Zhou Huan was no fool; the moment he caught Xiang Jiao's look, suspicion bloomed in his mind. However, everything required evidence, so he didn't dwell on it further.

"Ah! Miss Xiang Jiao, it is like this: I require a piece of Dragon Pond wood, one meter wide and two meters long. I wonder if Miss Xiang Jiao could possibly assist in procuring some?" Zhou Huan asked as if Sun Lao's passing were his own personal crisis, adopting a tone of sincere appeal toward Miss Xiang Jiao.

Miss Xiang Jiao started, then turned to Zhou Huan and said, "Why do you ask? This is my family's matter. Even if it were someone else's business I couldn't handle, surely my father's affairs are within my power?"

"Oh, Miss Xiang Jiao, that's not what I meant. I only meant that kind of wood is exceptionally difficult to acquire, so I hoped you could dispatch someone to purchase it sooner. Furthermore, this wood only grows in a few patches upstream of the Yalu River, which is why I calculated..." Before Zhou Huan could finish his sentence, he heard Xiang Jiao let out a cold, sinister laugh.

"I have never heard of anything my Sun family cannot accomplish in this place called Andong." With that, she picked up the phone. Once the line connected, Xiang Jiao spoke with domineering authority into the receiver: "Tuzi, go take care of something for me right now. Go buy me Dragon Pond wood planks, all the same specifications—one meter wide, two meters long. You must have them delivered to the villa before dinner tonight. If they aren't here, then you will vanish from Andong City."

The voice on the other end replied with extreme caution, his response booming with forced enthusiasm: "Understood, Sister Xiang Jiao, rest assured. I, Tuzi, will definitely handle this matter perfectly for you, or else I will jump into the river and drown myself."

Xiang Jiao deliberately held the receiver close to Zhou Huan's ear, then said to him, "Master Zhou, are you satisfied now? I repeat my earlier statement: there is nothing my Sun family cannot achieve in this city. Hmph!"

Xiang Jiao had indeed perceived the change in Zhou Huan's expression. She was an old hand, having followed Mr. Sun for many years; being caught red-handed in her shift of demeanor, how could she not become even more vigilant?

"Master Zhou, I advise you to stick to your duties. Some things are best left unexamined!" With that, Xiang Jiao started to ascend the stairs. Just then, a thin man rushed out from the second-floor hallway. The man’s face appeared injured, wrapped in gauze.

This man immediately took Xiang Jiao's hand upon emerging. Xiang Jiao held the banister with one hand and supported the man with the other as they slowly proceeded upstairs. The sound of her ascent could be compared to thunder; it was the sheer impact of mass!

"Brother, look at this woman; she's just like the refuse we toss out when we're done. These stairs in the Sun residence really can take a beating," Dongzi piped up again—a clear case of the unconcerned inviting disaster.

Zhou Huan lightly tapped Dongzi’s mouth with his hand: "Shut up. Don't speak carelessly here, or you'll bring trouble upon yourself." Meanwhile, Zhou Huan's mind churned with countless possibilities. He had to view this plump woman named Xiang Jiao in a new light, as her recent words plainly showed she had seen through his thoughts, and she had very obviously issued him a warning. Perhaps this was the inherited temper of the Sun family—one word for it: Arrogant!

Just then, Shi Bingyuan and Hong Kun returned, driving their car. They rushed in to inform Zhou Huan that the Plum Blossom Grave was dug and ready for the coffin to be interred. Zhou Huan merely nodded in acknowledgment to Shi Bingyuan, then glanced back toward the second floor before stepping inside to find Elder Wang.

Zhou Huan leaned close to Elder Wang's ear and whispered, "Elder Wang, the thin man who just came downstairs was..."

"That is Mr. Sun's son-in-law. That whelp lives entirely off women—a street thug previously. Later, because he was utterly worthless, he nearly starved to death on the streets, which is when he started thinking about robbery. Coincidentally, he tried to rob Xiang Jiao. Old Master Sun then had some men catch him and bring him here. He hasn't left this place since," Elder Wang revealed, showing a surprising depth of knowledge regarding the Sun family's intimate details.

Zhou Huan offered a faint smile. "As expected, Elder Wang knows the most. Alright, let's go wait outside. You are of advanced age; if you're tired, you should return and rest. I have this situation handled."

"No, the Sun residence is chaotic right now. Several of his distant nephews—the brothers of Wufu—have all arrived. I fear further complications might arise. It’s not their family troubles that worry me, but the serious impact they could have on several factions in our city," Elder Wang stated with genuine sincerity, which Zhou Huan heard just as clearly. After that, Zhou Huan said no more, arranging for his apprentice to take care of the two sets of remains properly, then he got into the car to find a moment to doze off.

Dongzi followed Zhou Huan into the car, slumping into the passenger seat. He closed his eyes, and immediately a deafening snore echoed out, loud enough, it seemed, for everyone within miles to hear.

Suddenly, a second-floor window in the villa flew open, and the fat woman's head poked out: "Who is it? Who the hell is snoring so loudly in broad daylight! Are you tired of living, huh?" As the big, plump Xiang Jiao finished speaking, the gaze of everyone downstairs shifted back toward Zhou Huan's car.

Seeing this, Xiang Jiao knew the noise was coming from Zhou Huan’s people. "Zhou Huan, get out here! I warned you, you are not to interfere in our family's private affairs, and you certainly cannot snore loudly here! Otherwise, you can disappear immediately!" As soon as she finished speaking, more than a dozen bodyguards rushed forward, completely surrounding Zhou Huan's vehicle, waiting for Dongzi’s snoring to cease.

But Dongzi hadn't heard Xiang Jiao's shouts at all, remaining deeply asleep. Zhou Huan, however, had heard everything but paid it no mind.

At that moment, two bodyguards, each wielding a short baton, wrenched open Zhou Huan’s car door and dragged Dongzi out. "Hey, didn't we tell you to stop snoring, you hear us?"

Dongzi was violently awakened and immediately raised his hand to strike the bodyguard in front of him. But Zhou Huan reached out from the car and yanked Dongzi back inside. Then, Zhou Huan stuck his head out: "Gentlemen, this is just a minor physiological issue with my apprentice; I simply won't let him sleep."

"If he snores again, we'll beat you both! K!" With that, the men turned and left.

Dongzi was furious. He turned to Zhou Huan and asked, "Brother, what's going on? You weren't like this before; you used to be better at fighting than anyone!"

"Times change, Dongzi. We are on their turf now; don't cause trouble unnecessarily, lest we suffer for it," Zhou Huan replied before starting the car and driving away. He parked in an empty spot a few dozen meters from the villa.

Shi Bingyuan’s car slowly followed and pulled up. Shi Bingyuan got out and leaned against Zhou Huan’s window, asking, "Master, why didn't you fight back just now? The few of us could have easily handled that bunch!"

"Shi Bingyuan, you're sixty years old, yet you're just like Dongzi. If we had fought just now, we would have lost. Didn't you see that those fellows all had weapons tucked into their waistbands?" Zhou Huan said, lighting a cigarette.

Li Tianxiong, the most obedient, spoke up immediately from behind Zhou Huan: "Master, I saw that too. Those guys all had guns. If I had really made a move, who knows when their guns might have gone off. We would have been at a disadvantage, which wouldn't be right!"

Zhou Huan's and Li Tianxiong's explanations gradually calmed the others. Twilight was settling in as a truck rumbled in from behind Zhou Huan, carrying stacks of wood planks.

"Master, the planks are here. Shall we go?" Hong Kun said to Zhou Huan first.

Zhou Huan nodded. He leaned over to look at Elder Wang, who, seeing the truck arrive, quickly got into the car and sat next to Zhou Huan.

Just then, Zhou Huan's phone rang; it was Xiang Jiao. She was apparently too lazy to walk the mere hundred meters, electing instead to call with urgent news: "Master Zhou, the Dragon Pond wood has arrived. I'll send someone to follow you shortly with some supplies you’ll need tonight to come with you to the mountain to build the coffins. I will bring those relatives from Wufu to your place tomorrow morning. But be warned: if we arrive and your coffins are not ready, don't blame me for falling out with you."

"Hehe, Sister Xiang Jiao, where did that come from? I will certainly complete the duties assigned to me." Zhou Huan only wanted to placate Xiang Jiao for now, as he sensed something was off with her, and that man too. This matter couldn't just be buried and forgotten.

Xiang Jiao didn't hang up but added, "That’s good to hear. Master Zhou, the deposit of one hundred and fifty thousand I promised has been transferred to your account. But one thing: after you inter my father, you must guarantee they won't come looking for trouble with me. Otherwise, think about the consequences yourself! You are a smart man; I doubt I need to elaborate on the details, do I?"

Zhou Huan laughed loudly. "Alright, Miss Xiang Jiao, I, Zhou Huan, know what I should and should not do. As for whether I can satisfy you completely, Zhou Huan dares not guarantee it yet. Well then, you should rest well. You must wear mourning attire tomorrow, or there will be continuous trouble!"

Their conversation concluded. Xiang Jiao dispatched the dozen men who had just surrounded Zhou Huan's car to follow him in their own vehicle, escorting the entire group until they reached the burial ground.

Dongzi jumped out first, glaring fiercely at the dozen bodyguards. Zhou Huan, however, turned to Elder Wang. "Elder Wang, I need to trouble you with another matter. Tomorrow, please craft several gold-cast basins to these exact dimensions and style."

As he spoke, Zhou Huan pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Elder Wang. This paper was his design, created while resting in the car, based on the information Shi Bingyuan had reported.

As Zhou Huan was speaking with Elder Wang, they heard Dongzi already starting to curse, the loud shouts carried by the wind.