While I was pondering these issues between myself and Ye Zhi, Cao Xue's phone rang. He was probably still asleep, so it took him a while to answer. He groggily asked me, "What's up, buddy?"

"I asked you to arrange for your uncle to come out and talk about the shops in Jiulongju. Please take this to heart."

“He just got back to Dali, let him catch his breath.”

“I’m really anxious… Could you help me make some more arrangements? I’ve already prepared the profit share I gave him from last year’s temporary inn project. No matter how busy he is, he wouldn’t turn down money, would he?”

Cao Xue smiled and replied, "This money won't run away if it's with you. Besides, it's just a small amount of money, he doesn't need to be in such a hurry with you."

"Let's schedule another appointment. I'm waiting for him to start working on these shops."

I heard Cao Xue lighting a cigarette. He seemed to have woken up, and then asked me quite seriously, "You really don't plan to work for my uncle? ... I heard that he's offering you good terms, which is much better than going it alone."

I smiled and replied, "Isn't my ownership of these shops in Jiulongju Lane essentially working for your uncle indirectly? In two or three years, once the commercial atmosphere here is boosted, the value of these shops he owns will increase several times over. In the end, the biggest beneficiaries will be large property owners like him."

"I think you're really fixated on Jiulongju!"

"It's a good thing for young people to have the opportunity to do something that challenges their limits."

"You're pretty awesome, huh!" After a slight pause, Cao Xue continued, "By the way, it wasn't right for all the 50,000 yuan we squeezed from that bar bastard yesterday to be taken by my people. I'll give you 10,000 yuan, and I'll have someone deliver it to you later..."

"Hold on, this isn't extortion, this is reasonable compensation."

Cao Xue laughed and replied, "Haha... There's a saying, 'It's scary when a rogue is cultured,' and you have both... You have a bright future!"

"Don't lift a finger, buddy! ... Also, I can't take this money; you should give the brothers a larger share."

“We’ve already brought back 50,000, what’s another 10,000?”

"Give it to the brothers. Thanks to their efforts, the bar incident was handled so well this time."

"Alright, I don't like to be long-winded either. Consider this a great act of kindness from you, and we brothers appreciate it."

I smiled and reminded him, "Don't forget about asking your uncle to come out and talk."

"I can't forget it, I'll make an appointment for you in the next couple of days."

"Okay, call me as soon as you hear anything."

"become."

That's how I ended my call with Cao Xue. At the same time, I secretly set a goal for myself: I must get the 16 shops from Cao Jinbo before I go back to my hometown this time, otherwise I won't feel at ease on the way.

...

It was already evening, and I was eagerly anticipating the return of Coach Ma and Bai Lu. So when Chen Jin and Brother Ping invited me to go to a bar on Renmin Road, I refused without a second thought.

I checked the time; it was already 7 p.m., but it wouldn't get really dark in Dali until after 8 p.m., so I didn't call to urge them on and let them concentrate on driving.

Afterwards, I went to a nearby hair salon to wash my hair, and then went to the "Woman Flower" bar. I wanted to see Peach... She had been persuaded by Nicole and was now a full-time bartender at the "Woman Flower" bar.

After entering the bar, I leaned on the bar counter and said to Peach, "Have Bai Lu and the others contacted you? They said they could arrive in Dali tonight."

Peach was clearly still reeling from the shock of Tie Nan's accident. She said to me in a very downcast mood, "I contacted him."

"Let's have dinner together later. I've already made a reservation at No. 1 Courtyard."

"Let's talk about it later. The bar is pretty busy today, and I'm afraid I won't be able to get away."

“We’re having dinner together, how could we leave you out…” I said, then took out my phone from my pocket and called the bartender Nicole had found, asking him to come and replace Peach; the young man was a nice guy and readily agreed.

I smiled and said to Peach, "It's all settled. Xiao Wu will cover for you later."

Peach forced a smile at me and continued washing the cup in her hands. Just as I was about to turn my attention to the female singer, Peach suddenly said to me, "Did you know that Bai Lu and Xiao Ma have already registered their marriage?"

I paused for a moment, then exclaimed, "This is a good thing... Now that they've finalized their marriage, could we persuade them not to leave this time?"

"Whether they leave or not, they probably have a better idea than us outsiders."

"Too."

Peach looked dejected and said in a low voice, "If they hadn't left Dali back then, Tie Nan might not have ended up like this today."

Although I understood in my heart, I still asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"There are some things that only Xiao Ma can persuade him to do..."

I lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and replied, "I believe that... but things have already come to this point, don't dwell too much on the past, try to think more about the positive possibilities..."

"Um."

Peach responded with a sound of agreement, and tears fell again. She quickly wiped away her tears and then picked up another cup to wipe it as if to cover up her mistake.

She is truly a woman of great loyalty and compassion. If any other woman were in such a predicament, she would probably have already tried to extricate herself from this vortex unscathed. But Taozi did not do that. She stayed in Dali, waiting with Tienan for the not-so-good outcome.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!