161: Chapter 162 The Dragon King's Son-in-Law? I know this show well!

In a corner of the banquet hall on the third floor of Fumanlou, Zhang Fan clutched a cold glass, his mind filled with the background information on Xiao Chen that the system had just popped up. The more he read, the more absurd it seemed, and he almost couldn't help laughing out loud.

[Target Character Xiao Chen Background Supplement: Three years ago, his grandfather, Xiao Zhenshan, was hospitalized due to an acute myocardial infarction, with Qin Yan as his attending physician. Qin Yan provided extra care daily (delivering nutritious meals, assisting with rehabilitation training). Grateful for her kindness, Xiao Zhenshan threatened him, saying, 'If you don't marry Qin Yan, I will cut off all relations,' forcing Xiao Chen to agree to become a live-in son-in-law. He is extremely arrogant internally, believing that the Dragon King Hall Master stooping to be a live-in son-in-law for the Qin Family is a 'humiliating disgrace.' For the past three years, he has deliberately acted lazy (not working, addicted to video games), which is actually a 'silent revenge' against the Qin Family; privately, he thinks Qin Yan is 'mediocre and ordinary, unworthy of him,' and plans to 'slap the Qin Family in the face with absolute power after the three-year term expires, then divorce her stylishly.']

'No, System, tell me the truth. Have you been secretly reading web novels about live-in sons-in-law on Qidian or Tomato?' Zhang Fan complained wildly in his mind. 'Dragon King Hall Master, marrying to repay a debt, a three-year agreement, pretending to be useless, divorcing and slapping faces... This plot could practically be published as a book! So the hired thug Tianming Group found is actually someone living inside a web novel? With this mindset, he still wants to execute the 'Elimination Plan'? Don't end up getting embarrassed to death by your own cheesy script before you even eliminate anyone.'

Beside him, Gu Jingshen was still feeling indignant for Qin Yan, muttering in a low voice: 'You tell me, Qin Yan is such a good girl, beautiful and a doctor, how could she be so blind to marry such a thing? Just now, I saw her coughing until she could barely breathe, and Xiao Chen didn't even hand her a bottle of water! A man like this deserves to be struck by lightning so he knows what responsibility is!'

Zhang Fan patted his shoulder, holding back his laughter, his tone carrying a hint of mystery: 'Don't rush, the lightning might come right away. Do you believe me that tonight, at this birthday banquet, there will be a show even more spectacular than being struck by lightning?'

Gu Jingshen was stunned for a moment, and just as he wanted to ask more, he saw a small commotion at the entrance of the banquet hall.

Mother Qin, Shen Lan, carrying an empty teacup, walked out of the private room in a hurry. At a glance, she saw Qin Yan standing in the corner of the corridor with red-rimmed eyes, and Xiao Chen leaning against a pillar, still looking down at his phone.

'Yanyan, what's wrong? Did you quarrel with Xiao Chen again?' Shen Lan walked over quickly, took her daughter's hand, and when her fingertips touched the back of her cold hand, she couldn't help but sigh. 'Mom knows you've been wronged. Over these past three years, you've had to work and take care of the family, while Xiao Chen... Sigh, it was Mom who didn't vet him properly back then, letting you suffer.'

Qin Yan shook her head, her voice choked with sobs: 'Mom, it's not your fault. It was my own choice. Today is your birthday banquet, let's not talk about this anymore. The guests are still waiting.'

'How can we not talk about it?' Shen Lan's voice raised a little, and she looked at Xiao Chen with complex eyes. 'Xiao Chen, our Qin Family has never done anything to wrong you, and Yanyan has been genuinely good to you. For these three years, even if you didn't want to work, our family never asked anything of you! At least today, can you put down your phone, have a meal with Mom, and greet the guests? Just consider it Mom begging you.'

Xiao Chen finally looked up. There was no trace of guilt in his eyes; instead, there was a hint of impatience: 'I told you not to bother me. What's the point of accompanying you at this birthday banquet? A bunch of poor relatives and ordinary colleagues—eating with them feels beneath me.'

These words were like a thorn, piercing Shen Lan until her face turned pale instantly. Several guests passing by heard this and stopped, their eyes filled with surprise and sympathy.

No one expected that this unremarkable-looking young man would speak so meanly.

'How can you talk like that?' Gu Jingshen could no longer hold back. Just as he was about to stand up to argue, Zhang Fan grabbed him.

'Don't be impulsive.' Zhang Fan leaned into his ear and lowered his voice, 'If you argue with him now, it will at most just make him even more arrogant. Wait, there will be a time tonight when he cries.'

Gu Jingshen frowned. Although he didn't understand why Zhang Fan said that, seeing his confident appearance, he suppressed his anger, though his eyes were still glaring indignantly at Xiao Chen.

Just at this moment, the system's buzzing sounded in Zhang Fan's mind again, and an information pop-up window with a 'Critical Warning' label appeared:

[Critical Information: Xiao Chen has notified the Four Great Generals (Codename: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise) via an encrypted satellite phone, planning to act tonight at 19:30 (the climax of the birthday banquet): 1. The Four Great Generals will wear black suits, sunglasses, and carry Dragon King Hall badges, entering in formation from the hotel's main entrance to create an 'aura suppression' effect; 2. Xiao Chen will tear off his 'live-in son-in-law' disguise in public and display his proof of identity as the Dragon King Hall Master (a black dragon-shaped badge); 3. He will announce his divorce from Qin Yan, and simultaneously have an assistant deliver 'compensation' (a 10 million cash check), mocking that 'the Qin Family won't be able to earn this much money in a lifetime'; 4. He will show off the resources provided by Tianming Group (private jets, overseas villas, proof of assets worth hundreds of billions), thoroughly slapping the Qin Family and the guests present in the face.]

'Good grief, he's even arranged the entrance time, process, and lines so clearly. He's learned the 'live-in son-in-law acting cool' script by heart!' Zhang Fan almost couldn't help laughing out loud after reading the intelligence.

This operation of Xiao Chen's was exactly the same as the male lead in a certain live-in son-in-law novel he had read before; he hadn't even changed the '10 million compensation' figure.

He took out his phone and checked the time: 18:45. There were 45 minutes left until Xiao Chen's planned 'time to act cool.'

Zhang Fan's fingertips flew, quickly sending an urgent message to Qin Xue: 'Officer Qin, core members of the overseas terrorist organization Dragon King Hall have infiltrated our country. Report it immediately! They will gather at Fumanlou Hotel tonight, with five or more people. Characteristics: black suits, sunglasses, wearing dragon-shaped badges, and possibly carrying controlled weapons.'

As soon as the message was sent, Qin Xue's call came through immediately, her tone full of vigilance: 'Is the situation true? Zhang Fan, don't you go learning from Gu Jingshen's style, always talking nonsense.'

Zhang Fan immediately responded in a low, firm voice: 'Absolutely true. How would I dare to joke about this kind of thing?'

On the other end of the phone, Qin Xue seemed to be stunned for a moment, then her tone instantly sank: 'Okay, I will report it immediately. Are you with Jingshen now?'

'Don't worry, we're doing just fine.' After answering, Zhang Fan suddenly realized and couldn't help teasing, 'Why does it sound like you're more worried about Old Gu?'

Qin Xue didn't take the bait, only speeding up her speech: 'You two pay attention to safety and take care of yourselves. I'm calling my superior right now. If you really encounter danger, don't try to be a hero, run first.'

When he hung up the phone, Gu Jingshen beside him had already leaned his head over, his tone teasing: 'Which girl were you chatting with for so long again?'

Zhang Fan put away his phone and raised an eyebrow at him: 'Reporting the situation to your 'girl'.'

'My girl?' Gu Jingshen was stunned at first, then exploded, 'Holy crap! Don't touch a friend's wife! You kid, don't mess around!'

'Relax, relax, it was really serious business.' Zhang Fan pushed him while laughing, and the two of them made a scene together.

In the midst of the roughhousing, he suddenly stopped smiling, leaned into Gu Jingshen's ear, and lowered his voice: 'A 'big show' is about to start in a while. You have to keep it together and don't give the game away by laughing.'

'What good show?' Gu Jingshen was still confused, but seeing Zhang Fan's confident look, his doubts deepened. He always felt that Zhang Fan knew things he didn't, and these things were likely much more complex than Xiao Chen's identity as a 'useless live-in son-in-law.'