After Liu Weiqiang's continuous explanations and a barrage of solemn oaths, he finally cleared his name.
In fact, Gao Fei had stopped suspecting him the moment he mentioned seeking help from official channels.
However, Director Liu didn't give him a chance to speak, and instead, kept swearing on the phone.
It wasn't until Gao Fei's ears were nearly calloused and he interrupted Director Liu, stating he believed him, that Liu Weiqiang finally hung up the phone with immense relief.
Before Gao Fei could put his phone down, a text message arrived.
After reading its contents, he immediately instructed the driver to head to the eastern suburbs.
An hour later, at a private winery in the eastern suburbs of Kyoto.
Guided by a waiter, Gao Fei arrived at a semi-enclosed room.
As soon as he entered, he saw Guo Yue, dressed in a black suit and with slicked-back hair, already waiting for him.
"Boss!"
He stood up and pulled out a chair for Gao Fei, then, just like when he was a driver, poured him tea and water.
If outsiders were to see the now-famous Boss Guo of Caesar Palace personally pulling out chairs and brewing tea for someone, they would surely be astonished.
Seeing Guo Yue as he was before, Gao Fei couldn't help but tease, "Sit down quickly, Boss Guo. If your subordinates see this, they'll skin me alive!"
"Anyone who dares to harm the boss, I'll take their life!"
Old Guo replied with unpretentious sincerity.
His tone was firm, devoid of any pretense.
Gao Fei frowned slightly. He hadn't seen Guo Yue for only two or three months, and his changes were quite off-putting.
His manner of speaking and his aura were filled with a sense of violence.
"Who told you about the venue fees being charged to the film crew?" he asked, cutting to the chase.
"Boss, although I'm no longer working for you and have left the company, I'm always paying attention.
Now that I'm managing Caesar Palace, I've made connections with all sorts of people in society, and gathering information is incredibly simple.
Don't worry, I haven't contacted anyone from the company."
Guo Yue knew that the boss didn't want to be too involved with people from the underworld.
He also forbade anyone in the company from having too many dealings with them.
Therefore, he had people discreetly keeping an eye on companies like Feiteng Investment and Feihe Film.
Da Ming, Chen Bao, and Zhou Long were charging protection fees to three film crews under Feihe.
Guo Yue had not contacted or inquired with any friends from his former company.
Shortly after the incident with the film crew, he had already received news from his subordinates.
Gao Fei was relieved that the company people hadn't been able to contact Guo Yue.
"Old Guo, from now on, you are not allowed to interfere in any matters within the company, understand?"
He instructed.
Guo Yue blinked in surprise: "Boss, I've already handled things and it won't involve you."
"You still don't understand what I mean!"
Gao Fei waved his hand and patiently explained, "Ge Qing is no longer in the Propaganda Department of the General Administration; he's been transferred to the Kyoto Municipal Police Department as the captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade.
Since Yu Min and his gang were taken down, Ge Qing has been paying close attention to me. You crippled someone just yesterday, and today he's come looking for me.
It can be said that for any slight stir in Kyoto's underworld, Ge Qing will suspect me first, and then you."
Guo Yue's eyes darted as he nodded thoughtfully.
"So, Old Guo, in the future, no matter what happens with Feiteng Investment Company or Feihe Pictures, try not to get involved. Otherwise, you'll soon be implicated and secretly watched and targeted by Ge Qing."
"I understand, Boss."
Guo Yue sighed and agreed.
He had left Gao Fei's company and acquired Paradise on Earth, re-entering the underworld.
His true intention was to protect Gao Fei's businesses from society's underbelly.
But Ge Qing was paying too much attention to Gao Fei.
From now on, if he wanted to help Gao Fei resolve societal issues, he would have to be meticulous and cautious.
"Boss, I don't understand. Ge Qing was a leader in the General Administration's Propaganda Department. Why would he willingly take a position as a captain in the Municipal Police Department? Isn't that a demotion!"
Guo Yue stopped talking about helping and asked about his confusion.
"If Ge Qing continued in the General Administration's Propaganda Department, he would have retired without any further promotion. It's a department for retirement.
But by returning to the front lines, it has reopened the path for his promotion.
Ge Qing's current position as captain is temporary. By next year, he'll likely be promoted to deputy director of the Municipal Police Department."
"So, Ge Qing's situation is a demotion in name but a promotion in reality?"
"You can understand it that way!"
Gao Fei agreed, then changed the subject: "Besides managing Caesar Palace, what other gray businesses are you involved in on the side?"
When Ge Qing visited earlier, he had mentioned that Guo Yue had been restless lately.
However, Gao Fei didn't want to get too entangled with Old Guo, so he hadn't responded.
Now that he asked directly, Guo Yue didn't hide anything and said with a smile, "What else can one do in the underworld? As long as it's not illegal, I'm involved in everything else."
"For example?"
"Underground casinos, underground banks, financial services (high-interest loans), and peripheral industries, and so on."
Hearing Guo Yue's answer, Gao Fei raised an eyebrow.
He had taken over all of Yu Min's previous businesses!
"If I asked you to stop these businesses, would you be willing?"
Gao Fei asked seriously after taking a sip of tea.
Guo Yue was about to refuse, but seeing his boss's serious expression, he held back.
"Boss, feel free to make any suggestions, and I'll consider them before giving you an answer."
"These businesses of yours have already attracted Ge Qing's attention. I'm asking you to stop them because I don't want you to follow Yu Min's old path."
Gao Fei spoke his mind and offered alternatives: "I know you have subordinates to support, but to get off Ge Qing's radar, you could open a security company, a used car dealership and car rental company, a property management company, or even a modeling agency.
These companies, once established, not only provide employment for your subordinates but also legitimize your identity. And it won't affect your status in the underworld.
As long as you don't go too far, the police will turn a blind eye."
Guo Yue nodded thoughtfully, sipping his tea as he considered it.
Seeing his hesitation, Gao Fei spoke again: "You've only just taken over those gray businesses, and it's still not too late to back out. Give some money, find a few people to take the blame, and you'll be legitimized.
But if you continue, I can guarantee that next year, when Ge Qing aims to become deputy director, you'll be his first target."
Hearing this, Guo Yue's hand holding the teacup trembled.
"Boss, do you have any news?"
"Starting next year, a nationwide crackdown is about to begin."
This information was not Gao Fei trying to scare Guo Yue.
He had been secretly transferred to the research institute earlier, and Zhang Ziheng had intentionally leaked this information to him.
It was considered a small benefit he was giving him.
Seeing his boss's serious expression, Guo Yue nodded decisively: "Boss, I promise you. I'll start making arrangements as soon as I get back and stop those businesses.
However, Boss, I'm not very good at running these legitimate companies!"
Gao Fei chuckled and explained how to operate the security, used car, property management, and other companies.
Guo Yue immediately took out a pen and notebook and diligently took notes.
An hour later.
Gao Fei took a sip of tea, moistening his throat, and said, "Alright, as long as you follow my methods, your monthly and annual income will definitely not be worse than your illegal businesses."
Looking at the notes in his book, Guo Yue admired his boss from the bottom of his heart.
Once these businesses were on the right track, he would become a respected figure with legitimate businesses.
His subordinates would also shed their thug identities and all have proper jobs, regular incomes, and so on.
After a brief chat, Gao Fei got up to leave as he had other matters to attend to.
As he left, Guo Yue prepared to escort him out, but was stopped.
"No need to see me off. There are too many eyes and ears outside. Until Ge Qing is promoted, you and I are both thorns in his side."
Old Guo nodded in understanding and agreed, staying in the room and not going out.
As Gao Fei was about to push the door open, he suddenly turned back and said, "By the way, when you have time, help me look after the Gao brothers on Beichang Street. They're Xiao Lan's brothers. There are many local bullies in that area. If they get into trouble, lend them a hand."
"Xiao Lan?"
"Gao Qilan from the cosmetics factory!"
Guo Yue suddenly understood and nodded, thinking the boss was in love.
He didn't expect it to be Gao Qilan from the factory.
After making the arrangement, Gao Fei didn't linger. He put on his hat, sunglasses, and mask, pushed the door open, and left.
After he left, Guo Yue, who remained in the room, called for his trusted subordinate and asked him about the situation of the Gao brothers.
After listening to the news brought by his subordinate, he didn't immediately follow Gao Fei's instructions to have his subordinate look after the Gao brothers.
After thinking for nearly ten minutes, a shrewd glint suddenly appeared in Guo Yue's eyes.
The boss had told him to go legitimate and run proper businesses, but he hadn't said he couldn't help build a powerful force.
Gao Qiqiang dared to use the boss's name to intimidate the Zhou brothers; this was a rare talent.
Therefore, an "upbringing plan" slowly began to form in Old Guo's mind.
"Come here!"
Guo Yue beckoned his confidant over and whispered his instructions in his ear.
....
Ten o'clock at night, Beichang Street.
Gao Lan Cosmetics Direct Sales Store, thanks to Gao Fei's appearance, had gained recognition in the surrounding streets.
In one day, two-thirds of the inventory had been sold.
Looking at the cash overflowing from the cash register, Gao Qiqiang and Gao Qisheng never imagined that the cosmetics industry could be so profitable.
Zhou Hu, standing beside them,'s eyes turned red.
He roughly estimated that Brother Qiang's earnings today had easily exceeded ten thousand.
After a month, the net profit would be over a hundred thousand.
Zhou Hu envied them and looked away, thinking that if he could open a direct sales store like Boss Gao's, he wouldn't need to charge stall fees anymore.
"Let's go, I'm treating tonight."
Gao Qiqiang withdrew his gaze and called out to his brother and Xiao Hu.
While eating, he could mention the matter of the mobile phone store.
After a simple cleaning of the shop and rolling down the shutter, the three of them headed towards a food stall outside Beichang Street.
As they walked out of Beichang Street, Zhou Hu suddenly stopped and grabbed the Gao brothers.
"What's wrong, Xiao Hu?"
Gao Qiqiang asked curiously.
As soon as he spoke, over a dozen young men from the underworld suddenly rushed out of a dark alley nearby.