124: Everyone is waiting.

"Wait, wait a minute."

Amy felt like she was receiving a bit too much information at once.

What? That rogue was a Female Beast, and offering her money wasn't to keep her as a mistress, but to truly help her?

And this lady was offering her a job?

"You mean a job on the surface... on Xiuyin Star?" Amy asked cautiously. "Regarding the salary..."

"It won't be lower than here," Tu Nan said, thinking of the troubles she faced and cautiously suggesting: "The contract will be signed in the company's name once it's established. That way, you can also try other positions within the company later—I mean, after the Children have left the Childhood Stage."

Using the company as the primary party for the contract was because she worried that if anything happened to her, the company with Lance's investment would allow the contract to continue.

To recruit talent, Tu Nan began to practice a boss's natural duty—painting a grand vision.

"Don't be put off by the fact that we're a startup; our brand was registered by Colonel Kong. He has high expectations for our products."

Amy's pupils dilated in shock. Tu Nan was very satisfied; Kong Jiamu's name really was useful.

"Lance has also brought in investment from an inter-interstellar conglomerate," Tu Nan added, increasing the stakes.

Indeed, Lance had just told her that his "mother" had agreed to invest and was having a professional team draft the contract, agreeing that the company would be centered around the founder, Tu Nan. So, of course, this wasn't bragging.

"We'll start as soon as we land. What you're getting now is a direct hire from the boss. Eight hours a day, eight days off per month, and double pay for overtime. Once you join, you'll be a founding member with employee number 003. I'm 001, and Lance is 002."

Before Amy could speak, Tu Nan delivered the final blow. "A monthly salary of ten thousand, with six months' pay in advance. Sign an intent agreement, and I'll pay you immediately."

"Boss!" Amy's eyes welled with tears as she immediately gripped Tu Nan's hand with unwavering loyalty.

Tu Nan smiled.

"Welcome—call me Pearl." She squeezed Amy's hand back, showing sincere employee concern.

"For now, finish your work here. Once we leave the ship, how about you take this month's paid leave first? You should handle your family matters properly."

To be able to persuade a soft-hearted and responsible employee so quickly, one could only say that Hongtu Aviation's benefits weren't good enough... Tu Nan felt no guilt about poaching her.

And so... although she hadn't decided on a company name yet, she unexpectedly had her first real employee.

Tu Nan went to report the good news to the Children in a great mood, and also... to discuss the arrangements for disembarking.

***

The peaceful time passed quickly.

Tu Nan basically achieved the "inseparable" milestone with Kong Jiamu, and Amy used her current job on the ship to secretly build preliminary trust with her future charges—the two little ones—with Lance's help.

The ship gradually decelerated as Xiuyin Star grew closer and closer.

Tu Nan stood by the porthole, watching the beautiful, lush greenery of the planet rush toward her.

Lance and Amy each held a child, peering out the window, while Kong Jiamu stood beside her.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Kong Jiamu's voice, tinged with a hint of mockery, sounded in her ear.

Tu Nan looked up at him, only to see a strange look in his eyes—a mix of nostalgia and indifference.

Feeling Tu Nan's constant gaze on him, Kong Jiamu didn't turn his head.

"This is the ancestral star of the Peacock Clan, and the planet where I was born," he said with a forced smile. "Back then, my mother lived here alone with me. I didn't go to the Capital Star until later."

"During your Childhood Stage, when you were only about the size of Lan Xing?" Lan Xing was the official name Ao Ao was registered under.

This meant Kong Jiamu had stayed here until he was five at most, and from his tone, his status at birth... "Later, I only came back to visit when passing through. Forget it, let's not talk about that." Kong Jiamu found it dull and asked Tu Nan, "You said you and Lance are going to the City Hall to register the company as soon as we disembark? Is it scheduled?"

Tu Nan nodded.

She hadn't hesitated to use the Peacock's brain for the company's registration matters and contracts. She had even had him look over the contract while they were in bed.

It had to be said, he truly lived up to being a Young Master from a business family; every suggestion he made hit the mark, and Tu Nan benefited greatly.

Every time afterward, he would demand extra compensation, clamoring that he was losing out.

Tu Nan smiled without a word. If he didn't even want to suffer this small loss, how would he handle a major one?

Hmm? She thought to herself with a hint of mischief.

With a slight vibration of the hull, the ship connected with the sturdy high-altitude skybridge.

Tu Nan's pupils contracted slightly as she calmly exchanged a look with Lance.

Lance gave a small nod, and Tu Nan took hold of the arm of the man beside her, sighing with regret.

"The journey is about to end..."

"Yeah! Come on, wait here." Kong Jiamu led Tu Nan's group to stand straight at the exit.

He seemed very excited—abnormally so today—and had been waiting at the exit hall early on.

He was even more eager than Tu Nan, who was witnessing a flight docking for the first time.

It was... a bit strange.

These distinguished guests didn't usually have the habit of rushing to line up to disembark. This kind of flight also reserved enough time for guests to wake up and leave according to their own schedules.

There were only three groups standing in the entrance hall waiting to disembark... Besides them, one group was actually the Pig Clan sisters.

It seemed they had been confined until they were irritable, only wishing to leave this place where they had lost face as soon as possible.

"They..." Tu Nan whispered to Kong Jiamu.

Kong Jiamu stared intently at the door, answering distractedly, "I mentioned it to His Majesty, and His Majesty said he noted it."

"What does that mean?" Tu Nan didn't know what that implied.

At the mention of His Majesty, Kong Jiamu finally focused. Thinking that he still needed to find a chance to bring Lan Xing—the talent he discovered—to see His Majesty, and that Tu Nan, as the mother, might also have a chance for an audience, he offered a pointer.

"What is His Majesty's status? Anything he is made aware of will inevitably have a result." He curled his lip. "If he didn't intend to handle it, His Majesty wouldn't have said a word."

Tu Nan was lost in thought.

This was the preciousness of those in high positions; every word and every bit of time pointed toward a result.

The doors slowly slid to both sides. Although they were mid-air, the influx of fresh, unique air was still invigorating.

Tu Nan began to feel nervous. Not here; this was still a controlled area, and the personnel were too 'clean'.

Their plan was for the moment they stepped out of the elevator after descending to the ground airfield.

The doors opened completely.

Beaming ground staff stood on both sides, smiling as they greeted them.

Kong Jiamu swept his gaze across. No one.

Where were the people? Didn't they say they'd be waiting at the door?

Where was the excitement he was waiting for? He was greatly disappointed!

He finally understood the feeling of having one's curiosity piqued to the maximum only to have it fall flat.

"Where are they?" He grabbed his bracelet and dialed a number.

Tu Nan realized then—so there was supposed to be someone meeting them? No wonder.

Kong Jiamu walked while making the call, taking large strides, and Tu Nan followed closely by his side with her head down.

The Children were carried and slowly left behind. Tu Nan and Kong Jiamu entered an elevator alone, and it was just the two of them as they descended.

"Damn it! What's going on?" Kong Jiamu was furious, but no one answered on the other end of the call.

Tu Nan should have said something, but she didn't.

She was waiting for the elevator to reach the ground.