Although Xiao Ming was a chauvinist, he was very clear about one thing: whether it was mistresses, side chicks, or the so-called "green tea" bitches, it was all the man's responsibility.
Similarly, things like so-called male best friends and carpool colleagues were the woman's responsibility.
Humans are social animals; no one can keep a distance of eight meters from every member of the opposite sex. In the end, it's all about self-discipline.
But when it comes to self-discipline, a moral category, it becomes extremely fragile once influenced by money and profit.
As Dabang Group desperately fanned the flames, the anger of the residents of the shantytown finally reached its peak after the city announced the park belt planning.
Yet, since all sales were legal and compliant, their brazen demands for contract breaches were incredibly shameless, and naturally, the district wouldn't pay attention to them, only vaguely telling them that economic disputes must be settled in court and were outside administrative control.
So they began to seek legal aid everywhere.
But blatantly illegal cases—no lawyer, no matter how incompetent, would accept them. However, they still wouldn't give up, resolute in making a fuss until the end of time if they didn't get their houses back.
Soon, no one knew whether it was their "persistence" that moved the heavens or if someone just wanted fame so badly, but in the end, a lawyer actually agreed to represent them, and for free, no less.
The residents were overjoyed, treating him like a Saint, almost obeying his every word.
This lawyer wasn't lacking in professional skill, either. He made it clear to them that unilateral contract termination was unreasonable and illegal, and that winning a lawsuit was impossible, thus stabilizing everyone's emotions.
Then he played a dirty trick, instructing people to turn to the local TV station's public interest program. They weren't to demand their houses, just to express that without their homes, and unable to afford new ones from the city, the family could only live in shacks, suffering untold hardships.
Once the program aired, it immediately caused a sensation in Longyin City. The citizens' haughty sympathy exploded forth. There wasn't half as much donation as there was criticism towards the briefly mentioned Maohe Real Estate's house-buying actions in the program.
It was made to seem as though Maohe had snatched those people's houses without paying a dime.
Of course, very few people truly cared whether the residents of the shantytown had a place to live; they only wanted to show off their kindness and hatred for evil.
It's worth mentioning that after the matter escalated, Bai Xuechao proactively called Xiao Ming, offering to arrange for some underworld figures to teach that bunch of poor wretches a lesson, or at the very least, to intimidate them.
Xiao Ming couldn't help but find this both funny and sad and told her to focus on whitewashing her reputation and to leave everything else alone, especially to strictly control those who would follow her in the future.
Following that, the lawyer's second ploy immediately rolled out: he hung up a banner with just five words on it: "I Want a Home."
Boy, emotive tactics were employed to the extreme, making a lot of self-proclaimed Bodhisattvas shed tears of sympathy and then curse the developers for their boundless cruelty and lack of conscience, resulting in some city leaders expressing dissatisfaction with Maohe Real Estate behind closed doors.
Eventually, Maohe could no longer hold out and asked to negotiate with the representatives of the residents.
The weak defeated the strong, the warriors vanquished the demon, and the residents passed the word around, rejoicing in ecstasy.
But they didn't notice that a TV crew from a higher-rated program had already been wandering around the shantytown for two days, interviewing residents who hadn't sold their houses to Maohe, as well as those who weren't in the designated development areas.
On the day of the negotiation, Xiao Ming deliberately took the Mercedes S that Shen Siyi had bought for the company and arrogantly drove through the group of rights-defending residents, stopping slowly at the entrance of Maohe's office building
A burly security guard came forward to open the car door. Xiao Ming stepped out, fastening his suit buttons, his gaze lightly sweeping over the crowd. Just as he was about to look away, his eyes suddenly fixed on something, and he frowned.
In the crowd was a girl, blankly staring at him, her face full of shock.
After a moment, Xiao Ming glanced at the alley next to the building and then walked into the entrance.
A short while later, the girl slipped out from the rights-defending crowd unnoticed, crossed the alley, and arrived at the back entrance of the office building.
"What are you doing here?"
As soon as the girl stepped inside, she was scolded and shivered with fright, bowing her head in grievance and saying, "They're all big uncles and aunties from the neighborhood. I... I just wanted to help a little. Brother, you never... never said the company was yours!"
"Bullshit! Even if the company isn't mine, does that give you the right to blatantly break contracts?
Touch your conscience and tell me, in what way has Maohe wronged you guys?
"Just because you're poor, you think you can be lawless. Are you planning to rebel?"
The girl fell silent.
She actually knew quite well that the neighbors were in the wrong, but she was simply too warm-hearted.
Xiao Ming exhaled, lit a cigarette, and asked, "Are your studies that idle?"
Clearly, the girl was none other than Gu Xiangmeng.
"I only come here in the morning. I can keep up with the adult education classes just by reading the books, and I've never missed an afternoon vocal music class."
"Look at you, so capable. If it weren't for the clothes holding you back, would you fly up to the sky?" Xiao Ming glared, "If you dare not to get a diploma, see how I'll deal with you."
Seeing that the situation seemed to have passed, Gu Xiangmeng shyly grinned, stepped forward, and hugged his arm coquettishly.
"Brother, Meng knows she was wrong! Don't be mad, I'll go back and persuade the neighbors, telling them you're a good person who wouldn't cheat them."
"You really got that wrong," Xiao Ming sneered, "I came here today precisely to trick them."
"Ah? Why? They are really pitiful."
"So being pitiful means they can bully others, making others suffer losses?"
Gu Xiangmeng had no reply to that.
If it were anyone else, she would have resisted to the end, not caring whether she had a point or not.
But now, on the other side of the balance was the brother she adored, and naturally, everything was completely different.
Feeling that he had intimidated her enough, Xiao Ming then softened his tone, "Although I am a capitalist, I am not a devil who devours without spitting out bones.
This situation arose because your neighbors were too unreasonable, causing my lawful and legitimate company to suffer reputational damage, so it's necessary to teach them a lesson.
Otherwise, if everyone follows suit, not acting with integrity, then can we still do business?"
"Then... since their incomes are not high, and they basically have nothing, can't you just teach them a small lesson and let it be, brother?" Gu Xiangmeng began to shake his arm.
"Don't worry, I don't need to do anything. If they want to breach the contract, I'll just let them breach it and return the houses.
As for the lesson, hmph! You'll understand the ins and outs of the specific situation in a few days.
Right now, all you need to know is that they brought it upon themselves.
Alright, if there's nothing else, hurry back to class. If you dare to meddle in such nonsense again, I'll have Xuechao whip you with a whip!"
Gu Xiangmeng's eyes spun around, and she wheedled, "Brother, I just found out today you're a big boss; since it's too late to rush back now, why don't you take me up for a tour?"
Xiao Ming glanced at her sideways, "Sure! My wife is up there too, I can introduce you to my sister-in-law."
Gu Xiangmeng's face stiffened, and she unnaturally said, "I... I just remembered, the next class is a big one and it's a bit late, I can still make it if I take a taxi.
I'll visit your company another time when I have time, see you, brother!"
Having said that, the girl ran off without a trace.
Xiao Ming shook his head, thinking that she's barely grown her fur and already has her sights on a guy like him, truly ignorant and fearless.