Chapter 76: The Embrace of the Goddess

This scene left everyone utterly dumbfounded. Li Ruo stood there, stunned; Liu Momo wore a faint smile on her lips. The police officers at the station were even more shocked, momentarily speechless. Captain Zhang, revered as a goddess throughout the police department, had just thrown herself into someone else's arms. The male officers' eyes blazed with jealousy.

Ye Chen looked at everyone awkwardly. Li Ruo glared fiercely at him, then turned to Lin Ziwen and said, "Let's go!"

With that, Li Ruo spun around and left. Lin Ziwen followed closely behind, glancing back at Ye Chen before getting into the car with Li Ruo.

After much effort, Zhang Yantong finally calmed down. She released Ye Chen, glanced at the tear stains on his chest, and said, embarrassed, "S-sorry!"

"Heh, it's all right!" Ye Chen shook his head. "Are you okay now?"

"Mm." Zhang Yantong nodded, her usual composure returning. She said to Ye Chen, "You can leave now."

"Huh? But it isn't even noon yet," Ye Chen exclaimed, surprised.

"If you don't want to go, you can stay in jail," Zhang Yantong replied coldly, then left with Fang Qin.

Outside, Feng Zhixiao and the others crowded around, grinning and giving Ye Chen a thumbs up.

"Brother Chen, let's go check out our hotpot city! Damn, it's huge!" Feng Zhixiao laughed heartily.

"Alright." Ye Chen nodded, then instructed Li Tie Niu to take everyone back to work and not get involved in any more trouble. Haozi and Da Xia wanted to follow Ye Chen, but he sent them back to work at Tianya Group. With them close by, Li Ruo's safety was ensured—a matter that now weighed more heavily on Ye Chen's mind than his own.

Walking together toward the university district, Liu Momo clung to Ye Chen's hand, refusing to let go.

"Momo, aren't you going to class today?" Ye Chen asked with curiosity.

"I took the day off to spend it with you, Brother Chen!" Liu Momo flashed a charming smile. At eighteen, she radiated the vibrant energy of youth.

"That won't do. Classes are important. Don't end up like me, uneducated. Momo, you should grow up to be cultured," Ye Chen said earnestly. "I never had much education, so I can't get a good job—I just risk my life, acting as a shield for others. But you're different. You should strive to be someone successful, alright?"

"Mm!" Liu Momo nodded. "Then, in the future, I'll take care of you, Brother Chen. Is that okay?"

"Uh..." Ye Chen was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to say such a thing. Her words struck deep, touching the softest part of his heart. For a moment, a memory seemed to stir in his mind, but the door to it did not open. Ye Chen gazed at Liu Momo seriously. "If the chance ever comes, I'd be glad to let you take care of me for a lifetime. Alright?"

"Deal! Let's pinky swear!" Liu Momo smiled sweetly, her eyes sparkling with the bliss of first love.

The two hooked their pinkies together. Liu Momo recited, "Pinky swear, hang it high. A hundred years, never change. Seal it!"

Ye Chen was moved. As they walked past Jianghuai University, Liu Momo stepped onto campus, waving vigorously at Ye Chen. He waved back until she was out of sight.

"Brother Chen, Momo is a good girl. Don't let her down," Feng Zhixiao said meaningfully.

"You rascal, what do you know?" Ye Chen replied, tossing a playful nut at him. Feng Zhixiao scurried away, and the others laughed. Red Scarf Xiao Er sniffed and looked at Ye Chen with admiration. "Brother Chen, I envy you so much. Sister Momo is beautiful. The girls in my class are no fun at all—dirty, quarrelsome."

"Haha, Brother Chen, Xiao Er is thinking about girls!" Feng Zhixiao laughed.

They made their way to Hotpot City, which had recently been transferred to Feng Zhixiao. The news spread quickly, and his name became known across Jianghuai City. His reputation grew, too.

This brought both good and bad. On the positive side, Feng Zhixiao could now rally a crowd with a single word, and everyone respectfully called him Brother Zhixiao. With such a vast territory, he could lead his crew in legitimate business, earning a steady income rather than relying on protection fees or intimidation. On the downside, such a big move drew attention. Zhang Dadan's territory had always been coveted by other gangs, especially the Yanlong Gang, who had their eye on the university district. Hotpot City could earn thousands daily due to its dense population and student clientele, making it a hotspot. Now that Feng Zhixiao controlled it, others were bound to be anxious.

When they arrived at Hotpot City, chaos reigned inside. Tables and chairs were scattered everywhere, with no order. There were electric hotpot tables, a cashier station, and a kitchen in back. The combined area was over a thousand square meters—a vast space that left Feng Zhixiao and his crew excited.

"Brother Chen, what should we do here?" Feng Zhixiao grinned.

"I say, let's just keep running a hotpot restaurant," Xiao Er suggested. "Maybe I can bring girls from my class for free food and drinks, then take them upstairs to the Seven Days Hotel for some fun!"

Smack—

Before he could finish, Feng Zhixiao slapped him. Xiao Er clutched his head, muttering, "Brother Zhixiao, why'd you hit me?"

"Hmph, Brother Chen hasn't spoken, so why are you butting in?" Feng Zhixiao snapped.

"Haha, let everyone speak freely!" Ye Chen chuckled. "From what I see, this place is at least fifteen hundred square meters. If you keep it as a hotpot restaurant, you'll lose big!"

"Brother Chen, what's the most lucrative business?" Feng Zhixiao asked anxiously.

"Are you willing to take risks?" Ye Chen smiled slyly, pulling out a cigarette. "If you dare, I guarantee money will flow like water!"

"Seriously, I'll risk my life for that!" Feng Zhixiao exclaimed, waving his hand.

"I should warn you—this is dangerous, and you’ll need to pull some strings with the authorities. If possible, make sure you have good relations with the police," Ye Chen grinned.

"Brother Chen, you’re not asking me to do something illegal, are you?" Feng Zhixiao shuddered.

"Not exactly—just skirting the edge of legality," Ye Chen replied. "So, do you have the guts?"

"I do! If you say so, I'll do it!" Feng Zhixiao was tired of poverty, living on borrowed money. The prospect of earning thousands daily was irresistible.

"Open a casino," Ye Chen said with a sly smile.

"What?!" Feng Zhixiao was stunned. "Brother Chen, if we get caught, the consequences are serious!"

"Really? The Yanlong Gang's big casinos in Jianghuai City are still going strong," Ye Chen replied, flicking ash. "If they’re not afraid, why should you be? When the sky falls, the tallest stand firm—you’re nothing!"

"You're right!" Feng Zhixiao thought about it. Yan Bu'er’s casinos were set up all over the city, so having one in the center would be spreading out the business. It might even outperform Yan Bu'er’s. Excited, he asked, "Brother Chen, let's renovate right away."

"Don’t worry—I’ll handle it," Ye Chen assured him.

"Ah, Brother Chen, that’s so generous!" Feng Zhixiao grinned.

"You rascal, you never feel embarrassed borrowing money, and now you act shy?" Ye Chen laughed.

Since they had decided to open a casino in the university district, the first issue was to establish connections with the higher-ups—in essence, find a suitable protector, just like Yan Bu'er had. With such backing, the casino would be untouchable. Nowadays, the most formidable partnership was collusion between criminals and officials.

Leaving the university district, Ye Chen pondered how to find such a protector—one big enough to cover the casino. Walking toward Tianya Group, a gang of unruly youths suddenly surrounded him. They wore tank tops and jeans, their hair dyed in all colors, flaunting their individuality.

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