C21 A Roadblock

Time flew by quickly. Since Ma Shoucheng had headed to the hospital, two hours had swiftly passed. The clock now pointed to eleven at night, signaling that the gathering was drawing to a close.

Du Hao stood up with a hearty laugh. "It's been an honor to meet Xiaochuan today. However, it's getting late, and I have an early trip tomorrow morning, so I'll take my leave now."

Following Du Hao's lead, Bao Fan smoothly declared the evening's festivities concluded, suggesting they find another time to reconvene.

With that, everyone rose and approached Wang Xiaochuan in turn.

"Divine Doctor Wang, it's been a pleasure meeting you today."

"Indeed, Divine Doctor Wang. Should you encounter any issues in the future, don't hesitate to reach out to me."

"Absolutely, here in Drison County, we have considerable influence."

Their claims were far from empty boasts. The attendees were influential figures across various sectors in Drison County, with substantial connections even within government circles. Should Wang Xiaochuan need assistance, they would indeed be able to lend a hand.

Acknowledging their standing, Wang Xiaochuan graciously accepted their offers. "Thank you for your generosity. Rest assured, should the need arise, you'll be the first I turn to for assistance."

"Xiaochuan, we'll be waiting for your call," they said, chuckling as they exited the private room.

Descending in the elevator, their presence immediately drew the attention of the other patrons. These were the business moguls of Drison, individuals rarely seen in the same place, now all together at Celestial Delights—a sight seldom witnessed.

Some onlookers seized the moment to try and engage with them. But just then, they watched the moguls halt at the entrance, forming two lines, and with the deference of underlings, they escorted a young man out of the restaurant ahead of them.

"Who is this young man, and why are the big bosses treating him with such respect?"

"Could he be the son of some high-ranking official from the province?"

"Even if he were a leader's son, Mr. Du and the others wouldn't go to such lengths, right? He must be from a prestigious family."

This spectacle left the bystanders in awe, their minds buzzing with speculation about the young man's identity.

Wang Xiaochuan felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he overheard their words.

He turned to Mr. Du and the others and said, "Folks, I'm going to head back now. You should disperse as well. There's a lot of foot traffic here, and we don't want to interfere with Sister Qianyi's business."

Bao Fan inquired, "Xiaochuan, how do you plan on getting back?"

Before Wang Xiaochuan could reply, Lin Qianyi took his arm and interjected, "No need for concern, Xiaochuan will ride with me."

"Alright then, we appreciate it, Lin Qianyi. Just make sure you don't accidentally take our Xiaochuan back to your place instead of his!" Bao Fan joked with a sly grin.

The others joined in with laughter, having already decided in their minds that Lin Qianyi and Xiaochuan were an item.

They saw Lin Qianyi as a stunning beauty who had built a successful enterprise with the Crimson Palace at such a young age, while Wang Xiaochuan was a young hero with boundless potential.

Together, they were seen as a perfect pairing of talent and beauty.

"You guys just love to poke fun," Lin Qianyi said with a blush, giving them a playful glare before heading towards the parking lot.

Seeing her departure, the group stopped teasing Wang Xiaochuan and instead encouraged him to follow her quickly.

With a resigned smile, Wang Xiaochuan waved goodbye to everyone.

Catching up with Lin Qianyi, he reassured her, "Sister Qianyi, please don't take it to heart. Bao Fan and the rest are just having a bit of fun."

"Little fool, it seems like you're the one who's bothered," Lin Qianyi teased, rolling her eyes. "Enough talk, let's get in the car."

Wang Xiaochuan promptly took his place in the passenger seat.

Lin Qianyi floored the accelerator before he could even buckle up, and they sped away.

After a brief silence, Lin Qianyi spoke up, "Xiaochuan, I'm finding you more and more enigmatic. With your talent for creating magic medicine and your medical skills, why do you still choose to deliver food?"

"To make ends meet. Sister Qianyi, you might not be aware, but I've been through some tough times. Thankfully, things are looking up now. I've made enough money and have already submitted my resignation. I'll be leaving the delivery job soon," Wang Xiaochuan explained.

"That's great. You'll be able to devote yourself to your pharmaceutical business. Besides Bao Fan and his associates, we often have visiting businessmen. I'll make sure to promote your products and help expand your business beyond our local area."

"Thank you so much, Sister Qianyi."

"Silly! No need for formalities with me!"

Wang Xiaochuan rubbed the back of his head, feeling a bit perplexed. Why did Qianyi keep calling him silly? Could he actually be a bit foolish?

They continued their back-and-forth conversation, and soon, Sunken City was just ahead.

Suddenly, Lin Qianyi smacked the steering wheel and exclaimed, "Oh no!"

She hit the brakes hard, bringing the car to a stop, and turned to Wang Xiaochuan, "I'm sorry, Xiaochuan. How did I end up driving back to my place? Where do you live? I'll take you home right now."

"No need to trouble yourself. It's getting late. I'll just catch a taxi. It would take quite a while to go back and forth from here to my place," Wang Xiaochuan explained, then added, "If you were to drive me, it would be very late by the time you got home, and I'd worry."

Lin Qianyi paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Wang Xiaochuan unbuckled his seatbelt, ready to say goodbye.

Just then, several black sedans approached rapidly from the direction of Sunken City.

The cars zoomed in and screeched to a halt next to Lin Qianyi's vehicle.

A group of menacing, burly men in black stepped out, forming a tight circle around Lin Qianyi's car.

Lin Qianyi's face turned pale, uncertain of what was happening. She asked in a panic, "Xiaochuan, what do we do?"

"Don't panic," Wang Xiaochuan reassured her, taking Lin Qianyi's right hand. "Let's see what they want first. If there's any trouble, I'm here for you."

His words immediately soothed Lin Qianyi.

Then, from the black sedans, a middle-aged man in a black suit emerged.

He wasn't particularly tall, but his stern face and fierce demeanor exuded authority. Behind him, a towering figure in a black tank top stepped out, standing two meters tall and instilling a sense of dread, like an iron tower.

The towering figure of a burly man was merely following behind the leader, appearing to be nothing more than a henchman.

As the middle-aged man exited his vehicle, the crowd parted to allow him to approach Lin Qianyi's car.

"It's him! Chen Hao!" Lin Qianyi instantly recognized the middle-aged man.

Wang Xiaochuan felt a sudden tightness in his chest upon hearing the name.

Could it really be him?

The name Chen Hao was quite common. Even within Drison, there were likely many men with that name. But the most notorious of them all was the Chen Hao standing before them.

Wang Xiaochuan, who once delivered takeout, was no stranger to that name. Lai had warned him to steer clear of Chen Hao's people, as he was a well-known figure in Drison's underworld, controlling over half of the county's illicit activities.

Additionally, Wang Xiaochuan remembered something important: the thugs who had harassed a drunken Lin Qianyi had claimed to be Chen Hao's men. He wondered if Chen Hao's visit was in retaliation for that incident.

"Sister Qianyi, are you acquainted with this Chen Hao?" Wang Xiaochuan inquired, his expression unreadable.

Today, even someone of Chen Hao's stature didn't concern him.

He was nearing the late period of foundation building, and with one more step, he could break through to perfection. For him, handling these street thugs was as simple as having a meal.

Sensing Wang Xiaochuan's composure, Lin Qianyi also regained her calm. She nodded and explained, "Yes, Chen Hao has dined at my restaurant before. He's been after me since then, wanting me to be his girlfriend. But usually, he just sends texts and small gifts. I'm not sure why he's making such a grand gesture today."

"Qianyi, did you know that the ruffians who bothered you that night when you were intoxicated were Chen Hao's underlings?"

"What?" Lin Qianyi gasped, taken aback.

Just then, Chen Hao, who had reached the side of the Mercedes-Benz, tapped on the car window.

"Miss Lin, we haven't seen each other in quite some time. How have you been?"

Lin Qianyi's Mercedes-Benz had tinted windows, including the front windshield, so Chen Hao was unaware that the woman he admired had another man in her car.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Qianyi whispered to Wang Xiaochuan, "Wait for me in the car," and without waiting for his response, she swiftly opened the door and stepped outside.

"Chen Hao, what's the meaning of this today? Why have you had your people encircle my car?"

"Hehe, Miss Lin, please don't get the wrong idea. I'm here to offer you an apology."

Chen Hao stood tall and clapped his hands, signaling, "Bring them out!"

Shortly after, several burly men in black emerged from the sedans, each escorting a thug who had been severely beaten.

The men forced the thugs to Chen Hao's side, then delivered swift kicks to their legs, making them kneel on the ground.

Chen Hao gestured towards the beaten men and addressed Lin Qianyi, "Miss Lin, I've recently been informed that some of my men have disrespected you and nearly insulted you. This lack of discipline reflects poorly on me as their leader. That's why I've personally brought them here to offer you a sincere apology."