Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

The moment the door opened, Cui Ying and her family of three were already seated.

Cui Ying sat against the wall, her face expressionless, clearly still suppressing her emotions, her brows and eyes revealing impatience.

Mr. and Mrs. Cui were dressed appropriately and sat upright, looking as if they were attending the banquet with great seriousness.

Upon seeing Chen Ping enter, the three of them looked up simultaneously.

Mr. Cui was the first to smile, his tone familiar and casual, as if he were treating an acquaintance: "Little Chen is here, please sit down, you must be tired from your journey."

Cui's mother nodded in agreement, her tone gentle: "I heard from Yingying that you were busy at the health center and then rushed to Tianhai overnight to handle some business. You've really worked hard."

The couple already knew Chen Ping well and were grateful to him for saving Cui's father's life twice. They always got along very well and there was no awkwardness or formality between them.

The group had just exchanged a few pleasantries and the tea had just been poured when the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open gently from the outside.

A tall, imposing figure walked in, dressed in a suit and tie, his hair meticulously styled—it was Ding Peng.

He carried two exquisite high-end gift boxes in his hands, with a gentle and refined smile on his face, looking elegant, polite, and debonair.

Upon seeing Ding Peng, the previously peaceful atmosphere in the private room instantly froze.

Cui Ying's face suddenly turned cold. She abruptly stood up, her voice filled with barely suppressed anger: "Ding Peng, who let you in? This is a private family dinner. You're not welcome. Leave immediately!"

Despite Cui Ying's attempts to drive him away, Ding Peng's smile remained unchanged, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.

Before he could speak, Cui's mother immediately stood up, pulled Cui Ying aside, and quickly tried to smooth things over, her tone ingratiating: "Yingying, don't be silly! Your father and I specially invited Ding Peng over!"

Mr. Cui also stood up, gave Ding Peng a warm smile, and waved, "Little Ding is here, come sit down, don't stand."

The couple, one in front and one behind, were extremely enthusiastic, a stark contrast to their casual and easygoing attitude towards Chen Ping.

Ding Peng walked in with a smile, placed the gifts he was carrying on the table, and fixed his gaze on Chen Ping.

The moment their eyes met, a strong sense of tension filled the air.

Chen Ping's eyes remained calm and unwavering as he calmly sat down, remaining composed.

Ding Peng's eyes held a hint of provocation and contempt, which he concealed so well that outsiders couldn't see it at all.

The next second, Ding Peng concealed all his sharpness, put on a perfectly humble smile, and took the initiative to greet her, his tone gentle and refined: "Dr. Chen, it's been a long time. I didn't expect to run into you here."

He was very humble, courteous, and refined, behaving like a true gentleman.

But only Cui Ying knew how this seemingly gentle and polite man had distorted the truth, maliciously spread rumors, and defamed her reputation at the health center just two days ago.

Looking at his deliberately feigned hypocrisy, Cui Ying felt a wave of nausea, and her disgust grew stronger.

Everyone took their seats, and the dinner officially began.

Throughout the entire process, Ding Peng was extremely adept at striking the right balance. He spoke politely, but every word he uttered was a subtle way of criticizing Chen Ping and elevating himself.

"Dr. Chen has always worked in township health centers. It is indeed hard work at the grassroots level, with a lot of patients to see every day. He is truly admirable."

It appears to be praise, but it is actually a veiled criticism of Chen Ping's ordinary background and low-level position.

As he spoke, he would occasionally throw in a few fluent foreign words, or casually mention his experiences studying abroad and the network of people he had made.

Every gesture he made was a deliberate display of his overseas education and privileged family background, exuding a sense of superiority.

Mr. and Mrs. Cui listened with smiles on their faces, nodding in agreement frequently, greeting Ding Peng warmly throughout, and praising him endlessly.

In contrast, Chen Ping and his wife, who were sitting to the side, were noticeably colder.

Aside from the occasional polite question, he was almost completely ignored throughout the entire meeting, with all the topics and attention revolving around Ding Peng.

Cui Ying grew angrier the more she looked, and felt a tightness in her chest.

She couldn't stand her parents' materialistic and pragmatic nature, and she disliked Ding Peng's hypocritical and pretentious attitude even more. She immediately put down her chopsticks, turned to Chen Ping, and said in a low voice, "Chen Ping, let's go! There's no need to stay here and play along with their act!"

Chen Ping raised his hand and gently pressed down on the back of her hand, his eyes calm, and shook his head slightly.

He spoke calmly and reassured her in a low voice, "Don't rush off. Some things are better discussed face-to-face."

He knew perfectly well that this meal was a setup orchestrated by Cui's parents.

The core issue, in the end, is that he and Cui Ying don't seem to be a good match.

There was also the two million yuan that Cui Ying's father contributed.

Until this debt is fully settled, it will forever remain a shackle binding Cui Ying, a bargaining chip for the other party to manipulate and coerce her.

At the time, Ding Peng had not returned to China, and Cui Ying's parents were quite satisfied with Chen Ping, so they were happy to take out the two million.

But now, the situation has completely changed. Ding Peng has returned to China, and Cui Ying's parents prefer him even more.

Therefore, these two million became the greatest debt Chen Ping owed to the Cui family.

To repay this favor, Chen Ping either has to pay two million yuan or agree to never have anything to do with Cui Ying again.

There are only these two conditions; there are no other options.

Moreover, the two million yuan also became a bargaining chip for Cui Ying's parents to threaten her, since Cui Ying knew that Chen Ping had no way of coming up with two million yuan to repay the money.

But Chen Ping didn't want Cui Ying to be caught in a dilemma or passively controlled because of this money. Today was the perfect opportunity to get things straight and sever all ties.

Seeing his firm attitude, Cui Ying could only suppress her anger and sit back down, feeling utterly frustrated.

Just then, the topic of conversation suddenly changed.

Mr. Cui picked up his teacup, sighed, and said to Ding Peng with a troubled expression, "Little Ding, to be honest, I've been troubled by something lately, and I'm really at my wit's end."

"My factory in the development zone has been under constant inspection by various departments lately, for some reason. There's a small inspection every three days and a big inspection every five days."

"They nitpicked and found fault with all sorts of compliance rules, making things difficult for equipment, fire safety, and hygiene, which made it impossible for the factory to operate normally. We have a huge backlog of orders and are suffering heavy losses."

His words were sincere, and his intentions were crystal clear.

He knew that the Ding family had deep connections and powerful backing in Tianhai, possessing resources and relationships that ordinary people didn't have, which is why he deliberately took the initiative to show weakness and ask for help.

Upon hearing this, Ding Peng's lips curled into a subtle, smug smile, but his face remained calm and composed as he casually replied, "Uncle, this is simple."

"The director of the development zone management committee and my father have been acquainted for many years and have a very good personal relationship."

"This is a small matter. I can resolve it with just one phone call. I guarantee that no one will come to the factory to cause trouble or conduct inspections again, and normal production will resume."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Cui was overjoyed, his face filled with elation and gratitude. He repeatedly thanked him, saying, "That's wonderful! Xiao Ding, then I'm entrusting this matter entirely to you! You've truly done me a tremendous favor!"

Seeing her father's obsequious and sycophantic expression, Cui Ying felt a chill run through her and was completely speechless.