All eyes were immediately drawn to the sound. Looking up, they saw a burly man with a full beard sitting on a three-meter diving board above the beautiful small swimming pool in the VIP sanatorium area. His body swayed slightly with the board's movement.
The man held a glass of red wine in his hand, a faint smile on his face. Although he sat there casually, he exuded a fierce aura, like a drawn sword. Even a glance at him from afar sent chills down the spines of the calligraphy and painting club students.
Chen Yang gave a helpless wry smile and replied loudly,
"Okay! You eat first!"
Then he muttered under his breath,
"Drinking 1982 Lafite with barbecue, what a boor! What a waste!"
After saying that, Chen Yang, oblivious to everyone else, picked up a skewer of roasted lamb from the tray that Executive Chef Wu had brought him, and started eating it heartily while mumbling,
"Su He, you eat too! Oh, and there are drinks here, jujube juice..."
Then Chen Yang leaned close to Su He's ear and whispered,
"I specifically asked for it not iced, drink it without worry, it's good for your health..."
Su He blushed and nodded, also picking up a skewer of chicken wings from the tray, but her eating manners were much more refined than Chen Yang's. Eating in front of so many people made Su He feel a little uncomfortable. Seeing this, Chen Yang bit off the lamb roe from the bamboo skewer, then stood up and asked Shen Tu Fan and the others with a hint of teasing:
"Anything else, everyone?"
Shen Tu Fan snorted coldly, glared at Chen Yang, and turned to leave without looking back. Hu Qing quickly followed. The students who had been watching the spectacle, though still somewhat unsatisfied, also got up and left once the main characters were gone.
However, in their hearts, the fire of gossip burned fiercely. This clash ended with Chen Yang's resounding victory; Shen Tu Fan, eager to show off, was completely outmatched. Thinking of Shen Tu Fan's face turning a deep shade of purple, the students wanted to laugh but dared not, following behind him with strange expressions.
Shen Tu Fan walked quickly back, asking in a muffled voice:
"What exactly happened?"
Although Shen Tu Fan didn't turn around, Hu Qing knew he was referring to him. Hu Qing hurried over to Shen Tu Fan's side, saying dejectedly,
"Boss, I don't know how this kid knows the resort's VIP guests. I guess that General Manager Wu is serving that VIP, which is why he brought food to Chen Yang."
Shen Tu Fan said impatiently,
"I don't care about any VIP guests. Isn't your uncle the resort's CEO? Have him set up a trap and teach this kid a lesson!"
Hu Qing quickly agreed. Originally, they were going to the beach after the barbecue, but Shen Tu Fan had lost interest and went straight back to his hotel room.
Chen Yang finished the barbecue with Su He. The two got up and walked to the entrance of the high-end spa area. Two burly men in black stood guard there expressionlessly. They didn't speak to Chen Yang, but simply opened the door.
Chen Yang led Su He across a stretch of sand to the poolside. Dao Ge had already come down from the diving board and was sitting on a lounge chair by the pool, his gaze fixed intently on Chen Yang and Su He.
Chen Yang felt a little guilty, but didn't show it on his face. He approached Dao Ge with a smile and said,
"Su He, this is Sister Qian's... an elder. You can just call him Dao Ge."
Su He hesitated for a moment, feeling a little strange. She should call Ning Qiaoqian's elder "uncle," so why was Chen Yang telling her to call him "Dao Ge"? The family hierarchy was really messed up! However, she trusted Chen Yang completely, so after a slight hesitation, she obediently greeted him,
"Hello, Dao Ge!"
Dao Ge smiled and said,
"Hello, little girl! Is that the pretty boy who was bothering you just now? Do you want Dao Ge to help you get rid of this trouble completely?"
Dao Ge's words carried a chilling undertone, and Su He was momentarily at a loss. Chen Yang quickly said,
"Please don't, it's such a small matter, why would I trouble you to handle it..."
Brother Dao glanced at Chen Yang and chuckled, "What are you thinking, kid? I was just asking if we should find someone to remind him! Do you think I'm some kind of guy who's always shouting for violence?"
Chen Yang then realized he had misunderstood and thought to himself: "Who told you to talk with such a murderous aura? You scared Su He." Chen Yang chuckled awkwardly and said,
"Absolutely not! Brother Dao, you're a senior executive at a renowned international company now, a true high-earner! Why would you be shouting for violence? That's something street thugs do!"
Brother Dao's expression softened slightly, and he said nonchalantly,
"Of course! I go out now, looking respectable. People call me President Qin with utmost respect!"
Seeing Brother Dao speak of him like that, Su He couldn't help but smile. She thought that although Brother Dao looked fierce and spoke with a lot of profanity, he was quite interesting, with a childlike personality.
If the thugs on Xiamen Island knew what Su He was thinking, they would be utterly astonished. The infamous Brother Qiankun was being treated like a child by a delicate beauty—it was simply unimaginable.
Everything that had just happened had been observed by two people on the beach not far away. One of the young men lay casually on a beach chair, a white towel haphazardly covering him. His face was slightly pale, with deep bags under his eyes, clearly indicating he had been drained by alcohol and women.
A young woman in a revealing swimsuit knelt beside him, gently massaging his shoulders and back. The young man's hands brazenly slipped under the thin swimsuit, kneading her skin wantonly.
A man in his thirties stood respectfully to the side, his fully dressed clothes making him stand out somewhat from the scantily clad beach.
The young man, a playful smile on his face, said casually:
"Ah Lin, interesting! I didn't expect to run into him here!"
The man in his thirties replied respectfully:
"Yes, young master!"
These two were none other than Fan Zihong and his entourage He Lin, who had recently followed Xu Qingya to Rongcheng like a leech. He Lin glanced at Dao Ge sitting by the pool and said hesitantly,
"Young Master, the man next to this kid is Ning Kuncheng's top henchman, named A Dao. I didn't expect him to be connected to Ning Kuncheng..."
Fan Zihong had also heard of Ning Kuncheng's reputation, but as a spoiled brat from a prominent Beijing family, he had developed an arrogant attitude from a young age, so he didn't take Ning Kuncheng seriously at all, let alone Dao Ge. He said casually,
"Just an old thug, what's so great about him? I say... this kid's got some luck with women! Each woman around him is more beautiful than the last!"
As Fan Zihong spoke, his lecherous eyes kept darting to Su He, completely ignoring Dao Ge. Seeing Fan Zihong's behavior, He Lin couldn't help but sigh inwardly: The young master only cares about women, he knows nothing about serious matters, he's really not presentable!
Could Ning Kuncheng be that simple? Fang Hongda had been in charge of Southeast Province for several years, and Ning Kuncheng was still living a comfortable life. Although rumors circulated that he had long since retired, who in the Southeast Province's underworld dared to disrespect him? His legitimate businesses were also thriving; the Qiankun Group had become an internationally renowned listed company and was undoubtedly the leading private enterprise in the entire Southeast Province.
Such a powerful figure, in Fan Zihong's eyes, was merely an old hoodlum?
He Lin couldn't help but shake his head slightly.
"You said last time that this kid hadn't contacted Qingya at all? They really have no relationship whatsoever?" Fan Zihong suddenly asked.
He Lin's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said,
"Yes, young master! He hasn't seen Miss Xu since he visited her at the main hospital. I think it was just out of courtesy, after all, they were in the same car accident..."
Fan Zihong impatiently interrupted He Lin, saying decisively,
"Investigate further! Investigate more thoroughly, and also find out about the girl with him. That will help us fully understand this kid! Hehe..."
A wicked glint appeared in Fan Zihong's eyes. He Lin knew Fan Zihong's intentions perfectly well, but dared not show it on his face, only nodding respectfully in agreement.
Fan Zihong pinched the woman massaging him hard, then sat up, pulled her into his arms, and hooked her chin, saying,
"I'm a little tired, come with me back to my room to rest!"
With that, he and the woman swayed unsteadily towards a seaside villa. He Lin glanced back at Chen Yang and the others, then turned and followed Fan Zihong at a distance.
"Just a few glances, and I already need to relieve myself immediately… This innocent little girl is really powerful! I must get her!" Fan Zihong thought to himself as he walked.
Chen Yang and Su He chatted with Brother Dao for a while before getting up to leave. Chen Yang had booked a room in advance, so Brother Dao didn't try to keep him. After seeing Su He off at the hotel, Chen Yang returned to his reserved seaside villa.
In a guest room on the tenth floor of the Qiankun Hotel, Hu Qing said obsequiously to Shen Tu Fan:
"Boss, I've arranged everything. That kid's really extravagant! He booked a detached villa, and my uncle sent a trusted waiter in. He only has a small bag, and the contents are already inside, in a hidden compartment at the very back. He definitely won't find it!"
Shen Tu Fan gritted his teeth and said:
"Good! He'll definitely come with us to the beach trip tomorrow. Give him a piece of your mind!"
Hu Qing said with a forced smile:
"Don't worry, Boss, my uncle has a good relationship with the Pingdan police. He's already made arrangements. Even if he doesn't bring that bag tomorrow, I have a backup plan! Just wait and see!"
"Hmm! Hu Qing, you're very good! I'll definitely repay you properly when we get back!" Shen Tu Fan patted Hu Qing on the shoulder approvingly. "Hehe, thank you, President! Thank you, President!" Hu Qing felt a little lighter after Shen Tu Fan's words and quickly thanked him repeatedly.