My cousin-in-law helped me achieve my ambitions.

It's unclear how much time passed before the two finally parted ways.

Yang Tian buried her face in his chest, not daring to look at him. Su Ming held her close, his heart pounding, yet he felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and warmth.

That feeling was wonderful.

It was so beautiful that he wished time could stand still at that moment.

The two strolled in the park for over an hour, hand in hand, chatting idly. They talked about their childhoods, their hometowns, gossip from the factory, and their future plans.

Until Su Ming's phone rang.

He took it out and saw that it was a call from Bao Yazhong.

"Hey, Ming-ge!" Bao Ya-zhong's voice came through the phone, full of enthusiasm. "Where are you? Let's go out for a late-night snack! It's on me!"

Su Ming was about to refuse when Yang Tian smiled and said, "It's okay, go see your friends. You need some friends when you're away from home."

She paused, then said, "How about I take you there, and then I'll go back myself?"

Su Ming shook his head: "No need, my friend isn't far from here. I'll take you back to the restaurant to get your car first, and then it's just a few minutes' walk."

"Alright! Let's go then!"

The two smiled at each other and walked hand in hand toward the restaurant.

Holding Yang Tian's hand, Su Ming felt a surge of warmth in his heart. This must be what love feels like!

When they arrived at the restaurant entrance, Yang Tian retrieved her motorcycle, mounted it, and looked back at him.

"Shall I go then?" she asked, reluctant to leave.

Su Ming nodded: "Be careful on the road."

Yang Tian smiled, twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle slowly drove away.

After riding a short distance, she suddenly turned back and waved to him. Under the dim streetlights, her figure gradually disappeared into the distance, her skirt fluttering gently in the night breeze like a butterfly dancing in the air.

Su Ming stood there, watching the receding figure, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

There was excitement and enjoyment, but mostly there was uncertainty about the future.

Yang Tian—the factory's most beautiful girl among three thousand female workers. Her brother is a small business owner, and his clothes cost over eight hundred yuan a set.

And what about him? A poor young man who had just come from his hometown, still wearing a shirt given to him by someone else. His monthly salary was only eight hundred yuan, not even enough to buy a single piece of clothing from that person.

Am I good enough for such an outstanding woman?

Even if she likes me, even if she doesn't care, what about reality?

How can I date if I have no money? How can I give her a good life? How can I make her family respect me?

He remembered the business card Yang Jing had handed him, the Buick GL8, and how Yang Jing had paid over eight hundred yuan without batting an eye.

The gap is too big.

Su Ming took a deep breath and clenched his fists.

Men conquer women by conquering the world.

He wanted to make money, to get ahead in life, and to make himself worthy of her.

It wasn't to prove anything, but so that when she stood beside him, he could stand tall and be confident.

As night deepened, neon lights flickered in the distance, and fewer and fewer pedestrians appeared on the street.

Su Ming turned around and strode towards the place Bao Yazhong had mentioned. He was curious to hear about Bao Yazhong's money-making methods. As long as it wasn't illegal, Su Ming was willing to give it a try if it could make money, even if it was tough and tiring.

Behind her, Yang Tian's figure had long since disappeared into the night.

But the sweet, soft touch still lingered on his lips.

That's the taste of a first kiss.

It's also the taste of being moved.

It was the taste that made him determined to change his destiny.

It was almost 9 p.m. when Su Ming and Bao Yazhong sat down at a food stall near the Snake Hill Industrial Zone.

This food stall is incredibly popular, with all dozen or so tables packed full. The air is filled with the aroma of barbecue and the malty scent of beer. The proprietress, a plump woman in her forties, is wearing a greasy apron and bustling around the stove, her spatula flying as flames leap up.

Bao Yazhong, familiar with the place, ordered a bunch of grilled skewers and two bottles of beer, filling them for Su Ming and himself.

"Come on, Ming-ge, let's have a drink!" Bao Yazhong raised his glass, looking very enthusiastic.

Su Ming clinked glasses with him and took a sip. The beer was a bit bitter, but on such a hot day, it was indeed refreshing.

Bao Yazhong put down his wine glass, picked his teeth with a toothpick, but his eyes kept darting around Su Ming. His gaze was as if he were looking at a rare treasure.

"Ming-ge, I'm truly impressed by you." He suddenly spoke, his tone full of admiration. "Even Pegasus kneels before you. In this Snake Mountain area, you're practically untouchable, aren't you?"

Su Ming was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved his hand: "Don't talk nonsense, it's not that exaggerated."

"Exaggerated?" Bao Yazhong's eyes widened. "I saw it with my own eyes! That bastard Pegasus is usually so arrogant, biting anyone he sees, but when he saw that Audi, he immediately knelt down and slapped himself in the face! I still feel relieved thinking about that scene!"

As he spoke, he leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Ming, whatever business you want to get into now, I believe no one will dare to stop you. Even if you open a casino, I doubt anyone will dare to investigate."

Opening a casino?

Su Ming's heart stirred slightly.

The thought was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples. He thought of his cousin-in-law Qiu Tong, the black Audi, and Liu Sheng's indifferent face.

If he really runs a casino and something goes wrong, his cousin's wife will definitely step in to protect him. And the man behind his cousin's wife probably has that ability too.

But how will that man view his cousin's wife? Will he treat her well?

Will not.

Those kinds of people hate trouble the most. I might help once or twice, but if it happens too often, even my cousin's wife might get involved.

The man behind his cousin's wife might be a lifesaver, but he's definitely not a benefactor in her life.

It's best not to use such favors unless absolutely necessary.

Su Ming shook his head, suppressing the thought. He looked at Bao Yazhong and asked seriously, "Is there anything that can make money without breaking the law?"

Bao Yazhong paused for a moment, then laughed: "Yes! But you need some connections, no matter what. If no one bothers you, you can just lie there and count your money."

He counted on his fingers: "Movie bars, projection rooms, DVD shops, internet cafes—these are all good. The costs are low, and the money comes in quickly."

Su Ming frowned: "You need the capital!"

He has less than two hundred yuan on him at the end of the month, not even enough to rent a decent storefront.

Bao Yazhong's eyes darted around, and he suddenly leaned even closer, lowering his voice: "How about opening a Wenzhou City? I'll get you a dozen long-legged girls, and you can sit there and earn a thousand or two a day without any problem."

Su Ming was startled: "Wenzhou City? What's that?"

"Haha, it's just a place that does bone-setting," Bao Yazhong said matter-of-factly. "But it offers some 'special services.' Don't worry, I won't ask you to contribute any money to the store; you'll get a share. You just need to help me handle any investigations. Those long-legged girls will get 50%, and we'll split the rest, how about that?"

Su Ming's face darkened after hearing this.

He waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no! Absolutely not!"

He knew perfectly well that if his cousin's wife found out about this, she would definitely kick him out. Not to mention his cousin's wife, even Yang Tian would probably turn against him immediately if she found out.

Seeing his reaction, Bao Yazhong didn't press the matter. He picked his teeth with a toothpick and chuckled, "Alright then. How about this, I'll take you to another, more bustling industrial area, Tashan. You might get some inspiration there and see if there's any suitable business opportunity. Then you can just find a shop and set it up."

Su Ming nodded: "Okay."

Bao Yazhong immediately took out his phone and made a call. After a few words were spoken on the other end, he responded with "uh-huhs," and waved to Su Ming after hanging up: "Come on, someone will meet us over there."

The two rode on Bao Yazhong's nearly new motorcycle toward the Tashan Industrial Zone.