246: Chapter 246 New Year's Eve

It was already evening by the time they returned from that private venue. The driver was Long Er, one of the first Clones Lin Fang had implanted with a chip.

Having not seen each other for a long time, Lin Tianxiong still felt a bit awkward around Lin Fang. After hesitating for a few seconds in the car, he finally suggested whether they should go for a foot massage together.

As per tradition, the old place—his treat.

Hearing this, Lin Fang stroked his chin. "Dad, I thought you'd changed your ways and didn't like going anymore."

"Son, what are you talking about?"

Lin Tianxiong's expression turned serious, and he said sternly, "I just feel that since you've become a big boss, it's not like before. It wouldn't be good if you were photographed."

"I don't show my face much, so it should be fine. Or should I wear a mask?"

"What would wearing a mask look like?" Lin Tianxiong burst into laughter. "It's fine, I almost forgot, we can still use the back door..."

Then, Lin Tianxiong added, "By the way, son, why did you agree to cooperate with them? Every one of them just wants to profit off you."

"If they profit, aren't I profiting too? Since they're being sincere, I'll give them a chance. Besides..."

Lin Fang chuckled. "Combined, they can't even scrape together a billion US dollars. I don't care about that small amount of money."

"Impressive!"

Lin Tianxiong gave a thumbs up.

They arrived at a club named Jinxi Hall, an established brand with thirty years of history. Just as the car parked, a woman wearing an elegant long dress came out to greet them with a smile:

"Boss Lin, you've come again. Your presence truly brings light to our establishment. Your private room is already prepared."

"And this is..." At the end, Ye Shanping noticed the young man getting out from the other side. Upon seeing his face clearly, her beautiful eyes were instantly filled with shock.

Inside the steaming private room,

The medicinal soup was poured into a large wooden tub, and a faint herbal scent wafted through the air.

"Hiss—comfortable!" Lin Tianxiong let out a satisfied sigh.

Lin Fang was also enjoying himself comfortably, suddenly feeling that the services in Civilization Science City should be enhanced.

The door opened again.

"Young Master Lin, it's been a long time. You truly... look more and more distinguished," the female manager from earlier said as she gently placed exquisite snacks on the low table, her tone even more respectful than before.

Who could have imagined that the young man who used to follow his father occasionally—though steady and quiet, different from his peers—was ultimately just a novice back then.

But in just a few short years, the other party was already standing at the top of the world, a legendary figure whose every move could influence global affairs.

It was also thanks to his company that her daughter's cancer could be completely cured.

Lin Fang's expression remained unchanged. "Manager Ye, you overpraise me. I'm just an ordinary person."

Ye Shanping was stunned. If the young man before her was an ordinary person, then what were she and everyone else?

Sensing that Lin Fang didn't want to talk much, Ye Shanping tactfully bowed and left the room.

"Young Master Lin, if you need anything, please let me know. I won't disturb you for now..."

—

As night fell, Lin Fang was just starting to feel sleepy when Xiao Hei's voice suddenly rang out from his invisible earpiece.

[Boss, just now, the people who were originally monitoring your father have withdrawn. The authorities have replaced them with another group, and they are monitoring your residence.]

[This club has also been surrounded by them!]

Lin Fang: ...

After understanding which unit had sent them, Lin Fang lay back down.

"It's normal. I didn't hide my tracks; it would have been surprising if they didn't come. Don't worry, they won't do anything to me. On the contrary, they'll protect my safety. We'll just see when they decide to meet me."

A moment later, Xiao Hei replied in surprise:

[Boss, you were right. They've just disguised themselves as neighborhood security and passersby. They have no intention of coming in; they've even started selling pancakes.]

With so many bodyguards around, Lin Fang fell asleep peacefully.

For the next few days, Lin Fang stayed home obediently, occasionally accompanying Lin Tianxiong for meals, fishing, foot massages, and so on. Life was quite pleasant.

In the living room, the game controller in Lin Fang's hands clicked rapidly. Light and shadow flickered on the screen as his character quickly KO'd the opponent with a cool combo.

"Tsk, a piece of cake."

Lin Fang, on the sofa, tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of iced cola, then tossed a few potato chips into his mouth.

He looked exactly like a complete shut-in.

[Boss has been in a very good mood these past few days.]

Hearing this, Lin Fang sat up straight and said seriously, "Xiao Hei, this is a sign of degeneracy. You must never learn this."

[Oh...]

Xiao Hei hesitated for a moment, then said: [Boss seems to value his father very much?]

Lin Fang nodded, admitting to this. "Xiao Hei, family ties are a weakness for many people, including me. My dad has been very good to me since I was a child, so naturally, he's someone I value."

[Then since Boss created me, can I also call Boss 'Papa'?]

Lin Fang's expression softened, realizing that Xiao Hei was curious about the human concept of family affection.

After thinking for a bit, Lin Fang said, "You can, but under normal circumstances, just call me Boss. I'm not married yet and don't like being called Papa by others."

[Xiao Hei: ...]

Not long after, it was New Year's Eve. Zhou Hui and Xu Anqing, the two company executives, came to Lin Fang's house with gifts. Lin Tianxiong welcomed them warmly and began preparing the New Year's Eve dinner.

It took a lot of persuasion from Lin Fang to stop the old man from trying to show off his cooking skills himself.

—

On the other side, the news of Lin Fang's return could not be hidden. Facing this figure who controlled various epoch-making technologies and a massive company, many organizations and departments became active.

The news also reached the ears of the Binhai City Major Case Investigation Team.

In the meeting room, smoke swirled. Over a dozen people were either sitting or standing, each with a different expression.

"Lin Fang attended elementary and high school in West Province. At 17, he was admitted to Binhai University. However, within less than a year at Binhai University, he applied for a leave of absence and founded Third-Party Biotechnology Company. The first product was named Fangzhi Browser..."

On the screen at the front of the meeting, a young male police officer with a buzz cut was pointing at a PPT with an electronic pen, his tone carrying a professional calmness.

"From then on, this company was like it had grown wings. After the Petrification Virus at the beginning of the year, it became the world's number one company, with a valuation exceeding 5 trillion US dollars!"

Seeing this massive figure, people in the meeting room couldn't help but gasp.

At this point, a middle-aged police officer with dark circles under his eyes sitting in his seat said, "Alright, we know all this. Get straight to the point. It's rotten luck to be busy here on New Year's Eve."

"Please be patient."

The buzz-cut youth in front of the screen clicked, and the PPT switched to the next set of data. The title was '1.28 Pu River Explosion Case'.

"In this case, a total of four people died. Their deaths were extremely gruesome. We subsequently determined that these people were all smugglers who helped people cross borders illegally, while the target and his father, Lin Tianxiong, were the only two witnesses to this explosion case."