Chapter 160: Taking a Beating

When the case involving Zhu Zhenguo is laid out, it turns out to be quite simple—nothing more than an ordinary frame-up.

On the night of the incident, Big Mao and some accomplices plotted a honey trap. They intended for his mistress—the woman who was eventually strangled—to strip and lie next to Zhu Zhenguo while he was dead drunk, allowing Big Mao to extort some money out of it.

However, this Old Sixth Zhu used to be a notorious and well-connected figure in the capital's underworld back in the day. Little Peach Blossom had vaguely heard of Old Sixth Zhu's reputation when she was a child.

Naturally, Little Peach Blossom was unwilling to go along with the scheme. Did they expect her to take all the risks while the men pocketed all the benefits? What kind of daydream was that?

Besides, who knew what Old Sixth Zhu might resort to if he were pushed too far? After all, even a crumbling ship still has three nails left; if Old Sixth Zhu wanted to deal with someone like her who only ran a semi-open operation, he had a million ways to crush her effortlessly.

During their argument, Big Mao, who was heavily intoxicated, grabbed her by the neck and prepared to slap her across the face. In a fit of panic and clumsiness, he accidentally strangled her to death.

Afterward, he colluded with his underlings to fabricate a unified story and pinned the crime entirely on Zhu Zhenguo.

Once the real culprit was caught, Zhu Zhenguo was naturally released. Too lazy to bother any further, Chen Liang told Zhu Zhenguo to have his grandfather prepare a large silk banner, make a grand fuss about it, and present it directly to Old Zhang.

Then, Chen Liang patted his backside and left. He still had more important matters to attend to—wasn't finding a new nest for his second wife and mistress far more interesting than this?

After wandering around for a while, Chen Liang finally found Big Dog watching some old men play Chinese chess near the Heavenly Bridge.

Dressed in a worn-out ribbed singlet, holding a tattered palm-leaf fan, and shuffling along in a pair of cloth shoes with his big toes poking out, he looked just like a peasant who had recently arrived in the city—perhaps even shabbier.

With this look, who could ever guess, unless told outright, that the man before them was a ten-thousand-yuan man?

Big Dog, deeply engrossed in the chess game, suddenly sensed a gaze fixed upon him. He whipped his head around and locked eyes with Chen Liang.

The two men gave each other an almost imperceptible nod. Chen Liang pedaled his bicycle into a narrow alley and waited a moment. Soon, Big Dog swaggered in with an air of absolute importance, swaying his palm-leaf fan like the legendary monk Ji Gong.

"Master Liang? How did you find me here?" Big Dog pulled a pack of Peak cigarettes from his ragged trouser pocket, extracted one, handed it over, and then struck a match to light it for Chen Liang.

Chen Liang did not waste any breath. "Big Dog, that small courtyard you found earlier, is it still available?"

"Yes, yes, it is! The owners are asking too high a price, so it hasn't been sold yet!"

Chen Liang took a drag from his cigarette. "Alright then, go buy it today. Deduct the money from the account."

Buying and selling property was strictly prohibited during this era, but every trick had its own path. As long as you paid the homeowner privately and had them transfer the property to you as a gift, the housing administration bureau could hardly raise objections. It was simply a way of exploiting loopholes in the system.

"Understood, Master Liang. I'll take care of it right away! Do you have any other instructions?"

Big Dog was not particularly clever, but he had one major virtue: he was obedient. Whatever Chen Liang told him to do, he always kept firmly in mind!

Chen Liang smoked in silence for a moment before deciding to give Big Dog a heads-up in advance. "Big Dog, once you finish processing the current batch of goods, halt all trading for now. Have your people lie low and take a break. The political climate at the top has been a bit turbulent lately! We'll reevaluate in a couple of years."

"Also, go find yourself a temporary job. Don't wander around the streets like a hooligan all day. That's the only way to stay safe."

Without asking for the reason, Big Dog immediately nodded. "Got it, Brother Liang. I'll get right on it as soon as I finish wrapping up the business."

"Good. Then I'll be off. Try to secure the courtyard today if possible, and have them move out tomorrow." Chen Liang dropped his cigarette butt to the ground, ground it out beneath his heel, and vanished like a gust of wind.

Catching the noon lunch hour, Chen Liang returned to the library and found that Xiaoyu had already prepared the meals, waiting for his return.

Deeply moved, Chen Liang pulled Xiaoyu into his embrace and reached out to cup her chest. "Darling, if the food is ready next time, go ahead and eat first. Make sure you don't starve my big treasures."

"Oh, you scoundrel!" Xiaoyu murmured playfully, swatting away his wandering hand before shifting her position in his arms to get more comfortable.

Soon, the two began eating their lunch. Chen Liang picked up a piece of braised pork belly and held it out to her. "Ah, say ah!"

Xiaoyu had long since grown immune to this level of public affection, but just as she took the meat into her mouth, Chen Liang launched a surprise attack.

He lunged forward, planted his lips on hers, and brazenly robbed her of half the piece of braised pork belly right out of her mouth.

Sigh, who knows what was so delicious about pork belly drenched in saliva!

Naturally, this move earned Chen Liang a round of shy, playful punches from Xiaoyu, who pretended to be severely injured by her blows.

"Ow! Are you trying to murder your own husband? No way, you have to treat me to an ice cream combo set today, otherwise, you won't soothe my wounded heart!"

His exaggerated antics made Xiaoyu laugh so hard she doubled over. Afterward, treating him like a mischievous eldest son, she gave him a light kiss on the forehead. "Alright, alright, let's talk about it when we get home, okay? Be a good boy and listen!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Liang scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the lounge. "Hmph! Well, I need to collect some interest right now!"

When off-duty time arrived, Chen Liang brought Xiaoyu home. As soon as they stepped through the front door, they heard little Chen Hong's wailing and howling.

"Mom, please don't hit me anymore! I'll never dare do it again! Second Uncle, Grandma, Granny, please come save me! I'm about to be beaten to death!"

Hah! The sheer lung power behind those shrieks made Chen Liang chuckle involuntarily. She was still a hundred thousand miles away from being beaten to death!

Hearing Chen Liang's laughter, little Chen Hong bolted out of the room. Catching sight of Chen Liang and Xiaoyu, she looked at them as if they were her saviors.

She latched onto Chen Liang's leg, looking up with tear-filled eyes. "Second Uncle, save me! The tigress is going to beat me to death today!" K

Just then, the eldest sister-in-law chased after her brandishing a feathered duster. "Brother-in-law, you cannot protect her today! If we don't discipline her now, she's going to turn the house upside down!"

"What's going on here? What trouble has little Chen Hong caused this time?"

Chen Liang would have been better off not asking. The moment he spoke, the sister-in-law grew even angrier. She pointed the feathered duster at Chen Hong, but then remembered her manners and lowered it again. "Just ask her yourself! How old is she, and yet she actually dared to run off to the moat to play in the water!"

"What!" Upon hearing this, Chen Liang lowered his gaze to look at Chen Hong, only to find the troublesome little girl blinking her peach-blossom eyes and putting on an expression of utter innocence!