Yama Reborn-Chapter 398 - 395 [There is a ... in your house]

Chapter Three Hundred Ninety-Five: Your House Has a...

Liu Ang had known for a long time that Chen Nuo wasn’t a good person—not since that school trip to the Northeast, when Chen Nuo had slipped away from the group, leaving Liu Ang to unjustly take the blame for days. From the time Chen Nuo bribed him with a supermarket card, to the later incident where he ditched the group, turned on him, and even ground his head into the dirt—Liu Ang knew this kid was trouble.

A vicious, ruthless little bastard.

Then there was the incomprehensible way he’d managed to date Old Sun’s daughter, followed by rumors that he’d mysteriously gotten in good with a foreign school trustee and transferred to the international division. And now, he’d even managed to sort out Liu Ang’s job.

In Liu Ang’s mind, Chen Nuo’s reputation had shifted from "not a good person" to "not an ordinary person."

Then tonight, he had suddenly appeared, flaunting a ridiculous amount of money. Liu Ang didn’t even have that much in his entire family’s savings. His personal savings, combined with his sister Liu Hui’s, amounted to just over twelve thousand yuan.

The two of them squatted at the street corner, smoking for a while as Worker Liu’s emotions gradually stabilized. A hundred thousand questions bounced around in his head, questions he wanted to ask Chen Nuo. But he knew this slippery character wouldn’t give him a straight answer, so he just darted his eyes around.

"What are you looking at?" Chen Nuo asked.

"When did you become so formidable?"

"Hmm?"

"I remember you were an old student at No. 8 Middle School, here since junior high. But it felt like you changed completely starting in your second year. You became a... cold-hearted, cunning little bastard."

Chen Nuo just smiled, naturally not needing to answer that question.

Liu Ang then sighed. "Damn it... right under everyone’s noses, a monster like you appeared. How did you manage it?"

"What’s wrong?"

"I’m freaking thirty, and compared to you, I’m just trash." Liu Ang had drunk a bit at the bar earlier and was now a little worked up. He shook his head. "Actually, ever since you asked me to join that school delegation to the Northeast, I knew you weren’t an ordinary kid."

"You’re doing well. Thirty years old, and you’re the head of the school affairs office at a privatized school like No. 8 Middle School. That’s a cushy job." Chen Nuo waved his hand. "Just keep at it, Old Liu. No. 8 Middle School has strong financial backing and is involved in educational reform. It’s watched and supported from all levels; it’s promising."

"It’s hard," Liu Ang shook his head. He wouldn’t normally say these things, especially not to a student like Chen Nuo. But after tonight’s events, a bit of alcohol, and the fact that Chen Nuo knew his most shameful secrets, he let his guard down. "Actually... relationships in the school are hard to manage."

"Hmm?"

"The school affairs office seems like a cushy spot, but all the good positions are already taken. What’s left is closely monitored. I’m just a paper-pusher, patching things up everywhere. I hardly have any say in many matters. Take the international division’s swimming pool; so much money was spent on its infrastructure. The venue was outsourced, and the street-facing storefronts were rented out for profit. By the time I became head of the school affairs office, all these lucrative spots had already been claimed. The occupants are either related to the top executives of the education group, have connections with the education bureau, or are influential locals. All the big and small fish have been eaten up. By the time it gets to me, there isn’t even a shrimp left. In this director role, I’m really just responsible for collecting management fees and providing services."

Chen Nuo laughed. "What, are you thinking of embezzling? Old Liu, don’t even consider those crooked paths. Things are actually pretty good now. You’re not involved in those shady deals, so you don’t have any karmic connection to the money or the pitfalls. If anything happens in the future, it won’t be linked to you."

Liu Ang had a sudden realization and stared at Chen Nuo. "You... did you hear something? Is there going to be a crackdown from above?"

"Nothing of the sort. Just keep your hands clean; that’s always a good thing," Chen Nuo shook his head.

Liu Ang sighed deeply and stubbed out his cigarette forcefully. "I’ll just keep muddling along. Oh right, Chen Nuo, wasn’t there a rumor last semester that you dropped out of school and left Jinling for somewhere else? The school was buzzing with strange rumors—some even said you went missing."

"Do you believe that?"

"Believe my ass," Worker Liu shook his head. "Given that you dared to sneak away from the group and wander off alone for three to five days when you were only in your second year of high school, I doubt you’d get into trouble. You’re one crafty and wicked kid."

Chen Nuo pondered for a moment. "Actually, if you really want to achieve something in the school, it’s not like there are no options."

"What options?" Liu Ang shook his head. "The lucrative spots are already taken. As the director of the school affairs office, I’m essentially a property management manager, just providing services. I want to bring some benefits to the people in the school, to boost my own prestige, but there’s no way. With no real resources, no one, high or low, takes me seriously—I’m just seen as a foreman for laborers."

Chen Nuo smiled. "How many staff members are there in the school now?"

"Hmm?" Liu Ang frowned. "From the principal and teachers down to the janitors, security, and then to logistics and the cafeteria... Altogether, there are more than two hundred and eighty people—why do you ask?"

Chen Nuo smiled. "Just wondering. I’ll get you some benefits. If you have good things to offer, your word will naturally carry more weight in the school, and it will also make those above take notice of you."

Liu Ang’s eyes darted around, somewhat puzzled.

"That Zhang Linsheng, you know him, right? The one who graduated a year before me."

"Yeah, I’ve heard of him. Pretty famous... the guy you princess-carried across two sports fields in school, right?"

"...Do you know he started an electric vehicle dealership?"

"I’ve heard of it. Seems like the business is doing pretty well. He set up a company too; I heard it’s a joint venture with foreign investors."

Chen Nuo nodded. "That business, I’m in it with him. I’ve got a share."

The moment Liu Ang heard this, his spirits lifted. "It makes good money? Damn! No wonder you’re splashing cash tonight. Selling electric vehicles is that profitable?!"

"I wasn’t talking about that. I mean, I’ll get you some benefits so you can show some achievements at school. If you, the director of the school affairs office, have some real benefits to offer, others will look up to you." With that, Chen Nuo shared his idea with Liu Ang, who immediately became restless.

"I’ll give you an allotment of three hundred vehicles and three hundred discount vouchers. They’ll be stamped with the official seal of the school and another from the dealership. With both official seals, the voucher is valid. Each voucher applies to the entire range of vehicles in the dealership and offers a fifteen percent discount. Valid for half a year. Within this period, bring the discount coupon to any of our four dealerships across the city, and you’ll get a 15% discount on our entire product range. That’s a substantial offer, isn’t it?"

Liu Ang was stunned. It was indeed very tempting.

In 2002, the electric bicycle industry was a blue ocean. For average families, cars were too expensive, and bicycles were outdated. For the common people, an electric bicycle was like a "motorcycle that doesn’t burn fuel."

It was also in 2002 that a dealer like Chen Nuo dared to offer a 15% discount. Ten years later, no, even five years later, it would have meant operating at a loss. But in 2002, the profit margin on electric bicycles was high, with a unit gross profit of 300-500 yuan for bikes priced around 1,500 yuan. Moreover, Chen Nuo didn’t have to factor in rent—the properties were all owned outright.

In 2002, for an ordinary wage-earning family, an electric bike cost around 1,500 yuan, equivalent to at least two months’ salary. It was considered a significant purchase. A 15% discount meant saving at least 200 yuan, which could be used to buy some pork, tobacco, or saved for new clothes during the Chinese New Year... Wasn’t that attractive?

Electric bicycles weren’t very popular among young people but were extremely popular among middle-aged wage earners. Riding to work, shopping, taking the kids to school—they were useful for everything.

"Moreover, for every bike sold with your coupon, I’ll give you a rebate of fifty yuan."

After saying this, Chen Nuo looked at Liu Ang with a smile.

Liu Ang’s heart skipped a few beats as he quickly ran the numbers in his head. Three hundred bikes... that’s fifteen thousand yuan. Wow, that’s almost my entire annual income!

He was actually tempted for a moment, but then he snapped back to his senses. "This, this... Isn’t this bribery? No, no! I can’t take it! No, really, there’s no need for this!"

Being tempted is one thing; everyone likes money. But not daring to take it was also genuine.

Chen Nuo nodded. He had tested Liu Ang’s character. If Worker Liu had been greedy enough to take the money, Chen Nuo would have thought less of him—he wouldn’t be worth investing in, as trouble was bound to happen sooner or later.

"What are you thinking?" Chen Nuo continued, "The money isn’t for you—you wouldn’t dare to take it, and I wouldn’t dare to give it. If you really dared to take that kind of money, Old Liu... it would be all over for you. Just wait three to five years, and you’ll end up singing jailhouse blues. You said yourself that you have no strong backing in the education group. Sitting in this lucrative post, everyone’s watching you. If you dare to reach out for money, a simple report would be the end of you."

Chen Nuo then offered Liu Ang an idea. "This rebate, it’s not for you personally. It’s for the school."

"For the school?"

"Yes," Chen Nuo smiled. "A corporate scholarship fund, a charity project—it sounds good and legitimate, doesn’t it? In the name of our dealership, set up a scholarship fund for underprivileged students at the school. Find a few students from families with financial difficulties each year, say three to five, and waive their tuition and miscellaneous fees. How does that sound? Appropriate?"

Worker Liu’s eyes lit up. "That’s perfect! It’s a good cause, sounds noble, and will be well-received."

"You see, with these few hundred bikes, everyone from teachers to staff members will get a discount. Ordinary students and underprivileged students will have their school fees reduced or waived. The school doesn’t spend a dime, and you, Worker Liu, independently managed to pull off such a project. Without taking a single penny in kickbacks, wouldn’t that make you look good in front of the school’s leadership, even in the eyes of the education group leaders?"

"Of course, it would!"

Liu Ang’s heart warmed immediately, but then he thought, But... not everyone will necessarily buy one, right? The whole school has nearly three hundred people, but not all three hundred will buy...

Chen Nuo shook his head. "Silly. You’re giving out the coupons; whether people buy or not is up to them. A coupon worth over two hundred yuan... It won’t go to waste. If they don’t buy one for themselves, can’t they give it as a gift? It’s already the end of September. The National Day holiday is coming up, followed by the Mid-Autumn Festival, then the end of the year, and then Chinese New Year. In our Huaxia tradition, doesn’t every family want to add a big-ticket item during the holidays? We Huaxia people are thrifty; we don’t waste things. They can be gifts for parents, relatives, or friends. If they don’t buy for themselves, giving it away is still a valuable favor."

Liu Ang’s mind was thoroughly fired up. Even the heartache from his earlier breakup was momentarily pushed aside as he became increasingly convinced that this plan was feasible. As the head of school affairs, who had always been treated like a labor foreman, if he could independently create such a project that sounded good, offered real benefits, and enhanced his reputation, it would surely be a solid achievement. Whether it yielded a lot or a little, it would be a plus, with no downside—only benefits, no harm.

But doubts also arose. "How much do you really make on each bike? Is the profit margin really that high? If you give a 15% discount and then a fifty-yuan rebate... How much do you actually make per bike? Just don’t cut corners on quality and provide inferior products!"

Chen Nuo continued, "Rest assured, there’s still profit to be made. Actually, after the discount and the rebate... selling the bikes, there wouldn’t be much profit left. But it doesn’t really matter. First, it’s just about moving a larger volume; earning more or less is all profit. As long as there’s no loss, it’s fine. Secondly... anyone in this business knows that even if the profit margin on selling bikes is high, it’s limited. The real money is in maintenance. The profit margin in maintenance is twice as high as selling bikes."

Liu Ang finally felt relieved.

Chen Nuo then sent Worker Liu Zhang Linsheng’s phone number. "Tomorrow, get in touch with Zhang Linsheng. I’ll talk to him, and then you can liaise with him. This matter is actually quite simple for us; it’s just about printing some discount coupons. There’s hardly any cost. Both parties stamp their official seal to make it effective, which simplifies calculation."

I didn’t consider any anti-counterfeiting measures... Don’t make me laugh. If someone really did forge these discount coupons and it led to thousands more bikes sold from Chen Nuo’s dealership... Brother Lei would kneel down and call the counterfeiter ’Daddy’! That would be an absolute windfall!

「 」

Worker Liu’s mood tonight was like a roller coaster. First, his emotions took a hefty blow. Then, Chen Nuo dragged him along for an eye-opening experience, a strong impact that shattered many of his previous notions. Next, as if emerging from darkness into light, he received an unexpected sweet deal from Chen Nuo regarding his career prospects. The original gloom suddenly transformed into a feeling of full-throttle enthusiasm.

This sharp turn of events made Worker Liu feel slightly odd when he got home, as if he couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.

Though it was essentially a case of "heartbreak," as he walked home, Worker Liu still wondered whether he should allow himself to feel miserable or not.

By the time he got home, his sister, Liu Hui, had already gone to sleep but was woken by Liu Ang’s return. She came out of her bedroom wrapped in a robe, only to see her brother entering with a strange expression. As she got closer, she could smell alcohol on him.

Liu Hui frowned and asked in a low voice, "You’ve been drinking again?"

"Mm..."

"Brother, you’ve been going out to drink quite often lately. Don’t get carried away," Liu Hui said with a frown.

"Mm, I know, I won’t. I won’t go out like that anymore," Liu Ang replied, his eyes downcast.

Liu Hui actually wanted to say more. Her brother’s behavior these past two months had worried her. He would often go out in the evening, getting all dressed up beforehand. Initially, Liu Hui thought he might have started dating—a thirty-year-old bachelor finding a partner would be a good thing, perhaps settling his future. But then she sensed something was off. He always came back around midnight, reeking of alcohol. That didn’t seem like proper dating. Even if it was a relationship, the girl involved was likely not a serious one. In 2002, what decent girl would frequently keep a man out drinking until the early hours?

She had tried to offer advice, but Liu Ang wouldn’t listen. Liu Hui was his sister, not his mother.

Watching Liu Ang change into his slippers, Liu Hui sighed. It was late, so she decided to talk properly with her brother the next day and was about to return to her room.

But then Liu Ang called out to her. "Wait, Xiao Hui, there’s something I need you to help me think through."

"Hmm?" Liu Hui turned around.

Liu Ang had already made up his mind. He knew his sister was smarter than him and more capable. For issues he couldn’t figure out, her help would be far more reliable than his own efforts.

He sat down with her at the kitchen table and began to recount his story. Skimming over the issues with Wu Beibei, he focused on his evening encounter with Chen Nuo, sharing the details of the proposed project with Liu Hui before asking, "Help me think, is this plan reliable or not?"

After hearing it all, Liu Hui was also surprised. "Chen Nuo? Didn’t you say it seemed like he transferred away from No. 8 Middle School?"

"Ah, never mind that. Just tell me if there’s any problem with this plan!"

Liu Hui thought for a moment, seriously mulling it over. "Logically, there’s nothing wrong with what you’ve described. The only difficulty might be whether enough people will buy the bikes, even with the 15% discount coupon."

Liu Ang immediately said, "Actually, I’m worried about that too, but Chen Nuo mentioned... It’s almost the end of the year, with all sorts of holidays, and families have a habit of buying big-ticket items. Electric vehicles are already popular; many people want to buy them. And even if our school’s faculty and staff can’t use the discount coupons themselves, they can give them away as gifts. One way or another, they’ll get used."

Liu Hui’s expression shifted. "Hmm, there’s some truth to that. After all, a coupon saving at least two hundred yuan won’t be wasted. Giving it away is always an option."

After pondering a bit more, Liu Hui nodded. "Well, I think there’s a good chance of success, probably around 70% to 80%. However, I want to remind you: pay close attention to the invoicing and paperwork during the process, and be vigilant about tallying the sales numbers!"

Liu Ang laughed. "Of course, don’t worry. This relates to how much scholarship money Chen Nuo’s dealership contributes. I definitely won’t be skimming anything off the top; I won’t touch a cent of that money."

"No, brother, you’re not getting my point," Liu Hui said seriously. "Whether or not you touch the money is up to you. But whether others will use this to tarnish your name is up to them! You’re my brother, and I trust your integrity; you would never do something so heartless as to profit from charity. But... this project, the process and data collection, you have to do it meticulously and rigorously! It has to stand up to scrutiny and withstand observation! You must be upright in your conduct, but also guard against others slinging mud. Keep the accounts solid and transparent. That way, you’ll be invulnerable, and a good deed won’t turn into a mess."

Worker Liu’s eyes focused. "You’re right! Even though I got this position last time with Chen Nuo’s strong assistance, there are definitely others who are jealous. Indeed, indeed... I must guard against people trying to discredit me."

Liu Hui smiled. "I’ll teach you a method."

"Mhm, tell me, tell me," Worker Liu immediately sat up straighter.

"This matter is under your coordination, and Chen Nuo certainly recognizes your authority. Therefore, at the school, your contribution is already the most significant, and that can’t be taken away. What I mean is, since you’ve already got the main credit, there’s no need to keep everything in your own hands. For dealings with their dealership and the financial statistics, just hand it over to the school’s finance department. The actual sales figures, the final rebate amounts, the scholarship fund amounts—you don’t need to interfere with these things. Let the school’s finance department handle it all. If it’s done well, the credit is yours, solid and indisputable! If any financial issues arise... they won’t be related to you."

After listening, Worker Liu immediately gave a thumbs up. "Brilliant, Xiao Hui! That’s a sound strategy!"

The siblings talked a while longer, and then Liu Ang suddenly remembered something, speaking in a strange tone. "Right, Chen Nuo also entrusted me with something else."

"What?"

"Well, I’m definitely going to report this to the school leaders tomorrow. Old Sun is bound to find out. But Chen Nuo told me not to mention him regarding the school, especially to Old Sun. Just don’t say anything else. Pretend he’s not involved, and publicly state that Zhang Linsheng and I came up with this. Apparently... Chen Nuo doesn’t want people to know he’s back in Jinling."

Pausing, Worker Liu spoke in a low voice, "Tell me, this Chen Nuo used to date Old Sun’s daughter, right? Why is he being so secretive now, not even wanting to be mentioned around Old Sun?"

After thinking for a bit, Liu Hui shook her head. "How would we know about other people’s private affairs? I advise you to just do as Chen Nuo says. Don’t create unnecessary complications, and don’t snoop around. After all, Old Sun is a school leader, and you work under him. Prying into a leader’s family privacy without reason is a major taboo."

Liu Ang nodded. "Of course, I understand that. I definitely won’t say a word about it at school. I’m just chatting with you at home."

After more conversation, the siblings finally parted and went back to their rooms.

Back in his room, Liu Ang lay in bed, his thoughts churning. One moment he remembered Wu Beibei, feeling somewhat choked up; the next, he thought about the project and felt a little thrilled. That night, he slept fitfully, not well at all.

「 」

The next day, Worker Liu went to work at No. 8 Middle School and reported the matter to the principal, who found it quite agreeable. It was practical, cost the school nothing, provided welfare for the entire teaching staff, and benefited students as well. Moreover, this initiative carried an additional layer of meaning. Zhang Linsheng was a graduate of No. 8 Middle School who had become a successful businessman. This could also be seen as an ’outstanding graduate, after achieving success in their career, giving back to their alma mater.’ It sounded good no matter how you put it.

At that time, it wasn’t common for companies to sponsor schools to enhance their reputation. The school authorities weren’t wary of such matters. If it were a dozen years later, a small company trying to gain prestige by sponsoring a school or setting up a scholarship fund wouldn’t even get a chance.

「 」

Liu Ang, though slightly worldly, a bit of a smooth operator, and fond of small gains, was not inherently bad and harbored no major ill intentions. His capabilities weren’t exceptional, but he was reliable. Otherwise, before the restructuring of No. 8 Middle School, he wouldn’t have spent over two years at the school as an education group’s liaison, doing all sorts of legwork and manual labor. His work ethic was indeed very positive.

Having secured this project, he contacted Zhang Linsheng using the phone number Chen Nuo had provided. That same afternoon, he rode his bicycle to Daming Road to check out the dealership. He saw the substantial storefront, its large area, and the rather nice decorations. He then toured the warehouse, the rear repair shop, the parts room, and so on.

Meanwhile, Worker Liu also kept a keen eye out. Spending the afternoon at the dealership chatting with Zhang Linsheng over tea about the business, he secretly made some mental calculations. In that afternoon, six bikes were sold at the dealership. And it was said that this wasn’t even the busy season. He did some quick math: based on an average of six bikes sold per day, that would be over two thousand in a year. With a gross profit of about three hundred yuan per bike, two thousand bikes a year would amount to a gross profit of... six hundred thousand yuan? Even after deducting rent, utilities, and labor costs, let’s say it’s halved. A net profit of three hundred thousand a year? I heard that Chen Nuo has four dealerships like this one in Jinling! Man, that’s easily an annual income of over a million! No wonder this kid is so ostentatious with his money!

But, having figured this out, he was completely at ease regarding this matter. He’s making millions a year, so wealthy; there’s no need for him to scam me over this minor issue at No. 8 Middle School.

Thus, Worker Liu finally set his mind at rest and even declined Zhang Linsheng’s invitation to stay for dinner, happily cycling back home.

Three days later, Worker Liu announced the news to the entire school staff. To his satisfaction, this modest benefit proved quite popular. Some had already been planning to buy a bike soon. Others had been tempted for a long time, wavering, but seeing such a significant discount, they couldn’t resist. Still others, who originally had no plans to purchase a bike, realized they could use the benefit themselves or give it to friends and relatives who were looking to buy, even as a favor.

Then, unexpectedly, things escalated.

"What? Not enough quota?"

"Yeah, the HR department told me we didn’t consider things thoroughly. Such benefits shouldn’t be limited to just current teaching staff. What about the retirees?"

When one of his subordinates in the school administration department reported this to Liu Ang, he suddenly realized. He really had overlooked this. No. 8 Middle School was previously a public school! There are many retired staff members. Not to mention distant examples, just consider a recent one: when Chen Nuo was in his second year of high school, his original homeroom teacher, Mr. Wu—the one who often injured his leg.

"Hey, those old folks, their legs aren’t strong. Why would they ride electric bikes? Isn’t it better for them to stay at home?"

"They said it’s up to the families to decide whether to use it or not, but whether the school provides this benefit reflects its attitude towards retired staff. We must treat everyone equally. Besides, if they get it, even if they don’t buy or ride it themselves, their sons or daughters can use it."

Liu Ang nodded—that made sense.

In fact, more than a decade later, many people might not understand this phenomenon. But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, many organizations still took such welfare very seriously. These collective discount benefits for purchasing major household items were often very welcomed. If a unit could organize a group purchase of a major household appliance for its employees, like televisions or refrigerators, with a good discount, the response was usually very positive. Electric bikes were considered a practical major appliance in those days. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

After tallying the purchase intentions of the retired staff...

「Two days went by.」

Worker Liu received another phone call. This time it was from a colleague in the educational group.

"Can you get us some discount coupons?" the colleague asked.

Worker Liu was surprised—he didn’t expect this to be so popular.

On second thought, it made sense. Actually, No. 8 Middle School and the educational group were practically the same organization. If there were any good benefits, word would spread internally. Are the employees of the educational group not ordinary people? Top executives could drive cars, and managers with higher incomes could afford taxis. Aren’t regular employees still pedaling bicycles and squeezing onto buses for their daily commute? There would be a demand for electric bikes too.

In the end, after a week, Worker Liu gathered all the data and felt a bit overwhelmed. Did we go a bit too big on this?

「 」

That evening at home, Liu Ang discussed it with his sister, Liu Hui.

"I think I might have underestimated this matter," Liu Ang sighed. "I pondered all afternoon before realizing something... The key thing is, there’s no cost to it. These are benefits that don’t require the unit or school to spend a penny. Old colleagues from the educational group are asking me for them. If someone is already planning to buy a bike, why pass up a discount from us? And there’s another thing... Over in Jiangbei, isn’t there a school in the educational group that’s planning for restructuring? The liaison from that school also called me, asking if this company could sponsor their school too. Who wouldn’t welcome a no-cost benefit like this?"

Liu Hui listened calmly and then asked, "What’s the final total you’ve calculated?"

"Probably over a thousand," Worker Liu said with a wry smile. "Including both current and retired staff from our school, I’ve prepared for four hundred coupons. The school in Jiangbei asked for three hundred to use as welfare. The education group’s logistics team approached me, saying they needed around a hundred or so. I did a rough calculation, and it was around eight or nine hundred. But I heard that some at the grassroots level within the education system, upon hearing this, also asked me for three or five each." So I thought, just to be safe, a thousand might be enough. "A thousand bikes... Do you think Chen Nuo and his partners would agree to that? After the discounts, there’s actually not much profit. Would they be willing to provide so much merchandise without earning much? Am I asking for too much?"

Liu Hui laughed upon hearing this. "Brother, that’s where you’re mistaken. First, no matter how many discount coupons are given out, you have to consider the redemption and purchase rates. You might issue a thousand, but not that many people will actually use them to buy a bike. I estimate that if even a little more than half are redeemed, this initiative would be considered very successful. Secondly, this doesn’t cost us anything, and for the dealerships, the cost isn’t much either. It’s just a matter of ordering a bit more stock from the factory. I’ve heard that for dealers, the more they order from manufacturers, the lower their purchase price. You can say they’re moving stock without making much profit. But from another angle, you could also see it as them increasing sales volume and distribution rates at almost no cost."

Pausing for a moment, Liu Hui continued with a smile, "Just think about it. Didn’t you visit Zhang Linsheng the other day? Did you estimate his dealership’s annual sales volume? Two thousand bikes a year. If you could move five hundred bikes at once through this, it means his dealership’s annual sales volume would increase by twenty-five percent because of this single project! For a company, there are only benefits and no drawbacks."

As she spoke, Liu Hui’s tone became serious. "Brother, I want to remind you again! No matter how many bikes are involved... you must not dip your hands into this! No matter how much money there is, you absolutely must not be tempted! The bigger the operation, the greater your achievement, but also the more people will be watching you!"

"I understand. You don’t need to say it; I definitely won’t," Worker Liu shook his head. "I understand this principle."

Thinking this, Liu Ang shook his head. "No, after dinner, I still need to organize the data again. The discount rates, the quantity for reimbursement, the student aid matters... and the quota allocation for impoverished students. Oh right, and the application conditions and process for impoverished student aid... I need to go over all these numbers again and ponder them."

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but give a bitter smile. "Speaking of which, your brother is somewhat of a school leader. Yet, I come home at night and still have to do homework..."

If Chen Nuo had been there to hear this, he would have only patted Worker Liu’s shoulder. Old Liu had finally figured things out. Outstanding students have started to assign homework to school leaders... Just basic operations...

「 」

What was Chen Nuo doing?

Chen Yanluo was grappling with a task of considerable difficulty at that moment.

「 」

"Hold on! Wait a second, will you!! First, hear me out... Ah!!"

Chen Nuo held a blue-rimmed bowl, retreating swiftly backward, his body darting through clusters of bushes.

In front of him was Lu Xixi, her long hair flowing in the wind, her face full of malevolence, her eyes glowing with a rage akin to that of a wild beast. She moved erratically, arms outstretched, her fingers sharp like hooks, as she swiftly pounced toward Chen Nuo, emitting a low growl like a wild animal. Her eyes were filled with bloodthirsty fury!

After retreating about two hundred meters, Chen Nuo barely managed to widen the gap with a few quick changes of direction.

"Listen up! Your name is Lu Xixi, nicknamed ’Star Sky Empress.’ You like drinking milk tea, and you enjoy eating my braised pork and braised spare ribs! Look, just look at this! It’s fragrant, rich without being greasy, lean but not dry, both sweet and tender! Don’t you want a bite..."

As he spoke, Chen Nuo held up the bowl. It was filled to the brim with fragrant braised pork.

However, Lu Xixi’s gaze didn’t land on the braised pork; her eyes stayed fixated on Chen Nuo, becoming increasingly urgent.

Left with no choice, Chen Nuo grabbed a piece of meat and threw it far in her direction...

THWAP!

Lu Xixi nonchalantly knocked away the piece of meat that landed by her feet, not even sparing it a glance. Her eyes remained locked on Chen Nuo, her luscious lips parting to reveal a row of gleaming white teeth...

Seeing no other option as Lu Xixi closed in, the two scuffled for a moment until she finally caught up. In a fierce confrontation, Lu Xixi quickly tore Chen Nuo’s clothes, especially on his arms, where her nails left several deep gashes.

Lu Xixi panted quietly, then lifted her hand, inspecting the trace of blood on her nails before actually sucking her finger, savoring it. Her eyes suddenly lit up with brilliance, and as she turned her gaze back to Chen Nuo, the yearning in her eyes intensified.

"Damn it! You’re human! Not a beast, and certainly not a vampire!!"

Chen Nuo expressed his helplessness, "Damn, miscalculated. Just wait, I’ll clip your nails tonight!"

Fighting wasn’t the issue, and winning wasn’t impossible. Although Lu Xixi was not in her right mind, her abilities were vaguely starting to return. Entangling with her, even based solely on predatory instinct, was indeed troublesome. Moreover... Chen Nuo wouldn’t dream of actually getting physical and fighting with Lu Xixi, would he? This woman was no longer just his romantic interest. She was also the mother of his child! Fight? How could he bear to do that!

After being scratched with several bloody marks, Chen Nuo reluctantly gave up his daily attempts to tame her during the "feeding" process and re-engaged her. He reached out and used Telekinesis to catch a sparrow in the woods, tossing it into Lu Xixi’s hands.

Lu Xixi grabbed it, and her fierceness eased for a moment. The poor sparrow was immediately enveloped by Lu Xixi’s Telekinesis, and then...

Only then did Chen Nuo feel relieved. He cautiously moved a little closer, hoping to take advantage of Lu Xixi’s "feeding" time to subdue her according to their daily routine and then take her back...

But as Chen Nuo approached her this time, a tendril of Telekinesis had already extended, easily entwining itself around Lu Xixi as it had done repeatedly over the past few days, and then tightened. Lu Xixi, with food in hand, did not struggle but focused on the sparrow.

Seeing that Telekinesis had bound Lu Xixi, Chen Nuo finally moved closer.

But just then, something unexpected happened!

Lu Xixi, in the midst of "feeding," suddenly lifted her head. Although she showed no signs of struggling and allowed Chen Nuo’s Telekinesis to restrain her, the icy coldness in her eyes suddenly gave Chen Nuo a start!

Damn, something’s wrong?

Chen Nuo was now only two steps away from Lu Xixi when he saw her mouth opening, beneath her rosy lips, between her snowy teeth... A high-pitched screech!!

Chen Nuo, who was very close, immediately sensed that something was amiss. This was clearly a ruse to paralyze him, lure him closer—not by struggling against his Telekinesis, but by using... her mouth? Not an attack with Telekinesis... But sound waves?

The silent woods remained soundless. However, the sonic attack emitted by Lu Xixi was obviously beyond the twenty thousand hertz limit of human hearing!

Chen Nuo, close at hand, immediately felt as if a giant hammer had slammed into his face, a force sending him flying backward...

"...DAMN IT!"

As Chen Nuo was knocked to the ground, Lu Xixi had already swiftly discarded the drained sparrow, her body moving like a ghost as she quickly closed in! Although still bound by Telekinesis, she lunged headfirst at Chen Nuo!

Her head slammed into Chen Nuo’s face, and she bit down hard!

「 」

At the foot of the mountain, Yu Naitang squatted, poking at an anthill with a small stick. Hearing footsteps from a distance, she looked up and saw Chen Nuo carrying Lu Xixi out of the woods. Lu Xixi appeared to have finished "feeding" and had fallen into a deep sleep, satiated.

But Chen Nuo looked quite distressed. His clothes were torn, and there were bloody marks on his arm. Most notably, his face was bruised and swollen, as though he had been severely beaten.

"...What happened to you?"

"..."

"Were you beaten up? By my teacher? Why didn’t you subdue her?"

"...She attacked me with her mouth, hit me with her head... What could I do? If I fought back, I would have had to hit her face. If I didn’t resist and dodged, I would have had to watch her headbutt stones or trees?"

"...Uh?"

Chen Nuo sighed.

So, this is the legendary ’face-tanking a special move,’ huh? Forget it, she’s not a stranger; it’s my own wife hitting me... It’s not embarrassing... Right?

「 」

"Actually, I made a discovery today."

After getting into the car, Chen Nuo exhaled, glanced at Lu Xixi sleeping in the back seat, then looked at Yu Naitang. "Today, Lu Xixi had a bit of my blood."

"Hmm?"

"She accidentally injured me; her fingernails scratched me—speaking of which, remember to trim her fingernails shorter tonight."

"Alright, got it. You said she had your blood. Then what happened?"

"She seemed to gain a bit of consciousness. Before, she was simply like a wild animal. But after tasting my blood, she even learned to deceive me with cunning."

Yu Naitang’s eyes lit up. "Your blood can make her regain consciousness?"

"It’s not exactly regaining consciousness, but rather, it seems to spark a bit of intelligence."

"That’s a method worth trying," Yu Naitang said immediately. "How about feeding her some of your blood during tomorrow’s meal?"

Chen Nuo thought about it but shook his head. "We can’t rush into this. Today, she only had a little of my blood, and I felt she suddenly became a bit smarter, yet her sanity didn’t recover. Moreover, her strength seemed to have increased; she even knew to bypass Telekinesis, not triggering my alertness, and instead launched a sonic storm attack to ambush me. If I recklessly feed her my blood, and her mind doesn’t recover, but she becomes more cunning and cruel... Or let’s put it this way: if I give her my blood, and her strength increases, making her stronger and more cunning, yet she still doesn’t regain her sanity... Little girl, think about it: a powerful Star Sky Empress, who is also a bloodthirsty madwoman devoid of reason... If we can’t control her and she goes mad and escapes... What kind of chaos would that create?"

Yu Naitang thought about it and nodded. "You’ve got a point... But it’s strange. Teacher has drunk human blood before. When I was fleeing with her, sometimes, when we couldn’t find prey, I also fed her my blood, just once or twice. But after consuming my blood, she didn’t show any changes. Is your blood more appealing than mine?"

Chen Nuo fell silent.

After thinking carefully, he suddenly spoke in a peculiar tone, "Once we get back, you keep an eye on your teacher. Tonight, I need to go out for a bit."

"What are you going out for?"

"Suddenly remembered something, I..."

Chen Nuo sighed. "I need to ask a cat."

My blood, of course, isn’t more appealing than Yu Naitang’s blood... What a joke. Even if a vampire had to choose between the blood of a grown man and that of a cute, delicate young girl, which one would be more appealing? It goes without saying! But if there’s something special about my blood... I remember that cat always liked to stay by my side, saying it could absorb the spiritual power I radiated. Then, the special aspect might only be known to that cat. After all... when it comes to user experience, only the user themselves would know best, right!

「 」

However, to Chen Nuo’s surprise... The cat was nowhere to be found. Not in the house, nor on the rooftop terrace. Chen Nuo even searched the neighborhood several times to no avail.

Only after he released dozens of Spiritual Force Tentacles, covering virtually the entire block, did he finally detect the Gray Cat’s presence in a woodland six hundred meters away.

By the time he found the Gray Cat, it was nearly at death’s door.

Um... it seemed to be... Starving?

As it saw Chen Nuo enter the woods and approach, the Gray Cat, covered in dust, struggled to rise from the ground and let out a pitiful howl as it lunged forward, hugging Chen Nuo’s leg and crying plaintively.

"...MEOW~~~~~~"

"You would have starved to death if I hadn’t come? What do you mean? If you needed my spiritual power, you could’ve come back to find me, right?"

"MEOW..."

"Scared? Scared of what?"

"MEOW!!!"

Suddenly, every muscle in Chen Nuo’s face tensed and stiffened, his expression turning extremely unsightly!

Because the Gray Cat’s final "MEOW," when translated into human language, roughly meant:

There’s something inside your house...

A...

...

...

Mother! Entity!

「 」