Ye Linchen smiled broadly as he watched his two younger brothers devour popsicles.
"Perfect timing. Gu Jingran is coming over later. He's still remembering the dinner he promised to treat you to last time. Don't leave tonight, let's have dinner together before you go back."
Ye Linnan's eyes lit up at the mention of food. With an ice pop in his mouth, he mumbled an indistinct reply: "Okay, okay!"
Ye Linbei, however, was preoccupied with the important matter he had come for today.
He finished his popsicle in a few bites, threw the stick into the trash can, and looked serious.
"Sister, Meng Zihan is back."
Ye Linchen's smile faded, and he gave a soft "hmm" to signal him to continue.
"Judging from her appearance, she's made a fortune. She's dressed in flashy clothes, like a nouveau riche. My brother and I have a feeling she'll come looking for trouble in a couple of days. You'd better watch out."
Ye Linnan interjected, "Yeah, sis, it's really strange. Didn't I hear before that she was beaten up and hospitalized, almost dying? How come she's recovered so quickly? She looks perfectly fine, even more arrogant than before."
Ye Linchen leaned back in his chair and told his two younger brothers the news he had learned from Gu Jingran.
"She used to be married to a company boss. Last time she was beaten, it was the boss's daughter who brought people to beat her. Now she's with someone richer, and he opened a clothing company for her. But that company is just a shell; I heard it's used specifically for money laundering."
Ye Linchen spoke calmly, but Ye Linnan and Ye Linbei were terrified.
"Money laundering? Money laundering?" Ye Linnan's eyes widened. "Isn't that illegal?"
"So," Ye Linchen's gaze fell on his two younger brothers, and he warned them, "you must remember, no matter how successful she is outside, or how much money she gives the family, you can't touch a single penny. Her money is tainted; getting involved will only bring you endless trouble. You two are going to study law and politics to become police officers or lawyers, so you must stay even further away from these things, understand?"
The two brothers understood the seriousness of the matter and nodded vigorously.
"I know, neither my brother nor I paid any attention to her..."
Just then, there was another knock on the door.
This time it's Gu Jingran.
He was carrying a fruit basket when he entered and saw Ye Linnan and Ye Linbei. He was a little surprised, but then he laughed.
"You two are here too? Perfect! How did your exams go?"
He placed the fruit basket on the table and looked at the two brothers.
"I said I'd treat you to dinner last time, and now that we've run into each other, let's go, it's on me. What would you like to eat?"
Ye Linchen smiled and said, "Since we're inviting them, let them decide for themselves."
Ye Linnan and Ye Linbei looked at each other a little embarrassedly before whispering, "We...we don't know what to eat either."
Gu Jingran thought for a moment and suggested, "A new seafood restaurant just opened in the city center, and the food is pretty good. Have you ever had seafood? Let me take you to try it."
"seafood?"
The brothers' eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again.
Ye Linnan said awkwardly, "I...I've never eaten it before. I heard it's quite expensive, so...maybe we should go somewhere else."
"That's perfect, I'll take you there to try it out."
Ye Linchen smiled and made the decision. She glanced at Gu Jingran and said jokingly, "Don't worry, your brother Gu has plenty of money. It's okay to rip him off."
Gu Jingran was amused by her, looked at her affectionately, and said to the twins, "Your sister is right, eat without worry, I have plenty of money."
The four of them chatted and laughed as they left the house, and Gu Jingran drove them towards the city center.
The seafood restaurant's decor lived up to its reputation; the private rooms were carpeted, the crystal chandeliers were dazzling, and even the waiters were dressed in smart uniforms.
Ye Linnan and Ye Linbei followed behind, their feet sinking into the soft carpet, feeling somewhat unreal.
After they were seated, Gu Jingran handed them the menu and let them order.
The two brothers opened the leather-covered menu, and after just one glance, they were so frightened that they almost threw it away.
The numbers following the names of those dishes were astronomical to them.
A single steamed grouper dish is worth half a month's living expenses for their family.
After some back and forth, the two cautiously ordered only the two cheapest vegetarian dishes.
Gu Jingran didn't say anything, but smiled and took the menu, skillfully ordering a series of dishes to the waiter: "Give me a lobster baked with cheese, steamed scallops with vermicelli, and a steamed grouper... Oh, and a serving of salt and pepper mantis shrimp too, Xiao Chen's favorite."
Soon, one dish after another was served.
Ye Linnan and Ye Linbei stared wide-eyed at the table full of shrimp and crabs, holding their chopsticks, unsure where to start eating.
Ye Linchen then placed a large scallop on each of their plates, smiling and saying, "Eat up, what are you standing there for?"
Seeing that the two were too reserved to open up, Ye Linchen simply asked them about filling out their college applications.
When Gu Jingran heard that the two were worried that Meng Xuejun's criminal record would affect his political background check, he began to analyze the situation carefully.
"The political background check mainly examines immediate family members and collateral relatives who have a significant impact on the individual. Meng Xuejun is a collateral relative, and your mother has clearly stated that she has severed ties with him. As long as you truthfully state the situation in your files, the impact will be minimal. The political background check for university students is not as strict as that for civil service exams; the key is still your own scores and performance."
His account was consistent with that of the police officers at the local police station, so the two brothers no longer had any concerns and listened to his conversation about all sorts of things.
After the meal, the two brothers were completely impressed by Gu Jingran.
Brother Gu is not only rich and knowledgeable, but also has extensive experience. He has been to so many places that they have never even heard of. He is practically omnipotent.
The two of them made up their minds that they would become as amazing as Gu Jingran in the future.
After finishing their meal, Gu Jingran first took the twins back to the steel mill before starting the car again and driving Ye Linchen towards Jiangcheng University.
"I don't have anything planned for tonight, how about I take you for a walk around campus?" He turned his head and asked softly.
"Okay," Ye Linchen agreed with a smile.
When the car came to a smooth stop at the entrance of Jiangcheng University, Gu Jingran turned off the engine and was about to get out when Ye Linchen grabbed his arm.
"Don't move."
Gu Jingran followed her gaze.
Not far away, under the school gate archway, in the dim light of the street lamps, a figure was leaning against a stone pillar.
The woman was wearing a bright red halter dress that looked striking even at night, with heavy makeup, and a slender cigarette dangling from her lips, the flame flickering in the darkness.
A suitcase sat at her feet, and she exuded an aura that seemed completely out of place on campus.
She seemed to notice the commotion, turned her head, and gave a provocative smile.
It's Meng Zihan!
She stood there, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, baring her fangs.
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