Given Dong Qiaoqiao's shy nature, it is truly challenging for her to utter such words. If not for the prolonged separation and the compelling force of yearning, even with ten times her courage, she wouldn't dare speak these words.
After Qiaoqiao, blushing, finished speaking, she dared not look at Lin Wanrong again, swiftly turning around and running away.
Lin Wanrong was momentarily stunned. Upon regaining his composure, he laughed heartily at Qiaoqiao's retreating figure, "Qiaoqiao, I've missed you too."
Coughs sounded from behind, and turning around, Lin Wanrong saw Old Dong standing there with a dark expression.
Caught in the act of teasing the boss's daughter, Lin Wanrong felt extremely embarrassed. He could only manage an awkward smile and said, "Uncle Dong, I didn't realize you were here too. These days must have been tough on you." Dong Rende shook his head and said, "Young Master Lin, I haven't had much trouble. It's Qiaoqiao, this girl. She stays here day and night, worrying about everything, afraid of letting you down. Ah, I'm genuinely concerned for her."
There was an underlying meaning in Old Dong's words, and Lin Wanrong could naturally discern it. Thinking of Qiaoqiao's haggard face, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. While he reveled in the luxuries of the Xiao Mansion, Qiaoqiao was enduring hardships alone outside. It was truly shameful.
"Uncle, rest assured. I won't let Qiaoqiao suffer any grievances," Lin Wanrong assured.
Dong Qingshan and Li Beidou, carrying construction materials, approached. Seeing Lin Wanrong in his blue servant attire standing before them, they rushed over with joy, "Boss, you're back. How's the taste of the Xiao family's servants?!"
Lin Wanrong chuckled wryly, shaking his head, "It's hard to explain. If you like, you can go in and try for yourself."
Li Beidou, feeling awkward, scratched his head, "I'd like to, but the Xiao family doesn't even spare a glance at me. Their standards are too high, and only someone like you, Boss, catches their eye."
Lin Wanrong teased, "You little guy, stop with the flattery."
Dong Qingshan, with a mysterious look, glanced around and said, "Boss, did you see the Xiao family's young lady? Tell us, is she truly as beautiful as they say?"
Fainting, is the Xiao family's young lady really that attractive? Not only the likes of Qingshan, even the little girl Qiaoqiao couldn't resist asking.
Seeing Lin Wanrong's embarrassed expression, Li Beidou exclaimed, "No way, Boss, you haven't won over the Xiao family's young lady yet?"
With his naturally loud voice, Li Beidou's shout reached even Dong Qiaoqiao, who was busy calculating the accounts. She glanced at Lin Wanrong, her eyes momentarily dim, and lowered her head without saying a word.
"You really want my life, huh?" Lin Wanrong looked at Qiaoqiao and, seeing that she was still engrossed in her accounting work, seemingly oblivious, he felt relieved. He casually slapped Li Beidou on the head, saying, "Hey, sorry, forgot that Sister Qiaoqiao is also here."
"Hehe, my bad, my bad. Forgot Sister Qiaoqiao is here," Li Beidou chuckled vaguely.
Afraid that this improper fellow Li Beidou would say something outrageous again, Lin Wanrong hastily asked, "Qingshan, how is Hongxing doing lately?"
Currently, Lin Wanrong cared about two things: the restaurant and the organization he personally established. Being in the Xiao Mansion made it inconvenient for him to manage these affairs directly, so he could only supervise from a distance.
"Big brother, following your instructions, we've initially formed three halls. Beidou is in charge of one, I'm in charge of another, and the third hall master was elected by our brothers through voting," Dong Qingshan reported.
Democratic voting? Lin Wanrong smiled. This kid Qingshan was becoming more mature. He could even think of such a clandestine matter as democratic voting.
Li Beidou was the person Dong Qingshan trusted the most, so his appointment was without question. The other hall master elected through democratic voting was also personally selected by Dong Qingshan, ensuring reliability.
"Each hall now has expanded to thirty or forty members. We've secretly cleared out the old nails. Now, these people are trustworthy, all part of the group that fought with Lier Gou. They should be reliable," Dong Qingshan continued.
Lin Wanrong nodded silently. Dong Qingshan handled this matter quite well; he had indeed matured.
"What about the other bosses in the city? Any reactions to our movements?" Lin Wanrong inquired.
With around a hundred people, they were quite a force in the southern part of the city, but in Jinling City as a whole, it might not be enough.
"They're naturally wary of us. They've sent a few people to infiltrate our halls as undercover agents. We're aware of it, but for now, we're keeping them. Our strength is still not enough, so during this time, we've been behaving honestly on others' turf, only profiting a bit in the southern area to support our brothers," Dong Qingshan explained.
Dong Qingshan's recent actions were quite significant, naturally attracting attention. There was nothing surprising about that. The southern part of the city, where they were located, was relatively remote in Jinling City. However, because there was little profit there, those factions let Dong Qingshan and Hongxing grow unchecked.
"Boss, what's our next move?" Dong Qingshan looked at Lin Wanrong. In recent times, the issue of Hongxing's development had left him scratching his head. With the boss not around, he didn't dare to make decisions on his own.
"Wait!" Lin Wanrong walked back and forth, then suddenly turned around.
"Wait?" Dong Qingshan and Li Beidou looked at Lin Wanrong together, not understanding the meaning behind his words.
"We're just waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity for us to soar to new heights," Lin Wanrong chuckled.
"Qingshan, do you know anyone in the government?" Lin Wanrong suddenly changed the topic.
Dong Qingshan shook his head, "Big brother, you know, we're all about fights and killings. The government hasn't come looking for us; that's already a stroke of luck."
Lin Wanrong smiled and shook his head, "Your thinking is not suitable. We're establishing a society, and in the future, we'll have dealings with the government. Moreover, if we want to rise, we might need their help. Ah, opportunities, where are the opportunities?"
Dong Qingshan and Li Beidou exchanged puzzled glances. Establishing a criminal society with the help of the government? Was their boss going crazy?