Chapter 118 Jinjiang's Exclusive Appeal

After Li Yunyao returned, she worked hard from dawn till dusk, and now she has saved up quite a bit of money.

Li Xiaobao's health has improved significantly in the past two years, and he is already considering surgery for his child.

“I have enough money for Xiaobao’s surgery, and he will need to rest after the surgery. I think we should settle down in a big city, where medical care and education are better than in our small town.”

Su Ruyi nodded in agreement; she had given the same advice before.

However, the Li family had their own concerns, and Su Ruyi couldn't force them.

Do the two elders agree?

"As long as it's for the good of the children, they'll agree even if they're reluctant to leave here. They didn't go before because they didn't have the money."

It always feels uneasy for a large family to leave a familiar place.

Li Xiaobao needs a lot of money for medical treatment, so he dares not abandon everything he has now and leave. At least he doesn't have to worry about not having food here.

Furthermore, it's hard to leave one's homeland, especially for older people. There's no place like home, and they're reluctant to leave the place they've lived in for most of their lives, where everything they know and love is.

If they had wanted to move to the provincial capital before, they would have had to sell their current house. It represents a lifetime of memories for the two elders, and they would definitely be reluctant to part with it.

When I come back, I won't even have a place to stay.

Things are different now. Over the years, the whole family has worked hard to earn money. After deducting Li Xiaobao's medical expenses, there is still a surplus. We don't need to sell everything we own to settle down in the provincial capital, and we can still keep the house in the county.

"If there's anything I can help with, just let me know. I'll do my best to help if it's within my power."

Li Yunyao had clearly figured it out; the reason she had spoken to her so earnestly was that she wanted something from her.

“My career is now on track, and I can support my family without any problem. It’s just that if my parents go to the provincial capital, I don’t know what kind of work I can find for them to do.”

Old Li sells hula hoops and toys and other small items that Li Yunyao wholesales from the provincial capital in the county, while Grandma Sun helps out at the clothing factory canteen.

The two elderly people have a good monthly income and don't have a heavy workload.

The two elders were both people who couldn't sit still. After they went to the provincial capital and both of their children went to school, they had nothing to do most of the time.

Although she does cleaning and cooking at home, based on Li Yunyao's understanding of them, she still feels like she's just freeloading.

Some elderly people have been busy all their lives, and they feel uncomfortable when they actually stop. They are afraid that they will not be able to show their value when they get old, and they feel anxious and uneasy. Even if their children are able to provide for them in their old age and are very filial, they still feel uneasy.

Li Yunyao took the children to the provincial capital, which would definitely require the help of her parents, as she often neglects her family due to her business.

If the two elderly people were to stay at home, Grandma Sun would be fine, as she's gotten used to being busy with household chores all these years. But Old Li wouldn't be able to stay idle; he simply can't stand being idle.

Although the two elders have now agreed to go to the provincial capital, it was all a compromise for the sake of their child; in reality, they are very reluctant to give up what they have at hand.

Li Yunyao was unfamiliar with the provincial capital, so she asked Su Ruyi for help.

Su Ruyi smiled and said, "That's easy. They can rent a shop in the provincial capital and open a small store. My aunt opened a small store near the school. We can ask her where to get our goods and what products sell well. We can just follow her lead and adjust according to the specific situation later."

I bought several shops in my current neighborhood. One of them, a small one, is right at the entrance of the complex, perfect for a small shop. Once you get the tobacco license, as long as you sell cigarettes and alcohol, you won't have to worry about business. You can handle the purchasing, and the two of you can take turns running the shop—it won't be tiring, and you'll have something to do.”

Su Ruyi's current residential area and the surrounding area have developed significantly, with a considerable daily flow of people. In addition, two new schools have been built nearby, one primary school and one middle school, which are new campuses of prestigious schools in the city with strong teaching staff.

The property prices in Su Ruyi's neighborhood have also risen accordingly, and they are still increasing.

A new residential community gradually formed in that area, and generally speaking, the people living nearby all had some spare money.

If you open a small shop, business will definitely be good.

“I own another house, and a tenant is about to move out, so you can continue renting it. I can also help with the schooling for the two children, but if their household registration is not in the provincial capital, they will need to pay a tuition fee.”

Tong Yunyun is now attending that new primary school. Su Ruyi donated a batch of books to the school library, so she has some connections with the school leaders.

Li Yunyao's eyes immediately reddened. She wasn't surprised that Su Ruyi had already thought everything out for them. Given Su Ruyi's personality, her suggestion to send the whole family to the provincial capital must have been planned for them.

That's why they didn't dare to take any action until they had saved enough money, fearing they would cause Su Ruyi too much trouble.

"I really don't know how to thank you enough."

Su Ruyi smiled and said, "I'm not doing this for free. After you leave, I'll rent out the rest of this courtyard, except for the two elders' residence, and use it as an office."

"What do you mean rent! If I dare to take money, the old man and the old lady will beat me to death." Li Yunyao quickly waved her hand.

"Don't even think about waiving our rent. We don't want your money. We just hope your people can help us guard this yard. You know, many people have their eyes on this yard."

Mentioning this matter ignites a surge of anger in Li Yunyao's heart. Although the matter is over and those people have been brought to justice, the pain it caused is real and can never be completely forgotten, even if it heals.

Li Niannian still has nightmares at night, which is a lifelong shadow for the child and also a shadow for the parents.

Although the Zhao family is gone, it doesn't mean that no one else is not thinking about them.

Su Ruyi readily agreed, "Don't worry, I'm living off the rent, there's no way I won't charge you rent."

The Li family made their decision and acted swiftly. When Su Ruyi returned to the provincial capital, they went with her.

Because they were worried about Li Xiaobao's health, they even chartered a car to follow the moving truck.

Su Ruyi's house was now vacant, and Xiao Hui had sent people to clean it up so that people could move in immediately.

Li Yunyao was a fiery person, and the very next day, following the address given by Su Ruyi, she went to Tong Dahua to learn from her experience, and even helped her out for a few days.

Tong Dahua is a generous person, and since the two are not competitors, she shared all her experiences in opening a shop.

Seeing how well Tong Dahua's braised food business was doing, Li Yunyao's heart began to stir with desire again.

However, surgery and opening a small shop were definitely her priorities. With limited funds, she wasn't in a hurry to explore new avenues, but simply kept the matter in mind.

Su Ruyi returned from Liulin County but still did not meet with Lu Ting. The two seemed calm, but those around them could sense that something was wrong with their relationship.

Su Ruyi discovered that she and Zhang Qingfeng were running into each other more often.

He remained the same as before, not showing any particular closeness, yet his presence was still palpable.

For example, if the two bump into each other at a restaurant, Zhang Qingfeng will greet her, but he won't insist on eating with her. Instead, he will quietly pay for Su Ruyi's meal.

Or someone could bring Su Ruyi foreign fashion magazines and videotapes of various fashion shows, things that are not easy to buy in China.

Zhang Qingfeng's presence was the most noticeable, and what Su Ruyi couldn't refuse was that he found Li Xiaobao a top-notch cardiologist from abroad.

This expert had never visited China before, but Zhang Qingfeng used his family's connections to invite him over to perform surgery on Li Xiaobao.

Although he told Su Ruyi that the purpose of inviting this expert to China for academic exchanges was to promote the development of domestic medicine, and that this surgery was just a side effect.

Li Xiaobao and Su Ruyi didn't have much of a relationship, but it's impossible to say that he wasn't moved.

There were many similar incidents. After a series of well-intentioned but ultimately illicit actions, even knowing that Zhang Qingfeng's motives were impure, one had to admit that every punch hit the mark.

Su Ruyi felt that it was no wonder she fell for his suit pants in the story.

But that wasn't all. Just as Su Ruyi was wondering what other tricks he could use, Tong Dahua called her.

"As you wish...as you wish...come...come...coming!"

Tong Dahua was so excited that she couldn't even manage to utter a single sentence.

Su Ruyi didn't urge her, but told her to take a deep breath and stay calm.

Tong Dahua spent a long time trying to calm herself down, wasting a lot of money on phone calls. Normally, she would never make such a basic mistake, but now she was too excited and held the phone for a long time without letting go.

"Ruyi, the area has been demolished! It's really being demolished!"

Tong Dahua was so excited her voice cracked. Who would have thought that their remote, secluded place would actually be demolished!

This year, the village closest to the plastics factory had its land expropriated, and the compensation was incredibly enviable.

Their village is far from the plastics factory. Although there were rumors circulating, they were eventually found to be just hearsay.

Tong Dahua has been living in her newly built house for almost a year and has gradually adapted to her spacious life.

Unexpectedly, the demolition actually happened!

According to the demolition compensation terms, Tong Dahua's family received a very substantial amount of compensation, making them rich overnight!

The villagers who used to laugh at them for building such a big house are now extremely envious.

According to the compensation terms, it's too late for them to rebuild now, and the compensation for the haphazardly erected sheds won't be much.

The compensation terms are written in great detail, making it difficult to find loopholes.

The villagers didn't dare to cause trouble; the Zhang Group's reputation preceded them. Besides, there had been previous cases where villagers in villages slated for demolition made exorbitant demands, ultimately leading to developers abandoning the land altogether. They were even less likely to act recklessly.

Several families in the village have built large houses in recent years. These people are all capable people in the village. They have received a lot of compensation and will not take the lead in causing trouble, so people with ulterior motives have not dared to have any bad ideas.

"This is great! We'll use the money to buy a house in the provincial capital. We can't keep too much cash on hand!"

Tong Dahua readily agreed, then added, "Ruyi, there's something else that's been bothering me the more I think about it. I'm afraid it might be a trap."

"What's wrong?"

“The demolition compensation plan for our house has been calculated by the demolition office, but Qiaoqiao has compared it with the terms of the document and the numbers don’t match up.”

Su Ruyi's face immediately darkened; there was definitely something fishy about the demolition!

"Is it much less?"

"No, no, it's too much!"

"Too much?"

Tong Dahua was completely dazed. This matter came unexpectedly. It was said to be to prevent someone from maliciously setting up a fraudulent compensation scheme after getting the news.

Long ago, Zhang had already sent people over to measure and record everything.

Therefore, they all know exactly how much compensation each household should receive. As soon as the notice is posted, staff members come to their homes to explain the compensation they can receive.

The staff treated Tong Dahua's family very well, saying that they had been instructed by their superiors to take their family seriously and that they could raise any needs they might have.

"Qiaoqiao calculated it several times and said that according to the compensation terms, we couldn't pay that much money; it was almost half more. But the staff said that was the amount. We couldn't very well ask other families how much they were compensated, otherwise they would definitely come to ask us."

Tong Dahua understands the principle of not flaunting wealth.

Especially in recent years of doing business, I have come to realize the importance of this point.

There are many envious people in their family, and they have few able-bodied young men, so they have to be very careful.

Their family owned a lot of land. When the land was distributed, they weren't given much good farmland; instead, they were given a lot of unwanted mountain land. It seemed like a lot, but in reality, if they relied on farming to support themselves, they could barely make ends meet.

So much of it was used to plant fruit trees, which ironically resulted in them receiving even more compensation. They also built such a large house, making the compensation extremely substantial—enviable even nationwide.

Many people came to inquire about the situation, but they all gave vague answers.

Su Ruyi pursed her lips: "I'll go over there tomorrow to see what's going on. You guys need to be careful lately. Although no one knows exactly how much money you'll get, we can guess quite a bit. You're definitely being watched."

Su Ruyi shared several representative cases of people being targeted after their homes were demolished, including those involving Lu Ting and herself. These stories made Tong Dahua gasp in shock, and she repeatedly promised to be careful.

The next morning, Su Ruyi chartered a car to Tong Dahua's convenience store.

The family moved back to their shop and dared not stay in the village any longer.

"As soon as we returned to the village, we were surrounded by people, all wanting to know exactly how much money we lost," Tong Dahua said, both excited and distressed.

Su Ruyi: "It's better to stay in town. It saves us from having to travel at night, which is not safe."

They close the shop late at night, so they have to leave one person there to watch the shop.

There are only a few people in the family, and the only able-bodied men are Tong Dahua and Zhang Shitou. It's fine normally, but it's very unsafe for the family to be separated now.

Su Ruyi took the documents and materials and carefully calculated them.

Zhang Qiaoqiao's calculations were correct; the compensation offered by the Zhang family was indeed more than the original amount.

Tong Dahua added, "Their measurements are also incorrect; they measured more than we did."

Su Ruyi frowned slightly, and couldn't help but think of Zhang Qingfeng, who was in charge of this matter.

Was Zhang Qingfeng doing this on purpose to please her, or was Zhang Shi just that kind-hearted?

Su Ruyi preferred the former. Although the Zhang Group had a good reputation, had done a lot of charity work over the years, and offered good employee benefits, one thing is one thing.

The actual implementation may be more lenient than the terms stated, but it shouldn't be that much different.

"Since they say it's no problem, let's do as they say," Su Ruyi said.

Tong Dahua was still somewhat apprehensive: "Are you really alright?"

When such a huge windfall comes along, the excitement is followed by more fear.

"Don't worry, just follow their decisions as long as we don't lose out."

Tong Dahua was finally relieved. She now had complete faith in Su Ruyi, and if Su Ruyi said it was definitely alright, then everything would be fine.

"Don't mention the demolition to the Tong family," Su Ruyi instructed. "Even if they get the news and ask, don't tell them how much money they received."

In recent years, apart from holidays, Tong Dahua has been too busy with her business to go back to the Tong family home.

Every time I go back, I put my things down and leave in a hurry.

The Zhang family's three children never went with them before, and now they are even less willing to go there.

They were made to do all the work, but they weren't even fed properly, and they would get scolded. Nobody wanted to go.

Zhang Dagui used to feel useless and unable to speak because of his disability. Now that he has started earning money, he is no longer as silent as before. When the children are unwilling to go, he tells Tong Dahua not to take the children to suffer.

In addition, Su Ruyi would support her two younger sisters, so Tong Dahua would be even less likely to bring up the matter.

As for Zhang Shitou, Tong Dahua would never take him under her wing again. She had taken him under her wing once before, and Zhang Shitou was almost bullied to death.

The Tong family knew that Tong Dahua was doing well now, and they often asked her for money.

Over the years, Tong Dahua has developed a habit that makes it difficult for her to completely ignore her parents.

Other things aside, the two elders of the Tong family said they were ill, and as their daughter, she had to show them some support.

However, Zhang Dagui now manages most of the family's money because he is literate and can do accounting, so he doesn't take much money back with him.

Each time she goes back, she usually brings gifts with her; she rarely gives money directly.

Now that Tong Dahua's life is better, she no longer tries so hard to please her family as before, and she also starts to plan for her own family.

However, now that she suddenly has so much money, Su Ruyi is still a little worried that she won't be able to handle it.

Tong Dahua felt embarrassed, understanding what Su Ruyi was worried about, and nodded in agreement.

Su Ruyi has fulfilled her duty to remind her, and as for whether Tong Dahua can hold on, she can't keep an eye on her forever.

However, judging from the current situation, Zhang Dagui is a very opinionated person. He used to be bound by his body, but now he has discovered that he is useful and is no longer as silent as before.

Tong Dahua received affirmation and support from Zhang Dagui, and she no longer craved her family's approval as much as before.

Despite their arrogance in Liulin County, the Tong family members are all cowards when it comes to actually coming out.

The following evening, Su Ruyi ran into Zhang Qingfeng again at a restaurant.

This time, Zhang Qingfeng didn't just nod at her and leave as he had done before; instead, he walked over.

"Why are you alone again? Where's your boyfriend?" Zhang Qingfeng asked curiously.

Su Ruyi did not answer directly, her expression somewhat unpleasant, and changed the subject, saying, "What a coincidence."

Zhang Qingfeng smiled and glanced at the chair opposite her: "Do you mind if I sit down?"

Su Ruyi slightly raised her chin: "Whatever."

Zhang Qingfeng took off his suit jacket, hung it behind the chair, pulled out the chair, and sat down, his whole movement elegant and composed.

“It’s not a coincidence. I came here specifically to eat at this restaurant, and I know you like coming here too.”

Su Ruyi raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

Zhang Qingfeng didn't answer further. Instead, he called over a waiter and ordered several dishes for himself, all of which Su Ruyi liked.

“I’m in charge of the Xinghuacun project. I know where your aunt lives. Our company will definitely make reasonable arrangements.”

Unlike before, Zhang Qingfeng did not subtly influence others, but instead made his efforts clear.

"No wonder my aunt offered such good compensation terms."

"Of course, the old man repeatedly told us to be different from others since we're all family."

"Thank you very much."

Zhang Qingfeng smiled and brought up Su Ruyi's investment in television programs.

He is a very talkative person with a wide range of knowledge. He can participate in conversations about anything and has his own insights.

The two had a very pleasant conversation over the meal.

Zhang Qingfeng escorted Su Ruyi downstairs and watched her get into the elevator before leaving.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Su Ruyi's smile vanished.

When she arrived at her doorstep, Lu Ting was already standing there waiting, looking rather displeased.

Su Ruyi wasn't surprised and greeted him with a smile: "Jealous?"

"This guy really has a lot of tricks up his sleeve." Lu Ting gritted his teeth, sensing the danger in his heart.

Although he trusted Su Ruyi, this offensive was too intense.

If their relationship really had problems, it wouldn't be surprising if Su Ruyi was tempted.

It's not because of the amount of money spent, but because of the sentiment behind it.

Su Ruyi and Lu Ting's cold war was just an act; in reality, they often got together when they got home at night.

Their neighborhood has good security, so they can't send anyone to keep watch. As long as they don't say anything, no one will know.

Su Ruyi opened the door, led him inside, and then gave him a passionate kiss as soon as she closed the door.

Lu Ting's anxious heart gradually calmed down.

Su Ruyi asserted, "It's so much trouble, effort, and money involved; the photos must be related to him."

The cold war between the two was all an act. Since the other party wanted to see them fall apart, then so be it.

Sure enough, Zhang Qingfeng followed soon after.

Although they waited very cautiously for almost half a month, and were always gentlemanly and not abrupt, they still couldn't hide their underlying scheming.

Zhang Qingfeng couldn't wait any longer. His current situation within the Zhang Group was dire; his previous mistake had left him with only the Zhang Real Estate project. Li Mingzhe's promotion to president of the Zhang Group, along with several of his cousins ​​joining the company, created a significant sense of crisis for him.

Su Ruyi is currently favored by Grandpa Zhang, who intends to set her up as a role model.

As a result, Zhang Qingfeng saw a shortcut to quickly gain the favor of Old Master Zhang.

Although Zhang Qingfeng hasn't directly expressed his feelings yet, he's been flaunting his love for Su Ruyi like a peacock displaying its feathers; even a blind man could see what he was up to.

He had a whole host of ways to flatter, but not a single word he said was true.

If Su Ruyi really does have feelings for him because of this and starts taking the initiative, he'll probably just look innocent and say, "That's not what I meant."

Su Ruyi, having been through countless battles, immediately recognized that this man was a scheming, manipulative woman.

He enjoys women throwing themselves at him because it allows him to shirk responsibility.

However, to Su Ruyi's surprise, unlike in the novel, Zhang's Real Estate Development did not engage in any shady dealings and appeared to be operating very properly.

Could it be that Zhang Qingfeng has been wronged in this regard, or is it actually that 'she' is not thinking clearly and did such an outrageous thing?

Su Ruyi was completely baffled, but she thought it best to operate in a proper manner to avoid damaging the reputation of the Zhang Group.

Lu Ting pushed a stack of photos in front of Su Ruyi and said, "This person is not honest. He is dating three girlfriends at the same time and has several other ambiguous relationships."