202: Chapter 202 The Second Member of the Hongmen Dark Web Four – Sister Hong

The door closed with a click, but an inexplicable ripple of unease stirred in Ye Qingcheng's heart. Her brow furrowed slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of confusion as she silently wondered what exactly felt off.

Beside her, Shen Jianan looked at Ye Qingcheng curiously again, interrupting her thoughts to continue the previous topic. "Sister Qingcheng, what did you mean just now when you said 'it is and it isn't'?" As she spoke, Shen Jianan scratched her head, a look of confusion on her face.

Ye Qingcheng snapped out of it and shook her head gently, a faint smile playing on her lips. "It's a bit complicated and hard to explain in a short time. I'll explain it to you slowly once we get back to the base." After saying that, her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the closed door on the second floor, a flash of inexplicable depth in her eyes.

Seeing this, Shen Jianan didn't press further and began wandering around the shop on her own, touching one thing and then another like a curious child.

Meanwhile, in the room on the second floor, Sister Hong locked the door. Her hands flew across the workbench, picking out unknown Materials from various jars and bottles. Although she seemed fully focused, her ears twitched slightly from time to time, as she paid close attention to the conversation between the two women downstairs.

To her disappointment, Ye Qingcheng stopped talking just as she reached the crucial point. Afterward, Ye Qingcheng and Shen Jianan only chatted about trivial, meaningless topics. Sister Hong's brow furrowed tightly, and a surge of inexplicable irritability rose in her heart.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions, and then refocused her attention on making the Disguise Mask. However, the faint sounds of conversation from downstairs were like an invisible thread, constantly tugging at her heartstrings.

...

At the same time, Wang Tengfei finally selected Unit 1801 from the many available listings as his future residence. Qin Yi had originally intended for Wang Tengfei to choose a more spacious apartment on a better floor, but Wang Tengfei seemed somewhat uneasy. After all, the value of this luxury property was in the tens of millions. Despite their deep friendship, such a generous gift made Wang Tengfei feel overwhelmed and even a bit burdened.

"Lao Si, I appreciate your kindness. Let's not transfer the title to me just yet. I'm already very satisfied being able to live here for free," Wang Tengfei said, expressing his gratitude with a rare look of seriousness.

Qin Yi laughed and patted Wang Tengfei on the shoulder, teasing, "What's with the sudden sentimentality? I said I'd give you a house, so just think of it as employee housing for our company. Don't overthink it."

Wang Tengfei looked at Qin Yi, a flash of determination in his eyes. "Lao Si, I understand your good intentions. But I really can't take this house for nothing. How about this: once I've made some money following you, I'll buy this place. When that time comes, just give me a discount, okay?"

Qin Yi smiled helplessly. Seeing Wang Tengfei's firm attitude, he nodded in agreement. "Alright then. I'll keep the deed for you for now."

"Phew..." Wang Tengfei breathed a long sigh of relief. "I'll feel much more at ease living here then." A relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"Heh, look at you, you really don't know how to enjoy your good fortune. When Third Brother gets here, he'll definitely call you stupid," Qin Yi said with a laugh, though his eyes were full of gratification.

Wang Tengfei laughed self-deprecatingly. "I can't help it; you know my family's situation. Even if you gave me this much money, I wouldn't be able to accept it with a clear conscience. But I believe that by following you, Lao Si, I'll definitely make big money in the future!" At this, he winked at Qin Yi.

Seeing Wang Tengfei like this, Qin Yi also laughed happily.

Infected by Wang Tengfei's mood, Qin Yi laughed joyfully as well. He handed over the keys to Unit 1801. "Live here without worries. We brothers share the good times and the bad. Take a look at the rooms first; buy whatever's missing, and just let me know if you need money."

"No, no, that's not necessary. I just made over a hundred thousand from the stock market this morning; that's enough," Wang Tengfei said, waving his hand in polite refusal.

"Alright then. I'm heading up first. Come over to my place for dinner tonight; I've invited Brother Kun and the others, so I won't be staying with you this evening," Qin Yi instructed.

"Got it, go ahead and take care of your business," Wang Tengfei replied.

Afterward, Qin Yi turned and entered the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor. As the elevator doors slowly closed, Wang Tengfei looked down at the keys in his hand, a surge of indescribable warmth welling up in his heart.

He would remember this friendship forever!

...

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and Qin Yi stepped out into his penthouse. At that moment, bursts of laughter came from the dining room, where Xu Qian was chatting intimately with Wu Xiuhua while they prepared vegetables. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

Seeing Qin Yi return, a flash of joy appeared in Wu Xiuhua's eyes. She looked up with a smile and asked, "Xiao Yi is back! Why didn't Tengfei come with you?"

Qin Yi smiled slightly and explained, "He's looking at the apartment in 1801. I told him to take his time and see what else the place needs. He'll be coming up to eat with us tonight." As he spoke, he scanned the dining room and frowned in confusion. "Eh? Is Xiao Yue not home? Is she hiding in her room being lazy again?"

Hearing this, Wu Xiuhua shook her head with a smile. "Her? She just left a little while ago. She said you gave her a task and went off to get busy with it."

"Oh, right. I asked her to go scout some talented streamers and operations staff," Qin Yi realized. He then walked over to sit beside Xu Qian, gently putting his arm around her shoulder and saying softly, "Qianqian, I'll talk it over with Brother Kun tonight. You shouldn't go to work at the Car Dealership anymore. You and Xiao Yue should help me keep an eye on the Media Company."

Xu Qian nodded obediently. "Okay, I'll do as you say." A faint smile graced her face, and her eyes were full of reliance as she looked at Qin Yi.

Watching the two of them so in love, Wu Xiuhua felt very gratified. She smiled as she gathered the prepared vegetables, stood up, and said, "Alright, alright, you two young lovebirds talk. I'll go wash the vegetables and get dinner ready." She then turned toward the kitchen, her face beaming with a satisfied smile.

Seeing this, Xu Qian quickly stood up to help. "Auntie, let me help you."

Wu Xiuhua waved her off. "No need, no need. You two keep talking. I can handle it myself." She then hurried into the kitchen.

Qin Yi looked back at Xu Qian and asked with concern, "Have you contacted your brother? How's everything on his end?"

"Yes," Xu Qian nodded gently. "I've contacted him. He said he's finished submitting his college applications and is just waiting for the admission notice now. However, the admissions probably won't come out until the mid-to-late part of the month."

"Then when do they plan to come over?" Qin Yi continued to ask.

"Probably in the next day or two," Xu Qian thought for a moment and responded. "They'll take the high-speed rail here, and I'll go to the station to pick them up when the time comes."

Hearing this, Qin Yi proactively suggested, "How about I go instead? I'm free anyway."

But Xu Qian shook her head. "No, I can go by myself. You have so many things to do; don't worry about it." As she spoke, a flash of hesitation crossed her face, as if she had something to say but found it difficult to speak.

Qin Yi noticed her unusual behavior and asked softly, "What's wrong? Qianqian, is there something you want to say?"

"Well..." Xu Qian bit her lip and finally gathered the courage to say in a low voice, "Young Master Qin, you've given me so much that I feel like I'm in a dream. I don't know how to explain all this to my mom and the others..." She spoke with a hint of confusion and helplessness on her face.

Hearing this, a sense of warmth rose in Qin Yi's heart. He gently took Xu Qian's hand and comforted her softly, "Don't worry about it, Qianqian. If you don't know how to explain, then there's no need to force an explanation. Once they arrive, everything will become clear on its own."

"Yeah, I hope so," Xu Qian nodded silently and replied in a small voice.

Afterward, Qin Yi talked with Xu Qian about matters related to the Media Company, explaining the System task requirements to her again. He then exhorted, "Qianqian, you've been in the workforce longer than Xiao Yue and have more experience, so you'll need to put more effort into the Media Company."

Xu Qian nodded and responded, "I will, don't worry. By the way, I've made an appointment with the renovation company tomorrow to discuss the Media Company's design. Will you have time to join the discussion?"

Qin Yi pondered for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly as he considered his schedule. "We'll see. Recruitment can't be delayed during the renovation. Since the 13th floor is already available for work, let's arrange the interviews there."

"Okay, as soon as the company registration is finalized, we'll start taking action. I've already thought it through; we'll post the job openings on several recruitment apps first, and then find headhunters to poach some talent from the same industry. Oh, I forgot the most important thing—what did you have in mind for the media and entertainment company's main focus?" Xu Qian responded.

"Haha, you should be the one thinking about this. Anyway, just remember, we aren't short on money. Do whatever you want. Use your brain, but it's okay if you can't figure it out. Just start hiring people first. More people means more ideas! Also, regarding the company registration, I'll push Fatty to get it done as soon as possible."

While the two were deep in conversation, Qin Yi's phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen, saw it was Wang Tengfei calling, and then picked up.

"Hello, Fatty, we were just talking about you when you called. What's up?" Qin Yi's tone carried a hint of curiosity.

"Fourth Brother, Wang Hao called again. He said the apology video has been posted on the campus forum and Weibo, and that ten million donation will be fully raised by tomorrow." Wang Tengfei's voice held a trace of excitement.

A cold sneer curled the corner of Qin Yi's mouth. "He's moving quite fast. Fine, I'll go check if his apology video is sincere first."

"Hahaha, Fourth Brother, you really should see it. That video, tsk tsk tsk, it was filmed so earnestly—he was practically in tears. The post is already pinned on the campus forum, and I bet the whole school knows about it by now." Wang Tengfei's laughter came through the phone.

"Is that so? Since you put it that way, his apology video should be passable," Qin Yi said indifferently.

"Of course. You're his lifesaver right now. If you don't forgive him, that kid probably won't ever be able to recover," Wang Tengfei joked.

"Alright, tell him that as soon as the donation arrives, I can sign the settlement agreement."

"Got it, don't worry." After saying that, Wang Tengfei hung up.

Qin Yi didn't immediately check the apology video on the campus forum. He trusted Wang Tengfei's judgment, and in his view, it didn't make much difference whether he watched it or not. Just a stray dog; he didn't believe Wang Hao was truly remorseful. It was merely a choice made out of necessity after being backed into a corner.

Xu Qian had also heard the conversation clearly. She asked softly, "Young Master Qin, is that Wang Hao the same person we met when we were eating at the Sinan Feast?"

"Yeah, that's him." Qin Yi nodded in confirmation.

"I saw in the news that his father passed away in a car accident, and his father's company was also hit with a scandal. It seems to have caused quite a stir; the city has even formed a Joint Investigation Team. Sigh, do you think some things are just destined?" Xu Qian's tone held a hint of reflection.

Hearing this, Qin Yi gave a faint smile. "Who can say for sure?" Just as he was about to say more, his phone screen suddenly lit up. He picked it up and saw a WeChat message from Xing Zhenkun, informing him of the hotel address for tonight's banquet.

Qin Yi quickly replied with an OK emoji, then stood up and said, "Alright, I'm going to take a shower and change. It'll be time to head to the banquet soon."

Xu Qian also stood up and said, "Then I'll go help Auntie organize the ingredients."

...

The afternoon passed quickly. Ye Qingcheng and Shen Jianan had been waiting in Sister Hong's shop.

With a soft "click," the doorknob slowly turned, and the door on the second floor swung open. Sister Hong stepped out. Carrying a striking red wooden tray, she walked down from upstairs with light and graceful steps.

Sister Hong walked up to the two of them, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. She gently lifted the red cloth on the tray, revealing a "Disguise Mask" that looked exactly like real human skin. She then handed it to Shen Jianan, her tone soft yet carrying an air of authority: "Here, put it on and try it."

Shen Jianan stared at the mask, an inexplicable sense of apprehension rising in her heart. She frowned slightly and instinctively looked at Ye Qingcheng, her eyes filled with inquiry. Ye Qingcheng responded with a reassuring smile and said softly, "Don't worry, Sister Hong's craftsmanship is excellent. Just treat it like applying a facial mask and relax."

Encouraged by Ye Qingcheng, Shen Jianan swallowed hard and cautiously reached out. The moment her fingertips touched the Disguise Mask, she was surprised to find it as delicate and smooth as real skin. She lifted the mask gently, feeling it was as light as nothing, even lighter than a fully soaked facial mask.

Shen Jianan found a mirror and held her breath as she applied the mask to her face. Just as she was wondering what to do next, a sudden change occurred. She felt the mask on her face suddenly come to life, pulling at her features and causing them to change. Her face in the mirror constantly twisted and deformed, a sight that caused her a bout of intense dizziness. Fortunately, Ye Qingcheng reacted quickly, catching her swaying body and turning the mirror away.

After about two or three minutes, Shen Jianan's dizziness finally subsided. Ye Qingcheng scrutinized her face, nodded with satisfaction, and then turned to Sister Hong, giving her a thumbs-up. "Sister Hong, your craftsmanship is truly superb, just as good as it was years ago."

"Thanks for the compliment." Sister Hong smiled faintly and extended her palm bluntly. "That'll be twenty-five thousand."

"Oh, you. Twenty-five thousand it is. Come on, let me scan the code." As Ye Qingcheng spoke, she took out her phone. Sister Hong didn't stand on ceremony either, handing the printed payment code from the counter to Ye Qingcheng.

Shen Jianan turned the mirror back toward herself. Looking at the completely unfamiliar face in the mirror, she reached out in shock to feel for the edges of the mask, only to find she couldn't feel them at all. Sister Hong walked over and gently touched her chin, saying with a smile, "Don't waste your effort. Once the 'Human-skin Disguise Mask' is on, it cannot be removed until the medicinal effect wears off."

"Medicinal effect? Sister Hong, are you saying this mask is actually made of medicine?" Shen Jianan asked nervously.

Sister Hong nodded. "That's right. Why? Didn't Qingcheng tell you?" She looked at Ye Qingcheng as she spoke. Ye Qingcheng had just finished the payment, and a crisp notification sound rang out in the room.

Ye Qingcheng shook her phone and then came to Shen Jianan's side, explaining softly, "Don't worry, Jianan. Although it's medicine, it's harmless to the body. Once the effect is over, the mask will fall off automatically."

"Alright. My task is complete. A friendly reminder: there are less than seven hours left until the effect wears off." As Sister Hong spoke, she looked away from the wall clock and turned toward Ye Qingcheng and Shen Jianan.

"Haha, that's enough," Ye Qingcheng replied with a smile. She then waved at Shen Jianan and called out, "Jianan, let's go."

Shen Jianan looked at Sister Hong, gave a slight nod, and then followed behind Ye Qingcheng, preparing to head out of the shop.

Seeing this, Sister Hong crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Looking at Ye Qingcheng's back, she pressed, "Qingcheng, for this mission of yours, how about taking me along?"

Ye Qingcheng stopped, looked back at Sister Hong, and a helpless smile appeared on her face. "Sister Hong, don't make things difficult for me. It's not like you don't know the confidentiality rules. We're leaving."

Sister Hong shrugged helplessly and waved them off. "Alright then. Come back when you have time, and we'll have a good get-together."

Hearing Sister Hong's words, Ye Qingcheng raised her hand and made an OK gesture without looking back, signaling her agreement. She then walked out of the shop with Shen Jianan.

Sister Hong didn't follow them out. Instead, she stood quietly inside the shop, watching through a gap in the window as Ye Qingcheng and Shen Jianan got into a Jeep SUV parked by the roadside. She silently memorized the license plate number, a complex light flickering in her eyes. It wasn't until the Jeep quickly drove out of sight that she withdrew her gaze and turned to lock the shop door from the inside.

Sister Hong went straight to the second floor and entered her room. She closed the door, took a deep breath, and dialed a phone number. After a moment of silence on the other end, the steady voice of a middle-aged man came through: "Hello?"

"Foster Father, it's me," Sister Hong said in a low, heavy tone. "A-Mo isn't dead. He's being held in secret by National Security."

The person on the other end didn't seem surprised. He remained silent for a moment before slowly asking, "Is the information reliable?"

"Yes, it's reliable," Sister Hong answered firmly. She didn't believe Ye Qingcheng would lie to her.

"Good, I understand. Wait for my word, and don't act rashly," the person on the other end instructed.

"Yes," Sister Hong replied, then hung up. She leaned against her workbench, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. "Qingcheng, I hope we don't end up as opponents," Sister Hong murmured to herself, a shadow flitting across her eyes.