The noodle shop was not large, only about thirty square meters.
It was nearing mealtime, but there were only eight or nine customers inside.
These were Gao Fei, Ge Qing, and the senior management of Gaolan Cosmetics Factory.
After a group of people entered, Ding Yao, being very considerate, temporarily rented out the noodle shop to prevent outsiders from disturbing the boss's conversation.
In the empty noodle shop, the electric fan whirred.
Waves of braised aroma drifted through the shop with the cold air.
The senior management of the cosmetics factory sat near the entrance, still observing the two in the back room while eating their noodles.
Gao Fei sat with his back to the door, eating noodles with garlic, showing no trace of celebrity airs.
Ge Qing, sitting opposite him, glanced at him and chuckled, "After all, he's a public figure in Longguo. If reporters caught sight of his image like this, he'd be trending again."
"Public figures are people too. It's just an ordinary person with an added title. What's there to make a fuss about? Eat what you want, drink what you want. Even if paparazzi catch me, they'll just say I'm down-to-earth and approachable."
Gao Fei slurped his noodles, meeting Ge Qing's gaze without fear. "Besides, Captain Ge is personally dealing with me. Your colleagues are guarding outside. It would be as difficult as reaching the heavens for paparazzi to get close."
Ge Qing didn't reply, stirring the chili oil on his noodles, his expression gradually turning serious.
"Xiao Gao, tell me the truth. Is Guo Yue still your man?"
"No!"
Gao Fei denied it immediately, concisely and decisively.
"But do you know what he's been doing in society, relying on your former driver identity?"
"I don't know, I don't understand!"
Gao Fei put down his chopsticks and calmly looked up. "Captain Ge, after Guo Yue resigned, I completely cut ties with him. Whatever he does in society, whatever crimes he commits, it has nothing to do with me."
"Really no connection?"
Ge Qing's tone became stern.
Gao Fei spread his hands and grinned, "If he's committed a crime, then arrest him. I fully support eliminating societal tumors. When you catch him, I'll definitely send you a banner."
As the words fell, their gazes met, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Ding Yao and the others sitting not far away noticed the confrontation between the boss and Ge Qing, and couldn't help but worry.
Wan Liping from the marketing department glanced at the two and whispered, "Sister Ding, I remember the boss and Captain Ge had a pretty good relationship. Why do they look like enemies now?"
"Yeah, Captain Ge even helped us solve the arson case at our factory before."
"Captain Ge looks like he wants to arrest someone, but the boss hasn't broken any laws. Why is he targeting the boss so suddenly? Could the boss have some dark secret?"
The senior management began to whisper among themselves at the table.
Ding Yao frowned and interrupted in a low voice, "Eat your noodles properly. If you can't even shut your mouths with noodles, do you not want your bonuses next month?"
Instantly, the senior management shut their mouths and lowered their heads to eat.
Among those present, only Gao Qilan understood why Captain Ge was looking for the boss.
Just as Gao Fei was confronting Ge Qing, three figures walked into the noodle shop from outside.
"Sister Wu, three bowls of pork leg noodles!"
Ding Yao and the others looked up and saw Gao Qianganger with Zhou Long and Zhou Hu sitting at a table not far away.
After all, he was Gao Qilan's elder brother and the manager of Gaolan Cosmetics' direct sales store. Old Gao was considered one of their own.
So, Manager Ding didn't drive them away and gestured for the noodle shop owner to let them stay.
Gao Qilan, however, shot her elder brother a reproachful glance before picking up a bowl of noodles and sitting next to him.
The appearance of Gao Qianganger and the Zhou brothers simultaneously broke the stalemate between Gao Fei and Ge Qing.
Captain Ge did not continue the confrontation. He took a sip of noodle soup and said, "Five days ago, the film crew of Feihe Entertainment was harassed by ruffians, who extorted a location fee.
But just one day later, those thugs had their limbs broken and were threatened with their lives.
Xiao Gao, Feihe Entertainment is your company. The people who extorted the film crew were beaten and threatened. Do you dare say you didn't know?"
"Captain Ge, if I say I really didn't know, would you believe me?"
Gao Fei replied earnestly.
He really didn't know that the film crew had been coerced by underworld figures to pay a location fee.
If Gao Qilan hadn't mentioned it just now, he would still have been in the dark.
Ge Qing stared at the expression on Gao Fei's face and the look in his eyes, trying to detect any clues from his micro-expressions.
But at this moment, it seemed possible that Gao Fei genuinely didn't know about the film crew being extorted.
Just as Ge Qing was about to speak, his colleague, who had come with him, suddenly burst into the noodle shop.
The colleague hurried forward and whispered in his ear, "Captain Ge, the people who beat up Da Ming and Chen Bao have turned themselves in at the bureau.
He said that he dealt with Da Ming and Chen Bao because they had a past feud, and it had nothing to do with Feihe Entertainment."
Upon hearing the news brought by his colleague, Ge Qing frowned.
But before he could speak, another colleague, who had been staking out outside, also suddenly ran into the noodle shop.
Like the previous colleague, he went straight to Ge Qing's side and whispered in his ear, "Captain Ge, ten minutes ago Da Ming and Chen Bao recanted their statements. They said they were beaten and it had nothing to do with Feihe Entertainment; it was a feud between underworld factions."
At this moment, Ge Qing's face turned extremely ashen.
He had just confronted Gao Fei, and the perpetrators surrendered to the bureau, while the victims simultaneously retracted their statements.
The mastermind behind this was clearly trying to help Gao Fei distance himself from this case.
They didn't want Gao Fei to be involved in this incident in any way.
Ge Qing took a deep breath, looked at Gao Fei sitting calmly opposite him, and that sense of powerlessness resurfaced.
"Have you checked the backgrounds of the suspects?"
He asked through gritted teeth, his brow furrowed.
"The people at the station have checked. The suspects are vendors at the seafood market and have absolutely no connection to Gao Fei or Guo Yue."
The colleague's answer made Ge Qing laugh instead of getting angry.
He gave Gao Fei a thumbs-up and said with a smile, "Mr. Gao, you live up to your reputation. The way your former driver handled things is just like yours, watertight!"
"Captain Ge, are you complimenting me or insulting me with those words!"
"That depends on how Mr. Gao interprets it!"
Ge Qing took out five yuan from his wallet and placed it on the table. "Mr. Gao, I don't need you to pay for the noodles. I have a low salary, but I can afford a bowl of noodles!"
Gao Fei leaned back in his chair and shrugged, not responding.
Ge Qing, feeling like he had punched cotton, didn't want to stay any longer. He put the money down and left with his two colleagues.
As they passed by Gao Qianganger and the Zhou brothers.
Gao Qianganger coughed lightly, calmly continuing to eat his noodles.
However, the elder Zhou brother, Zhou Long, grabbed his younger brother, who was about to get up, and blocked Ge Qing's path.
"What are you doing?"
The nearby colleague frowned and asked coldly.
Instantly, the eyes of Gao Fei and others were all focused on them.
Zhou Long raised his hands. Noticing Boss Gao was looking at him, he gritted his teeth and said, "Officer, I surrender. Five days ago, I led people to collect a location fee from the Feihe Entertainment film crew."