A live stream that dramatically transformed a depressed schoolgirl shocked netizens across the count

When the off-road vehicle rolled into the Bai family's courtyard, the aroma of mushrooms wafting from the kitchen had already overpowered the smell of earthy soil after the rain.

Su Niannian rushed out the door with a spatula in her hand, her shoes almost hitting the front of a car as she stepped on the bluestone slabs.

"Where is he? Where is Mr. Cheng? Did he agree or not?"

Bai Weiwei followed behind, her apron covered in flour, and she held a handful of freshly chopped scallions in her hand.

The car door opened.

Gu Qingshang sat in the passenger seat and paused for two seconds before getting out of the car.

She held onto the car door, looked up and saw the lights on in the yard, and her shoulders and back finally relaxed from the tension of the journey.

Chen Lang went around to the trunk and took out the evidence collection equipment and first aid kit.

The hem of his black windbreaker was stained with mud from the mountain road, and the titanium steel earring in his left ear gleamed coldly under the light.

He stepped on the car door and closed it, still looking nonchalant.

"The person has been found, and the doctor has been called in."

There was a brief silence at the entrance of the courtyard.

Gu Qingshang hugged the file folder tightly and looked at the group of people who had gathered around him.

"Mr. Cheng agreed to come out of the mountains in seven days."

Her voice trailed off slightly. "He will participate in his grandfather's treatment and is willing to come forward to clarify what happened ten years ago when the time is right."

Su Niannian raised the spatula in her hand to mid-air.

"real?"

Gu Qingshang nodded.

The next second, Su Niannian shouted out.

"It's done!"

Two sparrows under the eaves were startled and fluttered away.

Bai Weiwei jumped up and down, her braids swinging over her shoulder.

Ye Xingyu ran out of the living room, grabbed Gu Qingshang's arm, and said "That's great!" several times.

Surrounded by people, Gu Qingshang's long-standing gloom finally eased a little.

She raised her hand to wipe her eyes and spoke towards the courtyard.

"Starting today, all expenses for the courtyard, including food, repairs, transportation, and all necessary expenses, will be put on my tab."

Su Niannian immediately picked up the spatula.

"Boss Gu, the CFO has requested an increase in the procurement budget!"

"approve."

"Buy two boxes of matsutake mushrooms."

"purchase."

"Get a bigger freezer."

"Change."

Su Niannian turned around and rushed to the kitchen.

"Wei, did you hear me? No skimping tonight!"

Bai Weiwei smiled and pushed her inside.

"There's chicken stewing in the pot, bamboo rice is ready, and milk fan (a type of cheese) is being roasted. I prepared Chen Lang's extra meal this afternoon."

Chen Lang placed the equipment against the wall, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Specially hired long-term workers even have exclusive benefits?"

Bai Weiwei brought out the charcoal-grilled pork belly, the fat dripping into the iron plate with a sizzling sound.

"You brought Sister Gu up the mountain today and kept all the trouble out, of course there is."

Chen Lang pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Then I'll have to work for two more years."

Su Niannian came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of spicy and sour fish and gave him a sideways glance.

"You should wash the dishes properly first, don't rush to talk about renewing your contract."

Two long tables were set up in the courtyard.

Steam rose from the bamboo tube rice, mushroom and chicken soup simmered in the pot, and the edges of the roasted milk fan curled up and turned golden brown.

The wind after the rain passed through the bougainvillea, carrying a hint of damp grass and wood scent.

Everyone sat down around the table.

Gu Qingshang picked up the wine pot and filled everyone's cups.

She stood up.

I'd like to propose a toast to everyone.

Su Niannian was holding a chicken leg in her hand when she looked up and said, "Boss Gu, let's talk while seated. When you stand up, I feel pressured as if we're having a shareholders' meeting."

Gu Qingshang did not sit down.

She held her wine glass and bent down towards the people at the table.

"When the He family came to cause trouble, you could have easily avoided them."

"But you stood in front of the door, protecting my choice."

She lifted her face, and the wine in her glass swirled slightly.

"Later, when we went to Songhe Village to check the account books and find Mr. Cheng, you never asked whether it was worth it."

"Without you, I wouldn't even have the right to see my grandfather."

The only sound in the courtyard was the boiling of the pot.

Ye Xingyu put down her chopsticks and picked up her wine glass first.

"Then don't shoulder everything alone from now on."

Bai Weiwei raised her glass as well, "Leave the gate to the Bai family courtyard open for our own people."

Su Niannian clicked her tongue and touched her cup to Gu Qingshang's.

"Drink it all. Starting tomorrow, if anyone dares to cause you trouble, I'll teach them a lesson with a spatula."

Gu Qingshang tilted his head back and drank it all.

Shen Qingci sat down beside her, and after a moment of silence, reached out and took Gu Qingshang's hand.

Gu Qingshang turned his head to look at her.

Shen Qingci pressed her palm against the wall. "You don't owe us anything. We're on the same side."

Gu Qingshang gently squeezed back his hand.

Chen Lang leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the two's clasped hands. He picked up his chopsticks and took the chicken wing that Su Niannian had been eyeing for a long time.

"Did you hear that, Su Dapao? From now on, you have to follow the team's rules when doing things."

Su Niannian slammed her hand on the table. "Who gave you permission to steal vegetables?"

"Boss Gu is treating."

"That's what I ordered!"

Just as laughter broke out on the table, Gu Qingshang's phone suddenly vibrated.

The caller ID reads: Xu Heng.

She connected to speakerphone.

Xu Heng's voice was much more hurried than usual.

"Ms. Gu, Gao Chengyuan was stopped by the Economic Crime Investigation Department at the airport."

Gu Qingshang stopped holding the cup.

"Is he going to leave the country?"

"The private jet had already requested takeoff. His men had just stepped onto the gangway when the investigators arrived."

The sound of pages turning came through the receiver.

"A large amount of undeclared cash, overseas bank cards, and an encrypted hard drive were found in his checked baggage. The hard drive contained backup records of his transfer of project funds, contact with overseas accounts, and instructing people to seize ledgers over the past ten years."

Xu Heng paused for a moment, then said, "He tried to run away with the evidence, but ended up in the interrogation room with the evidence."

Before Su Niannian could even swallow the meat in her mouth, she slammed her hand on the table.

"Why are you running? Now look what's happened, the airport VIP lounge has been turned into an interrogation room."

Bai Weiwei quickly handed her water.

Eat slowly.

Xu Heng's tone became even more somber.

"All personnel involved in the case within the Gu family have been isolated and investigated, and materials related to the health and wellness project from ten years ago have also been sealed by regulatory authorities."

"The flow of funds, email records, voice commands, and evidence destruction operations all corroborate each other. The investigation team opened a case overnight, and Gao Chengyuan can't even find a reason to change his story now."

His voice was filled with barely suppressed emotion.

"Miss Gu, just who is this technician you hired?"

All eyes at the table turned to Chen Lang.

Chen Lang was peeling shrimp with his head down.

The shrimp shell cracked in his hand, and the whole shrimp meat fell into Shen Qingci's bowl.

He wiped his hands with a tissue without even lifting his eyelids.

"The net of justice is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it."

Su Niannian bit her chopsticks.

"You're making it sound like you weren't involved at all."

"I fix computers."

"Are you fixing a computer, or the internet cable at Gao Chengyuan's ancestral grave?"

Chen Lang picked up his cup and took a sip.

"Su Dapao, stop talking such unlucky things while you're eating."

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

Xu Heng coughed lightly.

"Miss Gu, I understand."

A smile appeared in Gu Qingshang's eyes.

"Attorney Xu, proceed according to procedure. Mr. Cheng's treatment arrangements and the release of his old case must be done separately."

"receive."

The call has ended.

Shen Qingci stared at the peeled shrimp in the bowl, her ears gradually growing warm.

She picked up her chopsticks and spoke softly.

"Thanks."

Chen Lang turned his head to the side, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Shen, saying thank you isn't enough."

Shen Qingci looked up at him.

"So what do you want?"

"From now on, when I'm hungry, you'll cook for me."

Shen Qingci was taken aback.

Chen Lang added slowly.

"It doesn't need to be complicated, as long as it's edible."

Shen Qingci pursed her lips, and the tension in her eyes slowly dissipated.

"it is good."

A moment of silence fell over the table.

Su Niannian looked at the two of them, and the chicken wing in her mouth fell back onto the plate.

Ye Xingyu covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Bai Weiwei lowered her head to ladle soup, her eyes curving into crescents.

"I'll go get the roasted tea."

After the meal, everyone moved to the charcoal stove.

Bai Weiwei placed the tea canister into the ceramic teapot. The tea leaves swirled in the steam, their aroma of roasted leaves mingling with the scent of milk, drifting from the spout all the way to the bougainvillea.

Ye Xingyu was nestled in the wicker chair, scrolling through her phone. The screen lit up three times in a row.

Missed call.

Wang Rui.

Unknown number.

It was Wang Rui again.

Her hand paused on the screen for a moment, then she turned off the caller ID.

A new video then popped up on the local trending list.

"etc."

Ye Xingyu sat up straight and turned to call for help.

"Qingci, you're trending."