Late at night, the city center was brightly lit. In this bustling city, the noise of traffic at night was even more intense than during the day. The most luxurious restaurant in the downtown area was still packed with customers.

In a private room, a man and a woman were sitting. The woman had a beautiful face, but anxiety and uneasiness kept flashing across it. The man sitting next to her had his arm around her shoulders in a gentle manner, comforting his girlfriend: "Don't worry too much. I'm sure Mr. Mo will give face to our Xu family."

Mo Lanyu's worries did not dissipate from her face.

She sighed and said, "Ah Qing, you may not know, but my cousin has a very... stubborn personality. He's someone who doesn't listen to advice. After all, he didn't like my parents from the beginning, and then my parents did something wrong in a moment of impulse. He must still hate them."

Thinking of something else, her face filled with guilt. "Come to think of it, it's all my fault. If it wasn't for that investment of mine going wrong back then, my parents wouldn't have impulsively tried to harm him. You know, they had always treated my cousin the best."

Xu Qing recalled the cold glance from the young man at Old Mr. Mo's banquet and felt a bit uncertain in his heart. However, he still said in a gentle voice, "How can you blame yourself for this? You've also suffered a lot over these years because of it. So many years have passed, even the deepest grudges should be let go. Besides, how can there be overnight resentment between family members? Even if there is resentment, your cousin should have gotten over it after so many years."

Mo Lanyu gently dabbed the wetness from the corners of her eyes with a tissue and forced a smile. "I hope so. I know he has a big temper. I don't expect him to forgive my parents right away. As long as he relents and doesn't block my parents' sentence reduction in prison, that would be the best I could hope for."

Xu Qing poured her a cup of hot tea. "These are all small matters. No matter what, your uncle and aunt raised him for three years as close relatives. I'm sure he's not so heartless. The fact that he agreed to this meeting is a good sign, isn't it?"

After about half an hour, at the agreed time, the door was pushed open on schedule. A man in a smoky gray suit entered with a cold face, followed by a handsome young man with delicate features. The young man seemed to be in a good mood, with a faint smile on his lips.

The moment he saw Mo Yitao, a flash of surprise appeared on Xu Qing's face, but he immediately suppressed it and greeted them with a friendly smile. "Thank you both for taking time out of your busy schedules to come."

It seemed that the head of the Mo family valued this lover more than he had imagined, even personally coming to back him up. Originally, he had thought that if Lanlan's cousin was too unreasonable, he could use some means to make him yield. Now it seemed impossible.

Mo Yitao nodded slightly at him in response, then directly pulled out a chair for the young man behind him.

The young man responded with a charming smile.

Seeing this scene, Xu Qing felt things were even more unfavorable. From the looks of it, Lanlan's cousin was probably relying on Mo Yitao's favor to act out.

But even so, he had to try his best. After all, they were his girlfriend's parents, and perhaps his future in-laws. As members of the Xu family, how could they be left in prison?

As people in the same circle, surely the head of the Mo family could understand his difficult position.

Xu Qing had the waiters bring out the prepared dishes. After some more small talk with the two, he slowly brought the topic around to today's main issue, subtly expressing his hope that He Yan could forgive the mistakes of the two relatives.

Mo Lanyu chimed in at the right moment, her eyes reddening and her voice choked with sobs. "Little brother, I know I have no right to ask you to let go of the past. I only ask that you give them a chance to start anew and not let them waste away the rest of their lives in prison..."

He Yan leisurely finished the shrimp on his plate before wiping his mouth and saying lightly, "Miss Mo, what are you talking about? What do you mean I'm not giving them a chance? Aren't Uncle and Auntie reforming themselves in prison right now? You should have faith in the abilities of state institutions. I'm sure Uncle and Auntie will be properly reformed and become new people inside."

Actually, according to Mo Yitao's wishes, he didn't need to pay any attention to these two people. But he was a bit curious about what trouble they could stir up together, so he came with great interest.

He had just observed the two people across from him and found them quite interesting. Mo Lanyu had a sorrowful and guilty look on her face, but hidden resentment in her eyes; while Xu Qing had an enthusiastic expression, there was actually some hard-to-detect reluctance.

As soon as Mo Lanyu heard this, tears streamed down her face. "Xiao Qi! I'm begging you... I know our family wronged you, but they've been punished, haven't they? They're almost fifty years old. Prison really isn't a place for people. Please let them go!"

Because of Mo Yitao's special "care", Mo Tiangao and Shen Cuiwei were having a very hard time in prison. Every time she went to visit her parents, she could feel them becoming more haggard compared to the last visit.

Her mother, such an elegant and poised woman, had now turned into a thin, withered, ordinary woman. How could she not feel distressed?

She had originally admired Mo Yitao, but never imagined that this man was actually so vicious, helping He Yan torment her parents. From then on, this man was no longer worthy of a place in her heart.

Xu Qing held his girlfriend with heartache. Seeing the head of the Mo family peeling shrimp for the young man, he hesitated for a while before slowly speaking up.

"Uncle Mo, you see, there's no insurmountable gap between family members. Lanlan mainly wants to ask for your leniency this time, to not let the two elders end their days in prison. If Young Mr. Mo has any requests, we will try our best to satisfy them. What do you think, would that work?"

Mo Yitao's shrimp peeling motion paused for a moment. He gave Xu Qing a cold and distant look, his voice frigid. "I don't have the power to interfere with the prison. Don't misunderstand, Mr. Xu."

Seeing Mo Lanyu's pitifully weeping appearance, He Yan actually started laughing instead. "Please don't mistakenly claim us as relatives. They're just two nannies who took money and still wanted to bite their master. In ancient times, beating such people to death would be normal.

"I was kind enough to let them reform in prison. If they can hold out until the day they're released, they can start anew. What's wrong with that? If Miss Mo feels the verdict is unreasonable, you can appeal. Surely Miss Mo doesn't think the court would persecute your esteemed parents, right?"

After a pause, he lifted his chin towards the diligently working Mo family's head and said, "Moreover, this gentleman, I don't think I have any requests that the Mo family's head can't satisfy, that I would need to ask of you."

Upon hearing this, Mo Yitao's expression eased slightly as he nodded.

Mo Lanyu's originally sorrowful face slowly turned pale and distorted. She stared at the leisurely Mo Qi, her lips trembling incessantly. She opened her mouth several times, but ultimately didn't say anything, only shedding tears with a look of forbearance.

Xu Qing's smile also couldn't be maintained. He didn't expect He Yan to speak so bluntly and mercilessly. Although he was respectful in front of Mo Yitao, that was because Mo Yitao's status was higher than his.

But after all, he was also the heir of a major family and had his own pride. At this time, he definitely wouldn't ingratiate himself to the Mo family's head's lover. He could only say helplessly, "Young Master Mo, why must you be so heartless?"

This Mo Qi, he'd better pray that when he gets wrinkles on his face in a few years, the Mo family's head will still be willing to pay attention to him. Otherwise, he wouldn't mind letting this ignorant person know the consequences of taking advantage of the situation to trample on others.

"Sorry, I'm just that heartless," He Yan said casually, looking at the white and tender shrimp meat lined up neatly on the plate by the Mo family's head, "If you two have nothing else, you can leave."

The shrimp at this restaurant was indeed excellent, even conquering him who usually doesn't like seafood. It seems he can come often in the future.

Xu Qing looked at the young man who, despite being a guest, was justifiably dismissing people. His face could no longer hold back his surprised expression.

But glancing at the Mo family's head beside him who was focused on peeling shrimp as if it had nothing to do with him, he could only hold back his anger and prepare to leave with his sorrowful girlfriend.

"Wait," just as they were about to reach the door, He Yan suddenly spoke again to stop them.

Mo Lanyu looked back at him, her expression a bit strange, resentful yet also somewhat hopeful.

He Yan speared a shrimp, "Please don't forget to pay the bill, thank you."