Han Xiangning understood the Su sisters as well as they understood themselves.
Therefore, Luo Hongxiu was merely her overt tactic. She knew such methods wouldn't be effective, only serving to annoy Su Jinxiu.
To achieve her goal, other means were naturally required.
Hu Siniang was an excellent candidate, though not in the sense of Hu Siniang personally engaging. The fox clan had numerous members, and there were always suitable individuals. With their innate talents, Han Xiangning was confident they could lure a man away from Su Jinxiu.
As long as a man was breathing, he was susceptible to lust.
Han Xiangning, having received Hu Siniang's promise, left with the Worry-Free Tea, content.
"Fourth Sister, are you really going to cooperate with her?"
"Cooperate? What cooperation?" Hu Siniang blurted out a curse.
The excitement from earlier had vanished from her face.
"What kind of company is Han's Group, and what are we? Besides, we have no technical expertise here; the effects all come from the medicinal catalyst. We can do it, and they can do it too. There's no need to involve us."
"Then..."
Hu Yulin looked at the photo on the table. The man was so handsome it made him jealous.
His smile, in particular, conveyed a sense of sunshine and warmth that touched the heart.
"Investigate first. Don't act rashly. If he were just a simple ordinary person, do you think Han Xiangning would need to find us?"
"Fourth Sister, you're right." Hu Yulin scratched his head.
At this moment, he lacked some of his usual arrogance, mainly due to the botched handling of Lan Feifeng's matter last night.
Not only did he fail to secure the person, but he also got into trouble. The thought made him angry.
However, he could only suppress his anger, as he couldn't afford to offend the Ninth Division, and Hu Siniang clearly wouldn't indulge him.
"This matter needs to be handled well. If we succeed, Han Xiangning will include us. If we fail, she'll kick us aside. We can't compete with her."
Hu Siniang did not want to give up her current foundation. Setting aside the money, working in this line of business was incredibly convenient for expanding her network.
Few wealthy and powerful individuals, regardless of gender, didn't desire youth.
"I understand, Fourth Sister. Leave this to me, and you can rest assured." Hu Yulin picked up the photo from the table and put it away.
Hu Siniang looked at him with surprise. Where did this confidence come from?
It was precisely because she was entrusting it to him that she was worried. Unfortunately, she had no one reliable in Jiangcheng at the moment and had no choice but to use him.
"Go ahead and handle it. Be as careful and cautious as possible, and report anything to me first." Hu Siniang waved him away, feeling a headache coming on.
"Then I won't disturb Fourth Sister's rest." Hu Yulin said, turning to leave.
His words surprised Hu Siniang. It seemed experiencing some setbacks could be beneficial, leading to considerable improvement.
However, Hu Siniang didn't rest. After Hu Yulin left, she made a phone call.
"Hello, Nineteenth Sister? It's me, your Fourth Sister. Have you found a job after graduating from university? Would you like to come help your Fourth Sister..."
...
"Hongjin, let's go. I'll take you back."
After dinner and watching some television, Liu Nanfeng saw that it was getting late and called out to the little one, preparing to see her off.
"Eh, are we leaving? But... but..."
The little one stared at the television screen, reluctant to look away.
The Adventures of the Little Carp was exactly to her taste, completely drawing her in.
"You can watch it next time. You can also go back and make more new friends," Liu Nanfeng said.
Su Jinxiu pressed pause, and the little carp, still reluctant, slid off the sofa.
She walked to Liu Nanfeng, took his hand, and said, "Let's go. I promised Mother I'd be back early. I'm an obedient little girl."
"You didn't say that just now," Liu Nanfeng glanced at her sideways, thinking.
"Goodbye, little Hongjin." Su Huamei waved to her.
"Goodbye, Huamei sister. Goodbye, Su sister."
"Goodbye, come play again next time," Su Jinxiu said with a smile.
"Okay."
The little carp happily agreed, not knowing what politeness entailed.
Liu Nanfeng took the little carp downstairs.
The summer night, being close to the sea, dispelled the heat, so many people came out of their homes to cool off, and there were naturally many children.
Some were skateboarding, some were riding balance bikes, some were playing games, some were playing with water guns... it was very lively.
The little carp stared blankly at the scene, her eyes full of envy. Staying alone in Jiangzhong, she had never seen so many peers, never seen such liveliness.
Liu Nanfeng expected the little carp might want to stay and play. However, she turned her head, forced herself not to look, and quickly walked forward, pulling Liu Nanfeng's hand.
This made Liu Nanfeng somewhat surprised.
"Don't you want to play with the children for a bit before going back?"
"Mother said I'm a little monster and can't play with human children," Feng Hongjin said, lowering her head.
Liu Nanfeng could clearly feel her low mood. He bent down and picked her up.
The little one hugged his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. Watching the children come and go in the neighborhood, envy was unmistakable in her eyes.
Liu Nanfeng gently patted her back and carried her out of the complex.
The riverside at night was exceptionally cool. A gentle breeze brushed across the river, bringing wisps of coolness. The sound of the rushing river water lapping against the shore was like an unending melody.
The moonlight was beautiful tonight, large and round. The little carp tilted her head, looking at the moon in the sky and then at the moon's reflection shimmering with the waves in the river.
"Mother is also watching the moon," the little carp mumbled.
"What?"
Liu Nanfeng didn't hear clearly because his gaze was fixed on a young woman on the dike not far away.
"Mother loves to sit in the yard and watch the moon in the sky."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Sister Yuchan said Mother misses my father. My mother and my father met on a night with a big moon."
Liu Nanfeng chuckled at this, wondering what a "big moon" meant.
The little one raised the melon-shaped lollipop in her hand and waved it lightly towards the sky.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm hitting my dad."
Liu Nanfeng: ...
"Didn't your father die?"
"Yes. Mother says people who die become stars in the sky, and my father also became a star. I'm hitting him a couple of times because he died and doesn't accompany me and my mother," the little carp said, clenching her tiny fist indignantly.
Liu Nanfeng looked up at the sky. The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse, with only a few twinkling. He wondered which one was the little carp's father.
"Do you miss your father?"
"No, because I never met him. He died when I was still a little fish."
Although the little carp said this, Liu Nanfeng could clearly sense her sadness.
Liu Nanfeng carried her forward, talking all the way.
Then, he descended along the dike to the riverside and put her down.
"Alright, you should go home now," Liu Nanfeng said, patting her little head.
"Goodbye." The little carp leaped into the water, truly transforming into a small red carp.
She swam a couple of circles on the surface, blew a few bubbles, and sprayed a stream of water at Liu Nanfeng before diving into the riverbed and disappearing.
"You little rascal."
Liu Nanfeng turned and walked ashore, preparing to ride the electric scooter he had parked there in the afternoon. He saw a young woman straddling his scooter.