In the suburbs of Nanjing at night, a large Hummer off-road vehicle was parked outside a four-story building. Cao Jing and Chen Ergou got out of the car after strolling around Fuzimiao and Qinhuai River in the evening. During the day, they also took a cursory tour of the Rain Flower Terrace scenic area. Chen Ergou liked to follow her on tours, with clear routes and even more professional explanations than the guides.

  Back home, Chen Erdou first divided the five-spice tea eggs from Kuiguang Pavilion and the crab shell yellow baked cakes from Yonghe Garden into two portions to give to Wang Huzi's brothers and sisters, Chen Qingzhi. The four of them have been busy setting up their new nest for the past two days, Chen Erdou accompanied Cao Jingyuan, of course, couldn't forget to reward everyone. This house has four floors with a total of seven rooms, Wang Jiefang was defined by Wang Huzi as the "gatekeeper", living on the first floor, if he dies, it must be the first one, Wang Huzi himself occupied two suites on the second floor, Chen Qingzhi and Chen Xiangyun lived on the third floor, Erdou and Cao Jingyuan took over the two suites on the fourth floor. The big family is harmonious and happy, Wang Huzi often finds Chen Qingzhi to drink and chat when he has time, one is a top student, the other is a white horse explorer, both are masters of grave digging, they are not outsiders in Feng Shui and antique collection, they have a lot of common language. The happiest one is still Wang Jiefang, every time the young master and Chen Qingzhi chat, he listens with gusto on the side, his eyes shining brightly, rubbing his rough big hands that don't know how many good women have been ruined, laughing loudly, as if he has returned to the years when he followed his uncle, the general, eating and drinking together. Even the thing in his pants is well-behaved, not looking for a woman to vent at all. Chen Xiangyun's life is just listening to the radio, serving a bunch of flowers, birds, fish, and insects, as quiet and elegant as ever, although the place is far from being as elegant and refined as Shi Qingfeng, his face is even more rosy and spirited.

  However, she and Cao Jing seemed to have little interaction with each other, like a small blue fish quietly watching the sky from the bottom of a deep well, and a bright red carp that has seen too many dragon gates in the vast river, looking at each other across the rivers and lakes, not unfamiliar but also not deliberately polite.

  Wang Hu left one mouthful of a five-spice tea egg, wearing a pair of tattered tourist shoes that had been trampled from Shanghai to Shanshui Hua Gate and then here, with a big general's signature **** smile on his face, said vaguely: "Er Gou, when are you going to execute Cao's surname on the spot? You want me to push her down and celebrate immediately, I'll hang out the 10,000 firecrackers that have been prepared early."

  Chen Ergou's face twitched slightly, with an urge to shave Wang Hu's remaining hair clean.

  "The tyrant is on the upper bow, turning raw rice into cooked rice is the highest realm. Er Gou, don't learn those effeminate tricks from city people, they're useless. Cao's women don't fall for that nonsense. Er Gou, I'm warning you, she lives just one floor above you now. If the roasted swan meat flies away, this toad will let Wang Yuanyan, the woman who can crush boulders with her breasts at Ah Mei restaurant, press him to death. The small board and bed board will all be crushed."

  Wang Hu remained seated on a small stool after eating several tea eggs, still not forgetting to stretch out his hand to scratch the sole of his foot that had come out of his broken shoe, then continued to lovingly peel another tea egg like he was undressing a woman, tossing it into his mouth and chewing with relish, making Chen Er Gou's scalp feel numb.

  "How can you be more anxious than me?" Chen Erdou found a stool and sat down with a smile.

  "If I were to be favored by a woman from the Cao family who is as wise and perceptive as she is uninterested in worldly affairs, I wouldn't just stop at forcing my way into her heart - I would even cry out for my parents and cling to her legs to win her over."

  After finishing the tea egg, Wang Huzi seemed to have a strong intention to go and eliminate the crab shell yellow baked cake. It didn't seem like he was going to leave any for Wang Jiefang to stuff his teeth with. Perhaps outsiders would think this wasn't very kind, but in reality, among the Wang brothers, Wang Huzi only wouldn't let Wang Jiefang have food, everything else - women, money, antiques - were all given to Wang Jiefang. This was probably Wang Huzi's most cunning aspect. As he swallowed the fragrant and delicious yellow baked cake, he glanced at Chen Ergou opposite him and said in a low voice: "Ergou, we're both country bumpkins, rustic and unsophisticated. I'm not one to spit out ivory from my dog mouth. Finding a wife and having children is the most important thing, if you can find a beautiful and kind-hearted woman, it's a sin against heaven if you don't have kids with her. You should take advantage of the situation while it's hot, although I always say that Wang Jiefang is a pig, that's just jealousy, he has no women, it's heavenly punishment."

  "I also want to cook raw rice into cooked rice."

  Chen Ergou looked embarrassed and cried, whispering: "But you don't know that Cao Jing can easily throw me out far away with a shoulder throw. If I rush into her room without thinking, I'm afraid I'll only get castrated. So now I don't even dare to hold her hand. You want me to force my way in, isn't that like running into the muzzle of a gun?"

  "So fierce?" Wang Hu asked in surprise.

  Chen Ergou nodded.

  "Why not prepare some anesthetic or sleeping pills? If all else fails, I'll get Chen Qing and Wang Jiefang to help, tie her up on the bed, and then you can take your gun and have your way with her?" Wang Hu said with a sinister tone, his smile treacherous and sleazy.

  "Hu Shengge, personally I appreciate the Mongolian traditional medicine, this one has strong feasibility, small aftereffect and easy to end."

  Cao Jing appeared at the door with a gentle smile and soft voice, calling out "Tiger Brother" in a tone that made Wang Huzi feel like he was being roasted on both sides of the fire. He had just been about to take a bite of his half-eaten crab shell pancake when he froze, stunned for a few seconds. But then his quick wit kicked in and he threw away the pancake, wailing with a sorrowful face as if he had lost his parents: "Sister Cao, spare my life! This is all because of that good-for-nothing Er Gou's tricks and temptations, he's the mastermind behind this, I'm just an accomplice. You are a great leader with a big heart, if you must kill me, I won't bat an eyelid, but you have to deal with Er Gou first, otherwise I'll die with my eyes open!"

  Then Chen Erdou, who had just kindly given him a bag of tea egg yolk biscuits, was betrayed like this. Chen Erdou, who was stunned and wanted to cry but had no tears, seemed to have only one tragic and desolate ending.

  Then only shouted a sentence **** your grandfather Chen Er Gou was killed by Cao Jing's smile, which was not inferior to the thunder, and was pulled out by his ears.

  Wang Hu wiped the sweat and picked up the crab shell yellow pancake that had been thrown to the corner, eating it with relish. He muttered in a low voice, "Ergou, after all, husband and wife fight is kin, scold is love, quarrel at the head of the bed and make peace at the foot of the bed, you just sacrifice this once."

  ————————————

  They, this house except for Wang Hu's is the most slovenly, Chen Qing's room is the simplest, a bed, a box for putting clothes, a chair, and there are no trivial things. Cao Jing said that Chen Qing was a man who was full of inner fulfillment to a certain extent. Chen Er Gou deeply agreed with this, the more empty-headed people would try their best to fill their rooms with things, just like himself, he even wanted to move all 24 histories and Taoist scriptures into his room.

  Chen Xiangyu's room was not cluttered, clean and tidy, a few pots of orchids brought from Taiyuan, Shanxi, two small crucian carp in a small glass tank that were easier to raise than goldfish, Chen Qing helped her build a shed on the rooftop to raise a nest of pigeons, even messing around with a lot of mud to create a small vegetable garden. Her life had to be simple and dull, fortunately, she had a good attitude, closing the door was like being in a deep mountain, quieting the mind made every place clean.

  Chen Xiangyu was savoring the pastries that Chen Ergou had sent over not long ago, while Chen Qing leaned against the window, looking relaxed and content. As long as his sister Chen Xiangyu ate and slept well, he felt that his life was complete and fulfilling, like a monk who had attained enlightenment. In Taiyuan, where he didn't have any backing, he was always on edge, worried that something unexpected might happen when he wasn't by his sister's side. But in Nanjing, although it was also a sensitive time with undercurrents waiting to erupt, Chen Qing was at least certain that as long as he, Chen Ergou, and the Wang brothers were alive, Xiangyu would be safe. This trust gave him a sense of security that he hadn't felt in a long time, like a washbasin filled with gold after being cleaned.

  "Brother, take that card," Chen Xiang said softly.

  "Hmm." Chen Qing nodded and said.

  "Are you going to pay or not?" Chen Xiangyu asked timidly, slowly savoring the crab shell yellow baked cake, as if swallowing all the complexities of life.

  She was blind, but her insight into people and things was far more profound than ordinary people. Her brother Chen Qingzhi could have withdrawn, after receiving the card, the most righteous brother was destined to be tied to Chen Fusheng's side for life. She respected and admired the Northeastern man, but she also didn't want her brother to live a perilous life of licking blood from a knife.

  Working hard and working to death are two completely different concepts.

  "Take it, and I won't ask for it back. If you want to return it, even if I were to die, I wouldn't want it." Chen Qingzi said softly.

  "Brother, we don't lack money." Chen Xiang's head lowered a few more degrees.

  Chen Qingzhi remained silent for a long time, not speaking until Chen Xiangyu finished eating the yellow pancake in her hand. He then pulled out a napkin from the table, squatted down to help her wipe her slender hands that were slightly greasy, and said slowly: "Xiangyu, I'm not short of money, nor do I want that money, but I want to give you a stable life. I've done too many wrong things in the past, and I have many enemies. I don't want my own karma to affect you, or else how can I face our parents and grandfather in the future? Those in power are often heartless, and Grandfather used to teach me to write a phrase: 'The world is as narrow as a bird's path, human relationships are as fleeting as fish scales.' I've finally chosen to prioritize my life, wisdom, tolerance, and skills, but what's most important is that he treats you like one of his own, with empathy and kindness. That's the heart of a Buddha. I believe that if one day I suffer from karma, he will still treat you well, Xiangyu. If I can exchange my worthless life for your safety and happiness, then it's worth it."

  Chen Xiang bit his lip and lowered his head.

  "Cried?" Chen Qingzhi lightly laughed and said.

  Chen Xiang shook his head stubbornly.

  "Silly girl, do you think I'm someone who dies easily? I've even fought a duel with Sun Manbow, the great hero from the north. If I were to die, it wouldn't be in Nanjing. I still want to see you get married and have children, and I still want to see that Floating Life guy become as famous as Sun Laotai. I'm not willing to die, even if King Yan wants to take me to the underworld, I'll crawl back." Chen Qing said softly but firmly.

  "Pull the hook." Chen Xiangyu raised his head, revealing a pure and smiling face.

  "Pull the hook."

  Chen Qing stretched out his finger and laughed, "If brother doesn't keep his word, I'll let you sleep with Wang Hu on the same bed."

  ————————————

  Cao Jing certainly wouldn't really castrate the innocent Chen Er Gou, but instead pulled him to the rooftop and asked: "Do you like playing with daggers?"

  Chen Ergou was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

  "Do you like rough and simple or delicate?" Cao Jing asked with a smile.

  "Either is fine." Chen Ergou didn't care about this, as long as he had a dagger, he could play with it in a state of perfect absorption.

  "That's good, I helped you pick out an Alaskan harpoon before I came to Nanjing, and I'll give it to you when I get back." Cao Jingjian said softly.

  "Delivered especially for me?" Chen Ergou exclaimed in surprise.

  "Can't I?" Cao Qiang rolled her lips.

  "Let me make one thing clear, I sell smiles but not my body." Chen Ergou said with a sly smile.

  Cao Jingyi didn't bother to respond to this dirty joke, "Nowadays, especially in inland provinces, a strong atmosphere of violence is prevalent. This is the inevitable bitter fruit of reform. Many elites are trying to maximize their interests and most importantly, who doesn't want to have it all and be unscrupulous? That's why characters like Qiao Liu's underlings and knife-wielding thugs are rampant."

  Here is the translation:

  "Up to this point, Cao Jing stopped for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, let out a sigh, and continued: 'Nowadays, most of the big shots are using underhanded tactics to maintain their lucrative groups. If you think it's just about wielding knives and guns on the streets, that's not right. Especially in coastal cities, once you're targeted, unless you have a powerful background, you'll be eradicated. You can study Wei Duan Gong's rise to fame, avoid the detours he took, take the correct straight path, and move forward with caution, looking back every three steps.'"

  "In Ah Mei's restaurant, I've seen too many movies, and thought that was all there was to it - just fighting and killing, you stab me and I chop you, back and forth."

  Chen Ergou sneered, "Unfortunately, I don't have any resources or connections now, so it's not easy to move. At the time when I entered the Wei family, in order not to let Fang Jie have any worries, I deliberately didn't build my own power in Qinghe Enterprise and Shi Qingfeng. If I had known that Fang Jie had decided to burn her bridges from the beginning, I wouldn't have been polite to her."

  "Nowadays, it's really different from the past. When I was young, I heard my grandfather and his generation of Sichuan old men talk about how his father was a leader of the Chuan Bang gang, although not as well-known as Shanghai's Huang Jinrong or Du Yuesheng, but still a local emperor in Sichuan at that time. I reckon many Sichuan old men would still be delighted to mention that old man, because back then, seven ships loaded with white sugar capsized on the Yangtze River due to strong winds, and when his subordinates reported this to him, he only asked about the people, not the ships, which shows his magnanimity. Er Gou, if you rise to power in the future, even if you don't have that kind of heart, you must pretend to have that kind of tolerance. In our world, whether it's grand strategies for dominating the country or petty squabbles over trivial matters, it all boils down to two words: ruling people. If you want others to willingly take risks and sacrifice themselves for you, it's not just a matter of how much money you have or how many underlings you have behind you." Cao Qiang sighed.

  "Remember for sure." Chen Ergou said in a low voice.

  "Second Dog, from now on, the only thing that can make people remember your Chen family cannot be just one Chen Fugui." Cao Jingjian turned his head and stared at Chen Ergou, saying word by word.

  Chen Ergou didn't say anything.

  "Don't you believe me?" Cao Jing asked in doubt.

  In Cao Jing's stunned panic, Chen Ergou reached out and removed her black-framed glasses, gazing at that slightly flushed and stunningly beautiful face, saying slowly: "You look like it." (To know what happens next, please log in. More chapters are available. Support the author, support the official version!)