novelraw Chapter 391 - 381: Bottom Line!
Chapter 391 - 381: Bottom Line!
"Mr. Qin, are there really more waves of those overseas scoundrels targeting our Spirit Water No. 1?" Ye Jizu asked, his voice trembling slightly as he looked at Qin Fan after hanging up the phone with a swagger.
Although he had already anticipated this, guessing and having it actually happen were two entirely different concepts.
"There are several more waves, but they’re low-level, probably just probing," Qin Fan nodded indifferently. "To put it bluntly, they’re cannon fodder used to test the attitude of the Guardian Institute and Huaxia’s officials."
"What should we do next, then?" Ye Jizu asked again, now treating Qin Fan as his pillar of support.
"There’s nothing for us to do. We just wait for the Guardian Institute to make their move and see how capable they really are. If they can’t even deal with these pushovers by sunrise, then the Guardian Institute’s reputation will truly become a joke. Alright, let’s drop it. Have the driver take me back to No.1 Villa first," Qin Fan said, shaking his head at the end.
At Ye Jizu’s nod, he called out to the driver in the front. The Alphard immediately turned around and sped back toward No.1 Villa.
「Inside No.1 Villa.」
Qin Chu and Wei Shuying looked utterly panicked.
"Qin Chu, do you think we’ll be safe staying at home?" Wei Shuying asked nervously from the sofa.
"What other choice do we have? I was worried about this from the start, and it still happened. Without protection from the country’s leadership, our No.1 Group will definitely be a target. Even if we get through this time, there will be a next time. Faced with the temptation of Spirit Water No. 1, those overseas scoundrels will surely never give up," Qin Chu said, pacing back and forth in the hall while slapping the back of his hand.
"Qin Chu, do you think we should discuss letting the state invest in No.1 Group with Xiao Fan? If we had that connection, our group’s security would increase immensely," Wei Shuying suggested.
"Xiao Fan would never agree. I’ve talked to him about it before, but he strongly refused," Qin Chu replied, frowning and shaking his head.
"But being constantly on edge, afraid of someone coming to rob us, is no solution either! You know, Spirit Water No. 1 isn’t just about money—its heaven-defying effects are enough to drive the whole world mad!" Wei Shuying couldn’t help but panic again, seeing the future so clearly.
"We need to discuss countermeasures with him! If we can’t secure our foundation, we won’t get a good night’s sleep even if this crisis is resolved."
Just as Qin Chu’s worried words faded...
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The urgent ringing of the doorbell echoed through the house. The couple trembled at the sound and quickly looked at the surveillance monitor. On the screen, they saw an Alphard parked outside their estate. Qin Fan was grinning at the camera, waving his hands playfully.
"It’s Xiao Fan! Why is he back?"
Pressing the button to open the gate, Qin Chu and Wei Shuying hurried outside.
"Xiao Fan, why did you come running back here too!" they exclaimed in unison as they stepped out, not even giving him a chance to speak.
"Judging by your reaction, it seems you’re not happy to see me," Qin Fan teased with a laugh.
"What are you talking about, you cheeky kid? Your mom and I have been thinking about you day and night! Why did you suddenly come back? Did Old Ye tell you? Are you here for our safety?" Wei Shuying quickly responded.
"It’s good that you’re back. Let’s not stand out here. We should go inside and talk," Qin Chu said, glancing around their surroundings.
"Alright, let’s talk inside!" Qin Fan said casually, wrapping his arms around his parents’ shoulders and striding into the villa.
「Inside No.1 Villa.」
Watching the warm family reunion, Ye Jizu chuckled awkwardly. Despite getting along well with the Qin couple at work, when faced with Qin Fan, he didn’t even dare to sit without an invitation.
"Old Ye, have a seat," Qin Fan said with a smile, seeing his awkward state.
"Thank you, Lord—Young Master Qin!" The more familiar honorific had almost slipped out, but Ye Jizu corrected himself at the last moment.
Seeing Ye Jizu’s demeanor, which was so different from usual, Qin Chu and Wei Shuying were momentarily stunned. But they were too preoccupied with the current situation to dwell on it.
Qin Chu turned to his son. "Xiao Fan, you know the predicament No.1 Group is in. What do you think we should do? In the long run, should we be discussing this with the state authorities? After all, even if we resolve this crisis, we can’t withstand an endless stream of future threats."
"Dad, relax. Look how tense you are. It’s just a few petty thieves with bad ideas; they can’t stir up any real trouble," Qin Fan said dismissively, patting his father’s shoulder from his seat on the couch. "Don’t worry. Once tomorrow passes, this will all blow over and we’ll be back to business as usual. No one will dare to target us."
"Xiao Fan, those were spies!"
Before Wei Shuying could finish, Qin Fan interrupted, "Mom, whether they’re spies or not doesn’t matter. What’s important is this: will Huaxia’s top leaders tolerate these foreign troublemakers running rampant? So, we don’t have to worry about a thing. Someone will be there to protect us. Even if we don’t cooperate with the state on Spirit Water No. 1, the nation’s hidden powers won’t just sit by and watch. They’re even more afraid of Spirit Water No. 1 falling into foreign hands."
"This is no small matter. Are you really that sure?" Qin Chu asked, still frowning with worry.
Hearing this, Qin Fan gave Ye Jizu a subtle look.
Ye Jizu’s expression sharpened, and he immediately sat up straight. "President Qin, Young Master Qin is right. The head of the relevant department just called me and said they’re already following up on this matter. On Huaxia’s over nine million square kilometers of land, those foreign hooligans don’t get to run wild. That’s the bottom line."
"Mom, Dad, neither Old Ye nor I would ever take this lightly, so you can rest easy. You should take this as a chance to have a little vacation. I’ll stay home with you two today, and I’ll leave after this is all resolved tomorrow. Besides, it’s been ages since I’ve had Mom’s cooking. My stomach’s been growling for it."
As Qin Fan shifted the topic, the cloud of panic in Qin Chu and Wei Shuying’s hearts seemed to dissipate.
Wei Shuying laughed and chided him, "You’re just sweet-talking. Your father and I can barely get a glimpse of you, and now you say you’re craving my cooking?"
Even as she scolded him, a look of sincere happiness spread across her face.
"I really am craving it. No matter how delicious or fancy the food outside is, it just doesn’t have that special taste. Can my Empress Mother grant this humble request of mine?" Qin Fan asked playfully, a roguish grin on his face.
"Alright, alright, I’ll grant it! I’ll go cook right now. Old Ye, don’t you rush off, either. Stay and have a simple meal with us," Wei Shuying said, turning to Ye Jizu.
"Is—is that appropriate?" Ye Jizu asked with an awkward chuckle, his eyes drifting toward Qin Fan.
At that moment, he showed no trace of the imposing patriarch of Lingnan; he looked more like a timid next-door neighbor.
"Patriarch Ye, all jokes aside, No.1 Group wouldn’t be where it is today without you and Young Master Ma. Please stay for a simple meal," Qin Chu said. Although he was puzzled by Ye Jizu’s drastically different behavior, he issued the invitation nonetheless.
Subconsciously, Ye Jizu’s gaze went to Qin Fan.
"Since my parents have invited you, stay and eat with us. You can have a couple of drinks with my dad. Let’s just relax today," Qin Fan said with a slight nod and a gentle smile.
With Qin Fan’s approval, Ye Jizu finally smiled and accepted. "Alright, alright, then I shall gratefully accept!"