Chapter 104: Crisis, Sudden and Unforeseen

“Hey, Li Chao, want me to help you tidy up this place while I’m at it?”
General Deng asked with a smile.
“Ha ha, General Deng, if you have some idle workers on hand, that would be perfect!”
Li Chao replied cheerfully,
“Just let me know the cost, and I’ll transfer the money directly—no shortcuts!”
Now that Li Chao had a bit of money, his words carried an air of confidence and generosity.
He thought to himself, if he could renovate the house beautifully, it would also brighten Yuxin’s spirits.
Deng Kai waved his hand, his face beaming with generosity:
“Our relationship is close enough that talking money feels too formal! But…”
Hmm? Li Chao raised an eyebrow, looking at Deng Kai a few more times, wondering what secret lay behind that “but.”
He smiled and asked,
“General Deng, is there something else you want to say?”
Having met many influential people by now, Li Chao’s mind was sharper.
He reasoned that no matter how powerful Zhou Shaofeng was, Deng Kai wouldn’t work so hard for him without expecting something in return.
There must be something going on.
Sure enough, Deng Kai sipped his tea and slowly spoke:
“Brother, to be honest, I have a little problem and hope you can help me sort it out.”
“Ha ha, tell me, if I can help, I definitely will!”
Li Chao responded with confident ease.
…
An hour later, excavators and bulldozers were all in action, the scene as lively as a festival.
With a thunderous roar, the walls collapsed, dust billowing instantly.
The Huang family watched helplessly as their house was demolished, trembling and pale as if lifeless.
“The house is gone!”
They cried out in despair.
All four sons had been severely injured, the fourth son even worse—both arms broken, job lost, nearly disabled.
Their home was utterly destroyed.
But regrets came too late; if only they had known this day would come, they would have acted differently.
Meanwhile, Li Chao was already seated in Deng Kai’s car, speeding toward Qingshan County.
He was going to help Deng Kai handle a minor trouble.
The story was this: not long ago, Deng Kai had a conflict with Qiang Ge, a local tough guy in Qingshan County, over a development zone project.
Qiang Ge, boasting about his many brothers, made exorbitant demands, trying to extort Deng Kai heavily.
Deng Kai had tried negotiating several times without success. Such a large project meant every day delayed was money lost!
Just when he was at his wit’s end, he ran into Li Chao.
He figured Li Chao was capable and respected, so he thought maybe Li Chao could mediate.
Li Chao, already owing Deng Kai a favor, couldn’t refuse and agreed.
They drove along until they stopped near a small red building.
“Qiang Ge is inside, with about sixty or seventy men, none of whom are easy to deal with!”
After saying this, Deng Kai looked at Li Chao with concern and asked,
“Mr. Li, are you sure you don’t want me to bring some backup for you?”
Li Chao just smiled lightly, full of confidence:
“This small matter? I can handle it alone.”
With that, he opened the car door and walked in without hesitation.
Deng Kai stayed in the car, gazing at the small building through the window.
He knew that in nearby alleys, dozens more men wearing helmets and holding shovels were on standby—his backup force, just in case.
Of course, he didn’t want to provoke a direct clash with someone like Qiang Ge unless absolutely necessary.
About fifteen minutes later, Li Chao emerged from the building.
He got back into the car, his face calm and composed:
“It’s settled.”
Deng Kai looked at Li Chao in disbelief, his eyes filled with unspoken emotions that finally turned into a whispered thought:
That was way too fast.
He even began to suspect Li Chao had merely strolled through the complicated development zone and returned with empty talk to fool him.
But reality often defies imagination, just as Li Chao’s changes always came unexpectedly.
At that moment, Deng Kai’s phone rang abruptly, like a symphony of fate interrupting his doubts.
He answered, and the voice on the other end was filled with cries from another world:
“General Deng, I was wrong! I won’t meddle in this development zone anymore!”
The desperation and fear in that voice made Deng Kai’s heart skip a beat. He realized that those troubles that once kept him awake at night had vanished like morning mist under the sun—all within Li Chao’s fifteen minutes.
In that instant, Deng Kai’s attitude toward Li Chao changed dramatically—from initial dismissal to humble respect. The transformation was so swift that even the villagers watching nearby felt a chill.
They began to realize that this seemingly ordinary Li Chao might harbor unknown strength and wisdom.
…
Under such an atmosphere, the old rumors about Li Chao renting cars to keep up appearances were no longer mentioned.
People started viewing this unexpected visitor with new eyes, trying to discern an extraordinary aura beneath his humble exterior.
Declining Deng Kai’s generous dinner invitation, Li Chao chose to return to Yuxin’s side and share a simple, warm meal with her.
The warmth of home always soothes the heart most deeply.
After dinner, they drove back to Kaiyuan County, where more matters awaited his attention and change.
Yuxin’s parents and Donglai saw them off at the village entrance, watching the car fade into the distance before reluctantly turning home.
Yet, upon arriving at their door, they were stunned.
Six or seven matchmakers from nearby villages had gathered quietly, either standing or sitting, their faces lit with hopeful smiles.
One particularly enthusiastic matchmaker, upon seeing Yuxin’s family, eagerly spoke:
“Old Zhu, there’s a fine girl in the neighboring Dai Village—good character, decent looks. How about letting Donglai visit her?”
The words were filled with sincerity and expectation, as if Donglai’s happiness was their greatest wish.
“Remember the last one I mentioned? It didn’t work out, but that girl regrets it now. She thinks she was too impulsive and missed out on such a good man like Donglai. Maybe give them another chance, see if they get along?”
Another matchmaker said eagerly, her eyes shining.
“This girl I’m talking about comes from a well-off family—they don’t even ask for a bride price! They simply think Donglai is a good guy worth trusting. Let them meet soon, maybe it’ll work out!”
Another chimed in without hesitation.
“Look at this girl’s photo—great figure, shapely, looks like she’ll bear sons! Such a girl, once missed, is hard to find!”
One matchmaker handed a photo to Yuxin’s parents as they all talked over one another, as if Yuxin’s family had become the coveted prize.
Yuxin’s parents stood there, stunned, hardly believing what they saw.
In the past, even inviting matchmakers for a meal didn’t guarantee visits; now, fortune had truly turned.
They understood that this newfound enthusiasm was entirely due to Li Chao’s influence.
Since his arrival, their lives had flipped completely.
Those who once looked down on them now sought to curry favor and build ties.
“When one prospers, his whole household rises,” Yuxin’s parents thought with awe.
They knew all this was thanks to Li Chao’s help and transformation. They were grateful and felt lucky.
Driving back, the night was pitch black, dotted with stars illuminating the familiar yet slightly strange path home.
By the time they returned to the clinic, it was past nine at night, the surroundings silent except for distant dog barks breaking the stillness.
Li Chao parked the car and entered the clinic with Yuxin.
He locked the door, ensuring their little world belonged only to them.
Yuxin turned and hugged Li Chao tightly, her voice thick with emotion and gratitude:
“Xiao Chao, thank you!”
Her words were heartfelt, each syllable brimming with deep feeling.
Without Li Chao, their family might have continued suffering under Huang’s oppression; now, they finally held their heads high in the village.
Li Chao gently tapped her nose and smiled:
“Do we really need to say that? Your matters are my matters.”
Yuxin looked up at him, her eyes shining with determination:
“We do! Saying such things brings peace of mind.”
After a pause, she added:
“Given your excellent performance this time, I plan to give you a special reward!”
Li Chao’s eyes flickered with curiosity:
“How special?”
Yuxin leaned close to his ear and whispered:
“You’ll find out soon! But I can tell you now—it involves Liu Dan!”
She smiled mysteriously, making Li Chao even more eager to discover this “special reward.”
He pondered secretly what it might be and what connection it had to Liu Dan.
Whoa! A bold guess flashed through his mind—could it be… some sort of group activity?
He thought for a moment and asked:
“Are you sure? It’s not that kind of thing, right?”
Yuxin laughed, twisting his waist lightly:
“Oh, so you’ve been scheming all along!”
Li Chao chuckled and wrapped his arm around Chunlian’s shoulder:
“Men are all like that! But honestly, what I look forward to most is any time spent with you.”
Yuxin gently punched him, smiling:
“I’ll ask Liu Dan later—provided your body can handle it!”
Li Chao confidently patted his chest:
“Don’t worry! Absolutely no problem!”
They laughed together, filling the room with joy.
…
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, shining on Li Chao’s face.
He had just gotten up when Liu Lele called.
On the other end, Liu Lele’s clear and pleasant voice said she was already on the way and would arrive at Li’s village soon.
Li Chao suddenly slapped his forehead—today was the day they had arranged for Liu Lele’s inspection of the village.
He quickly tidied up and changed into neat clothes. Just as he stepped out, he saw Li Xitian hurrying toward him.
“Village Chief, I was just looking for you! General Liu from Jiangnan Chun is arriving soon. How’s our preparation?”
Li Chao asked seriously.
He knew Liu Lele’s visit was crucial for the village’s development.
Li Xitian patted his chest confidently:
“All arranged! Don’t worry, we won’t disappoint General Liu.”
News of General Liu’s inspection at Jiangnan Chun Restaurant soon gathered a crowd of villagers at the village entrance.
They all wanted to see this legendary figure in person and hoped her arrival would bring luck to the village.
After more than half an hour, a pink Mercedes slowly approached and stopped elegantly at the village entrance.
The door opened gently, and Liu Lele stepped out.
Today she wore a stylish blazer, perfectly tailored to showcase her figure.
Even with just light makeup, she looked breathtaking!
Especially her long, fair legs moved with an irresistible allure.
The villagers’ eyes widened, whispering excitedly:
“Wow! Is she a celebrity?”
“If I could marry a wife like that, I’d gladly live twenty years less!”
Their words were full of admiration for Liu Lele’s beauty and charm.
Li Chao smiled slightly, knowing Liu Lele’s visit was not just an inspection but a beacon of hope and opportunity for the village.
“Now I know what it means to have a beauty step out of a painting! So stunning!”
Li Chao exclaimed sincerely, greeting Liu Lele with Li Xitian and introducing each other warmly.
Then Li Xitian led Liu Lele and Li Chao toward the fields outside the village.
Banners welcoming the Jiangnan Chun leadership lined the roadsides, and the streets had been cleaned and tidied, giving a refreshed appearance.
Li Xitian pointed to the vast fields ahead and said:
“We don’t have much except plenty of land! Unfortunately, crop profits are low, and many villagers prefer working in towns rather than farming. Look at all this land—it’s just lying fallow!”
He sighed and continued:
“If we could cooperate with Jiangnan Chun Restaurant to grow some valuable vegetables, life for the villagers would improve. Wheat and corn take longer to mature and fetch low prices; compared to that, vegetables are more profitable but lack proper sales channels.”
Liu Lele listened attentively, examined the soil and environment, then asked Li Chao:
“Is the soil suitable for growing medicinal culinary ingredients? Since this is a mountain village, I worry about soil quality.”
Li Chao understood her concern and smiled, explaining:
“Though the soil isn’t especially fertile, it should be fine for growing common medicinal ingredients. We can start with trial planting to see the results and then plan accordingly.”
Liu Lele nodded in agreement.
Li Chao smiled confidently:
“Don’t worry! The soil is definitely suitable!”
When choosing the medicinal culinary direction, he had carefully selected formulas suited for mountain-grown ingredients.
Now, it seemed his decision was sound.
Liu Lele was quite satisfied after her inspection.
She nodded approvingly and said:
“If the cooperation succeeds, we can turn all these fields into a supply base for ingredients, fully meeting the restaurant’s needs!”
Li Xitian’s face crinkled into a joyful smile like a blooming chrysanthemum:
“That’s great! This gives our village hope!”
Liu Lele smiled too:
“Jiangnan Chun’s medicinal dishes have gained fame and are in high demand. This place seems perfect. We’ll draft a contract, and I’ll invest in developing this into a production base!”
As they discussed division of labor and management by the roadside, a Benma three-wheeled cart approached from afar.
It was loaded with freshly harvested peanuts—a symbol of harvest joy familiar to all rural folks.
These peanuts were typically pulled up with roots and leaves intact.
At home, they would find a spot to pick the peanuts one by one.
The dried branches and leaves could even be used as firewood—a practical resource.
However, the field path was narrow and full of potholes.
Coincidentally, the three-wheeled cart’s front wheel suddenly fell into a small hole with a “plop.”
As a result, the entire cart, loaded with peanuts, tipped to the side!
Liu Lele hadn’t reacted yet when a huge shadow came crashing down toward her.
Oh no, this crisis came too suddenly!
No one expected such a turn of events.
Li Xitian was stunned, his heart pounding with worry.
With the weight of both cart and peanuts, if Liu Lele had been hurt, the cooperation would have been ruined!
At this critical moment, Liu Lele suddenly saw a figure rushing over—it was Li Chao!
With his left arm, he caught Liu Lele and swiftly moved her aside.
His right hand slammed against the tipping cart, forcefully halting its fall, then righted it.
Li Xitian watched in awe, deeply impressed. Li Chao truly showed his worth when it mattered most!