C10 White Evil Tiger Lady

Dong Xiaorou and Lee Zhi teamed up to haul the ingredients into the factory.

Six hundred kilos of wild chrysanthemums—anything labeled "wild" these days doesn't come cheap. And Lee Zhi? He wouldn't know wild from cultivated if it hit him in the face!

Cracking open the refrigeration unit, Lee Zhi fished out the two biggest specimens and plopped them into a basin, passing it to Dong Xiaorou with a grin. "Let's stew these up and have a taste of the wild chrysanthemums for lunch."

Without a word, Dong Xiaorou accepted the basin and headed out of the processing workshop.

Wild chrysanthemum fish, particularly the hefty ones tipping the scales over a kilo, fetched no less than 500 a kilo on the market. Star Moon Bay Hotel didn't blink at dropping a fortune on 600 kilos of them—talk about deep pockets.

Lee Zhi was no saint, but he wasn't the lowest of the low either. There were lines he wouldn't cross, like skimping on quality. Sure, he could indulge in a couple of stews from the 600-kilo haul—that was within his wheelhouse. Turning out two hundred kilos of pure big yellow fish balls from that lot? No sweat. But mixing in other fish to cut costs and selling the premium stuff on the side? That was out of the question. Even if Fatty Huang and Zhao Xueying couldn't tell the difference, it was a matter of principle.

"Start up the machine!"

Adding 'wild chrysanthemum fish' to the mix, the machine couldn't handle all 600 kilos at once. For now, it could only process a maximum of two hundred kilos of raw material, with a production rate of an hour and twenty minutes.

The factory's machinery and equipment would need upgrades down the line. The current setup was rudimentary at best, but it would have to do for the time being.

Outside the workshop, Dong Xiaorou perched on a small stool, lost in thought. What was on her mind was anyone's guess.

"Is the fish stewing?" Lee Zhi approached, his voice light with curiosity.

"In the pot!" Dong Xiaorou snapped out of her reverie, her expression revealing no distaste for Lee Zhi's pilfering of the customer's ingredients.

As Lee Zhi was about to walk away, Dong Xiaorou called out to him, "Come here, I've got something to say!"

"Huh?"

Lee Zhi grabbed another stool and came back, chuckling. The cheap plastic stools, barely twenty centimeters tall, were their usual seats for dining, courtesy of Dong Xiaorou's purchase from a village store.

Dong Xiaorou fixed her gaze on Lee Zhi. "Don't you wonder?"

"Wonder about what?" Lee Zhi feigned ignorance, a playful smile on his face.

With a coy roll of her eyes and a sigh, Dong Xiaorou confessed, "I've known Zhao Xueying for quite some time!"

"College buddies?"

"No," Dong Xiaorou corrected, "Elementary school classmates!"

"Really?" Lee Zhi was genuinely surprised. Zhao Xueying was the esteemed daughter of the Zhao family—how could she and Dong Xiaorou have been elementary school classmates?

"Now you're intrigued, huh?" Dong Xiaorou teased with a flirtatious smile before continuing in a more subdued tone, "Everyone in Sea City knows her father, Zhao Sihai. But twenty years ago, Zhao Xueying's father wasn't the big name he is today, nor was he as wealthy."

Twenty years ago?

Right!

Maybe back then, Zhao Sihai was just squatting in some corner, nowhere near making his fortune.

"In elementary, middle, and even high school, Zhao Xueying and I were the best of friends," Dong Xiaorou mused, as if she were speaking to Lee Zhi and savoring the memories simultaneously.

Lee Zhi chuckled derisively and muttered, "Old friends are famous for their rivalries. So much for the reliability of friendship."

Irritated, Dong Xiaorou threatened to kick him with her long legs and glared. "Do you want to keep listening, or should I tell you to scram?"

"I do, I do. Spare me, noble warrior," Lee Zhi pleaded with a grin.

"In high school, this really handsome male teacher joined our school..."

Lee Zhi cut her off, exclaiming, "What? A male teacher? Seriously? You guys have some intense tastes. What did I tell you? Best friends always end up clashing, whether it's over guys or just out of spite. Tsk tsk, the truth speaks for itself!"

Without a word, Dong Xiaorou swept her hair back and rose from the bench, chasing Lee Zhi all around the factory courtyard, his pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears.

It took a while before they stopped. Lee Zhi, gasping for breath, collapsed onto the ground, raising his hands in surrender. "No more, I can't run another step."

Dong Xiaorou gave him a dismissive look. "You need to get in shape. You'd never withstand a real challenge." She then casually sat down near him, unconcerned with the dirt.

The ruckus had lifted her spirits considerably.

"I used to be so jealous of Zhao Xueying," Dong Xiaorou confided softly. "She had loving parents, several great brothers, beauty, flawless skin, a lovely voice, and no worries about her future."

Lee Zhi offered a smile. "Wealth doesn't guarantee happiness, nor does it mean they're happier than us. You see her good family, but who knows if her dad has a love child or mistresses? Is her mom truly happy? Are her brothers just waiting to fight over the inheritance? The world of the wealthy is beyond us. No need for envy. Who's to say we won't end up richer than them one day?"

Dong Xiaorou playfully rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, the cynicism! Sour grapes much? Just because you're not rich doesn't mean you should resent those who are."

"Hehe," Lee Zhi laughed, offering no rebuttal. He had been wealthier than many before, but life is unpredictable. Who can foresee the future?

Something else crossed Lee Zhi's mind, and he turned to Dong Xiaorou with a teasing look. "What did the Zhao family's young miss ask you? You said 'yes,' remember?"

"What did she ask?" Dong Xiaorou replied, feigning ignorance.

With a smug smile, Lee Zhi boasted, "She asked if I was your man, and you said yes. Regardless of what you were thinking at the time, I took it the wrong way—a misunderstanding that's not easily cleared up!"

"You're trying to get with me?" Dong Xiaorou looked up at Lee Zhi with a raised eyebrow.

Lee Zhi, caught off guard, chuckled awkwardly and replied, "To claim I'm not interested would be fooling myself. I mean, come on, a stunning beauty like you is right here, and I'm not blind or crazy. How could I not be tempted?"

Dong Xiaorou spoke with a serene tone, "My advice? Don't even entertain the thought. It could be the death of you."

"Really? That bad?" Lee Zhi blinked in surprise and asked, "You don't happen to have some super impressive fiancé like the ones in those TV dramas, do you?"

"No," Dong Xiaorou said, the corners of her mouth curving into a wry smile. "I've been married twice, both times officially registered, but both ended in tragedy before the wedding. One was a car accident, the other lost at sea. A fortune teller told me I'm a 'White Tiger'—my fate is too strong, no man can withstand it. I'm doomed to a solitary life, they said. Any man who gets involved with me is cursed to a terrible end."

With that, she stood up, dusted off her jeans, and strode toward the factory.

"White Tiger?" Lee Zhi rubbed his nose, pondering aloud, "Is that the mythical creature they talk about?"

He burst into laughter, dismissing the fortune teller's words. Springing to his feet, he dashed after her, exclaiming, "I'm no average Joe. I've been in Class 2 since elementary school! If you're the White Tiger, then consider me the Azure Dragon. When the Azure Dragon meets the White Tiger, you'd better brace yourself to be swept off your feet!"