157: Next stop on the journey

After Li Zhan finished speaking, he leaned back into his chair, picked up the cup of slightly cooled tea again, took a gentle sip, and said no more.

He had already cast the bait, which was plenty plump but also hid risks.

Whether they would take it, and how they would take it, required time to digest and weigh.

The tea room fell into silence once again, but this silence was different from before; it was filled with the atmosphere of calculation and weighing options...

Bai Shaqiang, Prince Hui, Brother Chang, and A Ming all had flickering eyes, calculating rapidly in their minds.

The two pies Li Zhan had drawn—overseas gambling solved the upgrade and exit problem for their existing gray industries, while real estate pointed toward a brighter future and the possibility of washing their hands clean and going legit.

The temptation was immense.

But equally, the risks were not small.

The overseas gambling industry required extremely strong channel control and a foundation of trust; real estate, even more so, required connecting with high-level relationships and massive investment...

As for Li Zhan's claim that he could handle the authorities, they believed it; after all, they had already clearly investigated the family background behind Miss Lin.

But more importantly, once they invested and cooperated, it meant being included in Li Zhan's system to a certain extent, and who would hold the power of discourse in the future was not something they could decide...

The few big bosses exchanged glances. Ultimately, it was the most seasoned Bai Shaqiang who spoke up. The smile returned to his face as he laughed it off,

"Mr. Li truly has a grand vision! These two paths sound incredibly tempting.

However, this is a major matter involving many aspects. We old guys need to go back and ponder it carefully, and also check in with the brothers below. We'll give Mr. Li an answer later, how about that?"

Prince Hui also nodded in agreement, "It certainly requires careful consideration. Mr. Li has given us the direction, but we still need to deliberate on the specifics of how to proceed."

This was the expected reaction. Li Zhan was not in a rush. He nodded with a smile, "Of course. Such a big matter naturally requires thorough consideration. I'm just offering a starting point; if you bosses have any thoughts, feel free to come talk to me anytime."

He knew the seed had been planted.

Faced with the risk of potentially being "harvested" in the future and the two paths Li Zhan had pointed out that could lead to wealth and rebirth, these shrewd individuals would make the choice that best served their own interests.

And once someone started choosing to follow, his plan to integrate the underground resources of Dongguan would be more than half successful.

The water in the teapot boiled again, white steam curling up, reflecting several faces with different thoughts, yet all of them were plotting for the future...

— After the dinner party ended, Li Zhan took Yang Yuying back to the hotel suite where they were staying.

As soon as the door closed, the desire that had been building up for days spread like a wildfire.

Perhaps it was because the trip to Tiger Gate was coming to an end, perhaps it was the bloodiness of the fighting ring that stimulated the most primal urges, or perhaps it was because the silent contest and testing at tonight's dinner needed another way to be vented; their entanglement was more intense than any time before.

Clothes were scattered messily on the carpet, and the suppressed gasps and moans lasted for a long time in the dim room before gradually subsiding.

After it was over... Yang Yuying lay sweatily on Li Zhan's sturdy chest, breathing slightly.

The soft night light outlined her stunning body curves—Yang Yuying's face was flushed with the afterglow, but her eyes were somewhat hazy and complex.

Tomorrow she would have to leave Tiger Gate, return to that seemingly magnificent yet cold and lonely luxury mansion in Shenzhen, and continue being that caged canary.

But these short seven days felt like a thrilling and incredibly romantic dream.

The bloody violence in the fighting ring, the undercurrents beneath the dinner table, and the strength, calmness, and occasional tenderness shown by the man beside her... all of this made her completely addicted.

She discovered that she had hopelessly fallen in love with this man who had forcibly broken into her life and brought her unprecedented stimulation and security.

She couldn't bear to let go... but she knew deeply that given her past and current situation, it was impossible to monopolize such a man destined for greatness.

She didn't even dare to hope for a formal status, only hoping that she could occupy a small, special place in his heart, allowing him to occasionally think of her and need her.

Sensing the subtle melancholy and silence of the woman in his arms, Li Zhan naturally understood what she was thinking.

He lowered his head and kissed her smooth forehead, his large hand giving a firm but gentle squeeze to her highly elastic buttocks, eliciting a soft cry from the woman.

"What are you thinking about?" His voice carried the hoarseness of the aftermath, sounding somewhat carelessly lazy.

"How far is it from Shenzhen to Chang'an? After you go back, if you miss me, just call me anytime, and I'll send a car to pick you up. When I have time, I'll go see you too."

His words sounded like a promise, yet he hadn't promised anything at all.

He didn't mention that there were A Zhen, Lin Xia, and Sister Hua back in Chang'an, nor did he give her any guarantees about the future.

But he gave her an open, continuous possibility—it just depended on how she chose and how she grasped it.

Yang Yuying looked up, gazing into his deep, inscrutable eyes, which held the calmness after passion had faded, but showed not a trace of attachment or commitment.

Her heart felt a slight sting, but she quickly let it go... Being able to have this was already far better than she had expected.

She leaned in, took the initiative to kiss the corner of his lips, and buried her face back into the crook of his neck. Her voice was muffled, yet carried a hint of resigned tenderness, "Mm... then you're not allowed to find me annoying..."

Li Zhan chuckled, tightening his arms around her as a response.

Outside the window, the night in Tiger Gate was deep, and the questions about tomorrow were temporarily cast to the back of their minds...

— The next morning, at the hotel entrance.

Old Zhou was already waiting by the side in a black Audi A6. Yang Yuying had changed into a proper dress; last night's coquettish laziness had been carefully put away, but the lingering blush in her eyes and the lingering reluctance when she looked at Li Zhan betrayed her thoughts.

"Take care on the road, send me a message when you arrive." Li Zhan opened the car door for her, his tone flat but carrying a hint of concern.

"Mm, you too." Yang Yuying nodded, bent down, and sat into the car.

The car door closed, separating their gazes... Li Zhan did not linger, turned around, and took Big Ox toward his black mercedes-benz.

Big Ox started the car efficiently, drove steadily into the traffic, and headed in the direction of Chang'an.

The atmosphere in the car was quiet. Li Zhan leaned back in the spacious backseat, closing his eyes to rest, reviewing the gains and losses of the trip to Tiger Gate and the situation in Chang'an ahead in his mind...

Just then, his phone rang. It was Zhou Mingxuan.

He pressed the answer key, his tone becoming familiar and enthusiastic, "organization name related to Zhou familys overseas assets? What made you think of calling me?"

From the other end of the phone came Zhou Mingxuan's young and slightly excited voice, "Brother Zhan! I'm not disturbing you, am I? Are you in Chang'an? I'm free right now and want to go over to your place to visit your real estate company, and hang out while I'm at it. Is that welcome?"

A smile curled on Li Zhan's lips. Zhou Mingxuan, the second young master of Vice Mayor Zhou, Lin Xia's cousin, a fresh graduate, relatively simple-minded, was exactly the easiest breakthrough point to build a relationship.

"Of course you're welcome! For you, Young Master organization name related to Zhou familys overseas assets, to grace me with your presence, I couldn't ask for more." Li Zhan laughed, "But it's boring if you come alone, bring your brother Mingyuan along! As it happens, I just got a batch of good wine, let's eat together tonight, let him come over to taste it and relax..."

Zhou Mingxuan seemed a bit hesitant on the other end of the phone, "My brother... he's such a busy person, I don't know if he has time. I'll ask him."

"Be sure to drag him here! Just tell him my chef got authentic wild red spotted grouper and is waiting for him to taste it."

Li Zhan gave a suitable reason. He believed Mingyuan would come; that guy hid ambition in his eyes that others couldn't easily perceive. Others might not see it, but he could see through it at a glance...

"Call me directly when you get to Chang'an. I'll make the arrangements and guarantee that you two brothers will have a great time."

"Alright! Thanks, Brother Zhan! I'll ask my brother, and once the time is set, I'll let you know!" Zhou Mingxuan agreed happily.

Hanging up the phone, the smile on Li Zhan's face slowly faded. His eyes became deep, slightly narrowed, flashing with a different kind of light.

The Zhou Family... the key to the next move was finally about to be played.

Mingyuan's real power at the Land Bureau, Vice Mayor Zhou's influence in the city, and the lingering prestige of the retired old man behind the Zhou Family were all indispensable forces for him to contend against Young Master Liu and his father and to further root himself in Dongguan.

And the Zhou Family also needed him, this "blade," to deal with the local snake that was the Liu Family. This was a tacit cooperation.

"Big Ox..." Li Zhan spoke suddenly, "Don't go back to the company yet. Change course, go to Miss Lin's apartment."

"Alright, Senior Brother." Big Ox did not hesitate at all, skillfully changed lanes at the intersection ahead, and drove toward the high-end apartment complex where Lin Xia lived.

Some relationships need to be warmed up in advance... Some pillow talk needs to be whispered at the right time...