1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 131 With a house, and with confidence, she filed for divorce.
The taxi started and quickly drove out of the alley and onto the crowded main road.

Unbeknownst to them, the window of a private room on the first floor of the Shandong cuisine restaurant was wide open, and the person inside had overheard their conversation.

"Those two are absolutely shameless."

Wang Fan was so angry he felt like his lungs were about to explode; he wished he could rush out right now and beat them up.

"Tiancheng Advertising Model Agency has no need to exist anymore."

Gu Bin held a book in his hands, multitasking and seemingly indifferent, but his words were extremely cold.

"At this point, you can still concentrate on reading?"

Wang Fan was truly impressed to see that while he was speaking, he casually flipped to a page of a textbook about computer applications.

"Hey, Wang Fan, what are you doing here?"

Just then, the door to the private room opened from the outside, and Li Zhi walked in, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"What I wanted to ask you was..."

Wang Fan retorted irritably, "Why aren't you racing cars at night? What are you doing here drinking?"

"I came here because of Mr. Gu's influence."

Li Zhi was considerably older than the two men, and dared not be presumptuous in front of Gu Bin, respectfully addressing him as "Young Master Gu."

"I knew it!"

Wang Fan suddenly realized: "With your status in the industry, Liu Ye is no match for you."

"It was Young Master Gu who sent me to help my sister-in-law keep things under control."

Li Zhi pulled out a chair, crossed his legs, leaned back comfortably, and sat down opposite Gu Bin.

What did Ma Tiancheng and Zhang Ji say?

Gu Bin finally closed his book, looked up, and stared at him intently.

Li Zhi dared not hide anything and told the whole story of what happened in the private room.

"This girl"

Gu Bin's brows relaxed, and he gave a fair assessment: "His performance was acceptable; he wasn't too stupid."

"What are your plans next?"

Wang Fan frowned deeply: "You don't just intend to keep watching like this, do you?"

"Why not?"

Gu Bin said calmly, "This is a rare opportunity for them to see the wickedness of society. If they want to cause trouble, let them do it."

Wang Fan was exasperated: "Aren't you afraid of what might happen?"

"There's no 'what if'"

Gu Bin was confident: "Since I dare to let go, I am 100% certain that no one can hurt her."

Why are you worrying about this for no reason?

Li Zhi couldn't stand Wang Fan's nagging and glanced at him sideways: "Isn't there me? With me watching them, how can we let our sister-in-law be bullied on our own turf? If it weren't for Young Master Gu having other plans, I could have found someone tonight to torture those two scumbags to death."

"You've got guts, you've got guts."

Wang Fan gave a thumbs-up to express his admiration: "Don't be afraid of going to jail, go ahead and do it, I won't stop you."

"Keep this a secret, don't talk about it outside."

Li Zhi chickened out when he heard he would go to jail. He didn't actually dare to kill anyone; he was just talking big.

Am I sick?

Wang Fan laughed in exasperation: "Why did I bring this up? Aren't you afraid of getting yourself into trouble?"

"Does Liu Ye want Ma Tiancheng to introduce him to a young model?"

Ignoring their chatter, Gu Bin tapped the table lightly with his hand, his mind racing: "We can start with him."

"What do you want to do?"

Wang Fan disliked Ma Tiancheng intensely, but he perked up upon hearing this.

"The models at Tiancheng Advertising Model Agency are just bargaining chips they use to make money."

Gu Bin's expression turned cold and sharp: "Companies like this are likely to be rife with corruption and have countless shameful secrets. We may not know the details, but others certainly do. To obtain evidence, we must find a breakthrough by speaking to someone on the inside."

"You want Liu Ye to date a young model?"

Wang Fan suddenly realized: "Let the young models act as our inside agents to investigate Ma Tiancheng?"

"clever."

Gu Bin gave him an approving look: "However, we can't do this blindly. We need help. Ma Tiancheng was able to start from scratch and gain a foothold in the industry. He must have some unknown methods. Once this is exposed, that woman will probably be in danger."

"Why don't we just call the police?"

Wang Fan had an idea: "Don't you know the captain of the criminal investigation team? Let them investigate."

"Calling the police is a must."

Gu Bin thought it over carefully: "However, we need to do it at the right time, without alerting them."

"Can that kid Liu Ye handle it?"

Liu Zhi was a little worried: "With his cowardly attitude, he's good at playing around with women, but if you really ask him to testify, he'll probably pee his pants in fear."

"If he can't do it, I will."

Wang Fan slammed his hand on the table, exuding domineering confidence: "Ma Tiancheng and Zhang Ji, those two scumbags, I won't let either of them get away with it."

"I don't think you're trying to be a hero."

Liu Zhi teased him with a laugh, "You just want to put on an act and take the opportunity to pick up a few young models, right?"

"Brother Zhi understands me best."

Wang Fan chuckled, not ashamed but proud: "I'm best at picking up girls. I'm just being myself. Even if that scumbag Ma Tiancheng is shrewd, he won't be able to see through my act."

"Call Ma Tiancheng right now."

Li Zhi couldn't stand his smugness, so he threw his mobile phone on the table and urged him urgently: "If you can get the person out of him, I'll be impressed."

"Fight if you want"

Unable to resist the urge, Wang Fan picked up his phone and called Ma Tiancheng.

At the dinner table, Li Zhi deliberately tried to get close to Ma Tiancheng and asked for his phone number.

Wang Fan dialed the number and the call was answered smoothly.

"Mr. Ma, it's an honor to meet you."

Wang Fan didn't mince words and went straight to the point: "I heard your advertising company's models are quite beautiful. When are you going to bring them out so we can broaden our horizons?"

"Our models aren't easy to meet."

Perhaps due to poor signal in the taxi, Ma Tiancheng's voice came through the receiver somewhat unclearly.

Wang Fan spoke with him for a short while before angrily hanging up the phone.

"Damn it, that bastard said he wanted to collaborate with them and pay to shoot an advertisement before he could arrange for the model to meet us."

"I'll just say it."

Li Zhi slapped his thigh, quite pleased with himself: "How many pimps aren't ruthless? You think you can get something for nothing? How is that possible?"

"That kid Liu Ye is still dreaming."

Wang Fan was in a bad mood and took her anger out on Liu Ye: "He thought that by flattering me a few times, Ma Tiancheng would send him a young model."

"He wanted to attract customers, so we did as he wished."

Gu Bin tapped his fingers lightly on the table, deep in thought.

"What do you mean?"

Wang Fan looked surprised: "You really want to spend money to feed that bastard?"

"The most important thing right now is the models."

Gu Bin had a plan in mind: "As long as I can get information out of them, I don't mind spending some money."

"The cost of shooting a single advertisement, just for its broadcast on television, can reach hundreds of thousands of yuan."

Wang Fan felt a pang of regret: "Is it worth it?"

"Didn't you want to make your renovation company bigger and stronger?"

Gu Bin teased him with a smile: "It's not that easy to squeeze into high society. Without a reputation, wanting to enter major cities and seize the market is nothing short of wishful thinking."

"Tsk."

Wang Fan clicked his tongue and said nothing more.

“You can do it this way,” Li Zhi suggested. “The advertisement specifies that your younger siblings should film it. Using our own people will reduce the cost.”

"Hey."

Wang Fan laughed angrily: "You're quite good at pretending to be a good person. You're just taking advantage of me, treating me like a sucker."

"I'm doing this for your own good."

Li Zhi gave him a sly smile and a suggestive look: "You can shoot commercials, date young models, and maybe if you expose Ma Tiancheng and rescue a distressed underage girl, you can even be recognized as an outstanding citizen for your courageous act."

"screw you"

Wang Fan laughed angrily: "Do you think I care about those empty titles?"

"You've hit the nail on the head."

Gu Bin, with his keen insight, gleaned the key point from Li Zhi's words: "This should be our breakthrough point. Ma Tiancheng's exploitation of his models, forcing them to sleep with clients, could at most be considered a transaction of power and sex, but if they are minors..."

"He's dead."

Li Zhi understood immediately and gritted his teeth as he uttered the word "death."

"It seems."

Wang Fan also perked up: "We have no choice but to film this advertisement."

You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub.

Li Zhi patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Just remember one thing: anything that can be solved with money isn't a problem. Everyone has their own talents, and money spent will come back."

Wang Fan rolled his eyes at him: "So, all you do is make sarcastic remarks when it's not your money."

"Out of respect for Young Master Gu, I'll also pay half of the cost of shooting the advertisement."

Li Zhi had his own agenda. Even among the privileged elites, there were different levels. Gu Bin's status was clearly not on the same level as those nouveau riche who made their fortunes through business.

If Liu Ye hadn't treated him to dinner tonight, he wouldn't have had the chance to curry favor with Gu Bin. Being able to establish a connection with him would be a great honor in the circle of second-generation rich kids.

-

"You said it yourself."

Wang Fan secretly rejoiced: "I can't go back on my word."

"Who are you looking down on?"

Li Zhi scoffed, "You think I'm like you? You're only interested in this little bit of money? A few hundred thousand isn't even enough for me to buy a sports car."

Li Zhi is the only second-generation rich kid in the area who owns a sports car.

A Porsche 911, worth over a million.

Wang Fan truly admired this; he had to admit that those in the construction business were indeed wealthy.

Once he has money, he will buy land and build houses; doing decoration work alone cannot satisfy his ambition.

Sooner or later, he will join the true upper class and become one of the top billionaires on the Forbes list.

"That `s a deal."

Gu Bin made the final decision: "Both of you keep your mouths shut. This must be kept secret. You can't tell anyone."

"clear."

Wang Fan made a gesture as if he were sewing his mouth shut.

"Don't worry, Mr. Gu."

Li Zhi patted his chest and assured him, "I know what I'm doing. This is a matter of life and death. No one would dare to say anything recklessly in my shoes."

"As long as you know."

Gu Bin saw Lin Xiyu and her sister leave the restaurant through the crack in the window, closed his book, and stood up from his chair.

When should we contact Ma Tiancheng?

Seeing that he was about to leave, Wang Fan hurriedly asked, "Was it about discussing the commercial shoot?"

"Not urgent."

Gu Bin, with his meticulous mind, said, "Let's wait until Liu Ye runs into a wall before we talk about it."

"Row."

Wang Fan had no objection and silently lit a candle for Liu Ye.

"You guys go first, I'll go out later."

Li Zhi, as if conducting clandestine work, cautiously peered out the window: "So as not to arouse suspicion."

"is this necessary?"

Wang Fan scoffed dismissively: "It's like the three of us have some kind of secret."

"Is not it?"

Li Zhi asked in bewilderment.

"Idiot."

Wang Fan rolled her eyes inwardly when she saw that he didn't understand her meaning.

"I'm going out first."

Gu Bin couldn't help but chuckle: "You two continue, but don't stay too long. It's always a bit unusual for two men to be in the same room; it wouldn't be good if people misunderstood."

"puff."

Li Zhi spat out a mouthful of saliva.

It wasn't until now that I realized what Wang Fan meant by "the unspeakable secret."

"Hey, where are you spraying it?"

Wang Fan happened to be standing next to him, and by sheer bad luck, he sprayed her face with water.

"Didn't you say we were having an affair?"

Li Zhi was also a cunning fellow, so he deliberately provoked him: "Let me spray you with pearl cream first, to nourish your skin."

"Damn, you're really something else."

Wang Fan was thinking about half of the advertising fee and didn't want to fall out with him. A curse was about to slip out, but he swallowed it back down.

"do you like it?"

Li Zhi continued slyly, "If you want more, I'll make sure you get what you want."

Wang Fan, unable to bear it any longer, gave him a single word: "Get lost."

Gu Bin ignored their commotion, left the restaurant, and followed the two sisters on his bicycle at a distance until they returned home and entered the gate before turning around and leaving.

-

As Gu Bin had predicted, Lin Xiyu's mother, Chen Xiulan, could not resist the temptation of the bride price.

When Gu Bin offered an exorbitant dowry of 88,800 yuan, he won her heart with just one sentence.

Owning a house is not only a source of confidence for a mother, but also a guarantee for her son to get married in the future.

For the sake of her son, Chen Xiulan compromised, and the change in her attitude was so drastic that it left people speechless.

Afterwards, the two remained tight-lipped about the content of their conversation, revealing no details whatsoever.

Lin Xiyu tried to get information from both sides through subtle questioning and coquettish behavior, but she couldn't glean even the slightest bit of information.

Chen Xiulan felt guilty towards her daughter and was too embarrassed to speak up, while Gu Bin, out of consideration for her feelings, did not tell her the truth.

The preference for sons over daughters and the belief that sons are there to provide for one's old age may sound painful, but it is the reality.

Some people have outdated ideas that are deeply ingrained in their minds, and changing them is by no means easy.

Lin Xiyu didn't get an answer, and after a while, she gave up on the idea.

Gu Bin helped to negotiate and bought the one-story house with a small yard that Wang Fan had, and changed the purchase contract to Chen Xiulan's name.

With the house in hand, Chen Xiulan felt more confident and formally filed for divorce from Xu Weiguo.

The couple refused to back down and went to court over the division of property and custody of their son.

Gu Bin hired a lawyer specializing in divorce proceedings for Chen Xiulan.

With the help of a lawyer, and after several months of litigation, Chen Xiulan finally won the case, obtaining half of Xu Weiguo's property and custody of their son.

-

Leaving aside the divorce for now, the power struggle between Gu Bin and others and Ma Tiancheng is also quietly underway.

With advertising revenue as leverage, their plan was successfully implemented.

Lin Xiyu participated in the filming of the advertisement, accompanied by Gu Bin.

Wang Fan, playing himself, successfully lowered Ma Tiancheng's guard with his deeply ingrained playboy image. Under the guise of dating young models, he uncovered many of the dark secrets of the advertising company.