Yu He stood there, panting, hands on her hips, looking at Qin Xinyao waiting ahead. For a fleeting moment, she suspected he wasn't actually foolish.
She glanced around, seeing no one else, and waved at him. "Brother Xinyao, just tell me what you want to say directly."
Qin Xinyao's eyes flickered, but he quickly reverted to his傻傻 look, making a face at Yu He. "Hee hee, you can't catch me! If you can't catch me, the stuff is mine."
"..."
As he spoke, he started rummaging through his bag. Yu He frowned, unsure if he was truly foolish or faking it.
Seeing him dump everything from his bag onto the ground, Yu He took a deep breath and dashed after him.
Qin Xinyao immediately picked up the scattered items and turned to flee.
Yu He's temper flared.
It would be foolish to chase him all over the Qin mansion, but her phone and other essentials were in her bag, and she had to retrieve them.
Suddenly, she spotted pebbles lining a flower bed. She stopped, picked up a few, and weighed them in her hand. Turning to resume the chase, she found that Qin Xinyao, who had been ahead, had vanished, hiding somewhere.
However, Yu He saw her phone lying on the grass at the bend ahead. She walked over and picked it up. Then, at another bend to her right, she found a pack of tissues.
Following the trail of items Qin Xinyao had left behind, Yu He arrived at the back garden of a secondary residence. Qin Xinyao was nowhere to be seen, but she found her bag under a locust tree.
She picked it up and checked it. The golden needle pouch Qin Beiting had gifted her was still inside. Along with the items she had collected along the way, nothing was missing.
Just as she was about to turn and leave, she noticed that the soil where her bag had been placed seemed recently disturbed. There also seemed to be something there.
Driven by an impulse, Yu He squatted down. There was a black pill on the surface of the soil. She casually picked up a dry twig and stirred the soil, revealing several more pills.
She picked one up, rubbed it between her fingers, and then sniffed it. Her brow immediately furrowed. Wasn't this the same poisonous special medicine that Qi Yuanyuan had faked under her name?
Most of this batch of medicine had been confiscated by the police, but she didn't know how many people Qi Yuanyuan had privately given it to. However, the news had widely reported that Qi Yuanyuan's medicine was problematic and should not be taken. No one should be using it anymore.
But if it wasn't being used, it would typically be destroyed. Burying it at the root of a tree was a strange action.
Yu He stood up and scanned her surroundings. She noticed that this had previously been Qin Xinhong's secondary residence. She wondered if it still was.
Had Qin Xinyao gone to such lengths to bring her here just to show her this?
As Yu He was taking photos with her phone, a commotion erupted behind her. Aunt Yao and the security guard from the entrance descended from the sightseeing car.
"Xinshu... Miss Yu, we finally found you." Aunt Yao instinctively used her old name, then quickly corrected herself. Not seeing Qin Xinyao, she asked, "Where is the third young master?"
Yu He turned back. "I don't know where he ran off to."
"Oh dear, he ran off again. I'll go look for him. I'm very sorry for the trouble I've caused you," Aunt Yao said apologetically.
"It's fine," Yu He shook her head, then glanced towards the secondary residence. "Who lives here now?"
"This rear secondary residence was vacated by the eldest daughter for Young Master Jincheng," Aunt Yao replied.
Yu He's peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly. What was Qin Xinyao trying to tell her by bringing her here?
Or was he simply playing a fool and toying with her?
"Miss Yu, Fourth Master is waiting for you," the security guard reminded her.
Yu He suppressed her inner doubts and nodded, getting into the sightseeing car with him to head to Qin Yonghao's residence.
On the way, she sent the photos she had just taken to Qin Xinhong.
Qin Yonghao's Residence.
Secretary Yao waited in the sun for half an hour before finally seeing the tardy Yu He. She felt extremely displeased.
Since her promotion to Qin Fourth Master's personal secretary, her status had soared. Even Qin Xinhui treated her with deference. This woman had such an air of importance, making her wait in the sun for half an hour!
"Miss Yu, you're so late. Did you get lost?" she said sarcastically.
The security guard explained, "Secretary Yao, Miss Yu arrived at precisely 1:50 PM, but there was a small incident..."
"When is it your turn to speak here?" Secretary Yao interrupted him.
The security guard immediately fell silent and retreated.
Yu He cast a faint glance at Secretary Yao and said nothing, walking directly into the courtyard.
Seeing that Yu He was ignoring her, Secretary Yao's resentment grew. She reached out and blocked her path.
Yu He looked up, her gaze chillingly steady. "What do you mean?"
Secretary Yao put on a professional smile, but her tone was accusatory. "You're half an hour late. Fourth Master is in a meeting with others. You cannot disturb them for now. Please wait here."
Yu He let out a cold laugh. Qin Yonghao had invited her to meet at the Qin residence, not the corporation, precisely because he wanted to handle it as a personal matter.
Hmph. They were the ones asking for her help, yet they dared to put on airs?
"Fine. Then please tell your Fourth Master that I'm not taking this job." She said in a mild tone and turned as if to leave.
Secretary Yao was startled, completely taken aback by Yu He's attitude.
Even if she was the divine doctor of anonymity and a master hacker, without a collaborator, her skills were useless. Qin Fourth Master was seeking her out, offering her a high-paying job. To collaborate with Qin's was an immense honor. How many companies in the business world yearned for Qin's consortium. Yet she said she wasn't taking it?
"Miss Yu, are you serious?" Secretary Yao quickly called out to her.
But Yu He ignored her, strolling towards the main gate.
Seeing this, Secretary Yao grew anxious.
Her original intention was to put Yu He in her place, make her bake in the sun for half an hour, and then let her in. Qin Fourth Master had no scheduled appointments that afternoon, so punishing her for half an hour was no big deal. She could just say Yu He was deliberately late. Qin Fourth Master didn't like Yu He anyway and probably wouldn't blame her, might even reward her.
Who knew Yu He wouldn't play by the rules!
If her little scheme delayed Qin Fourth Master's important business, her job would be on the line.
"Miss Yu, Qin Fourth Master has finished his meeting. You can go in now," Secretary Yao said hastily.
Yu He acted as if she hadn't heard, her steps unwavering.
Secretary Yao had climbed to her current position not just through her work abilities, but also by being perceptive. How could she not see that Yu He was doing this deliberately? She was counting on the fact that Secretary Yao couldn't possibly refuse her entry.
But even knowing Yu He was being deliberate, she couldn't do anything to Yu He now. She had to swallow her pride and chase after her. "Miss Yu, please wait, come in to see Fourth Master."
Yu He cast a cold glance at her. "Wasn't he in a meeting?"
Secretary Yao stammered, "Qin Fourth Master may have finished his meeting. Please come in with me."
"And if I don't?" Yu He sneered.
Secretary Yao's face instantly turned from green to red to white. "You..."
"What's going on? Why are you standing there?" At that moment, Qin Yonghao came out.