Gao Wu: I'll enjoy the benefits, but you'll bear the side effects.

Gao Jie stood up abruptly, his upright figure resembling a majestic mountain peak, standing out prominently in the chaotic scene.

His gaze was firm and calm as he slowly spoke:

"Go find Black Dragon. He'll give you an explanation. What's the point of smashing this place up? Don't bully ordinary people, okay?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it resonated like a booming bell in the noisy space, carrying an undeniable authority.

No sooner had I finished speaking than people quickly gathered around me.

Four or five burly young men surrounded Gao Jie like wolves. Each of them had a fierce face and their eyes were filled with ruthlessness and arrogance.

Upon seeing this, Wang Fang and Gao Zhanlin turned pale instantly. Their hearts jumped into their throats, and they immediately stood up, their bodies trembling slightly, trying to persuade these people not to cause trouble.

Wang Fang's lips trembled slightly, and she cried out in a tearful voice, "Don't be impulsive, don't be impulsive! Let's talk this out!"

Gao Zhanlin, forcing himself to remain calm, said, "Young men, let's all take a step back. There's no need for this!"

However, Gao Jie remained as steadfast as a rock, seemingly indifferent.

He waved his hand gently, his eyes reassuring, and said to his parents, "Don't worry, it's alright. I want to see what tricks they have up their sleeves. There's no need to be so nervous. You two, please sit down."

But his parents couldn't sit down in peace. Their eyes were fixed on Gao Jie, and large beads of sweat kept rolling down their foreheads. They were still quite nervous about the matter, afraid that their son would make another mistake. It was as if Gao Jie would meet with misfortune if they looked away.

Gao Jie gave a cold laugh, a laugh tinged with disdain and mockery.

"You guys really want a challenge, right? You really want to play this game to the very end, right? Very well, then I'll play with you to the very end right now. But I advise you to call Black Dragon first."

As he spoke, he slowly took out his phone from his pocket, as if to hand it to the other person.

The leader of the group was a middle-aged man with a fierce expression and burning anger in his eyes.

He looked at the phone Gao Jie handed him, and like a wild beast that had been completely enraged, he suddenly reached out and knocked Gao Jie's phone away.

The phone flew through the air in an arc before crashing heavily to the ground with a loud "thud," its screen shattering instantly.

"Don't fucking give me that crap. I'm really annoyed right now, and I'm going to throw a tantrum. I don't care what kind of black dragon or white dragon you are, understand?"

He roared as he approached Gao Jie, looking as if he wanted to devour him alive.

A surge of anger welled up in Gao Jie's heart. What he couldn't tolerate most was this kind of person who swore and had no manners.

He moved with lightning speed, striking instantly and precisely seizing the middle-aged man's vital point.

The middle-aged man's body stiffened abruptly, a look of terror crossing his face. Gao Jie seized the opportunity, grabbed a cup of scalding hot water from the table, and without hesitation, poured it down the man's throat. The boiling water splashed onto the floor, making a sizzling sound, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze at the sudden turn of events.

This action stunned everyone else. Their eyes widened and their mouths gaped open; for a moment, no one knew what to say.

Gao Jie's face was also terribly gloomy, like the sky before a storm. His eyes were filled with a cold killing intent that sent chills down one's spine.

"Alright, stop standing there! What's going on? Can't you see?"

His voice was deep and hoarse, yet possessed a powerful and intimidating quality.

The group was completely intimidated by Gao Jie's imposing manner. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with fear and panic, and then turned and fled like stray dogs.

Gao Jie was speechless. He shook his head slightly and greeted the manager.

"Remember this for the future: when dealing with these thugs, just don't give them any face. Your Wangyue Tower is a big restaurant, how can you be intimidated by a bunch of thugs? To tell you the truth, these thugs look fierce, but they're actually here to scam you, understand?"

Gao Jie knew a little about these things because Heilong had told him some of them before.

Otherwise, he wouldn't really understand these things either.

The manager was also relieved, a happy smile spreading across his face. He hadn't expected to meet such a capable person as Gao Jie today, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He quickly nodded and bowed, saying, "Yes, yes, you're right. We owe you so much this time!"

After saying that, he hurriedly told the others to open for business as soon as possible, and the restaurant quickly returned to a somewhat busy state.

Before long, Ye Yuxin, the owner of Wangyuelou, arrived. She walked into the restaurant with elegant steps, only to find that the previously chaotic problem had been resolved.

Her beautiful brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of doubt appeared in her eyes. After asking carefully, she finally understood that it was Gao Jie who had made the move.

The boss looked at Gao Jie, a hint of surprise and admiration flashing in his eyes.

"I must say, this young man is quite interesting."

She spoke softly, her voice as melodious as the clear ringing of a bell.

"Alright, you guys go ahead and get busy. I'll go thank this young man later."

The manager didn't think much of it and went about his own business.

After finishing their meal, Gao Jie and his parents prepared to go home. The meal had been quite eventful, but now they finally had a moment of peace.

Gao Jie knew that despite the conflict, basic etiquette should not be forgotten, so he got up and went to the cashier to pay.

Just as he handed over his card to pay, Ye Yuxin, the owner of Wangyuelou, appeared like a gentle breeze.

At this moment, Gao Jie's expression was calm as still water, and his deep eyes revealed a kind of composure that comes with experience in the world. It seemed that the thrilling and intense conflict just now had not caused much of a ripple in his heart.

Ye Yuxin, with light steps and a gaze filled with a mixture of curiosity and gratitude, slowly walked towards Gao Jie, as if it were a destined encounter, and a new exchange was about to quietly unfold in this corner of the restaurant.

"When I went out today, someone told me that I would encounter a small problem, but it wouldn't be too serious and I would be able to turn bad luck into good. I didn't believe it at all, but I didn't expect it to actually come true."

Ye Yuxin tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of reminiscence and emotion, and her soft yet clear voice reached Gao Jie's ears.

"What I didn't expect was that it was you, a young man, who helped me. In any case, I still want to thank you."

As she spoke, she took out a card from her exquisite handbag and handed it to Gao Jie. "This is one of my best-selling cards. You don't have to pay when you eat here. Also, when we have time, we can go out for a walk together. I really enjoy going out and having fun."

The card shimmered slightly under the light, as if it possessed some kind of unique magic.

Gao Jie nodded politely, but he did not accept the special gift. Instead, he took out 5000 Alliance Coins from his wallet and handed them to the cashier.

His movements were clean and efficient, without the slightest hesitation, as if in his mind, his actions did not need to be defined by the gifts of others.

Seeing that he had actually left with his parents and even paid the bill, Ye Xinya felt a surge of indescribable emotion. It was a feeling of admiration for Gao Jie's independence and self-respect, and a slight disappointment that he had not accepted her kindness. But overall, she was happy that the matter had been resolved satisfactorily.

"You guys go ahead with your work, I have to go." She hurriedly told her subordinates and then rushed out in a panic.

Gao Jie was completely unaware that someone was following him.

His mind was focused on settling his parents in, and then he prepared to greet the others. After all, a month had passed, and logically speaking, the Qin family shouldn't hold anything against him anymore.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt comfortable going to Wangyuelou for a meal.

To Gao Jie's surprise, just as he brought his car to a steady stop, Ye Xinya's car stopped right next to him like a shadow.

"Mr. Ye, what brings you here? What do you mean by this?" Gao Jie frowned slightly, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Ye Xinya slightly raised her chin, her lips curving upwards into a delicate and charming smile, a smile like a flower blooming in spring, radiating a gentle aura. "I came here, of course, to chat with you. I didn't expect you to live so far away. What kind of kung fu do you practice?" Her voice was soft and melodious, her gaze lingering on Gao Jie as if searching for some secret, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and inquiry.

Gao Jie was about to answer when Huang Muran suddenly rushed out like a gust of wind, followed by the Xu sisters and Sister Wen. Ye Xinya's smile froze on her face instantly, as if she had been frozen in place. An awkward expression crept onto her face as she thought to herself: I never expected someone to be keeping a mistress here.

Gao Jie was also amused and exasperated by Huang Muran's question, "You didn't bring your girlfriend here, did you?" He quickly waved his hands and explained, "These are my friends. We're here to collect wild animals, so there's no other meaning. Please don't overthink it." His tone was sincere and urgent, and beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead, as he was afraid that Ye Xinya might misunderstand.

Ye Xinya forced a smile, nodded, and said, "Okay, I understand. I won't overthink it." But her expression and eyes made Gao Jie feel that she didn't really mean she wouldn't overthink things...

Gao Jie sighed helplessly, but since things had come to this point, he should still deal with the issues that needed to be resolved.

Huang Muran also looked at Gao Jie with a strange expression, a hint of mockery in his eyes, and teased:

"You went out and brought back a girl? Did you bring your girlfriend with you? Let me tell you, we can't accommodate that many people here. Besides, we don't want to be third wheels."

Gao Jie glared at Huang Muran and said in a low voice:

"This is really a friend I just met. Don't say things like that. It would be bad if someone heard us. It would make us look like we're being inconsiderate." As he spoke, he kept an eye on Ye Xinya's expression, secretly praying that this little misunderstanding would clear up as soon as possible.

Huang Muran made a funny face, stuck out her tongue playfully, and then skipped and hopped inside like a child.

Their lively demeanor added a touch of humor to the slightly awkward atmosphere.

Gao Jie opened his mouth, wanting to say something to ease the atmosphere, but suddenly heard Xu Wanwan say softly, "Sister Xinya."

He was startled, and filled with curiosity and doubt, he quickly walked out.

And so, one could see the Xu sisters chatting happily with Ye Xinya.

This was somewhat unexpected, and he couldn't help but wonder to himself: They actually know each other? "What's going on? You two know each other?"

Gao Jie's eyes showed obvious surprise, and his tone was full of inquiry.

Ye Xinya pursed her lips slightly, revealing a faint smile, and said, "Back then, there were other things that happened at Wangyue Tower, and Mr. Xu Wenfeng helped resolve them all. By the way, I haven't seen Mr. Xu in a long time. How is he?"

Her gaze swept gently across the Xu sisters' faces, as if seeking answers, her eyes filled with concern.

Upon hearing this, the Xu sisters immediately showed a hint of embarrassment. Xu Wanwan bit her lip, while Xu Tingting lowered her head slightly.

They exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with helplessness and confusion. Xu Wanwan spoke first, her voice hesitant: "Sister Ye, this...this matter is a bit complicated, and we're not quite sure how to put it."

Ye Xinya also keenly sensed the awkwardness, so she coughed lightly and cleverly changed the subject, saying, "Oh, let's not talk about that. The weather has been quite nice lately." She tried to break the deadlock.

Seeing this, Gao Jie quickly turned around and went to the kitchen to get some fresh fruit, which he then served in an elegant fruit platter and brought up.

"By the way, what brings you here? Is there something you need?"

As he placed the fruit plate on the table, he looked up at Ye Xinya with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Ye Xinya gently shook her head, her long, black hair swaying gently as she said:

"I came here for no other reason than to have a chat with you, but of course, nothing else."

Her voice was soft and soothing, flowing like a gentle stream.

Gao Jie subconsciously scratched his face, a simple, honest smile appearing on his lips, and said:

"I thought you came here on business. Please make yourself at home."

He pointed to the sofa next to him, and then said:

"I need to go say hello to my friends. I might be away for a couple of days, so I'll get back to work now." With that, he turned and walked into the house, ready to give his friends a proper explanation.

Gao Jie had only taken a few steps when Ye Xinya asked softly from behind, "Where are you going?"

Gao Jie stopped and turned around, saying, "I have some personal matters to take care of, but I can't say for sure yet."

Ye Xinya nodded and said, "Alright then, go ahead and do your thing. If you have time when you get back, we can have a proper chat."

Gao Jie responded and quickened his pace to enter the house. Inside, Huang Muran was whispering something with the Xu sisters. Seeing Gao Jie enter, Huang Muran smiled and asked, "What's going on between you and that beautiful woman?"

Gao Jie said helplessly, "I already told you, we're just friends I met, don't make wild guesses. I'm going away for a few days, you guys stay here and make sure you have a good time, remember to contact me if anything happens."

Xu Wanwan said, "Gao Jie, don't worry, we'll take good care of ourselves."

Gao Jie gave them a few more instructions and then began packing his own things.