Chen Hai's Invitation 02

【Haizhu City Mother-Daughter Assault Incident Takes a Turn】

【Official Announcement from Haizhu City】

【Plot Twist! A Different Perspective!】

【Haizhu Mother-Daughter Incident: Turns Out They’re Family of a Murderer!】

【Mother and Daughter Now Detained.】

【Firm Stance Against Online Harassment】

The next day.

In the school infirmary, Ye Shuang sat on a chair, scrolling through his phone as he took in the latest updates. Even he couldn’t help but pause in surprise.

A reversal this fast?

“Strange. I thought it’d take a few days to gain traction. Why did it flip in just one?” Ye Shuang stroked his chin, deep in thought. He had planned to let the situation simmer a bit longer, but by the next day, the mother and daughter were already in custody.

“Your doing?” He turned to the side, where a short-haired girl sat with her legs propped up on the table, gripping a controller as her eyes remained fixed on the projected game screen.

Even when Ye Shuang addressed her, she didn’t budge, still staring at the screen. “What’s it got to do with me? That flimsy narrative was full of holes to begin with—it was bound to collapse under scrutiny.”

Just then, Ye Shuang’s phone buzzed.

He glanced at it—a message from Chen Qin.

Chen Qin: I handled it for you. Who dares slander my Ye Shuang?!

Chen Qin: [Husky pointing at someone.jpg]

Now it made sense. The reason the situation reversed so quickly wasn’t just because the mother-daughter duo’s fabricated story couldn’t withstand scrutiny—Chen Qin had likely stepped in after seeing it too.

She probably bought a ton of exposure as well.

“Should’ve given her a heads-up. Maybe they wouldn’t have ended up in jail,” Ye Shuang mused.

The cost of slandering others was far too low, and lawsuits were notoriously difficult to pursue. Even if victims took legal action, they’d often waste time and money only to receive little to no justice.

Take the recent Chengdu court case, for example—its motto seemed to be “Never let a good person off the hook,” even scolding plaintiffs for being “petty.”

Because spreading rumors was easy and profitable, such incidents kept proliferating online.

But Chen Qin seemed to have read his mind. Before he could reply, she sent another message—

Chen Qin: I’ve filed lawsuits against all the bloggers who spread rumors, plus that mother and daughter. Don’t worry, I’ve hired a dedicated lawyer to handle the cases. Hehe.

Chen Qin: As the Analects say, “A gentleman who isn’t firm lacks dignity.”

Ye Shuang: Meaning, “If you don’t hit hard, you can’t establish authority.”

Chen Qin: Oho, you know your stuff~ [Husky impressed.jpg]

Chen Qin: [Begging for praise.jpg]

Chen Qin clearly didn’t want Ye Shuang wasting energy on this. Given her fiercely protective nature, those involved were bound to enjoy a rather… handcuffed lifestyle.

“I was planning to sign them up for the ‘Septic Tank Olympics,’ but since Chen Qin already took care of it… never mind.” Ye Shuang leaned back in his chair, exchanged a few more messages with Chen Qin, then set his phone aside.

The infirmary fell quiet again, save for the sounds of An Shiyu’s game and the occasional burst of Osaka dialect swearing.

Ye Shuang returned to his medical books, though lately, he’d been focusing more on cardiovascular studies.

Adjusting the gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, his dark, intense eyes absorbed the text so intently that even An Shiyu glanced over at him.

Just then, a sparrow fluttered in through the window and landed on his shoulder, tilting its head. “Chirp!”

Whether it was because the animals on campus had no sense of danger or because Ye Shuang often fed them by the windowsill, the sparrows and pigeons here were completely unafraid of people. Sometimes, they’d even fly inside to beg for food.

“Hm?” Noticing the sparrow, Ye Shuang pulled out a small jar of rice grains from his drawer and scattered a few on the table.

As the bird pecked at the grains, he warned, “Eat and leave. No pooping in the infirmary, or no more treats.”

Whether it understood or not, he went back to reading after feeding it.

A character death sound suddenly blared from the game screen—An Shiyu had been staring a little too long.

An Shiyu: “……”

She turned back and reloaded her save.

Time flew, and soon it was almost noon. Ye Shuang’s phone buzzed again—this time, a message from Chen Hai, which surprised him a little.

Chen Hai: Yo, loser, let’s hang out!

Ye Shuang: ?

Ye Shuang: Don’t you have work? What kind of ‘hanging out’ happens at noon?

Chen Hai: Lunch with me? Just for a bit. My treat—fancy restaurant.

Chen Hai: First come, first served.

Ye Shuang was puzzled by Chen Hai’s sudden invitation, but considering he might have something to discuss in person, he replied—

Ye Shuang: Something wrong?

Chen Hai: Pfft, nah, nothing’s wrong.

Ye Shuang: Fine, send me the address.

Soon, Chen Hai’s location popped up—a high-end omakase place costing ¥3,000 per head.

“What’s gotten into him?” Ye Shuang didn’t dwell on it. If there was an issue, he’d find out soon enough.

During lunch break, after messaging Bai Yuyou and the others, Ye Shuang drove off campus.

The restaurant wasn’t far—less than ten minutes away. After parking, he quickly spotted Chen Hai inside.

“Over here!” Chen Hai waved, but Ye Shuang noticed a young woman sitting beside him.

She looked to be in her early twenties, no makeup but radiating a lively energy.

Meeting Ye Shuang’s gaze, she smiled and nodded politely.

Returning the gesture, Ye Shuang took a seat.

“This place is great. My treat today,” Chen Hai said, though Ye Shuang sensed something off about his demeanor.

Ye Shuang smirked. “You drag me out for a midday feast, and I’m supposed to believe there’s no catch? Spit it out—what are you hiding?”

“Damn, since when do I hide things from you?” Chen Hai started, then hesitated.

“Let’s eat first.”

Seeing his reluctance, Ye Shuang didn’t press further.

The restaurant served chef’s-choice courses based on daily ingredients. While Ye Shuang wasn’t a fan, the girl beside Chen Hai seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.

From their conversation, Ye Shuang learned she was Chen Hai’s subordinate—also working at the bank.

Ye Shuang: “……”

Catching a whiff of something unusual, Ye Shuang studied her more closely, piecing together her details.

[Character: Zhou Min

Bank employee. Currently pregnant.]