"Brother Zhao, then we thank you." Zhou Kai grinned and said.

"No problem." Zhao Zhonghai wiped his hands and continued to barbecue.

Goudan was practicing his throwing knife skills not too far away, which had improved significantly compared to before. From ten meters away, he had a ninety percent accuracy rate. Such progress slightly surprised Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan took a couple of drinks and then walked outside.

Business hadn't started yet, so Zhao Zhonghai had some free time.

"What are your plans for the future?" Zhao Zhonghai asked.

"Just like now, isn't it good?" Lin Chuan passed a cigarette to Zhao Zhonghai and then smiled, "Brothers have food and drink, have income."

Click...

Zhao Zhonghai took a puff of the cigarette and said with a laugh, "A single mountain cannot harbor two tigers."

Lin Chuan smiled and said, "If people don't offend me, I won't offend them; if people offend me, I'll eradicate them. That's my principle."

Zhao Zhonghai looked at Lin Chuan and patted his shoulder, saying, "You're a real man."

"Don't tell me you're planning to just stick to this barbecue stand forever, Brother Zhao?" Lin Chuan asked with a smile, "I know that my territory can't contain a Buddha like you."

"Haha..." Zhao Zhonghai burst into laughter and said, "Stop saying that, I'm almost blushing here."

Everyone laughed uproariously.

Having dealt with Feng Taibao, Zhou Kai and the others started to thrive even more in the eastern district of the city. In the following period, quite a few people sought out Zhou Kai and Lu Dapao to pledge allegiance, hoping to join their ranks for a livelihood. Originally just a group of fifty or sixty people, their numbers quickly expanded to over a hundred and kept growing stronger.

Zhou Kai and his people particularly recruited some younger brothers who had truck driving qualifications, which was not only useful but also bolstered their numbers.

Transportation market.

Zhou Kai, accompanied by Li Qiang and others, was taking a break at Feixiang Company's entrance, having just hauled several trucks of sand. Zhou Kai was exhausted and left the trucks for others to handle. He sat down at Feixiang Company's entrance and chatted with Li Qiang and the others.

"Brother Kai, our popularity has skyrocketed lately." Li Qiang said with a smile aside, "There are so many new faces now."

"Our team has grown stronger." Zhou Kai said with a smile.

"Heh heh, that's for sure." Li Qiang grinned proudly and said, "Damn, even we are gaining face now. People who don't know me on the street now call me 'Brother Qiang'."

"You little rascal." Zhou Kai laughed heartily.

Actually, Zhou Kai felt the same way. Now he also had his own patch in the eastern district of the city. On the street, his brothers treated him with extraordinary respect. Everywhere he went, someone would offer him a smoke and respectfully call him 'Brother Kai'."

That title 'Brother Kai' made Zhou Kai immensely proud. Of course, he was also clear that all of this had been brought to him by Lin Chuan. Without Lin Chuan, there would be no today for him. Zhou Kai took a puff of the cigarette and smiled, "Li Qiang, rest assured, as long as you follow me closely, you'll eventually become a big brother!"

"Really?" Li Qiang was thrilled; any brother who didn't want to be the big one wasn't a good brother.

Li Qiang was initially just a little brother under Zhou Kai, but after following Lin Chuan, he had some successes in the business and did quite well, making many at Changlin Factory envious. Later, Zhou Kai recruited dozens of people and expanded the team. Soon, Li Qiang became a team leader with several brothers under him, and this gave him the feeling of being a cut above the rest. Now, with Zhou Kai's promise that he could be the boss in the future, it excited Li Qiang even more, as if he had been injected with a stimulant.

"Of course, it's true." Zhou Kai immediately nodded and said, "When have I ever lied to you!"

"Brother Kai, that's awesome." Li Qiang was overjoyed and hurriedly massaged Zhou Kai, kneading his shoulders and back.

"In the future when you become the big brother, you have to show some of the big brother's air," Zhou Kai said while enjoying, instructing, "Don't let others look down on you, okay?"

"Don't worry!" Li Qiang nodded eagerly, "Of course, I must carry the aura of a big brother."

"That's good then." Zhou Kai nodded.

At that moment, Zhou Rui came out of the office and saw Zhou Kai and the others bragging downstairs.

"You guys," Zhou Rui's lips curled into a sly smile.

"Ah, Mr. Zhou, what can we do for you?" Li Qiang and the others stood up immediately, bowing and scraping to Zhou Rui.

"Go, help me move the flowerpots outside in here," Zhou Rui glanced at them.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Li Qiang and the others nodded hastily.

"Hold on." Zhou Kai was displeased and stood up, saying, "Sassy girl, you're going too far. Commanding my people in front of me?"

"So what?" Zhou Rui crossed her arms and looked at Zhou Kai coldly, "Are you not happy with it?"

"Of course, I'm not happy!" Zhou Kai said stubbornly.

"If you're not satisfied, then move it yourself!" Zhou Rui said with a laugh.

"You!" Zhou Kai was infuriated, and pointing at Li Qiang and the others, he said, "Who told you to be so spineless? Can't you act a bit more like men? How can you let a woman boss you around like this?"

"Brother Kai, we... we're just used to it," Li Qiang said awkwardly.

"In my presence, there's no such thing as being used to it!" Zhou Kai glared at them and scolded: "You're my brothers, not hers."

"Uh..." Li Qiang and the others were immediately at a loss for words.

"Hurry up, move my flower pots inside," Zhou Rui insisted stubbornly.

"You dare!" Zhou Kai retorted.

Li Qiang and the others were instantly faced with helplessness, caught in a dilemma between the two and not knowing what to do.

Zhou Rui glared at Zhou Kai, and Zhou Kai also glared back at her ferociously. These two kids who grew up together had somehow become archenemies, and it had always been this way since childhood. Zhou Rui even had her hands on her hips, the two glared at each other, their noses almost touching.

"What are you two doing?" Lin Chuan walked over.

"Brother Chuan, you're here?" Zhou Kai hurriedly said: "This little chili pepper is being too much, ordering my brothers around."

"I was just asking them to help me move a flower pot," Zhou Rui huffed: "What's wrong with that?"

"It's not okay!" Zhou Kai shook his head.

"I insist on it!" Zhou Rui said through clenched teeth.

Lin Chuan broke out in laughter and said, "Zhou Kai, as a big man, can't you step back a little? And you call yourself a leader."

"Exactly," Zhou Rui snorted coldly: "Not a hint of manliness, stingy and miserly, like a nagging woman."

"You!" Zhou Kai was exasperated.

"What 'you'!" Zhou Rui retorted disdainfully.

"Forget it, a good man doesn't fight with a woman!" Zhou Kai bit his lip and swallowed his anger.

"Who cares to fight with you," Zhou Rui glanced at him contemptuously.

With Lin Chuan's mediation, this pair of sworn enemies finally made peace. Nevertheless, both seemed a bit displeased. Zhou Rui looked annoyed, while Zhou Kai was puffing in anger.

However, Lin Chuan knew. Such anger was just fleeting. Zhou Kai and Zhou Rui, being childhood friends and close in age, had grown up playing together and knew each other inside out. It was just that since they had never quite gotten along since childhood, it occasionally led to irritation. But at critical moments, it was a different story. They would unify and present a united front against outsiders.

After Li Qiang and the others moved the flower pots, Zhou Kai left with them right away.

"Lin Chuan, look at this guy." Zhou Rui stamped her foot in frustration.

"All right already," Lin Chuan laughed: "You two really act like bitter enemies."

"He's doing it on purpose, to irritate me," Zhou Rui pouted, looking very cute.

"Actually, Zhou Kai doesn't have a bad bone in his body," Lin Chuan laughed: "If you ever get in danger, Zhou Kai would be the first to help you without hesitation. Remember the time you were kidnapped by Eagle, Zhou Kai was beside himself with worry. Even more anxious than me."

"Hmph," Zhou Rui huffed lightly, but in reality, she knew better than anyone that Zhou Kai wasn't a bad person; on the contrary, he was a decent man. It's just that every time they met, they couldn't help but ridicule each other, sparking conflicts. This trait had formed since childhood, and it was unchangeable.

"Okay, okay," Lin Chuan said gently, trying to calm her down: "Don't be angry, angry women age quickly."

"Not angry," Zhou Rui instantly put on a smile.

Lin Chuan was now fully aware of a woman's ability to change faces so quickly. Not just Zhou Rui, but Tang Yumeng was the same.

"Come on, let me take you to see the transportation market!" Zhou Rui said to Lin Chuan, beaming.

Transportation market.

It was bustling with activity. The transportation market was built along the East River, where there were numerous sand dredging boats, their horns blaring away on the water. The sand dredging business had long been contracted out to various companies, including people from the Northeast Tiger. Sand is a highly lucrative commodity. With just a couple of dredgers to scoop the sand from the riverbed and deliver it to shore, where a number of sand traders sold it.

However, as business ramped up, and with Lin Chuan controlling the transportation market, the sale of sand from external sand traders was prohibited; only transportation merchants residing within the market were allowed to sell. Such a measure was beneficial in protecting their own interests. Besides, the transporters had to pay a hefty management fee annually to the regulatory office. If their interests were not protected, how could they afford their transport fees?

At the sand field, business was booming, especially as it entered the peak of the renovation season. Many construction sites had also entered the hot season for sand demand.

At the sand field, representatives from dozens of transportation companies eagerly greeted incoming purchasers. Of course, some external sand traders also came in to unload sand. They could not compete on price, but they could make a profit from the difference in quantity.

Sometimes, a contractor might order ten cubic meters of sand, but these traders would only deliver eight. By controlling the amount, they could not only make money but often earn more than the transportation companies at the sand field. These traders relied entirely on collaboration with the masonry foremen, then they introduced the business and made a handsome profit.

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