160: Chapter 161 The intelligence system malfunctioned.

On Wednesday morning at the Jiangcheng Police Station, sunlight streamed through the duty room windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

Zhang Fan leaned back in his chair, his fingertips gliding across his phone screen. It displayed a report sent by Wang Chengsi: "The server firewall is normal, no suspicious individuals have been detected by offline security, Ruyan has backed up the core code, everything is normal."

Gu Jingshen sat nearby with an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, his tone mocking: "Fan Zi, where did you get the news that we were going to be attacked? It's not fake, is it? We've stayed at the Police Station all night, and Qin Xue's colleagues have been watching us like we're 'high-priority protected objects,' yet we haven't even seen a suspicious shadow."

Zhang Fan frowned, his heart filled with doubt. The purple warning that popped up in the system yesterday carried an unprecedented sense of oppression, so he had immediately made thorough preparations.

He had Wang Chengsi lead Liu Ruyan and the entire Technology Department to work all night to reinforce the servers, and even dragged Gu Jingshen to hide in Qin Xue's Police Station, fearing a "physical elimination."

But a full 24 hours had passed, and let alone an attack, there hadn't even been a single suspicious phone call.

"The system's intelligence has never been wrong before." Zhang Fan opened the system interface. The light blue main page was calm and still. Last night's purple warning had been automatically archived under "Processed Intelligence," but no new follow-up prompts were added. "Maybe Tianming Group is probing us, or... their method of attack isn't what I thought?"

Zhang Fan was also confused. The intelligence system had never made a mistake; what was going on this time?

Just then, a sudden, rapid buzzing sounded in his mind. A light red system pop-up forcibly appeared, carrying an irresistible instruction: [Emergency Instruction: Immediately go to "Jiangcheng Fumanlou Hotel" (Address: 188 Jiangcheng Avenue) and attend the "Qin Family Birthday Banquet" on the third floor. Target "Xiao Chen" has appeared; he is a key clue for Tianming Group. Do not miss it.]

"Xiao Chen? Tianming Group clue?"

Zhang Fan sat up straight abruptly, the legs of his chair scraping harshly against the floor. Seeing this, Gu Jingshen, who was sitting next to him, thought he was so sleepy he had almost fallen over. He immediately nudged his arm with his elbow, his tone full of gloating: "What? Didn't sleep well last night? So sleepy you can't even sit straight?"

"Let's go! Come with me to a place!"

Zhang Fan didn't answer at all; he grabbed the jacket draped over the back of his chair and rushed toward the door.

"What's going on now?" Gu Jingshen was dragged forward by his arm, stumbling and frowning, his face full of confusion. "At least explain yourself!"

"Don't ask! You'll know when we get there!" Zhang Fan didn't stop, and his grip on his arm tightened.

"Hey, hey, hey! Take it easy!" Gu Jingshen struggled to free his arm and said urgently, "Even if we're leaving, I have to tell Qin Xue first, right? Otherwise, she won't be able to find us later!"

This made Zhang Fan stop abruptly. He slapped his forehead, only then remembering this. "Right, right, right, I have to tell Qin Xue. We might need her help later, so we shouldn't be unreachable."

Half an hour later, Zhang Fan and Gu Jingshen stood at the entrance of the Fumanlou Hotel.

The red "Birthday Banquet" archway was particularly eye-catching. The electronic screen at the entrance scrolled with the words "Happy 60th Birthday to Mother Qin." Guests in twos and threes were walking inside carrying gift boxes. It was a scene of lively harmony, showing no trace of a "Tianming Group clue."

"Fan Zi, what are we doing here?"

Gu Jingshen looked at the grandly decorated hotel entrance in front of them and couldn't help but tug on Zhang Fan's sleeve.

Zhang Fan's eyes flickered. He couldn't explain the intelligence provided by the system, so he had to bite the bullet and make an excuse: "Just... here to crash a meal." Once the words were out, even he felt they lacked conviction.

He couldn't say "someone else gave me the news"—Gu Jingshen had been inseparable from him at the Police Station all night, and the other party knew exactly whether or not he had received any new messages on his phone.

"Crash a meal?" Gu Jingshen's eyes widened, his face clearly saying "Are you kidding me?" "No, we're worth over a hundred million now, is it really worth it to come to a hotel to crash a meal? If we're seen by acquaintances, won't they laugh their heads off?"

"Just come in with me, that's all. Why so many questions?" Zhang Fan put on an indifferent expression and began walking into the hotel.

"Hey, wait!" Gu Jingshen quickly grabbed him, unconsciously rubbing his chin. "Are we just going in empty-handed? That's too impolite, right? Should we go to the gift shop next door and pick out a fruit basket first?"

Zhang Fan stopped, thought about it, and realized that made sense, so he nodded in agreement.

The two went to the gift shop next door, picked out an exquisite fruit gift box containing cherries and Shine Muscat grapes, and had the clerk pack a one-thousand-yuan red envelope in a red pouch. After tucking the items away, they followed the flow of people in and out of the hotel and officially stepped through the main entrance.

Carrying the gifts into the third-floor banquet hall of the hotel, behind the sign-in desk at the entrance, an elderly woman with gray hair wearing a deep blue birthday gown embroidered with peonies (Mother Qin, Shen Lan) was smiling as she accepted red envelopes. Standing next to her was a woman in a white dress (Qin Yan), whose temperament was gentle and graceful. She held a wet wipe, occasionally wiping sweat from her brow. Her face was somewhat pale, yet she still forced a smile to thank the guests.

"Auntie Shen, happy birthday!" A middle-aged man handed over a red envelope, and Mother Qin thanked him quickly. A staff member nearby skillfully accepted the gift and registered it in the sign-in book.

Zhang Fan and Gu Jingshen walked up and handed over the red envelope and gift box: "Auntie Shen, we were... introduced by a friend. Wishing you health and longevity."

Shen Lan was stunned for a moment, likely unable to recall any such two young men "introduced by a friend," but she still took them warmly: "Thank you, young men. Please, go inside, find an empty seat. The food will be served soon."

The two had just started to walk inside when they heard a suppressed argument coming from behind them.

"Xiao Chen! Can you stop playing on your phone?" Qin Yan's voice carried grievance and a hint of suppressed coughing. "Mom has been looking forward to this birthday banquet for half a year. I was running a fever yesterday, yet I still went to order the cake and check the guest list. And you? From yesterday until now, all you've done is play games or watch livestreams. You haven't even said, 'Do you need help!'"

Zhang Fan and Gu Jingshen stopped subconsciously. Turning back, they saw a young man in a gray hoodie and jeans (Xiao Chen) leaning against a corridor pillar. He was holding his phone, the screen lit up with a game interface, and he didn't even lift his eyelids: "It's just a birthday banquet, isn't it? What's the big deal? It's fine if you and your mom want to busy yourselves with nonsense, but don't bother me."

"This is Mom's 60th birthday banquet! It's not 'no big deal'!" Qin Yan's voice raised slightly, her eyes rimmed with red. "For the past three years, you haven't worked a single day, just staying at home. Mom hasn't said anything to you, and I haven't urged you either, but today is Mom's big day. Can't you just put down your phone and talk to her?"

Xiao Chen finally looked up, his eyes filled with impatience, his tone cold: "I said don't bother me! If it weren't for you taking care of Grandpa when he was hospitalized three years ago, would I have married you and moved into your house? Don't push your luck."

These words were like a needle, stinging Qin Yan until her eyes turned red instantly. She bit her lip, said nothing more, and just turned around to walk quickly back to the sign-in desk, picking up a wet wipe to forcefully wipe her face, trying to hide her reddened eyes.

Shen Lan saw it all, but she only sighed, not daring to say anything—she was probably accustomed to this way of interacting.

"Holy crap, what kind of scumbag is this guy?" Gu Jingshen lowered his voice, his tone full of disdain. "His wife is running a fever and busy with the banquet, and he's just acting like a lord, playing on his phone and saying such garbage—he's a complete piece of trash! And this woman too, she's so pretty, but she must be blind. How did she marry such a thing?"

Zhang Fan didn't answer, but a strange feeling welled up in his heart—Xiao Chen's attitude was too strange. It wasn't the laziness of an ordinary "lay-flat son-in-law," but rather a deliberate indifference, as if the birthday banquet before him and the family around him had nothing to do with him at all.

Just then, the system in his mind suddenly popped up with new intelligence.