"Huh?"
"Why did she hang up again?"
Shen Ming looked at his phone with a puzzled expression, quickly falling into silence. He wondered if he had done something to offend his wife recently; otherwise, why would she not answer his calls several times a day?
Did he step on another landmine?
With Du Wanyi frequently hanging up the phone, Shen Ming's first thought wasn't whether something was wrong on his wife's end, but rather what he himself had done wrong.
Such was the self-awareness of Brother Doudou.
Finally, after a psychological battle lasting two and a half minutes, Brother Doudou found the reason.
"Could it be because I didn't bring back a portion for her when I had noodles yesterday?" Shen Ming muttered to himself, sounding uncertain.
This was the only problem he could think of. It really wasn't him being overly paranoid; it was entirely possible. After all, his wife had once flipped a vendor's stall just because they put a little less ketchup on her scallion pancake...
Any strange action was reasonable for her, so the fact that he went out to eat noodles with Little Lan yesterday and didn't bring a portion back was very likely the reason she was angry.
Shen Ming rubbed his head, which was starting to ache, and finally decided to call and apologize first, then take her out alone for dinner tonight. That should smooth things over.
Probably?
"Beep, beep, beep..."
"Damn Doudou, are you done yet? If you call again, I'll beat you into a jelly bean!" Du Wanyi's furious voice came from the other end of the line, and she hung up immediately after speaking.
Good news: the call connected. Bad news: she was indeed angry, and she wanted to beat him into a jelly bean.
Shen Ming was speechless.
"Ring, ring, ring."
The phone that had just been hung up rang again. Shen Ming hastily picked it up, ready to answer and offer a very sincere apology, expressing that he did not want to be beaten into a jelly bean. But when he saw the caller ID, his face immediately fell.
Wang Fugui.
Shen Ming remained silent.
"Brother, I'm here. Can I park the car at the entrance?" Wang Fugui's voice came through the phone.
"Sure, just find an empty spot. Just avoid the parking space with the little tomato pattern sprayed on it; you can park anywhere else..."
Outside the Shen family estate.
A little tomato pattern?
Where did this little tomato come from? Shouldn't parking spaces have signs? Why a little tomato?
After looking around for a moment, Wang Fugui understood what Shen Ming meant by the "little tomato." In the parking lot of one or two thousand square meters in front of him, a circle had been drawn out, taking up almost half the space—nearly five hundred square meters.
Even the edges of the green leaves on top of the tomato were right at his feet. A massive "little tomato" graffiti covering hundreds of square meters was painted squarely in the parking lot.
Wang Fugui was speechless.
Brother, you call this little?
Although he wasn't entirely sure why Shen Ming had warned him so specifically, Wang Fugui obediently did as he was told, parking his car in an inconspicuous corner, avoiding the "little tomato" pattern.
Behind a strange rule, there was definitely an even stranger situation. He knew this better than anyone, so it was best to maintain a sense of awe and just comply.
After getting out of the car, Wang Fugui looked back at the little tomato pattern in the parking lot every few steps before quickly disappearing from the area.
This is what they call being experienced and knowledgeable.
This is why he could be the General Director; his awareness was top-notch. He was right—this little tomato did indeed have a story. The story was... this was Du Wanyi's exclusive parking space, simple as that.
If anyone else parked there, their tires would be removed. No exceptions.
In the reception room.
"That's roughly what happened, an old man trying to pull a scam. But don't worry, Brother Shen, I definitely won't make things difficult for you. He'll be locked up for at least half a year!" Wang Fugui took a sip of tea and made a firm promise.
Shen Ming took a sip of his tea; how could he not see the hidden meaning in Wang Fugui's words?
He didn't want this matter to blow up too much, otherwise, if something too embarrassing came out, it wouldn't be easy for him to report back. That was why he had come over in person.
As for the embarrassing things... Shen Ming was also very clear on what they were.
Shen Ming considered for a moment, "That old man who is locked up isn't being very quiet right now, is he?"
Wang Fugui looked a bit awkward. "Brother Shen, you know how arrogant these people are nowadays. They fear nothing, throw their weight around because of their age, and give me a massive headache."
Shen Ming nodded.
He couldn't say much about other things, but when it came to fearing nothing, he had the most right to speak. He understood it all too well. After all, he had one at home who feared nothing, and only their daughter could suppress her a little.
"Then keep him locked up. I'll help you talk to Wanyi. If there's any trouble later, there's nothing I can do..."
"Don't worry, there won't be. Absolutely not. Rest assured, Brother Shen, he definitely won't cause any further trouble for your wife. I guarantee it!" Seeing Shen Ming relent, Wang Fugui hurriedly made promises, afraid he would change his mind.
As long as Shen Ming agreed, it was mostly settled. The head of the Shen family's word was reliable!
Truly worthy of being the young housewife killer!
Speaking of which, Wang Fugui and Shen Ming had some connections and history, but it was purely one-sided. His father-in-law had no sons, only three daughters, and his wife was the eldest.
He also had two sisters-in-law. These two sisters-in-law... let's just say they were the same age as Shen Ming, just a bit younger. You get the idea, right?
His two sisters-in-law were famously older single women, both waiting for Shen Ming to change his mind and escape the clutches of a certain detestable demoness.
And this was just a microcosm within their circle. Let's put it this way: of all the wealthy young ladies who had met Brother Doudou in their youth, over half were still single, all hoping that one day Brother Doudou would change his mind.
He was frighteningly outstanding, and the Shen family was at the height of its power. No one expected such an excellent Brother Doudou to be captured by the famous demon child of their circle...
And rumor had it that she was the one who pursued him?
Every time he saw Shen Ming, Wang Fugui felt a sense of pity. How great would it be if this were his brother-in-law? Unfortunately, there were no "ifs."
Brother Doudou's capabilities needed no proof. Now the Shen and Du families had merged into a super conglomerate and were continuously legitimizing their businesses. At this rate, the title of the undisputed king of Dahai City would soon return.
As his wife would say... "For the glory of the old Du family, Doudou, you have to work hard. I'm going back to sleep. When you come back tonight, bring two burgers, the ones with extra meat patties..."
Shen Ming was speechless.
It was fine to call him Brother Doudou at home, but what should he be called outside?
"Alright, Brother Fugui, sit for a bit. I'm going out to make a call." Shen Ming stood up and walked outside, and Wang Fugui quickly nodded.
He really needed to act fast. A certain wife was famously petty. If he delayed any longer, he might be planted in the ground like a ginseng root. Oh, of course, it wasn't that absolute.
He could also be hung from a tree like a ginseng fruit... two choices, pretty considerate, right?
Outside, by the pool, Shen Ming stood in front of the rockery and called the short-haired woman.
This time, the call finally connected. Brother Doudou, who had been hitting a wall all day, now felt like his eyes were welling up with tears. It wasn't easy, it really wasn't easy, she finally answered the phone!
"Mistress?"
Shen Ming: "..."
This child...
"Ahem, Little Lan, where are you right now?" Shen Ming asked.
"On the road," the short-haired woman answered very honestly.
Shen Ming: "..."
"Come back first, I'll talk to Wanyi," Shen Ming said helplessly. Even though the short-haired woman hadn't said anything, the wise Brother Doudou had already deduced the truth.
If nothing unexpected happened, the short-haired woman was currently on her way to gather some muscle, ready to give the scammer old man in the detention center a little "surprise."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.
"Mistress, my signal here is bad, I'm hanging up..." The short-haired woman sounded a bit guilty and didn't plan on chatting anymore. Because of her nervousness, she accidentally bumped into the "tools of the crime" beside her, and the crisp sound of metal clashing came through.
Shen Ming: "..."
Child, you don't even know how to lie!
The Du family members were always stubborn. The words of him, the "Mistress," were useless. They only listened to the family head and the young master; anyone else's words wouldn't work.
The smart Brother Doudou changed his direction again and used a different phrasing: "Little Lan, you wouldn't want Hanhan to be unhappy, right?"
The short-haired woman: "..."
Brother Doudou suddenly switched personalities, speaking with the tone of a strict superior. How did that saying go? Two people sleeping in the same bed will eventually become alike. In the past, Brother Doudou used to be quite a decent person.
It's a pity, that was only in the past.
"Right?"
"Come back first. I'll handle this matter. I promise Wanyi won't blame you, I'll back you up!" Shen Ming was rarely this tough.
The short-haired woman's faint voice came over: "Mistress, you can't back me up..."
Shen Ming: "..."
Eat, sleep, beat Doudou. Our Brother Doudou had fallen to such a miserable state that his words indeed lacked credibility. Now he was saying he would back someone up, wasn't this just bullying an honest person?
"Hanhan will back both of us up." Shen Ming's voice became a bit resentful.
"Okay, Mistress, I'll come back right away!" The short-haired woman immediately changed her tune!
Shen Ming: "..."
This child... is she too honest?
Doesn't she even know how to act a little? Sigh... being a bit tactful would be nice too.
Not long after, Wang Fugui drove his old Santana out of the parking lot outside the Shen family's house. As a detail, when he left, he was also very careful to drive around the cherry tomatoes without touching them at all.
On the way back, Wang Fugui once again received a call from a miserable young rookie at the station.
"Chief, we can't hold on anymore. When are you coming back? Help!"
"There's no justice! So many people bullying an old man like me! I have heart disease. If I die here, all of you will..."
Over the phone, the incredibly arrogant shouting of the scammer old man could still be heard. He was clamoring for the people in the station to pay him money, throwing himself on the ground acting as if he were dying, as if he had triggered some key scene and started to extort people.
Wang Fugui was full of anger, driving fast towards the police station.
Not long after, Wang Fugui arrived. He parked the car outside and instinctively checked the ground to see if there were any cherry tomatoes or the like; it was muscle memory.
After confirming there were none, Wang Fugui walked into the station with an ashen face.
"Damn it, I'm going to die, ahhh, help..."
As soon as he walked in, he heard the scammer old man's tragic screams. Those who didn't know better would think they were slaughtering a pig. Wang Fugui took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a drag, exhaled, and narrowed his eyes.
"Turn off the surveillance cameras in the station."
The others: "???"
"I told you to turn off the surveillance cameras!" Wang Fugui practically roared!
It was the first time they had seen the usually amiable chief get so angry. The others shuddered and immediately started taking action.
According to the law of conservation of energy, matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed out of thin air. Now that the electricity in the surveillance cameras was gone, it was so hard to guess where it went!
Ahhh, I won't tell you guys anything ahhh... (Owe you an emoji, you know what I want to send)
All evil will eventually be brought to justice! (Also owe you an emoji)
...
Hospital, corridor.
Du Wanyi was still squatting outside in the corridor, holding a tablet in her hands. The surveillance feed on the tablet had already gone black.
"Damn Doudou, stinky Doudou, all you do all day is make phone calls, make phone calls, every single day you just have to hang up, hang up, hang up..."
After fiercely cursing Brother Doudou a couple of times, Du Wanyi finally remembered she still had serious business to finish. She hurriedly looked at the tablet in her arms. She had kept a trick up her sleeve; there was another miniature camera on the chandelier on the ceiling.
Hahaha, she really was a genius!
The madam laughed wildly, but... the very next second, she couldn't laugh anymore.
"Why is it black?" Du Wanyi patted the tablet in her hands, attempting to use physical means, learning from the older generation's method of repairing malfunctioning electronics, trying to fix the black surveillance screen by elbowing the tablet.
"What kind of trash surveillance is this? It stops working right at the critical moment!" Du Wanyi gnashed her teeth and took a bite out of the tablet.
The screen flickered twice. Good news: it was finally no longer a black screen. Bad news: the screen was glitched out.
Du Wanyi: "..."
A moment later, Du Wanyi stuck her butt up and lay against the door to eavesdrop. High-end eavesdropping often only requires the most rustic methods. Electronic technology and all that are ultimately crooked paths; the traditional way is the true broad road!
"Why is there no sound?" A giant question mark appeared above Du Wanyi's head. She dug her ear with her finger and continued to lie there eavesdropping.
Still nothing...
There it is!
Just when Du Wanyi was burning with anxiety wanting to hear a sound, frantically pondering whether she should break down the door and help the two of them, a voice finally came from inside the room!
"Hehehe, Eldest Miss, you have your day too!"
"..."
"Scream! Even if you scream yourself hoarse, no one will come to save you, hahaha!!!"
"..."
"Idiot..."
"Hehehe, Eldest Miss, it seems you still don't understand the principle of being under someone else's roof. It's too late to say anything now!" Footsteps rapidly approached.
"You... you're not allowed to come over... wu..."
Rarely, Shen Qinghan's voice carried a trace of panic.
Du Wanyi: "???"

ver to a world of cultivation and returned invincible. Modern medicine is child's play compared to elixirs; technological might crumbles before true cultivation. My name is Qin Ning, Earth's sole cultivator!

young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”

rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!