15: Chapter 15 The Misunderstanding at the School Gate

"Damn it! Brother Ran! You're doing it again! Leaving out half the story!" Wang Xiaopang was so angry he nearly jumped up, pointing at President Chen Ran's nose. "Are you still my brother or not? What kind of good news is it? Did you win the lottery?"

"No, that's not it. You just said the report was a mistake... Did you find an antique? Or did you secretly build a hit app and sell it?"

"Guess, take your time guessing." President Chen Ran smiled even more annoyingly, picked up the last skewer of grilled steamed bun slices, and chewed on it slowly.

"You, you, you... you're infuriating! President Chen Ran! Let me tell you, if you really strike it rich and dare to forget your brother, I... I'll go over to your house to freeload meals every single day!"

Wang Xiaopang threatened viciously, but his eyes were filled with curiosity and the gleam of being happy for a friend.

He knew President Chen Ran wasn't the type to spout nonsense, so if he said that, there must really be good news, and big news at that.

"I won't forget you. When the time comes, I'll treat you to a feast, and you can pick the place." President Chen Ran promised.

"That's more like it!" Wang Xiaopang was slightly satisfied, but his curiosity was gnawing at him like a cat. "But what exactly is it? Can you leak a little bit? Just a tiny bit!"

"Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed." President Chen Ran raised a finger to his lips and winked.

"Argh! I hate people who keep me in suspense!" Wang Xiaopang scratched his hair in frustration, finally sighing in resignation. He raised his beer bottle. "Fine, fine, I'll wait a week for you! Come on, bottoms up! Wishing you... damn it, I don't even know what to wish you, just wishing you success!"

"Bottoms up." President Chen Ran smiled and downed the last of the beer in his bottle.

The cold liquid slid down his throat, carrying the aroma of malt and a hint of bitterness.

President Chen Ran looked at the bustling night market before him, feeling the warmth of having an old friend by his side cracking jokes.

He knew that such pure nights, belonging to the ordinary President Chen Ran, might not last much longer.

A week later, when the name san antonio and the name President Chen Ran exploded across global media headlines, accompanied by the story of a multi-hundred-million-dollar shipwreck treasure, what kind of expression would Wang Xiaopang have?

Thinking about it, President Chen Ran couldn't help but smile again. That would certainly be very interesting.

The night deepened, and the smoky aroma of the barbecue stall still wafted through the air.

The two young men stood up with their arms around each other's shoulders, paid the bill, and swayed into the late autumn night of Hangzhou.

In the evening, the gate of Hangcheng University was shrouded in a golden sunset.

The next day, Friday, he had promised his younger sister he would pick her up, so he specifically had the security detail rent two cars.

Students poured out after class like a tidal wave; the sound of laughter, bicycle bells, and the shouts of roadside vendors mixed together, filled with the clamor of youth.

A low-key but sleek black SUV sat quietly in the temporary parking area, forming a subtle contrast with the slightly dated surroundings.

President Chen Ran sat in the driver's seat, lowered the window, and scanned the surging crowd, looking for his younger sister, Chen Yan.

A security guard sat in both the passenger seat and the back seat, their expressions calm but their eyes observing the surroundings sharply.

Two others stood casually not far away, though in reality, they were monitoring every direction.

President Chen Ran was in a good mood.

The good news from Wang Xiaopang's phone call that afternoon had kept a smile on his face.

"Project having issues? Code won't run? And 'applause should be here'?"

He could almost imagine how flustered and furious the greasy face of Supervisor Chen Ran must look right now.

The little gift he had specifically left behind was starting to ferment; this feeling... was not bad.

As for a potential call from the supervisor? He had long since blocked that number.

Just as he was thinking this, a familiar figure, like a happy little deer, came bounding out from the school gate.

Chen Yan wore a high ponytail, carried a bulging backpack, and her face was beaming with a bright smile. As soon as she exited the gate, she looked around, searching for President Chen Ran.

President Chen Ran honked the horn with a smile to signal her.

Chen Yan looked over instinctively and saw her brother smiling at her from an SUV.

She waved at the SUV from afar: "Brother! Over here, over here!"

Chen Yan quickened her pace, practically running over, and pulled open the car door, preparing to hop in.

Just as her foot was about to step onto the running board, a boy suddenly rushed out from the side, panting and flushed, and grabbed Chen Yan by the wrist!

"Chen Yan! Wait!" The boy's voice was urgent, even carrying a hint of anger, but his gaze was locked on President Chen Ran in the driver's seat. "Who is he? Why are you getting in his car?!"

The boy looked to be in his early twenties, wearing a trendy branded hoodie. His hair was styled, and he wasn't bad-looking, but right now, his face looked tense due to excitement and some sort of suspicion.

He was Li Hao, one of the more persistent among Chen Yan's many suitors. It was said his family had a bit of money, and he had a rather high opinion of himself.

Chen Yan was startled and tried to shake off his hand with force, frowning: "Li Hao? What are you doing? Let go of me!"

"I'm asking you who he is!" Li Hao wouldn't let it go. His finger was almost poking at President Chen Ran inside the car, and his voice rose, causing many students passing by after school to stop and look.

"Isn't that the department beauty of the Chinese Department, Chen Yan?"

"Who is that guy? Her boyfriend?"

"Driving this car... doesn't look like a student."

"Li Hao is pestering Chen Yan again? Seems like there's something going on this time?"

"Look, look, this is getting interesting!"

Whispers and curious gazes quickly converged on them.

Seeing the crowd, Li Hao seemed to gain a sense of confidence, or perhaps, blinded by jealousy and a bruised ego, he glared at President Chen Ran and then looked at Chen Yan: "Chen Yan, I've been pursuing you for so long, and you always say your studies are the priority and you don't want to date."

"Then what about this guy? What is he? You can get in his car, but you can't accept me? Just because he drives a nice car?"

These words were quite nasty, and the implication made Chen Yan's face flush with anger: "Li Hao! What nonsense are you spouting! He is..."

"He is what? Tell me!" Li Hao cut her off, refusing to give Chen Yan a chance to finish, or rather, subconsciously refusing to accept a certain possibility.

Seeing that President Chen Ran still hadn't gotten out of the car and was just watching calmly, his anger flared even more. He actually let go of Chen Yan, stepped right up to the driver's side door, and reached out to grab President Chen Ran's collar!

"Get the fuck out here! Explain yourself!"

President Chen Ran's eyes turned cold.

He had originally been too lazy to bother with such a young boy controlled by hormones and childish jealousy, preferring that his sister handle it herself.

But for the other party to actually make a physical move, that had crossed his line.

He lightly pushed open the car door, and as Li Hao's hand was about to touch him, he dodged to the side.

Li Hao grabbed at thin air, his body lunging forward. Even more annoyed, he turned back and shoved again!

President Chen Ran stepped aside slightly again, letting him shove at nothing.

Failing twice, Li Hao felt he had lost face in front of his classmates, especially seeing the undisguised disgust on Chen Yan's face. Hot blood rushed to his head; with a low growl, he lunged again with his arms wide open, this time clearly intending to grab President Chen Ran and tackle him!

"Enough." President Chen Ran spat out two words.

This time, he didn't dodge.

He shifted his feet, lowered his upper body slightly, and at the moment Li Hao lunged, his left hand precisely caught the outside of the boy's swinging right arm. With a downward pull and twist, he simultaneously inserted his right leg between Li Hao's legs, engaged his waist and abdomen, and executed a clean, efficient, and highly effective shoulder throw!

"Bang!"

Li Hao felt the world spinning. Before he even understood what had happened, his back had already slammed solidly onto the hard concrete ground!

The fall made it feel like his internal organs had shifted; his vision went black, he let out a pained cry, and lay on the ground for a long time without catching his breath.

"Wow!" A chorus of exclamations erupted from the surrounding crowd.

"Damn! A shoulder throw!"

"So cool!"

"The move was so fast! Has he been trained?"

"Li Hao got thrown? Serves him right!"

"This guy is amazing! And so handsome! Is he Chen Yan's boyfriend? No, they look a bit alike..."

President Chen Ran stood by the car, brushed some non-existent dust off his hands, and looked down at the groaning Li Hao on the ground. His expression was calm and ripple-free, as if he had just casually swatted away an annoying fly.

What he had just used was the military grappling technique instilled by the system; it was more than enough to deal with a student like Li Hao who had nothing but impulse.

Meanwhile, the four security guards who had been scattered around, almost the moment President Chen Ran made his move, had already converged quickly and orderly like cheetahs receiving a silent command.

Two naturally blocked the space in front of President Chen Ran and Chen Yan, separating Li Hao on the ground from the surrounding crowd; one quietly cut off the route where Li Hao might get up to counterattack or flee; and another scanned the scene with lightning-fast eyes, assessing whether there were any of Li Hao's accomplices or other potential threats.

Their movements were professional and silent, but the aura they exuded—forged through thousands of trials, restrained yet impossible to ignore—instantly permeated the area, causing the noisy school gate to suddenly quiet down.

Many students were shocked by this sudden, out-of-place bodyguard formation. The looks they gave President Chen Ran shifted from curiosity and amusement to suspicion and appraisal. What was the background of this young man driving an SUV?

Li Hao struggled to sit up. His back ached, and he was both shocked and furious, but more than that, he felt the shame of being instantly taken down in front of everyone.

He looked up, just about to curse, but met the cold, warning gazes of the security guards. In particular, one of them casually tapped the earpiece by his ear, while his other hand remained naturally in his jacket pocket.

A chill ran through Li Hao's heart. The curse on his lips was swallowed back, leaving only heavy breathing and a look of uncertainty.

At this moment, President Chen Ran finally spoke. His voice was not loud, but it clearly carried across the quiet scene:

"I am Chen Yan's older brother, President Chen Ran." He glanced at Chen Yan, who was also shocked by her brother's clean moves and the sudden appearance of the bodyguards, gave her a reassuring smile, and then looked back at Li Hao, his tone carrying undisguised mockery and disappointment.

"This student, before pursuing my sister, didn't you bother to find out if she had a brother? Or is it that your eyesight is poor, and you can't tell that we siblings look quite alike?"

"Boom!" After a brief silence, the surrounding crowd erupted into even greater noise and laughter.