Northeast of Hang Jiang, within a camp.
Jiang Shaolong sat on the ground, his hair disheveled and his face bruised.
He was in a completely sealed room, without windows, and not very large.
This was the military's solitary confinement, a small dark room where only soldiers who had committed serious offenses were held. It was said that three days in here were enough to drive someone mad.
However, Jiang Shaolong was not enjoying this treatment alone; some of his companions were with him.
That night at the Holy Dragon Bar, none of his men escaped. They were all apprehended by the Raptor Squad and brought to their base, where they were confined in three separate solitary cells.
It was precisely because of these companions that Jiang Shaolong wasn't driven to madness.
But the taste of it all... was indescribable.
Eating, drinking, and all bodily functions took place within the small dark room. Originally not spacious, it now housed five people, making it crowded and miserable.
It was a bit better at the beginning. Although others complained and were displeased, they didn't vent their anger on Jiang Shaolong.
But as time passed, apart from someone bringing them food on time, no one paid them any attention. Their mental states gradually began to crumble.
Within the confined space, the individuals whose minds had broken began to clash. Their tempers grew fiercer, escalating into physical altercations.
After that, Jiang Shaolong could not escape.
After all, if he hadn't poisoned Chen Fan, would they have ended up in such a dire situation?
If nothing else, the smell in this small dark room alone made them feel like living was worse than death.
They would have rather been beaten severely, or even tortured, than continue to stay here.
But no one paid them any mind.
Thus, everyone slowly shifted all their resentment onto Jiang Shaolong. They no longer cared that he was the young master of the Jiang family, and began to deal with him.
No one listened to Jiang Shaolong's explanations. Waking up every morning to be beaten three or four times was driving him insane.
What they called hell was probably no worse than this!
He now felt that if someone would just let him out, he could accept losing everything.
However, his hatred for Chen Fan only intensified.
If it weren't for Chen Fan, how could he have fallen into such a predicament?
The despairing thought was that he didn't know how long he would be locked up, or how long it would take for the Jiang family to rescue him.
...
Chen Fan returned to Xiangshan Tanfu with Nannan as dusk fell, just in time for dinner.
"Chen Fan, I'm telling you, you guy, you took Nannan out to play and only bought a few old clothes? Are you that stingy?"
Wang Tingting took Nannan's things and looked at them, exclaiming angrily, "Is Chen Fan that poor?"
Chen Fan said lightly, "These were Nannan's old things!"
Wang Tingting paused and said, "You took Nannan back? Where did she live before, an orphanage?"
"Sister, your limited intelligence and imagination cannot comprehend Big Brother's arrangements. You should go serve Big Brother and Nannan some food!"
Wang Dongdong, with a fawning smile, pushed Wang Tingting aside and said with a flattering tone, "Big Brother!"
"Are you trying to die, Wang Dongdong? I'm your real sister. Have you been bewitched by Chen Fan's charm? You haven't been seen for days, and this is how you are when we meet?"
"Alright, you take Nannan to wash up and eat!"
Wang Dongdong ignored his sister and said, "Big Brother, someone is investigating Jiang Shaolong's whereabouts and traced it to the Holy Dragon Bar."
"I know."
Chen Fan nodded.
Wang Dongdong, who had been hoping for praise and favor, was stunned by such a simple reply. He thought, 'Is that it?'
"Big Brother, should I have the Holy Dragon Bar owner erase the surveillance from that night or something?"
Wang Dongdong, unwilling to give up, continued to try and impress.
"No need."
Chen Fan casually said, "Did you lose all the money I gave you again?"
Chen Fan had given Wang Dongdong some money that night for his contributions, hence the question.
"No, no!"
Wang Dongdong quickly replied, "I paid off my gambling debts, and I won't gamble again. I absolutely won't touch it."
Chen Fan was indifferent and went to wash his hands before sitting at the dining table.
Wang Dongdong couldn't help but feel depressed.
After learning about some of Chen Fan's identity and witnessing his power, he genuinely had little interest in gambling.
He felt that a man should be as formidable as Big Brother. Unfortunately, although he wanted to earn more merit, he had no opportunities.
Never mind, as long as he clung tightly to Big Brother's leg, there would be opportunities.
With this thought, he trotted off to serve food.
At the same time.
In a desolate garden villa, Su Yingxia stood by the window, looking at the lights of Villa No. 1. Her expression turned melancholic again.
She couldn't help but wonder what Chen Fan was doing at this moment. Would he treat Su Yingxue, that illegitimate daughter of the Su family, the same way he used to treat her?
The night passed without incident.
The next day, to compensate Nannan, Chen Fan took her to the amusement park.
At the meeting hall of Huancai Apparel.
Designs of various works were displayed on the large screen.
Lin Dongwen, seated at the head of the table, nodded repeatedly, even showing signs of being impressed.
He subtly glanced at Su Yingxue, who was presenting her work at the front, and immediately withdrew his gaze, daring not to look any longer.
This woman was too beautiful. After a few days, her youthful innocence gradually faded, replaced by the confidence of a white-collar designer, which caused him immense torment.
But even if he were given a hundred more chances, he wouldn't dare to harbor any ulterior motives.
In fact, a powerful figure from Shengshi sat beside him, having taken forty percent of his company's shares.
If he dared to make any moves, he would immediately be cast down to the dust and become utterly miserable.
"Excellent!"
Lin Dongwen, keeping his gaze focused, exclaimed, "I am very satisfied with Designer Su's work. I like it very much, especially the model for the fitted wedding dress, it's simply stunning!"
In the conference room, everyone applauded.
Of course, some were envious, but with the client present, they naturally didn't show it.
Su Yingxue indeed possessed talent in this area. Her work received considerable affirmation as soon as it was presented.
"Thank you everyone, this is the result of our collective effort!"
A significant portion of the designs Su Yingxue presented were derived from previous achievements of the planning department, so she didn't take all the credit.
Of course, being a kind person, she had already clearly stated that she would not monopolize the commission from this order, but would only take a portion, with the remainder going to the entire planning department.
"Then, Mr. Lin, do you have any objections and do you approve of our work?" Director Yu asked.
"No problem, let's proceed with production. I can't wait to see the finished product!"
Lin Dongwen stood up and said, "For all subsequent collaborations, I will entrust them to Designer Su. Director Yu, congratulations on acquiring a talented designer!"
Director Yu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you for your favor, Mr. Lin!"
Lin Dongwen couldn't resist another glance at Su Yingxue, smiled, and waved before leaving.
After seeing off Lin Dongwen and his entourage, Cao Yun did not return to her workstation but went to the stairwell outside the company.
A middle-aged man soon arrived, lit a cigarette, and asked with a smile, "Team Leader Cao doesn't seem very happy?"
"Team Leader Luo, are you happy?"
Cao Yun sneered and said, "Su Yingxue, a newcomer, has completed a super large order just a few days after joining the company. She's really capable."
"As Su Yingxue's superior, your position as team leader may not last long, and you'll be replaced!"
"Don't talk about each other, it's uncertain who's team leader will be removed and replaced by Su Yingxue."
The smile on Team Leader Luo's face faded slightly, and he said, "She has background and talent, who can suppress her?"
A cold glint appeared in Cao Yun's eyes, and she said, "What if, I mean what if, Su Yingxue's work is actually plagiarized?"
"Hmm?"
Team Leader Luo narrowed his eyes.
"In my computer, I have the design for that model dress."
Cao Yun said, "As for Su Yingxue's background, it's actually not that remarkable. I went to Xinyue and found out that Su Yingxue's boyfriend went to see Mr. Lin, and for the next two days, Mr. Lin had a bruised face and wore sunglasses!"
"What do you mean?" Shock flickered in Team Leader Luo's eyes, and he asked sternly.