After Ye Chen finished discussing with Chen Yinuo, he immediately called Zhang Jingshan.

For Ye Chen's summons, Zhang Jingshan naturally responded with unwavering loyalty—especially since this time, he was being invited for dinner.

At 6 PM, the sun dipped in the west, casting a crimson glow.

In the Jiangnan water town, the meeting place was the same location where Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng had previously negotiated the dismantling of the Four Seas Group under Ye Chen's guidance months ago.

When Ye Chen arrived, Zhang Jingshan, Li Changfeng, and Zhao Jiwei were already waiting.

In the boat-shaped private dining room, as soon as Ye Chen stepped in, the three of them immediately stood up with ingratiating smiles.

"Brother Ye!"

"Brother Ye!"

"Brother Ye!"

Ye Chen smiled and nodded. He gestured for them to sit down before taking the remaining empty seat.

"Brother Ye, did you settle the issue with Yi Ren and Deputy Manager Pang?" Zhang Jingshan asked right after Ye Chen sat down.

"Luckily, Pang Jun accidentally left a backup plan. Otherwise, it could have been troublesome. But it's all good now—the injustice has been cleared!" Ye Chen shook his head and laughed.

"Brother Ye, what happened? Isn't she your classmate? How did she end up colluding with Pang Jun to frame you, trying to extort the formula for the Flawless Ointment? That's not just bold—that's reckless!" Zhang Jingshan said, still in shock.

"There are two reasons: first, the formula for the Flawless Ointment is too tempting—selling it could easily fetch billions. Second, she wanted revenge on me," Ye Chen explained.

"Revenge on you, Brother Ye? What happened between you two? Didn't things seem harmonious at the sales office in Shanshui Jian a while ago?" Zhang Jingshan looked confused.

Ye Chen chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I pursued her in high school."

"What? Seriously?" Zhang Jingshan was momentarily stunned.

Ye Chen didn't mind that Li Changfeng and Zhao Jiwei were present.

"She was the class beauty. I was an orphan. Encouraged by others, I mustered the courage to confess to her. Unsurprisingly, I was given the 'nice guy' card. She said she wanted to focus on her studies. But not long after, I saw her walking into the woods with a rich kid from the neighboring class—the one who won first place in the district essay competition with My District Mayor Father. Maybe they were catching mosquitoes. Later, I saw them entering a hotel together by chance. That's when I let it go.

After the college entrance exam, we lost contact—until we reunited at the sales office a few months ago. Ten years had passed. Do you know why I advised you not to get involved with her back then? Because she's not simple. I didn't want you to fall into her trap.

After that reunion, she started dropping hints at me, despite me clearly stating I had a wife and child. I eventually cut ties with her. That probably triggered her to seek revenge, and the formula was the best way to strike back—killing two birds with one stone. She was likely behind the recent smear campaign against me too.

But she underestimated Pang Jun. If it were someone else, they might have fallen for her trap. Pang Jun, however, refused to give in and was ready to face jail time. His house also happened to have surveillance footage she overlooked. That footage not only cleared Pang Jun's name but also exposed her."

Ye Chen shook his head with a sigh.

"Damn... So what's the plan, Brother Ye?" Zhang Jingshan swallowed hard.

"False accusations and extortion—pursue the harshest punishment. That's why I asked you to find a lawyer. I wouldn't need one otherwise. A woman with such strong vengefulness needs to be taken down completely. If not, who knows what trouble she'll cause in the future. She has to go to jail," Ye Chen said.

"But even if we go all out, she'll be out in ten years at most. With good behavior, maybe even earlier," Zhang Jingshan muttered instinctively.

Before Ye Chen could respond, Li Changfeng glared at him.

"You're overthinking it. What do you suggest? Kill her? Ten years in prison is long enough. Even if she comes out, she won't be able to stir up much trouble," Li Changfeng said.

"Right... That makes sense," Zhang Jingshan chuckled awkwardly.

Ye Chen didn't continue the topic.

"Alright, as long as you understand. Let's not dwell on it."

Ye Chen then turned to Zhao Jiwei. "Jiwei, how's the real estate company coming along?"

"Almost done, Brother Ye. With Jingshan and Changfeng's connections, the process is speeding up. It should take about another week to finalize the acquisition," Zhao Jiwei replied quickly.

"Good. Once that's settled, we'll wait for the official auction for the development rights of Banshan," Ye Chen said.

"Brother Ye, apart from Banshan, shouldn't we consider acquiring other land reserves?" Zhao Jiwei hesitated but asked.

Without hesitation, Ye Chen shook his head. "No need for now. I'm not interested in ordinary land, even if others consider it prime real estate. The land I want isn't available yet. Focus on setting up the company's structure for now."

"Got it, Brother Ye!" Zhao Jiwei nodded, showing no concern about not having a leading role in the collaboration.

"Brother Ye, I looked into Banshan. The government does have plans, but it's undecided. Some propose municipal development, while others want commercial auctioning. I've spoken with city officials, and they believe commercial development is more likely," Li Changfeng said, his gaze toward Ye Chen filled with admiration.

No one outside the city government had even considered Banshan's potential, but Ye Chen predicted its development with precision.

"Regardless of opinions, Banshan will eventually be auctioned for commercial development. The government won't invest heavily in municipal projects there, especially in this economic climate. They'll sell it to raise funds," Ye Chen stated firmly.

Before anyone could respond, Ye Chen's tone shifted.

"But I didn't bring you here for the real estate business today."

"Then what's the occasion, Brother Ye?" Li Changfeng asked, puzzled but somehow excited.

"I brought you here for a money-making opportunity," Ye Chen replied with a sly smile.