After Zhou Jinbai finished speaking, his eyes, like a cold pool, were filled with anticipation.
Lin Xingwan's mind was instantly flooded with some inappropriate images, beyond her control.
There was still a driver in the car!
This man was becoming increasingly inconsiderate of the occasion, and could such things even be done in a car?
Even if it were possible, she was injured and her heart was willing but her body was weak!
"I don't want to, I don't have the strength." Lin Xingwan pushed away the man's hand and even leaned towards the car window, looking very defensive.
Seeing her so wary, Zhou Jinbai knew she had misunderstood him.
Without explaining, he leaned closer to Lin Xingwan, his sexy, thin lips brushing against her cheek, and said in a hoarse voice, "Wife, I haven't eaten meat for a long time. Can you bear to let me remain a monk?"
The words made Lin Xingwan's cheeks burn.
Lately, she felt like she was cursed. Forget about improving their marital relationship, even her daily work was mostly handled by her subordinates.
She felt exhausted every day without doing anything.
"I... I don't have that in mind... I'm truly sorry, please forgive me. If you want to, we can go back." Lin Xingwan couldn't accept being in the car, and just thinking about it made her blush.
As for Zhou Jinbai, hearing Lin Xingwan's adorable words, he didn't know whether to tease her or pity her.
He finally pulled back, but still stroked Lin Xingwan's hair, "Silly girl, your body is your own. Even if I want it badly, you don't need to do something you don't like just to accommodate me. You're injured, and I wouldn't do anything beastly to you. What I meant by improving our marital relationship was that place!"
After speaking, Zhou Jinbai cupped Lin Xingwan's face in his hands. The car window had just been opened, and Lin Xingwan's vision was filled with a long beam of light.
Of course, this beam of light was actually the night market by the beach in Rongcheng.
Because Rongcheng had a pleasant climate, it wasn't too cold even in winter, so the night market was very lively.
Every year, countless tourists came to experience the Rongcheng night market.
The car had just stopped at the entrance of the night market. As Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan got out, they were met with the rich aroma of barbecue.
"Why did you suddenly bring me to the night market?" Lin Xingwan rubbed her small hands. The car's air conditioning had been warm enough, but now that they were outside, she couldn't help but shiver.
Zhou Jinbai naturally took Lin Xingwan's hand and put it in his pocket.
"I thought about how long we've been married and I've never taken you to the night market. Our Rongcheng night market is very lively, and it's a must-visit place for many couples. Before I had you, I always thought that if I had a wife, I would definitely take her to the night market, buy her lots of delicious food, and fatten her up."
Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan walked side-by-side into the market. Their outstanding looks attracted the attention of passersby, making them turn their heads in amazement.
Even some couples nearby couldn't help but compare themselves.
They were both couples, so why was there such a big difference between people?
"There's a barbecue stall here that's really good. I used to love eating here, want to try it?" Zhou Jinbai asked.
Lin Xingwan nodded, and they soon arrived at a barbecue stall.
Although the stall didn't look large, every table was full of people.
"Song Tao, why are you grilling? Where's your dad?" Zhou Jinbai walked up to a young man in his early twenties. He was wearing only a T-shirt, revealing toned, dark muscles, indicating he was someone who spent a lot of time outdoors.
Song Tao was diligently grilling when he suddenly looked up upon hearing Zhou Jinbai's voice.
He looked at Zhou Jinbai, his eyes quickly reddening, but he forced a smile and said, "My dad passed away not long ago. He had a stroke and couldn't be saved. Brother Zhou, you haven't been here in a long time. Please sit down and try my cooking. Is it as good as my dad's?"
Song Tao's voice choked up at the end.
When his father had first passed away, he was sad and upset, but he didn't feel any different.
However, the grief of losing a loved one is lifelong.
Every day thereafter, whenever he saw something his father liked to eat, liked to watch, or even recalled something his father had said, the overwhelming sadness, suffocation, and silent breakdown would surge up.
"Okay, the usual." Zhou Jinbai's mind conjured the image of the kind old man.
As Song Tao began grilling for Zhou Jinbai, a middle-aged man in a tank top at another table spoke up, "Old Song didn't die of a stroke. He was pushed by those unscrupulous developers and died of a cerebral hemorrhage. Poor Old Song. Those developers are truly heartless."
This man's words immediately caught Zhou Jinbai's attention.
He asked casually, "Is this place going to be developed?"
As he spoke, he surveyed the surroundings.
Indeed, the night market by the beach had the most development potential.
If it were bought, coastal villas could be built, and it was in the city center. Compared to the night market, real estate investment would yield hundreds of times the profit.
Zhou Jinbai had once considered buying this place and building coastal villas.
But looking at the simple people here, rather than building cold villas, it was better to preserve the bustling atmosphere of the marketplace.
Besides, the Dongfang Group didn't lack places to make money.
"Yes, I heard they're going to develop it into coastal villas and a large shopping mall. In the future, the wealthy will move here, and the original residents will be driven to the foot of the mountain. That place is full of graves."
The man sighed and downed his drink in one gulp.
"We've lived here since we were kids. We used to be the poorest, living by the sea. We had to listen to the waves, and during the rainy season, we worried about the sea flooding our homes. Now that the policies are better and tourism is developing, we who are used to a life of hardship can finally enjoy ourselves. Unexpectedly, these wicked capitalists are driving us away."
Lin Xingwan listened and said, "Relocated households usually receive compensation. This money should be enough for a family to live a good life, especially with such a good location, the demolition compensation should be substantial."
"Young lady, you're mistaken. Our demolition compensation is very little. In fact, if they move us to the foot of the mountain, we have to pay the developers hundreds of thousands to live in the new houses they build for us." The middle-aged man's face was filled with a sense of loss and anger.
"How can that be?" Lin Xingwan had visited this night market a few times, but that was when she was a student.
She hadn't been back since she started working, but Lin Xingwan had heard a lot about this night market.
Tourism was developing well, and influencers from all over the world visited it daily.
"This used to be farmland. Now the developers are giving us 100,000 yuan per mu, but these days, if we buy an acre of land from the developers, it costs over a million yuan. And our houses, they call them old houses and only compensate us a little over 100,000 yuan per building. They won't help us move our belongings, and they don't compensate us for them. If we sell our houses and land, we only get around 300,000 yuan. But if we want to live in the houses they build, the land is compensated by them, and we still have to pay them 4,000 yuan per square meter. Later, renovation costs will also be an expense. Most of our families have over a hundred square meters, so even with 300,000 yuan, we'll still owe them over a hundred thousand, not to mention the exorbitant renovation costs and property management fees..."
After the man finished speaking, others sitting next to him couldn't help but complain:
"Wicked developers. Old Song was pushed down by them and died of a cerebral hemorrhage. A human life, and they claimed he was already sick and only compensated 200,000 yuan. If Old Song's family disagreed, they could sue them in court, but in the end, they wouldn't even get 200,000 yuan. And those of us who disagree with the demolition compensation, they start threatening us. The police are also in cahoots with them. The first person to agree to sell their house and land gets a reward of 50,000 yuan, the second gets 30,000. Now, many people here have already signed agreements."
"Song Tao's emotions have stabilized a bit in the past few days, but not long ago, he wanted to take those people down with him."
"These days, it's the people at the top who suck the blood of us at the bottom, and we can't even protect what our ancestors left us."
...
Zhou Jinbai listened quietly to the group's conversation. Collusion between officials and businessmen was a common occurrence throughout history.
Although he sympathized with the people here, he wasn't a person who was overly sentimental.
Everything that develops has its cause and effect.
Soon, Song Tao finished grilling the barbecue.
Lin Xingwan and Zhou Jinbai sat at a table and ate. The barbecue was delicious, and Lin Xingwan ate like a little glutton.
"I always thought that demolition compensation here would be millions, but I didn't expect it to be only hundreds of thousands for a family. The developers are too greedy. Why haven't the reporters from 'Min Sheng Zai Xian' reported on this?"
'Min Sheng Zai Xian' could reflect many of the daily life problems encountered by the people of Rongcheng.
If this matter had really happened as described, it should have already become a major scandal.
But Lin Xingwan only learned about it after they came here, and it seemed unbelievable.
"'Min Sheng Zai Xian' is a good thing, but the staff there also have superiors. If their superiors don't allow them to report, do they dare?"
Zhou Jinbai's rhetorical question made Lin Xingwan instantly understand.
As expected, it was the wicked collusion of everyone involved!
Just then, a sudden cry of alarm came from the crowd.
This was followed by the sound of things being smashed and broken on the ground.
"Ah... What are you doing? My barbecue, my hands..."
"Get lost! If you ever eat barbecue at this stall again, I'll splash sulfuric acid on your face next time."
"How can you people do this? This is a society governed by law!"
"Law? Screw you!"
*Slap*
The crisp sound of a slap silenced the previously noisy environment.
Several men armed with steel pipes and cleavers appeared menacingly.
They cursed at the customers, and one of them even slapped a young girl who looked about seventeen or eighteen.
They acted with impunity, overturning other tables.
The scene was chaotic and terrifying, with debris scattered everywhere.
Zhou Jinbai stood up from his chair and quickly pulled Lin Xingwan behind him to protect her.
At the same time, Zhou Jinbai sent a message to Huang Mao, asking him to bring people over.
Zhou Jinbai's actions were swift. The targets of these men were Song Tao, so they didn't notice Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan.
A cleaver was plunged into a wooden table, and Song Tao's barbecue grill was kicked to the ground, scattering embers.
"Damn it, you still refuse to sign? You beast, are you looking for death?"
The ordinary people present were terrified by the scene, and Song Tao's eyes showed fear, but he still said, "Our family has three mu of land, plus our original house, and you're only offering us 425,000 yuan in compensation."
Since his father's death, Song Tao had become more sensible.
Now, his only thought was to take the money and leave.
However, these people were pushing their luck, compressing their demolition compensation by half.
"What? Wasn't your father's compensation money? I'm warning you, this 250,000 yuan is what we're pitifully giving you. Otherwise, a stubborn peasant like you won't get a penny."
"Sign quickly, or your barbecue stall will be shut down."
"Yes, sign quickly. You must sign tonight, no matter what."
...
They restrained Song Tao, took out the pre-prepared agreement, and forced Song Tao to sign.
Song Tao refused to yield, and these people began to beat him.
The once spirited young man was soon lying on the ground, covered in wounds.
"If you don't sign, I'll chop off your hand."
Saying this, the man picked up the cleaver.
"These people are going too far." Lin Xingwan couldn't bear to watch.
"Wife—" Zhou Jinbai signaled Lin Xingwan to mind her own business.
"Are we just going to stand by and watch these people bully others?" Lin Xingwan's face was full of displeasure.
"If it were before, I would have helped Song Tao long ago, but with you by my side now, your safety is the priority."
Meanwhile, Huang Mao and his men appeared in Zhou Jinbai's line of sight.
Behind Huang Mao, there were no less than a dozen people.
Zhou Jinbai then said to Lin Xingwan, "No matter what happens, stay with Xuan Yin. Xuan Yin will protect you. Even if there's a fight, it will be Huang Mao's men."
Lin Xingwan nodded. Just as she was about to look for Xuan Yin, Xuan Yin's voice suddenly came from behind her, "Young Madam, please come with me to a safe place. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
"Okay."
Seeing Lin Xingwan and Xuan Yin walk more than twenty meters away, Zhou Jinbai then sneered at the group, "What, are you trying to coerce them? Rongcheng was recently campaigning for a civilized city, and tonight such a scandal has occurred. It seems you're tired of living, daring to be so arrogant at this critical juncture."
"Who the hell are you? I advise you not to meddle, or I'll cut you too."
The man impatiently turned his gaze to Zhou Jinbai, wondering how such a refined socialite appeared at a barbecue stall.
However, the man's aura was too imposing, making him a little flustered.
"Cut your mother! You dare to threaten my Brother Zhou? Are you tired of living?" Before Zhou Jinbai could say anything, Huang Mao kicked him. Soon, the two groups began to fight.
It wasn't really a fight, as the people Huang Mao called were skilled fighters, while these men with steel pipes and cleavers were clearly just putting on a show of force.
In less than a few dozen seconds, they were all beaten to the ground by Huang Mao's men, with bruised faces and broken limbs.
This scene was extremely satisfying to the onlookers.
Even Lin Xingwan, watching from a distance, couldn't help but give a thumbs up!
Although she disliked violence, she believed that bullies deserved to know what it meant to be met with violence.
Zhou Jinbai stepped on the head of the man who had threatened him with his polished black leather shoes. The man looked defiant, "Damn it, you're finished. You dare to hit me? Do you know whose subordinate I am?"
"Oh? Tell me, perhaps I might be afraid." Zhou Jinbai looked down, his face calm throughout.
Only Huang Mao beside him laughed in exasperation.
This fool was simply courting death, mentioning his boss in front of Brother Zhou. Wasn't he destroying his own protective umbrella?
"My boss is Hong Wenyao of the Black Triangle. If you hit me today, Boss Hong won't let you go."
Zhou Jinbai sneered, "Go back and tell Hong Wenyao that if he wants to buy the land here, he should buy it at market price. I don't care who he's colluding with. Those who aren't afraid of death can continue."
After speaking, Zhou Jinbai kicked the man in the chest, sending him flying into the middle of the road.
A large mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth, but at that moment, he didn't care about the pain; escaping was the priority!
So, this group of men fled in a sorry state.
Zhou Jinbai walked over to Song Tao and helped him up, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Thank you, Brother Zhou, for tonight's matter. However, this will cause you trouble. If these people come again next time, I'll sign the agreement. Being alive is more important than money." Song Tao had become much more sensible after his father's death.
"Leave this matter to me. If you want to sell, I will help you get a satisfactory price." He then said to Huang Mao, "For the next few nights, you'll guard this place. If those people dare to cause trouble, I'll take responsibility for crippling or killing them."
"Okay." Huang Mao looked at Zhou Jinbai's stern face and silently lamented that the big boss had truly hit a wall this time.
Lin Xingwan walked to Zhou Jinbai's side, her eyes filled with pink bubbles, looking like a little fan girl.
"Husband is so handsome!" Lin Xingwan said, and then kissed Zhou Jinbai on the cheek.
"I originally wanted to bring you here to eat barbecue, but it seems we can't now. Maybe next time." Zhou Jinbai said, showing signs of leaving.
Song Tao quickly handed Zhou Jinbai a bag of packed barbecue, "Brother Zhou, I just finished grilling this bag of barbecue. You haven't eaten it yet, take it back and eat it."
"This is for a customer, how can we accept it!" Lin Xingwan refused.
Zhou Jinbai naturally took it, "Okay, thank you."
However, just as Zhou Jinbai and Lin Xingwan walked out, a cute-looking little girl blocked their path.