“You failed your mission. You didn’t destroy Starline Bio, you didn’t prevent Kumi Group from cooperating with them, there’s no new task for you in Stillwater for now, you’d better stay by my side and help me,” Cheng Yu said with a smile.


    “Yu, manydies are longing to be by your side. However, I don’t mind being your lover, if you’re not afraid of me.”


    Xia Liughed charmingly, her voice full of seduction, like a delicious poison fruit.


    “You misunderstood, Miss Xia.”


    “Is it? It seems that I’m not charming enough.” Xia Li said, looking at him with seductive eyes.


    “You know that’s not what I meant. You’re very beautiful,” Cheng Yu felt his mouth dry, poured a ss of red wine, and took a sip.


    “Okay, then let’s talk business. What did you call me back for? The mission has notpletely failed. The mission isplete when Xiao Shun dies, right? I can wait in Stillwater for an opportunity.”


    Xia Li sat up, ced the wine ss on the marble coffee table, and straightened her clothes.


    “The n has changed. You don’t need to do it yourself. There’s someone in the city hospital I don’t want to wake up. Go and handle it for me,” Cheng Yu said as he swirled his blood-red wine and looked at her.


    “Of course, no problem. But what you promised me…” Xia Li said.


    “After this, your mission will be consideredplete. Our family’s Southeast Asia division is currently under my control, all business can be tilted towards your Xia family. Not only can it help your family through the current difficulties, it will soon enable your family to rise again. I can make this decision,” Cheng Yu said with certainty.


    “I hope Mr. Cheng is a man of his word,” Xia Li said with a discerning look.


    “Of course, but the job must be done cleanly and not lead the fire to our Cheng family,” Cheng Yu said.


    “Have you dealt with the matter in Stillwater?”


    “The only person who saw me should be stinking by now. Even if he was alive, it wouldn’t matter. I told him I was an assassin working for a certain cosmetics group,” Xia Li said with a cruel smile.


    “That’s good,” Cheng Yu said, raising his ss. “I’ll send you the details of the missionter. I wish you sess in advance.”


    …


    In the wee hours of the morning, the emergency room of the city hospital was eerily quiet. The ghastly white lights gave the room an air of lifelessness, while nearby medical equipment buzzed with faint, mosquito-like sounds. Nie Yuey quietly on the hospital bed, having just undergone surgery. His vital signs were gradually stabilizing, but he had suffered a severe blow to the head and had not yet regained consciousness.


    A tall woman, wearing a mask, entered as a nurse. She silently walked over to the bedside. Indifferently, she took a nce at him, took a porcin bottle out of her pocket, and removed the stopper. A glint of cruelty shed in her eyes as she held the bottle to Nie Yue’s mouth. Slightly tilted, a finger-thick, dark red worm wriggled out of the bottle.


    The worm burrowed into Nie Yue’s mouth, its movement visible between his lips, a sight that was revolting. After a moment, it wriggled out again, voluntarily crawling back into the porcin bottle. The woman reced the cap, kissed the bottle, and tucked it back into her pocket before exiting the room.


    The “Cottage of Herbs” was undoubtedly a quaint, traditional mansion. Xiao Shun had asked Tang Shishi to help with the transfer of the car and hadn’t asked her toe over. He wasn’t familiar with the traffic conditions in the capital, otherwise, he could have had a vehicle for his own use yesterday.


    He got up at eight, and after freshening up, had breakfast in the hotel lobby before hailing a taxi to head straight to 72 Seventh Avenue. When he arrived at the Cottage of Herbs, Qin Zhiyu was already waiting for him.


    Dressed in a beige waistcoat, a floral blouse, light gray pencil pants outlining her long, straight legs, and simple high heels, Qin Zhiyu looked far more professional than when she was at the bar. The entire outfit made her look elegant and intelligent.


    Upon seeing Xiao Shun, Qin Zhiyu stepped forward with a charming smile and said, “I had someone send Tian Huacheng to Stillwaterst night. He should arrive there this morning.”


    “I owe you a meal for all your hard work,” Xiao Shun said with a smile.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    “Don’t be so formal. Get in the car. Let me show you around and we can talk while we walk. It’s a big ce, enough for us to wander around. The paperwork is almost done. Someone will bring the documents for your signatureter. Just sign, and you’ll be done,” Qin Zhiyu said.


    After they got in the car and passed through an electronic gate, they slowly moved forward. The Cottage of Herbs was more than just a quaint, elegant mansion that Xiao Shun had imagined; it was like a tranquil garden oasis amidst the hustle and bustle. Despite the renovations and modern additions like street lights and fountains, traces of the past were visible everywhere.


    The courtyard was indeedrge, about twice the size of the Sikong’s mansion, which illustrated the wealth of the Qin family. However, having seen the Cheng family’s estate, Xiao Shun wasn’t overly surprised.


    After a short while, the car stopped in an open-air parking lot, and they got out to walk. Qin Zhiyu led Xiao Shun at a leisurely pace, introducing him to theyout of the mansion. Therge courtyard was dotted with several small courtyards, each with a unique style, adorned with green nts, stone boats, rockeries, and small pavilions.


    The two passed through a winding and deep bamboo path to reach a small artificialke where a few red-backed carp were visible in the water now and then.


    “How do you n to deal with Tian Huacheng? You’re a doctor, you wouldn’t kill him, would you? If so, I’ll be an aplice,” Qin Zhiyu joked.


    “I won’t kill him. He’s just a pawn, not the mastermind. Taking someone else’s money to do their bidding isn’t a capital offense. I just want him to confront the person pulling the strings,” Xiao Shun said.


    “That’s good. If it weren’t for you, perhaps those thirty or so lives would have been lost. Truly despicable.”


    “This mansion seems so empty.”


    Xiao Shun had stayed in the Sikong’srge mansion for a while, so he could rte.


    “This mansion used to be my grandfather’s residence. Earlier, when there were many family members living here, it was quite lively. But as everyone grew up, got married, and moved out, he began to feel the emptiness. As he got older, he started to prefer a bustling environment, so he moved in with my dad. Since then, this ce has been vacant,” Qin Zhiyu exined.


    “Once you take a few wives and concubines, and have a few children, it will be lively again.”


    Xiao Shun smiled and didn’t respond. He thought to himself that he was having trouble managing one rtionship as it was. Having multiple wives and concubines? Perhaps not.


    “Shishi mentioned that you’re returning to Stillwater?” Qin Zhiyu asked, seeing that he didn’t pick up the conversation.


    “Mhm.”


    “Stillwater isn’t far from the capital. Come visit when you have time.”


    “Sure, mypany is still here,” Xiao Shun said with a smile.


    “By the way, you haven’t visited your grandfather since you’ve been in the capital. How has he been recently?”


    “Oh, he went to attend some conference. He’s a prominent figure in traditional medicine, so there are endless meetings for him to attend every year,” Qin Zhiyu said, “He’s not like Mr. Wang, he can’t sit idle.”