Section 4

Feng Shizhen had already been filled with anger towards him, and she immediately shot him a cold glare before turning to walk into the ballroom. Just as she stepped through the door, a white figure came rushing towards her, causing her to stagger back two steps.

Feng Shizhen quietly walked over, took a cigar from the wooden box, cut it properly, and handed it to the man's side, then struck a match made of cedar wood. The man glanced at her, took the cigar in his mouth, and leaned his head towards the flame in Feng Shizhen's hand to take two puffs.

Feng Shizhen was reviewing the materials and noticed that there were photos of Mrs. Rong and several of her children. The head of the family, Rong Dingkun, had the most photos, including ones of him cutting ribbons and attending banquets, all showcasing his well-dressed, tall, and upright appearance

Huang gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. The son fell into the hands of the kidnappers, and he took in the son born to his concubine to raise as his own. Rong Dingkun also has two concubines, who bore him three daughters

Young Master Tang stood stiffly with his lips pressed together, his pupils appearing increasingly dark and profound. A few dancers stood awkwardly to the side, not daring to speak further.

"I am not sending you there for just a few pieces of information." Meng Xu'an sat down on the sofa, crossing his long legs. "As a tutor, you can interact with everyone from the host family to the gardener and the housekeeper, yet you will be the least conspicuous. I need you to lie in wait at the Rong family, ready to follow my orders when the time comes."

"Look at your temper..." Young Master Wu clicked his tongue and approached in his suit to dismiss the security guard

"What is Young Master Tang hiding from? Come dance!"

Young Master Wu smiled and pushed him, saying, "But dancing won't make you lose any weight. Is there not a single person in this entire pool that you find appealing?"

Feng Shi pretended not to see and memorized all the information, then struck a match and burned all the folders

Feng Shizhen went to the second floor and encountered Xiaoboli and the crew-cut young man engaged in a conversation.

"Let us dance a dance." Her voice was gentle, like a summer night's breeze brushing past the ear, instantly dispersing his resistance and tension

A tall man sits in a rocking chair, gazing at the neon lights hanging from the shops across the street. He is dressed in a deep silver-gray silk long coat, and the light outlines his neatly cropped hair and sharply defined profile with a golden edge.

"Success depends on human effort." Feng Shizhen's lips pressed together stubbornly, "Master Qi does not seek those enchanting women, but instead asks me to approach Young Master Rong, which naturally has its reasons. I trust Master Qi's judgment; I am certainly the more suitable one."

The girl in the green dress walked over and pushed open the window. The cool breeze of early autumn night carried the noise from the street outside, dispersing the heavy atmosphere within the room. Meng Xu'an downed the remaining wine in his cup in one gulp and took a deep drag from his cigar

Shizhen, your primary task is to win over the eldest son of the Rong family. He is the firstborn and primary heir of Rong Dingkun. If Rong Dingkun has any vulnerabilities, it is likely this eldest son, aside from his own life. You need to gain the trust and affection of the eldest Rong, making him your protector and link within the Rong family. Through him, you will deliver a fatal blow to Rong Dingkun. Can you accomplish this task?

Meng Xuan did not mention it, but since he is in the Rong family, there must be others involved. Otherwise, how could outsiders inquire about the privacy of such a woman

The bodyguard led Feng Shizhen to a gilded door at the end of the corridor, where a beautiful young girl dressed in a green silk shirt and pants opened the door and invited Feng Shizhen to enter

Meng Xuan exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled meaningfully

Meng Xiu'an said again: "You have passed the first level, and there are some matters you can understand now. Go and bring the folder from the cabinet. The contents inside are prepared for you"

Young Master Tang's handsome face was tightly drawn, as cold as if it had just been taken out of a freezer

Yang Xiucheng. Meng Xuan said, "He is a distant cousin of the Huang family. After graduating from university, he started working with Rong Dingkun and indeed possesses some talent. Rong Dingkun values him highly but does not fully trust him, thus he has not delegated authority to him. He remains Mrs. Rong's personal errand runner and frequently visits the Rong household. Once you enter the Rong family, you will often encounter him, so be cautious.

Feng Shizhen bowed in gratitude and walked away briskly

Meng Xiu'an nodded, "I will have someone keep an eye on it."

Feng Shizhen shook his head, "I was hosted by Mrs. Rong, Huang, and there was an unfamiliar man named Xiu Cheng or something like that."

Feng Shizhen raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly, "Of course it has been settled. We will move into the Rong family residence the day after tomorrow"

The room is furnished with solemn mahogany furniture, and a crystal chandelier shines brightly overhead. On the phonograph, the record slowly spins, playing a love song by a foreign female singer. The melody is melodious, and the voice is husky, making one inevitably feel languid, wanting to sink into the soft sofa and not get up.

Saying this, she left the man behind and ran towards the dressing room, lifting her skirt.

"With this, what else do you need me to do?" Feng Shizhen smiled while flipping through the materials. It also detailed Mrs. Rong's hair salon, the tailor shop for her clothes, and even a Western doctor specializing in gynecology.

Feng Shizhen responded with a sound, slightly uncomfortable as she tilted her head to the side

"Given Huang's fastidious nature, how did you manage to catch her eye"

He recalled something, his brows furrowed deeply, and his gaze momentarily appeared fierce and menacing

Young Master Rong was sent to military school at the age of twelve? Feng Shizhen was somewhat surprised to see the record in the documents. At that age, he was still a child

Young Master Tang was overwhelmed by the strong scent of perfume, making it difficult for him to breathe, and he disdainfully shook off the hand. The foreign woman took a step back and accidentally stepped into empty space, letting out a delicate cry as she fell to the ground

Young Master Tang is too shy! A White Russian dancer, speaking in a clumsy Shanghai dialect, playfully tugged at Young Master Tang's arm

Feng Shizhen estimated that Rong Dingkun truly has it all with both sons and daughters. It is often said that those who commit evil will face the consequence of having no descendants. However, Rong Dingkun has not suffered such retribution

Feng Shizhen followed the instructions. The folder contained several detailed documents about the Rong family. It included extensive information ranging from the Rong family's business and the names of the heads of various departments to the individual birth dates, simple preferences, and backgrounds of several managers within the Rong family

The eldest and second sons of the Rong family were kidnapped during their childhood, and only the eldest son was rescued. At that time, Uncle Huang was still an advisor beside General Zhang, and the Huang family was in constant mourning. Rong Dingkun had no choice but to send his eldest son far away, under the pretext of sending him to a military academy for training. This separation lasted a full nine years. Rong Jia only returned a few days ago and has been living in seclusion; no one has managed to capture his photograph.

Feng Shizhen's attire appeared ordinary on most days, but at this moment, amidst a sea of vibrant colors, she looked rather elegant, like a wisp of light smoke after the rain. Nowadays, courtesans are all the rage for dressing like schoolgirls, each sporting blue blouses, black skirts, and chic short hair. Without a male companion by her side, Young Master Wu mistook her for a dancer, his gaze brazenly sweeping from her delicate face down to her well-defined collarbone, lingering for a moment on her slender waist before whistling.

Meng Xuan's gaze was deep as he looked at her: "Are you really confident? I remember you haven't even had a boyfriend before. Do you know how to seduce a man?"

Young Master Wu, having been left behind, was not angry; instead, he turned to examine Feng Shizhen.

Meng Xuan shook off the ash from his cigarette and stood up. He was tall and upright, with broad shoulders, and as he stood backlit, looking down, a strong masculine aura unique to mature men came rushing towards him

Meng Xu'an swirled the ice cubes in his glass, lifting a smile filled with sarcasm, "In order to please his second wife, he has even cast aside his own son; how much genuine affection can he possibly have for others?"

In contrast, the folder of the young master of the Rong family contains only a thin sheet of paper, without even a single photograph

The maiden's smile is bright and clear, resembling the moonlit sky after the clouds have dispersed

At that moment, the young man's sleeve was gently tugged. He turned his head and saw the young lady, dressed as the student he had just bumped into, standing behind him

Have you seen Rong Dingkun?

Feng Shizhen extinguished the match, then went to the coffee table to pour a glass of Scotch whisky, added ice cubes, and brought it over

Feng Shizhen said dismissively: "I have not reached any consensus with her. As long as she does not make it clear, I will pretend to know nothing. However, there is one matter I need to trouble Seventh Master with. I have moved to the Rong family, and my parents are unattended, worrying about being bullied by the neighbors"

Before the words had left her lips, several flamboyantly dressed dancers appeared, resembling the spider spirit searching for the monk Tang Seng, or like police dogs on the hunt for fugitives, following the scent and closing in on the center along with Feng Shizhen.

This commotion has drawn quite a bit of attention, and many people in the ballroom are looking over. The security guard on duty is approaching with a serious expression.

The third floor is covered with a crimson carpet, and there is not a sound when one walks upon it. The music and dance from downstairs are also muffled by a heavy oak door, and the corridor is so quiet that one can clearly hear the breathing of others.

Meng Xuan took the wine, a hint of a private smile in his eyes, looking at Feng Shizhen, "How is it?"

Xiao Baoli saw Feng Shizhen, pushed the man aside, and said: "I am just afraid you might leave first! I have a box of blush cream brought back from America for you. Mr. Wu, please wait a moment."

Feng Shizhen said calmly: "I have heard that the second concubine of the Rong family has been favored for many years and is recently pregnant. Moreover, her brother has become a comprador for foreigners. It is said that the second concubine was originally a female student, and she became a concubine for Rong Dingkun because her family was in dire straits. At this moment, the first wife of Rong is clearly selecting a new tutor for the family, which is evidently a way to choose a new concubine. I will dress simply and possess genuine knowledge, so I am not afraid that she will not choose me."

A strong palm supported Feng Shizhen from behind, steadying her. Young Master Wu approached with a grin and said to his companion, "Why are you running? Is there a wolf chasing you from behind?"

Meng Xiu'an chuckled lightly and asked, "What are your plans to respond to the Huang family's ideas?"

"No problem," Feng Shizhen replied succinctly, "Then I shall take my leave."

"This folder belonging to the eldest son of the Rong family relies on you to gather and fill it up in the future," Meng Xuan said. "The eldest son of Rong is the offspring of Rong Dingkun and his first wife, Tang. The Tang family was doing relatively well a few years ago, but now they are increasingly struggling, with the younger brothers relying on Rong Dingkun for support. It is somewhat amusing to mention. There are rumors that Rong Dingkun brings misfortune to his wives, claiming that he drains the fortune of their families. Both of his wives' families have rapidly declined after their marriages, while he himself has managed to expand his business significantly."