When Murong Mingyuan came to mind, Li Qianfan immediately thought of the cross-shaped tattoo on her face.
He also thought of the "ambition" hidden beneath her humble exterior.
"It's time to let her out for a spin," Li Qianfan muttered to himself.
Shen Yun immediately pressed, "Who?"
Li Qianfan replied truthfully, "Murong Mingyuan."
Shen Yun's delicate eyebrows furrowed, but she said nothing.
Li Qianfan knew what she was worried about.
She wasn't worried about Murong Mingyuan's safety while out.
She was only worried that the untamed filly would seize the opportunity to cause trouble and ruin Li Qianfan's plans.
"Don't worry," Li Qianfan said. "Since I've chosen her to go out, I'm not afraid of her causing trouble. If she cooperates obediently, I'll give her unexpected benefits. If she dares to cause trouble..."
He smiled coldly and said no more.
This was Li Qianfan's chance for Murong Mingyuan.
It would be best if she cherished it.
If she wanted to stir up trouble, she should never come back!
"Chongchong, you stay home and be good," Li Qianfan said seriously as he stood up after making up his mind. "Don't worry about my safety. I'll return unharmed."
Shen Yun said nothing, but hugged his waist, pressed her cheek against his chest, and listened to his heartbeat.
After a few minutes of embracing, Li Qianfan said, "I have to go."
He didn't want to leave.
He had been spending every waking moment with Shen Chongchong these past two days, and it was blissfully wonderful.
But he had to go—
At one o'clock in the afternoon, Li Qianfan drove alone to the Zhizhi Club in the provincial capital.
Chu Yazhi had been waiting for him.
And Kang Ning was also there.
Kang Ning's mother had been brought to Tiandong long ago, after Kang Ning impersonated Li Qianfan and took Chu Yazhi to Lingnan.
She was currently in Tiandong Hospital, receiving the best treatment.
Her condition was improving well.
With the heaviest burden of many years finally lifted, Kang Ning's overall demeanor had improved significantly.
After returning to Tiandong, she had been cultivated by Chu Yazhi as her deputy.
In the general manager's office.
Kang Ning knocked and entered. Upon seeing Li Qianfan, she was startled for a moment before quickly bowing in greeting.
"Kang Ning," Li Qianfan said with a smile, "I've come this time for you to continue impersonating me and to cover our tracks."
Kang Ning quickly replied, "Young Master Li, please give me your specific instructions."
"Sit," Li Qianfan said after gesturing for Kang Ning to sit down. "This mission is even more important than the last. You might have to interact with one, or even two, extremely dangerous women. If you slip up, your life could be in danger."
Kang Ning immediately became nervous.
This was a normal reaction.
Li Qianfan comforted her, "But you only need to feign illness or use a similar excuse to get through it safely, for a maximum of 48 hours."
For the next few hours, Li Qianfan, Chu Yazhi, and Kang Ning remained in the office, repeatedly discussing and scrutinizing a plan for Kang Ning's appearance, identifying potential flaws and devising countermeasures.
When he arrived in the provincial capital, he didn't go to see Jiao Yin, who had been injured defending him, right away.
Because he had already called Bai Ziyan.
Bai Ziyan had said that Jiao Yin had fallen asleep due to a concussion.
Since the patient was resting, Li Qianfan didn't want to disturb her.
Bai Ziyan had promised to inform her mother as soon as she woke up that Li Qianfan had arrived in the provincial capital and wanted to visit her.
Li Qianfan thought—
Jiao Yin probably hoped he would visit her at the Liushui Pavilion at dusk!
After all, certain things were not suitable to be done in broad daylight.
Indeed.
At dusk.
As Kang Ning, following Li Qianfan's instructions, quietly brought Zhai Hua and Zhai Xin, who had secretly rushed over from Qingyun, to the station, Bai Ziyan called to say her mother had woken up.
Upon hearing that Li Qianfan had arrived in the provincial capital and was about to visit her, Jiao Yin chided Bai Ziyan a few times.
Essentially, she said, "How could you let Young Master Li wait for me to wake up? His time is so precious, Ziyan, you should have woken me up earlier."
After chiding Bai Ziyan, Jiao Yin urged her to call Li Qianfan immediately and invite him to the Liushui Pavilion.
Coincidentally.
When Li Qianfan last visited the Liushui Pavilion, it had been drizzling.
This evening, it had begun to rain again.
However, due to an incoming cold front, tiny snowflakes were falling amidst the light drizzle.
Li Qianfan emerged from the back door of the club, carrying the gift Chu Yazhi had prepared for him.
The Zhizhi Club was now off-limits to men.
Li Qianfan could only use the back door to enter and exit the club.
A car was parked outside the back alley; it was Bai Ziyan's.
"It seems you'll be staying at the Liushui Pavilion tonight," Bai Ziyan said as Li Qianfan got into the car and started driving.
Li Qianfan buckled his seatbelt and said lazily, "Whether I can stay at the Liushui Pavilion depends on how sincere your mother is. Especially if she has the ability to make me lose control."
Bai Ziyan frowned, "She's not my mother!"
"Alright," Li Qianfan said, unconcerned. "But I think if Miss Jiao really wants to capture me, she should send out the woman imprisoned in the basement. After all, the CEO of the Dark Web wouldn't personally do that kind of thing with me."
The woman imprisoned in the basement by Jiao Yin was Bai Ziyan's biological mother.
Li Qianfan speculated that Jiao Yin would use that woman to capture him, then personally entice him to the Blackwater Forest and accompany him.
Little did she know.
The chief executive of the Dark Web had already devised a pregnancy plan specifically for him!
Thinking that she could infiltrate Long Xu through her child, Jiao Yin had long since decided to personally get involved.
Bai Ziyan pursed her lips and asked softly, "If that happens, what will you do?"
Li Qianfan chuckled, "I have no intention of becoming your stepfather, nor am I interested in being comrades with many men."
A clear blush of shame and anger flashed across Bai Ziyan's face.
She knew Li Qianfan was speaking the truth.
She had even seen scenes of Jiao Meibi playing "Fight the Landlord" with Du Yuanhang and his son online.
Given Li Qianfan's status, he would never touch Jiao Meibi, even if his head were cut off.
However, despite that—
When Li Qianfan spoke the truth, Bai Ziyan still felt a pang of heartache. "Once I control the Bai family, I will make that woman disappear from the face of the earth."
Jiao Meibi's existence was a disgrace to Bai Ziyan!
Li Qianfan said nothing.
Whether Bai Ziyan chose to patricide was her private matter, and Li Qianfan would not interfere.
Similarly, Li Qianfan knew that if Bai Ziyan truly intended to do so, she would make meticulous plans.
After all, Jiao Yin was the CEO of the Dark Web. If she discovered that Bai Ziyan posed a fatal threat to her, Bai Ziyan would be in danger.
Li Qianfan looked out the car window at the swirling snowflakes and changed the subject. "The old man Bai (Bai Lingtang), he's not at the Liushui Pavilion?"
Bai Ziyan replied, "He visited during the day. He left not long after Jiao Yin fell asleep."
She paused.
Bai Ziyan added, "Even if he were at the Liushui Pavilion, what difference would it make? He's just another tool of Jiao Yin's, like the woman in the basement."
She was right.
Li Qianfan changed the subject again. "Kang Ning has already discreetly set off with her team to the designated location I gave her. We'll finalize the specific operational plan with you after I meet with Du Junlin."
"Alright," Bai Ziyan said. "I'm available anytime. But are you sure the Rhodes family will let their guard down and give us an opportunity for a slaughter in their stronghold?"
"I can't be sure. Even if the Rhodes family is genuinely distracted by Kang Ning and her team, their defenses will still be very high. But no matter what, if I don't make a trip to the Rhodes family's stronghold, I'll be extremely uncomfortable."
"I feel the same way," Bai Ziyan nodded and suddenly said, "Li Qianfan, if you can really conquer Jiao Yin, completely subdue her, and turn her into your spy to cooperate with our actions, that would be ideal."
Hmph—
Li Qianfan snorted and said indifferently, "Although I'm narcissistic, I'm not so narcissistic as to believe I can completely win over the third president of the Dark Web through any means. Even if I could conquer her, it would be her using me to gain greater benefits. Some women can never be completely subdued by any man."
He glanced at Bai Ziyan and said, "You are one of those women."
Bai Ziyan gently turned the steering wheel and said slowly, "You haven't conquered me yet, how do you know I can't be subdued by you?"
Li Qianfan remained silent.
He merely looked at the sleet falling outside the car window, thinking of the two older sisters in Long Xu, the whereabouts of Pai Pai unknown, and Chongchong.
Sigh.
These few people around him always made him worry.
The car slowly came to a stop.
Li Qianfan's wandering thoughts were interrupted.
They had arrived at the Liushui Pavilion.
The light sleet had intensified into heavy snowfall.
A white figure stood at the entrance of the Liushui Pavilion.
It was Jiao Yin, of course.
To welcome the esteemed Young Master Li, Jiao Yin had specially changed into a white winter Hanfu, holding an umbrella, and stood charmingly under the lamplight, exuding an indescribable beauty.
This scene felt strangely familiar.
"After I escort you in, I'll receive a call," Bai Ziyan said softly to Li Qianfan as she slowly parked the car. "This has all been arranged. I'll create an opportunity for you two to be alone right from the entrance. From here on, it's up to your acting skills."
"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you. And I won't disappoint Miss Jiao either."
Li Qianfan looked at the graceful figure and asked with a smile, "Oh, by the way. How can I tell the difference between Jiao Yin and your mother?"
"Don't keep calling her 'your mother'; it makes me sick," Bai Ziyan said, pulling up the handbrake and frowning habitually. "We can refer to the CEO of the Dark Web as Jiao Yin. And that woman as Jiao Meibi."
"Alright," Li Qianfan said, readily agreeing. "How can I tell the difference between Jiao Yin and Jiao Meibi?"
"Look at their ears," Bai Ziyan said, reaching for the door handle. "I've studied them closely through surveillance footage. Jiao Yin wears an earring on her left ear, and Jiao Meibi on her right. If there wasn't suspicion about their identities, no one would notice this distinction."
An earring on the left ear, or on the right ear?
Hmm.
It seemed Jiao Yin was afraid her subordinates would confuse them, so she deliberately wore earrings differently.
Li Qianfan understood and opened the door to get out.
The moment he closed the car door—
He suddenly thought of two women!
Su Zui and Shen Yun.
"Su Zui also seems to wear an earring on her left ear. And Chongchong on her right." Li Qianfan inexplicably thought of this and then shook his head with a wry smile.
There was no need for him to deliberately distinguish between them.
After all, Su Zui didn't have a good impression of him, so she would definitely not impersonate Chongchong and be with him.
"Mom, it's so cold, why are you waiting out here?" Bai Ziyan asked, helping Li Qianfan carry the gift, as she walked quickly to Jiao Yin and grumbled solicitously in a low voice.
Just then, a gust of night wind blew.
It lifted the hem of Jiao Yin's Hanfu—
Li Qianfan's gaze instinctively darted over.
She wasn't wearing any thermal undergarments, not even silk stockings!
"Damn it, does she really want to go all out?" Li Qianfan's internal alarm bells immediately went off.