Shua!
Ge Qing abruptly turned his head to look behind him.
But noticing Gao Fei's surprised expression, he frowned and looked at Zhou Long, who had suddenly appeared at the door to surrender.
After a moment's thought, Ge Qing didn't ask too many questions and waved his hand, taking the man away.
After putting handcuffs on the man outside the noodle shop, Captain Ge simultaneously instructed, "Ah Xing, take him to another car and drive him directly to the Yuhe District Bureau! The case happened in Yuhe District, so we should at least show some respect to the people at the sub-bureau."
"Yes, Captain!"
The young man named Ah Xing left with another colleague, escorting Zhou Long.
After everyone had left, Ge Qing got into the sedan he had arrived in and told his colleague to drive directly to the police hospital.
Just as he fastened his seatbelt, the driver colleague couldn't help but ask, "Captain Ge, this sudden surrender by Zhou Long, was it arranged by Gao Fei?"
"No!"
Ge Qing waved his hand and smiled, "In Gao Fei's style, he wouldn't do something so direct."
"Then why did Zhou Long suddenly surrender for no reason?"
"We will continue to investigate the matter of the Feihe film crew being charged venue fees. We will definitely go after Zhou Long then.
He is surrendering now, either to seek police protection, fearing that someone might retaliate against him for the venue fees.
Or, Zhou Long wants to gain favor with Gao Fei, to attach himself to this powerful figure, surrendering and putting on a show to demonstrate his loyalty."
Ge Qing outlined the possible reasons for Zhou Long's surrender.
His colleague nodded in agreement and added, "I think the bigger reason is to attach himself to Gao Fei. Given Gao Fei's current status, who wouldn't want to connect with him."
Ge Qing, sitting in the passenger seat, smiled without speaking.
Although he didn't say it, he was certain that Zhou Long's sudden surrender was precisely to curry favor with Gao Fei.
If his analysis was correct, Zhou Long's confession would likely be similar to Da Ming and Chen Bao after they recanted.
Ge Qing's guess was not wrong.
After Zhou Long was taken back to the sub-bureau for interrogation, he confessed to collecting venue fees from the Feihe film crew and also tried hard to distance himself, stating that the injuries on his face had nothing to do with Gao Fei or Feihe.
After Ge Qing and his team left, the suppressed atmosphere in the noodle shop quickly dissipated.
Gao Fei faced the door, watched the departing sedan, and then glanced at the Gao siblings and Zhou Hu nearby. He smiled and said, "Old Gao, come sit with us?"
Gao Qiqiang, who was eating noodles with large mouthfuls, was stunned and shook his head, refusing, "Mr. Gao, with my status, how dare I sit with you? I'm fine here!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Qilan gave him a glare, "Brother, Mr. Gao is usually very approachable. If he asks you to come over, he must have something to discuss!
Besides, you are now the store manager of the direct-sale store. Mr. Gao is probably going to assign you another job."
Hearing his sister's words, Gao Qiqiang no longer hesitated, picked up his noodle bowl, and walked towards Gao Fei's table.
Zhou Hu, standing beside them, looked on with envy in his eyes.
"Sit anywhere, don't be too formal!"
"Yes, Mr. Gao!"
Gao Qiqiang sat down cautiously next to them, his face filled with the awe a commoner held for a powerful figure.
"Old Gao, Zhou Long's sudden surrender, did you arrange it?"
Gao Fei asked directly.
Gao Qiqiang, who had intended to make some excuses, hesitated for two seconds before finally nodding in admission.
"You made Zhou Long surrender in front of me and admit to collecting venue fees.
Old Gao, what do you want from me? Or, who do you want to get to know through me?"
Gao Fei's questions were direct.
Gao Qiqiang did not answer immediately. He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said, "Mr. Gao, there's something I want to tell you, but before I do, I want to apologize."
He suddenly stood up, bowed with an apologetic expression, and uttered the words, "I'm sorry."
Gao Qiqiang's sudden apology not only stunned Gao Fei.
Even Ding Yao, Gao Qilan, and the others were taken aback.
Among the crowd, only Zhou Hu frowned, suddenly realizing something at this moment.
"Sit down quickly, and just say what you need to say!"
Gao Fei quickly waved his hand, urging him to sit down.
This sudden apology had caught him off guard.
However, noticing Zhou Hu's gaze and expression, Gao Fei seemed to have a rough idea of what Brother Qiang was about to say.
After sitting down, Gao Qiqiang confessed everything he had done, including using Gao Fei's influence to scare the Zhou brothers and spreading rumors about Gao Fei and Gao Qilan's relationship.
However, his voice was kept low so only Gao Fei could hear, and the others had no idea what he was saying.
Why would Gao Qiqiang reveal his past actions of leveraging influence?
The reason was simple: if he wanted to establish himself on Beichang Street in the future, these fabricated stories needed to be confessed.
As long as Zhou Long and Zhou Hu knew that Gao Qilan and Gao Fei had no relationship,
Then, the Zhou brothers would surely target him again and suppress him by any means necessary.
Just as Zhou Long had said earlier, they indeed did not dare to touch Gao Lan Cosmetics.
But they didn't say they wouldn't dare to touch Gao Qiqiang himself.
Once the rumors were cleared up, the Zhou brothers would surely seek revenge.
Having spent many years with these brothers, Gao Qiqiang had some understanding of their temperaments.
"Mr. Gao, I was truly desperate at the time, which is why I borrowed your name and spread rumors about you and Xiao Lan to resolve the situation.
Whether you want to hit me, scold me, or dismiss me from my store manager position, I, Old Gao, will accept it all without complaint."
Gao Qiqiang looked remorseful, sitting cautiously on the side, waiting for Mr. Gao's wrath.
Gao Fei looked at Old Gao calmly, neither showing anger nor speaking.
After a few seconds, he finally spoke, "You're confessing to me now because you're afraid that if the rumors are exposed later, the Zhou brothers will come after you again?"
Gao Qiqiang opened his mouth and nodded in direct admission.
In response, Gao Fei said no more. He stood up, patted his shoulder, and said, "Old Gao, one lie requires tens of thousands of lies to cover up. I won't pursue this matter further. You should know what to do."
With that, he walked towards the exit of the noodle shop.
Seeing him move, Ding Yao, Gao Qilan, and the others immediately stood up from the table in unison.
As he passed by Zhou Hu, Gao Fei stopped, looked him deeply in the eye, and said from above, "Gao Qiqiang is now the store manager of my cosmetics direct-sale store, and Gao Qisheng is the deputy store manager. They are now my men.
If you and your elder brother target them, it means you are targeting my people. If you dare to target the Gao family again in the future, you two brothers will be expelled from Kyoto."
"Under... understood, Mr. Gao!"
Zhou Hu had expected Gao Fei to say something else to him.
He never expected it to be a direct warning.
After delivering his warning, Gao Fei didn't linger and left with Ding Yao and his group.
Gao Qilan, who was by his side, said gratefully in a low voice, "Mr. Gao, thank you!"
"There's nothing to thank me for. After all, you help me make money. This small matter is insignificant."
Gao Fei waved his hand and got into the car.
Soon, five luxury cars with their hazard lights flashing left Beichang Street.
In front of the noodle shop.
Gao Qiqiang and Zhou Hu stood side by side, watching the convoy leave.
"Xiao Hu, you should know what I discussed with Mr. Gao, right?"
"It's about Xiao Lan's matter, isn't it?"
Gao Qiqiang nodded, then looked at him and asked, "Since things have been cleared up, what is your attitude now?"
Zhou Hu took a deep breath and showed a helpless smile, "Boss Gao has already made his warning clear, what attitude can I have?
From now on, you walk your single-plank bridge, and I'll walk my sunny road. We'll mind our own business."
With Gao Fei's warning, how could Zhou Hu dare to defy him?
Unless he wanted to end up like Da Ming and Chen Bao, with their tendons severed and thrown into the hospital.
"Alright, as long as you don't cause trouble for our siblings, we'll still be friends!"
With that, Gao Qiqiang let out a sigh of relief and turned to walk towards the direct-sale store.
But after a few steps, he suddenly turned back, "Xiao Hu, collecting stall fees in the market and hygiene fees for shops is not a long-term solution.
You just noticed how fiercely Captain Ge looked at you brothers.
The stall fees and hygiene fees will eventually land you in jail. Find another way out."
Zhou Hu nodded in silence.
Because what Gao Qiqiang said was not false.
Although collecting stall fees and hygiene fees could maximize their gang's profits, they were currently accumulating wealth through violence, and they would eventually be flagged by the police.
Zhou Hu had previously voiced his opposition to the hygiene fees for shops.
Collecting stall fees at least provided them with the protection of being market administrators.
But charging hygiene fees for shops was essentially collecting protection money, and if it blew up, the entire group would be arrested.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Zhou Hu called out to Gao Qiqiang, who was about to leave, "Brother Qiang, Xiao Sheng's phone shop is closed, right? I previously acquired a shop. Ask Xiao Sheng if he still wants to open a phone shop."
Gao Qiqiang stood still for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
....
After Gao Fei left, he didn't return to the company directly but visited the set of "Those Years."
He then had a brief exchange with Director Bai Zhan.
During their conversation, he directly pointed out the matter of venue fees being collected by Zhou Long and others.
Bai Zhan did not hide anything and stated that the venue fee issue was handled by Liu Weiqiang, and he was not privy to the process.
Upon receiving the answer, Gao Fei did not linger and left by car.
On his way back, he also contacted the directors of two other film crews and mentioned the venue fee issue to them.
Liu Huaqiang and Director Xu Cheng both said that the venue fee matter was entirely handled by Liu Weiqiang, and they were unaware of any other details.
"Director Liu has contacted Guo Yue?"
After finding out who had resolved the issue, Gao Fei couldn't help but frown.
But before he could call someone, Liu Weiqiang called him instead.
As soon as the call was connected, Liu Weiqiang immediately said, "Mr. Gao, I've heard about it from Bai Zhan and the others, but I really didn't contact anyone from society."
"Didn't contact?
The two gang leaders who extorted venue fees from the film crew had their hands and feet broken. And before they recanted, both said they were retaliated against because they extorted venue fees from the film crew."
"Mr. Gao, I truly didn't find anyone from society. I sought official channels."
Liu Weiqiang on the other end of the phone sounded very wronged.
He truly had not sought out any underworld figures but had intended to resolve the matter through official channels.
But who would have thought that before Director Liu's connections could act,
Good heavens, apart from Zhou Long, Da Ming and Chen Bao were directly incapacitated.