Ke Yixiong not only had brains but could also manage his subordinates well.

They adamantly denied his involvement, and no matter how they were interrogated, Ke Yixiong remained as pure as a white lotus.

“The transport team did commit quite a few misdeeds. Someone nicknamed ‘Liu Zi’ took all the blame.”

Hearing Secretary Peng’s feedback, Xia Xiaolan knew they probably couldn’t completely bring down the opponent this time.

Bai Zhenzhu was also quite regretful. When initially injured, she still thought like a jianghu person and hadn’t considered reporting to the police. Brother Pan had asked if she wanted to involve the police, but Bai Zhenzhu refused, so Pan Baohua helped her get revenge instead, giving Ke Yixiong wounds that matched hers exactly.

Unexpectedly, these injuries became Ke Yixiong’s lifeline.

He moved up the timing of when he was injured.

He claimed he was attacked without provocation, and his workers took matters into their own hands, believing Bai Zhenzhu was responsible, so they went to confront her.

The logic made sense, and someone even testified that people had indeed broken into his residence and injured him. However, when asked who attacked him, Ke Yixiong claimed he didn’t know.

“Didn’t know…”

With Brother Pan’s distinctive appearance, how could Ke Yixiong possibly forget?

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t understand what this thug was thinking.

After thanking Secretary Peng, Ge Jian walked in with a grave expression: “Ke Yixiong left the police station and headed to our construction site. He wants to see you!”

Xia Xiaolan nodded, “In broad daylight, Ke Yixiong won’t dare do anything to me. No need to be so tense.”

This time, Ke Yixiong arrived in a car, his body covered in bandages, with injuries matching Bai Zhenzhu’s exactly.

Looking at Xia Xiaolan’s beautiful face, he could barely contain his anger.

How could someone as simple-minded as Bai Zhenzhu have thought of this move?

Since Xia Xiaolan and Bai Zhenzhu returned to Pengcheng together, and the police made arrests immediately, Ke Yixiong sensed Xia Xiaolan was behind this. He felt he had always yielded three steps to Xia Xiaolan, never expecting that when she had a chance to deal with him, she would strike so ruthlessly!

Fierce – this woman looked delicate and charming, but acted more ruthlessly than a man!

After doing such things, she could still face him as if nothing happened.

Both fierce and bold!

Cao Liu was taken in this time, and Ke Yixiong wanted to vent his rage, but upon seeing Xia Xiaolan, his anger mixed with admiration. If he had known earlier how formidable Xia Xiaolan was, he wouldn’t have treated her so casually initially. Having started wrong, everything he did now was wrong.

“Xia Xiaolan, I, Ke Yixiong, have always yielded three steps to you in matters. Du Zhaohui handed all the Xia family members to me, knowing your poor relationship with them, and I kept them firmly in check, never letting them appear before you, right? You think I need the small business from your construction site, that I must fight for this tiny territory… I just want to ask you, why do you hate me so much? Having Bai Zhenzhu report to the police – you wanted to destroy me, didn’t you!”

This question had been weighing on Ke Yixiong.

Xia Xiaolan was probably the woman he couldn’t forget.

Hearing these “accusations,” Xia Xiaolan knew Ke Yixiong had taken quite a blow this time.

But she didn’t have much sympathy.

“Ke Yixiong, your three parts kindness to me don’t offset the seven parts evil to others. You know well whether you’ve committed crimes. I don’t particularly hate you, but I don’t like you. I’m not trying to stand on moral high ground to criticize you – I just want to do honest business. We’re not the same kind of people.”

Xia Xiaolan had also done illegal things, like when Xia Zhangzheng lost his hand.

She didn’t consider herself a saint, but if people didn’t harm her, she wouldn’t actively harm others.

Ke Yixiong was entirely different. Xia Xiaolan put him in the same category as Du Zhaohui – these two getting together likely meant they shared the same evil nature.

Du Zhaohui would threaten to drown people at the slightest provocation, treating lives as worthless, and Ke Yixiong wasn’t much better!

Xia Xiaolan considered herself three parts bad, but these two were at least seven parts bad – what was there to discuss when their values were so different?

Ke Yixiong laughed, “Just for this?”

He seemed to think Xia Xiaolan was talking nonsense, but Xia Xiaolan remained serious: “Just for this. Having people ambush Bai Zhenzhu crossed the line.”

Ke Yixiong stared at Xia Xiaolan for a long time: “The police came quickly this time because of your influence. I know you can buy land in Pengcheng, so you must have official backing. I won’t touch you, but I won’t help you either. Xia Xiaolan, good luck to you – let’s see if those behind you can protect you for life!”

Blood seeped through his bandages as Ke Yixiong coughed twice, clutching his chest.

He blamed no one.

He blamed himself – a toad dreaming of eating swan meat.

The swan soared high above, how could it ever look kindly upon such a lowly creature?

Ke Yixiong laughed loudly, no longer sparing Xia Xiaolan a glance, and slammed the car door shut as he got in.

“Director Xia—”

Ge Jian had maintained a defensive stance throughout, not expecting Ke Yixiong to come just to “question” and leave.

Xia Xiaolan pondered, “Ge Jian, did you notice his words had hidden meanings? Though he won’t move against me directly, he won’t let this go. We need to be careful with construction site matters recently.”

All the Xia family members were under Ke Yixiong’s control.

So when Du Zhaohui said he fired Xia Dajun, he handed him over to Ke Yixiong.

The word “all” suggested it wasn’t just Xia Dajun.

If Ke Yixiong wanted to take revenge on the Xia family members, Xia Xiaolan would welcome it – she was indifferent to that group anyway. She wasn’t afraid of the Xia family causing trouble at Jin Sha Chi. Tactics like Old Lady Xia’s habit of falling and making scenes only worked when Xia Xiaolan was vulnerable.

If she could still be threatened by the Xia family’s rogues now, she might as well buy a piece of tofu and smash her head against it.

Ge Jian nodded, “Would you like to meet the sales staff applicants?”

The model building had started decoration, and Xia Xiaolan’s first priority was the sales office lobby. The renovation should be completed by mid-December, which would be when the properties went on sale. Xia Xiaolan hadn’t specifically recruited saleswomen – such tactics weren’t necessary in late 1985.

With quality housing and two household registration spots per unit, Jin Sha Chi’s properties would be hard not to sell; there was no need for gimmicks.

“Let’s go meet them.”

…

The atmosphere in the car was tense.

The car was recently purchased by Ke Yixiong.

He was generous to his subordinates, and while working in Yangcheng, he didn’t save much money. It wasn’t until he started doing business in Pengcheng that he made big money. Now that he was a boss, Cao Liu had advised him to maintain an image, which was why Ke Yixiong bought this car.

The car was just purchased, and Cao Liu, who had advised him to buy it, was now arrested.

To say Cao Liu completely took the blame for him wasn’t entirely accurate – the ambush on Bai Zhenzhu was Cao Liu’s initiative. When Pan San came seeking revenge, Ke Yixiong was also very angry.

But Cao Liu was his man, and when someone sought revenge against him, Ke Yixiong had to take the hit for Cao Liu, enduring Pan San’s revenge.

The blood had stained the ground red. After Pan San left, Cao Liu knelt saying he owed him his life… Though it wasn’t quite a life debt, Cao Liu would certainly be in prison for a long time.

Ke Yixiong was furious.

A subordinate carefully watched Ke Yixiong’s expression, “Boss, what about that Luo guy, should we send him home?”