I started as a spirited young man, and the system made me a male god.

He paused, his gaze fixed on Chen Fei, and asked, enunciating each word clearly, "You're Chen Fei, Jiang Che's business partner?"

Jiang Che's father?

It wasn't until Jiang Hongren asked the question that Chen Fei realized what was going on and instantly understood the source of the other party's scrutinizing gaze and hostility.

The air in the room seemed to freeze at that moment.

Facing Jiang Hongren's sharp gaze, Chen Fei knew that his next answer would be crucial.

He steadied himself, nodded, and stepped aside to make way for the doorway: "Uncle Jiang, hello, please come in. Jiang Che has been busy with work these past few days and hasn't been feeling well; he just fell asleep."

Jiang Hongren gave Chen Fei a deep look, seemingly surprised by his composure and response.

Without saying anything more, he stepped into the suite, his sharp gaze first sweeping across the living room.

A thin blanket was tossed on the sofa, and a water glass, a medicine box, and an electronic thermometer were on the coffee table. On the desk next to it, some fabric sample books and a laptop were spread out.

All of this indicates that someone had just taken sick leave here.

Immediately, Jiang Hongren's gaze fixed on the takeout bag on the table, he paused, and let out a cold snort that was hard to decipher.

He turned to Chen Fei, tilting his chin slightly towards the packing bag, and asked in a low voice, "Is this for Xiao Che?"

"Yes, I just got it back." Chen Fei nodded frankly. "Her fever hasn't gone down yet, so it's all light food."

Jiang Hongren didn't say anything more, and picked up the several packing bags as naturally as if he had bought them himself.

He didn't even look at Chen Fei again, walking straight towards the bedroom door, only saying, "I'm going in to see her."

Jiang Hongren paused at the bedroom door, seemingly to compose himself, before gently turning the doorknob, stepping inside, and then quietly closing the door behind him.

With a soft "click," the door closed tightly, separating the inside from the outside into two spaces.

Chen Fei was left alone in the living room.

His face remained expressionless as he walked over and sat down on the sofa.

A predictable show of force?

What is a father's instinctive scrutiny of men who appear around his daughter?

Anything was possible, but he wasn't flustered, much less afraid.

A person with a clear conscience has nothing to fear. At least for now, his relationship with Jiang Che is clearly that of business partners, with perhaps a little bit of affection added in the way of caring for each other during his illness.

Faint voices could be heard coming from the bedroom, but they were not clearly audible.

Chen Fei stopped paying attention to the commotion behind the door, and simply took out his laptop, placed it on his lap, and turned it on.

Instead of overthinking or waiting idly, I should take this opportunity to write scripts for future videos.

Time passed quietly. About twenty minutes later, the bedroom door opened again.

Jiang Hongren came out, his expression much more relaxed than when he went in.

He glanced at Chen Fei, who was sitting on the sofa in front of the computer, looking completely at ease, and a complex look flashed in his eyes.

He gently closed the bedroom door and sat down on the single sofa opposite Chen Fei.

"Xiao Che is asleep, she's fine for now." He spoke first, his tone much more amiable than before. "She briefly told me that you were a great help at this exhibition."

"I only lent a hand and didn't help much." Chen Fei closed his laptop, sat up straight, and said in a humble yet assertive manner, "It's mainly because Jiang Che knows a lot. Without her, I wouldn't even know this exhibition existed."

Instead of taking credit for himself, he attributed the credit to Jiang Che.

"Your name is Chen Fei?" Jiang Hongren asked, though Chen Fei had mentioned it before, he was only now confirming it.

"Yes, Uncle Jiang."

"I've heard Xiao Che mention him a bit; he said he's a very insightful business partner." Jiang Hongren tapped his fingers lightly on the sofa armrest. "What were you busy with outside just now?"

"I'm organizing some materials from today's exhibition, preparing to make a short video for brand promotion," Chen Fei replied succinctly.

"Oh? You know about this?" Jiang Hongren seemed to have become interested.

In his view, understanding fabrics and being able to negotiate is one thing, but understanding new media promotion is another.

The business partner his daughter found seems to have a wide range of interests.

"I know a little bit. We live in the age of internet traffic; even the best wine needs advertising," Chen Fei replied modestly, but his tone was confident.

The two chatted about short video marketing, brand rejuvenation, and even current consumer trends.

Chen Fei combines his past life experiences with his observations in this life, offering insightful and unique perspectives. He neither blindly follows trends nor clings to tradition.

The viewpoints put forward were all very insightful, and even a seasoned veteran like Jiang Hongren found them enlightening.

Especially when talking about his main business of traditional home appliances, Jiang Hongren was surprised to find that Chen Fei was very knowledgeable about electrical appliances and was very clear about the various manufacturing and repair processes mentioned.

They can even offer some pretty good opinions on the impact of new media.

Although some of the ideas may sound a bit idealistic, the framework is clear, the logic is rigorous, and it demonstrates a vision and depth of thought beyond one's age.

Jiang Hongren initially asked casually with the intention of testing the school, but the more they talked, the more serious he became.

Having navigated the ups and downs of the business world for decades, he has seen too many young people, some with high aspirations but low abilities, and others who are stuck in the old ways.

But someone like Chen Fei, who possesses courage, practical skills, forward-thinking ideas, and good emotional intelligence, is truly rare.

Before they knew it, the two had been chatting for another twenty minutes.

Jiang Hongren picked up the water Chen Fei had poured for him, which had already cooled down, took a sip, put down the cup, leaned forward slightly, looked directly at Chen Fei, and asked the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time and was one of the core questions of his trip:

"Xiao Chen," his voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable force, "Do you...like Xiao Che?"

This question goes straight to the point without any preamble.

Chen Fei had already guessed from Jiang Hongren's expression that he was going to ask this question, but when he actually asked it, he still felt a sense of pressure.

He could almost imagine that if he gave an affirmative answer, he could win the father's favor, pave the way for his future relationship with Jiang Che, and achieve a leap in social class in one step.

But in his mind, Shen Shaoting's bright and cheerful smile and Lin Jingyi's gentle and trusting eyes flashed by.

They accepted each other without reservation, and they accepted him as well.

This relationship, which may seem "abnormal" to outsiders, contains the honesty and responsibility he cherishes most.

He cannot, and should not, be ambiguous in his statements for the sake of money and his future, thus betraying the trust they have placed in him.

In a flash, Chen Fei made a decision.

He met Jiang Hongren's sharp gaze, his expression frank and firm, without flinching:

"Uncle, I admire Jiang Che very much. As a business partner, I greatly respect her abilities, and as a friend, I also appreciate her character."

As a guy, it's hard not to be attracted to such an outstanding and hardworking girl.

Jiang Hongren's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he leaned forward, waiting for Chen Fei's "but".