After cussing out Cao Yang, Situ Meixin stormed off in a huff.
Things had developed far beyond what she expected.Cao Yang had smoothly taken the seat of Hall Master—but the nonsense he spouted afterward?His intentions were already painfully obvious.
Originally, she planned to use him to help manage that troublesome bunch.Now it felt like he was the one using her, pulling people to build his own faction.
A million dollars to "send away beggars"?A million not much?
Split among seventy men, each would get a bit over ten grand—around a hundred thousand RMB.In a small mainland county, that was enough for a down-payment on a house.How was that "not much"?
Sure, comparing money between countries wasn't one-to-one, but even in America, a million wasn't exactly pocket change.Yet the way Cao Yang said it made it sound laughably small.
And then that bastard even threw in ten million dollars of his own money—Wasn't he just slapping her face in front of everyone?
If this continued, was it still Hongmen's Zhongyi Hall… or Cao Yang's Zhongyi Hall?
Situ Meixin felt torn.The Elders disliked this bunch to begin with, so giving them to Cao Yang wasn't a bad idea.Cut ties, clean and simple.
But this group did have its strengths.They were all men with records—bold, ruthless, not afraid of death.Men who would charge forward without hesitation, just like their grandfathers' generation.
Not like the current Hongmen kids—comfortable lives, stable income, no one willing to risk anything.
If something truly happened one day, this group could actually be useful.
Now she faced a choice:Leave them to Cao Yang and wash her hands of them forever…
Or continue supporting them, and use them in the future when things got dangerous.
And if they really grew strong enough to carve territory away from other mafias, Hongmen would benefit too.
It was… a very difficult decision.
Situ Meixin left.Cao Yang left as well.
But before walking off, he told everyone to gather at the same place tomorrow—He'd bring money, arrange new lives for them, and lay out future plans.
The moment he left, the whole group exploded into heated chatter.
Du Hao and A-Hu were instantly surrounded, each telling stories about Cao Yang's legendary exploits.
"I swear I'm not bragging! We had over a hundred men with guns and knives, and we STILL couldn't take him down!"
"Yeah, this Cao Yang is a real monster back in the mainland.Not just skilled—he was a big shot too. My previous boss was killed by him!"
"He killed your boss and that's why he fled here wanted?"
"No! He killed my boss and nothing happened to him."
"I just called my friends in Deep City. They said Cao Yang only fled abroad because he offended someone insanely powerful.Not because he beat up a few punks."
The group grew even more curious about their new boss.
In their world, time in prison was a badge of honor, killing someone was a "merit," and ex-cons held higher status.
Cao Yang found this mindset ridiculous… but these men lived by it.
And Cao Yang's "record" far surpassed anything they admired.Back home, he had been a true big boss—the owner of Guangnan's largest casino with hundreds of men under him.
After comparing, they felt absolutely justified in accepting him as their leader.
But Cao Yang paid them no mind.By now, he had already returned to Hu Qing's luxury villa.
The villa had been empty since she bought it a year ago.Now he brought Cao Yinuo here to live.
Inside, a Chinese maid was commanding two Filipino maids as they cleaned.She quickly greeted him, "Good evening, sir."
Cao Yang nodded. "Where's the lady?"
"On the rooftop."
Cao Yang headed up.Hu Qing was teaching Yinuo how to walk.
Two steps—fall.Two steps—fall.
But the little girl never cried, and Hu Qing never helped her up—just clapped and encouraged her.Yinuo would giggle and climb back up each time.
This time she made it seven or eight steps before falling.Maybe it hurt—she didn't get up immediately.
Hu Qing hurried over and picked her up.
Yinuo wrapped her tiny arms around her neck, leaned close to her ear, and whispered—
"Ma…ma…"
Her pronunciation wasn't perfect, but Hu Qing's heart melted on the spot.
She had always wanted a child but never had one.Now Cao Yang had brought her one—beautiful, sweet, naturally attached to her.Just two days together and the little girl was already calling her mama.
"My sweet baby!" Hu Qing hugged her tightly, almost afraid to let go.
"Ahem…"Cao Yang coughed behind her.
"Cao Yang! Yinuo called me mama!" Hu Qing said excitedly.
"Really?" Cao Yang teased the girl."Say 'papa' for me."
Yinuo babbled nonsense.
"Say 'mama.'" Hu Qing coaxed.
"Mama…"She said it perfectly again.
Hu Qing beamed with pride.
Cao Yang had raised her for nearly a year and she never called him papa.Two days with Hu Qing and she already mastered "mama."It felt like she was born for Hu Qing.
Cao Yang felt a sour ache in his heart—not because she wouldn't call him papa,but because he suddenly thought of Bai Xue.
He sighed softly.
"What's wrong? What did Miss Situ want with you?"
"They just formed a new Zhongyi Hall. They want me as Hall Master."
"You agreed?"
"Yeah."
"She forced you?"
"No. I wanted to."
"What's going on in your head? You've only had a few peaceful days and now you want chaos again?"
"Didn't you say you just wanted to go home? Didn't you say all you wanted was to save the people back in China?Why become Hall Master now? Are you going to fight and kill again?"
"I want to build my own power."
"And for what? To go back and break people out of prison?"
Cao Yang rolled his eyes.Even the U.S. government wouldn't dare think that—why would he?
"I want money. I'm building my own force to make money in America."
"If you need money, just tell me! I'll give it to you!"
"The money I need… you can't afford."
Hu Qing laughed.She carried ten years of Mushan Group's profits—that was an astronomical amount.And yet he said she couldn't afford it?
"How much? Ten million? A billion?"
"I want tens of billions… hundreds of billions… trillions.I want the kind of wealth that makes power bend for me."
Money might be worthless in front of power—But if you had enough of it, even power could be negotiated with.
Cao Yang's true goal was the Han family.He wanted his brothers freed.But right now, he had no way forward.
He needed to move.Even if it failed—he had to try.
Hu Qing touched his forehead to see if he was feverish.
"No fever. So why are you talking nonsense? Do you even know what a hundred billion means?"
Cao Yang pushed her hand away, lit a cigarette.
"Not in front of the kid," Hu Qing scolded."No second-hand smoke."
"It's fine, she's used to it."
Hu Qing snatched the cigarette from his lips and crushed it."I don't care how you used to raise her. She's my child now. You don't smoke near her!"
"And another thing—I don't allow you to be some Hall Master.Stay home and live quietly with me.If you're worried about Situ Meixin causing trouble, we'll move to another country."
Cao Yang shook his head firmly.
"You're not listening to me?"
"Nope."
"Fine! You're so capable now, huh?You're not that little A-Yang from years ago.I can't control you anymore!"
"Go do whatever you want! And don't come to my house so often!"
Cao Yang scratched his hand awkwardly.He hadn't even gotten to the main point and already made her angry.
"Ahem… so… uh… can you lend me some money?"
Acting like a big shot outside, bragging about taking out ten million—Only to come home and humbly beg his sister-in-law for cash.