All the children first went to pet the animals as per Madame Qin"s instructions. She didn"t want them to lose their stomach contents.
Rui Rui sat on a small stump as she gently petted the snow-white rabbit on her lap: "Your name will be Péngsōng 1 the second." She felt the name made him sound more prestigious.
Lee HuiQing patted the lamb on its head. "Good boy."
Little 4th sat on a stump and was surrounded by the chicks and ducklings. The contrast between his stoic face and cute yellow fluff b.a.l.l.s walking and sitting all over him was comical.
Gou Sheng and Jun Wen each walked after the running crias. They really wanted to catch them but they were far too sensible to run around like common children. Additionally, they didn"t want to give Li Xiuying the satisfaction of feeling that she had won their approval so easily.
Two bodyguards hovered around the mini petting zoo. He Bo stood at a reasonable distance from madame Qin and Qin Jie.
Madame Qin: "So Xiuying. How is your new home?"
Li Xiuying: "Good."
Madame Qin: "And your car? We can change it if you would prefer another make and model?"
Li Xiuying: "Good."
Madame Qin: "Tell me, how is work going?"
Li Xiuying: "Fine." She took out another flask and handed a cup to madam Qin, she then poured her some mint tea.
Madame Qin immediately read into Li Xiuying"s responses " Everything else was good. Why is work just "fine? ""
Madame Qin started behaving like a mother hen: "Are you getting along with everyone at work?"
Li Xiuying: "Most."
Madame Qin: "If anyone causes you trouble just go to Qin Song."
Qin Jie looked up at madame Qin and quirked a brow. " Does mom secretly hate Li Xiuying. Did she forget about that team leader who had problems and decided to tell big Bro. What did big bro do? He told her she didn"t know what real problems where and he was happy to enlighten her about this topic. I don"t know what happened exactly but this idiotic woman caught bro on a bad day. I"ll have to ask if the woman ever came back after 5 months of sick leave." This was essentially asking someone to run from the frying pan into the fire.
Li Xiuying frowned: "Hmm?"
Madame Qin: "Well you know he does have an important role in the hospital but he is still an external party that deals with personnel and non-clinical issues. Sometimes its good to get the opinion of someone who is not directly involved in the same field of work but has knowledge about the field."
Li Xiuying nodded.
Qin Jie applauded his step-mother in his mind: " Well done Mom, you have managed to find a plausible explanation. Mom is actually being genuine. I wonder if mom is trying to set Li Xiuying up with big bro? What about Zhou FengMian though? Plus what will bro even say about it... maybe I should tell dad that mom is scheming again."
Qin Jie took out his phone and messaged Qin Xie Jun: [Yo, in a fight between Li Xiuying and Zhou FengMian who would win?]
Qin Xian Jun [Yo younger brother. Depends, what are they fighting for?]
Qin Jie rolled his eyes [You"re older by 2 minutes. Dunno. Big Bro?]
Qin Xian Jun [Listen time if of the essence. Respect your elders and don"t talk back. What? Is mom scheming to get them together?]
Qin Jie: [You"re decaying faster by 2 minutes. Yeah seems like it. Mom told LX to tell bro if she has any problems with work]
Qin Xian Jun [ Serious? I"ll let dad know that mom"s up to her old tricks again, at least this time it isn"t one of us. I swear mom is too bored these days.]
Qin Jie [Anyway what do you think? Who would win?]
Qin Xian Jun [It needs careful a.n.a.lysis. Zhou FengMian is crazy on a good day, imagine if her territory was threatened and she unlocked a boss level crazy side? Plus she can turn into a banshee and summon ghouls aka her crazy friends and family. Her shriek can paralyze the opponent for short periods of time. Li Xiuying, on the other hand, seems calm and can process a situation quickly, she"s good with knives and can also pinpoint a weakness in someone"s armor, like with Zhou FengMian and her face. Both have skills. LX VS Banshee, fight worth seeing, lot"s of unpredictable elements.]
Qin Jie read the message and felt like slapping himself on the forehead for trying to message his brother. Why did he always make it seem like everything was a video game?
Qin Jie was about to message back when he heard a voice that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Zhou FengMian screeched: "What do you mean I can"t go in because its a private party? I am the future daughter-in-law of the Qin Family, their party is my party. I am one of their party members. One of you should go and ask them whether they are expecting me or not."
Madame Qin frowned: "Who is screaming out here and spoiling the ambiance?"
Li Xiuying dialed the number of the caretaker.
The caretaker spoke in a whisper: "Miss Li we have a little problem. A woman claiming to be related to the Qin family is here. We"ve tried to ask her to leave. She will not take no for an answer. Some of the guards are currently blocking her path but I don"t think they will be able to hold her off for long. She may burst their eardrums. Plus with the differences in status..." No one wanted to offend someone they shouldn"t.
Li Xiuying: "Hmm. Video call."
The caretaker muddled his way into pressing the video call ad trying to secretly film the irate Zhou FengMian.
Madame Qin looked over Li Xiuying"s shoulder: "What is she doing here? Let"s just ignore her and pretend she doesn"t exist."
Qin Jie: "Mom this is more like the grim"s version of peter pan. Where not believing in fairies causes Zhou FengMian to show up."
Li Xiuying snorted in amus.e.m.e.nt.
Li Xiuying watched the screen and said: "Too late." She watched as a little blur ran past the guards. When she looked up she saw a little girl running towards them.
Qin Enterprises
Qin Xian Jun read the message on his phone and laughed, he replied back [rather you than me bro]
Qin Song: "What"s so funny?"
Qin Xian Jun automatically responded without thought: "The banshee showed up at the picnic for the kids. Mom was trying to ignore her, but the little girl managed to run past the guard and tripped right in front of Mom. So, of course, the concerned specter also was allowed in."
Qin Song frowned: "Who is the banshee? What specter?"
Qin Xian Jun looked up from his phone and realized he had said too much and laughed awkwardly: "Erm just some female characters in a game."
Qin Song called his bluff: "Oh and what is this game called?"
Qin Xian Jun sheepishly replied: "Erm the game of life?"
Qin Song: "Now you"re done insulting my intelligence with your unbelievable and ill-conceived lie, spit out the real story."
Qin Xian Jun slumped in his chair: "Zhou FengMian showed up with her niece Zhou Suyin and crashed the picnic for little 4th. They caused a ma.s.sive fuss. That"s all I know."
Qin Song frowned and immediately dialed a number on the office phone.
Qin Xian Jun watched on curiously.
Butler Mu: "h.e.l.lo Qin residence, how may I help?"
Qin Song: "Uncle Mu, we have a snake in our nest. Unexpected guests."
Butler Mu"s tone became serious: "At the little master"s picnic? I will immediately go an investigate now."
Qin Song: "I leave it in our hand Uncle Mu, family law."
Butler Mu: "It will be handled, I"ll inform your father right away."
Qin Xian Jun: "Who did you call? What"s happening now?"
Qin Song: "Let"s finish up quickly, We"re going to the picnic. Something doesn"t feel right about this situation." Zhou FengMian clearly had ulterior motives, she knew that he was working today so it clear it wasn"t to be with him. She had never tried to get to know little 4th or his stepmother before, in fact she knew that his mom did not like her at all.
Qin Xian Jun: "I"ll ask them to cancel the rest of the meetings this afternoon."
Qin Song: "Mmm." He skimmed through the last of the doc.u.ment as he thought " It seems like its almost time to get rid of the Zhou family name from China ."
Qin Xian Jun messaged Qin Jie [Big brother has switched to dark mode and is heading towards your location. ETA 1 when he has destroyed enough of his peons.] Fluffy Estimated time of arrival