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

Ding Peng smiled faintly, enjoying the feeling of being admired and relied upon. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Chen Ping, and the mockery in his eyes deepened.

A meal can leave one with mixed feelings.

Not long after, under the pretext of getting up to pour water, Cui's father said softly to Chen Ping, "Xiao Chen, come out for a moment, I want to say a few words to you."

Chen Ping remained calm and without hesitation stood up and followed Cui's father out of the private room to a quiet, deserted corner of the corridor.

The corridor lights were soft, yet they illuminated a somber expression on Mr. Cui's face.

He stopped and turned around. The enthusiastic smile he had shown when facing Ding Peng was gone, replaced by a look of solemnity and helplessness.

"Xiao Chen, I know that what I'm doing is very unfair to you."

Mr. Cui spoke first, his tone tinged with guilt, "I have always remembered that you saved my life twice. I, Mr. Cui, will remember this kindness for the rest of my life."

"Regarding the two million I gave you before, I'm telling you clearly now, I won't take a single penny of that money back. It's all wiped clean."

Chen Ping's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched him quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Mr. Cui took a deep breath, his tone filled with helpless compromise, each word heavy: "But I'm in trouble now. Hundreds of workers are waiting to eat. I really can't afford to lose or waste any more time."

"I know the factory was suddenly inspected because of the Ding family, but I really had no other choice."

"I don't ask for anything else. Gratitude is gratitude, and reality is reality. I'm begging you, please leave Xiaoying and let her be with Ding Peng."

"As long as you're willing to let go, I won't mention that two million again. The kindness between our two families will remain, and my Cui family will always remember your kindness."

"But I really had no choice. For the sake of the family business and the livelihood of my family, I had to make this choice."

"I hope you can understand your uncle and not blame me. I had no choice..."

Cui Ying's father's eyes were a little red.

This matter is not something that Cui Ying can decide as she pleases.

The Cui family faced only two paths: either their factory would go bankrupt, leaving them heavily in debt.

Either Cui Ying and Ding Peng get together, and then the two families can arrange a marriage, which would be a happy ending for everyone.

There is no third option.

"Uncle Cui, I know your difficulties. I respect Cui Ying's opinion. If she wants to be with Ding Peng, I will never stop her."

Chen Ping said.

Mr. Cui was taken aback, then said helplessly, "I hope you can persuade Cui Ying to sever ties with her. Yingying is a very stubborn child; getting her to reconcile with Ding Peng would be harder than climbing to heaven."

"I'm begging you, Uncle. If the factory keeps shutting down like this, not only will we not be able to pay wages, but we won't be able to deliver the goods, and I won't be able to afford the penalties for breach of contract!"

Cui Ying's father looked pleading; he was practically kneeling before Chen Ping.

Chen Ping felt a pang of sympathy when he saw the expression on Cui Ying's father's face.

The Ding family is despicable. They used their connections and underhanded methods to coerce Cui Ying.

"Uncle, I..."

"Chen Ping!" Just as Chen Ping was at a loss for words, Cui Ying came out of the private room and called out.

Upon seeing Cui Ying, Cui's father glanced at Chen Ping, said nothing more, and turned to enter the private room.

"Chen Ping, what did my dad say to you? Is he asking for that two million?"

Cui Ying asked.

"No, my uncle didn't ask me for money, but he's having a hard time right now, and you should be understanding of your parents."

Chen Ping comforted Cui Ying.

Cui Ying frowned. "What do you mean? Are you trying to persuade me to bow down to Ding Peng?"

"I..." Chen Ping didn't know how to answer.

Cui Ying looked at Chen Ping, her eyes suddenly reddened, and she suddenly ran outside.

"Cui Ying!" Chen Ping hurriedly chased after her.

Meanwhile, in the private room, Cui's mother was all smiles, her eyes fixed on Ding Peng with eagerness, constantly adding tea and serving him food, her attitude extremely attentive.

Mr. Cui had just returned from the corridor. Although he was still thinking about his conversation with Chen Ping and was feeling uneasy, he could only place all his hopes on Ding Peng when he thought about the factory's predicament.

"Xiao Ding, do you think you could call Director Guo now? It would be even better if we could invite him over and strengthen our relationship."

"I asked cautiously," Mr. Cui asked.

"No problem, I'll call Director Guo right now."

Ding Peng deliberately projected an image of having extensive connections and powerful influence, meticulously crafting his persona in front of Cui's parents. He then took out his phone and dialed the number directly.

The moment the call connected, Ding Peng deliberately raised his voice a little, sounding familiar and casual: "Uncle Guo, hello, this is Xiao Ding."

"Here's the thing, I'm having dinner with a friend, and his factory has been getting frequent inspections lately, making it impossible for him to do business normally. Could you perhaps help him make an exception and give his staff a break?"

"Also, I'd like to invite you over for a meal so we can get to know each other and catch up. Would that be convenient for you?"

Mr. and Mrs. Cui held their breath, looking at him with anticipation and admiration in their eyes.

In their eyes, being able to directly call and invite Director Guo of the Development Zone Management Committee to dinner is a level of personal connections that is unattainable for ordinary people.

However, Guo Changlin, who was on the other end of the phone, was still waiting in the lobby of the Tianhai Hotel.

He kept Li Jizhong's instructions in mind, and even more so Chen Ping's identity. He remained on standby the whole time, not daring to leave, for fear that Chen Ping might need something when he returned.

When Guo Changlin suddenly received a call from a stranger who pretended to be familiar with him, speaking in a pretentious and arrogant tone, he subconsciously frowned.

He didn't know anyone named Xiao Ding. Although Guo Changlin was familiar with Ding Peng's father and had some connections, he wasn't familiar with Ding Peng himself.

After all, Ding Peng had only recently returned from abroad, and they hadn't even met in person yet.

Besides, Guo Changlin has no interest in socializing right now. The hospital still has such a big problem to solve. If he goes out to accept invitations and Li Jizhong finds out, he'll lose his job as the director of the management committee.

Guo Changlin immediately refused in a curt tone, without the slightest hint of politeness, saying, "I have something to do tonight and can't get away, so there's no need for the dinner."

"Compliance checks are normal business procedures. Just follow the rules. I don't have time to coordinate on my end."

Before Ding Peng could say another word, Guo Changlin hung up the phone cleanly and decisively.

The private room fell silent instantly.

The phone rang with a busy tone, and Ding Peng's calm and confident smile froze instantly, his face turning slightly awkward.

He never expected that when he revealed his identity and took the initiative to invite Guo Changlin, he would be rejected so decisively, without giving him the slightest bit of face.

In just two seconds, all the smugness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a feeling of embarrassment.

When Mr. and Mrs. Cui saw his stiff expression, their hearts sank. Their expectations were dashed, and the atmosphere suddenly became extremely awkward.

Ding Peng reacted quickly, suppressing his embarrassment and regaining his composure. He forced a smooth conversation, pretending that everything was under control.

He casually put away his phone and explained to Mr. Cui with a smile, "Uncle, please don't overthink it. Director Guo probably has urgent business in the city tonight and really can't get away."

"A leader of his rank has many evening social engagements and duty shifts; he has no choice in the matter."

"I already mentioned it to him, and he's aware of it."

"Once he's done with this busy period, I'll reschedule for a meal and we'll get things settled at your factory."

With these words, he managed to portray the "being rejected on the spot" as "the other party being busy with official business," thus saving face while continuing to keep Cui's parents' hopes alive.