The Divine Doctor Captures a Beauty [Complete] - 21

Chapter 441 Where Does the Jade Beauty Teach the Flute?

Chapter 442 The Rich Shouldn't Flow into Outsiders' Fields.

Lin Yupeng analyzed and concluded that, currently, under pressure from Zhang Yueran, the Municipal Public Security Bureau was closely monitoring the Hong Group's movements. The spy Hong Tianhao sent had been arrested again, and his sister Pan Lu had mysteriously disappeared. These messy matters would probably keep Hong Tianhao busy for a while, and he wouldn't make a move in the short term, giving Lin Yupeng some breathing room.

Although he and Hong Tianhao had clashed at the celebration ceremony and almost fought, he could see that Hong Tianhao didn't dare to easily touch him now. Several times, just as the conflict was about to erupt like a volcano, Hong Tianhao cleverly suppressed it.

The next morning, Lin Yupeng, Xiang Kui, and Xiao Ru arrived at the Tianqiong Group to begin a new week of work. Starlight Media Group hasn't been officially established yet. Once it's established, Lin Yupeng will move his office there, while also taking care of the group headquarters. Fortunately, the headquarters and Starlight Media are very close, just across the street, and he has a car, so commuting isn't too tiring.

This morning, Xu Weiguo, the soon-to-be chairman of Starlight Media, sent someone with a document listing the candidates and information for Starlight Media's middle and senior management. It was very detailed, and he asked Lin Yupeng to take a look. If he had any objections to any position, he could speak to him directly.

Lin Yupeng took the document and looked at it carefully. He didn't recognize many of the people listed, so he couldn't raise any questions. However, he was quite familiar with two people: Deng Yuhu, who had been transferred to the position of head of the group's security department after the establishment of Starlight Media Group. Lin Yupeng had long suspected that Deng Yuhu was Chairman Jin's confidant, and this personnel change further confirmed his suspicions.

Deng Yuhu is undoubtedly a formidable general at Tianqiong Group, on par with Xiao Feilong, the head of the security department. His appointment as the head of security at Xingguang Media effectively strengthens the company's security capabilities.

Another individual is Xing Zhijian, the financial director. Originally the quality control director at Tianqiong Group, he has been transferred to the position of administrative director. Like Xu Weiguo, he is a man of few words, highly capable, and shrewd. His quality control department, one of the four departments under Lin Yupeng's supervision, has always been his most trusted department. They have never made a mistake, are meticulous and conscientious, and show great respect to Lin Yupeng. His appointment as administrative director, overseeing finances, seems to be a deliberate arrangement by Chairman Jin.

After reviewing the materials, Lin Yupeng called Xu Weiguo to express his no objections; these individuals are perfectly capable of joining Xingguang Media Group in key positions.

Xu Weiguo told Lin Yupeng over the phone, "The day after tomorrow, Wednesday afternoon at 1 PM, the founding ceremony of Xingguang Media Group will begin, officially marking the start of Hongye Jun."

Lin Yupeng's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself, "Xingguang Media is being established the day after tomorrow, they're moving really fast!" Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind: "Is the Tianqiong Group deliberately diverting the police's attention by establishing a subsidiary, Xingguang Media, with such fanfare?"

Just as he was thinking about this, his office phone rang. It was Lang Zikun, the director of the president's office.

"President Lin, I have good news for you! The Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department has agreed to give our newly established Xingguang Media special attention and vigorous promotion. I sent someone there to communicate a couple of days ago, and the results were unprecedentedly good!" Lang Zikun said in a high-pitched, obsequious voice.

"Oh? Who told you to go to the Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department?" Lin Yupeng said in a calm tone.

"Hehe, I went by myself. When President Lin asked for Tan Shiquan's personal information, I guessed you'd have a way to get him. President Lin, I'm impressed! Tan Shiquan has always looked down on our Tianqiong Group, but I didn't expect him to actually show up this time!" Lang Zikun laughed heartily.

"Hmm... By the way, where is the welcome banquet after the celebration ceremony being held?" Lin Yupeng asked in a deep voice.

"Oh, the banquet is being held at the Meidu Hotel. Does President Lin have any objections?" Lang Zikun asked tentatively.

Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he ordered in a deep voice, "I suggest changing it to the newly established Weili Hotel! No. 210 Xingfa Road, very close to Xingguang Media." Chen Lihan had just opened a new hotel, how could Lin Yupeng not go and support it? Holding the Xingguang Media celebration banquet there would allow Weili Hotel to earn a considerable profit in one night, keeping the profits within the family.

Lang Zikun hesitated for a moment before saying, "President Lin, isn't the Weili Hotel newly opened by Chen Wei and his sister? If you want to move the celebration banquet there, I have no objection, but... there are less than two days left now, isn't it too rushed to prepare?"

"It's just a banquet, two days is enough to prepare, keep it simple! Our group doesn't have much working capital right now, there's no need for such extravagance, besides, the decoration and class of the Weili Hotel are actually no worse than the Meidu Hotel!" Lin Yupeng said in a deep voice.

"Alright then! I'll contact the Weili Hotel right away, President Lin, don't worry, it will definitely satisfy you!" Lang Zikun also knew about the subtle relationship between Lin Yupeng and Chen Lihan, so he immediately agreed readily. Anyway, it's just a celebration banquet, it doesn't matter where it's held.

"Okay, I'll also call their President Chen and ask her to give them some consideration!" After saying this, Lin Yupeng hung up the phone with Lang Zikun and immediately dialed Chen Lihan's cell phone, because he didn't know Chen Lihan's phone number in the Weili Hotel office.

After two rings, the call connected. Chen Lihan's soft, slightly tired voice came through the phone: "Hello! Is this Brother Lin?"

"Yes, it's me! Did you not sleep well again last night?" Lin Yupeng asked with concern. He knew Chen Lihan had always suffered from insomnia and vivid dreams, especially recently with the opening of the new hotel, which had been hectic and chaotic, making it even harder for her to get a good night's sleep.

"Um...it's okay, I'm not tired. Brother Lin, is there something you need?" Chen Lihan asked sweetly. She was always strong-willed, but she was always grateful for Lin Yupeng's concern.

"I'm introducing you to some business! The day after tomorrow, our group's newly established Starlight Media is holding a celebration banquet at your place. Can you host it?" Lin Yupeng asked with a smile.

"What time does it start? How many tables?" Chen Lihan asked excitedly.

"Well, our president's office will contact you in a bit. I'm just letting you know in advance, haha." Lin Yupeng laughed heartily.

"Oh, I see, thank you!" Chen Lihan said gratefully.

"Hehe, you're welcome! By the way, is Hong Tianhao still in your hotel?" Lin Yupeng never forgot to keep an eye on Hong Tianhao.

"Yes, he hasn't left!" Chen Lihan said with a hint of anxiety in her voice.

Chapter 442 Keep the Good Life in the Family

Chapter 443 The Storm Is Brewing

"What? Is this guy trying to stay? Did they pay the room fee?" Lin Yupeng's heart skipped a beat, and he asked coldly.

"They paid for a week! They booked a presidential suite and two standard rooms." Chen Lihan replied quietly.

"Oh, those guys, be careful! If they do anything wrong, call me immediately!" Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he said in a deep voice.

Chen Lihan sweetly responded. Lin Yupeng chatted with her for a few more minutes, but didn't mention business at all. The conversation revolved entirely around her sleep problems, urging her to rest early and not ruin her health for work.

Chen Lihan nodded repeatedly, but she still had work to do and couldn't chat with Lin Yupeng for too long like a casual conversation.

Lin Yupeng also knew when to stop, hanging up the phone after a while.

Finally, he could have some peace and quiet. He sat in his chair, closed his eyes to rest, and after a while, suddenly opened them, his eyes flashing like sharp blades. His first thought was of Tan Shiquan, the guy who had just agreed to be "conquered" by him a few days ago, which explained why Lang Zikun's request for a favor had gone so smoothly.

However, being in the spotlight is a double-edged sword. Used well, it can promote oneself, expand influence, and increase profits; used poorly, it can generate negative news and damage Starlight Media. Therefore, how to control this publicity tool in the future is a thorny issue. But with Starlight Media about to be established, increasing publicity and expanding brand awareness is more beneficial than harmful to Lin Yupeng. Brand

awareness and popularity often translate into huge sums of money and profits!

With Starlight Media's establishment imminent, another thorny issue—the demolition of Hongfa Paper Mill—must proceed immediately and without delay. The new film and television city plan must be completed within a year; time is tight, the task is heavy, and every day is crucial.

Thinking of this, Lin Yupeng dialed Mayor Tao Haiping's cell phone. After the call connected, he went straight to the point: "Mayor Tao, has the demolition work at Hongfa Paper Mill started?"

Tao Haiping replied with a hearty laugh: "It started the day before yesterday. They're currently dismantling the outer walls and protective netting."

Lin Yupeng's eyes lit up, and he asked with concern: "How's the reaction from Hongfa? Have they tried to obstruct us?"

Tao Haiping replied: "Not yet. They've been producing normally! The walls are only halfway down; they haven't fully entered the area yet. Anything could happen."

Lin Yupeng pondered: "Hmm, tell General Manager He of the demolition company to be careful. If necessary, resort to forced demolition. The demolition must be completed completely within a month!"

Tao Haiping said: "Okay, I have a meeting to attend. If Brother Lin has nothing else, I'll hang up now."

"Okay, you're busy! Goodbye!" Lin Yupeng hung up the phone with Tao Haiping, his mind racing again. "The demolition has already started, but Hongfa Paper Mill hasn't made a move yet. Is this just the calm before the storm?"

He had a premonition that something was amiss, but since nothing had happened yet, all predictions were unfounded.

That day, besides making those calls, Lin Yupeng didn't have any actual work. After work, he returned to the villa in the northern suburbs with his bodyguard Xiang Kui and secretary Xiao Ru.

Lin Yupeng returned early today, which naturally made Fang Na and Qin Xue very happy. Given the recent tense situation, Lin Yupeng didn't allow them to go out during the day. Xiao Ru, who was quite capable, usually did the grocery shopping. Fortunately, the villa was large and had many entertainment options, otherwise Fang Na and Qin Xue would have been bored to death.

Despite this, every weekend, Qin Xue still insisted on going shopping; this girl was always restless and never wanted to be still.

Recently, whenever Lin Yupeng came home, he liked to wander around the triangular space under the stairs. The more he looked at it, the more he felt there was something special about it. However, he was too busy with other matters right now. He planned to force Zhu Yachen to build him an underground palace when he had more time. That way, if any unexpected events occurred, he and his women could hide there; underground was definitely safer than above ground.

That night, Lin Yupeng had a rare and wonderful night with his women. He temporarily forgot about his worries and indulged in joy, play, and pleasure with them.

When it was time to sleep, Lin Yupeng, just like the night before, embraced two beauties, feeling carefree and blissful as if he were in heaven. Their passion surged, and the two beautiful women on the bed, with their bright eyes and shy demeanor, aroused his desire. He buried himself in their tender embrace, making love to them in a frenzy, leaving them drenched in sweat, languid and weak, as waves of tingling pleasure washed over them, making them feel like they were dying and being reborn.

The next morning, Lin Yupeng went to work at Tianqiong Group as usual. The passionate night he had spent the previous night had left him extremely happy, and his mind was unusually active.

Tomorrow was the official establishment day of Xingguang Media, and today was the final sprint of preparations. Of course, Xu Weiguo and Lang Zikun were in charge of these tasks, and Lin Yupeng could simply sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

He spent the morning leisurely. In the afternoon, Lang Zikun, the president's class teacher and soon-to-be vice president of Xingguang Media, came directly to Lin Yupeng's office to accompany him to inspect the Xingguang Media Group's offices. Starting this afternoon, Lin Yupeng would officially take office as president.

Bodyguard Xiang Kui and secretary Xiao Ru naturally followed Lin Yupeng closely. The four of them got into a car and arrived at Xin'an Street behind Tianqiong Group. The tallest buildings on the street were two imposing ten-story buildings, which were the offices of Xingguang Media Group, formed by the merger of the former "Today's Star" and "Tomorrow's Light" entertainment companies.

The Starlight Media Group's signboard was still covered with red silk, indicating that several important figures would be needed to cut the ribbon tomorrow before it would officially open for business.

There was an open space in front, half used as a playground for employee activities and the other half as a parking lot, where a team of security guards patrolled.

Starlight Media's security department consisted of thirty people, a small team directly under Deng Yuhu's command. The personnel were all drawn from the Tianqiong Group's security department, and were all Deng Yuhu's trusted confidants—in other words, Jin Dong's inner circle.

The security guards were all between twenty and thirty years old, dressed in gray-black uniforms, energetic and spirited, with sharp eyes, clearly professionally trained, each possessing some skill, and concealed stun batons and pistols at their waists.

Tianqiong Group had previously been involved in arms smuggling, so its security guards carried heavy weapons—pistols, rifles—and even portable rocket launchers were kept in their warehouse.

Chapter 443 The Storm Is Brewing,

Chapter 444 The Fragrance Lingers

Security Chief Deng Yuhu wasn't wearing his security uniform; he was dressed in loose casual clothes. He was imposing, broad-shouldered, with a large head and thick legs. His large, bright, star-like eyes, when they occasionally flickered, would shoot out beams of light sharper than a precious sword and more chilling than the cold wind, making people tremble with fear and dare not look directly at him.

When Lang Zikun and Lin Yupeng's car arrived at the parking lot, Deng Yuhu, accompanied by a security guard, immediately ran over. One of the guards opened Lang Zikun's car door, while Deng Yuhu personally opened the door to Lin Yupeng's Audi. Lin Yupeng and Xiao Ru, sitting in the back seat, stepped out of the car one after the other.

"Mr. Lin, hello!" Deng Yuhu's large, bright eyes fixed on Lin Yupeng, a slight smile playing on his lips, as he greeted him respectfully.

"Hello!" Lin Yupeng glanced at him a few times, patted his broad shoulder, and didn't say much. Deng Yuhu seemed to be one of the trustworthy people for now.

"President Lin, please go to your office! I'll take you there!" Deng Yuhu said loudly, not even glancing at Lang Zikun over there, as if Lin Yupeng was the only one there.

"Okay! Thank you!" Lin Yupeng smiled amicably and, led by Deng Yuhu, entered the office building of Xingguang Media Group on the left with Xiang Kui and Xiao Ru.

Lang Zikun, led by another security guard, went to a building next door, which was the office of Xingguang Cultural Communication Company, a subsidiary of Xingguang Media Group. In fact, it was just the original "Tomorrow's Light" company under a new name.

Lin Yupeng's president's office was on the fifth floor, which was Lang Zikun's former general manager's office. The interior decoration was antique,

quite different from Lin Yupeng's office at headquarters, but the layout was similar, with a large office and a lounge. The level of luxury was also similar, and the furnishings were all brand new.

After accompanying Lin Yupeng on a tour, Deng Yuhu turned to leave, but Lin Yupeng stopped him: "Minister Deng, please sit down, I need to talk to you about something!" He gestured to the leather sofa next to the desk and sat down behind the camphor wood desk.

Deng Yuhu leaned down, his eyes gleaming, and said loudly, "President Lin, please give your instructions!"

Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he stared at him, saying in a deep voice, "The celebration banquet tomorrow night will be held at the Weili Hotel. As far as I know, Hong Tianhao and his gang have been staying in the guest rooms

there recently, so security tomorrow is especially important. If Hong Tianhao brings his men to cause trouble, you'll be held responsible!" Even though Lin Yupeng knew Hong Tianhao was still lingering at the Weili Hotel, he hadn't changed his mind and insisted on holding the celebration banquet there. He wanted to show Hong Tianhao a stern warning. If Hong Tianhao dared to provoke trouble that day, Lin Yupeng would use the opportunity to deflate his ego and teach him that the 500,000 yuan in illicit funds wasn't so easy to come by.

Upon hearing Hong Tianhao's name, Deng Yuhu's anger flared. He was naturally a man of fiery temper, and the memory of his recent misfortune in Bangkok, Thailand, where he was kidnapped by a group of women and nearly lost his life, fueled his hatred for Hong Tianhao.

"President Lin, don't worry! Tomorrow I'll send more men, and bring a few tough guys. If Hong Tianhao dares to cause trouble, I'll cripple him!" Deng Yuhu said hatefully, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Hehe, just teach him a lesson. Don't kill him. Nobody has a license to kill. If someone dies, it'll be a real problem!" Lin Yupeng said solemnly.

"I understand, President Lin, don't worry! My men are reliable. If they miss, I won't implicate you!" Deng Yuhu said resolutely, his expression grave.

Lin Yupeng nodded in satisfaction and told Deng Yuhu to go and prepare. Tomorrow might be calm, or it might be stormy. Whatever it was, he had to face it bravely and forge ahead.

He turned to look at Xiaoru and saw her sitting behind the secretary's desk, fiddling with the work computer, trying to familiarize herself with the new work environment.

"Xiaoru, how's it going? Our new office environment is pretty good, isn't it?" Lin Yupeng asked with a smile.

"It's alright! It's just that the fragrance in the room seems a bit too strong!" Xiaoru

said softly, her beautiful eyes sparkling with alluring charm. Lin Yupeng stood up upon hearing this, walked around the room, and carefully sniffed. The fragrance in the room was probably the scent of the camphor wood table itself and the smell of paint. Because it was newly purchased furniture, the fragrance seemed a bit strong.

He went to Xiaoru's desk, placed his hand on her smooth, fragrant shoulder, and smiled, "It's alright, it's mainly the scent of camphor wood. It's not harmful to the body. Camphor wood is also a medicinal herb! It has the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, clearing the meridians, relieving pain, and aiding digestion, and..."

He paused, then smiled self-deprecatingly, "Hehe, look, I'm giving a lecture!"

Xiaoru smiled charmingly and said sweetly, "Camphor wood has so many uses! The smell is a bit strange."

Lin Yupeng said softly, "That's the smell of paint, hehe, it'll be fine once it evaporates!" As he spoke, he carefully looked Xiaoru over a few times and saw that she was wearing her favorite pink halter dress today, her fair, delicate, long, and shapely legs half-exposed, covered with crystal transparent stockings, looking both charming and sexy.

Lin Yupeng's burning gaze drifted downwards, landing on her feet. She wore a pair of beige high-heeled strappy sandals with high, thin heels. Two soft, purplish-red stripes, like a net, bound her ankles and calves, making her appear even more alluring. Her ten toenails were meticulously manicured, peeking out from the tips of her shoes. Her ivory-like toes, painted with pink nail polish, shimmered like ten tiny flower petals, making them appear even more translucent and captivating.

Xiaoru saw Lin Yupeng's intense, amorous gaze sweep over her, igniting sparks of desire within her. Her heart pounded, her clear, autumn-water-like eyes shimmering with a seductive allure, and she lowered her head shyly.

Lin Yupeng was closer to Xiaoru, and the sweet fragrance emanating from her body immediately wafted into his nostrils, igniting the desire within him. He couldn't help but move closer, chuckling wickedly, "The scent of camphor wood can't compare to your natural fragrance! Let me have a good sniff!"

With that, he shamelessly embraced Xiaoru from behind, bringing his lips to her fair and smooth neck, gently kissing her, and then slowly moving upwards. He saw Xiaoru's delicate and sexy earlobes, glistening with a moist, creamy sheen, and he couldn't help but open his mouth and gently take that sensitive soft flesh into his mouth...

Chapter 444 Fragrance Lingers

Chapter 445 Stealing the Recording

"Ah...no..." Xiaoru's body immediately went limp in Lin Yupeng's arms, like a lump of spring mud, her eyes half-closed, her breasts heaving as she gasped softly, moaning softly.

Lin Yupeng's lust was rising. Remembering that they hadn't made love passionately for two or three days, his desire was uncontrollable. Panting, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the lounge.

"Brother Lin, no! What if someone comes looking for us? Let's go home, okay?" Xiaoru pleaded softly, her face flushed. Her curvaceous body dangled in the air, her slender legs and feet swaying wildly.

"Don't worry, if anyone comes looking for us, Brother Xiang will notify me first!" Lin Yupeng, overcome with lust, carried Xiaoru into the lounge and locked the door behind him…

The lounge was similar to the one at headquarters, complete with a shower, sofa, bed, and various other furniture. This time, Lin Yupeng didn't go to the bed. Instead, he carried Xiaoru to the sofa, letting her straddle him face-to-face. One hand slipped inside her clothes, caressing her smooth, delicate back, while the other hand traced her silk-stockinged legs. The soft, tender touch was irresistible. Finally, he broke through all her resistance, reaching her core and pulling down her pink panties.

"Ah... um..." Xiaoru's eyes were half-open and half-closed as she let out a soft, sweet moan, her body writhing alluringly, yet unable to escape Lin Yupeng's gentle onslaught.

"Hehe, this position makes it less likely to get pregnant! And it's very comfortable!" Lin Yupeng thrust into her, his arms around Xiaoru as he moved up and down, waves of pleasure washing over him.

Lin Yupeng noticed that every time he made love to Xiaoru, at the end, when he ejaculated inside her, Xiaoru's eyes would briefly show confusion and worry, as if she were afraid of getting pregnant. Therefore, today, when they were intimate again, he chose a position that was less likely to result in pregnancy and was also more convenient. Neither of them was completely naked, so if someone came looking for them, they could clean up quickly and leave no trace. After

a passionate encounter, Lin Yupeng and Xiaoru left the break room and returned to their office to continue working.

Lin Yupeng was in high spirits, feeling incredibly happy in every cell of his body, especially his mind, which was even more active. He didn't immediately sit down in his office chair, but instead stood with his hands behind his back by the windowsill, looking out.

The office window faced Hongfa Paper Mill. The last time Lin Yupeng came here to see Lang Zikun, it was by this window that he sketched out his grand plan. Unexpectedly, in just one month, this plan was gradually becoming a reality according to his vision.

Looking out the window, Lin Yupeng had a commanding view of the entire Hongfa Paper Mill, and could also clearly see the progress of the demolition. It was the perfect vantage point for command and observation.

Below, employees of Xinda Demolition Company were systematically dismantling the outer wall of the paper mill. Because the paper mill was vast and large, even the walls were very high. Xinda Company had mobilized almost its entire workforce, more than a hundred people, and all the demolition equipment in the company—bulldozers, excavators, and large cranes—was in operation, creating a rather spectacular scene.

Lin Yupeng looked around carefully. Three-quarters of the outer wall had already been demolished, and he estimated that they could move into the site tonight. Inside the paper mill, the workers seemed unaffected, going in and out and working in an orderly manner. Large amounts of sewage were continuously being discharged into the sea, and the harmful sulfur dioxide emitted into the air had dyed half the sky gray-black. Although the paper mill's exhaust pipes were relatively far away, a fishy stench still wafted in whenever there was a gust of wind from the opposite direction.

Lin Yupeng's anger surged again, and he thought bitterly, "How can such a heavily polluting enterprise not even have the most basic pollution control and emission reduction measures? They're ignoring the environment for the sake of economic benefits. Future generations probably won't even know that the sky and sea are blue!" The more

he thought about it, the heavier his heart became. He remembered a report he'd read a few days ago: in a certain heavy industrial city, emissions of waste gas seriously exceeded standards, and the sky had been stained gray-white. The children living there really didn't know that the sky was originally blue…

Thinking of this, Lin Yupeng became even more determined to thoroughly clean up this cancerous tumor that was Hongfa Paper Mill!

After work during the day, Lin Yupeng didn't immediately return to his villa in the northern suburbs. Instead, he went to his old house in the East Bay District, entered the laboratory, and launched the operating system of Little Flying Insect No. 3. For the past few days, it had been hiding in Tan Shiquan's phone, doing eavesdropping work. He wanted to pull it out to understand Tan Shiquan's recent activities; this guy wasn't so easy to deal with.

He found all the recordings and listened selectively, picking out the key points from the beginning. These past few days, Tan Shiquan's activities had been limited to the municipal propaganda department's office, two villas, and a few high-end hotels. He mostly stayed at the villa in the southern suburbs owned by the glamorous star Meng Caixia.

Because "Little Flying Insect No. 3" had been hidden in the hinge of Tan Shiquan's flip phone, no video footage could be captured, only audio recordings. After some filtering, two recordings caught Lin Yupeng's attention.

The first paragraph describes Lang Zikun going to the Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department to discuss the promotion of Xingguang Media with Tan Shiquan: "Hehe, promoting powerful private enterprises is also one of the responsibilities of our Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department! Mr. Lang, please rest assured, I already have a plan for the promotion of Xingguang Media Group. The Tianhan City Newspaper Group, under the Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, has three print media units—Tianhan Daily, City Life Daily, and Jinwan Daily. Except for Tianhan Daily, the other two newspapers are distributed throughout the province. With the cooperation of radio and television stations, we will definitely achieve the effect that your General Manager Lin expects." Tan Shiquan spoke eloquently and forcefully.

Through the sound of Lang Zikun's voice, it said, "Thank you so much, Minister Tan. To promote Starlight Media, we specially produced a five-minute promotional video, which is basically an advertisement. I'd like it to air once a day during prime time on our city's TV station. I hope Minister Tan can arrange it!"

Tan Shiquan chuckled and said, "That's easy. I'll call Director Qi of the city TV station right away and have him arrange it for you immediately, the sooner the better."

"Hehe, no rush, Minister Tan. I know the advertising fees on the city TV station. A full year's subscription would cost at least 20 million, which is too expensive. Our group is currently experiencing a cash crunch. Could you give us a discount?" Lang Zikun said unhurriedly.

Chapter 445 Stealing Recordings

Chapter 446 Backroom Deals

"A discount? What kind of discount do you want?" Tan Shiquan asked with a hint of doubt.

"At least 15% off! 20% off would be even better!" Lang Zikun chuckled after saying this, lowering his voice, "Minister Tan, after it's done, I can give you 5%, which is a 5% commission. What do you think?"

Tan Shiquan hesitated for a moment, then chuckled dryly, "Mr. Lang, you're too kind. I don't want that 5% commission. Although I have over a million, I'm not short of money right now. However, I can help you make an exception. How much of a discount I can offer is hard to say!"

Lin Yupeng thought to himself, "Tan Shiquan means he doesn't want a commission, but he can still help make an exception for the city's electricity market. " "The TV station is offering a discount. This guy is really cunning. He's afraid of giving anyone leverage. There's no such thing as a free lunch. If he can pull off a shady deal without anyone noticing, it's both profitable and safe—why not? Besides, Lang Zikun kept asking for a discount; he probably has something to gain too. The one who'll suffer is Tianqiong Group!"

In the recording, Lang Zikun hesitated for a moment. He seemed to have a premonition that Tan Shiquan wanted him to do something shady, and he could just go along with it. As long as he got a discount, he could profit. So he immediately said gratefully, "Thank you, Minister Tan. You've gone to so much trouble, haha!"

"No problem, I'm very familiar with your General Manager Lin, I can't refuse his face!" Tan Shiquan chuckled dryly, his words laced with sarcasm and a hint of unnaturalness. Lang Zikun, however, seemed oblivious, replying with a frivolous laugh, "Yes! Before General Manager Lin sent me here, he told me that Minister Tan is his close friend, and that I should just ask for anything, and he would definitely do his best to help!"

Lin Yupeng cursed inwardly, "Damn it, when did I ever say anything like that to you? I only found out afterward that you were negotiating with Tan Shiquan. This Lang Zikun is playing a game of acting first and informing later; there's definitely something fishy going on here!"

"I have other matters to attend to, Minister Tan, goodbye!" Lang Zikun said, and left.

The second recording was almost entirely about what happened that day. Lin Yupeng speculated that the location was in a VIP room of a high-end hotel, as the background was very quiet, with only the clear voices of the three people conversing.

After some analysis, Lin Yupeng deduced the identities of the other two people besides Tan Shiquan. One was Qi Chengda, the director of the city's television station, and the other was Qiao Jiahuang, the chairman of Yuli Group.

The three of them clinked glasses and drank a few glasses of wine before beginning a deep, private conversation. Qiao Jiahuang spoke first. He seemed to have a low tolerance for alcohol; after a few drinks, his speech became a little slurred, but his mind was still clear. He said in a deep voice, "Minister Tan, we've been good brothers for many years, sharing joys and sorrows. There's something on my mind that I have to say today."

Tan Shiquan said, "I already know even if you don't say it. Is it about Xingguang Media?"

Qiao Jiahuang laughed heartily, "Yes! Brother Tan, I don't understand. You know perfectly well that after Xingguang Media is established, it will be our strongest competitor, and Yuli's monopoly in the Tianhan City film and television industry will be broken, and it's very likely that it will be..." "Starlight Media Group has been swallowed up, so why are you still promoting our rival so extensively? I've read all the major newspapers these past few days, and the entertainment sections are filled with news about Starlight Media Group, completely overshadowing my Yuli Group. It's incomprehensible... Brother Tan, did you receive any benefits from them?"

Tan Shiquan laughed heartily and said in a deep voice, "Brother Qiao, don't make wild guesses. I haven't received a single penny from them. My promotion of Starlight Media is due to my own unavoidable difficulties; I had no choice! There's one thing I need to remind you: my position as the head of the municipal propaganda department isn't just for you. Promoting other companies is also part of my job! But I can assure you..." "I assure you, from now on, I will maintain impartiality in the publicity for both Xingguang and Yuli, without favoring either side. These past few days, due to the upcoming official establishment of Xingguang Media, there has been a bit more publicity; please forgive me!"

Qiao Jiahuang sighed, "Alas, Brother Tan, I know you may be under some unavoidable pressure, but I hope our cooperation can continue. As long as we can preserve the Yuli Group that we have painstakingly built, I will be content!"

Lin Yupeng, upon hearing this, thought to himself, "So the Yuli Group is a company jointly run by Tan Shiquan and Qiao Jiahuang. Tan Shiquan has retreated behind the scenes, extracting profits. This collusion between officials and businessmen..." Together, it really is a win-win situation. No wonder Tan Shiquan has five properties and is so well-off! Thinking of this, he felt a surge of smug satisfaction: "Tan Shiquan thought he was being very discreet, but I caught him red-handed. Tan Shiquan, you've fallen into my trap, hehe!"

Although he was pleased with himself, Lin Yupeng also felt a genuine sense of admiration for Tan Shiquan. Even the cunning and resourceful Lang Zikun couldn't find any concrete evidence of Tan Shiquan's illegal activities, which showed how secretive Tan Shiquan's methods were. If Lin Yupeng didn't have a high-end robot like Little Flying Insect No. 3, he probably wouldn't have been able to gather any evidence either.

In the recording, Tan Shiquan continued to comfort Qiao Jiahuang. As someone who worked in propaganda, he spoke flawlessly and persuaded people with earnestness. Finally, he managed to convince Qiao Jiahuang to put aside his concerns and drink three cups of wine.

Immediately afterward, Qi Chengda, the director of the city's television station, spoke up: "Brother Tan, you didn't call me here today just to promote Starlight Media, did you?" Judging from his voice, he was only in his thirties, younger than Tan Shiquan and Qiao Jiahuang.

Qi Chengda's presence in such a discreet setting showed that he was also one of Tan Shiquan's closest confidants; Tan Shiquan and Qiao Jiahuang never spoke behind his back.

As the saying goes, "A hero needs three helpers." Tan Shiquan's influence and influence in Tianhan City were almost on par with Mayor Tao Haiping; it would have been impossible without a strong support base.

Tan Shiquan laughed heartily, "Yes, brother! Lang Zikun came to see me today. Their Xingguang Media wants a five-minute promotional ad to air during prime time on the city TV station, on a yearly contract, so they want a discount. What kind of discount can you offer?"

Qi Chengda pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Tan, this is easy. Same old rules, behind closed doors. Give them an 85% discount, and I'll book it at 80%. We'll split the remaining 50% commission 40/60, I get 40%, you get 60%. If Lang Zikun also wants to cheat and skim some money, then we..." "And there will be even more benefits!"

Tan Shiquan laughed heartily. "Great, cooperating with Brother Qi is so satisfying! But we still have to follow the old rules. You'll handle all the transactions, and don't mention my name."

Chapter 446 Backroom Deals

Chapter 447 Unbridled Boasting

Qi Chengda chuckled dryly. "Don't worry about that! I know what to do! Brother Tan, let's have a drink!"

Lin Yupeng knew from their constant use of the "old rules" that they had done this kind of thing many times before. Tan Shiquan, that old fox, had finally shown his tail.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Twenty million in advertising fees, a million in kickbacks, Qi Chengda gets four hundred thousand, Tan Shiquan gets six hundred thousand, and Lang Zikun will definitely take his share. If this deal goes through, Tianqiong Group will lose at least two hundred!"

Thinking this, Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with a chilling light, and he thought bitterly, "Tan Shiquan, Qi Chengda, you greedy bastards, you all want to skim some profits, can't I get a share too?"

After listening to the most valuable recordings from both ends, Lin Yupeng copied them to his external hard drive. He glanced at his watch; it was already past 10 PM.

He sat down and let out a long sigh. Then, he and Xiang Kui left the old house that had become the laboratory and returned to the villa in the northern suburbs. It was almost one o'clock. Fang Na and Qin Xue had originally planned to wait for him to come back so they could sleep together, but they had waited too late, and fatigue overcame them, so they both fell asleep.

Lin Yupeng couldn't bear to disturb them. He turned off the bedside lamp, gently covered the two beauties with the blankets, and then turned and left the master bedroom. Let them get a good night's sleep tonight!

Although he had a strong sex drive, he never treated his women as tools for sexual gratification. Sometimes, if they weren't feeling well, he would let them off the hook. He always cherished his women.

Sex and love are always intertwined. Love without sex is a physiological problem, a kind of illness; but what about sex without love? That's a psychological problem!

Lin Yupeng returned to his usual secondary bedroom, lay down on the bed, and continued to ponder with his eyes closed. The recent complex matters needed him to sort things out.

Tomorrow is the official establishment day of Starlight Media, and Lin Yupeng will embark on a new journey. He knows that no matter what storms he encounters in the future, he needs to maintain a calm and composed mind.

The next morning, Lin Yupeng went directly to Starlight Media Group. His main office will be located here from now on, but because he still holds the title of Vice President of Sky Dome Group, he will also need to go to the headquarters frequently, so his vice president's office there has not been removed.

Lin Yupeng, Xiang Kui, and Xiao Ru arrived at the president's office of Starlight Media. Xiang Kui waited in the reception room outside, while Xiao Ru went behind her secretary's desk to begin her work for the day. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony in the afternoon, a mobilization meeting for the middle and senior management of Starlight Media Group will be held. As the president, Lin Yupeng must speak, so his speech has been handed over to Xiao Ru to complete.

Lin Yupeng paced around the room with his hands behind his back, then went to the window to check on the demolition progress of Hongfa Paper Mill. He saw that the outer walls had been completely demolished, and the demolition company was clearing away the rubble while moving inside. The warehouses closest to the entrance of Hongfa were now targeted, with workers moving things in and out. It seemed that demolition would begin once everything was moved.

The paper mill workers were very cooperative with the demolition company, even appearing friendly, frequently offering them water and cigarettes, looking like family, without any resistance.

Lin Yupeng felt a chill, thinking, "What's going on? Has Hongfa Paper Mill really come to its senses and fully cooperated with the demolition? It's probably not that simple; there must be something else going on."

Thinking this, Lin Yupeng felt it necessary to remind Xinda Demolition Company, so he took out his phone and found the phone number of He Bingguo, the general manager of Xinda Company, in his contacts.

He stood by the window, his eyes fixed on the demolition site, and dialed He Bingguo's number. It rang many times before being answered. A cacophony of noise came from the other end, followed by a deep, resonant voice: "Hello! This is He Bingguo!"

Lin Yupeng's heart skipped a beat. "With all this noise, is he directing the demolition work? He's really dedicated!" he thought. He quickly replied, "Hello, this is Lin Yupeng, president of Xingguang Media Group!"

As he spoke, his eyes remained fixed on the demolition site. A middle-aged man wearing a red protective helmet appeared in his line of sight, holding a cell phone and making a call. This was probably He Bingguo. The surrounding workers were all wearing blue and white helmets, making He Bingguo's red helmet stand out. He was wearing a blue work uniform, lean but energetic, appearing shrewd and capable, giving off a powerful aura.

"It's General Manager Lin! Hello, hello!" Upon recognizing Lin Yupeng, He Bingguo's tone became extremely respectful, and he said "hello" twice.

Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with a sharp, cold light as he smiled and replied, "General Manager He, Mayor Tao has already given instructions on my behalf, so I won't elaborate. I hope you complete the demolition task as soon as possible. I'll pay double! Also, you need to be careful; Hongfa Paper Mill will definitely not let you demolish it so smoothly. You need to be prepared for any unexpected situations."

He Bingguo replied in a deep voice, "General Manager Lin, don't worry! Our company, except for the sweepers and night watchmen, has mobilized almost everyone—over a hundred people! What can they do to me? Hehe, General Manager Lin, to be honest, since I, He Bingguo, dared to open a demolition company and take on this job, I have the ability to complete it perfectly, no matter what happens." "Besides, I can handle it!"

Lin Yupeng felt slightly relieved hearing He Bingguo's confident and resolute tone, but he wasn't completely at ease. He gave a few more instructions, but He Bingguo, seemingly impatient, said, "President Lin, haha, don't worry! If you can't even handle a paper mill, then my company might as well close down! I just don't understand why Hongfa's problem hasn't been solved for so many years. Haha, if I had set up a demolition company earlier, this place would definitely be a different scene now."

Lin Yupeng didn't expect the seemingly composed He Bingguo to speak so arrogantly and confidently. Did he really have the ability to turn the tide, or was he just boasting?

Confidence is correct and necessary, but blind confidence detached from reality will inevitably lead to great losses.

Lin Yupeng hung up the phone with He Bingguo, still feeling somewhat uneasy. However, the celebration ceremony was scheduled for 1 p.m., so the issue of Hongfa's factory demolition had to be put on hold for the time being.

Chapter 447 Arrogant Boasting

Chapter 448 Grand Celebration

After lunch, a ribbon-cutting platform had been set up in the open space in front of the Starlight Media Group, attracting a large crowd of onlookers.

At 1 PM, the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially began. The guest lineup for this ceremony was unprecedentedly impressive, all invited by Zhang Yueran and Lang Zikun, totaling ten people. Seven of them were leading figures in the provincial business community, presidents and vice presidents of major groups. The other three were figures from the Tianhan municipal government; Lin Yupeng recognized two of them. One was Tan Shiquan, the head of the Tianhan Municipal Party Committee's Publicity Department, whom Lin Yupeng knew very well and who had also been invited to the ceremony. The other was Chai Jian, the executive deputy district head of Dongwan District, who had also appeared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Weili Hotel and was now invited to the Starlight Media Group's ribbon-cutting ceremony, making him a veritable "ribbon-cutting district head."

Don't underestimate Chai Jian just because he's only the deputy head of Dongwan District. He's in charge of the economy, and private enterprises are under his jurisdiction. As the saying goes, "a local official is more powerful than a distant one," so getting through to him would be extremely beneficial for Xingguang Media. Therefore, Lang Zikun invited him to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Another person Lin Yupeng didn't recognize was Yang Lijun, the deputy mayor of Tianhan City, who was also in charge of the economy, when Lang Zikun introduced him to the public.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, presided over by Lang Zikun, was far larger and more impressive than the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Weili Hotel. Twelve cannon shots were fired, and firecrackers went off everywhere. Ironically, someone suggested releasing over a thousand doves at the ceremony.

This wasn't a sports meet, so releasing doves seemed a bit out of place, but it did have some effect—lots of dove droppings landed on the ground, giving sanitation workers something to do.

The opening ceremony of Xingguang Media attracted the attention of almost all the media in the province and city, with a large press corps, cameras and video recorders all busy at work.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony wasn't officially over yet, and several reporters surrounded Lin Yupeng, wanting to interview him on the spot.

Lin Yupeng wasn't very experienced in dealing with reporters, but fortunately, Security Minister Deng Yuhu arrived in time and escorted Lin Yupeng into the Starlight Media building with several security guards, thus escaping the reporters' pursuit.

Lang Zikun led the special guests on a tour of the Starlight Media Group's office building, while Xu Weiguo and Lin Yupeng convened a meeting of the group's middle-level leaders in the main conference room. The tour and the meeting were done simultaneously, minimizing time. This was all a plan devised by Xu Weiguo; working with him always gave a sense of urgency.

First, Chairman Xu Weiguo gave a speech, essentially mobilizing everyone to do their jobs well and contribute to the development and expansion of the new group. Next was President Lin Yupeng's speech, the content of which was written for him by Xiaoru, mainly outlining Starlight Media's investment plan and long-term goals.

Then came speeches from representatives of the middle-level leaders, etc. The meeting lasted for more than two hours, officially ending at 4 PM.

After the meeting, Lin Yupeng, along with Xu Weiguo and Lang Zikun, rushed to the Weili Hotel with the guests for a celebratory banquet.

The three city leaders, Tan Shiquan, Yang Lijun, and Chai Jian, did not attend, each busy with their own affairs.

Upon entering the Weili Hotel, they went directly to the VIP banquet hall on the second floor. It was already set up, with over thirty banquet tables covered in red cloth. A row of waitresses in formal attire stood there, each with fair skin, beautiful features, and similar height and figure, attracting the men's attention.

Chen Wei, the chairman of the Weili Hotel, was absent, but General Manager Chen Lihan was present.

Lin Yupeng's eyes lit up when he saw Chen Lihan, and he involuntarily moved closer. She was wearing the same pure white business suit Lin Yupeng had worn when they first met at the Xinhang Hotel after many years apart. Her creamy white, smooth legs were elegantly exposed, covered by semi-transparent flesh-colored stockings, and light blue strappy sandals. The stockings accentuated her ivory-carved feet, making them appear even more translucent and crystalline. Her ten toes resembled ten miniature lotus petals, spotless, pure, and noble.

Chen Lihan's beauty was a serene and refreshing beauty, like a secluded orchid in a valley—unpretentious and natural, pure and untouched, like a clear spring nourishing the heart, leaving an unforgettable impression.

She sat at a square table in a corner of the banquet hall, her beautiful eyes sparkling, a sweet smile on her pretty face. As Lin Yupeng approached Chen Lihan, he was greeted by a subtle, sweet fragrance—a modern amber scent blended with the delicate aromas of freshly picked roses and oriental jasmine, rounded and full, touching the most tender corner of his heart.

He leaned down and sat beside Chen Lihan. She saw him and met his tender, affectionate gaze. A blush immediately rose to her cheeks, and she smiled sweetly, "Brother Lin, congratulations!"

Lin Yupeng laughed heartily, "Thank you. How's business at the hotel these past few days?"

Chen Lihan replied with a smile, "It's alright, but still a bit worse than the Xinhang Hotel."

Lin Yupeng gently encouraged her, "Take it slow. As the saying goes, the beginning is always the hardest! I believe in your abilities; you'll definitely surpass the Xinhang Hotel in the future."

He chatted with Chen Lihan for a while, and soon the banquet officially began. A small stage, about half a meter high, was set up in front of the hall; there would be a cultural performance later.

First, Xu Weiguo, chairman of Starlight Media, gave a toast, followed by Lin Yupeng. His toast was brief, just a formality, before he left the stage to continue chatting with Chen Lihan.

After the two Starlight Media representatives finished their toasts, food and drinks were served, and the entertainment began, consisting mainly of singing and dancing to liven up the atmosphere.

Lin Yupeng ate with Chen Lihan. Since she never drinks, Lin Yupeng didn't drink either; he didn't want to leave her with the impression of a "drunkard." In fact, Chen Lihan had been present at their two recent drinking contests, especially last Sunday when he drank three jin of baijiu without getting drunk. Chen Lihan didn't really consider him a "drunkard"; she already regarded him as a "god of wine."

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the atmosphere at the banquet remained very lively. The food and wine were even more fragrant, and many guests let loose, indulging in the food and drinks. Of course, those of high status maintained their composure.

Xu Weiguo began toasting at each table, while Lin Yupeng stayed with Chen Lihan, chatting and eating. He noticed her brother, Chen Wei, was still missing, so he asked Chen Lihan, puzzled, "Lihan, why isn't your brother here?" Upon

hearing this, Chen Lihan's pretty face showed a worried expression, and she said softly, "Hong Tianhao called him to play mahjong this afternoon, and he's probably still playing!" Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with a sharp, cold light, and he thought to himself... "Hong Tianhao asked Chen Wei to play mahjong with him. I bet he forced him to go, right? What's this guy up to? Is he trying to make more money through mahjong?" His eyes flashed with a sharp light as he scanned the surroundings. He saw Deng Yuhu, the head of security at Starlight Media, leading twenty heavily armed security guards, positioned in key areas inside and outside the banquet hall, responsible for overall security. Deng Yuhu, in particular, had his usually quiet, large eyes darting around, flashing with a chilling, murderous aura like lightning in a dark cloud. Hong Tianhao was in the hotel's guest rooms, so Deng Yuhu had to be on high alert. His feelings were complicated. He hoped nothing would go wrong so he could successfully complete the security mission for the celebration, but his competitive spirit also made him hope Hong Tianhao would cause trouble, giving him an opportunity to avenge the humiliation he suffered in Bangkok. The banquet continued until 8 p.m. and was still going strong. The stage performances were constantly changing, and the atmosphere was lively. There was no time limit for the banquet, so everyone could enjoy themselves to the fullest. The hotel could provide guests with all-inclusive accommodations.

Lin Yupeng chatted with Chen Lihan, reminiscing about their high school days together. A mix of bittersweet memories welled up inside him, and he saw a gentle, alluring glint in Chen Lihan's clear, autumn-water-like eyes.

Just as the two were immersed in these beautiful recollections, a middle-aged woman who appeared to be a hotel manager approached in a flustered manner and whispered a few words in Chen Lihan's ear.

Although she spoke in a low voice, Lin Yupeng, who was very close to Chen Lihan, heard her clearly. The middle-aged female manager only said five words: "President Chen, something's happened!"

The last three words were especially frightening, like a thunderclap, causing Chen Lihan's expression to change. Her pretty face immediately flushed with anxiety and fear, and she asked in a trembling voice, "What happened?"

The middle-aged woman glanced around warily, gently tugged at Chen Lihan's collar, and whispered, "President Chen, come out and talk!"

Chen Lihan, her pretty face filled with surprise and doubt, gracefully stood up and followed the female manager out of the banquet hall.

A cold, sharp glint flashed in Lin Yupeng's starry eyes, and he thought to himself, "What happened? Could it be related to Hong Tianhao?"

Then he remembered that Chen Wei had gone to Hong Tianhao's place to play cards that afternoon, and there had been no news of him since. Could he have been detained by Hong Tianhao? He unconsciously followed Chen Lihan out of the banquet hall, and his bodyguard Xiang Kui naturally followed him as well.

The middle-aged female manager led Chen Lihan to the corner of the corridor. Seeing Lin Yupeng and Xiang Kui also coming out, she hesitated, unsure whether she should continue.

Lin Yupeng glared at her and coldly snapped, "Speak quickly if you have something to say, what's there to hide?"

Chen Lihan's beautiful eyes were filled with anxiety. She nodded to the female manager, signaling her to continue.

The female manager's face showed fear, and she said anxiously, "President Chen, Chairman Hong in the presidential suite on the fifth floor wants to discuss a service issue with you!"

Lin Yupeng thought to himself with resentment, "Damn it, I knew it was Hong Tianhao stirring up trouble? What service issue? He's just making trouble out of nothing!"

Before Chen Lihan could speak, Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed, and he said coldly to the female manager, "What exactly is the service issue? Tell me!"

The female manager replied in a trembling voice, "Chairman Hong has been playing mahjong since the afternoon, and it's still going strong. Just now, a female waitress from the housekeeping department accidentally spilled tea on his clothes and pants when she served tea. The waitress kept apologizing, but Chairman Hong wouldn't let it go, saying that the tea not only soiled his clothes and pants but also burned him. He wants the hotel to compensate for the damages and medical expenses. Chairman Chen was there and tried to negotiate with him, but it was to no avail. Now Chairman Chen and that female waitress have been detained by Chairman Hong!"

"Ah? I'll go see right away!" Chen Lihan exclaimed in surprise.

"Ms. Chen, should we call the police?" the female manager asked in a trembling voice.

Chen Lihan's expression gradually calmed down. Having worked in the hotel industry for many years, she had encountered similar situations before and had always managed to handle them. A resolute look flashed in her beautiful eyes as she shook her head and said, "Don't call the police yet! If it really is our waiter's fault, then we'll compensate him for his losses. If we call the police, it will escalate and have a negative impact on our hotel. I'll go check it out!"

With that, she turned to follow the female manager to the presidential suite on the fifth floor to negotiate with Hong Tianhao. At this moment, Lin Yupeng's mind raced. He felt that things weren't so simple. Would it be dangerous for Chen Lihan to go to Hong Tianhao like this?

He immediately stopped Chen Lihan, his handsome eyes filled with concern, and said softly, "Lihan, don't go yet! It might be a trap. We need to prepare. In the past—!"

He then took out his phone, dialed Deng Yuhu's number, and coldly ordered, "Old Deng, bring ten security guards to the corridor. We have a mission!"

Deng Yuhu didn't reply and hung up immediately. Less than a minute later, ten young security guards in uniforms filed out of the banquet hall, quickly running to Lin Yupeng under Deng Yuhu's leadership. They formed two neat lines, awaiting Lin Yupeng's orders.

Lin Yupeng didn't know the situation with Hong Tianhao, so bringing more men was necessary. Even if he and Xiang Kui were the only ones, and even if Xiang Kui was a crack shot, capable of taking on ten men, a good dog can't withstand a pack of wolves. The men around Hong Tianhao were no pushovers either, especially the burly, towering Lu Zhanhai, who was a formidable opponent for Xiang Kui.

Seeing Lin Yupeng's large entourage, Chen Lihan's pretty face showed worry. She reached out her slender hand and quietly tugged at his collar, whispering, "Brother Lin, is it necessary to bring so many people? It will cause misunderstandings!"

Lin Yupeng smiled calmly and gently comforted her, "Don't worry, I won't take action unless absolutely necessary! But taking appropriate precautions is still necessary. Lihan, I'm worried they might harm you!" As he spoke, he sighed inwardly, "Alas, Lihan is just too kind-hearted! What kind of person is Hong Tianhao? Can you reason with him? You have to confront him head-on!"

Chapter 449 Another Storm Rises

Chapter 450 Entering the Tiger's Den Again

Lin Yupeng's words couldn't completely reassure Chen Lihan, but time was of the essence, and there was no time for careful planning. He accompanied Chen Lihan, led by the female manager, directly to the fifth floor, where Hong Tianhao's presidential suite was located.

Chen Lihan's heart pounded with nervousness, but she tried her best to control her emotions, appearing calm and composed on the surface. She knew she had to maintain a peaceful state of mind, otherwise the "powder keg" Lin Yupeng beside her would definitely explode. Lin

Yupeng had been holding back his anger lately. Hong Tianhao had repeatedly picked fights with him and even swindled 10,000 yuan from Tian at the Weili Hotel. Given his relationship with Chen Lihan, he even felt as if Hong Tianhao had cheated him out of 500,000 yuan, and this was truly unbearable.

Upon arriving at the presidential suite, Lin Yupeng ordered ten security guards under Deng Yuhu to line up at the entrance, awaiting orders. He then said to Chen Lihan, "Lihan, I think you shouldn't go in! Let's go in and check things out first!"

Chen Lihan bit her lip and shook her head, saying, "I want to go see him. My brother is still inside, and I'm very worried!"

Lin Yupeng gently patted her smooth, rounded shoulder and smiled, "Lihan, listen to me. If something happens to us inside, you can call the police from outside! Don't worry, if everything is alright, I'll let you in!"

After saying that, he turned to the security guards and said coldly, "Give five of you to protect President Chen's safety!"

"Yes, sir!" the security guards replied in unison. Five of them then surrounded Chen Lihan, ensuring she couldn't enter the presidential suite without Lin Yupeng's order.

Lin Yupeng had experienced many such adventures. Seeing that Chen Lihan was already protected by his security guards, he led his two fierce lieutenants, Xiang Kui and Deng Yuhu, along with five other security guards, and swaggered inside. They acted as if nothing had happened, each with a calm and composed expression, but their eyes flashed with a cold, menacing light.

The Weili Hotel was a three-star hotel, but its facilities and services were actually up to four-star standards. The presidential suite where Hong Tianhao stayed was exceptionally luxurious, grand, and expensive, among the finest in Tianhan City.

The suite had two bedrooms, a master and a secondary bedroom, each with its own bathroom, as well as a recreation room and a reception room. The suite was safe, comfortable, and fully equipped, featuring central air conditioning, cable TV and satellite television, domestic and international direct-dial telephones, broadband internet access, and other entertainment and service facilities.

This presidential suite costs 10,000 RMB per night, and Hong Tianhao booked it for seven days. But Lin Yupeng knew that the money he was paying was being squeezed from the low-profit hotel, which was why Lin Yupeng was so angry.

Pushing open the door, one is greeted by the lounge of the presidential suite. A rosewood square table sits in the center, upon which rests a crystal mahjong set. Hong Tianhao sits in the middle, expressionless, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light. Behind him stands his bodyguard, Lu Zhanhai, his shirt open, his chest muscles bulging like small steamed buns, his eyes flashing with a sharp, golden light, exuding an imposing aura.

In addition, of Hong Tianhao's ten bodyguards in the lounge, five stand behind him to protect their master, while the other five are either dozing, smoking, chatting, or joking.

Looking at the mahjong table, besides Hong Tianhao, there were three middle-aged men. Lin Yupeng recognized two of them: Chen Wei, the chairman of Weili Hotel, and Cheng Da, the general manager of Hongyue Pavilion Hotel. Lin Yupeng had dealt with Cheng Da once before, at dinner at Hongyue Pavilion Hotel. Hong Tianhao wanted Lin Yupeng's private room, and Cheng Da was responsible for coordinating it, but Lin Yupeng refused to give it up, thus beginning their feud.

Lin Yupeng had a very bad impression of Cheng Da, feeling he was a sycophantic opportunist who was terrified of Hong Tianhao. Today was no exception; Cheng Da sat opposite Hong Tianhao, hunched over, his face full of fawning smiles, bowing and scraping like a lapdog.

The man Lin Yupeng didn't recognize was also dressed like a wealthy businessman. He was about thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, with a square face, large ears, and a ruddy complexion. His hair was combed in a slicked-back style, so shiny you could see your reflection in it. He wore a sharp suit and a Tesco tie.

Chen Wei sat opposite the stranger, his expression stiff, his face filled with panic, and his body trembling slightly. Behind him stood a beautiful waitress in a red business suit, her fair, delicate legs encased in semi-transparent flesh-colored stockings. Her skin was as white as cream, and her clear, spring-like eyes were filled with terror. Her flawless face radiated an innocent glow. It was none other than Wen Yuqi.

When Lin Yupeng recognized Wen Yuqi, his heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself, "So it was that waitress who spilled tea on Hong Tianhao! Sigh, that girl's really unlucky!"

Wen Yuqi lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong, gently biting her bright red lips. Her delicate body trembled slightly, like a frightened fawn, pitifully charming.

Lin Yupeng took less than two seconds to assess the situation inside the room. At the same time they burst in, Hong Tianhao and his group also recognized them and became alert. Some bodyguards were already reaching into their pockets, where they could easily kill someone.

Hong Tianhao, however, remained calm and composed. His cold, sharp gaze swept over Lin Yupeng a few times, a smug smirk playing on his lips. His expression was nonchalant, as if Lin Yupeng's appearance before him was entirely expected.

The golden glint in Lu Zhanhai's eyes, the bodyguard behind Hong Tianhao, shone even brighter, his murderous aura suddenly surging as he stared intently at Lin Yupeng and his companions. The veins on his large, fan-shaped hands bulged with rage. As

soon as Lin Yupeng and his two companions entered, bodyguards waiting at the door quickly closed it and stood guard. Lin Yupeng, of course, saw this and inwardly sneered, "Hong Tianhao, are you trying to trap me by closing the door? Dream on! Although there are only three of us, we are fully capable of fighting you to the death!"

Xiang Kui's marksmanship was undeniable, and Deng Yuhu seemed to be a formidable general as well. Lin Yupeng's addition of him and Xiang Kui was like adding wings to a tiger. If Xiang Kui and Deng Yuhu joined forces, Hong Tianhao's side, despite their numerical superiority, wouldn't gain any advantage.

Chen Wei, sitting stiffly in his chair, immediately showed surprise and pleading in his eyes upon seeing Lin Yupeng, as if he had seen a savior.

Chapter 450 Re-entering the Tiger's Den

Chapter 451 Robber's Logic

Chen Wei, intimidated by Hong Tianhao's tyrannical power, sat there motionless, looking utterly pathetic.

Cheng Da and the strange man glanced at Lin Yupeng, their faces still expressionless. Tonight's events had nothing to do with them; this was a case of "minding one's own business."

Wen Yuqi's bright, pitiful eyes immediately brightened with joy. This girl also saw Lin Yupeng as her savior, and couldn't help but cry out in a pitiful voice, "Brother Lin, I...I didn't mean to!"

"What's all the noise about! Shut up!" Lu Zhanhai glared fiercely at Wen Yuqi and shouted sharply. Was this guy's heart made of steel and stone? How could he bear to scold such a lovely and innocent girl like Wen Yuqi so harshly?

Wen Yuqi, startled, slightly stuck out her tongue and lowered her head, her clear, autumn-water-like eyes welling up with misty tears, filled with sorrow and helplessness.

Lin Yupeng glanced at her with encouraging and comforting eyes, then led Xiang Kui and Deng Yuhu toward Hong Tianhao. At this moment, several bodyguards under Hong Tianhao immediately stood in a row, blocking Lin Yupeng like a wall.

"Oh, isn't this President Lin? Let him come over!" Hong Tianhao's eyes flashed sharply as he said coldly.

The bodyguards then made way, with Lin Yupeng in the middle, Xiang Kui and Deng Yuhu on either side, and the five security guards behind him walking together to the mahjong table. The invisible, oppressive aura emanating from each of them converged and surged toward Hong Tianhao like a tidal wave crashing down on a shore.

"Mr. Hong, you're a respectable figure in Tianhan City. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the underworld for bullying a little girl?" Lin Yupeng stared coldly at Hong Tianhao, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Hong Tianhao's eyes widened slightly. He shrugged, helplessly spreading his hands, and sneered, "Mr. Lin, I don't understand what you're saying! She was the one who was clumsy, spilling scalding hot tea on my clothes and pants, burning my skin. How did it become me bullying her?"

Lin Yupeng's gaze fell on the mahjong table, which remained exactly as it had been when the incident occurred. A Jingdezhen ceramic teapot stood on the corner of the table, and a teacup lay overturned, facing Hong Tianhao, its tea spilled all over the table and floor.

Looking at Hong Tianhao's crisp trousers, a wet patch indeed clung to his skin, as if he had wet the bed. A small area of his suit jacket was also wet, with some tea leaves clinging to it.

Lin Yupeng turned his gaze to Wen Yuqi and asked in a deep voice, "Yuqi, is that what happened?"

Wen Yuqi raised her head, her beautiful eyes filled with bitter tears. She bit her cherry lips and shook her head, saying in a coquettish voice, "No! When I was pouring tea, someone pushed me from behind, and that's how I knocked the teacup over..."

Before she could finish, Lu Zhanhai shouted angrily, "You fucking lie! Who pushed you? You did it on purpose! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll beat you up!"

Wen Yuqi was pure and kind-hearted and never lied. Even in the face of Lu Zhanhai's tyranny, she still told the truth. She pointed her jade finger at Lu Zhanhai and said to Lin Yupeng, "Brother Lin, it was him who pushed me!"

"You little bitch! I'll fucking beat you up!" Lu Zhanhai was furious and reached out to grab Wen Yuqi.

"Stop!" Lin Yupeng roared, almost using all his strength, his power and momentum no less than a lioness's roar.

Thinking Lin Yupeng was about to attack, Lu Zhanhai abruptly turned and reached for his gun. Hong Tianhao reacted quickly, grabbing his hand and signaling him not to act rashly.

Lin Yupeng sneered inwardly, "Hong Tianhao, what are you pretending to be? This whole thing is a charade you staged. I believe Wen Yuqi wouldn't lie; Lu Zhanhai must have pushed her, causing her to spill the tea on Hong Tianhao. Trying to extort money from me for no reason? Dream on!"

Thinking this, he remained calm, staring intently at Hong Tianhao, and asked in a deep voice, "Mr. Hong, how long ago did this happen? Please be more specific!"

Hong Tianhao assumed he was verifying something, so he blurted out, "About five minutes ago!"

Lin Yupeng pointed to the teapot on the table and said, "The tea was poured from this pot, right?" Hong Tianhao paused, then said in a deep voice, "Yes!" But he wondered to himself, "Isn't this obvious? Why is Lin Yupeng being so long-winded today?"

Lin Yupeng smiled coldly, picked up the teapot, opened the lid, and gently stirred it with his finger. He felt the water was less than forty degrees Celsius, perfect for washing feet, and definitely wouldn't burn anyone's skin if splashed on it.

He chuckled coldly, his eyes flashing with a chilling light, and said seriously, "Mr. Hong, you're quite the joker! The temperature of this teapot is less than forty degrees Celsius now, and it was probably no more than fifty degrees Celsius five minutes ago. Water that can scald the skin must be at least seventy degrees Celsius. You say you were scalded by the tea? That's impossible!"

Hong Tianhao then realized that he had been tricked by Lin Yupeng. In fact, he hadn't been scalded at all; the water wasn't even hot enough to scald his feet. He just wanted to extort money from him, but Lin Yupeng had seen through him. He gritted his teeth inwardly, his hawk-like eyes flashing coldly as he stared at Lin Yupeng, a wicked smile appearing on his sharply defined cheeks. He said, "President Lin, don't make assumptions. What makes you think fifty-degree water won't hurt your skin? My skin is naturally delicate; it gets red, swollen, and broken when it comes into contact with hot water! Today I originally..." "I wanted to negotiate with President Chen, but I didn't expect you to come. Can you represent President Chen?"

Lin Yupeng smiled coldly and said decisively, "Of course I can! Tell me what you want to say! How do you want to resolve today's matter?"

Hong Tianhao sneered, "It's very simple. My clothes and pants are worth more than 50,000 yuan. They're unwearable now that they're dirty, so you have to compensate me at the original price. In addition, I was burned on my leg and need 50,000 yuan for treatment. The total is 100,000 yuan. As long as you come up with this amount of money, we can settle this privately. Otherwise, I'll take it to the Consumer Association!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yupeng actually burst into laughter, which made Hong Tianhao feel a little uneasy. He thought to himself, "Has Lin Yupeng gone mad?"

In fact, Lin Yupeng wasn't mad. He was laughing at Hong Tianhao's robber logic. Getting his clothes dirty meant he had to pay the original price, and he even said he would take it to the Consumer Association? How ridiculous!

There's no point in reasoning with the underworld, because they have their own set of underworld rules.

At this moment, Chen Wei kept winking at Lin Yupeng, meaning he should agree to give him 100,000 yuan to settle the matter, which was considered a way to avoid further trouble.

Chapter 451 Robber's Logic,

Chapter 452 Overestimating One's Own Strength.

Lin Yupeng was furious at Chen Wei's cowardly and bullying attitude. He didn't say anything, but inwardly he thought, "How could Chen Lihan have such a cowardly brother! She was swindled out of 500,000 yuan when the hotel opened, and today she's been extorted for 100,000 yuan over this little thing. He's gotten a taste of success and will use the same trick again. Sooner or later he'll bankrupt your hotel!"

Lin Yupeng glared fiercely at Chen Wei, then stared disdainfully at Hong Tianhao, coldly saying, "Mr. Hong..." "Mr. Lin, we can't accept your terms! Even if you take this to the Consumer Association, you probably won't win! Fifty thousand for a pair of clothes? Are they made of gold? And whether you have burns or not, you probably know best yourself. Do you dare take off your pants and let everyone see?"

Hong Tianhao laughed loudly, his eyes flashing coldly as he sized up Lin Yupeng, sneering, "Mr. Lin, are you joking? Besides women, who dares to take off my pants? Haha!" His thuggish nature was on full display in those words. The

surrounding bodyguards also joined in with wicked laughter. Lu Zhanhai's large, bell-like eyes darted around, constantly scrutinizing Lin Yupeng, Xiang Kui, and Deng Yuhu, ready to strike at any moment. This guy's hands itch if he doesn't fight for three days.

Since entering, Deng Yuhu had been glaring at Hong Tianhao with unwavering eyes. His large, round eyes would occasionally sweep over Lu Zhanhai, filled with resentment and venom. He was prepared for a fight; tonight, he was ready to fight to the death and would not let Hong Tianhao gain any advantage.

Lin Yupeng remained calm throughout. He wasn't provoked by Hong Tianhao's words. A glint flashed in his eyes as he stared intently at Hong Tianhao, sneering, "I know Mr. Hong is from the underworld. You probably know that most high-end hotel rooms have hidden cameras to prevent criminal cases or service disputes. Your presidential suite should have one too! If you're not satisfied, we'll go to the monitoring room and pull up the surveillance footage. We'll see the truth. If it really was a waiter who accidentally spilled tea on you, we can compensate you, but definitely not less than 100,000. Your asking price is far too high!"

He paused, then sneered at Hong Tianhao with disdain and mockery, "Mr. Hong, I really suspect you came from an African refugee camp. You're pretty ruthless, haha!"

He also wanted to provoke Hong Tianhao, because in this situation, whoever lost their temper would suffer a great loss.

Hong Tianhao, cunning and shrewd, wouldn't fall for Lin Yupeng's tricks, but the mention of the security camera earlier sent a chill down his spine. If the surveillance footage were actually retrieved, everything would be completely exposed! Wen Yuqi wasn't lying; she had indeed been pushed by Lu Zhanhai, causing her to spill tea on Hong Tianhao.

In truth, Lin Yupeng wasn't sure if there were any cameras in the presidential suite; he was merely using this as a pretext to deliberately provoke Hong Tianhao! If Hong Tianhao didn't back down tonight, it would likely be a head-on confrontation, resolved by force.

Hong Tianhao's main purpose in coming tonight wasn't extortion; he wasn't short of money. He had ulterior motives. He and Lin Yupeng stared at each other, their gazes clashing and seemingly about to ignite a spark.

After a while, Hong Tianhao glanced at the wall clock out of the corner of his eye. It was 9:15 PM. A strange, almost imperceptible glint flashed in his eyes, and a sinister smile crept onto his lips. He said in a deep voice, "Mr. Lin, I think today's matter can be resolved easily. I don't want to escalate it! How about we make a bet, according to the rules of the underworld?"

Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he asked coldly, "A bet? How do we do it?"

Hong Tianhao's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he said, word by word, "Of course, we'll resolve this with guns!"

He then added, "Mr. Lin, don't misunderstand, I'm not going to fight you. These days, nobody wants to cause trouble. We're betting with guns, not killing each other!"

Lin Yupeng wasn't involved in the underworld, and he didn't really understand the ways of the underworld. So he asked in a deep voice, "How exactly do you want to bet? Tell me in detail!"

Hong Tianhao chuckled, didn't speak, glanced at Lu Zhanhai beside him, and whispered, "Ah Hai, you tell President Lin about it!"

Lu Zhanhai bowed to Hong Tianhao, then straightened up, his golden eyes coldly sweeping across the faces of Lin Yupeng, Xiang Kui, and Deng Yuhu. A smug sneer appeared on his lips as he said, "President Lin, I know your men are all very capable, especially the two beside you, they are both sharpshooters. If we really fight to the death today, we'll probably both be severely injured! So let's use a civilized method to decide the winner without hurting our feelings, isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

Lin Yupeng sneered impatiently, "Speak quickly, stop rambling!" He suddenly felt that something was off about tonight's events. Why did Hong Tianhao and Lu Zhanhai seem to be deliberately stalling for time?

Lu Zhanhai, though fiery in appearance, showed no anger after being reprimanded by Lin Yupeng. He even smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Lin, to continue what I was saying, your men are all sharpshooters, but our men aren't pushovers either. Let's have a marksmanship contest today. If your men's marksmanship surpasses mine, or at least matches mine, then we've lost! We won't take a single penny! If none of your men's marksmanship can match mine, well, sorry! You'll have to keep every single penny of the 100,000 yuan." "Pay us back..." As he spoke, a wicked glint appeared in his eyes. He coldly glanced at Wen Yuqi behind Chen Wei, then chuckled dryly and continued, "That little girl, you have to stay and keep our Brother Hao company tonight! What do you say, Lin Yupeng? Are you willing to take this bet?"

The so-called "keeping him company" was just a high-sounding phrase. Everyone knew that Wen Yuqi was like a little lamb. Once she fell into the jaws of Hong Tianhao and his pack of wolves, let alone a whole night, even an hour would have unimaginable consequences. Her life would be completely ruined!

Lin Yupeng, of course, wouldn't let Wen Yuqi fall into his clutches. He smiled coldly, staring intently at Lu Zhanhai, thinking to himself, "Lu Zhanhai, you're too arrogant and complacent, aren't you? I don't know about Deng Yuhu's marksmanship, but Xiang Kui is definitely the grandmaster of marksmanship. I've heard that his marksmanship is so divine that he can kill a flying mosquito with one shot. Lu Zhanhai, even if your marksmanship is divine, can you compare to Xiang Kui? You're really overestimating yourself!"

Chapter 452 Overestimating Yourself

Chapter 453 One-on-One Shot

Lin Yupeng secretly mocked Lu Zhanhai's naive idea, but he didn't show it on his face. He was afraid that excessive joy would arouse suspicion in the other party. He was confident that he could win this bet today! But on the surface, Lin Yupeng still pretended to hesitate for a moment, turning his head to look at Xiang Kui and Deng Yuhu beside him.

Xiang Kui's expression was as cold and solemn as before, but Deng Yuhu's eyes revealed an eagerness to try. He was also full of confidence in winning this bet today.

Lin Yupeng's gaze fell on Lu Zhanhai again, and he said coldly, "Fine! We accept this bet. Where will we compete? How will we compete?"

Lu Zhanhai's eyes flashed with arrogance, and he said provocatively, "This isn't the place to play with guns. Do you dare to come out and have a go at it with me?"

Before Lin Yupeng could speak, the competitive Deng Yuhu couldn't wait to reply with a cold laugh, "Of course I dare! I'll play along to the end today!"

Hong Tianhao smiled slightly, slowly stood up, glanced coldly at Chen Wei and Wen Yuqi, and turned to Lin Yupeng with a sinister smile, "President Lin, before the outcome is decided, Chairman Chen and that girl must stay with us! Regardless of the result, I will release Chairman Chen. As for that girl, if you lose, hehe, I can only release her tomorrow morning!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Yuqi's delicate body trembled, and fear showed in her innocent eyes. Tears of grievance were about to fall, making her look pitiful.

Lin Yupeng felt a pang of pain in his heart. A girl as naive as her, so worryingly innocent, was truly unsuitable for working in a chaotic place like a hotel. She shouldn't even have come to this noisy, worldly city. She should return to simplicity, to a secluded paradise, free from worldly disturbances, living a carefree life.

But does a paradise truly exist? That's just a dream of poets and novelists.

Hong Tianhao and his group, carrying Chen Wei and Wen Yuqi, walked out of the presidential suite with their heads held high, Lin Yupeng, Xiang Kui, and Deng Yuhu following closely behind. Just outside the door, they saw Chen Lihan and five security guards still waiting.

Seeing Hong Tianhao and his group emerge from inside, with Chen Wei and Wen Yuqi surrounded and seemingly detained, Chen Lihan's heart pounded again. Just then, Lin Yupeng followed them out, and Chen Lihan grabbed his sleeve, anxiously asking, "Brother Lin, what happened?"

Lin Yupeng didn't know how to explain the situation, and after a moment's hesitation, he softly comforted her, "Lihan, don't worry, we'll go outside to negotiate! You just stay in the hotel and don't move; this will be resolved smoothly in a little while!"

"Who goes outside to negotiate? You didn't go to fight, did you?" Chen Lihan bit her lip, her tone resolute.

Lin Yupeng smiled slightly and said, "It's not a fight, don't worry!" He didn't explain anything, turned to the five security guards protecting Chen Lihan, and said coldly, "Take President Chen to the manager's office to rest, protect her safety, and don't let her leave there before we get back!"

After saying that, his gaze fell on Chen Lihan's frightened and anxious face, and he said softly, "Lihan, be good, stay at home obediently, and wait for me to come back."

Lin Yupeng's tone was like a husband about to go to war comforting his worried wife, gentle yet with an irresistible command. After saying this, he led Xiang Kui, Deng Yuhu, and the five security guards out of the hotel without looking back, following Hong Tianhao.

He didn't care if Chen Lihan worried, anxious, and distressed in the hotel; letting his woman take risks with him was not Lin Yupeng's style.

Hong Tianhao and his group led Lin Yupeng to the back of the Weili Hotel, where there was a large sports field for public outdoor exercise. It was already 9:30 PM, and the field was deserted and pitch black. The streetlights around the field were all broken for some unknown reason.

The sky was overcast, with not a single moon or star in sight. Hong Tianhao and Lin Yupeng's groups stood facing each other, less than ten steps apart, staring at each other. In the darkness, only the cold glint in their eyes conveyed an eeriness and chilling atmosphere.

Hong Tianhao's group had remained silent since they arrived on the field, each one like a wooden statue, playing a deep, enigmatic game with Lin Yupeng.

Chen Wei and Wen Yuqi were each held hostage by two of Hong Tianhao's thugs, one on each side, like pigeons trapped in a cage. The evening breeze ruffled Wen Yuqi's long, black hair, and the sorrow and melancholy in her clear, spring-like eyes made Lin Yupeng feel uneasy.

"Hong Tianhao, Lu Zhanhai, what exactly is going to happen? Speak up! Why are you all mute?" Deng Yuhu finally lost his temper and shouted sharply.

As soon as he finished speaking, two of Hong Tianhao's bodyguards took out two flashlights, turned them on, and two beams of yellow light shot forward, instantly illuminating the dark playground.

The fierce glint in Lu Zhanhai's eyes seemed brighter than a flashlight beam as he stared intently at Lin Yupeng. His cold, sinister voice suddenly rang out: "President Lin, the biggest danger during a shooting contest is distraction. Therefore, I suggest that no one is allowed to make a sound at the start of the contest; all cell phones must be turned off. If any person's phone rings or makes noise during the contest, they automatically forfeit!"

With that, Lu Zhanhai pulled out his phone and turned it off in front of Lin Yupeng. Hong Tianhao and his bodyguards also quickly turned off their phones.

Seeing Hong Tianhao and his group voluntarily turn off their phones, Lin Yupeng, not wanting anyone's phone to suddenly ring during the bet and give Hong Tianhao leverage, immediately ordered his men to do the same.

Under the cover of night, a barely perceptible, eerie glint flashed in the eyes of Hong Tianhao and Lu Zhanhai…

Lu Zhanhai smiled sinisterly and said in a deep voice, “Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Lin! Let me explain the rules of the competition. It’s actually very simple. This is called one-on-one shooting, shooting at cigarette butts. I’ll demonstrate first. If anyone from your group can do it the same way, Mr. Lin, then we’ve lost this bet tonight.”

He quickly took off his open shirt and tossed it to the bodyguard behind him, revealing his bare torso. His muscular physique, bulging like small hills, appeared particularly fierce and intimidating in the darkness and the beam of the flashlight.

A Type 79 military pistol was tucked into Lu Zhanhai’s waist, its black surface gleaming eerily, appearing sinister and menacing in the night.

Chapter 453 One-on-One Shot;

Chapter 454 Shot Through a Cigarette Butt.

Lu Zhanhai glanced at a bodyguard beside him and ordered in a deep

voice, "Light a cigarette, walk forward a hundred steps, and stand sideways." The bodyguard did not hesitate, bowed to Hong Tianhao and Lu Zhanhai, then took out an ordinary 555 cigarette from his pocket, lit it with a lighter, and casually put it in his mouth as usual. He quickly walked forward a hundred steps, turned around and stood sideways to Lu Zhanhai, slowly smoking. The flame on the cigarette butt flickered, but it looked very weak from a hundred steps away.

Lu Zhanhai glanced coldly at Lin Yupeng, his voice filled with arrogance and provocation as he said, "President Lin, I'm going to extinguish his cigarette butt with this shot, but the cigarette can't fall to the ground. If it's not extinguished or the cigarette falls, I'll consider myself defeated!"

A glint flashed in Lin Yupeng's eyes, and he sneered, "Alright, you go first!" Inwardly, however, he thought, "Shooting a cigarette butt from a hundred paces is indeed very difficult, but for Xiang Kui, it's a piece of cake! I haven't witnessed Deng Yuhu's marksmanship, but since he used to be the deputy head of the security department at Tianqiong Group, his marksmanship must be incredibly accurate. This shouldn't be difficult for him. Hong Tianhao and Lu Zhanhai are underestimating us!"

After Lu Zhanhai finished speaking, he flashed... He swiftly drew the knife-shaped pistol from his waist, weighed it in his hand a few times, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. He then gave Lin Yupeng a cold glance and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Lin, I'm about to shoot. From now on, please remain silent!"

Lin Yupeng nodded slightly, smiled coldly, and waved his hand impatiently, signaling him to shoot the cigarette butt immediately. He wondered to himself, "Hong Tianhao and Lu Zhanhai have said more than ten unnecessary things tonight. Have they taken the wrong medicine?"

As soon as Lu Zhanhai finished speaking, he slowly raised his hand, pointing it at the bodyguard a hundred paces away. He paused for a moment. Lin Yupeng was anxious, but he dared not speak. He had already promised Lu Zhanhai not to make a sound; how could he go back on his word now?

After a long pause, Lu Zhanhai finally pulled the trigger. His gun had a silencer, so the sound was minimal. The cigarette in the bodyguard's mouth trembled slightly, the ember extinguishing instantly. Several sparks from the cigarette butt fell to the ground and quickly went out as well.

Lu Zhanhai's marksmanship was indeed excellent; he seemed to be a seasoned gunsman. Although his standard drawing motion was slow, the shot was clean and swift.

The bodyguard's cigarette went out, and he turned and walked back unhurriedly, expressionless, bowing again to Hong Tianhao and Lu Zhanhai.

Lu Zhanhai nodded in satisfaction, patted him on the shoulder in encouragement, and the bodyguard turned and retreated. Just now, Lu Zhanhai shot at the cigarette butt, and this "live target" with the cigarette in his mouth was very important. If he was flustered and unsteady with the cigarette in his mouth, it would undoubtedly increase the difficulty for Lu Zhanhai to shoot the cigarette butt. And if, after Lu Zhanhai fired, he was so frightened that he spat the cigarette butt on the ground, then Hong Tianhao's side would lose the bet.

Next, it was Lin Yupeng's turn to send two people, one as the target and the other to shoot, also imitating Lu Zhanhai to extinguish the cigarette butt, and the cigarette could not fall to the ground.

"Mr. Lin, you can talk now. Arrange the people!" Lu Zhanhai said coldly to Lin Yupeng.

Whether he could speak or not now depended on Lu Zhanhai's orders. Lin Yupeng felt like he was being led by the nose all night, which was extremely awkward, but he had already agreed to the bet, so he had to bite the bullet and go through with it.

Originally, he wanted Xiang Kui to shoot this round. With Xiang Kui's marksmanship, he could easily shoot a fly even from a hundred paces away, let alone a cigarette butt.

But just as Lin Yupeng's gaze fell on Xiang Kui and he was about to speak, Deng Yuhu's voice suddenly rang out: "President Lin, let me take this shot. I'm confident, please rest assured!"

Deng Yuhu's tone was full of pleading and unwavering confidence, making Lin Yupeng reluctant to refuse him. However, Lin Yupeng wasn't entirely sure if Deng Yuhu's marksmanship was as good as Lu Zhanhai's, able to extinguish a cigarette butt from a hundred paces away.

He sized up Deng Yuhu a few times, secretly calculating in his mind: "He volunteered for the fight, showing a strong desire to win. If I insist on not letting him go and send Xiang Kui instead, Deng Yuhu will definitely be dissatisfied, thinking that I don't trust him, and there will inevitably be a rift in our future work... Actually, even if I lose this bet tonight, I still have to rescue Chen Wei and Wen Yuqi. At worst, it'll just be a bloody battle! Since winning or losing doesn't matter much to the big picture, I might as well send him!"

Thinking of this, Lin Yupeng smiled slightly at Deng Yuhu, patted him on the shoulder, and said in a deep voice, "Old Deng, then you go! Be careful!"

"Understood, thank you, President Lin!" Deng Yuhu's sharp, cold eyes flashed with a glint of light, and he replied firmly. After speaking, he turned and glanced at the five security guards who had followed him, shouting sternly, "Zhao Zhiyuan! Step forward!"

"Yes, sir!" A tall, thin security guard stepped forward in unison, bowed to Deng Yuhu and Lin Yupeng, his expression solemn and cold, his movements clean and efficient.

"You light a cigarette, walk forward a hundred steps, take big steps, at least a little further than that brother just now!" Deng Yuhu coldly ordered.

"Understood!" The security guard named Zhao Zhiyuan immediately took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it with a lighter, and then took a hundred steps forward, his strides very large, actually covering more than ten meters beyond the bodyguard sent by Lu Zhanhai.

After Zhao Zhiyuan stopped, he turned to face Deng Yuhu, took two puffs of the cigarette, making the embers brighter, waiting for Deng Yuhu to shoot the cigarette butt.

His expression was calm and composed, exactly the same as when he smoked, his body standing ramrod straight, showing no sign of fear.

Lin Yupeng nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself that Deng Yuhu's choice was indeed excellent; this courage and imposing manner were in no way inferior to the bodyguard Lu Zhanhai had just sent.

Seeing Zhao Zhiyuan stand still, Deng Yuhu's fierce, large eyes fixed on him, two cold glints seemingly converging into a single line in the air, his pupils contracting sharply, the focus naturally on the cigarette butt dangling from Zhao Zhiyuan's mouth.

"Minister Deng, does your gun have a silencer? If not, I can lend you mine, otherwise the noise will be too loud and attract attention!" Lu Zhanhai stared at Deng Yuhu, a forced smile on his face.

"Enough nonsense, I have a silencer!" Deng Yuhu snapped impatiently. After saying that, he stared intently at Lu Zhanhai and said coldly, "Lu Zhanhai, from now on I'm going to fire too. I hope your men won't make a sound!"

Chapter 454 Shooting a Cigarette Butt

Chapter 455 The Sound of Siren

Lu Zhanhai chuckled, nodded slightly, and waved his hand to indicate that the competition could begin.

Deng Yuhu's movements were much faster than Lu Zhanhai's. He reached into his waistband, pulled out a Type 64 pistol, raised his arm, aimed at the cigarette butt in Zhao Zhiyuan's mouth, adjusted to the optimal posture, his veins bulging. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, he suddenly felt a bright light before his eyes, a strong beam of light shooting into them, and his vision blurred!

It turned out that one of Hong Tianhao's henchmen had somehow produced a flashlight and was casually fiddling with it; the beam of light from the flashlight happened to shine into Deng Yuhu's eyes.

Deng Yuhu cursed inwardly, "Damn it, they're secretly plotting against me! How insidious!" He glanced coldly at Hong Tianhao and Lu Zhanhai out of the corner of his eye, and sneered, "You underestimate me! This little trick poses no threat to me!"

Lin Yupeng was getting impatient. He'd already felt awkward all evening, being led around by Hong Tianhao at every turn, and now he'd suffered a silent loss. He couldn't help but want to rebuke Hong Tianhao's men for their despicable actions.

Just as he was about to speak, Deng Yuhu fired!

Lin Yupeng's heart skipped a beat. His gaze fell on the cigarette in Zhao Zhiyuan's mouth. The embers on the cigarette butt suddenly went out after the low gunshot, the sparks falling quickly to the ground and disappearing in an instant.

Although Deng Yuhu's vision had been temporarily impaired by the flashlight's beam, his marksmanship was surprisingly accurate, no less than Xiang Kui's. Relying on memory and feel, he fired a shot, hitting the cigarette butt precisely. It was a brilliant shot, in no way inferior to Lu Zhanhai's.

Lin Yupeng sneered, turned to Hong Tianhao, and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Hong, you've lost. Shouldn't you release them?"

Hong Tianhao laughed heartily and said, "Of course! I, Hong, am willing to accept defeat!" After saying that, he turned to Lu Zhanhai beside him and coldly ordered, "Release them immediately!" "

Alright!" Lu Zhanhai showed no sign of the gloom of losing the bet; in fact, he even had a victor's smile on his lips, which greatly surprised Lin Yupeng.

Lu Zhanhai waved to the bodyguards holding Chen Wei and Wen Yuqi hostage, and the four security guards immediately released their restraints. Chen Wei and Wen Yuqi rushed to Lin Yupeng's side like birds released from their cages, truly regarding him as their savior and protector.

"President Lin, we've released them! We don't want the money either. How about we resolve this matter today?" Hong Tianhao looked at Lin Yupeng and smiled.

"Fine! Mr. Hong, I hope you won't cause any more trouble for the Weili Hotel in the future. As long as you can do that, we can go our separate ways and keep to ourselves. If you don't heed my good advice, hehe, don't blame me, Lin Yupeng, for being impolite!"

Just as he finished speaking, a series of urgent police sirens blared from afar, seemingly heading towards the playground. Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed, and he thought to himself, "What's going on? Did Chen Lihan call the police? Unbelievable, five security guards couldn't even spot Chen Lihan? What a bunch of idiots!"

Lin Yupeng had already managed to quell the situation, but if the police intervened now, it would be a real problem. Both Lin Yupeng and Hong Tianhao's groups were carrying guns, and coming to the playground in the middle of the night would surely make the police think it was a gang fight!

Although Lin Yupeng was a prominent figure, it wouldn't be easy for him to explain himself in this situation.

His gaze followed the sound of sirens, and he saw four police cars speeding towards him from a distance on a road next to the playground, their speed not decreasing as they approached.

Lin Yupeng felt a sense of relief, thinking to himself, "Could they not be coming for us?"

"Get hidden immediately!" Hong Tianhao, who hadn't yet left, shouted sharply, both giving an order to his men and reminding Lin Yupeng. After all, if either side's men were discovered by the police, it would implicate a large number of people, exposing both sides. A

cold glint flashed in Lin Yupeng's eyes, and he immediately ordered his men to find places to hide. Some lay down on the spot, some hid in corners, and some concealed themselves behind rows of benches on the playground.

Hong Tianhao's men moved even faster, seemingly accustomed to evading police pursuit; they disappeared in an instant, as if they had burrowed into the ground.

Lin Yupeng pulled Wen Yuqi to safety behind a stone ping-pong table on the playground, with Deng Yuhu and Xiang Kui flanking them.

Wen Yuqi's small hands, glistening with sweat from nervousness, appeared even more smooth and supple. Her graceful, well-developed body leaned against Lin Yupeng, and a sweet, youthful fragrance wafted over, causing Lin Yupeng's heart to flutter.

He tried hard to control his thoughts, lest he harbor any impure desires for this innocent and pure girl, and peeked halfway out, peering towards the road… He saw that the four police cars weren't heading this way after all; they drove straight past the playground without stopping.

About two minutes later, the sirens faded into the distance. Lin Yupeng felt a sense of relief, secretly wondering, "Why are so many police officers out in the middle of the night? Where has this trouble started again?"

He didn't have time to think about it further; he needed to hurry back to the Weili Hotel. Chen Lihan must be extremely worried. He had to take his men back immediately to prevent any further trouble.

Lin Yupeng led his men back to the Weili Hotel and went to the general manager's office. Chen Lihan was extremely anxious, even somewhat dissatisfied with Lin Yupeng forcibly restricting her freedom without her consent. However, when she saw that her brother Chen Wei and the waitress Wen Yuqi had been safely brought back by Lin Yupeng, her tense and anxious mood was immediately replaced by joy.

"Brother, Xiaoqi, are you alright?" Chen Lihan's clear, autumn-water-like eyes shone with concern.

"We're fine! This time, it's all thanks to General Manager Lin!" Chen Wei grinned.

Wen Yuqi smiled and shook her head without speaking. She had been quite frightened just now; her fair and delicate face, with its clear features, was flushed with fear, making her appear pitiful and lovable.

Lin Yupeng waved to the security guards who had been protecting Chen Lihan, indicating that they no longer needed to restrict her movements; all danger had now been eliminated.

Chen Lihan naturally understood Lin Yupeng's good intentions. She smiled sweetly, quickly walked to Lin Yupeng's side, and looked him up and down several times with her beautiful eyes. She asked with concern, "Brother Lin, are you alright?"

Lin Yupeng laughed heartily, "I'm fine. I really wasn't going to fight just now, I was going to negotiate!" He paused, gazing at Chen Lihan with tender affection, and continued softly, "However, if anyone dares to bully you, I will still fight for you without hesitation, just like I did ten years ago at the school gate."

He unintentionally brought up the past again, and Chen Lihan's gaze softened, gradually revealing a gentle glint. Lin Yupeng's words had stirred up her memories. Ten years ago at the school gate, Lin Yupeng had fought twice for Chen Lihan. A thug had verbally abused her and tried to take advantage of her, and Lin Yupeng had stepped in to protect her. The first time, he mainly got beaten up, nearly killed by the much taller thug, and was later rescued by the PE teacher, Sun Liancheng. The second time, thanks to his Tai Chi skills, he gained the upper hand and sent the thug sprawling. Now, Lin Yupeng was a completely different person; he no longer needed to lift a finger to protect Chen Lihan. Lin Yupeng gently comforted her. It was already past 10 pm, and the celebration banquet at Starlight Media Group had long since ended. Some guests had gone home, while others were staying the night, ostensibly to experience the excellent service, but actually hoping that Xu Weiguo and Lin Yupeng would send them some beautiful women to enjoy that evening. "Escort services" were a common "program" at celebrations held by the Tianqiong Group in the past, but those lecherous men were mistaken today. Xu Weiguo and Lin Yupeng hadn't arranged anything. Furthermore, the Weili Hotel wasn't like other hotels offering such services; they would never call in the middle of the night asking, "Want some services?" Chen Lihan's hotel never did anything like that; it simply won customer satisfaction with its delicious food and excellent service. Lin Yupeng chatted with Chen Lihan for a while longer when the office phone suddenly rang. A look of worry flashed across Chen Lihan's beautiful eyes as she answered the phone. When she heard the contents of the call, her expression changed drastically, but she quickly regained her composure. This series of changes in her expression naturally didn't escape Lin Yupeng's notice. He stared intently at Chen Lihan and asked with concern, "Lihan, what happened?" Chen Lihan replied calmly, "Nothing, just a routine police check! They're checking the guest room register in the lobby!"

Lin Yupeng's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "What kind of routine check are the police doing here so late? Could it be the same group from earlier? No, if they were after the Weili Hotel, they should have arrived long ago. Why are they taking such a long detour?" The

arrival of the police was always a problem, and he didn't have time to think about it further. He immediately said to Deng Yuhu beside him, "Old Deng, you and the ten security guards you brought, blend into the hotel's security team immediately. If the police come to question you, say you're hotel security guards, and hide your guns. If the police discover this, insist it's a fake gun to scare them. Even if you're taken to the police station, you'd better endure it. I guarantee you'll be out safely within three days!"

"Yes, sir!" Deng Yuhu led the ten security guards quickly out of the general manager's office. Fortunately, the security guards were all uniformly dressed now, and the uniforms of the Starlight Media security guards and the Weili Hotel security guards were similar, so they couldn't be distinguished when mixed in.

After giving the order, Lin Yupeng turned to Chen Lihan and said, "Lihan, let's go downstairs and take a look!"

Chen Lihan also wanted to check the situation. Police conducting a security check so late at night was definitely not a good sign; there might be a criminal suspect in the hotel, or some other security incident. So she followed him to the lobby.

There were five or six police officers and more than a dozen fully armed police officers in the lobby, completely controlling the area. Looking outside, Lin Yupeng saw more than a dozen police officers standing at the entrance of the Weili Hotel. The entire hotel was completely sealed off; no one could get in, and no one could get out. He had a premonition that something serious had happened tonight, and it was an ominous feeling. He sensed that it was related to him!

As soon as Lin Yupeng entered the lobby, his eyes swept over the group of police officers, and he spotted a familiar figure—or rather, two. One was his childhood sweetheart and confidante, Ruan Yihong; the other was Cui Junming, who was always by his side like a persistent leech.

Tonight, Ruan Yihong was dressed in a police uniform, wearing a beret with a badge that gleamed with a solemn light, making her appear dashing and heroic. The loose-fitting uniform couldn't conceal her stunning figure: full, firm breasts, rounded, sexy hips, beautiful and alluring curves, and delicate, fair skin with a rosy glow. Combined with her beautiful and exquisite features, she was captivating, drawing one's attention and making one want to follow in her footsteps. However, the imposing and heroic aura she exuded prevented one from getting too close.

Ruan Yihong was such a woman—dignified and beautiful, sacred and noble, "to be admired from afar, not to be profaned."

At this moment, Ruan Yihong was speaking quietly with a female attendant at the lobby counter, while Cui Junming beside her was carefully reviewing the guest register.

Cui Junming was still as handsome and imposing as ever, exuding an aura of righteousness that inspired awe. Lin Yupeng glanced at his rank insignia; he seemed to have risen a rank since the last time he saw him, presumably becoming the leader of a team in the criminal investigation department.

Undeniably, both Ruan Yihong and Cui Junming were upright and exemplary police officers, dedicated to serving the people and selfless in their duties.

Ruan Yihong caught sight of Lin Yupeng approaching her out of the corner of her eye. A look of surprise crossed her face. Turning to face him, she asked in a cold, expressionless voice, "Lin Yupeng, what are you doing here?" Her tone was somewhat harsh, addressing Lin Yupeng by his full name, which made him uncomfortable. It seemed the distance between them was growing.

Lin Yupeng maintained his composed smile, glancing at Ruan Yihong a few times before saying, "Why can't I be here! Officer Ruan, what happened that requires your help?" His tone was humorous and teasing, as if he were chatting casually with Ruan Yihong.

Ruan Yihong glared at Lin Yupeng, not answering his question. Her clear, sharp gaze fell on Chen Lihan beside Lin Yupeng, and a slight smile appeared on her pretty face as she asked in a deep voice, "You're Chen Lihan, the general manager of the Weili Hotel, right?"

Actually, Ruan Yihong had met Chen Lihan once before, after Chen Lihan was kidnapped by Peng Hongliang. She had rushed to the scene with her men and happened to see Lin Yupeng rescue the trapped Chen Lihan. However, as a police officer, she had to be meticulous in her work, so she still asked as if to confirm.

Chapter 456 Security Check

Chapter 457 Serious Case

Ruan Yihong and Lin Yupeng were from the same hometown and their families were neighbors. Chen Lihan was Lin Yupeng's deskmate at school. Their relationship had only lasted less than a year and was mostly confined to school. Therefore, Ruan Yihong had never met Chen Lihan before, only knowing from Lin Yupeng that he had a lovely and beautiful deskmate, and also vaguely sensing from his words that Lin Yupeng had developed feelings for Chen Lihan.

Chen Lihan smiled calmly and replied sweetly, "It's me, hello!"

Ruan Yihong smiled and replied, "Hello, may I ask if Hong Tianhao, the chairman of the Hong Group, lives here?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Lihan's body trembled slightly, and she answered softly, "Yes!"

Ruan Yihong's clear and sharp eyes focused on Chen Lihan, and she asked seriously, "When did he move in?"

A hint of doubt flickered in Chen Lihan's beautiful eyes, and she answered softly, "Last Sunday! He stayed in the presidential suite."

Lin Yupeng heard Ruan Yihong's... Ruan Yihong repeatedly inquired about Hong Tianhao's situation, secretly delighted, thinking, "Hehe, has Hong Tianhao gotten himself into some trouble?"

At this moment, Ruan Yihong asked Chen Lihan, "Your hotel should have secret surveillance cameras in the guest rooms, right? Could you please pull them up so we can take a look?"

Chen Lihan hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, we do. What happened?"

Ruan Yihong's pretty face hardened, and she said seriously, "Just now, a serious case of hooliganism occurred at the Hongfa Paper Mill..." "We suspect this is related to Hong Tianhao."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Yupeng felt a sudden tremor in his heart and hurriedly interjected, "Ah, something happened at Hongfa Sugar Factory? What happened?"

Ruan Yihong glanced at her watch, then looked up and coldly glared at Lin Yupeng, saying in a deep voice, "Twenty minutes ago, a group of masked men armed with weapons broke into the demolition site of Hongfa Paper Mill. According to eyewitnesses, there were over a hundred of them. They specifically attacked employees of Xinda Demolition Company, and their attacks were very severe. Two people were killed on the spot, and more than fifty were injured. General Manager He of Xinda Company was also seriously injured and is currently in the hospital receiving emergency treatment!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yupeng felt as if a thunderbolt had struck him. His expression changed, and he thought to himself in astonishment, "I had a feeling something was going to happen at Hongfa! Why have things been going so badly lately?" He recalled how He Bingguo had confidently promised to handle all emergencies that morning, only to be severely injured that evening, his life hanging in the balance—a truly ironic situation.

"This arrogant guy really needs to be taught a lesson, to shut him up!" Lin Yupeng thought to himself with resentment.

Just then, five or six armed police officers came downstairs. The leader, whose rank was a level higher than Cui Junming's, was tall and robust, with a mature and composed appearance, a serious expression, and an aura of righteous indignation and intimidating power.

"Captain Qian, isn't Hong Tianhao in the suite?" Cui Junming, standing next to Ruan Yihong, closed the register and turned to the middle-aged officer, asking in a deep voice.

Upon hearing Cui Junming call the middle-aged officer "Captain Qian," Lin Yupeng immediately guessed that he was Qian Han, the criminal investigation captain of the Dongwan District Public Security Bureau.

Lin Yupeng didn't know much about him; he seemed to have been transferred to Dongwan District a couple of years ago, had a high case-solving rate, and was known for his decisive and efficient work.

The criminal investigation team leader, Qian Han, had a grim and solemn face, as if covered by a layer of frost. He said coldly, "The person is long gone!"

Cui Junming interjected, "Team Leader Qian, I just found Hong Tianhao's registration book. Everyone is registered with their real names. Including Hong Tianhao, there are 12 people in total."

Qian Han's eyes flashed sharply, his face darkening, and he asked in a deep voice, "Have you written down all these people's names?"

Cui Junming replied solemnly, "Yes, I have, Team Leader Qian!"

Qian Han nodded in satisfaction and asked in a deep voice, "Who's in charge here? Where are the surveillance videos? Take me to see them right now!"

Chen Lihan chimed in sweetly, "I'm in charge. I'll take you to the monitoring room!"

Lin Yupeng originally wanted to go to the monitoring room with them, but Ruan Yihong stopped him, "Don't go! Stay here. I still have some questions for you!"

Lin Yupeng smiled bitterly, "Officer Ruan, the Hongfa Paper Mill incident caused the demolition to be suspended. Our Xingguang Media is also a victim!"

Ruan Yihong glared at him and said coldly, "But you are neither a police officer nor the direct operator of the hotel. You have no right to view surveillance videos involving people's privacy!"

After saying that, she turned around and followed Qian Han and Cui Junming to the monitoring room on the fifth floor, led by Chen Lihan, leaving Lin Yupeng in the lobby on the first floor.

Lin Yupeng shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself, "Recently, Ruan Yihong's attitude towards me has become increasingly cold, almost treating me like a criminal suspect. What's going on? Does the special task force really have some evidence?"

As he pondered this, he sat down on the sofa next to the service counter, his mind racing. He suddenly remembered that when the incident occurred at the Hongfa demolition site, he was outside betting on a gun with Hong Tianhao's group, and his phone had been switched off. Had he fallen for Hong Tianhao's diversionary tactic?

Lin Yupeng's phone had been off for half an hour; during that time, Hong Tianhao could have launched a large-scale operation.

He hurriedly pulled out his phone and turned it on, only to see several missed calls from Xu Weiguo. His phone had been off then, and every three minutes Xu Weiguo would call him again. Then, He Bingguo, the general manager of Xinda Demolition Company, also called him, but only once. He guessed that after that failed call, he was beaten by masked thugs and hospitalized.

As he was pondering, his phone rang again. It was Xu Weiguo calling. Lin Yupeng saw that there were police officers all around, so it was inconvenient to answer the phone. He then strolled to a secluded corner in the corridor. Fortunately, Ruan Yihong had not allowed the police to monitor him, so he was able to answer the phone calmly.

Xu Weiguo's voice sounded anxious as he said, "President Lin, why was your phone off just now?"

Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed, and he asked, "What do you need me for?"

Xu Weiguo said in a heavy tone, "Sigh, it's too late now! Half an hour ago, I received urgent intelligence from our informant at Hong's Group, saying that Hong Tianhao was about to make a big move, possibly targeting Xinda Demolition Company, and that we should be on guard, since Xinda Company serves us. I wanted to immediately notify you and Deng Yuhu to organize people to go and reinforce us, but I didn't know that both of your phones were off. What happened?"

Lin Yupeng was

annoyed

, his eyes blazing with anger, and he said hatefully, "Damn it, Deng Yuhu and I have both fallen into Hong Tianhao's trap! We were making a bet with him, and our phones were off!"

"Why would you turn off your phone while making a bet?" Xu Weiguo asked, puzzled.

"Sigh, it's hard to explain in a few words! In short, Hong Tianhao tricked me today, it's infuriating!" Lin Yupeng rarely swore, but after what happened tonight, he couldn't help but get furious.

"Forget it, learn from this experience! The police have already intervened in this incident, so let's not take any unilateral retaliatory actions!" Xu Weiguo, being shrewd and experienced, was worried that Lin Yupeng, being young and impulsive, might do something out of line and cause trouble for the newly established Starlight Media.

Lin Yupeng's eyes darted around, and he coldly pressed, "Brother Xu, I have two questions you need to explain! First, why did our informant provide the intelligence so late this time, only five minutes in advance? In such a short time, there was absolutely no preparation. Even if I rushed to reinforce with my men, I probably wouldn't gain anything. Second, since you couldn't contact us, why didn't you ask the Tianqiong Group headquarters for help? The headquarters is clearly closer to the Hongfa Paper Mill than the Weili Hotel."

Xu Weiguo didn't answer his questions immediately, and asked in surprise, "What? You're still at the Weili Hotel? I thought you went home! Wasn't it sealed off by the police?"

Lin Yupeng didn't answer his question either, but instead asked, "Where are you? When did the banquet end?"

Xu Weiguo said, "It ended at nine o'clock. I'm at the Tianqiong Group now!"

Lin Yupeng was annoyed, and said in a gloomy tone, "Brother Xu, you still haven't answered the two questions I just asked!

" Wei Guo paused, then answered calmly and in a deep voice, “The first question: According to our informant, Hong Tianhao’s operation this time was extremely secretive. His henchmen only knew there was an operation at night, but they didn’t know where they were going. It wasn’t until 9:20 p.m. that they received orders to go to Hongfa Paper Mill. Only then did our informant manage to secretly send out the information. The second question…” He spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction, then said coldly, “After receiving this information, I already requested assistance from headquarters, but President Zhang disagreed with using people from our group, saying that the risk was too great, and told me to call the police immediately.”

Lin Yupeng thought to himself with resentment, “I knew Zhang Yueran would remain inactive. That old fox is clearly sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight!”

At present, the Tianqiong Group has actually split up. A group led by Xu Wei Guo and Lin Yupeng has established the Xingguang Media Group. The group headquarters is now completely under Zhang Yueran’s control. If he doesn’t send troops, no one can do anything about it.

"Did you call the police?" Lin Yupeng knew as soon as he said it that it was a pointless question. If Xu Weiguo hadn't called the police, then the police wouldn't have been mobilized in such large numbers. But the police's response time was too slow! They only arrived at the scene half an hour later, while the other side had already finished dealing with it!

Sure enough, Xu Weiguo said coldly on the other end of the phone, "Yes, I called the police, but they didn't arrive at the scene for half an hour. By then, the perpetrators had already fled."

Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed with anger as he asked coldly, "Where did you call the police? The 110 command center, the Dongwan branch, or the Municipal Public Security Bureau?"

Xu Weiguo replied, "I first called Director Yin of the Municipal Public Security Bureau and explained the situation to him. Because Hongfa Paper Mill is under the jurisdiction of Dongwan District, Director Yin assigned tonight's operation to the Dongwan branch."

Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed sharply as he said in a deep voice, "I understand! The police have sealed off the Weili Hotel, and I can't get out. I can't talk to you any longer. I'll deal with tonight's matter tomorrow!"

With that, he hung up the phone, returned to the sofa in the lobby on the first floor, and sat up nonchalantly. He looked around at the people in the lobby. It was already 10 p.m., and all the diners had long since left. Only a few waiters and security guards from the Weili Hotel remained in the lobby.

Lin Yupeng sat on the sofa, eyes closed, his mind racing. "No wonder Hong Tianhao kept stalling. It was to ensure the violent operation tonight could proceed smoothly. The bet on guns was all a pretext; they didn't care about winning or losing. Besides, they cut off contact with the outside world during that time. I've really stumbled badly today!"

He concluded that tonight's events were meticulously planned by Hong Tianhao. Two days ago, after learning that Lin Yupeng was going to hold a banquet at the Weili Hotel, they secretly plotted this trap. They calculated that if trouble was stirred up at the hotel tonight, Lin Yupeng would definitely help Chen Lihan smooth things over, thus using this opportunity to restrain him and prevent him from making any reaction.

It seemed Hong Tianhao was indeed difficult to deal with. Since his debut, Lin Yupeng had never suffered such a loss in silence. Tonight's events made Lin Yupeng realize even more clearly the perilous situation he was in. To reverse the passive situation, he would have to work hard.

Lin Yupeng didn't delve deeper into Hong Tianhao's trap. He knew the deed was done, and he'd fallen for it. Hindsight was 20/20; he should focus on resolving the situation. As

he racked his brains, he suddenly heard a clear, authoritative female voice: "Lin Yupeng! Lin Yupeng! Are you asleep?"

Lin Yupeng slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. He saw Ruan Yihong standing before him, her gaze cold, her expression serious and grave.

Meanwhile, Detective Captain Qian Han and the head of the Major Crimes Unit, Cui Junming, were questioning Chen Lihan about the situation.

Seeing him open his eyes, Ruan Yihong immediately asked in a cold voice, "Why are you here?"

Lin Yupeng replied, both angry and amused, "I'm here for a celebration banquet. Today is the opening ceremony of my Starlight Media Group."

"As far as I know, the banquet ended at nine o'clock. Why haven't you left yet?" Ruan Yihong's tone was clearly like interrogating a criminal suspect, making Lin Yupeng very uncomfortable and upset. He never expected that his childhood sweetheart and confidante had drawn such a deep line between them, almost like a policeman and a criminal.

"I'm chatting with my girlfriend!" Lin Yupeng chuckled and answered calmly. No matter how cold Ruan Yihong's attitude was towards him, he remained consistent and composed.

"Who is your girlfriend?" Ruan Yihong's eyes flashed coldly as she stared intently at Lin Yupeng and pressed him for an answer.

Chapter 458 Carefully Planned

Chapter 459 Conflicts and Disagreements

Lin Yupeng stared at Ruan Yihong and laughed heartily, "Chen Lihan! Don't you know?"

Ruan Yihong smiled coldly, turned to Qian Han, and said loudly, "Captain Qian, can I invite President Chen over here first? I have a few questions to ask her."

Qian Han nodded with a gloomy face and walked to Lin Yupeng with Chen Lihan.

As soon as Lin Yupeng saw Chen Lihan, he immediately stood up and took her soft and smooth hand, saying with full concern, "Lihan, are you tired?"

Ruan Yihong glanced at Chen Lihan and asked coldly, "President Chen, is Lin Yupeng your boyfriend?"

Lin Yupeng held Chen Lihan's hand tightly. Although she tried to pull her hand away, he only held it tighter. A blush immediately rose on her beautiful face.

When Ruan Yihong asked if Lin Yupeng was her boyfriend, Chen Lihan's pretty face flushed even more, like a blooming begonia.

Lin Yupeng's heart tightened. If Chen Lihan didn't admit she was his girlfriend, tonight's events would be quite troublesome. So, he secretly rubbed Chen Lihan's smooth, delicate hand a few times, giving her a hint to agree first.

Chen Lihan's lithe, lotus-like body trembled slightly. She naturally knew Lin Yupeng was giving her a signal. She slightly raised her head, meeting Lin Yupeng's pleading gaze. Her heart softened instantly, and she nodded shyly to Ruan Yihong, acknowledging Lin Yupeng as her boyfriend.

Lin Yupeng was overjoyed. He glanced tenderly at Chen Lihan. Regardless of whether she genuinely admitted to being his girlfriend, as long as he acknowledged it, it meant her heart was on his side. Upon hearing this, Ruan Yihong gritted her teeth, her beautiful eyes still gleaming with a sharp, aggressive light. She stared at Chen Lihan and coldly asked, "President Chen, tonight Hong Tianhao had a service dispute at the hotel, and Lin Yupeng resolved it, right?"

Chen Lihan nodded slightly, a worried look on her face, and glanced at Lin Yupeng indifferently.

The hotel's surveillance footage only provided images, not audio. Therefore, Ruan Yihong only saw Lin Yupeng approach Hong Tianhao to negotiate, and then leave the hotel with him. They knew nothing of the conversation between Lin Yupeng and Hong Tianhao.

Lin Yupeng, knowing what was going on, chuckled dryly at Ruan Yihong, "Officer Ruan, you must be wondering what I did after I went out with Hong Tianhao, right?"

Ruan Yihong nodded with a cold smile, "Yes! I hope you can explain clearly."

Lin Yupeng's eyes gleamed, and he smiled, "It's simple, you'll understand as soon as I tell you! We couldn't reach an agreement inside, so we went outside to negotiate!"

Ruan Yihong's spirited face turned cold, her eyes flashing as she stared at Lin Yupeng, and she said sternly, "Lin Yupeng, be serious! Are you joking? Who goes outside to negotiate?"

Lin Yupeng laughed, "If peaceful negotiations could solve problems, there would be no wars in the world! There's an advantage to going outside: if negotiations fail, you can resort to force! But today I didn't actually use force, and we resolved the issue satisfactorily. Officer Ruan, if you suspect we went to fight, you'll have to provide evidence!"

His words were clearly sarcastic, because he knew Ruan Yihong had no evidence and could only make subjective assumptions.

Ruan Yihong's anger surged, her jade-like face flushing red and then pale. She snorted coldly and glared at Lin Yupeng, continuing to ask, "Lin Yupeng, where did you go to negotiate?"

Lin Yupeng's eyes darted around, a thought flashing through his mind: "I can't say I went to the playground behind the hotel. Two shots were fired there; the police might find the shell casings. As long as I don't say where I went, even if they find the casings later, I can argue my case."

Lin Yupeng had practiced lying so much that he didn't need to think twice. He immediately blurted out, "In the garden next to the hotel!"

Ruan Yihong asked coldly again, "Even if you went to negotiate..." "The verdict is in, so where did Hong Tianhao go after it was over?"

Lin Yupeng remained calm and composed, smiling lightly. "He probably went home! Anyway, he didn't go back to the hotel, so your lockdown of the hotel was completely unnecessary. I suggest lifting the lockdown immediately, so as not to delay our hotel's business!"

Ruan Yihong's face turned pale with anger, and she couldn't speak for a moment. Actually, Lin Yupeng was also quite angry. He was clearly an indirect victim tonight, yet Ruan Yihong kept interrogating him like a criminal suspect. Moreover, the police's actions tonight were noticeably slow, which made him extremely annoyed.

Qian Han, who was standing to the side, was very puzzled and dissatisfied when he saw Ruan Yihong interrogating Lin Yupeng, the "indirect victim" of tonight's case. He was not a member of the secret task force targeting the Sky Dome Group and did not know the specific situation.

Therefore, Qian Han and Cui and Ruan disagreed on the case tonight. Cui Junming and Ruan Yihong believed it was a fierce battle between two groups with organized crime ties vying for profits. They argued that the criminal organization behind Hongfa Paper Mill was the Hong Group, while the criminal organization behind Xinda Company was the newly established Xingguang Media. The two companies had disagreements over the demolition issue, leading Hong Tianhao to resort to violence, sending men to the demolition site to commit assault. Therefore, they targeted Hong Tianhao, intending to use a security patrol as a pretext to ambush and question him at the hotel.

Qian Han, however, believed that the group was either hired by Hongfa Paper Mill to obstruct the demolition or sent by Xinda Company's competitors to disrupt the process. He advocated a thorough investigation of both Hongfa Paper Mill and Xinda Company to uncover the mastermind. He felt that without sufficient evidence, they shouldn't take any drastic action against Hong Tianhao to avoid alerting him. After all, Hong Tianhao's Hong Group has already attracted the attention of the police, but they lack sufficient evidence. If this incident alerts Hong Tianhao and he strengthens his defenses, it will be much harder to dismantle this criminal organization in the future.

They went to the scene of the incident but found nothing. Cui Junming immediately suggested going to the Weili Hotel to find Hong Tianhao, but Qian Han refused, leading to an argument. Later, Cui Junming bypassed Dong Bin, the director of the Dongwan branch, and reported the situation directly to Yin Shaoliang, the director of the municipal bureau. Yin Shaoliang immediately ordered Qian Han to take a team to the Weili Hotel under the guise of a routine security patrol to look for clues.

However, after a long and arduous search, they found nothing; Hong Tianhao was nowhere to be found. This was exactly what Qian Han wanted.

However, Qian Han felt somewhat dissatisfied when he saw Ruan Yihong repeatedly pressing Lin Yupeng for answers. He hadn't received any reports of a direct confrontation between Hong Tianhao and Lin Yupeng; her accusations were purely subjective and lacked any evidence.

In

Qian

Han's eyes, Lin Yupeng was the president of Starlight Media Group, a well-known entrepreneur in the city, and a powerful figure with influence throughout Tianhan City. Ruan Yihong's actions were rash and unreasonable.

"Yihong, stop asking. Let's go!" Qian Han glared at Ruan Yihong and said coldly.

"Captain Qian, I..." Ruan Yihong stared at Qian Han with a wronged expression, about to say something more, when Cui Junming's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He gently patted Ruan Yihong's shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Yihong, don't say anything! Let's go!"

Ruan Yihong saw the deeper meaning in Cui Junming's eyes, her heart trembled, she turned and glared at Lin Yupeng, throwing out a sentence: "Lin Yupeng, you'd better watch yourself!" Then she followed Qian Han and Cui Junming, leaving the Weili Hotel with the police, and the brief lockdown was lifted.

Lin Yupeng looked at Ruan Yihong's slender back, feeling uneasy. He hadn't expected his relationship with Ruan Yihong to deteriorate so drastically, and now they were practically strangers.

The police came quickly and left quickly, disappearing in an instant. The lobby of the Weili Hotel returned to silence. Lin Yupeng's heart was far from calm, but he tried hard to control his emotions, after all, his beloved Chen Lihan was beside him!

Just then, the phone rang again. It was Deng Yuhu calling: "President Lin, the police have all left. What should we do next?"

Lin Yupeng coldly replied, "You can leave too! Don't worry about me. I have Brother Xiang here; protecting me won't be a problem! But you need to leave at least five brothers to protect President Chen's safety. Remember, she's my girlfriend now!"

Deng Yuhu hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "President Lin, should we consult with Chairman Xu about this?"

Lin Yupeng coldly said, "No need to consult. I can make the decision myself. If Chairman Xu questions us later, just pin it on me!"

Deng Yuhu respectfully said, "Then I'll send Zhao Zhiyuan with four brothers to stay here!"

Lin Yupeng said with satisfaction, "Good. Remember, it's about protecting her, not just watching her. Without restricting her freedom, you also need to ensure her safety. You need to strike the right balance!"

Deng Yuhu firmly replied, "President Lin, please rest assured! We guarantee the mission will be completed successfully!"

Lin Yupeng encouraged him a few more times before hanging up. Seeing Chen Lihan's unusual expression—she was very close and must have overheard the conversation—he quickly explained softly, "Lihan, you saw what happened today. Hong Tianhao repeatedly stirred up trouble. I couldn't ignore your safety. I left a few brothers to help the hotel security guards with your safety; that way I can rest assured. I don't want you to get hurt, you know? Once the danger is over, I'll let those brothers go. Just think of it as hiring a few more security guards!" Lin Yupeng

patiently explained, trying to dispel Chen Lihan's concerns. Actually, he had left half of what he wanted to say unsaid: "Your Weili Hotel's security guards are useless, cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong. They can't protect you at all!"

Chen Lihan was intelligent and naturally understood the underlying meaning in Lin Yupeng's words. Although she felt awkward having someone protect her every day, she reluctantly agreed.

Lin Yupeng smiled slightly, glanced at his watch; it was already 10:30 PM. Chen Lihan had worked hard all day and deserved a good rest. He knew the hotel had recently opened, and Chen Lihan had been staying there, always very serious and dedicated to her work.

"Lihan! It's so late, you should go to sleep! Are you sleeping in the manager's office?" Lin Yupeng knew Chen Lihan wouldn't use a guest room for him.

Sure enough, Chen Lihan nodded gently. Lin Yupeng said softly, "Then I'll take you there!"

With that, he pulled Chen Lihan into the elevator and headed straight for the manager's office on the fifth floor, with Xiang Kui following behind.

At the manager's office door, Lin Yupeng had Xiang Kui stand guard. He and Chen Lihan went inside hand in hand, closing the door behind them. Their hands remained clasped together. Although Chen Lihan still had a girlish shyness and didn't want him to hold her hand for so long, Lin Yupeng stubbornly held on.

There are three secret techniques for pursuing girls: courage, boldness, and shamelessness. While they may seem extreme, using them can yield unexpected results, after all, women crave love most.

Chen Lihan's manager's office consisted of two rooms: an outer office and an inner lounge, both luxuriously decorated. This wasn't Chen Lihan's request; she preferred a simple and understated style. However, the manager's office had to match the hotel's overall Tang Dynasty-style decor, avoiding any jarring contrast.

"Lihan, thank you!" Lin Yupeng said softly, his gaze intense and affectionate as he entered the manager's office, his tone filled with gratitude and sincerity.

Chen Lihan's beautiful eyes sparkled, and a delicate blush rose to her cheeks. She smiled sweetly and asked softly, "Brother Lin, what are you thanking me for?"

Lin Yupeng gazed at her tenderly and said emotionally, "Thank you for finally agreeing to be my girlfriend! Lihan, don't worry, I will definitely make you happy!"

Chen Lihan blushed deeply, her face turning as red as a pomegranate blossom in March, exceptionally beautiful and captivating. She lowered her head and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Brother Lin, I... I think our relationship... should just take its natural course... Give me some time to think it over carefully..." "Is this okay?"

Lin Yupeng knew she would say that. His eyes remained fixed on her, and he said softly, "Okay, we can let things take their course, but you're already my girlfriend, everyone knows that! Don't suppress your feelings, okay? It's really painful. I want you to be happy, and I'll make you happy forever."

Chen Lihan was overwhelmed with shyness. Her clear, autumn-water-like eyes didn't dare look at Lin Yupeng even once, and she simply nodded slightly. After so many trials, Chen Lihan had finally accepted Lin Yupeng, but this acceptance had a somewhat forced feel to it. Lin

Yupeng knew this too, but he thought to himself that as long as Chen Lihan was willing to be his girlfriend and be intimate with him, he would have a chance to completely win her heart.

He didn't know that Chen Lihan agreed to be his girlfriend for another reason: she was confident she could change Lin Yupeng. She had noticed that since becoming vice president of Tianqiong Group, Lin Yupeng's behavior had become erratic, gradually revealing his ambition, and he was on the verge of being corrupted by greed and falling into an abyss. Therefore, she wanted to pull him back; it wasn't too late to stop him from going astray.

(Chapter 460: Tender Feelings ;

Chapter 461: Gentle Care)

Women can sometimes be very foolish and naive, always thinking they can change men, but gradually they realize that they are the ones who change.

"Lihan, go take a shower in the inner room and go to sleep!" Lin Yupeng felt sorry for Chen Lihan, knowing her sleep quality was poor, and wanted her to go to bed early.

"Okay! Brother Lin, you go to sleep too! Just find a guest room!" Chen Lihan's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she said sweetly.

"Hehe, you go to sleep first! I'll sit here for a while and then leave!" Lin Yupeng leaned down and sat on the sofa in the office, smiling.

Chen Lihan hesitated for a moment, then smiled sweetly and said, "Okay, I'm going to sleep now! Goodnight, Brother Lin!"

Lin Yupeng laughed and said, "Yes! Goodnight!"

Chen Lihan gave him another sweet smile, then turned around and took a few graceful steps into the lounge, gently closing the door behind her.

Lin Yupeng sat on the sofa in the outer room, the lingering scent of Chen Lihan still on his hands—a faint, subtle, and refreshing fragrance that wafted to his nose. The smooth, gentle, and intoxicating feeling still lingered on his skin. His anxiety and frustration vanished instantly, replaced by a cool and warm sensation.

From the bathroom in the inner room, the sound of water could be faintly heard; Chen Lihan was taking a bath! A knowing smile immediately appeared on Lin Yupeng's face, and at the same time, an impulse to peek at her showering arose in his heart. His mind was already filled with images of her naked, beautiful body: her snow-white, delicate, creamy skin, glistening with an alluring sheen under the glistening water droplets; her full, rounded breasts; her smooth, elastic buttocks; her long, sexy legs; and her sacred, noble virginity…

Lin Yupeng shuddered, struggling to control his burgeoning desire, silently admonishing himself: "Lihan just reluctantly accepted being my girlfriend, I can't do anything out of line! Given Chen Lihan's personality, and how much she values her body, if I do anything inappropriate, she'll definitely hate me. The time isn't right yet, not right at all."

He silently restrained himself, which gradually calmed his pounding heart. By then, the sound of water in the shower had stopped; Chen Lihan had probably finished showering and was resting in bed.

Lin Yupeng sat for a while, his mind filled with Chen Lihan's beautiful image. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, a warm smile appeared on his face, and he slowly stood up and headed straight for the inner room's lounge.

He had already decided not to do anything inappropriate to Chen Lihan tonight, but he could still play it safe, letting her feel that he truly loved and cared for her, showing his "considerateness" and "gentleness" to solidify their newly established relationship.

The lounge door wasn't locked, and Lin Yupeng gently pushed it open. The space inside was much smaller than the outside, but fully furnished, like a standard guest room, antique and elegant. In the center was a carved rosewood soft bed, next to which was an antique-style nanmu wardrobe, an elegant and comfortable couch, and on the walls hung calligraphy and couplets by famous people. There was also an eight-immortal table with tea sets and a bronze tripod, emitting a charming fragrance. Two armchairs stood beside the table.

Chen Lihan couldn't fall asleep. Sleep was always difficult for her, especially tonight with all the events and her troubled mind; how could she possibly drift off the night before?

Hearing the door open, she slowly opened her eyes, turned on the bedside lamp, and saw Lin Yupeng standing outside. A shy blush immediately rose on her beautiful face, and she softly asked, "Brother Lin, is something the matter?" Her voice was melodious and sweet, like heavenly music, intoxicating.

"Nothing much, just checking to see if you were asleep," Lin Yupeng chuckled dryly, his heart fluttering. The words were barely out of his mouth when he realized something was amiss—if she was asleep, was he going to do something inappropriate?

Chen Lihan, of course, also sensed the ambiguity in his words. She didn't know if he meant it, but her eyes lowered shyly, her beautiful eyes sparkling, her heart pounding like a deer's, thinking Lin Yupeng wanted to be intimate with her!

A surprised thought popped into her mind: "I just agreed to be his girlfriend tonight, and he can't even wait? That's too fast!"

But based on the gentle and refined impression Lin Yupeng had left on her at school, she felt it was unlikely. She didn't think Lin Yupeng was the kind of person who was frivolous and lecherous.

Of course, Chen Lihan was viewing him with old eyes; the Lin Yupeng of today was not the Lin Yupeng of school. But no matter how he had changed, he was determined not to force himself on Chen Lihan tonight, even though he had every opportunity. That didn't mean he wouldn't do it in the future.

Tonight's restraint was for the sake of making even greater demands in the future.

Lin Yupeng slowly walked in, his gaze fixed intently on Chen Lihan. He saw her lying on the soft bed, a thin blanket covering her delicate, lotus-like body, yet it couldn't conceal her graceful figure. Her snow-white, lotus-root-like arms were exposed, exquisitely sculpted and translucent, and her flawless jade feet peeked out from under the blanket, slender, delicate, and charming, causing Lin Yupeng's heart to flutter.

"Brother Lin, you..." Chen Lihan blushed deeply, struggling to sit up from the bed, her sweet and beautiful voice tinged with shyness.

Lin Yupeng quickly smiled and explained, "Lihan, don't misunderstand! I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted you to go to sleep early. Lie down!"

With that, he gently pressed down on Chen Lihan's soft shoulders, helping her lie flat on the bed. Her bright, moon-like eyes still held a hint of hesitation. Lin Yupeng smiled slightly and said softly, "Don't forget I'm a doctor! I'll massage your feet to relieve your fatigue, and you'll fall asleep soon!"

Chen Lihan's pretty face flushed even more, like a blooming begonia, indescribably shy and adorable. Her delicate feet had never been touched by anyone other than herself! But Lin Yupeng meant well, and she couldn't bear to refuse.

Lin Yupeng naturally knew her virginity, smiled gently, pulled up a chair and sat on the edge of the bed, gently pulling the blanket covering Chen Lihan's feet up to reveal her slender and exquisite feet.

Chen Lihan's delicate body trembled slightly. She bit her tender, rosy lips, wanting to speak but unsure what to say, her expression extremely shy.

Lin Yupeng chuckled inwardly: "As long as you don't object, it means you've tacitly agreed!" Thinking this, he gently grasped Chen Lihan's flawless jade feet with both hands...

Chapter 461 Gentle Care

Chapter 462 Delicate Jade Feet

Her snow-white, slender feet were soft, long, and lovely, delicate and translucent, faintly revealing blue veins and blood vessels. Her heels were rosy and clean, making one want to touch them; her ten toenails were neatly trimmed, like ivory carved from white jade, painted with shiny, translucent nail polish, shimmering with a soft glow, like ten small lily petals, appearing charming and sexy.

Lin Yupeng's heart skipped a beat, and the desire within him stirred once more. His clear mind allowed him to suppress his urges, and he began to massage her delicate feet.

Chen Lihan's body trembled slightly, her beautiful little feet moving slightly in Lin Yupeng's large hands. He stole a glance at her and saw her pretty face flushed crimson, the intoxicating blush spreading to her neck and ears, making her appear infinitely shy and charming. She gently bit her lip, and as Lin Yupeng rhythmically massaged her untouched feet, her body stiffened with tension and shyness, her adorable, delicate toes also flexing alluringly.

Lin Yupeng felt the delicate, smooth texture on one side of her skin, and waves of intoxicating pleasure slowly surged from her fingertips to her arm, then throughout her entire body. Her jade-like feet exuded a sweet jasmine fragrance, refreshing and invigorating. Because she had just showered, her skin still had a layer of moisture, adding to its moist and slippery feel.

He couldn't help but feel a surge of ecstasy, as if he had ascended to a beautiful fairyland.

"Lihan, relax, don't be nervous!" Lin Yupeng gently comforted her, seeing that her body was too sensitive and the massage wasn't very effective.

Chen Lihan nodded shyly, trying her best to relax, and gradually began to experience the comfortable and pleasant feeling of Lin Yupeng massaging her feet.

Lin Yupeng's massage technique was absolutely first-rate. He had even specially learned foot massage techniques before, because improving blood circulation in the feet can promote sleep, and massaging the acupoints on the feet is also very beneficial to the body.

As Chen Lihan relaxed and Lin Yupeng continued his massage, she gradually felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her, and her beautiful eyes slowly closed.

She finally wanted to sleep, but a faint worry lingered in her mind: "What if Lin Yupeng takes advantage of me while I'm sleeping and takes over my body?"

But this worry was quickly overwhelmed by the tide of drowsiness. She was indeed tired, physically and mentally exhausted, and really needed a good night's sleep.

Finally, with the help of Lin Yupeng's foot acupressure massage, Chen Lihan gradually drifted off to sleep. Her beautiful breasts rose and fell evenly, her breathing was steady, her expression peaceful, and her sleep deepened.

Lin Yupeng stopped massaging her feet and gently covered them with a rug; the warmth of her feet would also promote sleep.

Gazing at Chen Lihan's beautiful face, as radiant as a begonia in spring slumber, he felt a sense of relief. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced around and saw Chen Lihan's favorite white business suit hanging on the hanger, her flesh-colored semi-transparent stockings draped gently on the soft couch, gleaming alluringly under the soft light of the lamp.

Lin Yupeng moved his chair closer to her, gazing at her sweet and lovely sleeping face, a warmth spreading through him. His gaze lingered on her delicate body; the thin blanket couldn't conceal her slender, graceful figure. He knew Chen Lihan was wearing very thin, revealing underwear underneath. If he lifted the blanket and climbed into bed, he could easily take her virginity.

Perhaps she would resist, might struggle, but if Lin Yupeng wanted, she could only passively endure.

But Lin Yupeng didn't want to force himself on her; he didn't want her to hate him. More importantly, Chen Lihan embodied a youthful belief in love, a perfect myth. He repeatedly told himself he must use the gentlest methods to make her willingly give him her heart and body without reservation…

a beautiful dream. Lin Yupeng didn't want its beauty to be ruined by his greed, unless that dream shattered within him. And now, that dream was gradually becoming reality; Chen Lihan had agreed to be his girlfriend.

Lin Yupeng decided to stay the night and spend it with her, even if nothing happened, he would still be happy. A series of infuriating things had happened tonight, but thankfully Chen Lihan was there as a gentle "fire extinguisher." Just seeing her calmed him down, especially since she had agreed to be his girlfriend. Every cloud has a silver lining, right?

After calming down, Lin Yupeng's mind started working. He sat by Chen Lihan's bed, pondering his next move. Although the violent incident at the Hongfa Paper Mill demolition site had slowed down the demolition, seemingly detrimental to Lin Yupeng's Starlight Media,

a closer analysis revealed it wasn't all bad. At least the evil forces behind Hongfa Factory, his rivals, had stepped out from the shadows—Hong Tianhao! This allowed Lin Yupeng to develop a targeted counterattack strategy, turning defeat into victory.

Lin Yupeng also thought about the noticeably slow response time of the Dongwan branch police tonight. Was it Dong Bin's doing? Was he colluding with Hong Tianhao's group?

He didn't know how much time had passed; he simply sat by the bed, glancing at the sleeping Chen Lihan, then closing his eyes in deep thought.

Gradually, a new plan formed in his mind, and a smug smile appeared on his lips!

In the middle of the night, Lin Yupeng noticed that Chen Lihan's breathing had become somewhat rapid. Her beautiful, lovely breasts rose and fell, her long, delicate eyelashes trembled gently, and her exquisitely pretty face showed a sorrowful expression.

Lin Yupeng felt a pang of pain in his heart, thinking, "Is she having another nightmare? Alas!" He knew that Chen Lihan had always had vivid dreams, mostly nightmares, because she was always rather heavy-hearted and tended to think the worst.

Just as he was gazing at Chen Lihan with concern, he saw her suddenly open her eyes, a look of fear and resentment flashing in her beautiful eyes. With a soft cry of "Ah!", she abruptly sat up in bed!

"Lihan, what's wrong?" Lin Yupeng asked with concern, his hands resting on her smooth, rounded shoulders.

Fear and sorrow filled Chen Lihan's pretty face. She involuntarily nestled against Lin Yupeng's broad chest, tears welling in her beautiful eyes. She murmured in a trembling voice, "I just...had a nightmare..."

This was the first time she had actively sought intimacy with Lin Yupeng, instinctively nestling in his arms. Although she had done so before, it had always been under pressure from her surroundings.

(Chapter 462 Delicate Jade Feet;

Chapter 463 Tender Affection)

Looking at Chen Lihan's beautiful, yet sorrowful face, Lin Yupeng felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He gently stroked her dark, lustrous hair and softly comforted her, "Lihan, don't be afraid! It was just a dream, it's all fake!"

"What time is it?" Chen Lihan's emotions calmed somewhat. She slightly raised her head, her bright, moon-like eyes shimmering with a soft, alluring light, and asked in a sweet voice.

Lin Yupeng glanced at his watch, gently wiped away the tears on her pretty face, and said softly, "It's only two in the morning, go back to sleep! Be good!"

Chen Lihan's pretty face flushed a captivating red, and she lowered her head, asking shyly in a low voice, "Brother Lin, why aren't you going to sleep?"

Lin Yupeng smiled and said, "I'm not sleepy! I want to watch you sleep, you don't mind, do you?"

Chen Lihan shook her head shyly and said softly, "Brother Lin, can I sleep on you for a while?"

Lin Yupeng was naturally overjoyed and immediately nodded, saying softly, "Okay, aren't you already on me? Sleep! Don't think about anything."

Chen Lihan's pretty face turned as red as a ripe apple, and she buried her head in Lin Yupeng's arms, saying shyly in a low voice, "Then... you can't bully me..."

Lin Yupeng laughed heartily, "Okay, I just want to hold you, I won't do anything else!" He found it amusing. "If I wanted to bully you, I would have done it earlier. Did I have to wait until now?"

Chen Lihan smiled sweetly, closed her eyes, and Lin Yupeng opened his arms and gently embraced her, creating a warm and sweet haven for her. A sweet look appeared on her pretty face, and she gradually drifted off to sleep again...

Lin Yupeng held her fragrant, delicate, and boneless body. Even through the thin blanket, he could still feel the softness and smoothness of her skin,

like a patch of spring mud. Her body exuded the fragrance of a virgin, which wafted into his nose like a clear spring, nourishing his heart and making him feel carefree. He secretly harbored a romantic thought: "If I could hold her like this forever, it would be a happy thing!"

He glanced at Chen Lihan in his arms, and a sudden pang of sorrow struck him. He remembered countless nights when she was awakened by nightmares, and there wasn't even a warm shoulder to lean on. How lonely and painful that feeling must have been! No wonder she wanted to sleep in his arms tonight; only with a warm embrace could she sleep soundly.

Time passed by, and after an unknown amount of time, the eastern sky gradually turned a pale white, and then the sun rose from the horizon, bursting forth with a vibrant sunrise, the sky a deep crimson, just like a shy young girl's face.

But even the most beautiful sunrise couldn't compare to Chen Lihan in his arms. Lin Yupeng only glanced at her briefly before focusing his attention on her.

After a while, Chen Lihan opened her sleepy eyes. Her adorable, languid look upon waking from a deep sleep made Lin Yupeng really want to kiss her, but he restrained himself. Tonight had already progressed very quickly; he could even hold her all night. He couldn't push his luck any further.

"Brother Lin, thank you!" Chen Lihan was unaware of Lin Yupeng's thoughts. Her gratitude had two meanings: first, she had slept comfortably in Lin Yupeng's arms for half the night; second, Lin Yupeng had truly not "bullied" her and had fully respected her dignity.

"Hehe, did you sleep well? It's only 6:30, sleep a little longer!" Lin Yupeng said softly, still holding her.

Chen Lihan smiled sweetly and said coquettishly, "No, I'm not sleeping anymore! I get up at this time every day!"

Lin Yupeng smiled and said, "You're sleep-deprived. You should at least sleep until 7:30."

Chen Lihan said softly, "I also want to sleep a little longer, but the hotel just opened recently, and there are so many things I need to handle! There are so many places I need to oversee."

"You can't overwork yourself, I'd be heartbroken," Lin Yupeng said gently.

Chen Lihan smiled faintly, her pretty face flushed, and said shyly, "Brother Lin, I... I need to get dressed."

Lin Yupeng knew she meant for him to leave for a while, so he smiled and nodded, reluctantly releasing her body, standing up and giving her a tender glance before turning and leaving the lounge.

A while later, Chen Lihan gracefully emerged from the inner room. Lin Yupeng accompanied her to have breakfast, and then Chen Lihan began her workday.

Not wanting to disturb her work, Lin Yupeng bid her farewell and walked out of the hotel with Xiang Kui. Just as they reached the entrance, they saw five security guards borrowed from Starlight Media patrolling the gate, each with a serious and cold expression and sharp eyes.

Zhao Zhiyuan, considered the leader among them, appeared even more somber and gloomy, exuding a formidable and imposing aura.

Lin Yupeng left the Weili Hotel, got into his car, and returned to Starlight Media Group, his recent "main battlefield" and "command center."

Arriving at the president's office, he saw his secretary, Xiao Ru, already at work, sitting in her seat, gently applying mascara to her long, beautiful eyelashes in front of the mirror.

"Good morning, Xiao Ru!" Lin Yupeng greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning, President Lin!" Xiao Ru replied sweetly, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

Lin Yupeng laughed heartily and strolled to the windowsill. These past two days, he'd developed a habit of stopping by the window every day to look out. Below lay the demolition site of the Hongfa Paper Mill, especially after the horrific violent incident last night; he needed to take a closer look.

The demolition site was a scene of utter chaos. Police had cordoned off the area, and inside, demolition tools lay scattered about, bloodstains still visible on the ground—a testament to the horrific and bloody scene of the previous night.

Because of the incident, Xinda Company had halted all demolition activities; there wasn't a single demolition worker at the site. Inside the Hongfa Paper Mill, however, a tense and bustling scene unfolded. In the distance, thick black smoke billowed from the large chimneys, and large quantities of untreated wastewater were continuously being discharged into the sea.

Lin Yupeng thought to himself with resentment, "Hong Tianhao, Kang Yin, you just wait! I, Lin Yupeng, will never let this go! I'll make you pay sooner or later!"

Kang Yin was the factory manager of Hongfa Paper Mill, and Lin Yupeng suspected that the masked men sent by Hong Tianhao were recruited by him.

He stared at them for a while, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, then returned to his seat, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment.

Then he picked up the phone and dialed Xu Weiguo's chairman's office. Xu Weiguo answered the phone and said in a deep voice, "Hello, is this President Lin?" "

It's me! Brother Xu, are you free this morning? I'd like to have a small meeting to discuss how to deal with the problems at Hongfa Factory." Lin Yupeng said seriously. "If

you 're free, I think we can go to the 301 conference room! Call Minister Deng and Minister Xing!" Xu Weiguo said. "Okay, you can notify those two! The meeting will start promptly at nine o'clock this morning!" Lin Yupeng said in a deep voice, his eyes gleaming. Xu Weiguo responded and hung up the phone. Lin Yupeng sat in his office for a while longer, then, seeing it was almost nine o'clock, left and went directly to conference room 301. Xu Weiguo, Deng Yuhu, and Xing Zhijian were all present. The only notable absence from the Starlight Media executives was Lang Zikun. Xu Weiguo had intentionally left him out, as he wasn't entirely comfortable with Lang Zikun due to Jin Dong's influence. Lin Yupeng smiled and nodded at everyone, then stepped forward and sat down next to Xu Weiguo. The security guard at the door closed it tightly, and the meeting officially began. Xu Weiguo's eyes gleamed. He glanced at Lin Yupeng and said in a deep voice, "President Lin, you go first!" This meeting was Lin Yupeng's idea, so he had to take the lead. Lin Yupeng's expression turned cold and solemn. He slowly nodded, his gaze sweeping coldly over Xu Weiguo, Deng Yuhu, and Xing Zhijian. He said in a deep voice, "You all probably know what happened last night, right? A vicious violent incident occurred at Hongfa Paper Mill. Two employees of Xinda Demolition Company, which we hired, were killed and more than fifty were injured, including their General Manager He, who was also seriously injured. The demolition there has been completely halted, and our group has suffered great losses. I thought about it all night and have drafted a preliminary response plan. Let's put it on the table and discuss it today!" The other three people present nodded frequently, waiting for Lin Yupeng to continue. Lin Yupeng now truly possessed the authority, style, and imposing presence of a CEO. A sharp, piercing glint flashed in his eyes as he continued in a deep voice, "First of all, Xinda Company is our hired demolition company; we have a contract. Although it clearly stipulates that Xinda Company is fully responsible for demolition issues and will handle any unexpected situations, this time two of them died and over fifty were injured. Our group shouldn't stand idly by. Out of humanitarian considerations, we should provide the deceased and injured employees with compensation. This would set a good example for our group throughout the city." "A good reputation." He then looked at CFO Xing Zhijian and smiled, "Old Xing, I suggest we send 200,000 yuan to the families of the two deceased employees. As for the injured, depending on the severity of their injuries, 10,000 to 50,000 yuan each. You can decide the specifics flexibly. What do you think?" Xing Zhijian nodded without hesitation, "Okay! I agree." Lin Yupeng nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Deng Yuhu and said seriously, "The demolition must be restored! This afternoon I'll go to General Manager He of Xinda Demolition Company to coordinate and integrate our security guards into Xinda Demolition Company." "If anyone in the workforce launches another surprise attack, retaliate resolutely! Claim it's self-defense and beat them to death!" Deng Yuhu knew what had happened last night and had been tricked by Hong Tianhao again. His temper was like a raging fire; he was already furious, but he managed to suppress it. Hearing Lin Yupeng's words, he quickly interjected, "President Lin, how many people do you think should be sent to infiltrate Xinda Company for the demolition?" Lin Yupeng's eyes flashed, and he coldly said, "Send twenty people! Leave five to guard the premises." At this moment, Xu Weiguo looked puzzled and interjected, "President Lin, isn't our security department..." "Thirty people? There should be ten left to guard the place!" Lin Yupeng knew that the five men he had assigned to protect Chen Lihan were no longer a secret, so he had no choice but to answer truthfully, "Brother Xu, I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you! After the incident last night, I temporarily sent five men to the Weili Hotel for security. Their hotel's general manager, Chen Lihan, is my girlfriend. I was worried that Hong Tianhao might target her, so I had to strengthen security, haha!" Xu Weiguo glanced at Lin Yupeng indifferently, his gaze complex, but he didn't say anything, his attitude neither supporting nor opposing. Lin Yupeng chuckled self-deprecatingly. After all, with manpower so tight, it was understandable that he still had to spare people to protect his woman, but it was a bit far-fetched in terms of reason. "Five men to be responsible for the security of our group, Lao Deng, do you think that's difficult?" Lin Yupeng asked coldly again. Deng Yuhu looked troubled and pondered, "If it's just a normal security check, five people are barely enough. But if an accident happens, five people will be far from enough."

Xu Weiguo then interjected, "President Lin, with this allocation, the group's security personnel are insufficient, and Xinda's are also lacking. Hong Tianhao mobilized over a hundred men for last night's attack; they likely have heavy weapons. We only have twenty; we're likely to suffer heavy losses."

Lin Yupeng also realized this problem, a flaw in this plan. They were clearly short-handed; how could they solve this?

He remained silent, his mind racing, racking his brains for a solution. The conference room fell silent again, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was deep in thought…

After a long while, Lin Yupeng suddenly had a flash of inspiration, his eyes shining. He thought to himself, "How could I have almost forgotten Duan Wei? He's currently in the security department of Tianqiong Group, and he should have twenty or thirty men under his command. If I recruit them all, fifty of them to the demolition site, combined with the employees of Xinda Demolition Company, would be even stronger! I know the security guards at Tianqiong Group are all quite capable…" Many of them were highly skilled in marksmanship and martial arts; Hong Tianhao's men couldn't possibly be stronger than them.

But then he hesitated, caught in a dilemma: "Duan Wei is a time bomb he planted next to Zhang Yueran. He hasn't exploded yet; removing him now would be like exposing him. Wouldn't that be a waste?"

After much deliberation, Lin Yupeng finally made a decisive decision: immediately notify Duan Wei to bring his men to Starlight Media, officially leaving Tianqiong Group. Given the current dangerous situation, he needed to join them to strengthen his own forces. After all, Zhang Yueran wasn't his main adversary. Keeping him there as an undercover agent and a time bomb was fine, but if Lin Yupeng's side collapsed, or even if he lost his life, what would be the point of Duan Wei being with Tianqiong Group?

Considering the bigger picture, Lin Yupeng decided to bring Duan Wei and his men back, further weakening Zhang Yueran's strength. He now only had Qin Xi's team of security guards, about thirty men, left.

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