Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

Lin Yanhe found it almost unbelievable. Was this developer insane? For their shabby little house, getting back an ordinary economy apartment after reconstruction would already have been plenty. Instead they'd been given a duplex of over two hundred square meters?

Their current home wasn't even two hundred square meters—was this some kind of joke? At this rate, wouldn't the developer lose money?

Shen Yueping's face, however, was wreathed in smiles. "Yun'er, this time you really must thank young Yang. The demolition company gave our family special consideration. The moment they heard we were your parents, they said Yang Ce had already put in a word, and that we were to get a more favorable deal."

"Ah—and the other families?" What Lin Yanhe thought of was that their own family had come out well, but the other families would still be fleeced, wouldn't they? Yet why did all of them look so happy now?

"The other families got the full amount of compensation too, executed at the upper limit of the maximum standard allowed. So everyone is quite satisfied," Shen Yueping explained.

This too was Yang Juehuan's intent. He was no savior; he couldn't extend special care to everyone. Business was business—if he showed special favor to all of them just because of these intangible personal connections, there'd be no money to be made at all.

All Yang Ce could do was give them the greatest possible share of what they were rightfully owed. Yet even at that, everyone was already well satisfied, because this compensation money was enough for them to buy a small apartment in a less bustling district.

Those who declined the compensation money would, once the buildings were finished, receive an apartment equal in area to their current dwelling. Though it was pre-construction housing, many still chose to take the apartment—after all, once the buildings here were complete, whether in terms of appreciation or total value, it was more worthwhile than simply taking the cash.

"The demolition company's been switched to a friend's company. Putting in a word was the work of a moment," Yang Hengye said. "It's really nothing. But during the demolition and rebuilding period, what do you and Uncle Lin plan to do, Auntie Shen?"

"We're thinking of renting a place for now and making do. Word is construction starts here in early spring, and the first phase includes economy housing blocks—the residents will be moved back first," Shen Yueping said.

"Zhiyun, haven't you earned quite a bit at the company? Why not just buy a place instead of renting?" Yang Ce glanced at Lin Yanhe and said.

This was something the two of them had agreed on beforehand, so Lin Yanhe gave an "oh" and nodded.

"They'll have the buildings up here before long—why buy another place?" Shen Yueping asked, puzzled. "It's a waste of money. Yun'er, just save your money, don't go spending it recklessly."

"Mom," Lin Yanhe said with a smile, "how is it a waste? Buying property is a kind of investment, really. After we buy it, we'll live there first, and once things are built here, we'll move back—then the new place can be rented out. However you reckon it, it's an asset, and we won't lose money on it."

Shen Yueping hadn't expected her daughter to have such a head for business now. But then, Lin Yanhe was a manager at the company these days—naturally she was not what she once was. Since she called it an investment and Yang Shuoxuan raised no objection, it must be so, and so she stopped arguing. "Then do it as you say. I'll leave it to you."

Lin Changqing had been busy looking into a little business of his own since returning to Songjiang, and he hadn't come back yet from going out. Because school started tomorrow, Yang Shuoxuan didn't stay and wait. He said goodbye to Shen Yueping and took his leave.

Zhou Yanning was still waiting outside in the car, so after Yang Ce came out of the Lin household, he walked briskly toward the car. When he reached it, Yang Jiyan froze—several people in demolition company uniforms were beating up a few young men. Yang Ce's brow furrowed at once.

He had stressed to Bao Lin again and again that they must never use violent means in the demolition. So how was it that right under his own nose, people had started beating others?

True, to keep the demolition running smoothly, several security guards from the Mingyang Company had been posted here to maintain order—but they weren't posted here to beat people up.

"What's going on here?" Yang Ce strode up and demanded of the demolition workers.

One of them, who looked like the leader, saw Yang Ce questioning them and hastily put on a smile. "Brother Yang!" This man had seen Yang Juehuan before. These underlings who'd come out of the old Nevernight days were all minor bosses now, but they all knew Yang Ce and Bao Lin were close.

You could tell just from the fact that this BMW was in Yang Ce's hands—this was Brother Bao's own car.

"What is this about?" Yang Ce pointed at the several workers over there beating people, and at the few young men on the ground, their faces bruised and swollen past recognition.

"Brother Yang, these few are local thugs. When you weren't here just now, Sister-in-law went to the corner store to buy water and they latched onto her, even getting handsy. So we—" The leader seemed afraid Yang Ce might misunderstand, and hurried to explain.

Sister-in-law? Yang Puqi was startled, then realized it must be Zhou Yanning. He opened the car door and saw Zhou Yanning holding a bottle of drink—that had to be it. So he had misread the situation. Yang Hengye shook his head and said, "Good beating. Carry on."

Zhou Yanning really did cut a striking figure. While he had been away, she had grown thirsty and gotten out to buy water. These thugs were the local dregs; as a rule they did not bother the residents here, but seeing that Zhou Yanning was a new face and so strikingly lovely, their wickedness stirred, and they tossed a few lewd remarks her way. Zhou Yanning probably ignored them, which only made them think she was frightened, so they followed and tried to get handsy—and just then a few of the security men from the demolition company happened to see it.

They had noticed Yang Juehuan's car long ago. Now, seeing Zhou Yanning harassed by a few petty hoodlums—that was beyond bearing. In their day they had been the ancestors of all thugs; how could they suffer these little trash to strut and swagger?

If it came to real viciousness, they were far more ruthless than Ma Fengzi's whole crew—they simply had never turned that ruthlessness on the residents. But these few thugs were another matter. Daring to pester Brother Yang's woman—did they have a death wish?

So they charged out, seized the thugs, and began to beat them, pounding them until they were dizzy and utterly lost their bearings.

To be continued.

1046. A Heart-to-Heart Between Sisters

Only then did the nearby residents see just how ferocious the demolition company's people could be—more so than ever before. But since they were only dealing with thugs, naturally no one else bothered to interfere.

A few who had been itching to act, some greedy residents, quieted down considerably. At first, seeing how amiable and accommodating the demolition company was, they had thought to extort more money and were discussing how to become holdouts.

Some were content with what they deserved, but others were greedy; once greed took hold, they began scheming how to squeeze out more benefit.

Now, however, having witnessed the demolition company's methods, none dared make a rash move. The holdouts' alliance of before collapsed in an instant, and many beat a retreat; even the men who had organized it had no choice but to give up.

It was not that the company was weak—it was that they had not raised a hand. Once they did, they were fiercer than Ma Fengzi had ever been.

"Your friends?" Zhou Yanning asked curiously once they were in the car.