87: Chapter 87 Don't Play Games That Lead to Death

"Dad! What are you doing!"

Su Wanqing was scared out of her wits; she dropped the grilled chicken wing in her hand and lunged forward, clutching Su Guohua's arm tightly.

The snake-skin bag filled with a thick stack of medical records stopped less than five centimeters from Chen Fan's forehead, creating a gust of wind that ruffled his rebellious bangs.

"Wanqing, let go!" Su Guohua's eyes were bloodshot, the veins on his neck bulging, and spittle flying everywhere. "I knew this kid looked familiar! I'd recognize him even if he turned to ash! Nineteen years! How does this heartless, ungrateful wretch have the nerve to come back? If I don't uphold justice today, I'll be doing a disservice to the suffering you and your mother have endured!"

Chen Fan stood still, not moving or dodging. Seeing his furious father-in-law, he actually felt a sense of relief.

It was better to let it out; that anger had been bottled up for nineteen years, and the man needed to vent.

"Uncle! Every mistake, every single fault, is mine!"

Just at this critical moment, a deep, steady, and resonant baritone voice exploded from the side.

Chen Jian strode forward, his natural aura of authority forcing Su Guohua to pause.

This "big leader," who had just been surrounded by onlookers, suddenly dropped to one knee on the greasy concrete floor with a thud.

This kneeling stunned everyone.

"Uncle, I am Chen Fan's older brother, Chen Jian." Chen Jian's eyes reddened, his voice choked with emotion—his acting skills were worthy of an Oscar. "It wasn't that Chen Fan wanted to run away; I forced him to!"

Su Guohua slowly lowered the snake-skin bag, staring suspiciously at the man who looked wealthy and distinguished: "What do you mean?"

"Back then, our family's business failed completely, and we owed over twenty million in usury loans." Chen Jian wiped his face, tears streaming down. "The debt collectors threatened to break our limbs. I saw that Wanqing was just pregnant then, and to avoid dragging them down, I forced Chen Fan to cut off contact and go far away to hide from the debt."

Chen Jian pointed at Chen Fan, looking heartbroken: "For these nineteen years, he lived under an assumed name, eating scraps, never having a single good day! He didn't even dare to make a phone call for fear of exposing his location and harming Wanqing! Uncle, he has suffered so much!"

Chen Fan blinked, listening from the side.

Not bad, big brother. This script is so well-crafted that I almost believed I'd been begging on the streets for nineteen years.

Su Wanqing was also stunned. She looked at Chen Fan, her eyes filled with a mix of complexity and heartache. So... it was because of this?

Su Guohua loosened his grip, and the snake-skin bag dropped to the ground with a thud. He looked at Chen Fan's faded undershirt and the flip-flops on his feet, and half his anger dissipated.

"Is... is this true?" Su Guohua's voice trembled.

"It couldn't be truer!" Chen Jian climbed up from the ground and brushed the dust off his knees. "Fortunately, the heavens have eyes. Over the past few years, we brothers have worked ourselves to the bone and finally paid off the debt, even saving a little money. And so, as soon as the debt was paid, he rushed back without delay to make amends."

This logical loop was impeccable.

It explained both the reason for his disappearance and why he was currently just a "small business owner making a million a year."

Su Guohua was silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh and picked up the snake-skin bag, patting it. "Since it was a hardship, then there's nothing to be done. As long as he didn't find someone else out there, then... let it be."

A storm of violence was thus defused by Chen Jian in just a few words.

Everyone sat back down.

Only this time, Chen Jian was included.

This head of Beijing Chen Family, worth hundreds of billions and accustomed to drinking only special-supply Dahongpao tea, was now sitting on a wobbly plastic stool, facing a table of sizzling skewers and beer, his expression quite remarkable.

"Brother, eat." Chen Fan picked up a charred grilled kidney and handed it over. "This is good stuff, very nourishing."

Chen Jian looked at the dripping, mysterious object, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty. In his entire life, he had barely breathed roadside air, let alone eaten such "biochemical weapons."

But seeing Su Guohua's scrutinizing gaze, Chen Jian gritted his teeth, steeled himself, took the kidney, and took a big bite.

"Delicious! Truly delicious!" Chen Jian said, his mouth oily, giving a thumbs up. "This is what they call the flavor of life! Compared to those... ahem, compared to the pickles and steamed buns I ate before, this is a heavenly life!"

Su Wanqing poured a beer for Chen Jian, feeling a bit awkward: "Big... big brother, we didn't know you were coming, we didn't prepare anything, please don't mind it."

"What are you saying, sister-in-law!" Chen Jian raised the disposable plastic cup, looking at Su Wanqing with the affection of an elder. "For so many years, with the third one gone, you raised two children alone and took such good care of the old couple. Our Chen family owes you. This drink is a toast to you, big brother!"

After saying this, Chen Jian tilted his head back and downed the cheap beer in one gulp.

Su Guohua watched from the side and nodded inwardly. This big brother looked like a decent person, speaking and acting with propriety; it seemed the roots of the Chen family hadn't completely rotted.

Although the environment was noisy, the atmosphere of the meal was surprisingly harmonious.

After eating and drinking their fill, Chen Jian didn't dare stay long, fearing his "noble aura" might give him away again.

Chen Fan made an excuse to see his big brother off, and the two strolled out of the night market.

Just as they reached the intersection, next to the understated black Audi A8, a young woman in a professional skirt suit with a hot figure immediately approached, holding a trench coat and carefully draping it over Chen Jian.

"Chairman... uh, Mr. Chen, you didn't drink too much, did you?" The female assistant's voice was cloyingly sweet, her eyes lingering, wishing she could press her entire body against Chen Jian.

Chen Fan stood to the side, arms crossed, watching this scene with a mocking smile.

"Not bad, boss." Chen Fan nudged Chen Jian with his elbow, lowering his voice. "Does the sister-in-law at home know you're working so hard on 'overtime'?"

Chen Jian's old face flushed red, and he glared at Chen Fan, wrapping the trench coat tighter around himself: "Cut the crap! This is a work necessity! Um... Little Liu, go wait for me in the car first."

Once the female assistant got into the car, Chen Jian let out a sigh of relief and resumed his serious big-boss demeanor: "Third one, I think your sister-in-law is a good person, honest and dutiful. You must treat her well from now on, and don't stir up any more trouble."

"Do I need you to tell me that?" Chen Fan pursed his lips, reached into his pocket, pulled out a gold card, and shoved it into Chen Jian's hand.

"What? Giving me money?" Chen Jian was taken aback. "Your brother is so poor now that I only have money left."

"This is a long-term card for the presidential suite on the top floor of the Yunzhou International Hotel." Chen Fan gestured toward the female assistant in the car, a mischievous grin appearing on his face that every man understands. "That's my property. The security is absolutely private; not even a fly could get in. It's much safer than those messy places you go to."

Chen Jian gripped the card, his hand trembling slightly. He wanted to curse, but in the end, he silently tucked the card into his pocket.

"I guess you have a conscience." Chen Jian coughed dryly to cover his embarrassment. "I'm off. I have to go back to the capital in a couple of days, and you'll have to be the one to explain things to the old man."

"Got it, get lost."

Chen Fan waved his hand.

Chen Jian pulled open the car door, and just as he stepped one foot in, Chen Fan added lazily:

"Brother, take it easy. That kidney might be good, but don't push yourself too hard. I don't want to have to bring you a fruit basket at the hospital later; that wouldn't look good."

"Get lost!!!"

Chen Jian slammed the car door in a fit of shame and anger.

Watching the Audi's taillights disappear into the night, the smile on Chen Fan's face slowly faded.

He turned to look at the thousands of lights behind him and took a deep breath of the air filled with the scent of barbecue.

This hurdle had been cleared.

Next, it was time to worry about his son.

Heard that kid has been quite high-profile at school lately?

...

Meanwhile, outside the north gate of Yunzhou University.

The cold wind swirled dead leaves under the streetlights.

A black maybach slowly pulled over to the side of the road, and the window lowered halfway. Chen Muyang sat in the back seat, holding a tablet and looking at the day's stock market trends, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Young Master, it seems a bit jammed ahead." Driver Old Zhang turned back and said. "The security guards are chasing someone away; it looks like a student handing out flyers."

Chen Muyang looked up, his gaze sweeping casually out the window.

Under the streetlight, a thin girl wearing a thin school uniform was clutching a thick stack of flyers, being pushed around by two burly security guards.

The flyers scattered all over the ground, blown everywhere by the wind.

The girl crouched down, frantically trying to pick them up, her frozen red fingers scratching at the concrete. The moment she looked up, the streetlight illuminated her delicate yet pale face. There were no tears in her eyes, only a kind of heart-wrenching stubbornness.

Chen Muyang's fingers tapped lightly on the edge of the tablet.

"Stop the car."