Chapter 7

Carrying his luggage, Xiao Zheng wandered through the streets and alleys like a lost soul, pitiful and tragic. Even the slightly cool summer breeze felt piercing and merciless, tormenting every inch of his skin.

He bought a dozen beers at a convenience store and chose a nearby commercial square with benches to sit down, slowly sipping the icy cold beer, but the only taste in his mouth was a thick bitterness.

Xiao Zheng was an orphan. Although he had grown up in Mingzhu, he had no relatives. Only the old principal of the orphanage treated him well, even paying out of his own pocket to fund his education. However, in his senior year of high school, despite his excellent grades and top ranking in the city's key high school, Xiao Zheng discovered that the old principal, who was over sixty, had been collecting scrap in his spare time to support his education. This greatly wounded Xiao Zheng's pride, and in the run-up to the college entrance exam, he dropped out of school, angering the old principal so much that he almost beat him to death. The old principal, heartbroken, scolded him: "A spineless wimp who will never amount to anything in his life!"

Xiao Zheng did not blame the old principal. If he were in the old principal's shoes, he might have beaten him to death in a fit of rage.

Later, Xiao Zheng joined the military and became a proud soldier. In the army, Xiao Zheng, with his outstanding comprehensive abilities, received high praise from his superiors, who hailed him as a rare talent in the military and planned to cultivate him. However, good times did not last long. During a military district competition, Xiao Zheng, acting on impulse, crippled a notorious red second generation, causing a major scandal. If it weren't for the old leader's strong protection, he would have faced several years in prison. Even so, his military career came to an end. That year, Xiao Zheng was only nineteen.

After that, Xiao Zheng left Mingzhu, where he had lived for many years, and went abroad. His purpose for leaving his hometown was simple: to make money!

The old principal was getting old, and the orphanage was in a dilapidated state. Without a large injection of funds, the orphanage, which, though small, had been the old principal's life's work, would surely collapse.

So, by chance, he formed a hunting team with Monkey from Northeast China, Four-Eyes from Yanjing, Big Gun from Germany, Ma Yingjun from Britain, and Tina from the United States. They risked their lives globally, earning blood money.

Over the past five years, they had been in tropical rainforests and scorching deserts. Amidst gunfire and explosions, they never retreated, realizing their value and dreams. Though they had offended some people, they had also helped the poor at the bottom of society.

Over the past five years, Xiao Zheng had continuously donated money to the orphanage anonymously, transforming a place that could only accommodate a dozen orphans into the most famous charitable orphanage in Mingzhu City. The old principal received praise from all sectors and was hailed as the greatest philanthropist in Mingzhu City, making the old man so happy that he could laugh in his sleep.

Two months ago, Xiao Zheng completed his last job and retired, dividing the savings he had accumulated over the years into thirty installments to fund the orphanage annually. Even if the old principal lived to be a hundred, there would be no worry about a lack of funds to support orphans, satisfying his vanity. Of course, if the old principal shamelessly lived to be a hundred and ten...

Xiao Zheng wouldn't be so old as to go out and make money. He couldn't bear the embarrassment!

Unconsciously, Xiao Zheng finished his beer, smoking and smirking to himself: "If the old principal knew that I had been the one giving him money all these years, would he grab my leg and beg for my forgiveness for his ignorance back then?"

The thought made Xiao Zheng laugh nervously.

"See that? If you don't study well, when you grow up, you'll end up like him, living on the streets and going crazy." A well-intentioned mother was instilling a sense of crisis in her five-year-old son, earnestly saying, "Son, your mother depends on you to make a name for yourself and bring glory to the family. If you end up like him, don't blame me for cutting ties with you!"

She then pulled her son toward KFC.

"Am I that bad?" Xiao Zheng didn't take it seriously, lighting a cigarette and muttering to himself, "In high school, I was the top student adored by all the girls in the class. Looking at your son's chubby face, he might not do as well as me in the future."

After a bout of complaining, Xiao Zheng had to face a harsh reality: where to stay tonight?

Hotel?

Xiao Zheng's pockets were cleaner than his face. The hard-earned money he had made was all spent on the old principal's vanity. He couldn't afford a hotel that cost hundreds of dollars a night, let alone a small hotel that cost fifty dollars a night.

Just as he was in a dilemma, Xiao Zheng caught sight of the private detective who had been following him out of the corner of his eye, feeling a surge of anger.

"Is this ever going to end?"

Whether it was the humiliation of being caught in a difficult situation or the annoyance of being followed, Xiao Zheng threw a beer bottle at the private detective.

"Ouch!"

The private detective screamed in pain, covering his head and fleeing, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

"Do you like spying so much?" Xiao Zheng picked up his luggage, a devilish smile playing on his lips. "Then I'll let you spy to your heart's content!"

...

At 10 PM, Lin Huayin finally finished her day's work. She stood up, stretching her slightly sore body, and went to the kitchen to prepare a light dinner.

Located in the rich district of Mingzhu, the three-story villa covered 200 square meters, offering a breathtaking view of the riverbank. With a green space ratio of 40%, it was valued at nearly 80 million yuan. This was Lin Huayin's private residence.

Lin Huayin, who had a severe cleanliness obsession and a strong sense of territoriality, lived alone in the villa, never hiring a housekeeper or cook to take care of her daily life. She managed the entire large villa by herself, a self-reliance that left people speechless.

Due to working late, Lin Huayin only prepared a light fruit salad for herself. Just as she was about to eat while watching the financial news, the doorbell rang like a midnight ghost, causing a look of surprise to cross her beautiful face.

Although the villa was not a secret residence, it was rarely visited, especially at night. First, she refused visitors; second, there were few people with the qualifications and courage to visit her; third, she was so focused on her work that she had no friends to chat or visit. Tonight, however, someone had come to the door, which left her astonished.

"Could Xiaozhu have run away from school again?"

Lin Huayin put down her fork and went to the door, preparing to scold her half-sister. But when she abruptly opened the door, she found that it was not Lin Xiaozhu standing there, but the man she thought would bring about the end of the world just by thinking about him!

The man held a dirty canvas bag in his right hand and a skewer from a street vendor in his left, with a half-burned cigarette in his mouth. He grinned and said, "As a husband, I won't be unwelcome if I stay at your place for a year or two, right?"

Without waiting for the thoroughly despairing Lin Huayin to react, Xiao Zheng carried his luggage into the living room, leaving a series of shocking black footprints on the mirror-like floor.