Compared to Qin Ran and Yu Shuman's situation, the atmosphere in the Ling family was incredibly tense, almost suffocating, as no one dared to speak first. The Ling Group had already been handed over to the eldest brother of the Ling family, who sat on the sofa in the living room, exuding a low-pressure aura.
The Third Young Master of the Ling family, who was currently the topic of heated discussion online, was also sitting on a single sofa, head down, lost in thought. Ling Miaohan was seated on another single sofa, her eyes red as if she had just been crying, while Pei Qi sat beside her, whispering comforting words.
The silence had stretched on for so long that Ling Miaohan had no choice but to break it. Her voice was sorrowful, lacking its usual coldness, and there was a clear note of pleading: "Big Brother, what should we do? We can't just let Third Brother be thrown in jail!"
She didn't mention her own situation, as the most urgent matter was her brother's predicament.
Upon hearing Ling Miaohan's plea, her eldest brother glanced at their reckless younger brother and snorted, "What should we do? What can we do? He got himself into this mess, so he has to deal with it. I warned him countless times that meddling with these things would lead to trouble, especially since it's illegal. But he insisted he wouldn't get caught, and no one could convince him otherwise."
"And now look where we are. The evidence is in their hands, and they're coming for him. Let's see how he gets out of this!" The eldest brother of the Ling family spoke with the authority of a family patriarch. When he got worked up, he slammed his hand down on the armrest of the sofa. Ling Miaohan's third brother, who had been sitting silently, immediately stood up in defiance of his brother's authoritative stance.
"Big Brother, you're right! I'll take full responsibility for what I've done! But don't forget that I've contributed to the Ling Group's current success too. Are you planning to kick me when I'm down?!"
Seeing her brothers argue, Ling Miaohan grew more anxious and began to cry again. In front of outsiders, she was always proud and aloof, but with her family, she reverted to being the cherished child. Seeing the two brothers who had always doted on her now at odds with each other brought her to tears.
Even when crying, Ling Miaohan was beautiful, with her tears falling like pearls, making both her eldest and third brothers, as well as Pei Qi, hasten to comfort her.
"Miaomiao, don't cry. Don't worry, Big Brother and Third Brother will find a way to fix this," Pei Qi reassured her.
Her brothers also sighed. Despite their differences, they didn't want to upset their beloved sister. "Miaomiao, he's right. Don't cry, it'll be okay. It's just a small issue."
"Then... then you can't argue anymore," Ling Miaohan said timidly.
Her eldest and third brothers exchanged a glance, snorted in acknowledgment, and reluctantly agreed. The third brother then reassured her, "Miaomiao, don't worry. What I did wasn't that serious—at most, it's an economic crime. As long as we pay enough in compensation, I probably won't even serve time, and if I do, it'll just be a slap on the wrist."
Ling Miaohan was still worried. "But won't you end up with a criminal record?"
"Don't worry, I already got a disciplinary record in high school for fighting. It's not a big deal," her third brother responded.
His high school fight had been over his beloved sister, defending her against bullies.
Her eldest brother snorted again, "Your third brother's right. It's a minor issue. At most, we'll have to pay more in compensation. No one in this world turns down money." Despite her brothers' reassurances, Ling Miaohan couldn't shake the unease in her heart. Ever since she had encountered Yu Shuman, things had seemed to go wrong.
And that Qin Ran—she didn't seem like someone who could be easily bought off.
Ling Miaohan bit her lower lip, thinking she would have to help her third brother, or he might be in real danger. As she was lost in thought, Pei Qi noticed her biting her lip and gently scolded, "Miaomiao, don't bite your lip. If you break the skin, I'll feel awful."
Pei Qi was trying hard to prove himself in front of her brothers, emphasizing his affection for Ling Miaohan. Hearing his concern, she blushed, "Brother Qi, my brothers are right here. How can you say such things?"
Her flushed face made her brothers grit their teeth in frustration. They immediately turned on Pei Qi, "We're still alive, you know! How dare you speak so sweetly in the Ling family? You must have a death wish! Stay away from Miaomiao!"
As her brothers playfully bickered with Pei Qi, the atmosphere relaxed, and Ling Miaohan felt a sense of peace, hoping these moments would last forever.
While they were joking, the police arrived. The family butler led two officers into the living room, nervously announcing, "Master, they said they're here to talk to the Third Young Master."
All eyes turned to the officers, and the lead officer spoke up, "We received a report from 99 Entertainment, alleging that someone used illegal means to engage in unfair competition and disrupted their normal operations. We need to bring," he looked at the third brother and called him by name, "you to the station for questioning."
The third brother's face turned red and then pale before he finally nodded, "Alright, let's go."
Before they left, the eldest brother spoke up, "Wait." When everyone turned to him, he rose from the sofa and slowly approached his younger brother. He patted his shoulder, brushing off imaginary dust, "Don't worry. The Ling family won't let anything happen to you. I'll make sure of it."
The third brother was silent for a moment, understanding the hidden message: "You know what to say and what not to say. Don't drag the Ling family into this." He nodded, "Okay."
Seeing that there was nothing more to discuss, the police took the third brother away.
After they left, the eldest brother lost interest in talking to the others and waved them off, heading to his study to contact people and arrange a meeting with 99 Entertainment, hoping to put a lid on this situation.
As she watched her brother walk upstairs, Ling Miaohan frowned slightly, "Brother Qi, do you remember the person I saved when I was studying medicine?" As soon as Ling Miaohan mentioned this, Pei Qi immediately thought of a significant figure and nodded, "I remember."
Ling Miaohan pressed her lips together, "He said he owes me a favor and will help me whenever I need it. I think it's time to ask for that favor."
Pei Qi frowned slightly, "Miaomiao, I think Big Brother can handle this. It's just a minor issue; there's no need to bother him…"
"No, I don't think Qin Ran is a simple person. She's been targeting me all along. This won't be easy to resolve!" Ling Miaohan's voice was agitated, and Pei Qi quickly pulled her into his arms, "Miaomiao, calm down. Let's see what Big Brother does first. If it doesn't work out, I'll go with you to see him."
Only then did Ling Miaohan calm down, "You're right. Let's do that."
As it turned out, Ling Miaohan's instincts were correct—Qin Ran had no intention of letting this matter go easily. If all it took was a phone call from the eldest brother to sit down and discuss terms, she wouldn't have hired the Red Hackers Alliance to find the third brother's weak spots.
When Qin Ran heard that the third brother had been taken in for questioning, she was quite pleased. Later, representatives from 99 Entertainment also went to the police station, where Special Assistant Wu made a statement. Perhaps realizing that 99 Entertainment wasn't interested in settling, the eldest brother started to panic and requested a meeting with the company's boss.
Knowing this wouldn't be an easy resolution, Qin Ran didn't decline the request and arranged for the meeting to take place in 99 Entertainment's reception room.
It wasn't just the two of them at the meeting—both assistants and secretaries were present, as well as legal advisors, with meeting minutes meticulously prepared. There was no way she would leave any room for the other side to use against her. Seeing how prepared she was, the eldest brother knew Qin Ran wasn't someone to be trifled with.
But no matter how much he investigated, all he could find was that Qin Ran was an orphan who came into a large inheritance in high school, which she used to start the entertainment company. Like Pei Qi, the eldest brother didn't believe the information in the report. Qin Ran's meticulous and cautious behavior resembled that of the old foxes he encountered in the business world—there was no way she was just an orphan.
A flower that blooms so brilliantly can only be nurtured by a prestigious family.
The eldest brother's eyes darkened as he got straight to the point, "My younger brother was indeed reckless recently. He did it for the sake of our little sister, which led to this situation, causing significant financial damage to your company. I'm here to apologize on his behalf and offer compensation. I'm here with sincerity and hope that CEO Qin can show some leniency and let my brother off the hook."
The eldest brother was straightforward, and his approach was admirable. He didn't make excuses for the third brother but instead clearly stated the reason for his actions, offered a sincere apology, and was willing to pay for the damage caused by the third brother. Compared to his earnestness, Qin Ran, who was casually blowing on her tea leaves, seemed like the villain.
The villain immediately spoke, "Compensation? How much are you willing to pay?"
She sounded like a money-grubbing merchant, though her clear eyes betrayed her cunning. Despite the offensive tone, the eldest brother remained calm and sincerely laid out the compensation terms he had prepared.
First, there was the cash compensation—he was willing to pay three billion yuan. Next, he offered to hand over some lucrative projects, willing to let 99 Entertainment take over.
Even though it was framed as compensation, there was an implicit threat.
As she watched the eldest brother, Qin Ran took a sip of tea. Three billion yuan—a lot, indeed, just enough to cover 99 Entertainment's previous losses. He was subtly hinting that he knew 99 Entertainment's situation, suggesting that with the company hemorrhaging money, they'd be wise to take the compensation and move on.
The other projects seemed very profitable, but they didn't align with 99 Entertainment's core business. Only a few endorsement deals would actually benefit 99 Entertainment. If she accepted those projects, it would likely stretch 99 Entertainment too thin.
The eldest brother was offering honeyed cakes alongside a hammer, trying to lure 99 Entertainment into a sweet trap.