Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 395 394 Making Friends

Xu Liansheng picked up her cup again and clinked it with Shunzi's.

She tilted her head back and took a small sip, revealing her fair and delicate collarbone, and her red lips were glossy.

Setting down her wine glass, Xu Liansheng met Shunzi's gaze again: "I'm not afraid of being laughed at by Third Master, but I am twenty-eight years old this year. Although I am no longer young, I am not yet old and faded. I am usually honored by everyone who calls me 'Madam,' but I am not very happy about it. I feel that it makes me feel old."

She paused slightly, and seeing Shunzi's cheeks flush slightly as they met her gaze, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle: "On the other hand, how could I possibly deserve to be called 'Madam' by Third Master? If Third Master thinks highly of me, you can just call me 'Liansheng' or 'Sister Asheng'."

In terms of age, Xu Liansheng is indeed a few years older than Feng Xiuhu and Shunzi.

Shunzi stammered softly, "Is this... appropriate?"

Before Xu Liansheng could speak, Feng Xiuhu waved his hand and said, "Suitable? Why not?"

He pointed to the exquisite wooden box placed to the side: "Lian Sheng, now that we're friends, I'll accept your kindness on behalf of Ye San—aren't you going to thank him?"

The last sentence was said to Shunzi.

Shunzi lowered her head and glanced at Xu Liansheng out of the corner of her eye: "Thank you... Sister Asheng."

Xu Liansheng waved her hand lazily: "Third Master, you are too kind. This is nothing to mention. I only hope that Third Master will not look down on me because I am a businesswoman who is obsessed with money."

Shunzi quickly denied it: "Of course not!"

Xu Liansheng smiled and asked in return, "Then why does Third Master always look at me without giving me a second glance?"

Shunzi subconsciously looked up, and their eyes met. Xu Liansheng's eyes were mischievous, and she smiled. Shunzi realized that she had been teased, and her face immediately turned redder.

Feng Xiuhu, oblivious to the atmosphere between the two, interrupted, "I'm never polite. I'll go to Shiwuyu for a free meal tomorrow."

"Please come, Second Master."

Xu Liansheng nodded in agreement. She casually raised her hand, and Zhao Mumu behind her understood, taking out a gold-inlaid card from her bosom and placing it between Xu Liansheng's two fingers.

Xu Liansheng handed the card to Feng Xiuhu: "This is a VIP voucher for Shi Wuyu. Shi Wuyu is always ready to serve Second Master and Third Master."

Feng Xiuhu took the card, looked it over, and asked, "With this card, I can go up to the second floor?"

Xu Liansheng chuckled and explained, "Not to mention the second floor, we can even go to the fifth floor. Second Master, you may not know this, but I have sent out a lot of VIP cards. Almost no official or nobleman in the city has been left out. However, most of the cards they have are silver-rimmed, while the gold-rimmed ones that you have are very rare."

The word "fifth floor" touched a nerve with Feng Xiuhu, and he subconsciously became suspicious—was Xu Liansheng testing him? Testing whether the "thief" who sneaked into the fifth floor last night was Feng Xiuhu?

After a moment's hesitation, Feng Xiuhu probed in the opposite direction: "Speaking of the fifth floor... I heard that the commotion at Shiwuyu last night was caused by thieves sneaking into the fifth floor—have you caught them?"

Xu Liansheng slowly shook her head: "No, there are no outsiders here, so I should tell you the truth, Second Master."

She pointed to Zhao Mumu behind her: "Mumu is my secretary, but she is also a cultivator. She is responsible for protecting my safety on weekdays. But last night, that thief was extremely powerful, and Mumu was injured by him. Shi Wuyu doesn't want to provoke such a powerful enemy, so he doesn't actually plan to continue to pursue what happened last night."

Feng Xiuhu was taken aback: "Weren't you searching the whole city for someone during the day?"

Xu Liansheng gave a wry smile: "That was to cooperate with the police department in putting on a show."

"To be honest, Second Master, the government and the Iron Anvil Reef Shipyard have a long-standing feud. The conflicts and power struggles between them are none of my business. It's just that the police have dragged me into this under the pretext of a thief incident, so they have to conduct a city-wide 'search'."

Feng Xiuhu suddenly realized that the city-wide search was just a show, meant to make the whole city aware of the situation so that the police could legitimately enter the factory to investigate. Having figured this out, Feng Xiuhu said jokingly, "Since you're not going to pursue this, I'll lay my cards on the table. Actually, that person last night was me."

Xu Liansheng and Zhao Mumu both looked over, and for a moment no one spoke.

After a moment, Zhao Mumu said, "Second Master is joking. That person could not possibly be you."

Feng Xiuhu retorted, "What makes you so certain?"

Zhao Mumu shook her head and said, "Second Master, you don't know this, but the thief I chased was using the method of astral projection—and Second Master and Third Master clearly left together when I chased after him, as many servants witnessed."

"If that thief really was Second Master, and Second Master's spirit hasn't returned, how did he manage to escape from Shiwuyu?"

Feng Xiuhu nodded in agreement: "I see, you're absolutely right."

Having confirmed that Xu Liansheng wasn't testing him, Feng Xiuhu held up the gold card and asked her, "The restaurants are on the first and second floors, so what can we do on the fifth floor?"

Xu Liansheng smiled and said, "Of course, we'll eat."

Feng Xiuhu asked, puzzled, "What's the explanation?"

Xu Liansheng smiled and said, "I heard that last night, the Second Master asked the waitresses many times during the banquet, saying that he wanted to eat fish. With this card, the next time the Second Master comes, the head steward will come forward to greet him. The Second Master just needs to tell him 'I want to eat something fresh,' and the head steward will lead the Second Master to the fifth floor."

Feng Xiuhu's eyes lit up: "Fish?"

Xu Liansheng nodded frankly: "That's right, it's about eating fish."

She smiled slightly: "I originally thought that since Second Master and Third Master came from the coastal city of Fancheng, they wouldn't care much for fresh fish, but I didn't expect Second Master to still crave this delicious taste."

Feng Xiuhu's expression hardened: "How did you know we were from Fancheng?"

Before Xu Liansheng could explain, Shunzi spoke up for her: "Brother, you just said you know Zheng Sumei..."

Xu Liansheng nodded as instructed: "Where else could it be?"

Feng Xiuhu awkwardly touched his nose, realizing he might have been overly cautious: "So Shi Dajiao's fish is for you?"

Xu Liansheng directly admitted: "To be precise, it should be that it is only sold to me - in Qianyu City, only Shiwuyu can eat real fish."

"Second Master must know the taboos of Qianyu City, so this matter must not be told to anyone else, otherwise I fear I will die a miserable death—even if Jiangliu Temple does not hold me accountable, the people of the city will throw me into the river to feed the fish."

Feng Xiuhu stared at the gold card in his hand and thought for a moment: "I'm probably not the only one who knows about this, am I?"

Xu Liansheng nodded: "Those who hold gold cards all know that the mayor, the heads of various departments, and several influential people who have close business ties with me are all people I trust."

Feng Xiuhu raised his eyes and, for the first time tonight, seriously examined Xu Liansheng.

Xu Liansheng did not flinch, her clear eyes fixed on Feng Xiuhu.

She was even willing to tell Feng Xiuhu such a secret that concerned her life and fortune, which shows that she truly considered Feng Xiuhu a friend.

(End of this chapter)