Ma Xiaoling gave Ma Dafu a sidelong glance, "Huh. Who’s this person? Looks oddly familiar?"
Ma Dafu finally snapped, "Ma Xiaoling! Will you ever stop! I’m forty-three! Almost forty-four soon! I don’t have many good years left, do you really want to aggravate to death early?"
Ma Xiaoling wrapped her arm around Ren Zhong’s and hid behind him, "Oh no! Brother Ren Zhong, he’s being an to ."
Seeing this, Ma Dafu’s heart sank.
Old Ma once had the notion of matchmaking Ren Zhong with his daughter.
However, after a recent heart-to-heart, he realized the danger Ren Zhong posed.
Given his age, he could leave this world at any mont, so he was inclined to partner with him in building a venture; if it ended in death, so be it.
But he feared his daughter getting too close to Ren Zhong.
In such a twisted mindset, seeing his daughter so comfortably treating Ren Zhong as one of their own made Old Ma roll his eyes, as if one Buddha erged and another ascended.
Ren Zhong couldn’t take it any longer and suggested, "Captain Ma, why don’t you take people to the town hall first, and I’ll discuss with the Mayor before coming over."
"Hmph! Fine!"
Captain Ma, with her long ponytail swinging, strode away.
Once she was out of earshot, Ma Dafu let out a low sigh, "It’s over. Really over."
Ren Zhong: "Hmm? They’re just so low-ranking citizens, is it that serious?"
Old Ma shook his head and looked at Ren Zhong helplessly, "That’s not what I’m talking about. I feel I have been completely sidelined, more so than when Yang Bingzhong was around."
Ren Zhong grinned and in an elder-like manner patted Ma Dafu on the shoulder, "It’s not a big deal, Old Ma, let teach you a trick."
"What?"
"If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em."
"I’ve already joined! But my daughter..."
Ren Zhong: "Don’t worry, I’m here."
"You’re exactly what I worry about!"
Ren Zhong’s deanor suddenly turned serious.
He first raised his arm to show his sleeve to the other.
Ma Dafu understood and also covered his sleeve.
"Old Ma, let ask you a question."
"What?"
"Have you ever experienced the feeling of risking everything for an ideal?"
Ma Dafu: "The other day, when I decided to stay and coexist with the town, I did."
Ren Zhong pointed in the direction where Ma Xiaoling had left, "She feels the sa. She is an adult, she has her own judgnt about her life. You’ve shaped her worldview; now she is like you, but also not like you. She doesn’t have your cunning and doesn’t overjustify her actions with grandiose reasons. But she lives freely, following her heart. Don’t you get it by now? You can’t control your daughter’s life. What you should do is respect her own wishes. At the sa ti..."
Ma Dafu: "At the sa ti what?"
"Put your utmost trust in your comrade, which is ." Ren Zhong: "No one can stop the goals I aim to achieve. The people I aim to save will only fall at the hands of ti. You should wholeheartedly trust . I’m friends with you, and with Ma Xiaoling as well. Would I ever harm her?"
"You might think I’m boasting. But I’ve already created so many miracles in Starfire Town, and next, I’ll create even more miracles. No matter if the enemy is the ngdu Group, or a more fearso presence, I’ll always find a way to fight and win."
"You’ve understood my ideals; therefore, you should understand even more that this is a path with no return, with no room for hesitation, only pushing forward. Old Ma, if you don’t want to spend the rest of your days in futile wandering, then you have no choice but to accept reality. On our path forward, there’s no room for double-dealing."
Ma Dafu remained silent for a long, long ti.
Finally, he slowly said, "I’ll find an opportunity to apologize to her."
"Hmm."
...
Ten minutes later, the two of them t with five well-dressed, beaming citizen representatives in the reception room of the town hall.
Ren Zhong recognized two of them.
One was the manager of the Starfire Supply and Marketing Cooperative, the other a soon-to-be-unemployed manager of the Starfire cafeteria.
After eting, the Supply and Marketing Cooperative manager, the highest in status, leaned in to cozy up, grinning obsequiously, "Oh, Mr. Ren, it’s only been a few days. Your presence is growing stronger and stronger; Starfire Town is truly blessed to have you!"
Ren Zhong’s smile was even brighter, "I think so too. But I also think, if Starfire Town didn’t have you, it would also be Starfire Town’s blessing."
With just one sentence, Mr. Ren skillfully killed the conversation.
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