Old Deng awakens: He starts by eliminating the yoga pants in the county town!

Lin Dawei withdrew his scrutinizing gaze.

The woman's resilience exceeded his expectations, which reassured him about the future situation of Shunda.

He leaned back in his car seat, ignoring the pregnancy comment, and instead took out his phone and dialed Zhao Pengfei's number.

The receiver kept ringing for a long time before it was finally answered.

"Old Lin...cough cough..."

A weak cough came from the other end of the phone, accompanied by a hoarse nasal tone.

"Do you have any plans for this afternoon?"

"What a load of crap!"

Zhao Pengfei spoke with a lisp, his throat full of phlegm, "This young master has really met his end in the neighboring county! I caught a cold as soon as I got back, and I have to stay home and recuperate for the next couple of days. No one can call me!"

He seemed to be turning over, and a rustling sound could be heard over the phone.

Lin Dawei twitched the corner of his mouth.

"Alright, Young Master Zhao, drink some more goji berry and turtle soup and get some rest."

Lin Dawei hung up the phone and casually tossed it onto the dial.

As soon as the light turned green, Lin Dawei stepped on the gas and headed straight for Shunda Freight Station.

The car was parked on the uneven cement floor of the freight station.

During this period, Shunda was sealed off by the fire department, and the power struggle between Zhao Daqiang and Wang Yan caused chaos, leaving the large courtyard deserted.

Several six-axle trucks covered in mud were parked against the wall, their dust covers flapping loudly in the wind.

The spacious dirt yard, which should have been packed with light and heavy trucks, now only has five or six scattered vehicles.

A few clumps of wild grass even grew in the corner of the wall.

Under the awning outside the dispatch room, three or four listless men were squatting.

A pile of cigarette butts lay scattered on the ground. Old Ma was playing cards with a bunch of lousy trinkets, arguing heatedly over a few cents in the ante.

Lin Dawei parked the car steadily in front of the dispatch room.

The car door opened.

Wang Yan walked downstairs in her high heels, leaving a trail of fragrance in her wake.

The drivers who were squatting on the ground looked up and were stunned when they saw the boss lady's imposing demeanor.

Then they saw Lin Dawei getting out of the driver's seat.

His tall, upright figure, broad shoulders, and strong chest muscles stretched his clothes taut.

His every move exuded a powerful aura.

Old Ma was about to say hello when his tongue suddenly got tied in a knot.

He rubbed his bloodshot eyes hard and stared intently at Lin Dawei.

Where is this the same old Lin who used to be, always being ostracized and driving his beat-up light truck around looking for work?

The drivers looked at each other, forgetting to smoke the cigarettes they were holding.

Wang Yan walked up the steps and looked down at the courtyard. Her clear voice, tinged with a husky, smoky tone, instantly echoed in every corner.

"Cheer up, everyone!"

"The verdict is in. From today onwards, I, Wang Yan, will be the only owner of Shunda Freight Station. That fat bastard Zhao Daqiang has been kicked out by the court and left with nothing!"

This statement immediately caused a small commotion in the courtyard.

Wang Yan took out several stacks of hundred-yuan bills tied with rubber bands from her bag and slapped them directly onto the wooden table on the windowsill of the dispatch room.

"The wages we owe you from before will all be settled this afternoon, not a penny less!"

"I don't care about those who ran away or left."

"As long as you old guys are willing to stay and keep working, starting this month, I guarantee you'll make a good profit!"

Money left on the table is the best stimulant in the world.

The drivers, who had been looking dejected, suddenly had a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

"Sister Wang is awesome!"

"We knew Sister Wang wouldn't let us starve!"

The men quickly threw their cigarette butts on the ground, slipped on their shoes, and ran over to collect their money.

Wang Yan turned and went into the dispatch room, where she began to efficiently take stock of accounts, contact regular customers, and reorganize departure routes.

A woman who has avenged her great enemy can be terrifyingly driven by a frenzy when she focuses on making money.

Lin Dawei did not go in.

With one hand in his suit trouser pocket, he walked to the shady spot under the eaves and took out his cigarette case.

The experienced drivers who had just received their money immediately surrounded them.

Leading the group was Lao Ma, who used to have a good relationship with Lin Dawei in the freight industry.

Old Ma is in his fifties. Years of long-distance driving have left him with wrinkles all over his face and his fingers are smoky yellow from smoking.

He moved closer to Lin Dawei and looked him over several times.

"Old Lin, have you been abducted and modified by aliens?"

Old Ma slapped his thigh. "Or have you been taking growth hormones these past few days? You've gotten two huge sizes bigger!"

Old Ma reached out and tentatively poked Lin Dawei's muscular arm.

It was hard and stiff, like a lump of iron.

Lin Dawei didn't dodge; he simply took out a cigarette from the pack and handed it to Lao Ma.

Old Ma took the cigarette, held it under his nose, took a deep sniff, and grinned broadly.

"You're getting younger as you get older."

Another young driver named A-Qiang, who was a loader, also joined in the commotion.

"you do not say!"

Ah Qiang stared at Lin Dawei's suit with shining eyes.

"Brother Lin, with your outfit and aura right now, I'd believe you if you said you were a gangster boss from the provincial capital."

"With all those muscles of yours, it's a complete waste to have you driving that beat-up 4.2-meter light truck!"

Lin Dawei took out a windproof lighter and lit the cigarette with a click.

A bluish-white plume of smoke billowed from his angular lips as he raised an eyebrow.

"So what do you think I should do?"

"Be a gigolo!"

Old Ma slapped his thigh suddenly, laughing so hard that all the wrinkles on his face were squeezed together.

"With your looks, your figure, those pecs! If you stood in one of those high-end clubs frequented by wealthy women in the provincial capital, you'd definitely be the top girl!"

"Those ravenous rich women love a rugged man like you—weathered, skilled in bed, not clingy, and with explosive stamina!"

As Old Ma spoke, he made faces and his mouth was full of vulgar, lewd jokes.

"Serving rich women will earn you way more than driving long-distance trucks for Sister Wang. Maybe if she's in a good mood, she'll just throw you an apartment and a Mercedes, and you'll be set for life!"

Ah Qiang was laughing so hard he was doubled over.

"Uncle Ma, you're wrong about that. Does Brother Lin really need to go to the provincial capital to find a rich woman? I think Sister Wang's gaze towards Brother Lin is different now."

"Are you looking for death?"

Wang Yan's voice suddenly drifted out from the screen window of the dispatch room, carrying a hint of embarrassment and anger.

"If you dare to make fun of me again, you'll lose your entire bonus this month!"

The drivers shrank back in fright, but they couldn't help but smile.

Lin Dawei, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, chuckled softly along with them.

Standing among these sweaty, working-class men, listening to their crude but harmless jokes, he finally felt like he was truly grounded.

Compared to Zhao Pengfei's high and mighty circle, the camaraderie among these old friends, though rough, is reassuring.

Finished a cigarette.

Old Ma stomped out the cigarette butt in the dirt.

"Old Lin, it's rare that everyone's here today, and Sister Wang gave out money again."

"Let's go! To Zhang Xiaopang's stir-fry restaurant, brothers, let's grab a couple of shots of baijiu (Chinese liquor) to celebrate for you and Sister Wang!"

Lin Dawei raised his hand to look at his watch; it was lunchtime.

"OK."

Lin Dawei didn't refuse; it was a good opportunity to go see Zhang Xiaopang.

"This meal is on me."

Several people were arm in arm, preparing to walk out the gate.

A sudden, urgent cell phone ringtone came from Lin Dawei's suit pocket.

He took out his phone.

A familiar note appeared on the screen: Li Ying.

Having been divorced for so long, unless he's looking for trouble or money, his ex-wife will never contact him on her own initiative.

Lin Dawei's smile faded.

He stopped and swiped to answer the call.

"crooked?"

"Lin Dawei".

On the other end of the phone, Li Ying's voice was surprisingly calm, even carrying a rare gentleness.

"Are you off work yet? Where are you?"

Lin Dawei didn't rush to reply; a sense of unease crept into his mind.

"Having dinner with friends out, is something wrong?"

"I'm having dinner with friends. Here's the thing, I need to talk to you about something. Can you come back now?"

"I just arrived at the hotel and can't go back yet. We'll talk when I get back."

After Lin Dawei finished speaking, he hung up the phone immediately.

The phone had just been put back in my pocket when it rang again.

He glanced at the screen; it was still Li Ying.

Lin Dawei didn't answer, letting his phone vibrate repeatedly in his pocket.

But Li Ying seemed determined to make that call. Just two seconds after she hung up, a second call came through.