Having expanded into the adjacent Tianyuan Jewelry store, the physical footprint of Shengshi Dynasty suddenly became much larger.

Wang Zhuo took none of Zhang Xingming’s inventory, paperwork, or counters; he merely had him sign a sublease transfer, vacating the space.

Just by vacating the space, Zhang Xingming lost nearly all his intangible assets, face, and supply channels, but compared to being fully acquired by Shengshi Dynasty, his losses were considerably smaller, enough to leave him deeply grateful.

First, they renovated the Tianyuan Jewelry premises. Then, by knocking down the dividing wall and putting up a new sign, Shengshi Dynasty completed a branch expansion. The second floor of Tianyuan was converted into a grand exhibition hall specifically for high-end clientele, while the first floor featured higher-value imitation gemstone jewelry—knock-offs labeled things like "Schwarzenegger Crystal" or "Obama Agate"—just to fill the space for now.

Thanks to the fame brought by the Jade Watermelon, Shengshi Dynasty’s customer flow jumped two levels, attracting many local jade enthusiasts who came specifically to visit, bringing significant business to the store.

For Shengshi Dynasty at this moment, beyond fame, foot traffic was also crucial. And what could be more effective at drawing a crowd than offering consumer benefits?

Another busy day was drawing to a close, nearing closing time. Guan Yingying, the young and beautiful General Manager, sat in her office on the second floor of Shengshi Dynasty, feeling somewhat troubled.

In the past few days, a new resident had moved into her residential complex, someone who kept large dogs. Every time she walked through the courtyard, she felt a prickle of anxiety, terrified of being suddenly bitten by a large dog rushing out.

Speaking of which, the complex where Guan Yingying lived had actually been a mistake when purchased years ago. It was back when the real estate boom was just taking off; Guan Shichen had limited spare cash but wanted to buy a property as a tangible asset for hedging. Somehow, he settled on that low-profile development that hadn't advertised much.

It wasn't until the owners began moving in and Guan Shichen started renovations that he realized the developer had misled them. This complex was a resettlement compensation community for another, larger development; only a few buildings were sold to the general public; the rest housed people relocated from the urban-rural fringe—a mixed bag of individuals from all walks of life, with vastly uneven standards of conduct.

Fortunately, the area where the complex was located had decent public security and a low transient population, resulting in a relatively low crime rate. So, he kept the property and didn't sell.

Later, Guan Yingying became the owner of that apartment and had lived there without much issue until last winter, when a ground-floor resident illegally built a courtyard and started keeping dogs inside.

Residents complained incessantly, but the property management refused to act. Over several months, two incidents involving injuries had already occurred. When people investigated, they discovered the dog owners were the son of the developer who originally built the complex. In fact, even the property management company was a subsidiary of that same real estate firm. It was no wonder the issue was ignored—the dog keeper was the property management company's crown prince.

Even after the injuries, some people called the police. But the officers only handled civil disputes, telling residents to talk to management about the illegal structure and stating they couldn't intervene about the dogs because they were licensed.

When the police said that, everyone became frantic. Just because the dogs were licensed, did that grant them the right to roam the entire complex? One dog stood nearly as tall as a person; every evening, it ran from west to east, south to north throughout the complex, not to mention urinating and biting people. Did a licensed dog have the right to defecate and bite indiscriminately?

So, the police demanded evidence. The community surveillance footage was pulled, but the dogs weren't visible. The dog feces on the lawn couldn't be definitively traced to those specific dogs, and the urine stains in the hallway had already dried. The police suggested that perhaps it was some child who had wet the area.

Everyone finally realized the surveillance footage had been tampered with by the property management company. The police and the dog owners were clearly in cahoots.

Jiangzhou was, after all, a major city. Guan Yingying trusted that this matter would eventually be resolved, but with the urgency pressing right at her throat, how was she supposed to get home safely until the dog menace was eliminated?

Leaving the office with a heavy heart, she happened to see Wang Zhuo at the stairwell, chatting animatedly with that unsuccessful flight attendant. This tall, beautiful woman was one of Shengshi Dynasty’s first employees and was now an Executive Manager. Her personal capabilities were truly strong, certainly living up to her determination not to succumb to the unspoken rules of the airlines.

Seeing the scoundrel flirting with women, Guan Yingying somehow felt an inexplicable pang of jealousy, burning with annoyance. Good for you, Wang Zhuo. Even rabbits don't eat the grass near their own burrow! You’re supposedly a person of status now, yet you’re chasing after your own company employees?

Fortunately, despite her anger, Guan Yingying maintained necessary composure. As she walked over, her face had already shifted into a faint, professional smile.

“Want to grab some barbecue after work?” Wang Zhuo greeted cheerfully.

Guan Yingying asked non-committally, “Who else is going?”

“Probably just the two of us,” Wang Zhuo spread his hands in mild frustration. Qi Fei was on a business trip to Guangzhou, and everyone else had other commitments.

“Oh?” Guan Yingying seemed slightly surprised. She turned to the Angel With No Wings and asked, “Xiao Su, are you free tonight? Want to come along?”

“No thanks, Manager Guan,” Su Xiangyuan replied with a smile. “I have a big event tonight; I’m meeting my boyfriend’s parents.”

“Oh—” Guan Yingying finally understood, realizing she had misjudged Wang Zhuo just now.

“Then you should pack up quickly and head out. Go prepare properly.”

After sending Su Xiangyuan off, Guan Yingying felt a touch of envy for her. Earning over ten thousand yuan a month, finding a boyfriend with similar prospects, dating calmly, then marrying and having children—what a happy, simple life without twists and turns! What about her? She was stuck in a difficult middle ground: most men of lesser means were too intimidated to pursue her, while those who dared were nothing but leeches hoping to win the swan. Men of better standing often lacked a sense of security; they were all second-generation heirs with character flaws.

People say older men know how to cherish a woman, but she suspected they were just adept at sweet talk and had vast experience with women. Plus, there was something Guan Yingying found hard to articulate but deeply worried about: she feared marrying an older man, only to find herself in her fiery forties while he had already grown listless. How would she endure that life?

Thankfully, at twenty-three in a big city, she was still just a "girl." Guan Yingying’s family didn’t pressure her much about her relationship status either. Young people nowadays wanted a few more years of freedom, so let them struggle on their own for now.

In truth, Guan Yingying wasn't in a rush herself; she had just felt a bit provoked by being teased by that young fellow Wang Zhuo...

The two arrived at the large-format Northeast-style barbecue restaurant only to discover they had to queue. Several parties were already waiting for tables, and at this hour, every eatery nearby was packed; finding street parking was difficult.

“You’re amazing, inviting me to dinner without even booking a table,” Guan Yingying said with a wry smile. Following Wang Zhuo inside, she realized he hadn't made a reservation.

Wang Zhuo was equally frustrated. The last time Wang Zhengdao brought him here, it was in the afternoon when there were only two tables occupied, leading him to believe the restaurant wasn't that popular. He hadn't expected the entire street to be this busy; it was a complete miscalculation.

“What should we do? Change places?” Wang Zhuo asked for her opinion.

Guan Yingying knew Wang Zhuo disliked waiting for tables. After thinking for a moment, she said, “I thought their cold noodles looked good. Ask if they do takeout; if so, we can take it back to eat.”

Wang Zhuo inquired, and they could indeed package it to go. After waiting another ten minutes, the two picked up their double order of cold noodles, along with complimentary side dishes like kimchi and peanuts, and left.

Upon reaching Guan Yingying’s complex, they parked the car in a spot outside. The design of this community severely lacked parking spaces, forcing many owners to obtain street permits to rent spaces in the converted vehicle lanes.

The moment they stepped through the complex gate, they heard a burst of noise ahead—a cacophony of barks and human voices, creating a tense atmosphere.

Wang Zhuo immediately stepped slightly sideways to shield Guan Yingying, frowning. His gaze pierced through the flowerbeds and the crowd ahead, taking in the abnormality in full view.

There, on the central green space of the complex, two large white dogs were actively chasing and biting a small young man. A crowd watched from a distance, and residents from surrounding floors were leaning out of their windows to observe.

They were two adolescent Dogo Argentinos, each weighing about twenty kilograms. This breed, also known as the Argentine Mastiff, is an excellent hunting dog—brave, combative, and possessing extremely strong aggression, rumored capable of single-handedly taking down and killing a wild boar, and five of them could allegedly hunt a bear.

The young man had already sustained several bites. If it weren't for obstacles like guardrails, flowerbeds, and shrubs near the green space, he would have already been knocked down by the two dogs. Thankfully, his clothes were made of flimsy material, which tore easily when the dogs grabbed them, buying him valuable time to escape.

The onlookers kept their distance. Among them, a middle-aged man was forcefully pulling on a large Great Dane that was barking wildly. The two young men beside him looked intensely excited, gesturing toward the two vicious attacking dogs and the bitten youth, speaking excitedly about something.

The entire complex echoed with numerous barks. Besides the two Argentinos and the leashed Great Dane, another area of the complex produced a chorus of barks, including the low, terrifying growl of a Tibetan Mastiff—deep and ominous, like an enraged lion.

Wang Zhuo scanned the area with his eyes, piercing through the apartment building opposite to glimpse the illegally constructed courtyard and the several large dogs within. Synthesizing the few pieces of information he had just gathered, he quickly grasped the general situation.

The middle-aged man handling the dogs was dressed plainly, likely an employee hired by the courtyard owner. The two young men next to him possessed an extraordinary bearing; even if they weren't the owners, they were deeply connected to the situation. The young man being chased was almost certainly a resident of the complex.

Although the two Dogos were not fully grown, they were already large, with sharp fangs and tusks, capable of inflicting fatal wounds. Even if the person being bitten had committed some error, he didn't deserve to die under the jaws of two vicious dogs. Moreover, seeing the way the onlookers dared not speak out of anger suggested this was clearly a performance of the powerful bullying the weak, relying on their dogs.