CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 46: SOWING DISCORD

"Gu Zhi?" Xia Mian raised her eyebrows slightly, "Is it the Gu Family that I know?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhi raised his head and smiled gently, "Yes."

"The Gu Family is large and prosperous. There’s no need to come to my small temple to develop, right?" Xia Mian’s eyes still held a smile, but when she looked at Gu Zhi, there was a hint of sharpness.

"Xia Mian, you’re joking. The Gu Family is large and prosperous, but that’s the Gu Family’s matter, and it has nothing to do with me." Gu Zhi remained calm, not disoriented by Xia Mian’s sharp words.

Xia Mian gave Gu Zhi a deep look, "Senior Sister Gu, you really see things clearly."

Chen Ling glanced at Xia Mian and spoke on Gu Zhi’s behalf, "Junior Sister Xia Mian, don’t overthink. Gu Zhi’s situation in the Gu Family has never been great..."

"Lingling!" Gu Zhi softly interrupted before Chen Ling could say more.

"Since all of you were introduced by Professor Xu, then stay!" Xia Mian didn’t continue the previous topic, "I will arrange suitable positions for each of you, and I hope you can sincerely help me to get the company on track!"

The four young people nodded one after another, "Don’t worry, Junior Sister Xia Mian, we promised Professor Xu! We’ll definitely help relieve your worries!"

Xia Mian smiled slightly; her way of hiring people was naturally different from a typical HR recruitment.

She understood face reading; among the four people that Professor Xu brought to her, except for Gu Zhi whom she found hard to see through, the other three were honest and kind and could be trusted.

Xia Mian looked at the resumes of the four, understood their areas of expertise, and then made arrangements for them.

After all this was done, it was nearly noon, and Xia Mian went to find Song Juan.

The Song Group was a business left by her grandfather and grandmother; since Xia Jianguo was imprisoned and the Song Group reverted to Song Juan, almost all of Song Juan’s focus had been on the Song Group.

Xia Mian understood that Song Juan was finding value in the workplace after her love life went awry, so she didn’t stop her.

When Xia Mian arrived at Song Juan’s office, Song Juan had just finished a phone call, perhaps having closed a deal, so she was in good spirits and still wearing a smile.

"Done with work, let’s go have a meal together?" Xia Mian knocked on the door and entered, thoughtfully reminding her, "No matter how busy you are, you still have to eat!"

Song Juan laughed and responded, "What do you want to eat?"

"How about the braised fish downstairs!" Xia Mian thought for a moment, and casually suggested.

Song Juan had no objections, and the mother and daughter went downstairs and walked to the braised fish restaurant.

The braised fish place was a popular restaurant in Beijing. Since it was lunchtime, it was crowded, but Song Juan had a membership card, so they didn’t have to wait in line.

Song Juan and Xia Mian booked a private room and followed the waiter towards it.

As they passed by a room, Xia Mian’s peripheral vision seemed to catch a familiar figure through the slightly ajar door.

Xia Mian paused for a moment, and then heard a coy complaint from inside the room, "Oh, you’re so bad! I already said I can’t drink, yet you insist on making me..."

Upon hearing this voice, Song Juan’s body stiffened involuntarily.

That voice, even if turned to ashes, she would recognize.

It was Han Xi!

However, now that Xia Jianguo was in prison, she seemed to have no irreconcilable hatred with Han Xi.

Song Juan let out a relieved smile and walked into the next room, holding Xia Mian’s hand.

Meanwhile, in Han Xi’s room, the man in a blue-and-white Tang suit looked at Han Xi with a smirk, "Miss Han, this is all consensual. If you don’t drink, I naturally won’t force you."

Han Xi’s smile froze.

Yu Hongmei had hired a master, claiming he could eliminate Xia Mian without leaving any trace.

Han Xi didn’t understand the master’s abilities, but she was quite fond of the master’s appearance and kept flirting with the young master.

Gradually, the two got together behind Yu Hongmei’s back.

"When will you help us get rid of that little bitch?" Han Xi’s expression turned serious, shedding her frivolity.

She still had Xia Jianguo’s child in her belly; Yu Hongmei, the dead old woman, promised her too much, so she wasn’t willing to give up the lump of flesh in her belly for the time being.

Dai Ying’s face darkened slightly, "I said before, this matter shouldn’t be rushed."

Han Xi squinted her eyes, with a hint of seductiveness hidden beneath, "Once she’s dead, everything of the Song Family will be ours."

Dai Ying snorted lightly, "Do you really think, with my skills, I’d be interested in a Song Family?"

Han Xi stretched out her hand, gently hooked his neck, with seductive eyes, "Then, if you kill her, I’ll give myself to you, how does that sound?"

Dai Ying pushed Han Xi away indifferently, his lips hinting a sneer, "Buy one, get one free? I don’t like having a green hat on my head."

Dai Ying stood up, "If you have nothing else, I’ll take my leave."

Dai Ying’s demeanor was indifferent; he was merely playing with Han Xi, marrying her? Being a fool? He had no interest!

"The person you hurt that day was from the Lu Family." Han Xi straightened up, "The Lu Family is not to be trifled with."

Dai Ying turned his head to look at Han Xi with a wicked smile, "I’m also not to be trifled with."

With these words, Dai Ying turned and left.

Upon exiting, he saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall opposite in the corridor, a faint smile on the lips, looking at him, "It seems we’ve met somewhere before?"

Xia Mian’s lazy voice carried an air of nonchalance, drifting lightly into Dai Ying’s ears.

"Is that so? But I don’t remember." Dai Ying had no intention of tangling with Xia Mian.

In recent encounters, he had suffered losses each time, and his body hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Facing Xia Mian directly now, he was almost certain of losing.

"Don’t rush to leave!" Xia Mian reached out to stop Dai Ying, her youthful brow smiling, her eyes captivating, yet Dai Ying only felt danger looming.

"Was it you who harmed Sun Wu and Sun Shao?" Xia Mian raised an eyebrow and asked bluntly.

Dai Ying smirked, "I didn’t expect that coming down from the mountain this time, I’d run into a hidden expert like Miss Xia."

After a pause, Dai Ying’s eyes suddenly turned cold, "Miss Xia, you’re only eighteen; from whom did you learn your Taoist techniques? Or is it—you’re not really Xia Mian?"

As Dai Ying spoke, Xia Mian vaguely sensed something wrong, and instinctively turned her head to see Song Juan leaning in the doorway.

Song Juan’s face was pale, biting her lip tightly, and remained silent.

"Mom." Xia Mian felt a pang in her heart, walking up to Song Juan and gently asking, "Why did you come out?"

Song Juan withdrew her hand from Xia Mian’s arm, her demeanor somewhat unnatural, "I just... just wanted to see where you went..."

Song Juan’s action made Xia Mian’s heart feel suddenly empty, "Mom..."