There was nothing much to pack for a trip to Taichuan City, but since this operation was classified, Qin Ningyi needed an excuse.
Zou Xiaoxiao had returned to her room earlier and now hurried in, "Where's Brother Qin?"
Huo Rou, seeing her anxious expression, pointed outside the door.
Soon, Zou Xiaoxiao entered with Qin Ningyi. He looked hesitant. "Arou, I have something urgent and might need to return to Taichuan City."
Huo Rou was about to mention her own departure plans when Qin Ningyi spoke first.
"I also have some matters to attend to, and I might not be home for the next few days."
She pondered for a moment and said to Qin Ningyi, "If you're in a hurry, go quickly. I'll be fine."
Qin Ningyi went upstairs to pack, then called Xiao Konglin to his home and handed over many documents.
"I might not be around for the next few days. For important documents, please send them for online signing. For others, liaise with the other responsible individuals. I might not be able to answer my phone."
Qin Ningyi explained the upcoming tasks. Xiao Konglin was capable enough to manage for a few days.
"Then, President Qin, about the land we're bidding for recently..."
"You and the manager can go." Although it was a very important bid, he couldn't attend.
After giving instructions, Qin Ningyi and Zou Xiaoxiao rushed to the airport.
"Brother Qin, Grandpa Qin has always been healthy. He even posted pictures of his morning run on Moments a few days ago. How could he suddenly be critically ill?" Zou Xiaoxiao asked as they walked.
Xiao Konglin was driving them. Qin Ningyi glanced at him and simply said, "Go back first."
Once they were in the airport's VIP lounge, he explained, "A piece of machinery needs you to return for maintenance and upgrades. The old man isn't sick; it's a special circumstance."
"You need me for maintenance and upgrades? It's not that thing I was working on before I left, is it? Does it really have a use?" Zou Xiaoxiao had worked on that item with others but never thought it would be used. After all, in China, such cumbersome and complex personal defense machinery was almost useless.
After asking, she refocused on Qin Ningyi's latter statement, "Special circumstances? It's good he's not sick. You scared me to death. My grandfather is also someone who can't be direct with me about things. Even if he spoke cryptically, he shouldn't have done something to scare me like this."
As their plane took off, a group of special individuals arrived outside the Qin family villa.
To ensure Huo Rou's safety, Minister Zeng had contacted local official forces to escort her.
At Huo Rou's insistence, the number of personnel was halved, and they waited for her on a less crowded street outside the villa.
"An An, let's go!"
Huo Rou called An An to leave. After much deliberation, she felt uneasy leaving him at home. After discussing with An An, Huo Rou took leave for him and brought him along.
Walking out of the villa, he followed Huo Rou to a street they had never passed before.
A long convoy of cars was parked there. The cars looked similar and were quite inconspicuous.
Huo Rou waved at the convoy.
At the front of the convoy, Zhao Wen opened his car door and got out. After bowing respectfully, he looked her over, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Captain Huo, we won't be able to have dinner tonight, and your surprise is also temporarily gone, but we meet in this way. It seems incredible." He found it hard to believe.
When Huo Rou first appeared, he didn't get out to greet her due to official duties.
He never expected her to wave.
He then realized that the important person they were ordered to escort by secret dispatch was Huo Rou!
"Let's go. Be vigilant on the road," Huo Rou said as she got into the car with An An.
In the car, Huo Rou found a bulletproof vest and gave it to An An to put on. Her cautious demeanor made Zhao Wen's heart tighten.
"No way, Captain Huo, what have you gotten yourself into?" In the time he had spent with Huo Rou, he had never seen her handle a bulletproof vest. He had thought the operation wouldn't be dangerous when he saw Huo Rou brought An An along. "Just going to the airport, will it be that dangerous?"
Currently, no one knew if the call records of important figures in China were part of the US's KEYES plan. If they were, then even if Minister Zeng had been vague yesterday, she would now be a target.
"Yes. Maybe." Huo Rou nodded, her eyes scanning in all directions.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Wen unhesitatingly took a gun from his bag and handed it to her.
The driver, who was driving, widened his eyes. He stammered, "Director Zhao, this... isn't this against regulations?"
The management of such equipment was usually very strict. Huo Rou, appearing as a delicate young woman, was clearly not someone permitted to use force-related equipment. How could he casually give her a gun?
"Her holding a gun is more within regulations than me holding one!" Zhao Wen sternly reprimanded, then his expression changed to a smile as he turned back. "Captain Huo, take it. It will be helpful for a timely response in case of an emergency."
Huo Rou felt the gun in her waist pouch and then looked at the one Zhao Wen gave her. Clearly, they hadn't had time to update their equipment, but a visible firearm was quite necessary.
She didn't refuse and casually twirled the gun in her hand. The driver, seeing this in the rearview mirror, broke out in a cold sweat.
*Woman, don't misfire!*
He dared not speak out loud. The stern Director Zhao beside him was looking at the back with admiration.
Out of sight, out of mind. He decided not to look.
The driver sat upright and focused on driving. The cars behind them also spread out slightly under Zhao Wen's arrangement.
With this arrangement, the inconspicuous vehicles lost their imposing presence and blended into the traffic.
The road to the airport, after passing a particularly congested intersection, led to a more open and quiet suburban road.
Perhaps it was the weekend, but there were more cars on the road than usual.
"Mom, are we there yet?" An An, who had been asleep in the car, woke up, looked at the desolate scenery outside, and rubbed his eyes as he asked.
"Yes, we're almost at the airport."
"Will Uncle Zhao and them be going too?" An An asked as he saw Zhao Wen turn back to smile at him.
"Uncle Zhao won't be accompanying you. He's here specifically to see you off today," Zhao Wen said softly to An An.
The driver couldn't help it, and the steering wheel trembled.
"Drive properly!" Zhao Wen shouted coldly. This command hit home for the driver. *This is more like it. Director Zhao acting normally.*
He re-gripped the steering wheel and looked ahead.
"You..." Zhao Wen was about to continue speaking when a jolt made him sway.
"If you can't drive, I will." He hadn't expected the usually steady driver to be so erratic today.