Over the phone, he greeted Uncle Zhang and proceeded to "meet with clients" as usual in the afternoon.
Meng Lang returned to the residential complex, carrying a bunch of items.
As he walked, he pondered how he should break the impasse.
Now that he knew who the real opponent was, he couldn't simply treat the killer as an ordinary thug.
The police could no longer be trusted; "his future self" must have realized the problems within the police department and thus chosen to have Lin Haitang investigate from outside on his behalf.
This indicated that many things had to be prepared for and guarded against with the assumption that "everyone is a villain."
If possible, Meng Lang did not want to confront the Xu Group head-on, a major complication like that.
But hiding was futile; even if Lin Haitang and Xiao Yu moved, the Xu Group's influence would eventually find them.
Yuan Li already bore a grudge against Lin Haitang, and judging by the opponent's brutal methods, even if Lin Haitang was willing to give up the case right away, Yuan Li was unlikely to let the sisters go.
There is only so long you can be a thief, but you can't be on guard against one forever.
For Xiao Yu's safety, eradicating the root of evil once and for all is the only way to address both the symptoms and the root cause!
It's just that... force value, oh force value!
It's not like real estate prices that can rise just because you say so.
As for relying on external things... It's not like in the US, where even a family portrait can evoke the feel of a crossfire shootout.
"Headache!"
Meng Lang rubbed his forehead and unwittingly arrived at the foot of his rental apartment building.
"Master Yan, please wait!"
"I told you to stop bothering me!"
"It won't do, Master Yan. The master has ordered that if you don't attend this 'mountain climbing meeting,' our Twelve Road Spring Leg won't even make it halfway up the hill!"
"If we can't make it, we can't make it. How old are we, still fixated on climbing mountains to show off how much calcium we have?"
"Uh... Master Yan, this..."
"Step aside!"
Master Yan??
Meng Lang looked curiously at the two people in front of him.
One was indeed his landlord, Yan Weiwei, with a bunch of jingling keys at her waist, still dressed lazily like a rent collector.
The other was a young man dressed in athletic attire, looking somewhat simple and honest, with slightly dark skin.
"Master Yan, if you don't agree, then I'll just have to keep following you until you do!" The young man was naively determined, blocking Yan Weiwei with outstretched hands.
Yan Weiwei glanced at him twice, snorted coldly and suddenly extended a leg to kick at his right knee.
The man was startled and instinctively drew his right leg back, but Yan Weiwei changed her move midway and aimed the kick at his lower abdomen.
The man quickly leaned forward and pressed down with both palms to block.
"Smack!" After a faint clashing sound, Yan Weiwei's leg used the force of his downward push to knock against the underside, hitting the man's left knee with her heel.
The man's only grounded left leg immediately buckled, and he fell forward uncontrollably.
He quickly braced himself with his hands on the ground, but as soon as he stabilized himself, he found Yan Weiwei's toes already pressed against his throat.
Yan Weiwei looked down condescendingly, her eyes filled with scorn.
"You didn't fully learn your master's skills, but you've pretty much got his stubbornness down pat, huh?
Go tell your master that I will never attend the 'mountain climbing meeting' in this lifetime!"
Watching Yan Weiwei leave without turning back, the young man also wanted to get up and chase after her.
But as soon as he stood up, his left leg went weak, and he ended up kneeling down again.
He then realized that his entire left leg seemed as if he had squatted down for too long, feeling incredibly numb and without the strength to stand.
"Sigh! Master was right; I really do fall short by a lot…" he muttered with a bitter smile.
The man saw a hand suddenly extended in front of him.
"Brother, you alright?" Meng Lang asked with a face full of concern as he helped the man up.
"It's nothing, it'll pass in a while. Thanks, brother!" the man said gratefully.
"If I may ask, what is your relationship with Miss Yan Weiwei who just left? Why do you call her Master Yan?" Meng Lang inquired.
"Eh? You know Master Yan?"
"Oh, I'm her tenant, we meet often and are quite familiar.
By the way, I'm Meng Lang, what should I call you, brother?"
"My surname is Fan, Fan Shigang."
Is the meal steel? Meng Lang held back his laughter, "But why do you call her Master Yan?"
Fan Shigang looked at Meng Lang with suspicion, "You're not from our circle, are you? Why are you asking about this?"
Meng Lang was startled, You have a circle?
A food circle or a friends' circle?
Can't people from different circles chat together?
"Well, actually I'm not just her tenant... I... I'm also her suitor," Meng Lang admitted with an embarrassed expression.
Fan Shigang's face immediately lit up with a look of realization.
"Master Yan is indeed beautiful, but to have the courage to pursue her, Brother Meng, you are truly a role model for our generation!"
"Uh... from the way you're talking, is Yan Weiwei very formidable in your circle?"
"Yes! Very formidable!" Fan Shigang nodded without hesitation.
"Even my master has nothing but praise for her, calling her a once-in-a-century genius among the younger generation."
Meng Lang's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together, "Brother Fan, it's getting late. How about I treat you, and you tell me all about Master Yan?"
"This..." Fan Shigang hesitated.
"Sigh! Brother Fan, to tell the truth, I've had a secret crush on her since college, and to this day, I've confessed no less than 10 times.
Do you understand that feeling of trying so hard but never being able to enter the other person's world?
Do you understand the helplessness of trying to get closer but feeling as if you're drifting further away?
Alright, it doesn't matter if you don't understand. You just need to know that your good deed today might create a blessed match, rescue a lost soul trapped by love!
And since Weiwei and I are so close, maybe I can even convince her to attend that 'mountain climbing meeting' or whatever it is?"
Perhaps it was Meng Lang's deep affection, or maybe it was his last remark about being helpful, but ultimately, it touched Fan Shigang.
"Alright! Then I'll tell you about her.
Master Yan, you see..."
The two men whispered among themselves, walking into a nearby restaurant arm in arm...