C23 The Help of a Noble!

"Absolutely, the old leader was incredibly kind to me back in the day. I haven't forgotten any of it. If it's not too much trouble, feel free to drop by my place for a visit. I'd love to catch up and reminisce with you!"

Upon hearing this, the elder gestured dismissively to Captain Zhang and said, "No need to visit my home. If you'd like to keep me company for a bit, why not join me for a bowl of osmanthus cake right here? I'm sure it'll be to your liking."

At the mention of osmanthus cake, Captain Zhang suddenly remembered something. He leaned in close to the elder and whispered, "Old leader, I overheard Yellow Hair claiming that this young man sold a piece of osmanthus cake for 9999. That can't be true, can it?"

The elder burst into laughter and replied, "Don't fall for that youngster's tall tales. The 9999 wasn't the owner's doing; I offered that amount myself. Plus, I've had my eye on everything that's unfolded in this shop. If you can bear with my chatter, I'll fill you in on the details."

"Old leader, you're too modest. I've always regretted missing out on your wise counsel. Today's the perfect chance to hear more."

The elder then recounted the day's events to Captain Zhang, who nodded in understanding once he grasped the full situation.

"Old leader, I can't thank you enough. Without your insight, I might have mistakenly accused an innocent person. Now, it's time for me to get to work."

With that, Captain Zhang approached the cat once more, his demeanor no longer as relaxed as before. He furrowed his brow and addressed Yellow Hair with a chilly tone, "Yellow Hair, this is the fifth time you've caused a ruckus in this shop. What's your game? I've warned you before to stop this senseless harassment. Yet here you are again, and this time you've brought a crowd, but failed to land a single punch. You even had the audacity to call the police. If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to show my face. If you have any grievances, let's hear them. If you can't make a clear case, I'm ready to have you taken away this instant!"

Realizing he was up against a formidable foe, Yellow Hair understood the gravity of the situation. He had planned to throw his weight around and intimidate Chen Fann, but to his surprise, Chen Fann had a powerful ally. Though he was unsure of the elder's identity, the respect Captain Zhang showed him was a clear indication of the elder's esteemed status.

"Captain Zhang, you can't falsely accuse an innocent person. True, I came here looking for trouble, but it was this kid who hit me first, leaving us all bruised and battered. You can't just turn a blind eye, can you? If you act like you didn't see anything, then I have to assume you're in this kid's pocket. Offending me might not matter to you, but are you aware of who's backing me?"

At that moment, Yellow Hair was still trying to leverage Xu Yuan's influence over Captain Zhang. Captain Zhang was well aware that Yellow Hair had powerful backing, likely Xu Yuan himself. Under normal circumstances, he might have looked the other way, but with his superior closely observing, letting Yellow Hair off was out of the question. Without further hesitation, he glanced back at his officers and commanded, "What are you waiting for? Take Yellow Hair and his cronies into custody. Let's see what he can do to me now."

As the officers advanced to make the arrest, Chen Fann quickly intervened, addressing Captain Zhang, "Captain, just taking Yellow Hair into custody should suffice. His lackeys were merely following his orders. Without him, they wouldn't dare act so boldly."

The lackeys, who had been shaking with fear, now overflowed with gratitude as Chen Fann spoke on their behalf, each thanking him profusely.

"Boss Chen, we're aware of your kindness. Rest assured, we won't cause you any more trouble in the future!"

"Exactly, Boss Chen. We were really under duress. Yellow Hair took nearly two thousand yuan from us. He shouldn't get to keep it all to himself!"

Hearing this, Yellow Hair's face contorted with anger. His lackeys had no spine, unable to handle the slightest pressure, and now they were turning against him. But with so many witnesses, especially Captain Zhang, he had no choice but to grudgingly pull out the hundred-yuan notes he'd collected and hand them over. The lackeys, money in hand, scattered as fast as they could.

Once they had gone, Chen Fann smiled and turned to thank Captain Zhang.

"Captain, I can't thank you enough. Next time you dine here, I'll offer you a fifty percent discount. We need more officers like you who uphold justice. It's people like you who make life better for all of us."

Captain Zhang nodded, his curiosity piqued by the close rapport Chen Fann seemed to have with Liu Mengyu and the elder. Given their social standing, they typically wouldn't bother with such petty matters.

"Boss Chen, you're being too modest. It's part of our duty as police officers. Plus, since you're a friend of Miss Liu's, that makes us friends too," he said.

"Captain Zhang, to be honest, I've only just met Miss Liu yesterday. We aren't as acquainted as you might think. I'm not sure we can be considered friends yet," Chen Fann clarified.

Chen Fann's response took Captain Zhang by surprise. He quickly ushered Chen Fann aside, glancing back to ensure Liu Mengyu and the old man weren't listening, and whispered, "Boss, you're not aware of Miss Liu's background, are you? She's no ordinary person!"

Chen Fann shook his head; he truly was unaware of Liu Mengyu's status and knew her only by name.

"Oh, boss, you've really overlooked something important. Let me fill you in: Miss Liu is the cherished daughter of the owner of the renowned Wide Sea Group."

"The Wide Sea Group?"

At the mention of the name, Chen Fann's expression froze momentarily. The Wide Sea Group was no small player. As a nationally recognized titan of the food and beverage industry, its headquarters was in Chen Fann's own city. Its annual performance was rumored to be among the top three nationwide. It was no wonder he had looked down on Yellow Hair; the guy's family was loaded.

I'm aware that the Wide Sea Group has at least ten thousand branches across the country. Even a single franchise can boast daily sales exceeding one hundred thousand. All told, the Wide Sea Group has long stood as a colossal food and beverage industry behemoth with a market valuation surpassing a hundred billion.