Watching Li Yan call Shinohara Mirai over to talk privately, Wen Qianyi and Matsushima Kui each had different thoughts, both having finished their meals. Seeing that he preferred to speak in private, they each ate a little more to show that they weren't eavesdropping. However, having something said privately did make them a bit uncomfortable.

When they had been talking for a while, the gazes of the two women drifted over again...

Once Shinohara Mirai walked away, blushing, Li Yan beckoned to Wen Qianyi.

"Qianyi, it's your turn now..."

This attitude, no matter how it was seen, seemed a lot like 'Hey girl, come here and smile for me,' which made Wen Qianyi displeased. But she did not embarrass him, and still said with a playful smile, "There are no outsiders here, so you can speak directly. I'm listening. Are there some things you need to say to me that need to be kept from Kui and Mirai?"

She suddenly cornered Li Yan. Originally separating the conversation would suggest thoughts like these to others, but by speaking so directly, she made it impossible for Li Yan to avoid.

"Ahem... it's mainly to show how wise I am. You all know Romance of the Three Kingdoms, right? Didn't Zhuge Liang like to use clever stratagems? Why not tell others directly? It adds a sense of mystery!" Li Yan started babbling nonsense.

"Master Kongming, well, we know too..."

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is far more popular in Beihai Country than in Yun Country. Even girls from Beihai Country have heard these stories since childhood. When Li Yan compared himself to Kongming, Matsushima Kui and Shinohara Mirai laughed.

"No way, I'm not letting you have that mystery!" Wen Qianyi still refused to go over, feeling that Li Yan was just acting mysterious.

"Alright, then I'll speak plainly. It's going to be a bit cold when we go out, and there's no time to buy clothes. I'd like to borrow one of your Shinohara president's coats for a bit. I believe Mirai wouldn't mind, but picking the right size and style is something your keen eye, Qianyi, would be better at. So, I'd like to entrust you to go with Mirai later to choose a few, and pick one for me."

After hearing what Li Yan said, Shinohara Mirai immediately nodded and agreed: "No problem, father has many clothes and no time to wear them. Miss Wen, thank you for the trouble..."

Wen Qianyi found it a bit baffling at first. Her initial thought was that this guy was so stingy, even exploiting an old man for a freebie! And he even asked her to help pick it out, treating her like his personal assistant? But since Shinohara Mirai had already said so, she couldn't refuse. If they were going out soon, there wasn't time to buy anything, so she could only grudgingly play the role of assistant.

Of course, she deliberately avoided acknowledging another role—finding and selecting clothes is something a girlfriend would do!

After finishing, Li Yan wiped his mouth and stood up.

"What about me? Is there anything I can do?" Matsushima Kui hurriedly stood up and asked timidly. At this moment, she felt a little uneasy, as if she was being isolated by Li Yan. It seemed his intention in instructing Mirai and Miss Wen separately was to guard against her!

Li Yan suddenly laughed, "Don't worry, I was just about to speak with you. But Qianyi was unwilling to play Kongming with me, which disappointed me greatly. Kui, will you cooperate with me?"

"Yes, yes." Hearing that he had arrangements for her, Matsushima Kui felt a little happier and hurriedly came over.

Li Yan held her hand and said solemnly, "Your task is very important. To show its significance, let's go upstairs to the room to talk. Come on, we'll discuss further…"

Wen Qianyi felt both amused and annoyed?

However, Matsushima Kui wasn't a little girl, and it wasn't the first time they had talked privately. She didn't want to say much more, so she focused on discussing clothing selections with Mirai instead.

…

"What can I do? Haha, I'm actually too dim-witted to be of any help." Feeling inexplicably nervous after entering the room, Matsushima Kui tried to deflect with humor.

Actually, the task given to Wen Qianyi also made her realize that this was mainly about Shinohara Mirai, and she might not have much of a role. If it turned out to be nothing, she would indeed feel left out.

Li Yan sat by the bed, patted the spot beside him, and smiled, "I don't have to spell it out; you get the idea..."

He felt a bit awkward, seeing that Matsushima Kui's impression of him had become so ingrained. Thus, he couldn't rely on implication anymore but had to speak bluntly!

"Kui, I'm not after that. Listen, I want you to tell me some things." Li Yan held her hand, making her look into his eyes before posing his question.

"What... things?" From his expression, Matsushima Kui already knew what he wanted to say, which made her both tense and more nervous than when she first entered.

"Some things you haven't told me but should have." Li Yan reached out and gently caressed her silky hair, sighing, "You're good friends, like sisters, with Mirai. What circumstances could compel you to betray her?"

Although she had guessed from his expression that he suspected her, Matsushima Kui still hoped to conceal it a bit. But with these words, there was no room for maneuver.

She kept her head down, not daring to face Li Yan, her mind full of hesitation and contradictions.

"I spoke privately with them to give you a chance to explain. I hope problems can be resolved with me, and you and Mirai can stay good friends. Think it over carefully, there's not much time, they'll soon come with the clothes to find me."

Li Yan pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one beside her.

"Want a puff?" He didn't smoke it himself but offered it to her.

Matsushima Kui understood his suggestion to relax by smoking. She hesitated before accepting it, took a puff, and then coughed softly.

Li Yan took the cigarette back, patted her on the back, and gently pulled her into his embrace, "Actually, I've picked up on a few things. You gave me the Kawada documents, translating them into Yun Country's language, but you deliberately mistranslated the home address; last night, before we went out to dinner, you had already informed someone of our whereabouts, leading them to send someone to watch us at the restaurant. Afterwards, we were followed while shopping; and today, when we went to play in Akihabara, you had already leaked it too, possibly resulting in someone waiting either at the Electronics Expo or outside. Sleeping late because of a long night, this already surpassed the time of your communication. Am I wrong?"

Listening to Li Yan's detailed account, Matsushima Kui felt shocked. It was unbelievable; she thought she hadn't left any clues, and he was unfamiliar with the area and language, yet he seemed to have a complete grasp of everything.

Her previous impression of Li Yan was that he was capable, comparable to Kawada, with even better adaptability, not as rigid. But she hadn't anticipated that amid their playful interactions, he had quietly noticed so much.

"I don't know how to say... I'm sorry to Mirai." Matsushima Kui finally spoke.

"There's nothing unspeakable about it; it boils down to two things: threat and profit. You don't seem like someone who would sell out a friend purely for money, and you don't seem to have hidden distress, so it's unlikely you're threatened. Instead, I suspect you or your family faces a financial crisis, and someone offered to resolve it if you stayed close to Mirai and reported her situation. Is that right?" Li Yan saw that she was feeling better and released her, once again having her face him.

Matsushima Kui was astonished once more, then sighed lightly and began to explain, "You're right, my father... Our family has a small supermarket, which has been running for many years but encountered problems this year. I don't know the specifics, but several months ago, my father was distressed, saying 80 million Beihai Yuan was needed to keep it afloat, or else he'd face bankruptcy... 80 million, which is beyond my capability, and even for Mirai, this isn't a small amount. Even if I asked her to lend it, it's not within her decision to make; President Shinohara must agree..."

As is typical in such cases, just as Li Yan analyzed, when her family saw no hope, someone approached. They promised to resolve her father's debt crisis, provided an emergency 40 million, with another 40 million offered after certain tasks were completed. If everything went well, the 80 million wouldn't have to be repaid, changing from an interest-free loan to a non-refundable gift, along with a 20 million bonus for Matsushima Kui.

Such a tantalizing offer, yet upon hearing the tasks, Matsushima Kui hesitated, as it involved betraying her best friend, Shinohara Mirai. But they assured her it wouldn't threaten Shinohara Mirai's safety or interests, merely fulfill some need to always have the most up-to-date details regarding Shinohara Mirai's situation.

Under the weight of their assurances mixed with her father's expectations, Matsushima Kui eventually agreed, though she refused the 20 million reward upon completion. For the sake of her family and father, she could reluctantly comply, but accepting additional compensation made her uneasy.

"Up until now, do you know their goal?"

Matsushima Kui silently nodded, "Yes, for President Shinohara."

"Do you know where Shiroyama Gou is?"

"I don't know; I'm only someone who provides tips, without any real connection to them..." Matsushima Kui smiled bitterly.

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