119: Chapter 119 Sister-in-law

The pork rib and yam soup bubbled away in the earthenware pot, its aroma spreading to every corner of the living room.

Lin Ning leaned against the dining table, watching Jiang Yu set the last plate of stir-fried spinach and pork liver on the table.

"Time to eat." Jiang Yu handed him the chopsticks and sat down opposite him.

The two ate in silence for a while.

Outside the window, the night deepened, but the room was bathed in bright light, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks sounding crisp and comforting.

Lin Ning picked up a piece of pork rib and asked, seemingly casually, "Why have you started delivering food again? Are you not looking for a job?"

"I only run deliveries for a few hours a day." Jiang Yu took a bite of rice. "I plan to take the postgraduate entrance exam. It's too hard to find a job with just an undergraduate degree in my major."

"What is your major?"

"Investment at Xijiang University of Finance and Economics." Jiang Yu sighed. "I just wanted to find a school far from home, and since this major was their flagship program, I applied. I didn't expect..."

Lin Ning's chopsticks paused in mid-air.

Investment at Xijiang University of Finance and Economics—that major is ranked among the best in the country!

He looked at Jiang Yu, a flurry of thoughts flashing through his mind—the miserable state of Wang Qiao pulling all-nighters to study finance, his own plans for the company's future, and Tao Shuyu's earnest advice: "You need someone who knows the industry."

Lin Ning put down his chopsticks, his tone turning serious.

"Have you considered... joining a small company first?" The more Lin Ning thought about it, the more suitable it seemed; it was a win-win for everyone.

"The workload isn't heavy, so it won't interfere with your studies, but you'll get exposure to actual business operations, which will also help with your postgraduate interview."

Jiang Yu blinked. "What kind of company?"

"It's an investment consulting firm I started with my college roommate." Lin Ning briefly explained the situation. "Right now, we're mainly following a big brother to do co-investments, touching on stocks, funds, and digital currency. We might do angel investing in the future, but we don't have enough capital right now."

Jiang Yu didn't answer immediately. She picked up a piece of spinach and chewed slowly, as if thinking.

Lin Ning took this opportunity to lay out some things that needed to be said.

He explained how he earned money by reporting people using his "Physiognomy" skills, his relationship with Jin Er and his group, his and Wang Qiao's Ningqiao Investment Consulting firm, and also mentioned his deadbeat father and the mother and sister who had always supported him.

He spoke concisely, like he was giving a work report. But Jiang Yu listened very carefully, nodding occasionally.

"So," Lin Ning said finally, "what you know now is pretty much my entire background."

Jiang Yu put down her chopsticks and pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth.

"I can go," Jiang Yu said. "But you don't need to pay me a salary, just cover my social insurance. Right now, the business relies on connections, and I can't really do anything of value, so it wouldn't be right to take money for nothing."

Lin Ning laughed. "We're a legitimate company; I can't just exploit you for free labor just because you're my girlfriend!"

Upon hearing the word "girlfriend," Jiang Yu still couldn't help but blush, but she insisted on her idea. "Just..."

Lin Ning interrupted her, his eyes playful. "Do you want me to get scolded? Our family can't let you eat spicy hot pot for every meal, so a salary must be paid."

Jiang Yu was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant and burst out laughing. "Everyone... be careful, or the P5 will come after you..."

After dinner, Lin Ning sat on the sofa, watching Jiang Yu walk around the room.

She finished cleaning the kitchen and tidied up the living room a bit.

"I'm heading back." Jiang Yu picked up her coat. "Don't get your wound wet. I'll come over tomorrow to change the dressing."

Lin Ning walked her to the door. The voice-activated light in the hallway didn't turn on, and only the light spilling from the room outlined the clear contours of her profile.

"Jiang Yu." He called out to her.

Jiang Yu turned back.

Lin Ning reached out and lightly brushed her fingertips.

"Be careful on your way."

Jiang Yu's fingers curled slightly, and then she gently squeezed his hand for a second.

"Mmh."

The door closed. The sound of footsteps in the hallway faded into the distance.

Lin Ning returned to the room, picked up his phone, and called Wang Qiao.

It rang seven or eight times before being answered. The voice on the other end was so irritable it sounded like it was about to set the microphone on fire: "Spit it out! I'm looking at K-line charts until I'm going blind!"

Lin Ning held the phone a bit further away. "Why so much fire?"

"What do you think?!" Wang Qiao's roar pierced through the receiver. "I set up the company! I ran the business! I drank the alcohol to network! I watched online courses until midnight! If I had worked this hard back then, I would have gotten into a 985/211 university and wouldn't have had to deal with rebellious brats like you guys?! What on earth do you want? If you dare say you're bored and just want to chat, I'll open a backdoor for you with a baseball bat next time we meet."

Lin Ning quickly said, "I found you a helper."

The other end of the line went quiet for two seconds.

"...Tell me more."

"Xijiang University of Finance and Economics, Investment major, currently preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam." Lin Ning said. "I vouch for their character."

Wang Qiao was a bit skeptical. "Really?! Where did you meet them? Don't brag!"

"Really. It's just that their main focus is studying, so the working hours won't be very long..."

"That's not an issue!" Wang Qiao interrupted him, his voice filled with the ecstasy of a long drought meeting sweet rain. "The key is the major! Do you understand?! I'm reading the textbooks like they're written in a foreign language; all those terms are fighting in my head! Where is this person? When can I meet them?"

Lin Ning cleared his throat. "I'll introduce you in a few days. Also... remember to call her sister-in-law."

There was dead silence on the other end of the phone.

After a full five seconds, Wang Qiao's voice rang out eerily: "...What did you just say?"

"Call her sister-in-law."

"You got a girlfriend?!"

"Yeah."

"And then you tricked her into coming to the company to work?!"

"How can you call that tricking—"

"Lin Ning, I'll kill you!" Wang Qiao's roar escalated. "You've really mastered linguistic manipulation! Is this what you call finding me a helper? This is a husband-and-wife shop fleecing me! Do I have to be grateful for this too?!"

Lin Ning held the phone even further away, waited for the other side to finish a round of cursing, and then said slowly, "So, do you want a professional helper or not?"

"...Yes."

"Are you going to call her sister-in-law?"

Wang Qiao's teeth-grinding sound was clearly audible. "...That's a sister-in-law!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, at the USA headquarters.

Presley sat behind his desk, listening to the report with a gloomy expression.

"...According to multiple investigations, we can basically confirm that 'Officer' has been detained and controlled by their internal investigation."

Upon hearing the final conclusion, Presley suddenly erupted, grabbed the coffee cup on the table, and smashed it fiercely against the floor.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! You're all a bunch of useless pieces of shit!"

"What the hell kind of tech do those goddamn yellow monkeys even have?! God's gonna smite every last one of these fucking bastards!"

After venting, Presley ran his fingers through his hair and adjusted his cuffs.

When he raised his head, his gaze was vicious as he stared at the subordinate in front of him. "I want to know what their technology actually is! Call the people from NAER, and tell them I want the things that are in the investigation bureau! I don't care what methods they use!"

The subordinate was startled. "Sir..."

Presley cut off what he was about to say, his eyes filled with gravity and determination. "This is war! Spare no expense!"

He didn't care what diplomatic crisis or consequences it might cause.

Compared to the lip service on the surface, if that technology remained veiled in mystery, the USA's intelligence community would slowly die in that damn China.

This was the only thing that was completely unacceptable!