First, the MD Group halted all forced demolitions, appeased all residents, and persuaded them to relocate at reasonable prices. Second, for those whose homes had already been forcibly acquired at low prices or demolished, the MD Group compensated the owners accordingly. For historically significant buildings in the old city, protective renovations were carried out—specifically, these structures were reinforced and repaired, with small community parks created around them, preserving the old buildings while beautifying the residents' living environment. As for Emily’s family, they not only received demolition compensation based on the original area but were also given three additional apartments and a storefront. This way, even if they rented out the properties, they could live comfortably. Of course, Emily’s father, who couldn’t sit idle, later used the storefront to open a ramen shop. Since its location was far better than the old one, his business thrived. Emily eventually quit her job and went abroad to study with her brother—but that’s a story for another time.
In short, the old city residents were all properly resettled, though the old houses were ultimately demolished. Still, everyone moved happily—after all, if the demolition compensation is fair, who wouldn’t want to live in a new home? While there were nostalgic people like Gu Qiqi who were reluctant to leave their ancestral homes, most were willing to cooperate with the government.
Because the MD Group handled the matter well, their reputation didn’t decline but actually improved. Zhou Yi was heavily praised by the media, hailed as “the most responsible entrepreneur in Y City” and “an outstanding representative of young Chinese entrepreneurs.” Some online polls even ranked him as “the world’s youngest, most handsome, and most charismatic eligible bachelor”…
Xia Liu, on the other hand, fared much worse. His company was acquired, and due to his mistakes, Zhou Yi maneuvered him out of the game without mercy. His cousin Bai Zhi, whom he had always relied on, also suffered a severe blow to her reputation. Not only was she stripped of her position as financial director by Old Master Zhou, but her status as the matriarch of the Zhou family plummeted—after all, who could forgive her for embezzling MD Group funds to help her cousin speculate in real estate? As the saying goes, “A thief within the family is hardest to guard against.” The entire Zhou family now looked down on her.
Zhou Yi had always found it strange—Bai Zhi had been highly respected in the Zhou family, enjoying endless wealth and status as the matriarch. So why did she embezzle family funds to start a real estate company with her cousin? What did she need so much money for?
Of course, these were the Zhou family’s internal affairs, none of Qiqi’s business, and she naturally didn’t bother to inquire.
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On the night of the full moon, Rong Yi went to a remote suburb, where he safely spent the night. The next day, he came to Lu Wei’s house and, without explanation, took Qiqi home. Seeing that Qiqi had mostly recovered and insisted on returning, Lu Wei didn’t say much.
Now, Qiqi lay in her own big bed, recovering while studying—her biggest concern at the moment was the upcoming final exams.
The fourth-year final exams were a crucial battle, affecting future internship placements and scholarships, so she had to do well no matter what. But since she had missed so many classes recently, she had to make up for it with hard work.
Rong Yi, meanwhile, was living a miserable life of being ignored and ordering takeout every day, making him miss Qiqi’s home-cooked meals more than ever.