Here's the plan: let Banggeng work as your apprentice for now and learn to cook from you!

See, you've easily accomplished a moral blackmail.

However, and this is important to note, Yi Zhonghai no longer thinks that way.

Sha Zhu has a son! And Xiao Dang too, he now has both a son and a daughter!

With Sha Zhu having an heir, Yi Zhonghai no longer needs to worry about his retirement.

Based on their long-standing relationship, Yi Zhonghai simply made a deliberate effort to repair his relationship with Sha Zhu.

The two of them were back to normal. Sha Zhu was still his pillar, and he was still Sha Zhu's uncle.

This time, Sha Zhu opened this restaurant, and he invested in it.

Yi Zhonghai has invested his entire life savings; do you think he'd let that rotten apple spoil the whole bunch?

Why is Sha Zhu so resolute and agitated today? Because Yi Zhonghai had given him a heads-up beforehand.

"Zhu Zi, you need to be careful of Qin Huairu."

Why should I be careful around her?

"Hehe, why are you saying be careful of her! What if she suggests that Bang Geng come over here? What will you say to her then?"

"..."

And so, today we have this scene where Sha Zhu answers Qin Huairu with three loud bangs.

Watching Qin Huairu walk away from Sha Zhu's door, cursing and swearing, Yi Zhonghai continued watching TV with a smile on his face.

Qin Huairu grew angrier the more she thought about it; this matter couldn't just be left like this!

She walked straight to the door of Banggeng's small room and kicked it open.

As expected, Banggeng is lying in bed again.

He's out of money again, and now he owes Xu Damao 150 yuan! Doesn't he need to lie down and think carefully about how to pay it back?

Looking at Qin Huairu's furrowed brows and sullen eyes, with an expression as if her mother had died, Bang Geng felt nauseous.

I had porridge again tonight, and the steamed corn bread was irritating my throat. Even now, the porridge I ate still makes my heart ache.

He simply turned over, turning his back to Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu didn't tolerate him and immediately yanked off his blanket: "Get up!"

Banggeng pulled the blanket back, too lazy to even acknowledge her.

Qin Huairu roared angrily, "Do you even have any humanity left?"

Here we go again, Banggeng said impatiently, "Are you ever going to stop?"

"This isn't over! Get up right now! I'm telling you, you'd better go and beg your Uncle Zhu to let you work at his restaurant!"

Who are you asking, you idiot Zhu? Are you out of your mind?! He's so stupid, how could he possibly run a restaurant? It'll probably go bankrupt in a few days!

Banggeng immediately covered his head with the blanket: "Go if you want, don't bother me!"

His unyielding attitude made Qin Huairu wish she could die with him...

But there was nothing she could do; it was her catchphrase after all!

※※※※※※

About two or three days later, Bang Geng suddenly organized a gathering.

Xu Damao has been staying home these past two days because he's worried, while Cao Zhengyang is keeping an eye on the parts factory.

When Bang Geng suddenly showed up to invite him to dinner, Xu Damao straightened his tie and said, "I won't go to anything low-class. It has to be at least Qili Pavilion. Kid, can you afford it?"

Bang Geng didn't pretend: "I can't afford it, but it's not like I'm treating you to dinner today, you'll see when you get there."

Xu Damao figured that it seemed Smiling Tiger was inviting him to dinner today, so he decided to let Thunder Tiger know beforehand and then insincerely agreed to Bang Geng's invitation.

No sooner had he left than Xu Damao went up to Lei Hu's house.

Chen Yan happened to be home, and when she saw him, she said to Ben Lei Hu, "Look at Director Xu, he looks so smart and handsome in that suit. Shall I buy you one too?"

Benleihu refused without hesitation: "No, look at his clothes, they're so tight! This isn't clothing, it's a headband! How can he move around freely wearing this?"

Xu Damao: Crows fly by... fly by... fly by...

After clearing his throat twice to ease the awkwardness, he said to Benleihu, "Banggeng suddenly said he wanted to treat me to dinner. I'm guessing that he's the person you're looking for."

Benleihu clenched his fists: "Has the location been decided?"

"Not yet. I said I'd go to Qili Pavilion, but I reckon they probably wouldn't dare."

If they really were a smiling tiger and a stick-like creature, they definitely wouldn't dare.

Qili Pavilion is Fatty's territory, and the kitchen is never short of knives. Doesn't Smiling Tiger fear that Fatty will call people to kill him?

After delivering the message, Xu Damao went home to stay.

He's a rather interesting person, actually.

When I watched the TV series, I thought he was quite the womanizer, falling in love with every girl he met. How could someone like that stay still?

But in reality, Xu Damao is incredibly conservative.

He doesn't dance, doesn't watch videos, and doesn't go to places of trouble...

Xu Damao now seems to be living a life of taking care of Xu Xiyue and Qin Jingru, mother and daughter.

"..."

As evening fell, Xu Damao got up to keep his appointment.

On the other side, Thunder Tiger was already prepared.

He summoned three elite soldiers, each of whom was carrying something hidden on their person.

If Fatty were here, he would recognize it at a glance; isn't this still the Athena Exclamation that he invented back then?

Pshaw, it's all mixed up with Saint Seiya...

It was the four-person group that he organized.

The four of them worked together seamlessly, combining offense and defense, making it impossible for seven or eight people to get close to them.

Seeing Xu Damao and Banggeng leave, Benleihu led his men to follow them.

Despite her worries, Chen Yan never held her man back on important matters.

I just reminded them that they all have families to support, so they shouldn't act impulsively.

Bang Geng indeed didn't dare to take Xu Damao to Qili Pavilion for dinner.

Instead, they went to a newly opened Chongqing hot pot restaurant.

This was something that didn't exist in the capital in the past; its main focus was on authentic flavor.

The spicy broth is served with a sesame oil dipping sauce, and the ingredients for dipping are all specialties from the Sichuan and Chongqing regions, such as tripe, duck intestines, beef aorta, and kidney slices.

Ever since he tried it once, Smiling Tiger has loved the spiciness of chili peppers.

The feeling of eating spicy hot pot while drinking ice-cold soda is something only those who have experienced it can understand!

This was Xu Damao's first meeting with Smiling Tiger.

Back then, someone offered 500 yuan to find someone to teach Xu Damao a "lesson";

Yang Weimin took the job, but wanted to keep all three hundred for himself, only giving one hundred yuan each to Qinlonghu and Xiaomianhu.

It was only after the fat man intervened that they gave up the idea.

Upon meeting him, Smiling Tiger carefully examined Xu Damao in front of him.

Hmm, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a spirited demeanor—he looks like the kind of guy who'd seduce someone's wife. Otherwise, why would anyone be willing to pay five hundred yuan to seduce him?

Xu Damao was also observing the Smiling Tiger. This guy always wore a harmless smile, but only the occasional shrewdness in his eyes told Xu Damao that in terms of cunning, this person was no less terrifying than him.