Chapter 80

The Haihe Villa District in Tianjin is the most concentrated area for the wealthy, with the entire neighborhood under strict closed management. The high walls, reminiscent of the old concession areas, divide the inside into two different worlds.

In a second-floor room of one of the villas, a man and a woman were engaged in a passionate encounter. The man's heavy breathing and the woman's exaggerated moans alternated, and if the room's soundproofing wasn't so good, they would have been heard downstairs.

"Master Yuan, you're amazing today. I can hardly keep up..."

After more than ten minutes, the breathing and moans subsided. A seductive woman with a curvaceous figure was using a tissue to clean up the aftermath for the man lying on the bed. Her undulating chest occasionally brushed against the man's face on purpose.

"Don't flatter me. I can't handle your wildness."

Unlike ordinary men, the middle-aged man lying on the bed was not swayed by the woman's flattery. After enjoying her service for a while, he stood up naked.

The man had very fair skin, and his consistent exercise kept his body well-toned. If it weren't for the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, he would look like a man in his twenties.

The middle-aged man was quite satisfied with his physique. Although he was already forty-five, he was confident that his energy, both in bed and in handling affairs, was no less than that of a young man.

"Master Yuan, are you leaving already? Yao Yao can't bear to let you go. Can't you stay the night?"

Seeing the man get out of bed, the woman's face showed a hint of resentment. Her extremely seductive figure, accentuated by the lighting, would make any man reluctant to leave.

"Enough, stop putting on a show for me."

The middle-aged man's face showed a mocking smile as he said, "The movie I invested in will start shooting next month. You're the second lead. Don't mention your relationship with me when you're on set..."

The man speaking was none other than Yuan Bingqi, known as "Master Yuan" in the Tianjin underworld. The more powerful a man, the stronger his desire to conquer women, and Yuan Bingqi was no exception. Since he made his fortune, he had lost count of how many women he had been with.

However, Yuan Bingqi understood the concept of "beauty as a curse" and rarely repeated his encounters with the same woman. The only exception was the third-rate actress in bed, whom he found somewhat captivating, but this was only their third time.

"Ah? Thank you, Master Yuan, I love you so much!"

The actress, who had been lying in bed, jumped up at Yuan Bingqi's words and clung to him like an octopus, saying, "Master Yuan, let Yao Yao serve you one more time?"

Feeling her alluring body, the desire that had just been satisfied in Yuan Bingqi seemed to flare up again. He glanced at the clock on the wall and shook his head, saying, "I have something to do. I'll have someone come to pick you up before I go to the set next month!"

Yuan Bingqi always believed that women were a curse. If his grandfather hadn't been so indulgent with his sixth concubine, he wouldn't have been executed by the government, and Yuan Bingqi wouldn't have had such a tragic childhood.

Shaking off the actress's clinginess, Yuan Bingqi took a shower and changed into loose clothing, ignoring the resentful expression on the actress's face. This self-control was something Yuan Bingqi was quite proud of.

---

"Master Yuan!" When Yuan Bingqi came downstairs, the five people in the first-floor hall stood up simultaneously.

"Ahu, give the producer a call later and arrange a role for Yao Yao."

Yuan Bingqi was a man of his word, especially when it came to women. As soon as he came downstairs, he instructed Manhu, who was in charge of the company's affairs.

"Understood..." Manhu replied softly, "Master Yuan, should I transfer the funds as well?"

"Yes, pause the investment after this one."

Yuan Bingqi nodded and said, "Manhu, the film industry has been a bit sluggish in recent years, but TV dramas are doing well. See if that actress, Xiao Yanzi, is available and get her to do a show..."

Yuan Bingqi now controlled almost half of Tianjin's casinos and entertainment venues, with a daily influx of black money amounting to astronomical figures. Investing in movies was just a means of money laundering for him.

However, after the boom of the 1980s, the rise of DVD home theaters led to the decline of cinemas. By the late 1990s, almost no one went to the cinema anymore. In recent years, TV dramas had become extremely popular, with a period drama released at the beginning of the year almost sweeping the nation. Yuan Bingqi found the big-eyed actress in it quite appealing.

"Master Yuan, I understand..."

Manhu's face showed a hint of understanding as he smiled, "I'll start the negotiations in a few days. Master Yuan, rest assured, I'll handle it properly."

"Hmm, you take care of it. If you fancy a certain actress, deal with it yourself..."

Yuan Bingqi grunted and then turned to the tall, muscular man standing next to Manhu, saying, "Manlong, how's that matter going? It's been over a week, and you still have no leads?"

Like many who made their fortune in the early 1980s, Yuan Bingqi had a natural leadership quality. He had only attended primary school, but his management skills were far superior to those of many modern entrepreneurs.

Since the 1980s, Yuan Bingqi had carefully selected and cultivated five people: Manlong, Manhu, Manxiong, Manbao, and Manhu.

Manlong, Manhu, and Manxiong were responsible for handling the underworld affairs, with Manlong as the leader. These three were former soldiers who had seen combat and were instrumental in the logistics and freight wars in Tianjin.

Manhu, on the other hand, was in charge of Yuan Bingqi's legitimate businesses. He was one of the first lawyers in the country, known for his cunning and deep trust from Yuan Bingqi.

Manlong, Manhu, and Manxiong were comrades-in-arms who had served in the Vietnam War and later worked in a small factory in Tianjin. However, they found factory life extremely unsuitable. After a fight with a coworker, Manlong accidentally left the man disabled. During the strict crackdown in 1983, Manlong knew he would face severe punishment, so he fled, taking a thousand yuan from Yuan Bingqi as support.

After two years, when the situation calmed down, Manlong secretly returned to Tianjin. Without a job, he naturally joined Yuan Bingqi's organization and brought his two comrades-in-arms along, forming the initial core of Yuan Bingqi's armed force.

As for Manhu, he was the smartest person in Yuan Bingqi's group.

Manhu was one of the first law students after the restoration of the college entrance examination. In the early 1980s, he obtained a lawyer's license and specialized in foreign affairs, making him a rare talent at the time.

However, Manhu's character was questionable. During a negotiation for a cooperation agreement, he accepted a small bribe, causing significant losses to the domestic party. Later, due to a whistleblower, his actions were exposed. Although he managed to avoid prison, he lost his job.

By chance, Manhu met Yuan Bingqi, and they hit it off immediately. With Manhu's legal expertise, Yuan Bingqi was able to avoid many risks in his early wealth accumulation, which was a crucial reason for his unchallenged position in Tianjin for over a decade.

Among the five, the most mysterious was Manbao.

Except for Manhu, even Manlong, Manhu, and Manxiong did not know Manbao's background. Manbao often disappeared for no apparent reason and had not been seen for over half a month before today.

It was with the help of these five people that Yuan Bingqi established his formidable reputation in Tianjin and the northern underworld. In the northern underworld, there was a saying: to take down Yuan Bingqi, one must first step over the bodies of Manlong, Manhu, Manxiong, Manbao, and Manhu, highlighting their loyalty to Yuan Bingqi and his trust in them.

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