The very next morning, Zhao Yougen rose before dawn, arriving early at the shop he had just secured on the pedestrian street.

Though Zhao Yougen was small-minded, arrogant, and stubborn, he wasn't a fool. The first time he had seen Li Yundong, the young man was nothing more than Cao Kefei's mere hanger-on, exceedingly green. But by the time Zhao Yougen saw him again, the young man's bearing was vastly different; a throng of beautiful women now surrounded him.

If a man could attract the favor of a single wealthy beauty, one might dismiss him as a kept man. But to command a retinue of stunning women, each with a unique charm, who followed his every word—that was not the work of a kept man.

Subconsciously, Zhao Yougen knew clearly that Li Yundong was no ordinary person. He simply refused to face it, preferring to believe that with his own cunning and might, he could effortlessly crush this irritating individual.

It wasn't until the recent incident that Zhao Yougen was truly jolted into vigilance: By what right did this young man dare to speak such arrogant words? What foundation did he stand on?

Upon returning, Zhao Yougen meticulously investigated Li Yundong’s background but found nothing conclusive. Unwilling to yield, he dug deeper into the women around Li Yundong. This second search nearly made him jump out of his skin. He couldn't uncover anything about Su Chan, Ziyuan, or Ruan Hongling, but when he investigated Zhou Qin, he was horrified to discover she was the descendant of a high-ranking official!

On Chinese soil, the common people have always known not to contend with officials. In the eyes of the populace, Zhao Yougen was an admirable wealthy merchant, but to the eyes of the bureaucracy, he was, at best, a puff of air—whether an audible puff or a foul one depended entirely on the official’s mood.

Fortunately, Zhao Yougen soon discovered that Zhou Qin’s father, Zhou Keqiang, had already stepped down. He was now at home tending flowers and walking dogs, apparently content with his retirement from the front lines, showing no desire to stage a comeback.

Only then did Zhao Yougen breathe a sigh of relief, muttering a hasty, "That was close." Had Zhou Qin’s influential backing not collapsed, he would have had to grovel and beg forgiveness immediately. But now that the foundation was gone, everything changed.

As the saying went, once the tea cools, the fragrance fades. How much residual influence could an official retain after being dismissed over a corruption case?

However, having spent decades navigating the cutthroat world of commerce, Zhao Yougen understood the principle that business mirrors officialdom, and officialdom mirrors business. He dared not become complacent, fearing his rival might employ a devastating tactic like draining the stock from beneath his cauldron. Thus, he showed up at the shop personally at the crack of dawn.

It was just past eight, and the street was relatively quiet, yet Zhao Yougen's shop was already buzzing with activity. A foreman spotted him and immediately approached with a wide smile. "Director Zhao! Such an early start?"

Seeing the bustling, energetic work inside, Zhao Yougen nodded, hands clasped behind his back, affecting a pose as he surveyed the scene. He then smiled faintly. "You all are certainly up early!"

The foreman beamed, flattering him. "It’s all thanks to Director Zhao paying so well; the brothers are working with great enthusiasm!"

Zhao Yougen patted the foreman’s shoulder with satisfaction. "Good, good. Keep up the excellent work, and there will be more money to distribute! By the way, if anyone tries to poach you, feel free to tell me, and I’ll raise your wages further!"

The foreman felt a flicker of strangeness but genuinely broke into a wide smile of delight. "Director Zhao, you truly are a good boss! In all my years in this line of work, I've only seen bosses trying to figure out how to dock workers' pay, never one trying to figure out how to give them more."

The foreman's flattery warmed Zhao Yougen's heart, and he laughed. "Rest assured, do the job well, and I won't treat you poorly!"

The foreman bowed and scraped. "Director Zhao, rest assured! The brothers will work themselves to death to make sure your job is done perfectly!"

Zhao Yougen felt settled. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his inner pocket and said with a sidelong glance, "Care for one?"

The foreman was overwhelmed with gratitude. He carefully selected a cigarette from the box, lit it with relish, and let out a satisfied sigh. "I only regret not meeting a good boss like you sooner! In this day and age, it’s truly hard to find a boss like yourself!"

Zhao Yougen smiled noncommittally. He pointed toward Li Yundong's shop across the way and asked, "If you were working on that shop across the way, how long do you think it would take to finish?"

The foreman’s face suddenly stiffened with awkwardness. Didn't I just come from working on the renovation of that very shop? What does Director Zhao mean by this question?

Seeing the foreman's expression shift unpredictably, Zhao Yougen laughed lightly. "Don't worry, I mean nothing by it; just making casual conversation."

The foreman finally relaxed and chuckled obsequiously. "If you ask me, Director, that shop couldn't possibly be finished in under a month. It would take a full two months before they could even consider opening for business."

Zhao Yougen pressed him. "A month for renovations? That fast? Then what about my shop?"

The foreman pondered for a moment. "Probably a month and a half."

Zhao Yougen instantly erupted in fury. "What? That bastard’s shop only takes a month to renovate, but mine takes a month and a half? Are you out of your mind?"

The foreman felt utterly wronged. I thought saying a month was fast—I assumed you were worried we’d cut corners, so I agreed with your implied timeline!

The foreman quickly tried to recover. "Then, Director Zhao, how quickly do you want your shop finished?"

Zhao Yougen raged. "It needs to be done faster than the one across the street, by any means necessary! Do you think I enjoy watching them open for business right under my nose? Do you think a boss like me, where every second is worth hundreds of thousands, just sits around opening a small shop out of sheer boredom? I opened this place specifically to crush that shop across the way! Therefore, you can be slower than every other shop renovation in the world, but you absolutely must be faster than them!"

The foreman finally understood, thinking to himself: So that’s why this big boss is suddenly opening a teahouse and paying us top dollar to poach us—he has a rival! Ah, I thought this was a long-term engagement, but it turns out to be a short, sharp battle! I’ve been had; I’m taking the loss here!

The foreman inwardly regretted his choice, but then a new thought struck him: Since the die is cast, why not bleed this guy dry? I can work for anyone, after all!

Having made up his mind, the foreman told Zhao Yougen, "Director Zhao, don't worry. I can finish in fifteen days at the fastest! We can work overtime at night, naturally, but this labor cost, well…"

Zhao Yougen cut him off immediately. "Don't worry about the money! But you must guarantee the quality of this work! If you dare to cheat me, I guarantee you won't see a single cent of the remainder!"

The foreman immediately pounded his chest. "Director Zhao, rest assured!"

Only then did Zhao Yougen finally calm down. Smoking his cigarette, he glanced over at Li Yundong's shop, sneering inwardly. Hmph, he hasn't even fully grown his hair, yet he dares to tangle with me? In business, I have hundreds of ways to take care of you!

As he basked in his smug victory, the foreman suddenly tapped his shoulder and stammered, "Director Zhao?"

Zhao Yougen, deep in his daydream, impatiently shrugged his shoulder. "What?"

The foreman pointed toward Zhao Yougen's left, his eyes wide and fixed. "Look!"

Zhao Yougen turned his head. If only he hadn't looked. The sight made his eyes bulge so wide he nearly fell backward onto the ground.

Approaching them down the pedestrian street was a group of young people. Leading them was a handsome young man, dressed in simple grey-white casual wear, yet his presence was vibrant and his bearing extraordinary. Trailing behind him were a dozen stunning women in varied attire. They were all exquisite beauties, causing every passerby to stare in dumbfounded awe.

This group was Li Yundong, Ziyuan, Ruan Hongling, and all the fox spirits from the Fox Charm Sect. What shocked people most wasn't their beauty, but what they were carrying in their hands.

Su Chan held a massive stack of tied-up burlap sacks in one hand, and in the other, a water cooler bucket filled with purified water. She carried the twenty-plus-pound bucket with one hand as if it weighed nothing, chatting and laughing easily with Li Yundong as they walked.

Beside her was Ruan Hongling. She carried a purified water bucket in one hand, balanced on her shoulder, while her other hand held a huge black plastic bag that clanged with every step, the sound suggesting lunchboxes and chopsticks. The proud beauty of the Ling Palace wore a thoroughly sour expression, glaring menacingly at Li Yundong not far ahead, constantly contemplating smashing the water bucket onto his head.

Ziyuan also carried two large plastic bags, which were bulging and angular, concealing their contents from view.

Behind them were the younger foxes of the Fox Charm Sect and the three Martial Uncles. Each little fox merrily shouldered planks of wood nearly as tall as a person—lumber that would have taxed two strong men. Cao Yi and the others carried case after case of heavy ceramic tiles, each weighing tens of pounds. They moved with astonishing speed, chatting and laughing, as if they were heading off for a pleasant outdoor picnic.

Zhao Yougen’s jaw dropped so far his cigarette fell onto his clothes, burning a large hole without him even noticing. The foreman beside him was equally frozen, eyes glazed over, mumbling incoherently. "My God... What kind of world is this? Am I seeing things? Why are so many beautiful women doing such rough labor?"

Li Yundong’s group had reached the entrance of the shop. The commotion they caused drew the attention of nearly everyone nearby. The workers renovating the shop across the street also heard the noise and rushed out to watch, only to stop dead in their tracks, just like everyone else.

"I've seen men treated like beasts of burden... but I've never seen so many beautiful women treated like beasts of burden!" Zhao Yougen felt his mind nearly crash. He considered himself a man known for being ruthless with women, but he never imagined someone existed who was even more so!

The foreman finally managed to recover, stammering in disbelief, "W-what are they doing?"

Zhao Yougen murmured blankly, "I... I don't know!"

The onlookers also began whispering among themselves, secretly speculating about the intent and purpose of Li Yundong's entourage. But soon after, they watched the little foxes stack the wooden planks one by one, then open the tile packages and carefully stack the tiles in a corner.

Li Yundong nodded in satisfaction, then asked Ziyuan, "Ziyuan, when will the cement and sand be delivered?"

Ziyuan clearly wasn't accustomed to this scene; her expression was peculiar. "Around this afternoon, I think. Li Yundong, a-are you absolutely sure you want us to do this ourselves?"

Li Yundong laughed. "Of course! Do you have any objections?"

Ziyuan displayed a rare, girlish demeanor, pouting and rolling her eyes at Li Yundong. "It’s too late to have an opinion now."

Li Yundong laughed heartily. "Good that you know! Little ones!"

The little foxes loved excitement. Outsiders saw them performing heavy physical labor that burly men couldn't manage, assuming Li Yundong was persecuting them. They didn't know that the little foxes were thoroughly enjoying themselves, finding the whole thing more fun than cultivating in the mountains or being cooped up at home!

Upon hearing Li Yundong’s call, the little foxes responded crisply, "Yes!"

Their unified shout made every man among the onlookers weep inwardly, cursing under their breath: Damn it! How hard is it to find a beautiful woman these days? If you’re lucky enough to find one, you hold her in your palm, afraid she’ll drop, you cradle her in your mouth, afraid she’ll melt, you keep her at home, afraid she’ll cheat, you let her outside, afraid she’ll stray. It’s so hard to serve a beautiful wife! That damned man has so many beauties around him! He doesn't cherish them, and what's worse, he treats them like servants! And if treating them like servants wasn't enough, this pack of beauties is actually beaming, looking as if they've struck the biggest bargain in the world!

My heavens, how can such a thing exist on earth!

Who exactly is this man? C

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