Qin Xiao sat calmly in the Yi family's living room.

He came here to sound out their intentions; if the Yi family was willing to form an alliance, that would be ideal.

If not, then he can only find someone to take over the position of mayor.

"Ah Xiao, it's been a long time." Mayor Yi strode down.

Lan Ying followed him downstairs. She had never met Qin Xiao before and wanted to meet him.

"Uncle Yi, I'm sorry to bother you." Qin Xiao stood up and nodded to him.

His straight back, indifferent expression, and calm eyes gave him an aura comparable to Mayor Yi.

Yun Ying thought to herself, "What a gentleman! But is his heart truly as open and honest as a gentleman's?"

She observed him discreetly, listening to him chat casually with his husband, seemingly not discussing anything serious, but in fact, he was testing her.

Would someone like Qin Xiao really not covet that high position?

"Uncle Yi, is the Yi family going to form a marriage alliance with the Jiang family?" Qin Xiao cut to the chase, seemingly asking casually, but actually observing their expressions.

"Who told you that? We're close, the kids play together, we're just friends in private, it's a deep friendship between young people."

"The marriage alliance is just a joke outside," Mayor Yi said, deflecting the question with a mix of truth and falsehood.

Qin Xiao nodded, exchanged a few more polite words, and then got up to leave.

As soon as he got in the car, his face darkened instantly.

What a joke!

Are they treating him like a child? Their daughter is already dating Jiang Dong, yet they're still so secretive about it.

He couldn't stand these people; they were all so hypocritical.

At the same time, he was also aware that some favors should be used up as soon as possible, otherwise the friendship would eventually fade.

The neon lights flashed across his face, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, obscuring his expression.

He needs to be fast, otherwise Sara won't last long.

With her testimony, he will definitely be put in solitary confinement before being investigated.

With things outside not arranged properly, he had nowhere to retreat.

Now he understood Devin's feelings a little better; when he was ready to pick the fruit, it was too late.

He plans to spend a few days in Teng City, promising them a bright future.

The old man's prestige is still there; if it's not used now, it will become useless later.

…

After he left the Yi family.

Mayor Yi immediately made a phone call to the Jiang family, his expression grave.

Although they hadn't talked much, he could clearly sense that Qin Xiao seemed relaxed and didn't actually take him seriously.

That's why he was so uneasy.

After speaking with Jiang's father on the phone, Mayor Yi calmed down.

He hung up the phone and wiped his face.

At this point, even if he doesn't take sides, he will be assumed to have already taken sides.

His current indecisiveness and tendency to waver between the two sides are even more dangerous.

Yunying watched his changing expression and remained silent.

She never dwelled on this matter, nor would she remind Lao Yi.

He needs to figure some things out for himself, otherwise he'll always think he's being led by the nose by her.

The Lu, Jiang, Yang, and Qi families are all on the same side. If he still can't see the situation clearly, he might as well quit being mayor and come back to live off his wife.

Yunying gently stirred her coffee, waiting for him to come to his senses.

“Old Master Qin has been retired for many years and would never be interested in that high position, otherwise he wouldn’t have completely withdrawn from the system,” Mayor Yi murmured, then slapped his forehead in realization.

He was blinded by a single leaf and became confused.

Since Qin Xiao is no longer in charge of the Qin family, everything he does now can only be considered his personal actions.

"What, you almost swallowed the pie in the sky?" Yun Ying teased.

Mayor Yi paused for a few seconds: "What else do you know?"

"Qin Xiao wants to find someone to replace you in your position, and he also wants to find fault with you. Don't forget, someone already tried it once before," Yun Ying said calmly.

Some things, once done, will happen again, but if done too frequently, people will find fault with them.

Yun Ying was right. After Qin Xiao left, the first person he contacted was the high-ranking official who had intervened last time, but the official just passed the problem to him.

As long as he finds Mayor Yi's mistakes, the other party will act immediately.

Qin Xiao had been to Teng City several times, but he didn't know many people there, so it wouldn't be easy to find any mistakes in a short period of time.

Besides, after the last incident, Mayor Yi's stain should have been mostly cleared up.

Qin Xiao only then realized that something was wrong.

…

On the other side

Hairun's factory and electronics store closed for a few days before reopening.

However, all those from Fukushima who participated in this investigation were either investigated or transferred from their positions.

Some were even suddenly taken away for interrogation.

Yi Lanying and Yi Ting arrived in Fushi, left their luggage at a hotel near the port, and headed straight for Haibi Village.

"Sister, is this really a village? Or is it a rich area?" Yi Ting asked, looking at the rows of houses by the sea.

Yi Lanying pointed to the village sign: "It is a village, but it doesn't look like one. It looks more like a villa area."

After they got off the bus, they asked an old man under the banyan tree, and several children took them to the Lin family's house.

When they reached the middle of the village, they saw the low, earthen houses.

There are also seashells, snail shells, and other things on the bricks.

After turning a corner, the view suddenly opened up, with the shimmering sea reflecting in the water.

"Why didn't you wait for me and came over first?" Lin Ziyan was holding her car keys and was about to go out when she saw them.

The two arrived without informing their families.

After they arrived at the port, Lin Ziyan received a call from Yun Ying.

“It’s so close, there’s no need to pick it up.” Yi Ting nodded, looking at the three-story building and the marks on the wall.

It retains the style of the fishing village walls while incorporating modern architecture.

Facing the sea, a gentle sea breeze blows.

Yi Lanying: "Brother Jiang told me to come over and try your cooking, and also to relax a bit."

Yi Lanying listened to her father's earnest advice but didn't take it to heart.

If one really has to weigh the pros and cons before making a choice, Jiang Dong's character and family background are impeccable.

Yi Lanying had a good impression of Jiang Dong, and the two had a lot in common.

"Tsk...so cheesy." Yi Ting made a face at her, took off her hat, and stepped into the yard.

The sweet aroma in the air is enticing to the taste buds.

Yi Lanying smiled and shook her head. Sometimes she felt that her younger sister had been possessed and her personality had changed drastically.

After she changed, she often complained about herself and her parents, saying that the air in the house smelled sour.

"You guys actually had a barbecue, seafood, meat, vegetables..." Yi Ting counted the dishes.

She couldn't help but swallow hard and sat down on the wicker chair, ready to be self-sufficient.

"Did your dad say something?" Lin Ziyan raised an eyebrow and asked casually.

“He can say what he wants, but we have our own opinions.” Yi Lanying walked to the sandpit, her eyes full of curiosity.

The two children were rolling around in the sand, and the sandcastle they had built was no longer intact.

"It's almost settled," Lin Ziyan said with a faint smile.

Qin Xiao isn't that stupid; he must have realized something was wrong after visiting the Yi family.

They might be kneeling in the ancestral hall right now.

The Qin family has very strict discipline. He used the name of Old Master Qin to make empty promises to high-ranking officials in various places, so he was definitely punished by family rules.

"Not so fast." Yi Lanying remained calm and composed, having already made her plans.

"Qin Xiao hasn't been exposed yet, so Brother Jiang and the others probably don't have any evidence."

"Besides, even if Old Master Qin doesn't protect his grandson, won't others protect him?"