"The circle!"

Lin Fan licked his lips and pulled Su Yufei between him and his aunt.

With her as a barrier, he could reduce his peeping at the metaphorical chasm.

"That's right, it's a circle, just like the circles in normal people's lives, only more stringent, more systematic, and existing in different forms for survival. In times of chaos, they're bandits and bullies; in times of economic openness, they are nightclubs and cabarets. Now, most members are regular business people, but with the resources of this circle, they can combat threats from various powers. So, it's a fixed circle bound by relationships, comparable to family ties. Do you understand now?"

Boss Qi's words made Lin Fan furrow his brow.

"So, I'm a mix of black and white?"

"Exactly, whether you are white or black, you are extraordinary among people. After all, both your grandfather's and my resources are enough for you to stand proudly at the peak. But unfortunately, you are a fusion of black and white, trapped in a strange whirlpool. You must deny what one identity gives you to gain the extreme existence of another."

Boss Qi smiled and nodded: "To put it plainly, you either sever your ties with your grandfather and forsake the Wu family's bloodline, becoming the next leader of the Qing Gang, or you abandon your mother's legacy and fully return to the Wu family, becoming their future heir. Regardless of the choice, it's correct but also a betrayal, which the other side will despise."

"Aunt, you're kind of messing with me!"

Hearing about his mother's background, Lin Fan sighed involuntarily. Although he didn't fully understand the horrors of the Qing Gang, he could feel how powerful this spider-web-like network could be.

"Wrong, I'm not toying with you, it's just your life, so do you still think you're an unworthy person?"

Boss Qi reached out and pinched Su Yufei's cheek: "Now you should know how well this little girl can choose her man."

"Alright, but why do I feel like both you and grandpa are playing me?"

The truth from his aunt's mouth was hard for Lin Fan to accept.

His parents' formidable backgrounds left him unsure of what to do.

"It's okay, you still have time to think it over."

Boss Qi cheerily swam to face Lin Fan: "Tonight, rest well, and accompany me to pay respects to your sister tomorrow."

"I understand."

Lin Fan, struggling to move his head away from his aunt's soft bosom, looked at Su Yufei in his arm: "Are you coming upstairs with me?"

"I... will in a bit. You should go comfort Bai Xue first; tonight's situation was a lot for her."

Su Yufei took a glance at Boss Qi before speaking.

"Okay, I'll head up first."

Grabbing a bathrobe and draping it over himself, Lin Fan bent over and climbed out of the hot spring pool.

He had no choice; soaking with two beautiful women, with his aunt constantly teasing him, made certain biological reactions uncontrollable. He couldn't embarrass himself further.

Seeing Lin Fan escape in a fluster, Boss Qi only smiled slightly: "This boy is really like his dad. The first time he met me, he was this awkward, but the second time..."

At this point, a touch of sadness crossed Boss Qi's face. She had no intention of letting Lin Fan hear about past romantic debts.

"Mom, why don't you tell Lin Fan about the current state of the Qing Gang?"

It wasn't until Lin Fan left that Su Yufei finally spoke up.

"Should I really tell him that since his mother's death, the Qing Gang has been on the verge of collapse? Or that I'm struggling to hold down the elders of the Qing Gang?"

Boss Qi held out her hand for the hookah Su Yufei offered.

"But the Qing Gang indeed needs Lin Fan to return. After all, his bloodline determines his fate. The Qing Gang is also his mother's legacy. He can't just watch it burn to ashes, can he?"

Being in the Qing Gang, Su Yufei naturally knew of its crisis.

"I can't force him to make any choice, nor do I want to pressure him into a path he may dislike because of my issues."

Boss Qi inhaled a puff and slowly exhaled: "As long as I'm still the leader, the Qing Gang's crisis won't be his to bear."

"Mom... I believe that if you really told him, he'd definitely choose us, rather than being a Deputy County Magistrate, fighting endlessly with those families in Red Flag County. After all, you're his real aunt."

Su Yufei pressed her lips together: "If you don't want to say it, I can relay the message instead."

"No!"

Suddenly, Boss Qi's expression turned exceptionally stern. The icy gaze frightened Su Yufei, making her lower her head and dare not speak further.

"You best remember—I'm still the leader of the Qing Gang. I'm just old, not dead."

Boss Qi's face darkened as she looked at the mist hovering over the hot spring pool.

"Whether the Qing Gang lives or dies, it's my decision. As for him, he must live by his own will. That's the only wish my sister left me. Even if it breaks me, I must ensure his safety!"

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