"Is she really that incredibly skilful?" Tang Jin Wei asked, continuing the conversation with a high level of interest and an unmistakable look of wide-eyed wonder.

"Hmm... She could probably move like a ghost and stab you straight through the heart before your brain even managed to signal your eyes to blink." Grandpa Tang replied, nodding his head with such profound seriousness that it was as though he were stating an undeniable law of nature.

"Everyone... Please... I am begging you to stop. It was honestly only a random, clumsy drunken move." Yu Qi said, her embarrassment deepening by the second as a crimson flush crept up her neck.

"A mere drunken move? Utter nonsense! Your movements were as sharp, precise, and fluid as those of a seasoned professional who has trained for decades." Grandpa Tang teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Then, he suddenly remembered another crucial, lingering detail that had been bothering him. "You also mentioned during your stupor that you learned everything from a specific person named Tang Moting. Who exactly is that?"

Yu Qi’s hand tightened around her porcelain teacup, her knuckles slowly turning a ghostly white from the sheer pressure of her grip.

"Well... he is just a minor character from a complex martial arts book that I happened to read recently. I suppose I was so deeply immersed in the fictional world of that story that the name slipped out of my mouth when I was intoxicated. As for the movements, you should already know that I have been practising some basic martial arts drills with Brother Hui lately. Well... I was probably just being overly dramatic and showing off more than I should have." Yu Qi lied smoothly, her face remaining a perfectly calm and unreadable mask of innocence.

The two elderly men exchanged a long, silent, and deeply knowing look. They were not entirely convinced by her convenient explanation, as the lethal skill she had displayed was far beyond the scope of simple "practice" or "dramatics," but they felt they had little choice except to accept her story for the time being and drop the subject.

"Well, whatever the mysterious case may be, it was honestly the most entertaining evening I have had in quite a while. It is a genuine pity that I have to head to the airport immediately after we finish this breakfast." Grandpa Mu stated, his voice booming with a hearty, appreciative laugh.

"If you ever feel the urge to come over again, just do it. Our doors will always remain wide open for you, and we will always welcome you with open arms." Grandpa Tang said warmly, reflecting their long-standing friendship.

"If I did not have a mountain of work to attend to today, I might have gone to the airport myself to see you off properly." Yu Qi said in a disappointed, melancholy tone.

"Don’t worry about it at all, my dear. You already took plenty of time off your busy schedule to accompany me to the Saisei Ryokan. Go to work and do not worry about me for a single second. I am not travelling alone, after all." Grandpa Mu said with a gentle, reassuring smile as he looked at his granddaughter fondly, clearly bursting with pride at the brilliant woman she had become.

....

The atmosphere within the grand assembly hall was peculiarly thick, heavy with a suffocating tension, growing awareness, and deep-seated worry. Forty-seven individuals occupied the rows of velvet-lined chairs, their faces a gallery of different anxieties. However, there were also several unrelated individuals who had managed to sneak into the hall unnoticed, blending themselves in among the official staff like shadows.

Most of them whispered nervously to one another, their voices creating a low, frantic hum. Some of them moved closer to Chen Song, desperate to speak with him about the sudden summons. This confused group had absolutely no idea why they had been gathered for such an urgent and unusual meeting.

"Uncle Chen... what exactly is going on here? Why is everyone so tense?" Chen Qiuwei asked anxiously, her voice trembling slightly.

This young woman was one of the rare six people in the room who actually possessed the skills to do her job properly. She had been quite surprised and shaken when she was called into this specific meeting without prior notice.

"Let us simply wait for the proceedings to begin. We will know everything in due time." Chen Song said, though his own voice lacked its usual confidence.

"Why do you seem so incredibly anxious about this? Just lean back and relax." Chen Zedong said, his lips curling into a lazy, arrogant smirk.

"How can you not feel anxious? Just look at the situation around you! Most of us gathered here are relatives. Don’t you find that strange and highly suspicious? Why would they gather all of us, and only us, here today?" Chen Qiuwei asked, her eyes darting around the room. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Do not worry too much, cousin. This meeting is probably nothing more than a hollow, annoying formality. The chairwoman is young, naive, and inexperienced. She likely just wants to put on a show and demonstrate her authority. Uncle Chen Song will have a private word with her afterwards. After this is over, everything will return to normal. She is a businesswoman, after all. She simply cannot afford to lose a veteran and highly experienced manager like him." One of the relatives chimed in with misplaced confidence.

This particular relative was completely oblivious to the shifting tides. It was painfully obvious that he knew nothing about the disastrous incident that had occurred at the greenhouse.

"Shut up!" Chen Song suddenly snapped, scolding the man harshly and causing several people to jump in their seats.

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***