Chapter 42: Pig teammates

"By the way, what did that woman say to you guys?"

As Kuang Wei led the group away and entered the jungle, he suddenly remembered and asked curiously.

"She just said that if we lose, we can't back out," someone replied.

"Just based on that, she thinks we'll lose and back out? How naive," others laughed.

"Hey hey hey, do you think we'll lose?"

"How could we?!"

"With just them, a woman, a useless hunter, and a few others with fetters hindering their movements, how can they hunt? There's no way we'll lose."

"Exactly."

"We might as well think about how to split the woman if we win!"

"Why split? Let's enjoy her together."

"Alright." Kuang Wei interrupted them, "Even though I'm confident we'll win, we shouldn't be careless."

"Let's split up and look for prey."

No one opposed this suggestion. They were all experienced hunters and immediately began searching for traces of prey.

"Wei Ge, there's rabbit fur here!"

"Footprints here!"

Soon, they found traces of prey.

Kuang Wei ran over, confirmed the findings, and immediately came up with a plan, "Spread out and find the rabbit burrows. Once found, set traps at the entrance and around them."

They didn't have bows and arrows. They relied on knives for hunting, but how could that be enough? However, for them, knives were more than sufficient, and there were plenty of ways to catch prey.

"Search and confirm which burrows are connected. Set traps at the other entrances and leave one entrance with smoke."

Kuang Wei was experienced. Since it was now autumn and winter, rabbits mostly stayed in their burrows. By setting smoke at one entrance, they could force the rabbits out.

Although the fox may have three holes, as long as they set traps at the other entrances, they would eventually catch the rabbits.

Their previous success in catching so much prey was due to this method, which had never failed.

"It's coming out, it's coming out!"

A bailiff crouched at the burrow entrance, holding a burning branch and blowing smoke inside. They could faintly see a white shadow coming out, then retreating back in, obviously trying to escape through another entrance.

Others stared firmly at the traps set at the burrow entrance, ready with knives to strike if the rabbit wasn't caught by the trap.

Bang!

They didn't have to wait long before seeing a white shadow dart out from inside, only to be caught by the snare, preventing its escape.

Kuang Wei acted quickly, reaching out and grabbing the rabbit's ears, lifting it up, "Two and a half pounds, not bad, it's fat and strong. We're in for a treat today."

"Hahaha, finally, a change in taste."

Although they had bought a lot of meat in the capital, they had finished it, and they didn't know how far the next post station was. Even if it was to the next town, it would still take several days.

That's why they couldn't resist going out to hunt.

"We caught a fat rabbit so quickly. We're definitely going to win this time," a bailiff laughed.

It hadn't been long since they started, and they had already caught a rabbit. There was still plenty of time before the hour was up, enough for them to catch a bunch of prey.

"Hahaha, that's right, off to a good start!"

"Xu Tian is clumsy. Even with our method, he won't catch any prey."

Thinking of Xu Tian trying to catch rabbits and not even getting any fur, everyone burst into laughter.

Kuang Wei also smiled, tied up the rabbit's legs, and looked at the others, "Continue, let's smoke out the rest of the rabbits inside."

There was definitely more than one rabbit in the burrow.

...

In contrast to Kuang Wei and the others' smooth progress, Chen Xue's group encountered difficulties.

"Quick, stop it!"

Xu Tian watched as a rabbit ran through the bushes, shouting at everyone before pouncing.

Bang!

He smashed the bushes, but the rabbit was nowhere to be seen.

"It got away again?"

Xu Tian felt a little helpless. At this rate, they were bound to lose.

Seeing this, Chen Xue's lips twitched. If Xu Tian could catch prey, that would be a miracle.

Chen Yuan also couldn't bear to watch anymore. He walked over to Xu Tian and extended his right hand, "Give me the knife."

"What does Master Chen need the knife for?" Xu Tian was curious but still handed it over.

Chen Yuan took the knife, turned, and walked away, "With you like this, we're bound to lose. I might as well go kill Kuang Wei now."

If they were missing people, they wouldn't need to compete anymore, and they wouldn't have to worry about losing.

"Master Chen, don't be impulsive."

Xu Tian panicked. He didn't know why, but Master Chen seemed particularly domineering today. But no matter how domineering, he could still die.

He quickly ran over and hugged Master Chen tightly, not letting him leave.

Moreover, he turned to Chen Xue, "Miss Chen, please persuade Master Chen. Kuang Wei and his men are numerous and ruthless..."

Chen Xue sighed helplessly, "Father, let's not waste time."

Chen Yuan snorted and nodded, listening to his daughter's words. He allowed Xu Tian to take the knife back and returned to Chen Xue's side.

"Alright!" Chen Xue looked at Xu Tian, "Let's split up. Maybe we can catch more prey that way!"

"Okay!"

Concerned about Chen Yuan's impulsiveness, Xu Tian quickly left with the knife to hunt elsewhere.

After Xu Tian left, Lord Chen looked at his daughter, "You actually agreed to the bet. Do you have confidence?"

He never placed hope in Xu Tian, and he rarely hunted himself. As for Xu Tian's boasting about hunting with the emperor, weren't all officials above the third rank required to experience that?

Moreover, he knew his daughter wouldn't do anything without confidence. If she dared to take this on, it meant she had a plan and was confident.

"Yes, I do."

Chen Xue nodded. Her confidence came from the system. She had previously exchanged fish bait from the system and almost attracted all the fish in the river.

So, this time, she wanted to use the same method.

After all, hunting with conventional methods was extremely difficult for them. Without weapons, experience, and with Xu Tian as such a useless teammate, they had little chance.

"System, do you have any bait for hunting?"

As Chen Xue spoke, the system quickly listed a menu.

"Beast Bait: Attracts all beasts, essential for hunting."

Uh...

Chen Xue immediately passed on this option. Attracting all beasts would be more than they could handle. After all, this wasn't her previous life, but an ancient world where the mountains and forests hadn't been developed, and there were plenty of big creatures like tigers, wolves, bears, and wild boars.

If they really attracted all of them, they would be inviting disaster.

Picking and choosing, Chen Xue finally chose a carrot, specifically designed to attract rabbits.

"Rabbit Carrot: 10 contribution points (extremely attractive to rabbits)"

"It's you!"

There weren't many wild meats that were edible and tasty, but rabbit meat was definitely near the top. Moreover, rabbits were easy to raise, with one litter a lifetime.

She could catch rabbits and raise them in the space. Then they wouldn't lack rabbit meat in the future.

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 134: Feelings of Unease

Deleting surveillance records is reversible.

But turning off the surveillance would make investigation a bit troublesome...

"President Ou, who do you think betrayed the company?" Yin Panpan was puzzled.

The image of Hu Linqian's face quickly came to Ou Yan's mind, "There's no evidence yet, tomorrow's product launch, you can..."

Ou Yan whispered something to Yin Panpan. After listening, Yin Panpan felt some self-doubt, "I... I'm afraid I can't do it..."

"You can." Ou Yan patted her shoulder, giving her great confidence, "I believe in you."

After Yin Panpan left, Ou Yan accessed the surveillance from that day, and sure enough, there were traces of intentional deletion.

In fact, among all deletion modes, intentional deletion is the easiest to recover because the internal format of the hard drive has only undergone one change and can be easily restored according to specific rules.

Ou Yan's slender fingers tapped on the keyboard, and soon, the previously deleted content appeared before her eyes.

Ou Yan saw a familiar figure enter her office.

Sure enough, it was Hu Linquan!

At that time, there was no one in the office. He had been in there for so long on his own; one didn't need to guess that he was probably secretly photographing the drafts.

When he left the office, his hands were empty, but from his proud demeanor, it seemed like his scheme had succeeded. Even his steps were filled with confidence.

Without any hesitation, Ou Yan's fingers tapped a few more times, disconnecting his office's exclusive wifi.

On the other side.

Hu Linquan just finished a call, lowered his head to find his wifi disconnected. After reconnecting, he sat back in his chair and drank tea.

He completely failed to notice that he had connected to the wifi specially prepared by Ou Yan.

Ou Yan easily infiltrated his phone. At that moment, he was replying to someone named Jin Shang via voice message, "That little brat said she had a solution. She's young and thinks she can show off her ability by saying a few tough words. Little does she know, in the face of the current situation, even if you and I were to intervene, it would be futile."

"If she dares to put out the same design tomorrow, I'll sue her to bankruptcy."

"Hahaha..." Hu Linquan sipped his fragrant tea and leisurely said, "Don't worry, she knows well enough the consequences after the product launch."

"With Yin Panpan's design talent, I wanted to bring her under my wing. Unfortunately, for those who can't be bought, they're just pawns to us."

"She's going to prison soon. However, the fact that something drawn by an unknown nobody caught the eye of Grand Designer Jin and could even help Grand Designer Jin gain fame, is already her honor."

Ou Yan copied all these conversations, along with their previous chat records, as evidence.

By checking the chat records, she discovered that on the anniversary of Yin's father's death, they had just left the office when Hu Linquan sneaked in to photograph the drafts. In total, there were 23 designs, all sent to Jin Shang, matching the time and style of the drafts.

The evidence was conclusive!

After a while, Hu Linquan listened to music and changed his tea pot. He then went to Lin Shuyi, the CEO of Shuyi, to ask for benefits.

"CEO Lin, I've given you the best designs from our company. I heard that the products you've made have already sold several thousand pieces and are about to break ten thousand soon. According to the commission we agreed on beforehand..."

"Don't worry." Lin Shuyi quickly replied, "30%, you won't be shortchanged! But as we agreed before, when you regain the position of CEO, you have to make things convenient for Shuyi in the future."

"Naturally!" Hu Linquan said leisurely, "We're on the same side. I know what to do."

...

Ou Yan scanned all the software on his phone, copied all useful information, and then called He Ning.

"Go and invite Mr. Hu."

He Ning hurried off to call someone.

After a while, Hu Linquan swaggered in, "Miss Ou, want to ask me how to solve the current dilemma?"

Before Ou Yan could speak, Hu Linqian sat opposite her, smiling smugly, "If I were you, I'd honestly submit my resignation and let headquarters handle..."

"Mr. Hu, are you eyeing my position? Constantly emphasizing resignation... What, do you think you can sit in my place?" Ou Yan smirked, her aura strong.

"Haha," Hu Linquan found it amusing, "The one who can't sit here is you, isn't it? If you can't deliver the goods tomorrow, let's see how you explain it to everyone!"

"No need for Mr. Hu to worry about that."

Ou Yan threw a pile of reports in front of him, "These are your monthly expense reports since the company opened. I've checked them. On average, you spend over a hundred thousand each month, especially this month, thirteen expenses totaling one hundred and thirty thousand. Who are you entertaining with such a large sum?"

"Isn't it written here? Miss Ou, can't you read? Do I need to read them out to you one by one?" Hu Linqian leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed, "Like this month, I entertained thirteen clients, spending thirteen thousand on each on average..."

"The first invoice, on the 3rd of this month, you met with Mr. Liu, Deputy General Manager of Tianyi Company, and took him to dinner, golf, sauna, spending over nine thousand."

"Do you have a problem with that? I took him to dinner so he would cooperate with us long-term... You, a little girl, don't understand these social niceties..."

"But this month, Mr. Liu's wife was giving birth abroad, and he's out of the country. He wasn't even in the city."

Hu Linquan 's expression changed upon hearing this.

"This is the information I found." Ou Yan turned the computer screen towards him, showing pictures of Mr. Liu living abroad.

"The second invoice, on the 7th of this month, you met with Mr. Chen, CEO of Rubberband Company, and took him to a seafood dinner, KTV, foot massage, spending over thirteen thousand."

Hu Linquan became somewhat uncomfortable, "What's wrong with that?"

"Mr. Chen had just been to the emergency room on the 6th due to kidney stones and high uric acid levels, gout. He was on IV fluids at the hospital. On the 7th, it was impossible for him to accompany you to a seafood dinner."

Hu Linquan 's face turned a bit ugly, "Do you have evidence?"

"Since I've called you here, naturally, I have enough evidence." Ou Yan continued, "The third invoice, on the 9th of this month, you entertained the general manager of Xuanyi Company at a teahouse, massage parlor, and hot spring, spending over fourteen thousand."

"And then?"

"He was on a business trip. From the 7th to the 11th of this month, he was not in the city."

Hu Linquan was now fully aware that the situation was not good. He unconsciously sat up straight, no longer as relaxed as before.

"These are the evidence of your falsified expenses over the past year." Ou Yan clicked the mouse, and hundreds of documents appeared on the screen. She lightly smiled, "Mr. Hu, do you have anything else to say?"

  Chapter 133: Who says I can't do it?

Hu Linquan was choked with words as soon as he heard it.

"The second thing is how to solve this matter."

As soon as Ou Yan finished speaking, He Ning handed her an iPad. "President, I checked it. These are the award-winning works of Shuyi, the designer."

Ou Yan glanced at it. The competitions she participated in were all relatively unknown, and the awarded style was not like Yin Panpan's fresh and elegant style...

"Everyone can take a look. The consistent style of the other designer is obvious. It's obvious that he copied Panpan's work." Ou Yan placed the iPad on the conference table.

Everyone took a look, and it was indeed so.

"His design style is biased towards Korean style, which is different from Panpan's style!"

"It really looks like he copied Panpan's sketches..."

"But how could someone with such a big reputation copy a junior?"

Ou Yan found it funny. "Big reputation?"

"Yes, he has won hundreds of awards over the years..."

Ou Yan didn't think much of it. "It depends on what awards he's won. Some awards are worth a hundred, while others are not worth one."

"But Panpan hasn't participated in any competitions. After graduating, she has been working in our company, focusing on drawing sketches. How did the other party know about her and her sketches?" Someone couldn't understand.

"So I said there is a mole in the company. The sketches have leaked out, the other party got the sketches, produced them before us, and launched them first." President affirmed.

"This mole is too much! Actually betraying their own people!"

"If I find out who this mole is, I'll definitely beat them to death!"

"The other party must have given a lot of benefits..."

"..."

"Ou Yan, what's the point of you leading everyone to discuss these things?" Hu Linquan couldn't help but sneer. "The most urgent matter is tomorrow's new launch! Even if you can't do anything, please don't waste time..."

"Who says I can't do anything?" Ou Yan raised her eyebrows, exuding a confident aura all over her body.

Everyone was stunned. Even in this situation, does Ou Yan still have a way?

Hu Linquan was dumbfounded for a moment, apparently not believing it. "Then tell us, what's the solution? Can the company avoid losses, maintain its reputation, and even make a profit?"

Everyone thought it was impossible. There would definitely be some economic and reputational losses, and it was impossible to make a profit!

Hu Linquan's president was asking too much!

"There is indeed a way to avoid losses, maintain reputation, and even make a profit..."

When everyone heard Ou Yan say this, they were even more shocked. Is it really possible??

If Ou Yan really has a solution, then she's not a person, she's a god, right??

"Then tell us what the solution is, stop keeping us in suspense!" Hu Linquan completely didn't believe she could come up with a good solution.

Ou Yan stood up. "I will handle it! Meeting adjourned!"

Everyone was dumbfounded. Ou Yan herself... can handle it?!

Even if she turns into a magician now, she can't produce so many new clothes, right?!

When Ou Yan was about to enter the office, she saw Yin Panpan standing at the door, looking like she had been wronged but was trying to hold it in.

"President Ou, I..."

Ou Yan naturally knew her intention. "Come in and talk."

Yin Panpan hurriedly followed her steps, closed the office door, and then wiped away her tears. "President Ou! It's really not me. I didn't plagiarize Jin Shang's work! Before this, I didn't even know who Jin Shang was! Those 23 new designs were all designed by me alone! I can swear to the heavens!"

"I believe you."

Yin Panpan was stunned, her three raised fingers froze in mid-air. She had a lot more to say, but Ouyan actually believed her so easily?

"I believe in you as a person, and I trust your integrity." Ou Yan softened her tone. "Have a seat."

Yin Panpan carefully pulled out a chair. "President Ou, before I designed these sketches, I looked at many works by Master Qingyan and received your guidance, which led to these designs..."

She dared to guarantee that these designs were unique and had no similarities to any other works...

"Now think carefully, who have you shown these works to?"

Yin Panpan thought for a moment and said, "Everyone in the design department has seen these designs because department Head Yin Hao displayed all the sketches of the entire department on the screen for everyone to vote on, and my 23 sketches ranked very high, so they were all accepted in the end."

"Which means, everyone in the design department has seen your works..." Ou Yan tapped her slender fingers on the table.

Yin Panpan thought for a while and then said hastily, "Oh, yes! Before showing department head Yin the sketches, I showed them to you... On that day, it happened to be my father's anniversary, so it left a deep impression on me!"

Ou Yan remembered. On that day, Yin Panpan, with red eyes, showed her the sketches. When she asked the reason, it was because someone had dumped garbage on her father's grave...

Later, Yin Panpan was worried about her mother and took a sudden leave. Ou Yan happened to have a partner to meet, so she let He Ning drive them together...

"The sketches were on the desk at the time. When things were sorted out, I went through them again before giving them to you. I remember you put a pink dress on the top, right?"

"No, it wasn't." Yin Panpan recalled, very certain. "The first one was a pure white dress because I was most satisfied with that dress, so I put it at the front..."

"A white dress?" Ou Yan thought for a moment. "The last one I saw was the white dress."

Both suddenly realized something.

"It should be when someone came in."

Yin Panpan was shocked. How could someone dare to come into the CEO's office without permission?!

"Then wouldn't it be clear if we check the surveillance?" Yin Panpan suddenly had hope.

But Ou Yan said indifferently, "If someone came in, saw the sketches, or took them away, and wanted to walk out of this door with great fanfare, then there are only two possibilities: either they turned off the surveillance or deleted the surveillance records..."

 Chapter 30: Snacks

Huanhuan stepped forward to greet them, then began to take things out one by one from the octagonal food box.

"These are rose pastries, and these are lamp wick cakes."

Looking at the two layers of cakes, they were obviously not snacks from the capital, indeed quite rare.

"Where did these come from?"

"They were made by Zhu Jin from Madam's residence. She's always good at these things, but she was busy taking care of Madam lately. Now that Madam's illness has improved a lot, Zhu Jin has the time to make these snacks. She said there are hundreds of snacks from Shuzhou, and she wants to make them all for everyone to taste."

The Miss mood improved, and the servants followed suit.

This was a good thing.

Feng Yunhe also smiled, his clear and bright eyes filled with surprise.

"Even I haven't tasted Zhu Jin's craftsmanship for over a year. Aunt, you should try them. They taste really good."

As they were talking, Feng Jinxu arrived, stepping through the snow, tall and elegant, draped in a silver-gray cloak, making him look even more solitary like the bright moon in the clear sky.

Behind him was the guard who had come to report last time. Feng Jinyao felt a faint sense of familiarity when she saw him again.

"Greetings to Father."

"Greetings, Brother."

"Hmm." Feng Jinxu had finished his business early today, so he came specifically to see if Feng Yunhe had made any progress while here.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered, he saw a room full of people preparing tea snacks, and he couldn't help but be surprised.

It was snacks from Shuzhou!

For some reason, he suddenly remembered the time when he had just married Wen and ate these snacks, which were indeed very delicious.

Unfortunately, after the unpleasantness between them, he had barely entered Wen's room, let alone tasted these snacks again.

Seeing his brother's nostalgia, Feng Jinyao quickly signaled Huanhuan to bring the snacks over.

"Brother, try them. Sister-in-law just had someone send them over."

Huanhuan lowered her head, brought the snacks over, and Feng Jinxu glanced at her without any ripples. It was the guard next to him who suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

"Huanhuan? What are you doing here?"

This surprised everyone present.

"Do you know each other?" Feng Jinxu asked, frowning.

The guard realized he had overstepped and quickly bowed respectfully.

"Master, she is my sister. I don't know why she's here."

"A few days ago, I was sold to the mansion and now I serve in Madam's room. Today, I was ordered to bring snacks to Third Miss and Young Master."

"You..." The guard's surprise turned into confusion, even anger.

If the timing had been right, he would have questioned her on the spot.

On the other hand, Huanhuan's expression was determined.

At that moment, Feng Jinyao suddenly realized what the familiarity was all about.

In her previous life, after her brother was attacked and killed, this guard escorted his body back. Unfortunately, he was also injured during the attack. After burying her brother, this guard disappeared as well.

At that time, it was said that her father had given him some money and let him return to his hometown.

Now, thinking about it, she seemed to have seen this guard outside Wen's study once.

But she didn't think much of it at the time.

It was just a passing glance. If he hadn't worn the exact same clothes today, she probably wouldn't have remembered.

Now it seemed that there was something fishy going on, and if her brother's death was really related to the Wen family, then this guard must be involved, perhaps even an accomplice.

Thinking of this possibility, her vigilance immediately rose, and she looked at him with suspicion.

Unfortunately, he was an outsider, and her second brother was not in the mansion, so she couldn't investigate many things.

Her gaze fell on Huanhuan next to him, her eyes cold.

Since they were siblings, some things had to start from her, and she was afraid she could only find out through her.

She didn't believe that her brother would betray their former master, and his sister would be innocent!

Thinking of this, she began to plan.

"Huanhuan is quite good. She's well-behaved and quick to learn. If Sister-in-law is willing, I'd like to have her. Things at home are busy, and I need extra help."

After saying this tentatively, her brother remained expressionless, but the guard next to him frowned even deeper. In Feng Jinyao's eyes, there was a hint of a different meaning.

"If you like, ask Sister-in-law for her. If you ask, I'm sure she'll agree."

Feng Jinyao smiled faintly, looking at Huanhuan with a look of determination.

After enjoying the snacks, Feng Yunhe showed Feng Jinxu the invitation he had just written.

It was rare to have such good penmanship at such a young age, and while he admired it, he still reminded him not to be complacent and to continue working hard.

Feng Yunhe respectfully agreed, showing no signs of the disappointment he had previously shown. Instead, he seemed more excited, which puzzled Feng Jinxu.

He felt that his son's resistance to him was not as strong as before.

Then he saw the smile on Feng Jinyao's face as she looked at his son, and he felt even more puzzled. What kind of riddle were these two playing?

"During these days, Yunhe has been doing well with you. Ah Yao, please take good care of him. When spring comes next year, he will go to the academy so that he won't be laughed at by his peers."

"Brother, rest assured."

After saying that, she had someone bring in several pieces of silk and presented them to her brother.

"During these days, Sister-in-law hasn't been feeling well, so winter clothes haven't been made. I just got some good fabric here, with elegant and beautiful patterns. Brother, please take them to Sister-in-law when you have the chance."

In her words, there was an implied gesture of reconciliation between their families.

Feng Yunhe's eyes were full of hope. If his parents could reconcile and return to the way they used to be, he would naturally be happy.

"Hmm."

Upon hearing his affirmative answer, Feng Yunhe looked at Feng Jinyao with gratitude in his eyes.

In the courtyard where Sister-in-law lived, it was bustling.

Because the knot in her heart had been untied, Madam Wen was much more spirited.

Now she was collecting the first snow of winter with her maids, burying it under the plum blossoms. When spring came next year, they would take it out and brew tea with it, giving the tea a hint of snow plum fragrance.

When Feng Jinxu entered with his son, he happened to see her standing on the veranda, collecting snow.

She was elegant and charming, with a gentle demeanor.

For a moment, it was as if he had returned to the time when they first met, and her sweet smile had fallen into his heart.

As he was reminiscing, one of her maids suddenly called out "Master," and this picturesque scene, mixed with memories of the past, was shattered.

When Wen turned around, she saw her husband and son standing at the gate, a faint sense of father-son affection lingering around them.

Zhu Jin was the smartest, and after so many days, it was the first time Master had set foot in the courtyard, so she couldn't neglect him.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 198: It's Foolish Not to Make Money When You Have Silver

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 197: Let Me Hold You for a While

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 653: If you don't accept it, come and fight. If I back down, I'll admit you as my father.

Lin Hao stopped Weiwei from getting up by pressing her shoulder, making her unable to stand.

Weiwei became angry and struggled, cursing, "Let go of me, you despicable people! You are all lowly ants, not supposed to be here!"

Qin Ruan's face turned dark like a storm approaching.

Her eyes revealed a hidden danger, exuding a reckless and arrogant aura.

Qin Ruan approached Weiwei, unable to bend due to her condition, so she lowered her head to meet Weiwei's resentful gaze.

In a cold and menacing tone, she said, "Even if I'm an ant, I am the one who can change everything, while you are not even worthy of looking up to me, let alone meeting me at eye level. You can only be looked down upon by me like trash."

Weiwei was trembling with anger, never having been insulted like this before.

Her lips trembled, eyes filled with indignant tears, she said, "You rely on others' power! You're going too far!"

Qin Ruan's lips curved with a wicked smile as she lifted Weiwei's chin.

Her eyes showed a sharp intent, cold and terrifying.

Her voice, however, was calm and indifferent, with a tantalizing charm, "Even if I take away the title of 'Mrs. Huo,' you can't harm me in the slightest. If you don't accept it, come and fight. If I back down, I'll admit you as my father."

In the western city, when Qin Ruan fought with others, this self-righteous woman was still playing with her friends like a child.

The Hou family indeed held great power in the capital, enough to make people tremble in fear.

But one should not be too arrogant; actions have consequences.

Qin Ruan thought she had been low-key after her rebirth, but that didn't mean she was passive!

In front of everyone's gaze, Qin Ruan appeared completely different from before.

The gentle and dignified demeanor was replaced by coldness and ruthlessness, exuding an unrestrained arrogance.

This was the true Qin Xiaowu.

Back in the western city, she only acknowledged one rule: fight if you don't accept it, and whoever surrendered was a loser.

She had never admitted defeat in all these years.

She was not a prestigious lady or a member of a noble family, but her blood ran with restlessness.

If someone crossed her bottom line, a ferocious fighting spirit would ignite within her.

More and more people gathered at the entrance of the balcony.

They had a similar impression of Qin Ruan and Weiwei.

The latter married Mr. Hou and entered the Hou family all because of the child in her belly, but they knew her humble background well. Previous encounters with her showed no inconsistencies in her behavior.

Now, however, she seemed like a completely different person.

Qin Ruan paid no attention to their gazes as she locked her eyes on Weiwei.

Her eyes held a natural cruelty, a strong and imposing aura that made Weiwei tremble and feel a chilling sensation.

The strong killing intent emanating from Qin Ruan was too obvious and overwhelming, leaving Weiwei unable to speak.

She felt deeply humiliated in front of so many people.

Most of those watching were from the four major families and the six great clans.

If news of this incident spread, it would be difficult for Weiwei to find a place to stand.

Qin Ruan seemed to see through Weiwei's heart, and she sneered, released her chin, and turned to face Su Jingshu behind her.

Meeting Su Jingshu cold and calm gaze, Qin Ruan smiled with sarcasm, her smile not reaching her eyes.

With a raised arm holding the empty champagne glass, she uttered a single word, "Wine."

Su Jingshu furrowed his brows and asked, "Aren't you unable to drink?"

Qin Ruan clicked her tongue, lazily swaying the glass, and said, "Who said I want to drink?"

Upon learning she wasn't going to drink, Su Jingshu handed her the half-filled champagne glass.

Qin Ruan took the glass and approached Weiwei again.

As she passed by Weiwei, who was still restrained by Lin Hao, Qin Ruan's steps didn't even pause.

She stood in front of the girl in a light yellow dress, who was Weiwei's close friend.

Seeing the girl's panic and confusion, Qin Ruan smiled, but her smile was far from genuine.

She lifted her arm holding the glass and poured the champagne over the girl's head.

The girl widened her eyes, tears welling up, looking pitiful and yet strong at the same time.

Her carefully arranged hairstyle and delicate makeup were ruined by the champagne.

Her body trembled, her hands clenched tightly, and her voice quivered as she asked Qin Ruan, "Why? I haven't offended you. Why would you do this?"

Her demeanor, appearing wronged yet trying to restrain herself, was indeed worthy of sympathy.

But most of those present were sharp observers, some even experts in analyzing people, like master-level tea connoisseurs.

Lin Hao couldn't help but chuckle, quickly disguising it as a cough.

Chapter 652: Are You Double Standard, Miss Su?

Weiwei comes from a distinguished family but is not a direct descendant. She knows Su Jingshu. When she sees Su Jingshu, she feels relieved and mocks Qin Ruan with a sneer. Weiwei mockingly says, "Indeed, you have a lowly background and carry the air of commoners."

Su Jingshu ignores Weiwei and looks at Qin Ruan with a smile, raising an eyebrow.

Qin Ruan remains calm, playing with her fingers.

Lately, she has gained some weight, noticeable even in her hands.

All three gaze at Qin Ruan.

She moves her wrist slowly and gracefully.

Su Jingshu's smiling eyes suddenly show astonishment.

A fast wind passes by her face.

"Smack!"

A crisp slap echoes near Su Jingshu's ear.

Weiwei covers her face, angrily staring at Qin Ruan in disbelief.

The slap left her face burning.

After coming to her senses, Weiwei angrily rushes toward Qin Ruan, "You crazy woman! Who do you think you are to hit me? I'll fight you!"

Passing by Su Jingshu, Weiwei notices the surprise on her face, but she looks hesitant.

As Weiwei approaches, Qin Ruan pushes her away.

Weiwei can't get close to her and is pushed back several meters.

Qin Ruan looks at her with a half-smile, a mischievous glint in her eyes, no longer displaying the gentle and obedient demeanor.

With an icy tone, she points at Weiwei, "If I hear any more vile curses from your mouth, I'll shut it for you!"

Weiwei knows Qin Ruan heard her conversation with her best friend earlier.

Not only does she not feel remorseful, but she also insists, "Hmph! I spoke the truth! Mr. Hou was destined to die! You'll be a widow sooner or later. I'm waiting for the day when the Hou family kicks you out. Just you wait!"

Su Jingshu's hand holding the wine glass trembles slightly, still in shock.

Her eyes reveal a hint of concern, as if hesitating.

When Weiwei charges at Qin Ruan, she shouts, "Lin Hao, Hou Qiang!"

Two figures quickly appear on the balcony.

Lin Hao and Hou Qiang were not far away from the balcony's entrance, so they heard everything that was happening inside.

Upon Qin Ruan's call, they immediately show up.

"Madam."

Both of them approach Qin Ruan, slightly bowing.

Qin Ruan's beautiful eyes size up Weiwei, and a cold, bloodthirsty glint flickers in her eyes. Despite her soft and gentle tone, her words are firm.

"A sharp tongue leads to self-destruction, teach her a lesson."

Hou Qiang glances at Lin Hao, who walks to Weiwei's side and raises his hand high.

"You can't bully people like this!"

Weiwei is taken aback and quickly moves away.

She never expected Qin Ruan to call for someone to discipline her.

"Bullying you?" Qin Ruan replies, "You're not worth it. Lin Hao, do it!"

They shouldn't let her get away with discussing Hou Yunjiao and leaving without consequences.

Qin Ruan wants to teach her a lesson so that she won't dare to spread rumors again.

Lin Hao raises his hand and swiftly slaps Weiwei's face.

The forceful slap leaves her face even more swollen.

Su Jingshu watches without expression, then turns around to stare at Weiwei, "What did you say?"

Weiwei is stunned and remembers the rumors she heard about the Su family and the Hou family.

She tries to explain, "Third Young Master Hou was destined to die..."

"Smack!"

Lin Hao slaps her again.

The low murmurs in the VIP room stop when Weiwei's loud cries fill the air.

All eyes focus on the balcony.

A young couple who had been conversing in the VIP room, Fu Yueyuan's son and daughter, Eldest Master Fu and Fourt Miss Fu, quickly walk toward the balcony, worried about a possible accident.

Others also gather around the balcony.

Qin Ruan listens to Weiwei's loud outbursts, her brows furrowed in annoyance.

She quickly approaches Weiwei, lifts her foot, and kicks her left knee.

Weiwei loses balance and kneels on the ground.

Lin Hao follows, kicking her right knee.

Weiwei kneels on the ground in a sorry state, completely different from her previous arrogance.

Qin Ruan looks down at her with a deep and resolute gaze and speaks gently but firmly, "Today's misfortune is of your own making. It doesn't matter who you are or what your status is, you have no right to compare yourself to me. Whenever I'm around, for the sake of your own life, stay away from me!"

Otherwise, Qin Ruan fears that she might lose control and kill Weiwei if they meet again.

Weiwei, despite her disheveled appearance, glares at Qin Ruan fiercely, "Who do you think you are? Just a lowly, illegitimate child! Without the Huo family, you're nothing but a worthless ant in the mud!"

A faint smirk crosses Qin Ruan's lips, barely visible.

In a soft but resolute voice, she asks Weiwei, "Do you know why you're kneeling?"

Weiwei's eyes widen, and she realizes she's still kneeling.

The pressure on her shoulders disappears, and she tries to stand up.

 Chapter 703: So... Big Brother Wang?

Lu Shuyu didn't expect that she didn't even need to explain, and Wang Changdong had already made things convenient for her.

She thanked him, saying, "Alright, then I won't hold back."

"Why be polite with me? If you encounter any problems, just tell Big Brother Wang. If there's anything he can help with, I guarantee he'll take care of it properly."

Lu Shuyu almost choked on her noodles. So...Big Brother Wang?

In the midst of their conversation, Aunt Fang brought Wang Changdong's noodles as well. After placing them down, she asked Lu Shuyu, "How does it taste? I've just arrived at the manor, so I'm not familiar with the tastes of the stewards. If there's anything wrong, be sure to let me know in advance."

"Aunt Fang is too modest. It tastes delicious. Luckily, Aunt Fang is now in the kitchen. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to taste such delicious noodles."

Aunt Fang felt a bit embarrassed by her praise. "I'm fortunate to have this job. If you and Xiyue hadn't gone up the mountain to hunt big beast, she wouldn't have had this opportunity either."

That was the official story, but the Fang family's parents knew that it was Lu Shuyu who had received advance information, allowing them to meet the prefect so coincidentally.

Although they didn't know how she got the information, her willingness to help Xiyue was a great favor to their family.

Aunt Fang didn't linger. She nodded to the two of them and said, "Enjoy your meal. I'll come back later to clean up the bowls and chopsticks."

Lu Shuyu quickly spoke up, "Oh, Aunt Fang, from now on, I'll have breakfast here at the manor but won't need you to prepare my meals for lunch and dinner. I'll have them at home."

Her grandmother loved cooking for her now. In the past, their family didn't have good conditions, and having coarse cornbread with pickled vegetables was considered a treat. They didn't even talk about recipes or seasonings.

But now, it was different. With Shu Yu taking care of Xiyue, her grandmother was willing to use oil and seasonings generously, and the dishes she made were fragrant and delicious, making Shu Yu's mouth water.

Especially since they arrived at Zhengdao Village, her grandmother didn't have much to do on a regular basis. She didn't need to work in the fields, sew cloth dolls, or collect firewood. Zhao Xi and Meng Yunzheng had already stacked a pile of firewood in a corner of the backyard, and the water barrel was full.

Apart from going to the river to wash clothes and cook, her grandmother had a lot of free time. When she had nothing to do, she wanted to improve their meals and was determined to fatten herself up in exile.

She knew that Shu Yu knew a lot of dishes, so she asked her to write down the recipes.

Although her grandmother couldn't read, they had Da Hu at home. Whenever it was time to cook, Da Hu would stand beside her, holding the recipe and reading out the steps.

If Shu Yu didn't come home to eat, her grandmother would probably get angry.

After receiving her request, Aunt Fang immediately agreed. "Alright, I'll go to the kitchen and let the head chef know."

Now Aunt Fang was responsible for preparing breakfast at the manor. The head chef wanted to be lazy and slept in late. But the chef himself took charge of lunch and dinner, with Aunt Fang assisting.

Once Aunt Fang left, Wang Changdong raised his head. "You're saving money for the manor with this."

Shu Yu smiled. "Not at all. I just want to spend more time with my family. They traveled a long way to come here for me, so it's important to spend more time together."

Wang Changdong nodded. "That makes sense."

However, when he heard her mention family, Wang Changdong suddenly thought of the Shu family.

"By the way, someone from the Shu family asked me about Hou Shi and her daughter, but Hou Shi didn't tell them about going to the post station."

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 702: Room and Board Included Here

Shu Feng wanted to gather more information, but Wang Changdong was already impatient. "Alright, if I can't say, I can't say. Don't stand around here. Don't you see what time it is? Go do your work!"

Shu Feng opened his mouth, not daring to offend him. Now that Lu Shuyu was already in charge, they couldn't afford to make others hate them.

So he could only force a smile and thank him before hurrying back to the Shu family group.

The Shu family members hurriedly approached and asked, "What happened? What did that official Wang say?"

Shu Feng's face turned gloomy as he recounted what Wang Changdong had told him.

The Shu family members wore expressions of disbelief. "What? Hou Shi and her daughter have left?!"

The voice was quite loud, and Lu Shuyu was sitting nearby, making it hard not to hear.

She glanced at them, raised an eyebrow, and thought to herself, how interesting that the Shu family only found out about Hou Shi and her sixth sister leaving now?

That was truly amusing.

Watching as the last person finished registering, Lu Shuyu stood up and prepared to pack her things and head inside.

Aunt Xue, who had been watching her all this time, rushed out. "Wait, we haven't registered yet. Why are you leaving?"

Lu Shuyu paused for a moment. "Oh, I thought none of you were going to line up and planned to take the day off from work."

"No, of course not."

The Shu family members didn't have time to condemn Hou Shi and her daughter anymore. With so many of them, if everyone took the day off, they would go hungry today and tomorrow.

The Shu family members rushed over, had Lu Shuyu register first, and then went to collect their tools.

Only Shu Feng remained standing in place. He gritted his teeth and asked, "How did you become the steward of the manor?"

Lu Shuyu raised her head and sneered. "What does it have to do with you?"

"You..."

Lu Shuyu turned and left, leaving Shu Feng seething outside the door.

Not bothering to think about what the Shu family members were thinking, Lu Shuyu went inside and poured herself a cup of hot water. Taking a sip, she instantly felt much more comfortable.

Her movements were quick, and she was efficient. As a result, everyone involved in the land cultivation had finished registering, while the hunting team had yet to arrive.

She took the opportunity to take a short break.

But just as she sat down at the round table in the hall, she heard footsteps behind her. In no time, a bowl of steaming noodles was placed in front of her.

Lu Shuyu looked up in surprise, seeing the person in front of her. "Aunt Fang?"

Aunt Fang pushed the bowl closer to her. "You must be hungry. Eat quickly. I just cooked them. You can taste my cooking too."

As she spoke, Wang Changdong walked in from outside.

Seeing Lu Shuyu's bewildered expression, he laughed and walked over to her, saying to Aunt Fang, "Bring me a bowl of noodles too. I'll eat here."

"Alright." Aunt Fang turned around and left.

Wang Changdong turned to Lu Shuyu and said, "I didn't have a chance to tell you since you didn't come to work the past few days. People working on this manor are provided with meals. Aunt Fang eats here as well. But if you want to have your meals at home, just let the kitchen know in advance. It's not mandatory. Accommodation used to be provided too, but I thought you'd be more comfortable staying at home, so I didn't reserve a room for you."

Lu Shuyu understood. She nodded and smiled. "I was actually planning to go home for breakfast after finishing here. I didn't expect to receive such good treatment."

Wang Changdong chuckled. "Of course. Although you don't have to go home for meals, you can still go back and take a nap when you have free time."

Next Chapter▶▶

"I'll bet with you!"

After calming down her father, Chen Xue walked out in front of everyone's surprised gaze.

"Are you sure?"

Kuang Wei was somewhat surprised. He didn't expect Chen Xue to take the initiative, but after a moment of hesitation, he showed extreme delight.

Although he didn't know where Chen Xue's confidence came from, he didn't care at all because there was no way he would lose in hunting.

He grew up in the mountains since he was a child, making a living by hunting. Later, when his family's savings were depleted, they managed to get him a position as a Bailiff.

Later on, he discovered that being a banished Bailiff was the most profitable. It took a lot of effort to get in touch with Captain Sun and become a member of the banished group.

Although he became a Bailiff, his hunting skills didn't diminish. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to join the banished Bailiff group, attracting a group of followers.

After all, following him meant there was meat to eat.

"Everyone saw it! She's the one who wants to bet with us!" Kuang Wei looked around with joy, loudly declaring to ensure that everyone heard it, to prevent Chen Xue from backing out.

After speaking, he looked at Chen Xue with a smile, "That's right, let's bet on who catches more prey. If we lose, we'll apologize to you, and if we win, you'll accompany us."

Kid, you're doomed!

Before Chen Xue could speak, Chen Yuan stared fiercely at Kuang Wei, thinking about whether to rush up and kill him.

But considering that his daughter had a plan, he gave up.

Well, let's wait until tonight. When it's quiet and dark, quietly kill him. That way, no one will know.

While Chen Yuan was lost in his thoughts, Chen Xue frowned and said, "This doesn't seem fair, does it? If you lose, just apologizing is too simple, right?"

"What do you want then?"

Chen Xue narrowed her eyes, "If you lose, you have to run three laps around the exiled group and shout 'I am a pig.'"

She was quite petty. These people dared to have designs on her; she wouldn't let them off easily.

Although she couldn't kill them, she could ruin their reputation, which would be even more unbearable than killing them.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Kuang Wei and the others' faces changed drastically, and they immediately refused without hesitation.

Are you kidding? The exiled group was so long, with so many people, and shouting 'I am a pig'? Where would they put their faces?

By then, this matter would probably spread throughout the capital, and they wouldn't have the face to go back. When they did, they would be ridiculed.

"What's wrong? Afraid of losing?" Chen Xue taunted, "Just now, you were so confident, now where's your courage?"

As she spoke, she gave a signal to Xu Tian, who didn't understand. Chen Yuan had to give him a push and remind him.

Xu Tian stumbled forward and, after steadying himself, quickly stepped forward, "Tsk tsk tsk, I knew you were afraid of losing. If you don't dare to bet, apologize to Master Chen now."

Upon hearing Xu Tian's words, everyone was furious, "Are we afraid of you?"

They all knew about Xu Tian's incompetence in hunting. They had never seen him succeed in hunting.

How could they fear someone so useless at hunting? Each of them could easily catch a bunch of prey.

Initially, they hesitated because they were worried about any tricks Chen Xue might have. Now, they realized that Chen Xue had no weapons, no experience, and most importantly, she had a teammate who was a complete idiot.

They were all experienced hunters. How could they possibly lose?

Moreover, the thought of winning and getting Chen Xue made them feel excited. They had seen many women, but she was the most beautiful they had ever seen.

Truly a young lady from a rich family.

For a moment, Kuang Wei was brimming with confidence, "Who's afraid of you? We'll bet!"

"But..."

Chen Xue changed the subject, making Kuang Wei's heart skip a beat, thinking she was about to back out. Just as he was about to say something, he heard her continue.

"However, who knows if you'll back out if you lose?"

"Back out?"

Kuang Wei and the others were stunned. They hadn't even considered the possibility of losing. But now that Chen Xue mentioned it, they realized.

They could just back out if they lost. After all, nobody could force them.

However, it seemed that Chen Xue had already considered that they might back out. If she didn't trust them, she probably wouldn't bet with them at all.

"What do you want to do?" Kuang Wei asked, his eyes flashing. He guessed Chen Xue's intention, but couldn't figure it out. After all, it was just a few words, and it wouldn't harm him in any way.

In the end, he agreed and decided to go first.

The two of them walked aside, away from the others, where their conversation couldn't be heard.

"Look into my eyes."

Upon hearing Chen Xue's words, although confused, Kuang Wei subconsciously looked into her eyes.

However, just as he raised his head, Kuang Wei began to feel a bit dizzy. Then, he heard Chen Xue's voice.

"What are you most afraid of being exposed?"

Kuang Wei hesitated, but ultimately answered honestly, "I'm most afraid of the matter between me and Captain Sun's wife being exposed."

Damn it! Captain Sun had become a big deal.

Indeed, it was a big deal!

If Captain Sun found out, killing him would be considered letting him off lightly. It would probably be difficult for Captain Sun to forgive him even if he was chopped into ten thousand pieces.

Chen Xue then asked Kuang Wei for more details about the situation and made him reveal other sensitive information before undoing the hypnosis.

"What's wrong with me?"

Kuang Wei felt a bit dizzy, and it took him a while to remember that Chen Xue wanted to talk to him. "What do you want to say?"

"Nothing!"

Chen Xue dismissed him and then proceeded to use the same technique on others, making them reveal their secrets and recording them with a voice recorder.

"Alright, our competition will have a time limit, right?"

"One hour!"

"Good!"

After Kuang Wei and his men left, Xu Tian hurried over anxiously. "Miss Chen, why did you agree to bet with them so easily? This... is too..."

Xu Tian didn't know what to say. Kuang Wei and his men were very skilled in hunting, and all the yamen runners in the banished group knew that.

"Don't you have confidence in yourself?"

Chen Xue suddenly asked.

"... "

Xu Tian wanted to say that how could he lack confidence in himself, but he couldn't say it. He... really lacked confidence.

So, he turned to Chen Yuan helplessly and asked, "Lord Chen, why didn't you stop her?"

"It's fine." Chen Yuan's eyes were filled with killing intent, "Even if we lose, it's okay. I'll just kill them all."

Xu Tian: "..."

They're insane, completely insane!

But thinking that the person in front of him was Chen Yuan, whom he respected and admired, Xu Tian felt that the crazy one should be him.

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 701: The Shu Family Learns of the Whereabouts of the Hou Mother and Daughter

Wang Changdong was taken aback. "You're telling me this now when they've been missing for two days?"

Something didn't add up. The official in charge of registration had informed him that no one had been absent in the past two days.

Wang Changdong wasn't very familiar with Shu Feng. There were too many prisoners in Zhengdao Village, and he couldn't remember which family Shu Feng belonged to.

Shu Feng quickly explained, "We didn't intend to hide anything. Before my sister and the others left, they had an argument with us and went to stay at someone else's house. We thought they would come back once they calmed down, but we haven't seen them, and they haven't been working in the fields these past two days. So, we were afraid something happened to them and hurriedly came to ask the officer."

Wang Changdong furrowed his brow. "Which family are you from? How old is your sixth sister, and what's her name? When did she disappear?"

"We are from the Shu family, living at the foot of the mountain. My sixth sister is only eleven years old, and her mother is our aunt. By the way, after leaving home, they might have gone to the Lu family. It's Lu Shuyu. I just saw her sitting over there registering people. Officer, she was perfectly fine. How did she end up..."

Shu Feng's voice abruptly stopped as he saw Wang Changdong suddenly realize something. "I remember now! No wonder it sounded familiar. Are you talking about Aunt Hou and your sixth sister? Didn't they go to work at the post station?"

Shu Feng raised his head in astonishment. "You, what are you saying? Working at the post station?"

Wang Changdong's expression turned strange in an instant. "You don't know? They met the prefect that day, and the prefect said the post station needed more staff, so he transferred them there."

Shu Feng felt a daze wash over him. The post station? They had actually left and were working there. Did that mean they wouldn't come back in the future?

Wang Changdong continued, "Strange, how come you didn't know? After receiving the letter that day, didn't they go back to pack their things and bid you farewell? They didn't tell you."

That day?

Shu Feng remembered. Hou Shi and his sixth sister did come back midway.

They found it strange too. She was perfectly fine working in the fields, so why did she suddenly return?

Then, before they could exchange a few peaceful words, Second Uncle directly slapped Hou Shi.

After that, Hou Shi and Second Uncle started arguing. She picked up the thrown bag, turned around, and left, never to return.

So, at that time, they had already gone to the post station?

Shu Feng's body trembled lightly. Working at the post station was undoubtedly much better than cultivating the land here.

Why? Not only did Lu Shuyu become the steward of this manor, but they couldn't do anything to her.

Even Hou Shi and his sixth sister had left, and it would become increasingly difficult for them to see them again.

A tinge of anger flashed across Shu Feng's face, but he forcefully restrained it and managed to squeeze out a smile. "Officer, do you know which post station they went to?"

Wang Changdong glanced at him. "I can't say that."

He was astute enough to realize that Hou Shi and the others didn't get along with the Shu family. Otherwise, even if they had a falling out and argued, it wouldn't make sense for them to leave without a word.

Moreover, the decision to transfer them was not something he could casually disclose.

If anyone could come and ask, where would be the rules?

Next Chapter▶▶