.
Feng Wu, standing nearby, seemed confused. "Brother Jian, what's going on? Sister Hui was injured by him?"
Yang Jian nodded. "Yes, it was him. What do you think should be done? I've been waiting for him to get out, and now he's delivered himself right to my door."
"Then what are we waiting for? Kill him! My Sister Hui still suffers from the after-effects of his beating. So it was you, you bastard, who did it."
After speaking, Feng Wu kicked Wu Laizi in the face and then proceeded to punch and kick him.
Wu Laizi could only curl up on the ground, protecting his head, not daring to resist at all. He knew that after taking this beating, he would be safe. Otherwise, he would always have to guard against Yang Jian's retaliation and might even lose his life.
"Forget it, Xiao Wu, stop hitting him. Make him kneel and talk."
Yang Jian, seeing that the beating had gone on long enough, called out to stop Feng Wu.
Feng Wu delivered one last kick. "Get up and kneel. Answer questions honestly, or I'll cripple you."
Wu Laizi had tough skin, and Feng Wu's bare hands didn't cause him significant harm. He immediately knelt before Yang Jian.
Yang Jian pulled up a stool and sat down. "Did you really get out of prison today?"
"Yes, I have proof from the prison. It's in the car. Do you want me to show you?"
"No need. Didn't Brother Mao and Bao Guo come to pick you up?"
"No, only that brother outside came to pick me up. He said Brother Mao and Bao Guo have both run off and are not in Chengguan."
"Does your brother know where Brother Mao and Bao Guo are?"
San Pang's incident had put immense pressure on Yang Jian. Several months had passed, and there was still no news from Yang Fan. The possibility of finding San Pang through him was slim; the breakthrough still had to come from Brother Mao.
Wu Laizi's brother should know more about Brother Mao and Bao Guo's situation. Since he had shown up today, he had to be utilized properly.
"I just asked him. He doesn't know where Brother Mao went. He said Bao Guo is in Hancheng and is still running the drug business in Chengguan."
Wu Laizi wanted to gain Yang Jian's forgiveness and hid nothing from him.
Upon hearing this, Yang Jian was overjoyed. "Wu Laizi, I can forgive you, and I'll even give you some settlement money. You must be short of cash after just getting out."
"Thank you, Mr. Yang, thank you, Mr. Yang. I don't need any settlement money. I'm already grateful enough to receive your forgiveness. If you ever need me in the future, I won't hesitate." Wu Laizi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This hurdle had finally been cleared. As long as Yang Jian didn't cause him trouble, he could still make a comeback in the lake area.
"I haven't finished speaking yet. I can forgive you, but you have to help me do one thing. If you do it well, I'll not only forgive you but also give you a hundred thousand yuan. If you try to deceive me, don't blame me for turning hostile."
To find Brother Mao, Yang Jian could only use Wu Laizi, employing a combination of threats and rewards to force his compliance.