Chapter 1289 - 1268: Hua Qingyi’s Trump Card

Chapter 1289: Chapter 1268: Hua Qingyi’s Trump Card

Hua Qingyi stared in surprise at Xiao Mu, who had been sitting quietly by the side, and forgot that he was still holding the sleeping Xiao Lin in his arms; he looked a bit foolish.

Xiao Mu smiled and waved him over, signaling him to sit beside him, noting that Xiao Zhenfeng was not in the room. "Isn’t holding him heavy?"

"Ah, oh!" Hua Qingyi glanced around the room and placed Xiao Lin on a nearby armchair. "Is Uncle Xiao not here?"

"He has some matters to attend to. Are you in a hurry?" The smile appeared a bit unsettling, but this couldn’t be blamed on Hua Qingyi; it seemed everyone who knew Xiao Mu had a common understanding that he resembled a leopard with half-closed eyes, lurking in the shadows ready to strike at any moment. Every move was so elegant and unapproachable, making it hard for anyone to fathom him, yet during a strike, he showed no mercy.

Lying in the armchair, Xiao Lin shifted slightly, drawing the gaze of both men unintentionally, but he merely turned over without truly waking up.

An awkward silence suddenly settled between them, and Hua Qingyi cleared his throat, just about to find some topic to break the unexpected awkwardness, while inwardly cursing innumerable times at the one pretending to sleep, when Xiao Zhenfeng walked in with his usual stride.

His eyes swept over the reclining Xiao Lin and greeted Hua Qingyi with a gentle smile. "Qing Yi is back, did Mu Yun bring any news? It’s commendable that you came over straight after landing."

"Indeed, there is news, both good and bad." Since no one mentioned Xiao Lin, Hua Qingyi naturally pretended not to bring it up.

Xiao Zhenfeng nodded, knowing full well about the news Hua Qingyi brought even before he boarded the flight to Palermo, having already received a secret letter from Secretary Luo. However, what intrigued him was the appearance of two people together.

His gaze inadvertently shifted towards Xiao Lin, and Xiao Mu instantly understood. "Xiao Lin looks quite tired; I’ll carry him back to his room while you two continue your conversation."

"Since he’s very tired, let’s not bother him." Hua Qingyi was pondering excuses to stop Xiao Mu, yet Xiao Zhenfeng was more eager to keep Xiao Lin there. "Qing Yi, how’s the current situation in Yanjing? It seems Quan Xianglin has already begun to take action, sending quite a few people from over there, with several batches already entering Palermo."

"So Uncle Xiao already knows!" Hua Qingyi scratched his head and laughed foolishly.

"The young man is actually clever enough to try and fool his uncle. But a politician who doesn’t understand this kind of trick deserves no respect. Yet, your little gestures don’t seem like you’re truly fooling me but intentionally letting me see through them, right?"

"That’s not very important; given Brother Luo’s way of handling things, by the time I boarded the plane, Uncle Xiao should have received the relevant secret letter. I’m just here to reiterate those words, adding some spice and drama." Xiao Zhenfeng laughed heartily, and Hua Qingyi joined in, while Xiao Mu, sitting nearby, wore a somber expression without any readable emotions. "Uncle Xiao, we don’t need those formalities between us. You also don’t need to ask me about the situation. Such matters are certainly overseen by the elder members, and we young ones have little reason to get involved. Today, right after I landed, I sought you out not for any major issue but to ask whether the people assigned by the military committee this time are indeed that batch?"

Xiao Lin naturally knew whom that batch referred to, having made such a commotion in ’Wagang Nai’. It was impossible not to notice, even if ignorant to it. However one answers, the results are essentially the same.

"Indeed, it is that batch of canceled individuals, but the exact number, I’m not entirely aware of."

"Would Uncle Xiao not consider taking some measures to stop them?"

"How does the young man think I should stop them? Facing them directly or deploying non-direct forces for covert operations?" Xiao Zhenfeng continued smiling, not shying away from Hua Qingyi’s question as it was unnecessary from his standpoint. "If speaking for the Xiao Family, any action taken has potential ramifications on its survival. In my personal opinion, that batch of people is merely a motley crew, and despite receiving systematic training, they cannot compare with someone having a foundation spanning decades, right?"

Such stark honesty left Hua Qingyi standing there, dumbfounded. Since childhood, those who followed Xiao Lin knew he had a cold-blooded family, a cold-blooded father, and an unseen mother for years, essentially deprived of familial love. Like Xiao Zhenfeng stated, living twenty years being constantly molded is indeed incomparable to those people, but this shouldn’t be the justification, should it?

Hua Qingyi was biased towards Xiao Lin, so when Xiao Zhenfeng spoke like this, he hesitated, trying to say something. Yet at that moment, Xiao Zhenfeng’s face showed not a trace of his earlier smile, becoming utterly different. This sudden shift left Hua Qingyi shocked and bewildered. "Uncle Xiao..."

"Young man, you’ve been following Xiao Lin for quite some time now. With the Hua Family entangled in this struggle, shouldn’t you first consider how to defend against the enemy rather than complain about personal feelings here? Sentimentalism won’t accomplish great things. Besides, Mu Yun is also in a precarious position, having prolonged his stay in the military district without stabilizing his position. Even with Wu Jiyi, it can’t last too long."

"Uncle Xiao, you apparently have a very clear grasp of our situation, so I’ll put it differently." Hua Qingyi took a deep breath, his frustration not stemming from Xiao Zhenfeng but from the silent Xiao Mu, who today seemed eerily quiet. "How to break this situation? We can’t remain indefinitely at such an indistinct disadvantage. Despite it, Uncle Xiao, I stand by Xiao Lin’s side, no matter what decisions he makes. Our family will not change a single word of what I’m saying here."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Mu squinted his eyes and glanced at Xiao Lin, as if merely fluttering his eyelids without another sound. At this moment, Xiao Zhenfeng lit a cigarette, unable to disregard Hua Qingyi’s stance. Hua Muyun had already articulated future arrangements for the Hua Family thoroughly, which might be Hua Qingyi’s actual reason for returning. Xiao Zhenfeng reevaluated the young man before him, finding that in some aspects, this fellow surpassed Xiao Lin considerably, revealing his potential even before full maturity. (To be continued. If you enjoy this piece, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)