warn
To be honest, You Jiale only felt truly relieved after the locked box ended up in Zhang Xiande's hands. It wasn't that he trusted this cunning old fox to an extreme degree, but rather that he understood some hot potatoes were like explosives that could explode at any moment if held in his own hands. It was better to hand them over to someone who seemed ruthless, but at least could protect him for now. As long as he was still somewhat useful, that old fox Zhang Xiande wouldn't easily get rid of him.
Although living in Yunyin Hall was quite reassuring, this tranquility only served to highlight the undercurrents around them, making You Jiale eager to find out who "Yu Shanhe" really was and what secrets were hidden behind those letters.
The "Leji Delivery" business is booming. To others, it may just be a tool for making money, but in Xiao You's heart, it is his trump card for survival, an intelligence network that can gather information for him, and a sophisticated disguise system.
He began secretly arranging for his delivery drivers to deliver inconspicuous small items to specific addresses he deduced from the letters, often to recipients using aliases or vague addresses. He wasn't really planning to carry out any mission; he just wanted to confirm things.
If someone does come to make contact, it means that those undercover agents are still operating, but it also means that danger could emerge at any time. If no one responds, it means either the person has already run away and disappeared, or they have already been taken care of. This way, he can feel more at ease and find another opportunity to quietly cut off these clues one by one.
Of course, these things can't be rushed; they have to be done slowly. He didn't want to be caught red-handed the moment he got a clue, and then be forced to ask, "How did you know what '99437' meant?"
He had to find out exactly what "Li's Sauce Shop" was, who the person who tried to pull a gun on him on the street that night was, check the names that appeared in the letter, and collect every clue left by the original owner of the body—until he could piece together all the fragments into a complete past.
You Jiale's furtive little actions naturally did not escape Zhang Xiande's sharp eyes. Ever since he took away the locked box and letters, Zhang Xiande had been paying even closer attention to You Jiale's movements.
Qin Zheng would also regularly report to Zhang Xiande on You Jiale's daily operations at "Leji Delivery," as well as some seemingly unintentional actions. Zhang Xiande quickly realized that this kid seemed to be using "Leji Delivery" as a front for some other shady dealings.
Those specially marked packages, those orders that specified a particular delivery person, and some strange delivery addresses all caught his attention.
After having dinner at Yunyintang that evening, Zhang's mother was chatting enthusiastically with You Jiale about "Leji Delivery".
"What do you call this now? Online delivery? I heard from the cook that even 'Hong Ji Wonton' from the west end has started cooperating with you?"
“Of course.” You Jiale replied with a smile, very obediently, “Our ‘Leji Delivery’ is all about coverage – wonton shops, pickle shops, small restaurants, we don’t miss a single one.”
"Good, good! We should promote your ideas more!" Mother Zhang patted the table happily, then turned to Zhang Xiande and said, "You should also support him more and provide more help to young people, understand?"
Zhang Xiande was sipping his soup with his head down when he heard this. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he looked up at You Jiale, his tone casual: "The delivery business has been...very busy lately?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the restaurant paused subtly for a second.
You Jiale had just shoveled a mouthful of rice into her mouth when her chopsticks paused slightly. She then casually raised her head, a prepared smile on her face: "Yes, boss, everything is slowly getting back on track."
As he said this, he secretly glanced at Zhang Xiande sitting opposite him out of the corner of his eye.
But Zhang Xiande simply gave a faint "hmm," as if he hadn't noticed his glance at all, and then casually asked, "I remember saying that you shouldn't act on your own."
His voice wasn't loud, and it still carried his usual gentle tone, but to You Jiale's ears, it was like a knife in lukewarm water, cutting gently against her bone.
“Uh…” You Jiale’s lips stiffened, her mind racing. “Ah, you mean that, it’s a pilot route… The shops over there have a high customer return rate, so I wanted to get more orders.”
The air around the dining table seemed to instantly turn cold.
Zhang Xiande's gaze sharpened, like two sharp blades piercing through from the other side of the table, landing directly on You Jiale's face.
"Don't think no one knows about your little tricks. If I know, someone else will find out. If you don't want trouble, you'd better behave yourself."
Zhang Xiande stared at him for a long while, then finally sighed softly, his tone softening somewhat, but still carrying an undeniable air of authority: "You are not allowed to act alone again next time. Do you hear me?"
“I heard you, I heard you…” You Jiale immediately went over like a puppy and gave Zhang Xiande a fawning massage on the shoulders. “Don’t be angry… getting angry makes you age faster.”
Zhang Xiande glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, a half-smile on his face: "So you think I'm old?"
"How could that be!" Xiao You's reaction was faster than being electrocuted. His eyes darted around, and he immediately adopted an exaggerated expression. "I don't mean to favor you at all, boss, but you really are excessively favored by the Goddess Nuwa!" His tone was naturally witty, as if the tense atmosphere from before had never existed. This kid is incredibly slippery.
"Shut up." Zhang Xiande didn't say anything more, telling him to go back to his seat. He then stopped looking at him. You Jiale secretly glanced at him, grinned foolishly twice, and knew in his heart that this boss was only responsive to gentle persuasion; his words earlier had actually worked somewhat.
You Jiale secretly glanced at him, chuckled twice, and knew this guy was susceptible to her charms.
Zhang Xiande's nonchalant attitude only stirred up a complex mix of emotions in You Jiale. Was this a warning? He couldn't quite figure it out. Ever since moving into the heavily guarded Yunyin Hall, his relationship with Zhang Xiande had been like a jar of medicinal wine steeped for a long time—seemingly calm on the surface, but something was quietly brewing inside. You Jiale knew perfectly well that Zhang Xiande was probably watching him every time he went to the toilet.
Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder, if one day he were forced to step into the eye of this storm and face a life-or-death choice... would Zhang Xiande be the one to quietly reach out and pull him back? Or would he be the one to cruelly push him off the precipice first? He lowered his head, took a small sip of his slightly bitter tea, and tried to suppress the chaotic emotions in his mind. Oh well, he's still alive; every extra day is a bonus. If something really happens—a slightly roguish smile tugged at the corner of his mouth—that would only be after "Leji Delivery" truly became the number one food delivery brand in the country.
Listening to their witty banter, Madam Zhang assumed they were discussing business. Watching the two exchange words, their eyes crinkling with amusement, as if they were two reckless teenagers bickering, her expression full of indulgence and affection, she put down her chopsticks, sighed softly, and said with a touch of wistfulness, "Oh dear, it's only been a few days, and you two are already bickering. This house is going to be quite lively from now on." Turning to You Jiale, her eyes were filled with the gentle warmth and expectation of an elder, "Little You, if only you could stay at Yunyin Hall forever. Our house lacks a bit of youthful energy; with you here, the house feels much brighter."
"Madam, you're being too kind..." You Jiale was about to say a few polite words when he suddenly smiled, his eyes curving into crescent moons, looking quite endearing. "Then I'll have to spend more time talking to you, otherwise I'll feel bad if you miss me. You see, it's just like...like my mom." He spoke from the heart, his voice playful yet unable to conceal the tenderness and affection hidden deep within his heart. After all, since he had inexplicably transmigrated into this book, he hadn't experienced this kind of doting maternal love for far too long. In his own world, he was his mother's most precious youngest son. The Madam Zhang before him was gentle and loving, without any of the airs of a wealthy woman, genuinely treating him as a junior.
Hearing this, Zhang's mother was overjoyed. She reached out and gently patted You Jiale's hand, her eyes becoming even more kind. "Xiande usually has a stern face, looking like an old man, like a hermit. With you by his side, he's become much more lively."
“I think so too,” You Jiale continued with a smile, following Zhang’s mother’s words with a hint of pride, “I’m pretty good at making people happy.”
As he spoke, the smile on his face suddenly faded, and a faint, complex emotion, tinged with nostalgia and envy, surfaced in his eyes. It was a fleeting glimpse of genuine feeling that only surfaced when he felt extremely relaxed and safe.
He took a deep breath, quickly suppressing the slight sadness in his heart. Just as he was about to continue his witty banter, a question suddenly flashed through his mind. Wait a minute… Yunyin Hall is unusually quiet now, with only the three of them at the dining table. Isn't Pei Zhiyuan supposed to live here too? Why haven't I seen him at all these past few days? However, after this question lingered in his mind, he ultimately didn't ask it aloud. It's best to avoid causing trouble for yourself if possible.
"I'll try to talk to you more often from now on," he quickly put on a smile again, saying in a slightly ingratiating tone, "but you can't complain that I'm too noisy. My boss always complains that I chatter on and on."
His mother was amused by him and reached out her finger to gently flick his nose, laughing and scolding, "You're so glib."
Zhang Xiande, who had been silent all along, put down his chopsticks and calmly replied, "It is quite noisy." After saying that, he glanced at You Jiale, and the corners of his mouth curled up almost imperceptibly, his expression carrying a hint of indulgence.
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