Chapter 122: The Iron Lady

“Beep, beep, beep...” Xian immediately hung up the phone, eager to sever ties with them. This seasoned operator knew full well that the opponent they were facing this time was an immovable giant, and Liu Jingye was no exception.

Boss Meng was so frightened that he collapsed onto the sofa, anxiously tearing at his hair in clumps, muttering repeatedly, “What are we going to do? What are we going to do?”

Had Xian called earlier and revealed the other party’s background, he would have handed over the turf without a fight. Moreover, they had even promised to entrust future transportation tasks to him, which was tantamount to climbing a mighty tree for support.

But fate was cruel. That arrogant scoundrel had slapped Lin Shengnan, which enraged Liu Jingye to the point of fury. He wrecked them utterly, beating them to a pulp and humiliating them thoroughly. This grudge had grown too large—it was certain even he had earned their hatred.

“No, I need to lay low for a while,” Boss Meng said, being half a man of the underworld himself and fully aware of the dangers. Just earlier, Liu Jingye had casually remarked that if someone died, they’d simply bury them in a mass grave. And then there was Feng Gongzi, a man of considerable influence.

Saying this, he opened a drawer containing two bundles of cash, several bank cards, IDs, and a small dagger—all stuffed hurriedly into his handbag as if he hadn’t noticed Liu Jingye and Lin Shengnan. He was eager to leave.

Seeing Boss Meng’s terrified demeanor, Liu Jingye chuckled: “Boss Meng, you’re just going to walk away? Leaving behind your turf, the transport team, and the KTV?”

“I only want to save my life right now,” Boss Meng replied bitterly. “Brother Liu, I don’t have your extraordinary skills or know your background. I don’t want to get involved in such a terrifying underworld dispute. I’m giving all of it up. If you want it, keep it. If not, whoever wants it can have it.”

After speaking, Boss Meng fled as if running for his life. The richer the man, the more cautious and precious his life.

Liu Jingye sat back in the executive chair, staring at the dazed Lin Shengnan. “So, do we want Boss Meng’s businesses?”

Lin Shengnan smiled wryly. “Of course I want them, but I don’t want to risk my life for it.”

“Don’t you want to find the brothers a stable livelihood soon? This is a golden opportunity with zero capital investment,” Liu Jingye said. “Once you shed your burdens, you’ll be free to have a relationship.”

Lin shot him a sideways glance, then slowly approached and quietly took his hand, holding it tightly. With deep affection, she said, “You have such a temper. Out here in the streets, it’s either hitting or getting hit. Do you really have to resort to knives and guns and killing?”

Liu Jingye smiled. “You’re the big sister, I’m your little brother. How could I let you get hurt? Besides, this life isn’t really suited for you.”

He was genuinely trying to persuade her to quit, but Lin Shengnan was resolute. “I’ve come this far; it’s not so easy to walk away now. Besides, I have a family of brothers. They say brothers are like oxen—you can’t betray the ox no matter how hard life gets.”

“I’ve heard that too,” Liu Jingye said. “And that a wife is the path—you can’t stray from it no matter how rich or powerful you become.”

For the first time, Lin Shengnan smiled with satisfaction. This simple, sincere sweet talk was exactly what a traditional wife like her wanted to hear.

Suddenly, Liu Jingye asked, “You think oxen don’t stray from the path, right?”

“Bah...” she scoffed.

Because of the events of the night, Liu Jingye feared further trouble and decided to stay. Boss Meng’s office had a bedroom, and to his surprise, Lin Shengnan hadn’t left either. Usually, they would spend the night in a high-end room at the bathhouse, but today she showed no intention of leaving.

“Move over a bit,” Lin Shengnan said, standing by the bed and blushing as she looked at Liu Jingye sprawled out.

“Huh? You want to sleep here too? This is a single bed in a single room,” Liu Jingye teased.

“Then I’ll leave...” Lin Shengnan pouted and turned to go, but Liu Jingye grabbed her small hand and gently pulled her into his arms.

Her cheeks flushed, eyes glistening, she looked at him and whispered, “Is this okay? I’m not ready to leave.”

“What did you say?” Liu Jingye shifted slightly. “I’m tired and want to sleep. You won’t snore, right?”

He understood her nature well. Until she had laid down her burdens, she was determined not to start a relationship. And he wouldn’t force her.

They lay quietly together, both a little awkward and restless. After a while, neither could sleep and instead felt more awake.

Suddenly, Lin Shengnan asked, “Hey, do you know what women say most often in bed?”

Liu Jingye was surprised and puzzled by the sudden question. Was she overwhelmed by sharing a bed?

“What’s the most common thing?” he asked. “I love you? I want more? Harder? Faster?”

“Get lost, you pervert!” she kicked his shin. “The most common thing women say is, ‘You’re crushing my hair!’”

“Oh, right, right...” Liu Jingye laughed, realizing.

“Yeah, well, move your arm off my hair already!” Lin snapped.

After some fussing, they finally fell asleep. The next morning, they were woken by a knock on the door. Lin Shengnan tried to get up but fell back onto the bed.

Only then did they realize their legs were tangled like vines around a tree. Lin’s head rested on Liu’s arm, and her arm wrapped around his neck. Her clothes had ridden up, and his pants had slipped to his knees without them noticing.

They stared at each other wide-eyed, both saying in unison, “You’re too restless when you sleep!”

Neither blamed the other. After some effort, they untangled themselves. Lin quickly dressed and headed for the door but stopped abruptly.

“What’s wrong now?” Liu Jingye asked curiously.

Lin gritted her teeth, “Were you pretending to sleep last night? How else did my jacket buttons come undone?”

Liu Jingye shook his head repeatedly, signaling ignorance.

She buttoned up behind her back, then turned and left. The one knocking at the door was a KTV staff member holding a black bag. Looking around, he asked, “Sister Nan, is Boss Meng here?”

“Boss Meng has left for a while. I’m in charge here temporarily,” Lin said.

The staff hesitated, then raised the bag. “Okay then, this is all yesterday’s KTV earnings. Boss Meng requested daily settlements to be delivered to him.”

Lin was taken aback. The bag wasn’t large, but it was heavy. Her breath quickened, and trembling, she extended her hand, unable to resist temptation. “Then give it to me. I’ll make sure Boss Meng gets every penny.”

After the staff left, Lin eagerly opened the bag. Bundles of cash immediately made her eyes blaze. She said to Liu Jingye, “There’s at least 120,000 here from just one night at the KTV. That means three to four million a month. After necessary expenses, the monthly net profit is at least two million. This is insanely profitable.”

“Entertainment venues are currently the most lucrative business. At this scale, a million a month is normal,” Liu Jingye said, pulling a fine cigarette from Boss Meng’s drawer. He lit it leisurely, playing with the expensive lighter. “But no matter how much you make, you have to have a life to spend it.”

“No, I’m going to take over all of Boss Meng’s businesses,” Lin declared.

Having lived in poverty, suddenly having vast sums within reach could drive anyone mad. Liu Jingye understood this. He was tempted by the stacks of cash, but having crawled out of a mountain of corpses and bloodshed, he knew what he truly needed.

Lin Shengnan had made up her mind. This was a windfall, a golden opportunity. She told Liu Jingye, “At worst, I won’t touch Boss Meng’s turf or transport fleet—just the KTV.”

“I warn you, Boss Meng isn’t a fool. He knows he’s provoked a force nobody dares to challenge, which is why he ran for his life. That other party has already set their sights on his assets and will take them by force if necessary. Be prepared,” Liu Jingye said.

Lin pondered, then said, “At most, I’ll disperse all the hostesses here, strictly check customers for drugs, and turn this place into a clean, legal venue. That way, they can’t find any faults. If they cause trouble, I’ll call the police.”

“That’s a good approach,” Liu Jingye agreed. “But such huge profits won’t be the same, and there’s even a risk of closure.”

“Stop trying to sabotage me, okay?” Lin frowned. “Don’t you want me to find a safe place for the brothers and get out? Don’t tell me you don’t—you stayed up all night yesterday pitching a tiny tent!”

Lin blushed as she said this. Liu Jingye was instantly embarrassed, bowing his head in silence.

“If daily revenue is 100,000, dispersing hostesses and banning partygoers will cut turnover by two-thirds, leaving about 30,000. Then I can launch special promotions, open earlier, waive room fees during slow periods, quietly raise drink prices, and bring in cheaper beer...” Lin muttered to herself.

Liu Jingye was surprised. This girl had real business acumen and decisive ability—she had the makings of a strong woman.

Lin then summoned Shi Tou and the others, giving orders one by one: “Hu Ming, take all the KTV’s legal permits and visit the industry and tax bureaus to check for any tax evasion. Confirm the legality of this place.

“Da Niu and Er Niu, find the madams and tell them the authorities will crack down again soon. They should tell all the hostesses not to come to work starting today, find a safe place, and wait for my signal to return.

“Shi Tou, contact nearby small breweries and order some of the cheapest beer—but no counterfeit.”

Lin acted swiftly and decisively, performing a complete 180-degree turnaround that left Liu Jingye amazed.

Once everyone had left, only the two remained. Liu Jingye wanted to do something, and Lin pointed to her shoulder. “You, give me a massage!”