Chapter 124: Crazy—It Must Be Crazy

"Indeed, competition across all industries is quite intense lately. I will send a specialist to assess your company soon; if it proves to be a sound investment, money will be no issue." Chen Yang smiled faintly at Xiao Rongfei.

After all, ten million was merely a drop in the bucket compared to his current net worth; it meant very little to him.

"Thank you, thank you so much," Xiao Rongfei said, her face filled with gratitude. She felt incredibly fortunate to know Chen Yang. She knew how difficult it was to borrow money these days, but she was certain Chen Yang would help her. She hadn't misjudged him—she really hadn't.

"Come now, since we are here to relax and chat, let’s leave the work-related worries aside and talk about something more pleasant," Chen Yang said calmly.

Xiao Rongfei nodded gently and smiled. "Mr. Chen, if you can help me overcome this hurdle, that would be the happiest thing for me."

"Rest assured, there’s no rush. To put it bluntly, it’s only a matter of ten million," Chen Yang replied with a smile.

Xiao Rongfei grinned instantly. "Yes, ten million might not be much to you, but to me, it is life-saving capital."

As she spoke, she looked at Chen Yang with admiration. After all, Chen Yang was wealthy, and there was something undeniably charming about a rich man.

Chen Yang looked back at her and chuckled. "Ms. Xiao, didn't we agree to talk about something else?"

Xiao Rongfei immediately understood his meaning and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, of course. Let’s not talk about the company; let's discuss something else."

Chen Yang smiled at her again, saying nothing more.

They chatted as they waited, and within ten minutes, the dishes they had ordered began to arrive. They ate and talked, both in high spirits. However, this pleasant atmosphere lasted only ten minutes before being interrupted by a middle-aged man carrying a bouquet of flowers, his belly protruding prominently.

Standing nearly six feet tall, the man carried himself with an air of authority, clearly a wealthy boss. He ignored Chen Yang entirely and walked straight up to Xiao Rongfei. With a grin, he said, "Ms. Xiao, I told you you’d be fine. You even refused my dinner invitation for tonight, yet look—you have plenty of time to dine here with someone else."

Xiao Rongfei looked at the older man, her eyes filled with disgust. She stared at him for three seconds, then turned to Chen Yang with an apologetic expression. "Mr. Chen, I’m so sorry. I have some personal business to attend to."

She quickly left the booth, frowning as she told the man, "Come over here."

Xiao Rongfei walked to the corner, and the man followed. Chen Yang watched from a distance, seeing her speaking to the man with visible agitation. He thought to himself that this must be another unfortunate entanglement.

As Xiao Rongfei argued with the man, Chen Yang remained seated, choosing not to intervene. After all, this was her private romantic affair; it wasn't his place to get involved.

They argued for about five minutes. Suddenly, Xiao Rongfei returned to the table with a calm expression, walking briskly. She sat down boldly beside Chen Yang, linked her arm through his, and said firmly, "See? I have a boyfriend. I have a boyfriend. Why can’t you just get that through your head?"

Feeling Xiao Rongfei’s hurried breathing beside him, Chen Yang’s heart skipped a beat. He knew instantly that she was using him as a shield, but he found himself wondering: should he help her out?

After ten seconds of thought, Chen Yang decided to play along. It wasn't a major issue, after all—just pretending to be her boyfriend.

The older man smiled dismissively. "Rongfei, these little tricks might work on naive youths, but don't bother trying them on me."

"He really is my boyfriend," Xiao Rongfei insisted.

"Heh, is that so?" The man scoffed. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Chen Yang. "Hey, little brother, what do they call you?"

Chen Yang smiled slightly. "My surname is Chen."

"Oh, Mr. Chen. Tell me, are you really Rongfei's boyfriend?" The man’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"That's right." Chen Yang pulled Xiao Rongfei into his arms and smiled calmly. "We’ve been seeing each other for three months now, right, Rongfei?"

With that, he leaned in and planted a firm kiss on her cheek.

Xiao Rongfei’s heart raced, but she reminded herself to stay calm and not give them any reason to doubt the charade.

Seeing the kiss, the man’s expression darkened. "Rongfei, do you really have to lie to me just to turn me down?"

Xiao Rongfei said sternly, "Old Han, I’m not lying. My boyfriend is young and successful. Between the two of you, who do you think I’d choose?"

"Rongfei, you’re breaking my heart," the man said, his brow furrowed in pain.

Xiao Rongfei replied apologetically, "I’m sorry, Old Han. I really am. There are plenty of women in this world; you will surely find someone better suited for you than me."

"Fine. Fine then."

The man threw the flowers on the floor and turned to leave, radiating a cold aura.

Xiao Rongfei watched his retreating figure until he exited the restaurant. She quickly pulled her arm back, stood up, and looked at Chen Yang apologetically. "Mr. Chen, I’m so sorry. I hope I didn't startle you."

"It is I who should apologize, Ms. Xiao. I’m sorry about that kiss; I only did it to make him believe us," Chen Yang said with a helpless smile.

Xiao Rongfei blushed. "I know, Mr. Chen. Let’s continue our meal."

"I am truly sorry," Chen Yang repeated, feeling a genuine sense of guilt toward her.

"It’s alright."

Xiao Rongfei sat back down across from him and smiled brightly. "Really, it’s fine. Besides, you helped me, didn't you?"

"Yes, as long as it helped you, that’s all that matters," Chen Yang laughed.

"Yes, yes. Let’s eat, Mr. Chen," Xiao Rongfei said, feeling a bit awkward.

"Right."

Chen Yang nodded gently, and they resumed their meal.

Time flew by. Three days passed since that dinner. During those three days, a lot had happened for Chen Yang.

First, he had invested ten million into Xiao Rongfei’s company, believing it held the potential to be worth the investment. Second, Shen Donghua had returned to help him manage the New North Suburban City project, ensuring its progress remained steady. Finally, the project was moving forward methodically; Chen Yang estimated that if it were a complete success, he would certainly net one billion.

While Chen Yang’s life was trending upward, things were not going well for Qin Chao and Qin Guofu. Ever since the Qin Group went bankrupt, Qin Guofu had been idle at home, and both Qin Chao and Qin Yan had lost their jobs. The family spent their days huddled at home, each increasingly annoyed by the sight of the others. Qin Chao had tried to approach the Yu family to propose a partnership for revenge, but they hadn't even given him the time of day, causing him to lose all face.

At three o'clock that afternoon, Qin Chao and Qin Guofu were sitting on the sofa watching TV. Frustrated by the state of their lives, Qin Chao couldn't help but complain. "Dad, we can't go on like this. Look at our lives—what have they become?"

Qin Guofu glanced at him with disdain before turning back to the television. "And what else can we do?"

Qin Chao frowned. "I refuse to believe that you and I can’t make something happen."

"What do you have in mind?" Qin Guofu asked, finally looking at him properly.

Qin Chao gritted his teeth. "Dad, we can start a new business."

"Start what business? Tell me," Qin Guofu said coldly.

"I don't know yet, but we have to try! Sitting at home every day doing nothing—what kind of life is that?" Qin Chao said, clearly agitated.

Qin Guofu turned his gaze back to the TV. "If you want to talk about starting a business, I have an idea, but it requires you to swallow your pride."

"Me? Swallow my pride? Dad, what do you mean?" Qin Chao asked, bewildered.

Qin Guofu sighed with a complex expression. "I want you to ask your cousin, Qin Muxue, for guidance. Let her help you start a business. In this climate, if you enter an industry you don't know, you're doomed. Follow Qin Muxue, learn how she runs her trading company, and eventually, you might be able to start your own. Earning enough for your retirement shouldn't be a problem."