In the fiery red sports car, a deep song echoed: "If one were to ask what this life in the mortal world is ultimately for, one only wishes to never have any regrets, to have a good drink!"
Su Yurou was immersed in the singing, driving slowly.
Lin Fan, with his gaze fixed straight ahead and a dazed expression, seemed to have seen some profound truth about life.
"Xiao Fan, how have you been lately?"
Su Yurou found a topic to break the oppressive silence.
"Pretty good. Treating illnesses, saving people, earning money to change my life."
Lin Fan's tone was calm and unwavering, as if he had anticipated her approach.
"I haven't been doing well."
"Sigh~"
Su Yurou sighed after speaking, as if she had a belly full of grievances and sorrows.
Lin Fan deliberately avoided this topic.
This woman, he thought, speaks to humans like a human and to ghosts like a ghost.
And he had already experienced her methods, so he was naturally unwilling to be easily trapped.
"Hmph!"
Su Yurou snorted indignantly, "You truly have a heart of stone!"
Her voice carried a slight nasal tone, as if she were about to cry.
"As I said before, you take your broad path, and I'll walk my single-plank bridge."
Lin Fan shrugged and laid his cards on the table: "Before you knew me, wasn't your beauty salon thriving?"
"Look, you've even bought a sports car, what else are you not satisfied with?"
Su Yurou gave a bitter smile, "This car is a refurbished second-hand one."
"Gull-wing doors, it's been modified."
"And the big house I bought was also financed by a loan."
"Do you think it's that easy to break into high society!"
"Why would they look up to you?"
"Why would they patronize your establishment?"
As Su Yurou spoke, she suddenly burst into tears.
Her years of suppressed feelings and grievances were vividly expressed through these tears.
Lin Fan, unable to discern truth from falsehood in her words, offered an apology: "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry."
Lin Fan repeated.
Having grown up in poverty, he could imagine the difficulties and psychological torment someone might face while trying to climb the social ladder.
"Sorry?"
Su Yurou repeated contemptuously, with a disdainful chuckle, "You're right, we have no relationship whatsoever."
"People have different thoughts and different aspirations."
Su Yurou paused here, and while waiting for the red light, lit a slender ladies' cigarette.
As the tip of the cigarette glowed and dimmed, a faint scent of orange permeated the car.
"I only have one request for you."
Su Yurou turned her head, looking at Lin Fan, her tear-filled eyes filled with sincerity.
Lin Fan's heart softened, and he nodded subconsciously, "Go ahead, I'll help you as much as I can."
He still remembered that in the pharmacy, it was Su Yurou who had stopped him and bought a piece of his lingzhi, which had improved his life.
Although it now seemed that the price of the Red Blood Lingzhi was far more than one hundred and fifty thousand, he had never forgotten this kindness and was deeply grateful.
"If any other beauty salons approach you, please don't go."
Su Yurou's tone was serious, and she added, "Simiao Beauty Salon is my lifeline."
"Xiao Fan, you can't help outsiders bully me!"
Lin Fan smiled and said firmly, "Don't worry, I'm living freely in Luofeng Village, why would I go to the city to look for trouble?"
"The city may be good, but I just don't feel comfortable there."
Lin Fan said this, and seeing that her expression had not softened, he raised his right hand and swore, "I promise you this, a gentleman's word is his bond!"
Su Yurou took out a tissue, wiped her tears while looking in the rearview mirror, and said, "Also, you need to help me keep my few major clients."
She explained, "As you know, Shimen Town is so small, and there are only so many people with spending power. Losing even one important client is a huge loss."
"Sister Zhou and the others?"
Lin Fan felt envious of Zhou Yi. Although her first half of life was not very smooth, her second half was filled with luxury and wealth.
In her forties, widowed, with inexhaustible money in her hands, her life must be incredibly fulfilling.
"Mm."
Su Yurou nodded, "She's been here twice and couldn't see you, she was very unhappy."
"You know, she's become a chairperson now, and her temper has gotten worse."
Lin Fan chuckled, "Alright, I'll teach her a lesson for you."
He wasn't afraid of Zhou Yi.
What was the point of having money if it couldn't compare to his true abilities?
"Don't!"
Su Yurou threw away the tissue and said nervously, "Just help me keep her.
"I heard she's been to my rivals' places several times recently. If you don't come, she might be poached by someone else."
Lin Fan nodded, remaining silent.
Soon, they arrived at Simiao Beauty Salon.
As soon as they got out of the car, they saw a group of elegantly dressed ladies walking out through the glass door.
The one at the forefront, the most opulent, was Zhou Yi.
Upon seeing Lin Fan, Zhou Yi walked towards him directly, "Oh my, my benefactor has finally arrived!"
She smiled as if a cactus were in bloom, her crow's feet crinkling at the corners of her eyes.
Su Yurou felt a pang of unease.
Yesterday, when she came and couldn't see Lin Fan, she had been furious.
But now, she seemed to have become a different person, completely devoid of any temper.
"Hello, Sister Zhou."
Lin Fan greeted her with a smile.
Zhou Yi took Lin Fan's hand and said with a smile, "My dear benefactor, I've been waiting for you! Sister missed you so much!"
Her tone was coy and deliberately affected, clearly trying to entice him.
The ladies behind her let out soft chuckles.
"Sister Zhou, I'm not a benefactor, let's go inside and talk."
Lin Fan withdrew his hand into his pocket and walked forward, saying, "Everyone, let's go inside."
After he spoke, except for Wang Ying, the other ladies did not move.
Only when Zhou Yi followed did they follow suit.
It was clear that Zhou Yi had established a leadership position among them.
As for Wang Ying, besides her powerful father, she herself was not one to curry favor, so she had never thought of trying to please Zhou Yi.
"Sister Wang Ying."
Lin Fan greeted Wang Ying sincerely.
"Mm."
Wang Ying observed that the smile Lin Fan gave her was different, not at all perfunctory.
This made her feel happy and secretly delighted.
Women, after all, enjoyed comparing themselves to each other.
Although she was not competitive, Zhou Yi's constant air of superiority made her uncomfortable and quite displeasing to look at.
Therefore, Lin Fan's unique warmth made her feel a sense of elevated status.
Lin Fan himself, however, had not thought that much.
He simply felt that among this group of elegant ladies, Wang Ying was the most decent, without any ulterior motives.
If he didn't owe Su Yurou, he would never have dealt with her, no matter what.