34: Chapter 35 Su Man's Purpose?

Su Man deliberately emphasized the word "hard-working," her gaze shifting meaningfully between Yin Tianxue and Yu Bo.

Yin Tianxue was holding a water glass, drinking, when she heard this; her hand trembled imperceptibly, and her ears instantly flushed a faint red. She forced herself to remain calm, setting down the cup, and said in a flat tone, "No, I'm fine. I might have just caught a cold last night."

"Caught a cold?" Su Man covered her mouth and chuckled, leaning forward slightly. She lowered her voice to a volume only the two of them could hear and said, "I don't think so. Tianxue, why hide anything from your Older Female Cousin? We're both women, I understand. Yu Bo is young and strong, and having just started... ahem, I mean, having just established a relationship, it's inevitable for things to be a bit passionate. But you still need to take care of your health. Don't let him run wild too much; in some matters... you have to know how to let the water flow slowly, and you also have to learn... to use a bit of finesse."

Her words were both cryptic and blunt. Coupled with that "I know everything" expression, Yin Tianxue's face instantly turned completely red. She was both embarrassed and annoyed, yet unable to lash out. She couldn't very well refute it on the spot by saying "We didn't" or "I'm not tired," could she? That would be like saying "there is no silver buried here."

"Older Female Cousin!" Yin Tianxue scolded in a low voice, glaring at Su Man with a warning look in her eyes.

Su Man knew when to stop, laughing even more happily as she patted the back of her hand. "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more. But Tianxue, your Older Female Cousin is someone who has been through this. Let me give you a piece of advice: men are sometimes like children; they need to be coaxed, but also managed. You can't spoil them too much, but you can't keep them on too tight a leash either. Especially... in certain aspects, you have to let him know your bottom line, and you must make him understand that your 'goodness' is something he needs to cherish and... cooperate with."

Yin Tianxue understood. The flush on her face had not yet faded, but her heart felt even more agitated. Su Man's words had hit exactly on her most secret anxiety—the anxiety regarding "cooperation" and "satisfaction."

Although Yu Bo couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, seeing Yin Tianxue's flushed face and Su Man's suggestive smile, he could guess nine times out of ten. He was somewhat annoyed by Su Man's meddling and probing, but felt even more heartache and guilt for Yin Tianxue. He stood up, walked to Yin Tianxue's side, naturally put his arm around her shoulders, and said to Su Man, "Don't worry, Older Female Cousin, I will take good care of Tianxue. Tianxue, if you're tired, do you want to go rest for a while? I'll play with Wenwen."

His action was both a declaration of territory and a way to protect Yin Tianxue, helping her out of a tight spot.

Leaning into his embrace, Yin Tianxue felt the strength and support from his arm, and the embarrassment and agitation in her heart strangely calmed down a little. She shook her head. "No need, I'll play with Wenwen for a while. Older Female Cousin, is there something you came here for this time?"

She steered the conversation away, not wanting to continue that embarrassing and private topic any further.

Su Man was tactful as well and followed the lead. "Oh, it's mainly because Wenwen missed you both. Also... I heard that Yu Bo's company invested in 'Yifei Intelligence'? That's truly impressive. My ex-husband has a friend who works in the drone component supply chain. It's quite a large operation and is actually a competitor to 'Wing Flight's' current supplier. He heard that 'Wing Flight' received new investment and wants to expand cooperation, so he asked me to inquire if you could help introduce him to President Shen Nian?"

Listening to Su Man's words, Yin Tianxue's polite smile remained unchanged, but her heart skipped a beat. The agitation that had subsided slightly thanks to Yu Bo's defense began to bubble up again, now mixed with a trace of cold vigilance.

She still remembered vividly the "accidental" touches and flirtations the Older Female Cousin had engaged in right in front of her last time.

Now, Su Man was visiting again under the guise of "Wenwen missed you," and she "happened" to know that Yu Bo had invested in "Wing Flight," and "happened" to have an ex-husband's friend who wanted to cooperate... This series of "happenstances" was just a little too coincidental.

Yin Tianxue didn't believe it. She didn't believe that Su Man had simply come over to deliver cookies or act as a middleman. Her Older Female Cousin's intentions were likely far more complex than this. Was this so-called "introduction" really about helping to make a connection, or was it an excuse to get close to Yu Bo, or perhaps... even an attempt to plant some unknown spy within the "Wing Flight" project?

She knew Su Man too well. This Older Female Cousin had a distorted mindset after her divorce and couldn't bear to see others doing well, especially not her, Yin Tianxue. Having failed to seduce Yu Bo before, did she want to try a different angle now? Or was it possible that she really had some connection with Yang Junyi's side and wanted to cause trouble for Yu Bo through "Wing Flight"?

Various speculations flashed quickly through Yin Tianxue's mind, causing her gaze toward Su Man to unconsciously take on a hint of scrutiny and coldness.

"Older Female Cousin, you are very well-informed," Yin Tianxue said in a flat tone, with no discernible emotion. "'Listening to the Waves' just completed the investment, and you already know about it. However, supply chain cooperation is handled personally by President Shen, and it really isn't convenient for Yu Bo to interfere too much. If your friend really has the strength and sincerity, it would be more efficient to contact 'Wing Flight's' business department directly. Don't you think so, Yu Bo?"

She tossed the question back to Yu Bo while observing his reaction. She wanted to know how Yu Bo would handle this request from Su Man, which seemed reasonable on the surface but might actually harbor malicious intent.

Yu Bo could sense the distance and implicit resistance in Yin Tianxue's tone, and he understood her current doubts. He tightened his grip on Yin Tianxue's shoulder slightly to comfort her, then said to Su Man, "Tianxue is right. Older Female Cousin, when it comes to business, it's best to keep things professional. 'Wing Flight' has the funding in place now and is at a point where it's forging ahead boldly, so they will certainly be very cautious in selecting partners. If your friend really has an advantage, they might as well send their detailed qualifications and proposals to 'Wing Flight's' official email address. Or, I can get you the email address of President Shen's assistant later so they can communicate directly. At most, I can help pass on a message, but whether it works out or not depends on the professional judgment of President Shen and her team."

Su Man's smile remained unchanged, but her eyes flickered almost imperceptibly. She heard Yu Bo's evasion and Yin Tianxue's defensiveness. It seemed that after last night's "in-depth communication," this young couple's tacit understanding and sense of caution had both increased significantly.

"Fine, that's certainly for the best. Keeping things professional is responsible for everyone." Su Man agreed readily, as if she had truly just mentioned it in passing. "Then I'll organize the materials later and send them to your assistant's email. Yu Bo, I'll trouble you to help pass them on. Whether it works out or not doesn't matter; consider it just another opportunity."

"It's no trouble at all, it's only right," Yu Bo said politely.

The topic seemed to end there. Su Man played with Wenwen for a while longer, teasing the child with some childish chatter, and the atmosphere seemed to return to a superficial harmony. However, the bit of doubt and vigilance in Yin Tianxue's heart did not dissipate. She always felt that Su Man's purpose today was definitely not limited to this.