Courtyard House: I'm surrounded by celestial beauties on either side.

Shen Ao gasped, "You're both crazy and audacious!"

"Without this move, would those people have let the Rong family off the hook?" Fang Chengxuan sneered.

Shen Ao sighed, "Never mind."

The Shen family will openly befriend you; let those people think twice.

"Thank you." Fang Chengxuan's expression softened slightly.

"The Shen family should be the ones thanking us." Shen Ao put his arm around Fang Chengxuan's shoulder. "I'll organize a gathering this afternoon and introduce you to some people." He then looked at He Wenyi: "You come too."

He Wenyi nodded.

Being on good terms with the Shen family would only benefit him.

Around 5 p.m.

Fang Chengxuan and Rong Xinrui were sitting idly at home when He Wenyi pushed open the door and entered, smiling as he said, "Shen Ao asked me to pick you up and take you to the state-run restaurant."

Fang Chengxuan nodded and stood up.

Before long, the two arrived at the state-run hotel.

Pushing open the door, Fang Chengxuan's gaze swept across the hall, searching for Shen Ao's figure. Suddenly, his eyebrows twitched slightly—a group of people at a nearby table were clinking glasses, and upon seeing him enter, Third Uncle Yan Shuzhai immediately turned his face away and spat, "Bad luck!"

The table was full of people: the deaf old lady, Uncle Yi Zhonghai, Uncle Liu Haizhong, Uncle Yan Shuzhai, Qin Huairu, and He Yuzhu, but Xu Damao was missing.

"Fang Chengxuan!"

Shen Ao's greeting came from the corner.

He sat with Bai Junchu at a large round table, surrounded by several unfamiliar faces.

Fang Chengxuan walked over with a smile, and Shen Ao immediately introduced him to everyone: "This is my brother Fang Chengxuan. The old man is very fond of him and almost recognized him as his godson."

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze towards Fang Chengxuan immediately became more eager.

Fang Chengxuan nodded calmly and got to know them one by one through Shen Ao's introduction.

Although some people tried to probe him during the meal, he only revealed a little bit at just the right time, and most of the time he just smiled and remained silent.

After several rounds, everyone realized that this seemingly gentle young man was actually very meticulous, and his attitude became sincere.

While people were toasting and laughing on one side, a sour atmosphere permeated the other.

"Third Uncle is right, what bad luck!" He Yuzhu slammed his wine glass down, his face full of disgust. "There are people with the surname Fang everywhere!"

The deaf old woman hurriedly patted his arm: "Silly Zhu! You just came out and you want to go back in?"

"I can't stand seeing such a scoundrel prosper!" He Yuzhu deliberately raised his voice, drawing everyone's attention. "Heaven has no eyes, allowing such a treacherous person to rise to prominence!"

Shen Ao frowned and looked at that table: "Hasn't this guy from your department learned his lesson?"

Someone at the table, their eyes gleaming, tentatively asked, "Brother Fang has already dealt with the Luo and Cao families, why keep this kind of person around?"

"Just a clown," Fang Chengxuan chuckled, swirling his wine glass. "Was it worth the effort?"

The man thought to himself—this guy had everyone in the hospital under his thumb.

He immediately smiled apologetically, "That's true, he doesn't look very smart."

While they chatted and laughed on one side, Yan Shuzhai was drowning his sorrows in alcohol, cursing: "If only this scourge had never come to our courtyard! Why didn't God strike him down with lightning...?"

Uncle Liu Haizhong stared at his wine glass, filled with regret, while Uncle Yi Zhonghai thought back to how he should have listened to Fang Chengxuan's suggestion to sponsor Zou Chang'an...

Qin Huairu's resentful gaze lingered on Fang Chengxuan, and suddenly her eyes reddened.

He Yuzhu was immediately at a loss: "Did that bastard bully you again?"

"I want to be a fan..." Qin Huairu's tearful appearance made He Yuzhu's heart clench, but he didn't see her secretly calculating as she touched her cheek—why couldn't she seduce Fang Chengxuan?

Qin Huairu grew angrier the more she thought about it, her eyes flashing with resentment, her chest heaving violently.

If she could grow up in luxury like Rong Xinrui, she would be no less outstanding than Rong Xinrui.

Everyone at the dinner table had their own thoughts.

The deaf old woman took in everyone's expressions, her gaze sweeping over the stunned He Yuzhu, and she sighed, "Silly Yuzhu, what are your plans for the future?"

She secretly thought, "I have to get these three to help Sha Zhu find a job, otherwise how will this child survive?"

"About the steel rolling mill... how about you have your uncle talk to Director Li again?" The deaf old lady said to herself when she saw He Yuzhu's expression.

When Yi Zhonghai was called out, he thought of the ambiguous relationship between He Yuzhu and his wife, and his heart was filled with more annoyance: "Grandma, it's not that I don't want to help."

Fang Chengxuan is now the deputy factory director, and the kitchen staff are all his people.

Sha Zhu and he don't get along, so even if Factory Director Li agrees, he can't go back.

The deaf old lady turned to Liu Haizhong, and the second uncle quickly waved his hand: "Even Lao Yi couldn't do it, so I have no way to help."

Uncle Yan Shuzhai took a sip of wine, his eyes darting around: "The school cafeteria is a good place to go."

However…” he rubbed his fingers together, “I should bring a little something to show my face before I start the conversation.”

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu immediately agreed: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Third Uncle."

Yan Shuzhai smiled ingratiatingly: "We're all neighbors, it's only right that we help each other out."

On the other side, Fang Chengxuan, his cheeks flushed after a few rounds of drinks, leaned quietly on He Wenyi's shoulder.

"With your drinking capacity, you'd be sold out and still be counting the money for them," He Wenyi said to Shen Ao with a smile. "I'll take my brother-in-law home; you take care of the others."

He Yuzhu stared at the two figures as they left, then suddenly stood up: "I'm going out for a bit."

Qin Huairu also picked up her lunchbox: "I'm going to check on Bang Geng." The two left their seats one after the other, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.

In the alley, He Wenyi helped the "drunk" Fang Chengxuan walk slowly forward.

From the shadows, He Yuzhu grabbed a brick and charged forward, yelling, "Fang Chengxuan, I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"

He Wenyi kicked the man away with a side kick: "Looking for death?"

Fang Chengxuan, who was leaning against the tree, chuckled to himself when Xu Damao suddenly jumped out from behind the tree and covered his mouth and nose with a wet cloth.

He grabbed the other man's wrist with his other hand and chuckled softly, "Xu Damao?"

Xu Damao struggled instinctively, but found that he couldn't even beat He Yuzhu, let alone fight Fang Chengxuan.

On the other side, when He Wenyi saw that Fang Chengxuan's helper suddenly appeared, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he raised his leg to kick He Yuzhu's vitals.

"Ah!" He Yuzhu let out a piercing scream, clutching his lower body and curling up to fall to the ground.

He Wenyi seized the opportunity to rush forward and restrain Xu Damao: "Fang Chengxuan, are you alright?" He turned his head and saw that the other man's eyes were clear and the drunkenness on his face was quickly fading.

"Are you sober now?" He Wenyi asked suspiciously.

Fang Chengxuan smiled slightly and turned his gaze to the trembling Xu Damao.

Seeing He Yuzhu's miserable state, Xu Damao recalled his own past experiences and couldn't help but shudder.

Fang Chengxuan picked up the bricks from the ground and walked up to He Yuzhu.

"What do you want to do?" He Yuzhu was terrified, but he couldn't move due to the excruciating pain.

Fang Chengxuan sneered and shoved a pill into He Yuzhu's mouth: "What are you doing?" Before he finished speaking, a brick slammed heavily into the back of He Yuzhu's head. "To finish your unfinished business, of course!"

After dealing with He Yuzhu, Fang Chengxuan turned to Xu Damao, toying with the brick in his hand: "Xu Damao, you've gotten quite the skills, huh?"

"You're not drunk?" Xu Damao gasped.

"I've been too busy to deal with you guys lately, and you've gotten quite the handful." Fang Chengxuan grabbed Xu Damao by the collar. "If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I'll make sure you're childless!"

The brick slammed hard between Xu Damao's legs.

"I'll tell you! It was Qin Huairu who ordered it!" Xu Damao, sweating profusely from the pain, quickly confessed, "She said it would be easier to do it when you were drunk, so she told me to take you to He Yuzhu's house and then have Rong Xinrui catch you in the act..."

Fang Chengxuan narrowed his eyes: "I can let you off the hook, but you have to do as I say."

He instructed Xu Damao to take the unconscious He Yuzhu home and to inform Qin Huairu that the plan had succeeded.

"Aren't you afraid he'll try something funny?" He Wenyi asked.

Fang Chengxuan sneered: "He has the guts to try."

Besides, he'd be more than happy to see He Yuzhu suffer.

After watching Xu Damao leave, Fang Chengxuan quietly followed him.

In the backyard, Lin Feng was about to speak when he saw Fang Chengxuan suddenly appear, but was stopped.

Upon entering the house, Lin Feng asked anxiously, "What happened?"

Meanwhile, Xu Damao took He Yuzhu home, secretly sneering, "Silly Zhu, you're going to get what's coming to you this time." He stripped He Yuzhu naked, posed him, and then went to report to Qin Huairu.

Upon seeing Xu Damao, Qin Huairu eagerly asked, "Did it succeed?"

"The person is already inside Sha Zhu's house." Xu Damao took the opportunity to grope him, "I've taken such a big risk, shouldn't you..."

"Not today!" Qin Huairu refused.

"If you don't satisfy me, I'll go tell Lin Feng right now." Xu Damao made a move to leave.

Qin Huairu hurriedly grabbed him: "What's the rush..."

"I'm just trying to be on the safe side. Since that's the case, then so be it."

Qin Huairu sighed softly and leaned into Xu Damao's arms.

Xu Damao, who had been feeling stifled for a long time, was hit hard by Fang Chengxuan and was eager to see if he was really crippled. He immediately grabbed Qin Huairu and fell onto the bed.

The moment their kiss began, Qin Huairu trembled all over. "Heh, you're so sensitive now. Can't even Grandpa and Sha Zhu satisfy you?"

The two bodies quickly became entangled.

As darkness fell, the steel mill workers returned one after another.

As Yi Zhonghai carried the food from the cafeteria to his doorstep, the ambiguous sounds coming from inside made his face instantly darken.

"boom!"

He kicked the door open and roared, "Qin Huairu, do you still consider me your husband?"

The two people on the bed were startled, but Qin Huairu quickly calmed down.

"And you? Have you ever considered me your wife?"

Eyes facing each other.

A terrifying madness shone in Qin Huairu's eyes.

Xu Damao felt a little intimidated by the sight, but then, remembering the woman's reputation in the courtyard, he retorted sarcastically:

"Why is an old man so angry? Didn't you know what kind of person she was before you married her?"

"A respectable woman seducing a married man? You weren't even divorced from that middle-aged woman back then!"

Seeing Yi Zhonghai's ashen face, Xu Damao knew that this was not a good thing, but who told this old man to insist on marrying such a slut?

"I didn't force her. You two can take your time to explain."

Knowing that Yi Zhonghai wouldn't dare to make a sound, Xu Damao straightened his collar and strode away.

Qin Huairu dressed slowly and deliberately.

"This marriage must end! Don't force me to expose your dirty secrets!" Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth.

Thinking about her dirty deeds with Sha Zhu, Xu Damao, and others, her stomach churned.

Qin Huairu smiled dismissively: "What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for? Weren't you quite happy to set me up with Sha Zhu back then?"

"If the neighbors knew you were scheming to take care of Sha Zhu in his old age, and even made him raise your son for you..."

She was preoccupied with Fang Chengxuan from Shazhu's family, and too lazy to look at Yi Zhonghai's distorted face any longer, so she walked straight out.

"You have to put up with whatever I am!"

Yi Zhonghai grabbed her arm: "Are you really that shameless?"

"Shameless?" Qin Huairu shook off his hand. "Why didn't you say that when we were having sex? Now you're acting like a husband?"

"You don't give me any money for household expenses, and I'm always at the factory. Isn't it just what you want for me to be with someone else? After all, isn't that what you like?"

Yi Zhonghai was trembling with anger, but he was also afraid that this crazy woman would make a scene that everyone would know about.

Qin Huairu ran towards He Yuzhu's house without looking back, and pretended to knock on the door: "Is Shazhu home? I need to talk to you."

Without waiting for a response, he pushed the door open and entered.

She pulled the light cord and found it wasn't working, but she didn't pay much attention. In the dim light, she looked at the figure on the bed with his back to her.

The thought that it was Fang Chengxuan made her breathing quicken.

"Fang Chengxuan, didn't you look down on me?"

"After tonight, let's see how you pretend to be so high and mighty then!"

She grinned maliciously as she took off her clothes and crawled into bed.

Outside the door, Yang Yuande raised an eyebrow at the sight, pretending to have overheard the noise coming from inside the house while passing by, and secretly made a note of it.

"It's time to report to Brother Fang."

He casually borrowed some vegetables from the front yard, then carried peanuts and rice wine to the back yard.

"Brother Fang, Qin Huairu went into Sha Zhu's house, and something's not right inside." Yang Yuande lowered his voice. "What do we do next?"

"wait."

Fang Chengxuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

He wanted to confirm whether there was something else behind this scheme.

Night was falling.

Fang Chengxuan waved to Yang Yuande: "You go back first."

He turned to Lin Feng and said, "I'll stay here tonight."

Lin Feng nodded: "Your room has been kept. Qiu Ye and I live in the room next door."

After washing up, Fang Chengxuan lay on the bed in deep thought.

If it were just the schemes of Qin Huairu and her two companions, it wouldn't be so scary. The real fear is...

Meanwhile, the people who had dined with him that day had just arrived home when they were surrounded by their families: "Did you see Fang Chengxuan? What did he say?"

"They don't act like country folk at all; they are neither servile nor arrogant in front of us."

He doesn't talk much at dinner parties, and although he appears gentle and refined, he commands respect.

"The strangest thing is that, despite his refined appearance, he always gives people a feeling of... danger."

During the dinner, Shen Ao revealed in public that his grandfather intended to recognize Fang Chengxuan as his god-grandson.

He Wenyi even addressed him directly as "brother-in-law".

Although Liu Jiayu ate in silence throughout, everyone knew that Fang Chengxuan had once saved his life. Otherwise, Liu Jiayu would likely be in grave danger.

The entire Liu family was naturally grateful to him.