Ke Yixiong originally only handled construction sites.

Hiring a group of workers was enough to start operations.

How hard could building houses be?

Though he didn’t understand the technical aspects, he hired a knowledgeable chief engineer to oversee things. Even the craftiest workers wouldn’t dare challenge Ke Yixiong.

He’d secured the construction site, and according to experts’ calculations, Ke Yixiong could earn over 200,000 yuan upon completion. In 1985, 200,000 yuan wasn’t a small sum. Many construction contractors initially took on scattered jobs, bringing in fellow villagers for work. In a good year, they might become “ten-thousand-yuan households,” but with unsuccessful projects, they could lose their capital.

A project earning 200,000 yuan meant at least a million yuan total budget. Though Ke Yixiong had zero experience, Du Zhaohui wasn’t being stingy giving him such a large project.

But Ke Yixiong was an ambitious man.

If he hadn’t wanted to rise above his station, he wouldn’t have bothered attaching himself to Du Zhaohui.

Though Du Zhaohui gave him a project with a 200,000 yuan profit, Ke Yixiong wanted more.

After arriving in Pengcheng, he quickly set his sights on the construction waste transport business. This business was even simpler than construction – while building required technical knowledge, waste transport only needed trucks and drivers to begin!

Others dared not compete with locals in this business, but Ke Yixiong hadn’t been a gang leader in Yangcheng for nothing. He had no shortage of men – if they could only scam and cheat, how could they have scared Bai Zhenzhu and others back then?

Ke Yixiong approached each site personally, negotiating to take over their waste transport business.

He maintained his underworld style – friendly and smiling, giving gifts when needed readily offering cigarettes. Since construction waste had to be transported anyway, site managers didn’t care who handled it.

Some took Ke Yixiong’s gifts and agreed:

“Little Ke, if you can take over the business from the current transport team, all future construction waste is yours!”

The speaker didn’t know how ruthless this “Little Ke” could be.

The current transport team was local thugs who monopolized the construction waste business.

Did the trucks only transport waste on their runs?

Of course not.

The transport team brought construction materials to sites and took waste away.

They profited twice on each trip!

Once Ke Yixiong discovered such a profitable business, he had to compete for it.

His men, brought from Yangcheng, would fight and flee, giving the local thugs headaches. A seemingly modest, generous gang leader whose subordinates fought desperately. Ke Yixiong promised them good lives, saying they’d all become bosses instead of remaining thugs who feared the police.

With the boss making such promises, how could they not fight desperately?

Out of ten fights, Ke Yixiong’s side won at least seven.

In a short time, this dragon crossing the river had claimed vast territory.

Now ordinary local thugs dared not compete with Ke Yixiong. He monopolized waste transport for several sites and was riding high on success.

His lack of further monopolization wasn’t from generosity – his transport team was overwhelmed, and limited funds prevented buying more trucks!

Ke Yixiong was transforming from gang leader to contractor.

Or rather, his gangster essence remained unchanged, just wearing a contractor’s facade. Fewer people called him “Boss” now; even his dullest subordinates knew to say “Manager,” which pleased Ke Yixiong more.

Just as Ke Yixiong established himself in Pengcheng, he hadn’t thought of Xia Xiaolan. Their lives didn’t intersect – he couldn’t get invitations to investment cocktail parties, had no chance to meet her, and was too busy expanding his business empire to think about women.

Unexpectedly, Ah Hua wanted to send Xia Hongbing and his daughter to work at the site, which Cao Liu treated as a joke.

Indeed, Xia Hongbing’s family had been Cao Liu’s men’s bait to connect with Du Zhaohui.

According to Cao Liu, Boss Ke truly had a destiny with the Xia family. Using Xia Hongbing’s family as bait, smuggling Xia Ziyu to Hong Kong as a favor – their current situation came through the Xia family one way or another.

Du Zhaohui had ransomed them back, and now personally sent them back again.

Cao Liu found it amusing. While Ke Yixiong focused on business, Cao Liu’s reminder made him think of Xia Xiaolan again.

“Why mention such small matters? Just find their positions somewhere. Taking them on is just giving face to Ah Hua. He’s still highly valued by Du Zhaohui, and importantly, Ah Hua is sensible – a favor to him might prove useful someday!”

Cao Liu grew serious.

Boss Ke spoke business sense – Xia Hongbing’s family were irrelevant clowns, but Ah Hua was now Du Zhaohui’s confidant.

A 200,000-yuan profit project meant much to Ke Yixiong but was trivial to Du Zhaohui. With Du Zhaohui’s continued support, Boss Ke could surely lead everyone to earn more!

“Boss, I understand, I’ll arrange everything properly!”

Ke Yixiong raised his hand, “Wait, investigate Xia Xiaolan – she should be on summer break from university in Beijing. Is she in Pengcheng?”

Xia Xiaolan had previously looked down on his underworld background.

Ke Yixiong had also lost face to Pan San, unable to challenge Xia Xiaolan’s backing.

Now that he’d transformed into a contractor, a boss in his own right, he wanted to see if Xia Xiaolan’s attitude remained unchanged.

Speaking of attraction, men naturally liked beautiful women.

But if Ke Yixiong had won Xia Xiaolan, he might not have dwelled on her so long. For men, even the most beautiful woman becomes familiar after possession, unless pure physical attraction develops into emotional attachment.

Ke Yixiong remembered so long because he desired but couldn’t obtain her.

He and Du Zhaohui surely shared this sentiment – Xia Xiaolan had dampened both their spirits!

Cao Liu felt troubled hearing this.

Caught up laughing at Xia Hongbing and his daughter’s foolishness, he’d forgotten Hongbing was Xia Xiaolan’s uncle – of course, Boss Ke would think of her.

Cao Liu still feared provoking Xia Xiaolan, traumatized by Pan San.

Then he realized they now ran legitimate businesses – Pan San couldn’t do anything about them simply investigating Xia Xiaolan’s recent activities.

Ke Yixiong’s subordinates came from various backgrounds – capable of scams and information gathering, or they couldn’t have tracked Du Zhaohui’s attackers to Hong Kong.

Now using that ability to find Xia Xiaolan would be easy.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t exactly low-profile – that face couldn’t hide anywhere.

Starting with Bai Zhenzhu, following the trail would lead to Liu Yong, then to Xia Xiaolan’s activities. While Boss Ke was busy transforming his business, this woman hadn’t been idle, maintaining a constant presence in Pengcheng.

Cao Liu muttered: “Such a woman won’t stay put, Boss. She’ll be hard to control!”

Running a building materials store, opening a renovation company, and studying while doing business – Cao Liu admired Xia Xiaolan’s drive.

Ke Yixiong laughed heartily:

“She runs a renovation company, I handle construction sites. Cao Liu, wouldn’t you say we’re destined for each other?”