Chapter 45 (Update 1)

After taking a life potion, An Rou opened her eyes.

Heng Bobao thought she was sitting firmly, and just as he loosened his grip, she unexpectedly fell to the side again. Heng Bobao frantically tried to help her, and the mayor's wife, who was nearby, also lent a hand.

The mayor's wife suddenly looked stern and sneered at Captain Li.

"A fragile little girl was injured because of you, and she worked hard to hold on until you finished questioning her. What's going on? Life is so tight for the Ouli Gang that Captain Li can't even afford to give her a mid-level potion?"

Captain Li felt baffled, but still took out a bottle of intermediate life potion as instructed.

It costs 5,000 gold and can instantly restore 1,000 health points. Its effect in accelerating wound healing is far beyond that of primary potions.

If An Rou had to pay for it herself, she would naturally be reluctant to buy it. She would rather spend 100 gold to buy 10 low-level potions, which would be enough to fill up her health.

But if someone else is paying, that’s another matter.

The two potions tasted similar; both were slightly sweet, with a slightly cool taste like herbal tea. An Rou's face, pale from excessive blood loss, now visibly flushed.

She touched her lower abdomen and found that the wound had not only scabbed over, but also didn't hurt at all.

There is a reason why something is expensive.

She didn't dare to act too much, so she sat down firmly and signaled to Heng Bobao that she was fine.

"Okay, let's end the card game here for today. An Rou is a thoughtful girl. Even if someone spoils the fun, I'm still having a great time." The mayor's wife said goodbye to the guest, implying that the entire interrogation had nothing to do with her.

Captain Li hesitated for a moment, then politely said his goodbyes and left with Tang Lang. Two soldiers were guarding the door, leading them to the front yard.

The two men deliberately slowed down their pace to keep some distance from the soldiers.

Captain Li asked in a low voice, "Tang Lang, what do you think?"

"It seems... there's nothing wrong with her. She's just a lucky NPC," Tang Lang said. "She's an SS-level ghoul reward. Even I envy her luck. Minister Li, did you just ask me one last question?"

Captain Li thought about it and shook his head: "Forget it, it's an irrelevant question."

He wanted to ask how An Rou knew Chu Mo's identity. Could Chu Mo have proactively told an NPC his name? You know, many players don't tell NPCs their IDs during quests to avoid leaks.

But now that he thought about it, Chumo had already killed the Bloodwing Ghoul, so the mission was considered complete. Even if he was Longyan's man, Oli or Gar would not have the nerve to accuse him of stealing the mission if they knew about it.

Who made the two guilds send out such a large army and fail to capture the Blood-Winged Ghoul?

Tang Lang asked, "Minister Li, what's next?"

"Just have the soldiers say goodbye to the mayor on your behalf," Captain Li said. "The rest is an internal conflict among the NPCs. Don't interfere. Remember, don't mention this to your subordinates when you return."

Tang Lang nodded in understanding.

For high-level players like them, a mere 100,000 or 200,000 gold coins wouldn't be a big deal. But for the lower-level players in the guild, it was a different story. What was the big deal about robbing an NPC? That amount of money was enough to complete many low-level quests.

It's not that they can't rob, but the fact that An Rou has money is known to the mayor's wife, which is equivalent to the mayor knowing. If the player robs now, it's tantamount to stealing money from the mayor's pocket.

It’s not worth offending the mayor of a town.

The two men walked across the front yard, and a soldier left the team and walked into the dining room in the second courtyard.

After listening to his whispered report, Heng Batong looked at him in surprise and nodded: "Got it."

This reaction made Sister Hong tremble again.

She brought the matter to the attention of the mayor, and her demands were simple: to get her property back, and to have An Rou arrested and put in jail.

The laws of Lengbing City were strict, and few people convicted by the police had a good ending. She would then use money to smooth things over, and she was sure to make the beautiful little bitch suffer.

For these, Sister Hong put her last chip on the line: 80,000 gold in her account.

She needed to finalize the matter quickly: "Mr. Mayor, what about the deed to the restaurant?"

Heng Batong was enjoying the hot milk served by the servant. He smiled and said, "Hey, we're not working during lunch break. This milk was shipped from Konggu. It's a remote place, so it's not easy to find something there. Boss Hong, would you like to try a cup too?"

Sister Hong felt increasingly nervous, and the leather chair under her butt turned into a ball of cotton, making it almost impossible for her to maintain her balance.

Just then, a series of footsteps approached from outside the door.

Hong Jie quickly turned her head to see the mayor's wife smiling as she stepped over the threshold. Behind her, Heng Bobao was hugging someone's arm, his steps bouncing with joy.

If not An Rou, who else could it be?

Sister Hong opened her mouth wide and quickly looked at An Rou from head to toe.

Aside from her hair, she looked the same as this morning; everything about her outfit had changed. Her white silk cheongsam shone a faint silver hue in the light, her neckline adorned with lace made from fine white gauze. She wore a pair of spotlessly white leather high heels.

Coupled with her beautiful face with fair skin and rosy cheeks, she can be described as a fairy descending to earth.

Silk paired with lace, this is Miss Heng's favorite combination of Chinese and Western styles!

In an instant, Sister Hong's heart sank into the abyss and she felt dizzy.

After not seeing each other for only a short while, An Rou was already wearing Heng Bobao's clothes, and the two of them were acting so intimately...

It's over.

She has worked hard for twenty years, from a poor girl to where she is today. All the achievements she has made and all the pride she has cultivated have collapsed at this moment.

In a trance, Sister Hong even saw herself wandering the streets, having to go into a dance hall, and selling smiles with tears in her eyes.

It wasn't until An Rou passed by and lowered her cold gaze that she suddenly came to her senses.

"Mr. Mayor, Mrs. Mayor, you are the gods of Zhongsu Town. Please seek justice for me!"

Sister Hong made a last-ditch effort, jumped out of her seat and knelt down.

Several people were startled by her.

Heng Batong: "Boss Hong..."

"Master," the mayor's wife spoke quickly, ignoring Sister Hong. "An Rou and the baby get along really well. I can tell she's a very good child. An Younian is a very good parent."

"Yes, Dad, I finally made a friend!" Heng Bobao's little face flushed.

Only then did Heng Batong notice An Rou's attire. The same outfit, when worn by his own daughter, made her look like a lively and charming princess. But when worn by An Rou, her temperament completely changed, becoming beautiful and dignified.

If it weren't for the youthful shyness in her expression, Heng Batong would have been unable to help but exclaim, "What a lady from a noble family."

An Rou seemed to have just discovered that the person on the ground was Sister Hong, and she called out in surprise: "Sister Hong? I couldn't find you anywhere, so why are you here? Sister Qiao is too busy at the hair salon by herself, so she wants your help."

"Help, help?" Sister Hong suddenly raised her voice. "What do you take me for? Help?! I'm the owner of the hair salon. The hair salon belongs to me!"

An Rou showed an incredible expression: "But you sold the hair salon to me! I said I wanted to buy some other businesses and couldn't manage the hair salon, but you agreed to stay and work as a shampooer!"

Heng Bobao burst out laughing: "Really? An Rou, when the time comes, I'm going to the store to wash my hair, and you're not allowed to charge me!"

"Shampooing, perming, and dyeing your hair are all free. We also have many beautiful hairpins in the shop, so you can pick whatever you want." An Rou agreed immediately, then looked at the mayor's wife, "Madam, if you have time, please feel free to come over. I'm afraid... Madam, you might find the shop too small."

Sister Hong was going crazy. How could things turn out like this? She was the one who complained!

She frantically pulled at her hair, and her carefully styled curls suddenly became longer and shorter, making her look like a mad woman.

The mayor's wife smiled contemptuously and turned to Heng Batong, "Master, there is another good news. An Rou has taken a fancy to Fuxiang Restaurant and wants to buy it from you."

These words made Sister Hong's whole body stiffen, and she immediately used her hands and feet to crawl towards Hengbatong.

"Mr. Mayor, the Fuxiang Restaurant is mine. I've already bought it! 80,000 gold! I paid 80,000 gold!"

Just because NPCs don't lie doesn't mean they won't change the subject. Especially when it comes to NPCs like Heng Ba Tong, they're incredibly good at this.

He simply ignored Sister Hong and asked An Rou with a smile, "Oh? How much is An Rou prepared to pay?"

An Rou looked at the dining table. It was large enough, and there was nothing on it. She flicked it, and a neatly stacked mountain of gold appeared on the table.

She said shyly, "My family is small, and here is 140,000 gold. I can't take out more than that."

Everyone present was an NPC, and with so much money on the table, how could they look away? Their eyes were all gleaming with gold.

Only Sister Hong, besides greed, also has a deep resentment.

Seeing no one answering, An Rou asked, "Mr. Mayor?"

Heng Batong finally came to his senses and waved his hand: "What mayor? Since you are Bao Bao's friend, you can call me Uncle Heng from now on!"

"Hey, Uncle Heng." An Rou followed suit and called out sweetly.

It's settled.

Today's dilemma stemmed from Sister Hong, but she was only the secondary issue. The most important issues lay with Ou Li and the Yinlai Guild. After dealing with the guild, the remaining problems would be no problem for An Rou.

It's nothing more than building relationships.

From the moment she sat down at the poker table, she began deliberately trying to please the mayor's wife. After the game ended, she secretly transferred the 50,000 gold she had lost to the mayor's wife's account. The other party's attitude truly changed from that moment on.

Afterwards, taking advantage of the fact that NPCs don't lie, he cleverly figured out the deal reached between Sister Hong and the mayor: 80,000 gold to acquire a restaurant.

But literally speaking, this deal still seems to have benefited Sister Hong. You know, a bun shop is worth 100,000 gold, and a restaurant that's N times larger is only worth 80,000?

An Rou figured it out in a second: it must be a bad asset.

Building relationships is largely equivalent to exchanging interests. Sister Hong offered 80,000 yuan, and even if she only offered 10,000 yuan more, she could get Hengbatong.

But, I can't handle the mayor's wife.

In her confession at the poker table, An Rou clearly stated that she had received a total of 195,000 gold from Chu Mo, lost 50,000 to the mayor's wife, and was left with 145,000. Given the NPC's greedy nature, it was unlikely they would let her keep much.

So An Rou simply quoted a price of 140,000.

First, to completely crush Sister Hong, second, to protect himself, and third... after all, it is a restaurant. No matter what the reason is, it is worth it to buy an unfinished building at a bargain price.

Heng Batong seemed to be afraid that An Rou would go back on her word, so he hurriedly pressed his hand on the golden mountain, retracted the dazzling light, and included all the balance.

An Rou glanced at Sister Hong's grief-stricken expression and knew what was going on. The 80,000 yuan was sent out without a sound.

She didn't want to be taken advantage of, so she bit her lip and said awkwardly, "Uncle Heng, that contract..."

Heng Ba Tong seemed to be hesitant.

The mayor's wife quietly pinched his waist and whispered in his ear.

An Rou vaguely heard the words "chips" and "50,000".

Maybe he even mentioned An Rou's net worth. Otherwise, Heng Batong's eyes wouldn't have lit up, and he wouldn't have shouted for the butler to bring over the blank contract.

If you really want to squeeze yourself dry, stop guessing. An Rou sneered in her heart, but showed a grateful smile to the mayor's wife.

The mayor's wife assumed An Rou had something else to ask for. After a moment's thought, her gaze fell on the petrified Sister Hong. Her face was cold and frosty, and she said with disdain, "Why are you still hanging around here? Someone, get Boss Hong out!"

"Master Mayor, Master Mayor!"

Sister Hong struggled desperately, but was no match for the two soldiers and was carried out the door. Gradually, she fell silent.

The housekeeper was quick and efficient, quickly bringing over the contract and title deeds, all filled out. An Rou and Heng Ba Tong each signed and placed their fingerprints on the contract, and a flash of white light marked the transaction.

An Rou breathed a sigh of relief.

It cost 190,000 gold to solve this problem, and I'll just consider it as the cost of the restaurant. I just hope this asset doesn't rot beyond imagination.