"So we're just going to sit back and watch this thing escalate?"

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"We can pay to suppress the trending searches," Zhou Qianru decisively said. "Even if it costs a hundred million, we can't let this case gain traction. I'll call Wenjiang right away."

Zhou Qianru, being quite bold, immediately called her husband, Ma Wenjiang, to discuss the matter with him.

Ma Wenjiang was already aware of the situation and also planned to spend money to suppress the searches; the couple was on the same page.

However, they were unsure of how to spend the money and handle the situation practically, as they hadn't done this before, so they needed time to ask around.

Fortunately, it's not really a secret; there are brokers or agencies specializing in such things, and as long as the money is in place, anything can be arranged.

Ma Wenjiang found these people through a contact, and after discussing, he directly prepaid 500,000, seeing the effects before continuing to pay in installments.

But suppressing trending searches isn't that easy, especially for capitalists like him; sometimes, no matter how much money is spent, it may still be hard to suppress.

Because of this, Ma Wenjiang was quite worried and uneasy, but aside from that, he had no better options.

Additionally, Zhou Qianru mentioned asking Chen Feng for help, saying that Tao Yaoyang had agreed to stop targeting them, so they didn't need to worry anymore.

That was good news; as long as Tao Yaoyang backed off, there could be a turnaround in the case.

Guan Yongsong and Li Bingcong were truly happy upon hearing the news; they weren't involved in any murder cases, so they didn't feel any direct pain, but Tao Yaoyang's threats had been real before, causing them restless sleep.

Now, with the message conveyed through Chen Feng, they finally felt relieved.

However, seeing Ma Wenjiang still looking troubled, they couldn't show too much happiness.

Guan Yongsong spoke up to comfort him: "Ma, the person I met is quite reliable; if he helps, while it may not get you off the hook entirely, it can definitely lessen your charges." Ma Wenjiang sighed, "I hope so. I just don't know if Zou's introduction is trustworthy."

...

After ending the call with Zhou Qianru, Chen Feng directly set aside her family's issues; he'd done what needed to be done, helped where he could, and if she wasn't satisfied, there wasn't much Chen Feng could do.

He didn't feel the need to curry favor with her either.

He continued to comfortably browse through novels on his phone at home.

Just as he planned to go to the practice room to meditate, he received a message on WeChat from an old classmate.

It was Chen Guoxiang, an unexpected encounter from elementary school, informing that he'd be leaving early the next day.

Chen Feng instantly suggested taking him and his wife for dinner that evening at Fuman Building.

Chen Guoxiang didn't hold back and agreed easily, just mentioning that next time Chen Feng visits the hometown, he'd return the favor.

This made Chen Feng quite comfortable, not feeling taken advantage of and not sensing any insincerity from the other party.

Chen Feng promptly called Fuman Building to reserve a private room for six o'clock.

Then he notified Chen Guoxiang of the location and time via WeChat.

They chatted briefly before ending the conversation amicably.

Two grown men don't have much to chat about on WeChat.

Close to six o'clock, Chen Feng arrived at Fuman Building, where Chen Guoxiang and his wife had already arrived earlier.

Chen Feng promptly led them to the private room on the second floor, and they ordered a rather lavish meal, consisting of over ten dishes, costing more than ten thousand.

Initially, Chen Guoxiang tried to stop him, suggesting not to order too expensive dishes or too many since it was just the three of them, but when Chen Feng insisted, he didn't say much more.

Chen Guoxiang was traveling without a car, so he'd definitely be drinking; after some discussion, he and Chen Feng settled on beer.

They chatted about fond childhood memories and updated on classmates' current lives, passing the time quickly as dishes were served one after another.

Then came the eating, drinking, and chatting; both sides gained quite a bit of understanding of each other, especially Chen Feng regarding Chen Guoxiang.

Chen Guoxiang's alcohol tolerance was average; a few drinks in, and Chen Feng's slight probing led him to spill his stories like beans—his entrepreneurial history, love story, family history, and beyond.

Ni Yuhua tried to subtly stop him several times, but it was futile as Chen Guoxiang spoke candidly, especially about their private matters.

Like how they unexpectedly got pregnant and married because of it.

If it was just two men present, it wouldn't have mattered, but with Ni Yuhua being right there, his words had her blushing fiercely, almost wanting to strangle him then and there. Chen Feng, feeling awkward, quickly interrupted to change the subject.

The send-off dinner was lively, particularly with someone like Chen Guoxiang, who's eloquent and animated when drinking, making the atmosphere pleasant.

By the end, when Chen Guoxiang's speech slurred, Chen Feng concluded the send-off.

Ni Yuhua hadn't been drinking and could drive, so Chen Feng let her take the car to drop the three of them off at the couple's hotel.

Of course, Ni Yuhua didn't object, as Chen Guoxiang was heavily drunk, needing support just to walk, and she alone probably couldn't manage to get him back.

Chen Feng sat in the backseat with the drunken Chen Guoxiang, while Ni Yuhua focused on driving.

Her driving seemed competent enough that Chen Feng felt at ease.

"Chen Feng, how much did you buy this car for? It's really comfortable to drive," Ni Yuhua asked at a red light after some distance.

"Around a million," Chen Feng casually replied.

"Just as I guessed," Ni Yuhua said, then added with a sigh, "You rich people have it great. Driving your car makes it hard to go back to my busted Lingdu. Comparing things does spoil satisfaction."

The comment left Chen Feng feeling somewhat awkward, so he chose not to respond.

The car continued, stopping at another red light, when Ni Yuhua spoke again: "I heard you have a girlfriend; why didn't you bring her tonight?"

Chen Feng wanted to pretend to sleep but knew that would be inappropriate, so he replied, "She has plans tonight."

Ni Yuhua acknowledged with an "oh" and went on, "I heard your girlfriend graduated from East Sea University, is pretty, and younger than you, right?"

She was undoubtedly referring to Wu Mengting. Back in his hometown, as Chen Feng and his brother gained fame, Wu Mengting, the prospective daughter-in-law chosen by Zhao Xiaolan, became well-known, with many locals knowing about her.

This didn't surprise Chen Feng, so he merely responded with a nod.

"You're quite lucky," Ni Yuhua remarked, as the car started again.

She didn't speak much after that, skillfully driving to the hotel's entrance.