Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 993 538: Principal and Interest (Part 4)

"Indeed." Ma Wu looked at Shen Rongqing affectionately.

This was a test for Ma Wu; he liked to be straightforward, but with Shen Rongqing, he had to learn to be subtle.

The few pleasantries exchanged earlier were merely playful banter, and now as they locked eyes, Shen Rongqing felt a stir of emotions, and Ma Wu had to keep up with the rhythm.

"Young Master Wu, I cooked some lotus seed soup at home. Eating it alone, I feel quite lonely." Shen Rongqing offered an invitation.

Ma Wu put down his ledger: "If the lady is willing, grant me a bowl tonight."

Shen Rongqing took Ma Wu's hand.

Ma Wu followed Shen Rongqing out of Xiaoyao Lodge.

When they arrived at Shen Rongqing's residence, there were no maids at home. She had indeed prepared lotus seed soup and served Ma Wu a bowl.

Ma Wu tasted a spoonful, found the flavor quite good, and just as he was about to take a second spoonful, Shen Rongqing hugged him from behind: "Junyang, I want you."

"Rongqing, I want you too."

Cheek to cheek, a blood vessel appeared in Ma Wu's eyes.

The emotional root had already entered the eye, ready to be planted at any time.

Ma Wu was easy to captivate but not easily overwhelmed.

In the dead of night, her sudden approach surely held a reason.

"Junyang, after knowing each other for so long, do you trust me?" Shen Rongqing kissed Ma Wu's face.

"I trust you." Ma Wu nodded slightly.

Shen Rongqing held Ma Wu tightly: "Since you trust me, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Ma Wu nodded: "Alright, we can discuss it slowly."

He glanced at the window.

Beneath the window was Shen Rongqing's garden.

Zuo Wugang stood quietly in the garden, watching the light on the second floor.

...

Two days later, after dinner, Ma Chunting had just taken an elixir and was about to rest in his room when Ma Junjiang rushed into the bedroom: "Father, something happened to Old Five, someone saw his corpse outside the city."

Ma Chunting was silent for a moment, then said indifferently: "I knew this day would come for him eventually, is it really his corpse?"

Ma Junjiang replied: "I'm about to go see."

"Go," Ma Chunting lay back on the bed, "give him a proper burial, after all, he is a member of the Ma Family."

...

He Yuxiu was overseeing the clearing of new land when the accountant Sheng Shanzhou brought news: "Miss, Ma Wu is dead."

He Yuxiu was stunned: "Who did it?"

"I heard it's related to Shen Rongqing."

"That wench must be crazy!" He Yuxiu immediately set off for Greenwater City.

The cook said: "Miss He, this land clearing can't do without you!"

"Leave it for now, something happened to Old Five, I can't ignore it! Has Old Qi been informed?"

Sheng Shanzhou said: "It's not for us to tell Seventh Master, and those people from Xiaoyao Lodge may not have informed him either."

...

"Could it really be Ma Wu?" At the Hundred Joy Gate, Chu Er looked at Yang Yanzheng, full of skepticism.

Yang Yanzheng said: "Let's wait for the Ma Family to identify the corpse, it's probably not wrong."

"Does Li Qi know about this?"

"He's in the outside provinces, probably hasn't received the news yet."

Chu Er stood up: "Bring our people, let's go have a look."

...

"It can't be, how could something happen to Young Master Wu!"

"Mom, don't go yet, we don't know what's going on, let me go with Brother Xin to check it out first."

"I must go, Young Master Wu is a friend of ours! If our benefactor finds out, what will we do? Has anyone informed our benefactor?"

...

Li Banfeng was chatting with Tong Yousan at the Sanyou Bookstore: "Is that contract book really brought from the Lavsha Nation?"

Tong Yousan was still holding his ground: "Indeed, from the Lavsha Nation, without a doubt."

"Have you been to Lavsha Nation?"

"I have, I studied abroad there. I speak the Lavsha language fluently, don't believe me, call a Lavsha native to ask."

Li Banfeng nodded: "I wondered why you spoke so fluently, are you a cultivator?"

Tong Yousan's mental defenses were about to be breached when the projector whispered to Li Banfeng: "That simple phone rang."

"We'll chat later." Li Banfeng went out the door and picked up Luo Zhengnan's call.

"Seventh Master, I just received the news, Master Wu has had an accident, the corpse is outside the city."

Li Qi's head buzzed.

He didn't return to the Sanyou Bookstore but ran straight to Flower Lake Park. Upon reaching the lakeside, Li Banfeng's footing wavered, almost falling.

Something happened to Ma Wu.

The corpse was outside the city.

Li Banfeng felt like he hadn't woken up from a nightmare.

He had just jumped into the lake when the projector said: "Seventh Guide, that simple phone rang again."

Li Banfeng returned to the lake's surface and answered the phone.

"Old Qi, it's me."

Li Banfeng blinked, wiped his face, and listened to the call while leaving Flower Lake Park.

Tong Yousan thought the guest had left, just relaxed a little, and saw the same drenched person return.

"Where did you just go?"

Li Banfeng replied casually: "It's nothing, I felt a bit sleepy, went to wash my face, let's continue, are you really not a cultivator?"

"There's no such thing as a 'cultivator' Taoist sect, you're joking, right?"

"Which Taoist sect are you in, then? When did you join? Was it during your study abroad in Lavsha Nation? Is Lavsha Nation also called a Taoist sect?"

...

Zhang Gunli arrived at Shen Rongqing's building, rubbing a walnut, looking at his pocket watch.

Shen Rongqing certainly didn't have the money to repay, and Zhang Gunli didn't plan on asking her for it.

He spoke a truth: he greatly admired Shen Rongqing, appreciated her talent, and thought it was nice to have such a woman by his side.

Would Shen Rongqing agree?

Zhang Gunli didn't mind Shen Rongqing's resistance; the more she resisted, the more he liked it. He appreciated the stubbornness of intellectuals.

At 7:11, Zhang Gunli entered the door.

Shen Rongqing sat silently in the living room, her expression dazed.

Zhang Gunli took out the IOU: "Miss Shen, the time has come."

Shen Rongqing nodded.

"I've heard about Ma Wu's incident. Since you've settled it, I guess there are no regrets."

"Yes, no regrets." Shen Rongqing looked up at Zhang Gunli.

Zhang Gunli asked: "You know the amount you owe, is the money ready?"

"It's ready." He Jiaqing descended the stairs from the second floor.

A cloud of mist swirled in the hall for a moment, transforming into He Haisheng, blocking the doorway.

Zhang Gunli chuckled: "Young Master He, what are you planning to do?"

To be honest, Zhang Gunli wasn't prepared; Shen Rongqing's act was too convincing.

But it seemed there was no need to be prepared.

"To talk some sense with you," He Jiaqing lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, exhaled smoke, and said, "Back then, I borrowed a life from you, returned the money on time as agreed, principal and interest, didn't short you, right?"

Zhang Gunli nodded: "No shortfall, even a little extra was given."

He Jiaqing continued: "I addressed you as senior repeatedly, conducted business properly with you, didn't lack in etiquette, did I?"

"Etiquette was impeccable, you do know the rules."

He Jiaqing took another puff: "Since I handled things by the rules and owed you nothing, why did you sell my information to Mu Yuejuan, what's the sense in that?"

Zhang Gunli chuckled: "That reasoning is indeed tricky, but I don't need to explain it to you, just the two of you, uncle and nephew, what right do you have to reason with me?"

"If there's no reasoning, then the matter is easy to handle." Feng Chongli pushed open the door and entered the living room.

Zhang Gunli was surprised; he didn't expect Feng Chongli to be there too.

He Jiaqing, with a smile, said: "It's time to settle accounts, principal and interest together."

PS: Zhang Gunli messed with the wrong people.