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

Xu Wenfeng's lips curled up slightly, a seemingly gentle smile on his face.

However, the smile did not reach his eyes; there was a hint of hesitation and entanglement in his gaze, clearly indicating that he was still struggling internally and was unwilling to tell his daughter the truth.

His evasive manner made Xu Rourou extremely anxious.

Her delicate face was filled with anxiety and doubt, eager to learn the truth from her father.

After all, this matter concerns her and Gao Jie's future, how could she not be anxious?

The Qin family's influence in Jinling City is deeply entrenched, like a huge and complex web, with affairs so intricate that it's difficult to make sense of them.

Xu Wenfeng was well aware of the stakes involved and understood the many risks and troubles hidden behind it.

In his view, his daughter Xu Rourou should be like a flower in a greenhouse, studying hard in a peaceful environment, finding a good husband in the future, and living a stable and smooth life.

Those worldly power struggles and backstabbing are things a girl like her shouldn't get involved in or understand.

At this moment, Xu Wenfeng had even more pressing considerations on his mind.

The most urgent task is to finalize certain key matters as soon as possible; otherwise, if it is delayed until the last minute, it will inevitably lead to more unmanageable situations and become an extremely troublesome problem.

After a fierce internal struggle, Xu Wenfeng finally spoke slowly, his voice deliberately calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"To be honest with you, nothing life-threatening happened to that kid. It's just that after careful consideration, I feel you two aren't a good match, and I don't really want you to be together. Think about it, our families and his are not a good match. Even if we force this relationship to continue, it won't end well. Don't you think so?"

He paused, looking at his daughter's hesitant expression, and continued.

"The difference in your family backgrounds is so vast, it's like two trains on different tracks. If you force yourselves to run side by side, you'll inevitably derail, leading to a bad end and no happy conclusion. Are you really going to blindly waste your time like this? I'm your father, why would I lie to you? In short, he's somehow offended the Qin family. If we don't step in to help, his life will truly be in danger, do you understand?"

Xu Wenfeng secretly calculated that using Gao Jie's incident to scare his daughter and make her obey should not cause any major problems.

As long as Xu Rourou is worried about Gao Jie's safety, she will definitely act according to her plan. It will be much easier to resolve everything then.

It must be said that Xu Wenfeng had thought about all these things in an extremely complicated way, and he believed that he had planned them very thoroughly.

But in reality, he may not be able to fully control the current situation.

The more things develop, the more unpredictable and confusing they become.

In the somewhat somber room, Xu Rourou's delicate face was filled with confusion and doubt. Her slender eyebrows were tightly furrowed, forming a deep frown.

The suspicion in his eyes grew stronger, and he finally couldn't help but ask.

"The Qin family is a powerful and influential clan in Jinling, wielding immense power and influence in the city. Gao Jie is just an ordinary person; how could he possibly offend them so easily? Are you really sure you haven't made a mistake? Could it just be a coincidence of people sharing the same name?"

Xu Wenfeng slightly raised his head, his eyes firm and serious, and gently shook his head. The slow movement seemed to carry an undeniable power.

His voice was deep and steady as he spoke.

"This matter is absolutely not a misunderstanding. I have dispatched my most capable subordinates to investigate thoroughly, verifying every aspect and detail. This situation is highly unlikely. Moreover, based on the information we currently have, the problem is far more complicated than we imagined."

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"If we don't take the initiative to deal with the Qin family's matter, they will probably take action against Gao Jie sooner or later. Anyway, I've already said this much, so think it over carefully. I am your father, and I have always respected your wishes and never wanted to force you to do anything you didn't want to do."

As Xu Wenfeng spoke, he casually reached out and picked up a book from the table next to him.

His fingers casually flipped through the pages, his eyes sweeping across the words, as if none of this concerned him, as if he didn't care about anything at all.

However, only he himself knew that beneath his calm exterior, his heart was like a turbulent sea, with waves surging and crashing. The crises and opportunities hidden behind these events were like reefs and treasures concealed in the shadows; a slight misstep could lead to shipwreck and death, but if skillfully grasped, one could rise to great heights.

He knew that the Qin family held a very important position in Jinling City. As long as he could establish a relationship with the Qin family, he would not hesitate to pay any heavy price or sacrifice any amount of benefits.

In his heart, this was not only for his daughter's future, but also for his own survival in this complex situation and for seeking greater development. Moreover, the mayor's faction was extremely dissatisfied with him; they were like a pack of hungry wolves lurking in the shadows, watching his every move with predatory eyes.

If this stalemate continues, they will eventually attack me, and I will be in a very passive position, like a trapped beast stuck in a swamp, unable to break free.

Rather than waiting to be killed, it's better to take the initiative, find an opportunity to retreat unscathed, and then plan the next step.

It must be said that Xu Wenfeng's thoughts are deep and unfathomable, like a bottomless ancient well.

His strategy was indeed not simple; each step was carefully considered and interconnected, all in order to achieve his goal.

Xu Rourou stood there, her heart filled with intense struggle.

Gao Jie's face kept appearing in her mind, and she thought of what her father had said, which made her feel very conflicted.

After much deliberation and repeated consideration, she gritted her teeth, as if she had made a huge decision, and decided to agree to her father's request to have dinner with the Qin family's young master.

She didn't know what awaited her, but for Gao Jie, she was willing to take the risk.

Inside the moving car, Xu Rourou was filled with concern and worry for Gao Jie, completely unaware of her father's scheming plot.

She naively thought that her father might really be thinking about her and Gao Jie's situation, even though this approach made her feel incredibly conflicted and pained.

Xu Wenfeng sat to the side, appearing calm on the surface, but secretly feeling smug.

He knew his plan was foolproof. As long as he could successfully send Xu Rourou to the Qin family's young master, his marriage alliance with the Qin family would be possible.

This will not only resolve Gao Jie's so-called "crisis," but also give him a powerful trump card in this complex situation.

The car sped along the road, and the scenery outside the window flashed by like a flowing scroll painting.

Xu Rourou stared out the window, her eyes vacant and lost, her thoughts already drifting to Gao Jie's side.

She prayed silently in her heart, hoping that it was all just a false alarm and that her father would keep his promise and resolve Gao Jie's matter as soon as possible.

Xu Wenfeng, on the other hand, would occasionally turn to look at his daughter, his face always bearing that seemingly kind and gentle smile.

However, behind that smile lies a greedy pursuit of profit and a ruthless disregard for his daughter's happiness.

He was calculating in his mind that once the marriage alliance with the Qin family was successful, his status in Jincheng would be greatly enhanced, and at that time, the threat from the mayor's faction would no longer exist.

As the car approached the Jinling Grand Hotel, its magnificent architecture gradually came into view.

The hotel entrance was bustling with traffic and people, a lively and vibrant scene.

However, beneath this seemingly calm surface, countless undercurrents are surging.

Xu Rourou took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She didn't know what kind of scene awaited her in this hotel, nor did she know how her fate would be drastically changed in the next few hours.

She blindly believed in her father, despite having many doubts and anxieties in her heart.

The car finally stopped in front of the hotel. Xu Wenfeng got out first and then gentlemanly opened the car door for his daughter.

Xu Rourou slowly stepped out of the car, her gaze falling on the hotel's magnificent golden gate, a strange sense of tension rising in her heart.

Little did she know that she was about to step into a meticulously designed trap, a vortex of fate that would completely alter the course of her life.

And she could only helplessly walk forward amidst her father's hypocritical lies and cold-blooded scheming, step by step heading towards that unknown and unpredictable dark abyss.

On the quiet path of the campus, Gao Jie and Huang Muran were feeling rather bored and decided to go to the library to kill some time.

Huang Muran found Gao Jie's attitude quite strange. Now that things have come to this, does he really not care about the girl's situation?

What if that girl encounters some kind of accident?

However, Huang Muran quickly shook his head, feeling that he might have been meddling in other people's business.

Since Gao Jie didn't take it to heart, why should I worry about it?

Just then, Gao Jie suddenly stopped without warning, as if he was attracted by something in the distance, and stared straight into the distance.

Huang Muran, who was following behind him, was lost in his own thoughts and did not notice Gao Jie's actions at all. As a result, he bumped into Gao Jie's back.

The impact was quite severe. Huang Muran felt an unbearable pain in her nose, and tears almost welled up in her eyes. She instinctively lowered her body and covered her nose tightly with both hands.

Gao Jie hadn't expected Huang Muran to bump into him while he was walking, so he quickly looked down to check. He saw Huang Muran squatting down beside him, and it took him a while to slowly stand up.

She complained with a face full of grievance and dissatisfaction.

"What the hell? You two were walking along peacefully, why did you suddenly stop? I was caught off guard and bumped into you. I'm so confused, what were you two looking at? Why didn't you keep walking?"

Hearing this, Huang Xu scratched his face, then pointed towards the direction of the court and said.

"Look over there, don't you think that person looks like Hou Youcai?"

Gao Jie frowned, his eyes filled with doubt. He simply couldn't understand this illogical scene before him.

Hou Youcai is already quite old. Logically speaking, he should be enjoying his retirement. Why would he be sweating it out on the school's sports field?

Moreover, his smug look seemed to be showing off something, or perhaps deliberately provoking someone.

Huang Muran also looked bewildered and confused, her gaze shifting back and forth between Hou Youcai and the principal, trying to find a reasonable explanation.

"What on earth is going on? How did the principal end up getting involved with Hou Youcai?" she muttered to herself.

Huang Xu stared wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.

"This is unbelievable! Principal and Hou Youcai, is there some secret between them that we don't know about?"

Gao Jie's thoughts raced. He recalled his previous interactions with Hou Youcai, but couldn't find anything unusual to explain the current situation.

The principal, who had always presented himself as authoritative and upright, was now following Hou Youcai like a lackey. This stark contrast intensified Hou's unease.

"Could it be that the principal has some kind of leverage over Hou Youcai, so the principal has no choice but to obey him?" Huang Muran speculated.

"It doesn't seem like it. Look at the principal's respectful manner; it's more like Hou Youcai is the one in control," Gao Jie retorted.

As the three of them stood there, discussing the scene before them and feeling at a loss, Hou Youcai slowly approached them.

His smugness grew more pronounced, and a slight, almost imperceptible sneer appeared on his lips.

What exactly is going on?

For a moment, their faces were filled with disbelief.

Huang Xu's eyes widened, and he spoke with a slight tremor in his voice.

"Gao Jie, did you see that? Isn't that the principal? What are they doing? How can they play this game with Hou Youcai? Am I seeing things? Or am I just bewildered?"

Gao Jie was equally shocked by this, his face full of bewilderment.

But just as they were still immersed in this huge surprise, Hou Youcai actually walked towards them, and he did so on his own initiative.

He slowly wiped the sweat from his forehead, leisurely puffing on a cigar, a smug look on his face. His eyes carefully scrutinized Gao Jie and the others, as if he were examining some prey.

The principal stood respectfully beside him, holding a towel in his hand. Whenever Hou Youcai raised his hand, the principal would hurriedly hand over the towel, his cautious manner as if he were afraid of offending Hou Youcai.

This scene seemed very strange to Huang Xu. She even felt that the principal had done something wrong and offended someone, and she almost burst out laughing.

She joked, "Principal, did he see you committing murder? Do you think I should bow down to someone like that?"