Fang Jinsu told Xu Xingguang: "I take my father’s surname, my sister takes my mother’s surname. My sister was actually quite pretty when she was a teenager, but she fell ill later on. In order to cure her illness, she took some hormone medicine, which led to her figure going out of shape."

"Look at my sister’s features, she actually looks very beautiful."

Xu Xingguang agreed with Fang Jinsu, "Your sister is indeed very beautiful. If she could lose dozens of pounds more and maintain her weight at around 130 pounds, she would be even more perfect."

Fang Jinsu’s sister is very tall, seemingly over 170 cm. She has a large frame and has given birth before, so maintaining a weight of around 130 pounds would give her a voluptuous and sexy mature woman’s figure.

"However, what’s this got to do with you wanting to collaborate with me?"

Fang Jinsu covered the box lunch and put it on the ground. He asked Xu Xingguang: "My mother’s surname is Ying. Do you know which Ying Family her maternal side belongs to?"

There are quite a few people with the surname Ying in Xia Country, but the one that people immediately think of is only the hidden noble family of traditional Chinese medicine known as the Ying Family. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Feeling intrigued, Xu Xingguang pondered and asked Fang Jinsu: "Could it be that pharmaceutical noble family?"

Fang Jinsu nodded.

This was Xu Xingguang’s first encounter with someone who has familial connections to the Ying surname family, she found it a bit novel. "So what? What do you want to cooperate on?"

Fang Jinsu spoke frankly: "My nephew has an extraordinary talent for herbal medicine. Even though he’s only 9 years old, he can identify various herbs by their smell. My sister thinks he’s a good candidate for learning traditional Chinese medicine and wants to send him to learn with the Ying family’s main branch."

"But my mother’s side of the family is just a branch of the Ying Family, plus my grandfather and grandmother have already passed away, and my only uncle is an incompetent..." Fang Jinsu wanted to say his uncle was a waste, but he timely perceived the inappropriateness of it and swiftly shut his mouth.

Fang Jinsu corrected himself and said: "My uncle’s abilities are limited and can’t support us. With our family’s own capability, we simply have no power to send him to the Ying Family to study."

"Next month is the Ying Family’s Old Madam’s 90th birthday, and it’s said that the Ying Family will be hosting a grand celebration for it. The Old Madam doesn’t have any other hobbies, but she’s particularly fond of food. My mother and sister have been searching globally for gourmets, wanting to use gourmet food to get noticed in front of the Old Madam."

Fang Jinsu looked at Xu Xingguang, sincerely saying: "I think Teacher Xu’s culinary skills are superb, better than any gourmand I know. So I want to invite Teacher Xu to accompany us to Old Madam Ying’s birthday party, and as much as possible get her praise and recognition with a dish. In this way, we can seize the opportunity to send my nephew to study at the Ying Family."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xingguang did not immediately agree, but neither did she refuse.

Getting to visit the Ying Family is beneficial in its own right.

However...

"Since it’s a collaboration, what benefits can you offer me?" Xu Xingguang is a realist. Although she’s not to the extent of being a profiteer, she’s not someone who meddles in others’ affairs for no reason either.

Fang Jinsu said somewhat awkwardly: "Yesterday I heard Teacher Xu on the phone with a friend, saying they wanted to pull some strings to get a set of professional photography equipment. Coincidentally, I have a friend who’s a director in Du Lisha’s company’s R&D department, I can ask him to get a set of the top photography gear."

Afraid that Xu Xingguang would find this sincere offering too paltry, Fang Jinsu specifically emphasized: "Putting the whole equipment set together won’t be less than twenty million. If Teacher Xu needs to give it to a good friend, I can even have them customize it for you—they can change the color, and also engrave your signature."

Xu Xingguang was somewhat tempted.

Huo Wen’an’s birthday is on September 27 in the lunar calendar. Growing up, it seems he has never had a proper celebration that is solely for his birthday.

Xu Xingguang wants to throw a birthday party for Huo Wen’an.

When giving a birthday gift, naturally she must cater to his likes.

Huo Wen’an loves photography, his dream is to be a director, so Xu Xingguang intends to give him a complete set of professional photography equipment as his birthday gift.

She has her eyes on Du Lisha’s most advanced T5 series.

But the T5 series won’t be released until the end of the year, currently in the deposit pre-order phase, so she wants to buy it but cannot.

The terms offered by Fang Jinsu are truly tempting to Xu Xingguang.

"Deal."

Seeing Xu Xingguang agree, Fang Jinsu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Teacher Xu, then let’s look forward to working happily together."

"Looking forward to our collaboration."

They shook hands, becoming allies.

Cheng Xizhou and Bai Xi sat in their sunshade tent, observing Xu Xingguang’s conversation with Fang Jinsu from afar. Cheng Xizhou removed his sunglasses and asked Bai Xi: "What are Fang Jinsu and Teacher Xu talking about?"