Shrek City, Mingmeng Commerce Association Vice President's office.
The gray door to the Demiplane silently opened, and Kong Ming'an, dressed in white casual clothes, and Meng Hongchen walked out one after another.
Ju Zi, who was busy at her desk, looked up, her chestnut hair sliding from her shoulder. Seeing the arrivals, her eyes flickered slightly, then a gentle and professional smile appeared.
Standing up, Ju Zi respectfully bowed slightly. Her fitted uniform tightened slightly with the movement, outlining the full curve of her chest. With a respectful tone, she softly said:
"President, you've arrived."
Then, Ju Zi stood up, her gaze falling on Meng Hongchen behind Kong Ming'an, and she bowed slightly again, "Miss Meng, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Sister Ju Zi," Meng Hongchen greeted. In her mind, she was recalling Ju Zi's movements just now. Her keen intuition told her that Ju Zi's actions were definitely not unintentional.
Narrowing her eyes, Miss Meng subtly shifted her position, very casually revealing her hand, which was intertwined with someone else's.
With a familiar tone, she asked:
"Sister Ju Zi is still busy?"
"It's my duty, just part of my job," Ju Zi responded softly, her tone as gentle as before, seemingly unchanged.
She habitually took out the folder placed beside her, then looked at Kong Ming'an, "President, do you need me to report on the recent status of the Commerce?"
"No need. I just came out to stroll with Meng."
Kong Ming'an's tone was calm, but he noticed a hint of fatigue in Ju Zi's eyes. "Have you been very busy lately?"
Ju Zi paused, then explained, "...Heaven Dou City will host the next Advanced Spirit Master Academy Douluo Tournament. The Heaven Dou Imperial Family has shown goodwill to the Commerce, transferring a portion of the tournament-related business to us.
"Because it involves the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, there are quite a few matters that require my review during the transfer process, which took a bit more time."
"Is that so..."
Kong Ming'an understood. After thinking for a moment, he still took out a small bottle of emerald-green solution, radiating pure life energy, from his Storage Ring and placed it on the table.
"Life Essence can alleviate physical fatigue, but for mental exhaustion... I still recommend you get some sleep and rest."
Looking at the Life Essence on the table, Ju Zi was stunned for a long while before she spoke with some inexplicable difficulty: "...Thank you, President."
"Consider it an employee benefit."
Kong Ming'an said with a smile, "Then Meng and I will head out first. Sister Ju Zi, take your time."
"...Yes, President."
Ju Zi showed her usual gentle smile, watching the two leave the office. But as the door closed, her gaze involuntarily fell on the small bottle of Life Essence on the table.
Pressing her lips together, Ju Zi's eyes were shadowed and unclear, lost in thought... "You're quite good to your employees, even giving them things directly?"
Such a strong scent of jealousy... Kong Ming'an glanced at Miss Meng beside him with a slight surprise, then shook his head:
"It's just that I don't want to exploit my employees."
"Tsk..."
Miss Meng let out a soft 'tsk'. She believed that a certain someone genuinely had no other intentions for now, and was truly just showing concern for an employee.
But... first promising revenge and granting her power, then giving her value and establishing a new spiritual anchor... After all that, if it were her, she probably wouldn't be able to help but develop other thoughts, right? Moreover, a certain someone is also quite handsome... If this continues...
She felt that her future rivals might be a bit numerous?
Miss Meng fell into distress.
A moment later, the two walked out of the Commerce building side by side, blending into the bustling crowd of Shrek City.
Meng Hongchen temporarily set aside her worries. After all, it was a long-awaited outing; she would relax first.
Miss Meng looked around, sometimes stopping at a stall selling trinkets, or having her attention drawn by a Spirit Master's street performance.
After all, Shrek City, in terms of prosperity and cultural heritage, was undoubtedly the number one in Douluo.
Kong Ming'an walked beside her, his gaze occasionally sweeping the surroundings, also observing the city.
However, at one particular moment, his gaze inadvertently swept past the window of a private room in a teahouse across the street, and he met a pair of clear eyes that held a hint of fatigue.
It was Zhang Lexuan.
She held a cup of clear tea in her hand, looking at the restaurant across from the teahouse, seemingly observing something.
Their gazes briefly met in the air. Kong Ming'an paused slightly, then politely nodded to her, a faint smile playing on his lips, as a greeting.
Then, he naturally retracted his gaze and walked away with Meng Hongchen, who was pointing at a nearby sugar painting stall and saying something.
By the teahouse window, Zhang Lexuan's hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly.
That handsome young man... She remembered seeing him once before at the Commerce entrance; at that time, he was with another purple-haired Young Miss. How is it that this time he's with a silver-haired Young Miss? Does he change them so quickly?
Zhang Lexuan frowned slightly, but then shook her head, casting this insignificant interlude to the back of her mind.
Shrek City is neither too big nor too small, and moreover, this young man was too conspicuous; it was hard not to notice him. She thought... it must just be a coincidence.
She finished the slightly cool tea in her cup and continued to direct her gaze towards the restaurant below.
She was here today because she had found out that someone in Shrek Outer Court's logistics department was reselling academy resources, and now she was waiting for them to appear.
Feeling a bit tired, she gently rubbed her temples, forcing herself to stay awake.
She still didn't understand why there was so much hidden filth in Shrek, but it didn't matter... She would definitely make Shrek better, she definitely could... Zhang Lexuan slowly exhaled a breath of turbid Qi, regaining her spirit... "Some things are rotten to the core; how could it be so easy to fix them?"
Kong Ming'an murmured softly, feeling a bit of sympathy for his nominal clan sister.
To save a large tree whose root system is already rotten, if one is not careful, they might even be crushed and bruised by falling branches.
And at that time, whether it's the tree or the people standing by, they will say it's the fault of the person trying to save the tree, that she insisted on saving it and ended up killing it.
The despair that would surge then would be enough to engulf anyone.
Shaking his head, Kong Ming'an withdrew his attention and didn't continue thinking. Today was for playing with Miss Meng; everything else could wait for now... The outing with Miss Meng in Shrek City ended in a relaxed yet subtle atmosphere.
Returning to the Mingmeng Commerce Association's headquarters, the two were about to return to Mingdu through the Demiplane when Ju Zi pushed open the door, a hint of urgency on her face unlike her usual work reports.
"President," she first bowed to Kong Ming'an, then nodded to Meng Hongchen, and only then quickly spoke,
"President, a subordinate reported that we found something from the list you previously asked us to search for."
"Something from the list?" Kong Ming'an raised an eyebrow slightly. He had indeed given Ju Zi a list, which contained various treasures that had appeared in the original work.
For example, the Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone that appeared at the auction, and the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow of the Earth Dragon Sect, were all on the list.
However... judging by Ju Zi's expression, it seemed not to be an ordinary item?
"Yes." Ju Zi took a deep breath, her voice softer, yet every word was clear, "Our branch in Star Luo City... acquired a 'Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast Embryo'."
Kong Ming'an's hand, which was about to pick up the teacup, froze in mid-air.
No... what was that?
Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast Embryo?!