"Furthermore, Huayan is not someone easily manipulated. If the two of them clash, it's uncertain who will come out on top."

Half a month later, when Huayan was seen again by Hu Er, he clearly noticed the lightness in her footsteps, almost as if she was floating. Among the bustling crowd, she effortlessly maneuvered to avoid collisions, leaving no trace of her movements. It was evident how rapidly her training had paid off.

"Why do you say that, Second Brother? The Master has never looked down upon any of us. He's a man, I'm a woman, why can't we transcend the master-servant relationship?" Hu Si's emotions were running high.

Hu Er sighed inwardly, speaking solemnly, "You should understand that if the Master were to fancy you, our relationship over these past ten-plus years would not be as it is now."

"But I can't accept that! I can't let go of my feelings! Huayan's family background can't compare to the Master's at all. Even if the Master likes her, what good would it do? In the end, the Master's wife will never agree to such a marriage with such a huge gap!" As she spoke, Hu Si gulped down the fragrant tea. "Second Brother, I truly like the Master. Please help me, please, Second Brother..."

In the serene teahouse, Hu Si's sorrow was palpable, her earnest plea dripping with elegance. Despite her efforts, Hu Er remained unmoved. However, several men couldn't help but cast pitying glances her way, and a well-dressed man approached, offering assistance.

"Second Brother, look at how many men I attract sitting here. With your help, I'm sure I can win over Hu Li!" Hu Si even dared to address her Master by name, an action that would be severely punished in the Hu family.

"The Master's name is not something you can address directly. You will immediately follow the Master's orders and take over my work in Haibin City. Not a moment is to be spent lingering here... And there are many things about Huayan Miss that you haven't seen." Hu Er was infuriated by Hu Si's stubbornness and disregard for the consequences due to her emotions. He wanted to persuade her further, but seeing her unrepentant grievances made him feel powerless, and he could only hope his final words would awaken her. The conversation between the two ended on an unpleasant note.

Leaving, Hu Si harbored resentment and even hatred towards Hu Er's coldness and lack of compassion. They had grown up together like siblings. Now, she only wanted to fight bravely for her love, but he wouldn't help her. His praise of the other woman and mention of "many things you haven't seen" only served to exacerbate her feelings of frustration. She believed that even if she had seen those things, they would only be the meager lives of commoners.

Back at the hotel, Hu Er hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't tell Hu Li about Hu Si's situation. It was the first time he had hidden something from his Master, and he didn't sleep well the entire night. The next day, with dark circles under his eyes, Hu Er, wearing a panda-patterned apron over a new peony-patterned cross-shoulder skirt he had just bought in Shiyu County, accompanied Huayan, who wore a blue dress with a bamboo sun hat, to visit the public jadeite market.

As a renowned jadeite expert, Gao Ruching was also invited to participate. His top-quality jadeite, Fortune and Longevity, had elevated his status to new heights. Many people spoke highly of him, making him seem unparalleled. Amidst the embrace of various business associations and jadeite societies, Gao Ruching smiled elegantly. Occasionally, he conversed with a woman whose angelic face and devilish figure were highlighted by her classic updo adorned with a jade-green hairpin. This woman was Cheng Yunqi, the only daughter of the Cheng family. After returning from abroad, she had taken a few days off before attending the grand jadeite market in Shiyu County on behalf of the Cheng family and Gao Ruching. At first, some people thought it was a rekindling of an old flame between Gao Ruching and a new lover. However, when Gao Ruching introduced Cheng Yunqi as one of his partners, they realized their mistake. They hadn't paid attention to Gao Ruching's mention of "one of the partners," but the perceptive Cheng Yunqi furrowed her brows, secretly pondering. Now, considering that only her family and Gao Ruching were formally collaborating, there was no "one of the partners" involved.

"Stepping back a few paces, she gave a charming smile to Gao Ruqing's always composed secretary before asking softly, 'Mr. Gao, is there still collaboration with others?'

The secretary, with clear eyes, glanced lightly at her and replied in a business-like manner, 'My boss has many partners: raw material merchants, skilled craftsmen, and so on. Do you have any other questions, Miss Cheng?' He had felt a pang of dislike for Cheng Yunqi from the moment he first saw her in Gao Ruqing's office. After observing her closely, he became even less fond of her.

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

Cheng Yunqi's angelic smile instantly faltered, replaced by burning fury in her eyes. After a few seconds of changing expressions, she managed to conceal her anger and smiled as she hurried to catch up with Gao Ruqing. In her mind, the secretary was a prominent figure by Gao Ruqing's side, and she began to plan how to manipulate him to her advantage. This way, the collaboration between the Cheng family and Gao Ruqing would be smoother.

However, she couldn't understand when or where she had offended this unyielding secretary. No matter how sincere her conversations, how seductive her gestures, or how lavish the gifts she offered, from expensive to exquisite, from trendy to antique, he always declined. The more she thought about it, the more twisted her face became. Just as Gao Ruqing and the supervisor exchanged some major breakthroughs in the public jadeite market, Cheng Yunqi appeared, looking like she had been bullied. He smiled and said, 'Are you tired, Yunqi?'

Regaining her composure, Cheng Yunqi inwardly cursed her carelessness for revealing her true feelings. She replied with a tired expression, 'I'm sorry, perhaps these new shoes don't fit well.'

Gao Ruqing didn't press further and continued, 'Why don't you go rest in the lounge area for a while? I'll have someone call you later.'

After a while, when there was no one around, Gao Ruqing jokingly asked his secretary, 'Did you upset Miss Cheng again?'

'You wouldn't believe it. She actually tried to seduce me and asked if you were collaborating with anyone else. I politely told her about the raw material merchants, craftsmen, and so on. Then she got angry.' The secretary shrugged innocently.

Gao Ruqing laughed heartily and pointed at the secretary, saying, 'You, just like me when I was young, so stubborn and straightforward.' He knew he was referring to Huayan, the girl who had always given him headaches.

'It's that woman's fault for being so pretentious. She's not even a match for Huayan, yet she often thinks highly of herself, thinking she's a rare beauty!' Gao Ruqing suddenly exclaimed, 'She's really annoying.' Seeing that the secretary still didn't understand, he patted his shoulder and said with a smile, 'Hey kid, look at the door. Who's coming?'

The secretary followed his gaze and saw Huayan and the up-and-coming investor, Hu Er, laughing and walking into the raw material exhibition hall. Upon receiving Gao Ruqing's instructions, he happily went to join Huayan.

From afar, Hu Er saw two people looking in their direction, and someone approached them. When Huayan saw the secretary, she was as happy as a child, pulling him aside to ask questions. They got along exceptionally well in Myanmar, as Huayan described it, like sisters.

The secretary allowed Huayan to tug at his clothes carelessly while discussing business. In a gentle tone, he said, 'Mr. Gao is waiting for you over there. Let's go.' He nodded politely to Hu Er.

Huayan patted her head in frustration and said, 'I'm so stupid. How could I forget Mr. Gao at such a grand event?' The secretary chuckled and remarked on Huayan's ever-changing personality. When she entered, she seemed confident, but now she reverted to behaving like a child. Nevertheless, it was this aspect of Huayan that made people want to treat her sincerely and not let her be sad.

Meanwhile, Hu Er, who was silently observing, was taken aback. After spending so much time together, he had seen her confidence, independence, assertiveness, love for sleep, and love for food. Huayan suddenly behaving like a child was truly shocking to him. He couldn't help but wonder if his master would have to act as both a boyfriend and an elder in the future. 'You'll get used to it,' the secretary whispered to Hu Er. Gratefully, Hu Er nodded and followed Huayan briskly.

Seeing Huayan's forehead covered in sweat, Gao Ruqing asked, 'Are you hot? Do you want me to buy you a cold drink?'

"No need, Mr. Gao. Are you planning to make a big move again this time?" Huayan asked with a smile.

"Depends on the situation. You know, besides the Fortune and Longevity piece, I've also unlocked many high-quality jadeites from the materials I bought from Myanmar."

"But it's also right for you not to act. You've already taken the meat, so you can't hog the soup too. If you do that, you won't let anyone else live." Huayan teased Gao Ruqing. As they chatted, Gao Ruqing glanced at Hu Er a few times. Hu Er had been observing their interactions closely. As far as he knew, they hadn't known each other for long, and their usual interactions were limited to jadeite.

He didn't expect them to be so friendly and intimate in private, like old friends or family. Moreover, Gao Ruqing didn't hesitate to share company secrets about jadeite materials and craftsmen with Huayan. As the backbone of the company's development, these were the most confidential matters.

"Your words make it sound like I'm a miser. You've forgotten that if I had bought that King's raw material back then, I would have been nothing but a stepping stone to others. I would have to be excessively courteous and ingratiating, surrounded by flattery and sycophancy. You, my dear, are my lucky star!"

Huayan shuddered, and her skin crawled. Rolling her eyes, she said, "Then I'd rather be the star of literature and culture! Honestly, hearing you say that makes me feel like I'm a deity."

In the lounge area, Cheng Yunqi had just sent away a "fly" when she saw the scene of Gao Ruqing's carefree laughter, the secretary's gentle demeanor as he protected a delicate woman from the bustling crowd, and another upright man who seemed familiar to her.