It was quite late, and Huang Haiyuan and the others also left one after another. Each family packed some dishes to take home, which Li Haochen had specially cooked extra for guests to take away as a courtesy. The large croaker was also divided among them to take back.
Although it was a bit late and they had been drinking, Li Haochen wasn't worried. Huang Haiyuan and the others lived only tens of meters away, and Dai Changrun and his group didn't mind either; they could easily hail a taxi once they reached the village entrance. With Dai Zirui and the other young ones around, getting back home wouldn't be an issue.
The relatives from his hometown and his several trusted assistants were also sent to hotels by vehicles arranged by Murong Yanran, who had already made arrangements for them to stay at her hotel that night.
Of course, his uncle's family stayed overnight at the villa, as there were enough rooms.
The tidying up was handled by his uncle's family and Xie Baolian. Murong Yanran wanted to help but was sent to accompany Ruan Shanshan and the others.
However, the amount of cleaning wasn't large because most of the dishes used were disposable bowls, chopsticks, and plates. Even the tables were covered with disposable tablecloths, making it very convenient.
Li Haochen, of course, continued to chat with Chen He and the others.
"Boss, how are the preparations for the branches going?"
"Everything is ready, and the relevant procedures have been completed. They can open in a few days."
"So soon? Come, let's toast with tea instead of wine. I wish your branches spread all over the country and earn a fortune every day."
"It's ours."
"That's right, it belongs to us four brothers."
"You guys..."
The four of them drank tea and chatted, talking about everything under the sun, full of spirit...
After they also returned, it was already one in the morning. Li Haochen tiptoed back to his room, but Murong Yanran was still awake.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"Waiting for you!"
Murong Yanran was actually wearing Li Haochen's long-sleeved shirt, with the top three buttons undone, revealing a tantalizing glimpse. Coupled with her half-turned posture and her fingers lightly biting her lip, her expression and gaze exuded extreme seductive charm, making Li Haochen's blood boil.
Such provocation was unbearable. Li Haochen immediately pounced on her.
"Oh, you smell so bad, go wash up quickly!"
"Hmph, you've stirred my desire. If you don't extinguish it, how can I let you off? Come on... hehe!"
"Ah... no, woo woo woo..."
The next day, Murong Yanran returned to work radiant and glowing, her face so well-nourished it seemed to drip water. As for Li Haochen, he was still lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Damn it, now I finally understand why so many men line up at Liu Zijun's shop to drink soup. If this continues..."
Li Haochen shivered, propped himself up, rubbed his sides, and chuckled bitterly, "It seems I really have to go to Zijun's place for soup every week. Being laughed at by her is better than hiding in the study at night."
Li Haochen stood up, his legs suddenly going weak, and he almost fell to the ground. He took a moment to steady himself, the exhaustion evident from the intensity of the previous night.
After washing up, when he went downstairs, his uncle and the others were already seated there. Breakfast was ready and waiting for Li Haochen.
"Haochen, hurry down and eat breakfast."
The meal consisted of leftover lamb ribs and pork trotters from last night, along with some stewed soup. They just needed to cook two green vegetables.
Waking up to a warm meal prepared by family, how happy it was.
Li Haochen ate with relish. This feeling made even plain rice taste as sweet as if it had sugar added.
"Uncle, stay for a few more days before you go back. The family business is on track now, so there's not much to worry about."
"Heh, maybe next time. You see, the food factory just got on track, and I need to keep an eye on it. And the bamboo chicken farm also needs tending to; there's a lot to do."
Seeing that Li Dehai's mind was made up, Li Haochen didn't insist. Anyway, his elder brother had bought a car now, making it convenient to travel.
"Brother, sister-in-law is about to give birth, are you going to Modu soon?"
"Yes, I'll finish this batch of cured meat and sausages for Zijun first."
Li Haochen had learned from Liu Zijun the previous night that the cured meat and sausages made by his uncle's family were very popular. Even the cured meat rice at her shop had become much more popular. The sales from the 15 branches were indeed considerable, and with Murong Yanran's hotel, earning two to three thousand a day was the least.
Especially now that every household in the village raised dozens of hens, the output of free-range eggs daily brought them considerable income.
Seeing his uncle's family's life getting better and better, he was happy from the bottom of his heart.
After lunch, his uncle's family also left. Looking at the empty house, Li Haochen felt a sense of loneliness. He had always liked liveliness, and now he understood Xie Baolian's constant urging for him to work hard.
Li Haochen sat quietly on a chair in the courtyard, looking at the villa he had built through his own efforts. Li Qianqian's words flashed in his mind, "This place is too small, not quite fitting for our Yanran..."
"Too small!" Li Haochen muttered to himself. Suddenly, his eyes blazed with an indomitable spirit. "Then I'll make it something you can't even touch."
"Let's get to work!"
Li Haochen was busy every day, pushing himself even harder. From seedling cultivation to installing aquaculture cages, the quantity had doubled compared to before. He spent the entire day in the space, even eating lunch there. Under such intense pressure, the results were very significant.
Today, all ten thousand bamboo poles for farming mussels have been tied with seedlings. By the end of the year, it will bring about a drastic change. These bamboo poles alone can bring him over a hundred million in annual revenue.
Time flew by, and it was already Wednesday. Today was the day Ling Hanfeng and Xie Baolian would leave Binhai.
"Haochen, come out with me for a moment."
After breakfast, Ling Hanfeng called Li Haochen to go outside the courtyard.
"Dad, is there something?"
"My transfer this time is, in principle, impossible, unless I made a mistake or..." Ling Hanfeng took a deep drag of his cigarette, his expression serious. "Or there's a formidable force manipulating things behind the scenes."
Ling Hanfeng had been in the system for so many years and was very clear about its intricacies. He was 100% certain that this transfer was due to the latter, but he couldn't figure out why. What was worth such a significant effort? Was it his position they coveted?
"During the handover period with the new appointee, they have been in frequent contact with the Li and Hong families. Tell Yanran to be careful and not to give them any leverage. If anything happens, call me. Although I'm leaving, I still have some influence."
Ling Hanfeng's words made Li Haochen cautious. If the new mayor colluded with the Li and Hong families, then Yanran's hotel would be in danger.
In officialdom, the word of the authorities is final. They could easily conduct inspections and find excuses to cause minor trouble, making the hotel's operations quite challenging.
"Yes, I understand, Dad. Don't worry."
Ling Hanfeng patted Li Haochen on the shoulder, shook his head, and walked back inside. Being in his position, he knew far more about certain matters than ordinary people. In this world, it's always the rule-makers who call the shots.