Chapter 126: Expansion
December 23, Monday.
As Christmas approached, the atmosphere at the Golden River Club shifted to embrace the holiday spirit to cater to some younger members; after all, making money is important.
It was not yet 7 PM, and the winter night in City C had already fallen early. The golden ocean swept through the hall once more, with more guests arriving as expected, including a young couple who were holding a proposal ceremony here.
To boost the atmosphere and assist the male member’s proposal, Xiao Ai gave a generous gift by inviting the female member into the staff dressing room, allowing her to choose any outfit she liked. With hundreds of beautiful high-end outfits on display, the female member was dazzled and delighted.
Zhao Peng was in hibernation, Zheng Shaolin was recovering well and about to return, and the growth bottlenecks among several knights were starting to ease. The accumulation of good news created a sense of joy and optimism for the remaining time in 2019.
Whether old knights or newly promoted squires, the vast majority of Hyacinth members had emerged from their previous feelings of depression and sadness, and life and work were back on track.
In the lively golden hall, only one person had not fully recovered emotionally, sitting alone in a corner, lost in thought.
Zhou Ping’s return from injury was very low-key. Originally, according to Xiao Ai, she was supposed to get a few more days off to handle personal matters accumulated during her long hospitalization, but Zhou Ping chose to return to work the day after her discharge.
“… That’s just Zhou Ping’s personality. She’s a bit quirky, but really quite earnest and has a strong sense of frustration…”
On the second-floor railing, Wan Yue, holding a glass, smiled as she watched the bustling first floor, speaking quietly to the Jiang sisters beside her.
“Her selling the house to raise money for her boyfriend… I think it’s a bit ridiculous; Sister Xiaoping must have encountered a scammer!”
Jiang Yao glanced at her sister Jiang Yan, lowering her voice, the displeasure on her face clearly showing her feelings at that moment.
“The real reason, she probably only knows herself… Forget it. We shouldn’t spread her business. Let’s see how she resolves it on her own.”
Leaning lazily against the railing, Wan Yue gazed at the city nightscape beyond the glass wall, a slight smile on her face: “So far, according to Zheng Shaolin, that guy has already entered her heart… Even if he’s not a scoundrel, she needs to see it clearly herself first.”
In the eyes of some Hyacinth girls, Zhou Ping had seemingly made up her mind to accept the affection of a certain top student and even had significant financial exchanges involved. Wan Yue had not expressed any objections before, merely stating that if Zhou Ping wanted to return to a normal life, she would have to leave Hyacinth and gain a substantial severance payment.
The lower the rank, the higher the likelihood of blood clan women giving birth to ordinary babies, but this only applies when compared to higher-ranking blood clan women. The final concern that Hyacinth could provide was merely to support the other side of this probability.
For the past six months, Zhou Ping had been continually advancing her romantic endeavors. Clearly, she had accepted Wan Yue’s rules, indicating that she had plans for her future life, perhaps not someone willing to remain in Hyacinth for a lifetime.
“Don’t go digging for information; I’ve already asked Su Xiaomeng to investigate that guy.”
Wan Yue took a sip of her drink and turned to Jiang Yao, “Jiang Yao, spend some time with Zhou Ping, whether at your home or hers, just don’t stick to Jiang Yan all day.”
“Ah? Me? Accompany Sister Xiaoping? But I’m not good at comforting people!”
Jiang Yao was startled, unsure of what to make of Wan Yue’s intention.
“It’s not about comforting her; just keep her company. If you don’t want to, that’s fine.” Wan Yue shook her head, not wanting to dwell on the matter, “Just go check on Zhao Peng and replace Xiao Dong; let Jiang Yan stay here and chat with me.”
“Oh…”
As Jiang Yao looked at Jiang Yan’s calm expression, she turned back repeatedly, filled with confusion as she walked towards the stairs.
“Look, we women have so many troubles; some are inherent, some brought by others, and some… Heh, are self-inflicted.”
Wan Yue lit a cigarette, a hint of playful amusement at the corner of her mouth. It seemed that women were born to prepare for the behavior of men in this world, which could be annoying or likeable… It was still the same after becoming a blood clan, and the cost was even higher.
“Clearly, we have more things we can do, but we still care the most.”
When did this all start?
You two are still too young; there will be plenty of opportunities for you to experience later.
After saying that, Wan Yue’s body underwent familiar changes; tendrils of tempting pheromones began to release and blend into the golden world, stirring along with the soft music, entrancing and tempting everyone.
Jiang Yan was unable to take over the topic; instead, she turned her head to follow Wan Yue’s gaze, looking out at the club’s glass exterior, immersed in Wan Yue’s unique aura.
Under the colorful neon lights was a world of drunkenness and blurriness, filled with inscrutable men and women.
As the clock struck midnight, the Golden River Club began to close.
In the employee rest area where Zhao Peng was in hibernation, it was now crowded with people, marking another gathering of core Hyacinth members.
Zheng Shaolin and Xiao Ling were absent due to well-known reasons, but there was an additional Huang Gu, a squire standing among a group of knights, looking a bit out of place.
On the bed, the faint aura emanating from Zhao Peng could already be described as a classic chaotic feeling, envied by all.
This meant that in less than three weeks, Zhao Peng had completed the renewal of his blood energy protein throughout his body, officially stepping into the baron realm. Now, he was more focused on building a new foundation for his realm during his hibernation phase to lay the groundwork for continued growth in the future.
Zhao Peng’s progress in hibernation was swift, so much so that it was hard to believe it was him. It was estimated that he would wake up within four to five months. But Wan Yue still adhered to the so-called “rare blood supply from the territorial viscount,” providing luxurious daily support of hundreds of milliliters, demonstrating her determination to produce a perfect baron without compromise.
Except for the calm Wan Yue, everyone else was extremely excited. Even Huang Gu, who usually did not care about growth, was subconsciously rubbing his hands, revealing his inner envy.
Retrieving her gaze from Zhao Peng, Wan Yue immediately fixed her eyes on Huang Gu: “Finally, no resources have gone to waste; you’ve finally ranked up to a higher squire. When will you become a knight, so you won’t embarrass yourself?”
“Hehe, the secret blood you gave last time was enough for a month, allowing me to take it easy.”
Huang Gu chuckled, knowing he had been prioritized for the expensive “territorial viscount rare blood” supply over Xiao Ai and others. While pleased to break through his growth bottleneck, he also felt somewhat awkward.
Wan Yue rose from the bedside and started strolling through the Hyacinth knights, a sweet and elegant smile on her face.
“Today, I mainly want to tell you that the secret blood in my possession is almost depleted. I can currently only ensure Zhao Peng’s hibernation support; you have no objections, right? So, we need a new regulation.”
“This type of blood is very precious, and the resources are quite tricky. This is also one of the reasons I will be taking a trip to the south with Jiang Yan at the end of the month.”
The next key trainees are Xiao Dong and Liang Tai… Other than them, it’s best if no one else has objections. Xiao Dong is the one among you with the best qualifications and can make better use of the limited resources for faster growth. Liang Tai has been stuck at mid-tier knight for a long time and has a great hope of advancing further.
Wan Yue’s attitude was friendly, her smile warm, but her words carried an undeniable tone while also expressing an expression of helplessness towards the Jiang sisters in the corner: “You two little monsters can be exempted; I’m worried you’ll grow too fast and have an unstable foundation.”
As her words fell, a wave of laughter erupted in the room. Jiang Yan responded with a smile, taking it in stride, while Jiang Yao grinned, unsure of what she was internally grumbling about.
In the crowd, Xiao Dong heard Wan Yue clearly state her focus on cultivating his qualification in front of everyone. He struggled to contain his excitement, bit his lip, and gave a deep bow.
Xiao Dong had joined Hyacinth later than Zhou Ping, just fourteen years ago. Counting from the day she suffered blood invasion, it had only been a little over fifteen years. She became a lower-tier knight two years ago, which was already a very high qualification for someone of an ordinary blood type.
As the most educated member of Hyacinth, Xiao Dong was a doctoral student in medicine before the blood invasion. She had actually realized quite early that there were some hidden details in the so-called “territorial viscount rare blood” that Wan Yue provided.
Although she only received half a month’s worth from Wan Yue, Xiao Dong could distinctly feel that its growth effect on her was almost equivalent to a year’s accumulation. This speed was astonishing enough to raise her suspicions and even lead her to fantastical thoughts.
Whether others cared or not, Xiao Dong did not know. At least, she had already caught a whiff of the unusual aroma from these secret bloods.
Even if to conceal the truth, these secret bloods were mixed with Wan Yue’s blood, the familiar feeling still made her often stare blankly at the backs of Jiang Yan and Jiang Nuo.
Now, as a beneficiary, Xiao Dong’s previous doubts had all vanished, or rather, she no longer planned to investigate deeply.
“No matter how effective it is, it’s not a magic remedy. I hope you can quickly break through to a higher-tier knight. After that, it will still depend on your own hard work.”
Fixing her gaze on Xiao Dong’s bowed head, Wan Yue smiled with a hint of depth. She understood this girl’s subtle thoughts. Though typically as dull and reserved as Xiaowen, Xiao Dong actually had a more discerning mind than anyone else.
However, Xiao Dong’s basic character and trustworthiness had passed the assessment, and Wan Yue indeed needed such a highly educated, high-potential individual to take on significant responsibilities in Hyacinth.
“Thank you, Sister Wan… I’m almost a mid-tier knight now.”
Feeling all eyes on her, particularly Wan Yue’s meaningful gaze, Xiao Dong’s inner excitement surged while she silently steeled her determination.
As for Liang Tai, the almost invisible man, he too came under the focus of everyone’s gaze. After all, he had been the club’s security guard for ages, spending most of his time quietly maintaining order within the club.
In case there was any major matter in Hyacinth, it usually had little to do with Liang Tai. In other words, he wouldn’t be moved unless absolutely necessary. This could well be another proof of Liang Tai being relied upon by Wan Yue for a long time.
However, from the moment Wan Yue had called his name until now, Liang Tai had not said a word, only clenching his fists with his head down, overwhelmed with excitement. As long as he could break through his current growth bottleneck, the hope of stepping into a higher-tier knight and ultimately becoming a baron would be greater.
Liang Tai knew that Wan Yue would not treat him unfairly, but he had no psychological preparation for becoming part of the next group of key trainees alongside Xiao Dong.
“Alright, the first matter has been discussed. Now for the second matter.”
Wan Yue sat back on the sofa, exchanging a few smiles with Liang Tai before glancing around at everyone, her tone unusually calm: “The Tang family in City D has been eliminated. This old tortoise has operated in the surrounding areas of City D for hundreds of years, and the resources they released are enough to make anyone envious.”
“Huang Gu.”
“Here, Sister Wan!”
The bearded man stepped forward, likely having anticipated what was to come.
“Old Jin has brought the distribution plan from the Wang family. Some of the Tang family’s industrial resources will be allocated to us Hyacinth, essentially giving us a taste. In other words, we will have to cling even tighter to this major support from the Wang family in the future.”
Wan Yue took an envelope from her bag and placed it on the coffee table, “Huang Gu, this is the starting capital. Discuss with Zhong Jing to register an organic food company in City D, and connect all those industrial resources; I estimate it could yield one to two million a year.”
“Also, some of the Tang family’s commercial real estate in City D will gradually be transferred to us by the Wang family. Once you take over, continue to manage it. In the future, that area in City D will be under your sole care.”
As for the establishment of related companies and personnel recruitment, I will have Zhong Jing assist you with that. You can then choose a few clever male squires to assist. Huang Gu, do you have anything to add?”
Wan Yue joked directly, the workman-like Huang Gu laughed so hard his teeth were showing, his face half-red with excitement. He was officially the first significant governor since the establishment of Hyacinth.
In the room, most people congratulated Huang Gu, pleased that he had finally become a higher-tier squire, while also representing that Hyacinth would no longer be confined to a small territory and was officially entering a phase of expansion.
“I… can a thick-headed person like me manage all this…? Ah, forget it; Sister Wan, just have faith in me, I’ll certainly do a good job for everyone!”
Huang Gu struggled to articulate several sentences, finally taking an oath like an army order, beating his chest.
Wan Yue nodded with a smile before lighting a cigarette: “The third matter is still related to the development of Hyacinth… I also want to inform everyone ahead of time.”
This time, when Jiang Yan and I go south, we will also complete some business arrangements. I will have Zhong Jing register a trade company for import and export of goods with City D; from now on, we will manage all the business and resources in the south through this company.
Once this new company gets on the right track, its status will be equivalent to the Golden River Club and become the second major base for Hyacinth. Otherwise, if something happens to just the Golden River Club, everyone would have nowhere to land.
Once this was said, several old members, including Xiao Ai, nodded, fully aware of the strategic importance of this move.
With consecutive critical directives issued, the knights of Hyacinth in the room were extremely excited. This could possibly be the most significant development plan since the establishment of Hyacinth, and the largest prerequisite was that funds had now become more abundant.
Should all this truly involve Zhong Jing? He’s always so carefree; is he really that competent…? Isn’t he always glued to games, anime, or chasing girls…? He’ll be quite busy from now on; can he even manage this side?
Among the crowd, only Jiang Yao’s viewpoint was peculiar, as she shrank behind Jiang Yan, muttering to herself in a manner only she could hear, feeling an inexplicable sense of disappointment.
After one o’clock, everyone dispersed, and the Golden River Club returned to tranquility.
By this time, it was already December 26, marking the start of Christmas Eve.
Now, Wan Yue was particularly concerned about Zhao Peng’s safety during his hibernation, so she mandated at least two knights to keep watch at night; this was a strict requirement. Today, it was Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao’s turn.
Liang Ling was unshakeably seated in the dark hall overnight, while Jiang Yan stayed by Zhao Peng’s side, responsible for his care during the first half of the night, and Jiang Yao returned to another employee rest area to wait for the second shift.
The rest area prepared for girls was exquisitely decorated, with a fully equipped bath and vanity; ironically, the sleep area was rather meager, only providing a wooden bunk bed.
However, after bathing, Jiang Yao did not immediately go to sleep but instead lay on the lower bunk, staring at her phone and repeatedly tapping the screen.
Yao Ba Tian: Are you asleep? (Confused JPG)
A minute passed with no reply.
Yao Ba Tian: It’s been four days; you’re disappearing, huh! (Disdain JPG)
Another minute passed, still no response.
She opened the game interface to check her friends online; the icon for Wu Wai Kuang Tu was gray, indicating he had not been ignoring social messages because of gaming either.
“Heh, really busy, huh? I won’t be replying to messages anymore!”
Muttering nonsensical words, Jiang Yao felt increasingly irritated.
In six days, it would be her birthday, and she had hinted to Zhong Jing but seemed to receive no reaction from him.
An hour earlier, Wan Yue’s series of arrangements for Hyacinth’s future development had put more foreseeable pressure on Zhong Jing, making Jiang Yao feel uncomfortable, especially since they hadn’t contacted each other for three days.
That person, who was increasingly sensitive and tense, seemed to suddenly create distance, becoming unclear, leaving Jiang Yao feeling paranoid and at a loss.
Yao Ba Tian: I’m telling you, I want to move to stay with that little foreign girl for a while, arranged by Sister Wan!
After furiously sending the message, Jiang Yao directly shut her phone off and turned over to sleep, her face pouting with anger.
What she didn’t know was that at that moment, Zhong Jing was curled up in the small bedroom of his office, body resembling a shrimp, clutching his upper abdomen in pain, drenched in cold sweat.
Nausea, diarrhea, pain—it was the recurrent experience of Zhong Jing over the past few hours; almost everyone remembered what Qing Fei had said before, while this instigator, who had been inseparable from him recently, had already returned to Japan early.
Before 8 AM, Zhong Jing, who hadn’t been able to sleep all night due to the illness, drove to Shengci Hospital.
He headed straight to the top floor’s VIP special ward, and when the front desk nurse saw it was the second young master of the Zhong family, her face lit up with a bright smile.
Without even knocking, Zhong Jing slipped into Su Xiaomeng’s office, where the eldest daughter of the Su family was still sprawled across the table like a cat, dozing.
Oh, the door wasn’t even locked… When did Meng Jie’s nightlife become so rich? I remember today is Christmas Eve.
Zhong Jing nonchalantly sat opposite Su Xiaomeng, his fingers tapping on the desk, wondering whose unhelpful destiny was being tested by his entrance?
“Hmm… You just waltz in here; isn’t that rude? What if I was changing clothes and you saw me naked? You’d be responsible for my life forever!”
Woken up, Su Xiaomeng saw it was Zhong Jing, stifled a yawn, stretched languidly, and immediately shot back, “I say, you don’t care about your own life at all? All the test reports came out three days ago, and we couldn’t get you to answer your phone!”
Facing her incredibly blunt sarcasm, Zhong Jing awkwardly scratched his nose, offering a sheepish smile: “Hehe, I’ve been busy with my master lately, got delayed a bit… So, could you please tell me the examination results, Meng Jie?”
“If you had gone for an examination at a regular hospital, you might have only received some harmless health tips, like minor calcified nodules in the lungs, slightly elevated bilirubin levels, chronic pancreatitis, and the like…”
Su Xiaomeng resumed a serious demeanor, rummaging through her drawer to pull out a thick pile of health examination documents, tossing them onto the table: “But what I have here… To put it bluntly, I suspect there’s something wrong with your digestive system, and there are some abnormal things in your blood samples.”
Comprehensive screening doesn’t leave any room for blind spots. So I suggest you focus specifically on your digestive system; I’m talking about the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, and do another puncture biopsy!”
Su Xiaomeng pulled out one page of the examination report, pointed to a few lines, and lowered her voice: “Some abnormal indicators, I suspect are related to the initiation ceremony of the Fujiwara family. I mean your Japanese girl at home…”
“No wonder I’ve felt strange lately; initiation ceremonies for the true blood clan families are that advanced now.”
Zhong Jing rubbed his chin, flipping through his health report, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth: “I’m curious, is the initiation ceremony for your Wang family similar? You just eat something and then, bam, you’re a blood clan?”
“Be serious! This concerns your own life!”
Su Xiaomeng rolled her eyes in frustration, but soon the expression on her face shifted into seriousness. The persona of the obedient girl from anime was completely gone, “The Zhong family is a partner of the Wang family, and the country is watching from behind. If anything truly goes wrong, from my perspective, that woman, He Jian Qing Ye, wouldn’t survive for even a second!”
“Let’s leave it at that; skip the biopsy… Just help me get some medicine; remember, Su Xiaomeng, this matter must be kept confidential.”
Zhong Jing tucked away the thick health document, his expression indifferent, his tone calm: “He Jian Qing Ye still has use to Hyacinth; perhaps I’m just being paranoid…”
“Heh, you really are defending that wretched woman?” Su Xiaomeng frowned, tightly gripping the pen in her hand, letting out a cold laugh, “Don’t tell me you really have feelings for her… I actually know you like Jiang Yao…”
“He Jian Qing Ye is just a sickly old alley cat; she has already returned to Japan to help me find a solution… Look, it’s all a mess, right?”
Zhong Jing lazily stretched his arms, his expression gradually turning roguish: “As for Jiang Yao, maybe you all misread it; I see her more as a little sister.”
“Ha, my big brother has always been so cool, excelling in academics; I wanted to get close to him, but he always ignored me… He’s an excellent soldier, yet a terrible brother; I always fantasized that if I had a younger brother or sister, I would definitely do better than him!”
“I’m a bit jealous of Jiang Yao; she happens to be the opposite of my big brother—she’s a terrible woman but a perfect sister, possessing an identity that makes me envious…”
“Jiang Yao is the kind of sister I once dreamed of having in my sleep, but unfortunately, my parents didn’t come through for me and didn’t give me one… You see, isn’t my luck remarkable?”
Saying this, Zhong Jing’s expression changed, his eyes gleaming with inexplicable fervor: “If one day, she can let go of Jiang Yan and rely on me, how wonderful would that be?”
Su Xiaomeng was taken aback, suddenly standing up, looking at the unruly young man in disbelief; after a few seconds, she suddenly laughed: “Indeed, you’re quite the anime homebody… You’re seriously ill, yet very loyal…”
Zhong Jing pressed his lips together, grabbed the health report, stood straight, and let a mischievous smile return to the corners of his mouth: “Did I shock you? Surprised? Touched? Well, everything I said just now was a lie, heh!”
“Go away, go away!”
Su Xiaomeng finally came back to her senses, erupting in anger as she waved her hands in a dismissive manner, “I knew you couldn’t change your habit of messing with people!”
Zhong Jing burst into laughter, waving goodbye as he walked away.
