Stranger, I Also Bless You...

This matter truly has no connection to Young Master Cao.

At least, there's no evidence linking him to it.

Even if Kuang Long, Meng Hu, and Yang Laojiu testified against each other, claiming that Young Master Cao had beaten them and even attacked Old Dog—leading to Boss Jin's involvement in hiring thugs—

still…

They’re all part of the underworld, individuals with no credibility, so their testimonies hold little weight.

Beyond their statements,

there isn’t a single reliable witness to confirm that Young Master Cao had assaulted them.

It’s all just their word against his.

Moreover, Young Master Cao could provide an alibi—surveillance footage showing he never left home after returning.

Once verified, the evidence leaned heavily in his favor.

In legal cases, physical evidence always outweighs witness testimony.

Especially when the witnesses are the accused parties themselves.

So their claims meant nothing without proof.

Even covered in injuries, there was no way to prove Young Master Cao was responsible—maybe they’d just fought among themselves?

As for Boss Jin,

he had never seen Cao Cheng’s face.

His own legal troubles were serious enough—likely resulting in six months of detention or a year of supervised release.

But…

He was in for a massive loss, completely unaware of what awaited him.

He couldn’t fathom that after his detention, just six months later, his overseas companies would likely collapse, leaving him no chance to flee or recover. Bankruptcy was inevitable.

Blame it on the American crisis he happened to stumble into.

Not that it mattered—he was a foreigner anyway. Young Master Cao felt no guilt, and on top of that, he was raking in massive emotional dividends.

As for Kuang Long, Meng Hu, Yang Laojiu, and Old Dog, since they’d taken money for the job, they’d also be locked up for a while.

A bit of a shame, really.

Meant fewer emotional points to harvest.

They’d have to wait until after their release.

……

After everyone left,

Ren's Mother didn’t press for details about Boss Jin.

Old Cao, however, was curious.

But he knew it was best not to discuss it—no good would come of it either way.

Still,

as "old friends," Old Cao and Ren's Mother paid a visit to Boss Jin in detention.

No matter how strained their relationship, they’d known each other for over twenty years.

If Xu Damao could collect Silly Zhu’s corpse,

then Old Cao visiting Boss Jin wasn’t so strange.

What grudge couldn’t be resolved?

"Boss Jin, we came to see you."

"……"

Boss Jin looked haggard, his hair unkempt.

Before, he could at least style his thinning hair to cover the bald spot, but now his receding hairline was on full display—sides sticking out, the middle completely bare.

It was almost comical.

Boss Jin fumed, "You old bastard, Cao, you set me up."

Old Cao sighed, "Now that’s just unfair. The investigation cleared me—I never left home, never hired anyone. Meanwhile, you were the one paying thugs to knock out my teeth."

Shaking his head, Old Cao continued, "I’m not one to lecture, Boss Jin, but even back in school, you were petty—always tattling to the teachers. And now? Still the same, even resorting to calling the cops… only to trap yourself. What were you thinking?"

"And now you’re an American, living in the land of the free. Shouldn’t your mindset have evolved by now? Can’t you be a little more magnanimous?"

"……"

Boss Jin trembled with rage, pointing at him, unable to form a coherent response.

"Fine, reflect on your mistakes. When you get out, I hope you’ll turn over a new leaf."

"After all, we’ve been classmates since childhood. I won’t hold a grudge."

"Once you’re released, I’ll treat you to drinks. And I’ll even cover your dental bills—consider it as if I’d beaten you myself! How’s that for brotherhood? More than fair, right?"

"GET OUT!!!"

Boss Jin couldn’t stand Old Cao’s smug tone and mocking gaze any longer.

A nearby officer barked, "Behave!"

Boss Jin shrank back, glaring at Old Cao. "You bastard, this isn’t over. Just wait till I’m out—I’ll finish you…"

Old Cao suddenly pointed at him, turning to the officer. "You heard that, right? He’s still threatening me! This foreigner wants to kill me!"

"He’s completely unrepentant. Don’t you think detention’s too light? Shouldn’t people like him be executed?"

"What the hell—" Boss Jin was stunned.

He knew execution was off the table, but the sheer audacity of the remark infuriated him.

You’re the damn foreigner.

In the end,

Boss Jin stormed off in a rage.

Old Cao left the detention center in high spirits.

Outside, Ren's Mother smacked his arm—she’d held back inside, but enough was enough.

She hissed, "Must you always be so insufferable?"

Old Cao scoffed. "I’ve despised that snob since school. Flaunting his family’s money, worshipping foreign crap, always running to the teachers. Every time we skipped class, who got us caught? Him."

"And who snitched to your dad about us?"

"……" Ren's Mother rolled her eyes. Still holding a grudge after all these years. Typical man.

Old Cao added, "Back then, he only tattled. Now he’s hiring thugs to assault people…"

"Our Cao family has always been law-abiding. We don’t associate with criminals—unless they repent and reform."

"Fine, fine, it’s always your way." Ren's Mother chuckled, shaking her head.

As they walked out of the visitation building,

a large police van pulled up.

A group of detainees was led out—no handcuffs or shackles, given their temporary custody status.

One toothless thug threw his arms wide and bellowed, "Freedom at last!"

"……"

Old Cao blinked. Was missing teeth the new fashion trend?

Ren's Mother looked equally baffled.

Glancing around,

the area wasn’t exactly a high-security prison, but it was still a restricted facility. Where was the "freedom"?

Another ruffian mimicked the gesture, muttering, "Should be safe here…"

An officer snapped, "What’s wrong with you? Come sign the paperwork."

The toothless one hurried over. "Officer, how long am I in for this time?"

"How should I know? You’re just in holding for now. Don’t worry—time served counts toward your sentence." The officer eyed him. Calling him "officer"? Definitely a repeat offender.

The toothless man pleaded, "Officer, can you put in a request? I wanna stay longer—a few years, maybe?"

"You think this is a hotel? Stay as long as you like? We follow the law—"

SMACK

The toothless man slapped him. "How about now? That’ll add time, right?"

"Goddammit—assaulting an officer?!"

Chaos ensued as he was wrestled to the ground—but he laughed like he’d won the lottery.

Once the group was hauled away,

Old Cao mused, "The world’s full of weirdos. That guy belongs in a psych ward."

Though their cases were connected, Old Cao and Ren's Mother had never met Kuang Long or Meng Hu.

They had no clue what had driven those two "mad."

……

By late September,

Young Master Cao posted a new thread.

Username: Stock God Aotian

Title: "No Matter the Distance, Love Prevails!"

It was a lengthy essay.

At the heart of the post lies a depiction of the magnificent landscapes and scenic wonders of our homeland.

It is a place that captivates the human spirit.

Only in such places can the body return to nature and the mind find fleeting tranquility.

Stranger, I bless you too...

I only wish to face the sea, with spring blossoms in full bloom!

...

That, in essence, is the core of its message.

Such a heartwarming post.

If this little essay were published in a travel magazine or some other media outlet for tourist cities, it might garner likes and stir longing among weary office workers.

But...

This post appeared in a forum dedicated to stock market discussions.

And given the immense fame of "Stock God Ao Tian," coupled with months of silence from him,

the moment this post surfaced—before anyone even finished reading it—it was already reposted across major stock forums and discussion groups.

"What does the Stock God mean by this?"

"Holy crap... I get it now."

"Bro, please explain—I don’t get it at all."

"Just think about the colors of countless mountains and rivers, and you’ll know."

"Holy crap... I see it too."

"Green??"