Chapter 575: Chapter 573: Hidden Meaning

Ye Feng said smugly, "Of course. How else could I have won over someone as amazing as you?"

Ye Feng’s teasing had Han Xiaorui doubled over with laughter, unable to stop.

Han Xiaoqing came home from work, her baby bump now visible. "Sis, what were you and brother-in-law talking about? You’re laughing so hard."

Ever since Chen Wenxuan had been urgently transferred away, Han Xiaoqing had been living with her sister.

It was not only livelier, but she also didn’t have to cook for herself.

Han Xiaorui then told Han Xiaoqing about what had happened with Ye Ling.

Han Xiaoqing was quite pleased as well. "I didn’t expect Ye Ling to have that old-school cadre discipline. If he keeps this up, he’ll have a good future."

"Brother-in-law, have you heard anything from Wenxuan? He’s been gone for almost three months. The New Year is almost here, and I don’t know if he’ll be able to come back."

"Not only can he not come back, but I haven’t even received a single letter. I’ve been worried sick."

Ye Feng smiled. "I was just about to tell you. I made some inquiries. It’s an important mission. Once it’s complete, he’ll naturally come back. It shouldn’t be too much longer, so just be patient."

Hearing her brother-in-law’s words, Han Xiaoqing breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good. As long as I know he’s safe. It’s the complete lack of news that’s so nerve-wracking."

"That’s how it is when you’re forging a sword for the nation," Ye Feng replied. "Are you still managing to work? If the pregnancy is getting difficult, I don’t think you need to keep going to the office. You could take a leave of absence."

Han Xiaoqing shook her head. "I can still manage for now. Professor Wang and my other colleagues are looking out for me. They only have me doing consultations, not teaching any classes, so it’s still pretty manageable."

With Han Xiaoqing around, she took over the task of helping the children with their homework.

They had a blackboard at home. When Pingping and An’an did their homework and got stuck, Han Xiaoqing would explain the problems to them.

When Ningning and Zhuangzhuang saw their older sisters studying, they would also carry over their little stools to join in the fun, picking up a few things along the way.

"I’m going on a business trip tomorrow." Back in their room, Ye Feng started packing his suitcase.

"Where to?" Han Xiaorui asked. "For how long?"

Ye Feng answered, "To Africa."

"What?" Han Xiaorui was stunned. "What are you going there for? I’ve heard it’s really chaotic over there. Is it dangerous?"

Ye Feng shook his head. "It shouldn’t be dangerous. The company has a mine there where they’ve discovered a massive iron ore deposit, and it’s a very high-quality lode."

"Right now, with all the national infrastructure projects, the demand for steel is booming. It’s the perfect time to take some people from our domestic steel companies over there to have a look and sort out a few issues at the same time."

"My grandfather used to handle all this, but now that he’s getting older, I’m the only one who can go. It wouldn’t be right to leave it all in the hands of professional managers."

Han Xiaorui helped Ye Feng pack. "You have to be careful, then. Great wealth can make people greedy. That iron ore is top-quality. What if someone on the inside tries to betray you? You’ll be in a foreign land where you don’t know anyone. You have to be extra cautious."

Ye Feng smiled. "I’ve already thought about that. For this trip alone, we’re bringing five hundred security personnel and five hundred retired military engineers."

"What?" Han Xiaorui was shocked. "This sounds like a huge deal. Ye Feng, be straight with me. Is there something else to this?"

Ye Feng gave an awkward smile. "Well... besides the iron ore, there’s also a rich gold mine."

"Oh my god! Gold? And a rich deposit?" Han Xiaorui was aghast. "In that case, this trip is going to be extremely dangerous. Our dogs are all grown up and very clever. Take them with you."

Ye Feng shook his head. "There’s no need. It’s not *that* dangerous."

"No, you have to. ’Not that dangerous’ isn’t the same as ’no danger at all’," Han Xiaorui insisted. "Take the four dogs. They have a keen sense of smell. I really think they’ll be a big help to you over there."

Ye Feng frowned slightly. "Getting them on a plane will be a huge hassle."

Han Xiaorui shook her head. "It won’t be. They have all their vaccinations and everything. You must be chartering a plane for this trip abroad. If that’s the case, it’ll be even easier to arrange."

"Ye Feng, trust me. These dogs will absolutely be a help. After all, you’ll be in a strange land with poor transportation and communication. You’ll have to rely entirely on yourselves. Bringing these loyal companions along means you’ll be prepared for anything."

Seeing how insistent Han Xiaorui was, Ye Feng quickly called his assistant and asked him to handle the necessary paperwork.

Ye Feng was going away on business, with no certain date of return.

That night, Han Xiaorui was especially passionate, clinging to Ye Feng in a way he found impossible to resist.

The next day, they almost arrived late to the airport.

Several well-trained dogs boarded the plane as well, heading to Africa with Ye Feng.

The more than one thousand people going were officially called workers and security personnel, but anyone in the know understood they were retired soldiers sent out on a mission.

’I used to think those kinds of missions were all about guns and fighting,’ Han Xiaorui thought. ’I never expected mining to be one of them.’

Once Ye Feng left, a piece of Han Xiaorui’s heart went with him.

She prayed for Ye Feng’s safe return.

To shake off the somber mood, Han Xiaorui decided to throw herself into her work.

「More than a year later, Kuno Hiroo paid a visit.」

He brought gifts for the four children, and Han Xiaorui received him in the living room.

"Ye Feng isn’t home. He won’t be back for another two weeks. How long are you planning to stay this time?"

Kuno Hiroo chuckled. "I’m here to discuss some other business, and since I was in Shencheng, I thought I’d drop by to catch up. Even if Ye Feng isn’t here, I can still talk with you!"

Han Xiaorui was suspicious. Kuno Hiroo’s behavior was a bit odd. "We don’t have any new varieties of ornamental fish lately, and there aren’t any movies for you to import. What is there for us to talk about?"

Kuno Hiroo was exasperated. "We’re friends. Can’t we just chat?"

Han Xiaorui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Let’s be frank. What is it you really want?"

Kuno Hiroo thought for a moment, then avoided the question. "The rate of developing new ornamental fish has been a bit slow lately."

Han Xiaorui shook her head. "Developing new varieties is never that easy. Besides, our collection of ornamental fish is already huge, with all kinds of precious specimens. Out in the market, they’re considered rarities."

"Your country, Japan, has been researching them for so long, but you still can’t replicate them, can you? They’re still highly competitive. There’s no doubt about that."

Kuno Hiroo again avoided the subject. "Even if it’s difficult, you have to persevere and not give up! After all, ornamental fish have a bright future and great prospects."

"In fact, that’s true for any field. As long as something has a future, a real prospect, you shouldn’t give up on it. Even if the initial investment is huge, you have to stick with it. Otherwise, once you quit, the gap will just get wider and wider, and it will be nearly impossible to catch up again."

"What’s more, if you stop, some of your workers and staff might change careers. You’d lose your skilled personnel. Trying to start development again after that, especially in a field with high technical requirements, would be next to impossible."

Han Xiaorui was left dumbfounded by Kuno Hiroo’s words.

’It sounds like Kuno Hiroo is trying to tell me something...’

"You’re right, that’s absolutely true. I treat my employees very well, securing their loyalty so we can master the core breeding techniques, maintain our competitive edge, and constantly push forward."

Hearing this, Kuno Hiroo smiled. "Then I congratulate you. You will surely be successful. Well, it’s getting late, and I have another appointment. I’ll be taking my leave."

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